About EPIC Kids Development

Company History

The Educational Partnership in the Community (EPIC) was founded by Occupational Therapist Britta Carlson, a passionate advocate for early childhood education. Recognizing the critical shortage of quality childcare in Marquette County, she set out to create an innovative, all-inclusive childcare center. Her goal was to integrate developmental expertise from therapists with the educational guidance of teachers to create a supportive, multi-age learning environment.

EPIC initially operated as a direct childcare center, offering flexible care options tailored to community needs. However, as staffing shortages and economic challenges continued to impact the childcare sector, EPIC pivoted its focus. Rather than competing for limited workforce resources, EPIC transitioned to a consulting and support model, known as EPIC Kids Development, which creates resources that help parents, caregivers, and educators.

Today, EPIC Kids Development works to enhance early childhood education by creating accessible digital resources, supporting educators, and empowering families. 

Mission Statement

At EPIC Kids Development, our mission is to empower the early childhood sector by developing resources that support parents, caregivers, and educators by promoting best practices and developmental milestone awareness and activities, ensuring all children have access to high-quality early learning experiences.

Goals

Our goal is to enhance early childhood education by creating and sharing developmentally appropriate resources that support young learners. We aim to empower parents, caregivers, and educators by promoting best practices and raising awareness of developmental milestones, ensuring children receive the guidance they need at every stage. By developing and distributing digital resources, we strive to expand accessibility and provide impactful teaching tools that can be easily implemented in any learning environment. Our focus is on offering engaging activities that foster early learning and holistic child development, making education both effective and enjoyable. Additionally, we advocate for innovative solutions that enhance the sustainability and accessibility of early childhood care and education, ensuring that all children have the opportunity to thrive.


Meet the Team

  • Britta Carlson is the founder of EPIC Kids Development, a mission-driven venture dedicated to transforming access to early childhood education—particularly in rural communities. With a B.S. in Health & Fitness Management from Northern Michigan University, where she competed as a national and world-level Olympic weightlifter, and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Grand Valley State University, Britta blends clinical expertise with entrepreneurial innovation.

    Her career began as an occupational therapist and early interventionist, where she recognized systemic gaps in care delivery and resource accessibility.

    In 2022, Britta launched the Educational Partnership in the Community (EPIC) to address the childcare crisis in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Initially operating as a childcare center, EPIC pivoted to EPIC Kids Development, a consulting and resource model in response to staffing shortages and the birth of the founder’s daughter Brave. Her two daughters are her greatest teachers and motivators.

    Today, EPIC provides consultation and digital tools, milestone-based activities, and educator support to enhance early learning experiences and milestone achievement.

    Britta’s ventures have been recognized by Innovate Marquette SmartZone, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, and Michigan Women Forward. She continues to advocate for inclusive, sustainable solutions that empower families, educators, employers and providers through innovation and community collaboration.

  • Kate Cudney is the Head of Marketing at EPIC Kids Development, where she applies her expertise in human-centered design to support early childhood education. A recent graduate of Northern Michigan University, she earned a degree in Human-Centered Design with a minor in Engineering Design.

    At EPIC, Kate leads marketing initiatives that promote accessible digital resources for parents, caregivers, and educators. Her work focuses on enhancing developmental milestone awareness and providing engaging, developmentally appropriate activities to support young learners.

    Kate's background includes experience as a human-centered designer at Invent@NMU, where she developed user-focused solutions and innovative product designs.

    Passionate about inclusive design and community impact, Kate is dedicated to creating marketing strategies that reflect EPIC's mission to empower the early childhood sector through innovative and accessible resources.