About Us
A public-private partnership at the City University of New York, we lead the work to elevate the field of early childhood in New York State through research, public policy, higher education and professional learning.
We use a dynamic, multifaceted approach to build and strengthen New York’s early childhood workforce. As a statewide project at the nation’s largest urban university, our initiatives harness the knowledge and experience of experts across the field of early care and learning.
Meet our team
Leadership Team
Dona Anderson
Executive Director
Autumn Payne
Director of Operations and Special Projects
Alyssa Estremo
Senior Project Associate
Hope Lesane
Senior Policy Advisor
Rachel Nobel Fields
Director of Communications
Institute Staff
Ada Tosku
Assistant Director of Budget and Administration
Josef Kannegaard
Data Analyst
Sharaya Vaughn
Project Associate
Kayla Madridejos
Office Operations Coordinator
Hamish Strong
Web and Database Administrator
Youngjae Lim
Web and Database Development Manager
Yessenia Rosario Adon
Director of Quality Improvement
Tiehia Schonberger
Coaching Manager
Amy Gagliardo
Data Systems and Ratings Manager
Christina Kelly
Communications and Outreach Senior Manager
Brigid Daly-Wagner
Regional Quality Improvement Coordinator
Katharine Mora
Regional Quality Improvement Coordinator
Jenna Pettinicchi
Regional Quality Improvement Coordinator
JoAnn Toth
Regional Quality Improvement Coordinator
Claudine Campanelli
Senior Director of Career Services and Higher Education
Jonathan Gabay
Director of Career Development
Eun Jeong Jun
Director of Higher Education Initiatives
Abby Okon
Senior Director, New York Works for Children
Olivia Lasala
Director, The Aspire Registry
Jhoana Taboada
Registry Operations Manager
Tinnycua Williams
Professional Development Quality Assurance Manager
Cherisse Smith
Communications Manager
Zoraima Rosario
Director, Informal Family Child Care Project
Ashley Herzog
Special Needs Project Manager
Alisa Cangonja
Project Associate
Juana Inurritegui
Family Child Care Trainer
Jessica Howe
Senior Director of Early Childhood Professional Development
Mallory Tompkins
Director of Professional Development
Ivonne Monje
Associate Director of Strategic Child Care
Jenna Thompson
Online Systems Support Project Coordinator
Andrew Miller
Voucher and Technical Support Project Assistant
John Mason
Technical Assistance Specialist
Eddy Sanchez
Bilingual Technical Assistance Specialist
Sarika Mahtani
Translator/Online Systems Trainer
Vanessa Vargas
Early Childhood Collective Impact Manager
Katherine Cuevas
Project Assistant
Lindsey Bravo
Director of Research and Evaluation – Early Childhood
Erica Yardy
Research Associate