Mindy Binderman

Mindy Binderman is the founding Executive Director of GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students. Mindy leads GEEARS’ efforts to inspire and provide leadership for a statewide movement on early learning and healthy development for children ages birth to five. Mindy serves as GEEARS’ lead advocate, fundraiser, and spokesperson. She partners with the Board of Directors on strategic planning and works to strengthen relationships with community partners. Through her leadership, GEEARS has worked to preserve and strengthen the Georgia Pre-K program; expanded access to affordable, high-quality child care; lifted up the importance of early childhood mental health; partnered with the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning to support the establishment of a star rated quality system of child care in Georgia, and supported the passage of the state’s first paid parental leave law. In addition, GEEARS has established a P3 Leaders’ Fellowship, invested millions of dollars in capital funds and scholarships for child care in the City of Atlanta through its PAACT initiative, and distributed over 100,000 free children’s books through the Mayor’s Summer Reading Club which it leads.

Mindy has had an extensive career in advocacy and government relations for nonprofits and corporations in Maryland and Georgia. She served as Director of Government Relations and Public Affairs for the Baltimore Jewish Council and as Vice President of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood of Maryland before establishing her own successful lobbying firm based in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1999.

Prior to coming to GEEARS, Mindy served as the Advocacy Director of Voices for Georgia’s Children from 2007-2010. Mindy is a member of the Leadership Atlanta class of 2012. She chaired the Governance Council of North Springs Charter High School from 2015-17 and is the current Chair of Grants for the Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta. She is a board member of the Georgia WIN List and the Jewish Community Relations Council, and she serves on the Georgia Children’s Cabinet, the Get Georgia Reading Cabinet and the Learn 4 Life Leadership Council. Mindy has previously served on the boards of directors of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, Georgians for a Healthy Future, the Marcus Jewish Community Center, and Voices for Georgia’s Children.

Mindy has received numerous community awards, including being named one of the Top Women in Maryland by the Maryland Daily Record, the Shero Award by the National Council of Jewish Women, the Ambassador Award by Premier Academy, and the Mark O’Connell Community Impact Award Tocqueville Society of the United Way of Greater Atlanta.