FRISCO, TX, September 17, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Nicole Muraoka has been recognized for achievement in early childhood education.

Marked by decades of experience across early childhood education, program development and child care services, Ms. Muraoka currently serves as the director of Lake Highlands Presbyterian Church Child Development Center in Dallas, Texas, a position she has held since 2025. Managing staffing and classroom coverage to ensure smooth center operations and nurturing environments for children, she conducts tours for prospective families and supports family engagement initiatives. Her responsibilities also include developing and executing marketing initiatives to promote the center, overseeing finances and budgeting, creating and updating policies and procedures, and preparing documentation for board review.

In her role at Lake Highlands Presbyterian Church Child Development Center, Ms. Muraoka has developed standard operating procedures tailored to the needs of the center and also handles administrative paperwork, meets regularly with families to address their questions and provides ongoing guidance and support to each member of her staff. She is committed to facilitating professional development and ensuring that the Lake Highlands staff consistently complete required annual training.

In addition to her directorship, Ms. Muraoka is the co-owner of Igniting the Flame LLC, a consulting role she has maintained since 2018. Through this business venture, she has furthered her expertise in child development, staff development and systems development.

From 2020 to 2022, Ms. Muraoka worked as a coordinator for Ayik & Berto Dental Specialists, where she gained valuable experience serving patients and families in a healthcare setting. Prior to this, she was a parent family and community engagement coordinator for Head Start — where she herself participated when she was a child — supporting families participating in the program and contributing to the organization's mission of providing comprehensive early childhood education.

As a program supervisor at Robins' Nest Inc. from 2018 to 2019, Ms. Muraoka oversaw program operations and supported staff in delivering quality services to children and families. Her earlier tenure as an education specialist at Gateway Community Action Partnership from 2008 to 2013 allowed her to develop many of the foundational skills in educational programming, social work and advocacy that she continues to utilize today.

Ms. Muraoka's career in child care spans more than two decades across multiple states including North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She began her journey as a substitute teacher after completing her formal education, later transitioning into roles such as social worker and center director in various private daycare settings. Her dedication extended beyond her professional obligations when she took several years away from the workforce to care for her mother-in-law who was living with dementia.

Alongside her primary roles, Ms. Muraoka is an active member of industry organizations such as the Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC) and SCORE, both of which have provided opportunities for continued learning and networking within the child development field.

A significant milestone in Ms. Muraoka's journey is her recent completion of a Master of Education in elementary education and teaching at Grand Canyon University in 2026. This accomplishment stands out as a source of immense pride for her, reflecting both her commitment to addressing educational gaps and her desire to enhance staff training practices through advanced knowledge and professional terminology. Balancing her academic pursuits with the responsibilities of a mother of four children and grandmother of four required significant perseverance and dedication, both qualities she has displayed throughout every stage of her career.

Ms. Muraoka also pursued higher education before venturing onto her vocational path, earning a Bachelor of Science in business administration and management from Goldey Beacom College in 1994. To augment her knowledge and qualifications, she is certified as a child care program center director by Texas Director.

Faith has played a vital role in shaping Ms. Muraoka's path; she attributes much of her success to her belief in God and understanding her purpose within the educational realm. Though she did not initially intend to pursue teaching, becoming a mother inspired her to embrace the role of educator for her own children — particularly after one son was diagnosed with aspberger's syndrome. This personal experience fueled her extensive training in working with children on the autism spectrum and motivated her efforts to help families thrive within inclusive classroom settings.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Ms. Muraoka is deeply involved in civic-minded activities as an ordained minister who leads church ministry initiatives as well as an online prayer ministry. She is also an accomplished author with contributions to two anthologies: "My Life for Yours: Chronicles of a Caregiver's Unconditional Love," published in 2020 under author Valerie Stancill-Garrett, shares inspirational stories from women caregivers, and "Becoming a Champion: Real Stories of How Patterns and Principles Shaped Women into Winners," published in 2026 under senior author Favour Robinson, highlights transformative experiences that have shaped women's success.

On a personal level, Ms. Muraoka remains fiercely devoted to her family life with her children and grandchildren. Her personal interests include writing — she is currently working on another book — as well as music, singing, self-care activities and traveling.

Looking toward the future, Ms. Muraoka plans to establish a consulting business focused on supporting daycare centers and schools through staff development, business development initiatives, training programs and administrative support aimed at enhancing educational quality within these institutions. Her achievements and prospective goals alike reflect a longstanding legacy of community service, family values and helping children and families in need through everything she does, both in the educational sector and beyond.

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