Tribute to Chris Muecke
The Summer 2023 MAP Newsletter on Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health is dedicated to the memory of Chris Muecke who passed away on May 30, 2023. She was an early childhood interventionist, mentor, educator and passionate advocate for infant and early childhood mental health. She left a legacy of relationships and accomplishments to help build the capacity for future generations of early childhood professionals to support the mental health of very young children and their families.
Chris positively impacted the lives of countless infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families during the 26 years that she worked as an early interventionist and infant/parent educator for the San Diego Unified School District. She served as a mentor and teacher to students and early childhood educators as a faculty member at San Diego State University. Outside of her paid employment she promoted infant and early childhood mental health through her leadership in the San Diego Chapter of the Infant Development Association. She also helped to form an infant mental health community interest group called the Neuro Nerds and helped to establish San Diego’s We Can’t Wait Conference on Early Childhood Mental Health. She also supported the development of the Early Childhood Social Emotional and Behavior Regulation Intervention Specialist (ECSEBRIS) early childhood mental health training program at San Diego State University. Colleagues who worked with Chris on each of these projects have submitted tributes to Chris.
“Great work…we are happy to help where necessary”
— Chris Muecke, June 10, 2013
Chris sent these words in an email to me regarding advocacy efforts on funding for Early Start in the California budget. In reflection. That is Chris — happy to help where necessary.
“She certainly did that when she stepped up to be Chair of the San Diego Infant Development Association (IDA) Chapter in 2007. She organized and supported the development of that new chapter with her grace, style, and skill to have fun. IDA was fortunate to have been able to benefit from her engagement.”
— Fran Chasen, IDA Policy Co-Chair.
Chris was a leader and advocate for early childhood throughout San Diego County.
She was dedicated to applying neuroscience in accessible ways to support parents/caregivers through the co-development of a brain science informed course for parents. She gave voice to neuroscience principles in community meetings, teaching college students while living the work relationally. After studying neuroscience with Tina Payne Bryson, she helped to develop and was a co-leader of a local group known as the Nuero Nerds to advance Interpersonal Neurobiology in San Diego. In addition, she was a leader in bringing the California Early Childhood Mental Health Competencies to the San Diego community.
“Chris was one of the founding members of the We Can’t Wait Conference on Early Childhood Mental Health, now in its 14th year. In this capacity, she helped reach well over 5000 attendees. Thinking about her smile, exuberance, and contagious enthusiasm, in a lot of ways she embodied what is wonderful about our children. And then, in some ways, she saw the future. She knew not only that the best interventions and successes could be achieved by supporting young children and their families, but she committed over these last decades to workforce development so that San Diego would have experts trained in this field for generations to come. Chris left her bright and shiny, hopeful, passionate mark on our kids, on our community, and on our hearts. She will be honored in perpetuity at the We Can’t Wait Conference with a scholarship for two promising student in the field. I can see her smiling at the thought of it. Her legacy lives on here in San Diego.”
— Liz Marucheau and the Neuro-Nerds of San Diego County
When a person passes away, what remains on Earth is their name.
A name is created by their deeds, manners, passion, dedication, friends, family, beliefs and most importantly the way they have made people around them feel.
When Chris Muecke passed away we lost an amazing human being, professional, friend, and colleague. Chris has dedicated her life working with infants and very young children with special needs and challenging behaviors. I met Chris in one of the many committees we both participated in in order to draw attention to the needs of young children and their families. We shared the passion and the determination to make a difference.
And indeed, Chris has made a difference in the lives of children and families she worked with; but more importantly, she has mentored, coached, and inspired many young professionals who are carrying her vision and guidance through their own work in the field.
On a personal level, I was fortunate and blessed to have a dear and loyal friend, who has stood by me during turbulent times and was there joining forces working together to make dreams come true (EC-SEBRIS Early Childhood Social Emotional and Behavior Regulation Intervention Specialist).
“Chris has made a name that is going to be remembered by many of us who are going to miss her.”
— Dr. Shulamit Ritblatt, Professor Emerita, San Diego State University
The MAP to Inclusion and Belonging Project would like to thank all of the contributors to this tribute including Dr. Shulamit Ritblatt who shared the photos of Chris. Her memory will live on with this tribute and as a result of her lasting impact on the field.