Pennsylvania Early Learning Council Ad Hoc Certification Re-Write Subcommittee Members by Subchapter Workgroup
Subchapter Workgroup #1: Purpose and Authority
This Subchapter includes the introduction to the regulations, and outlines their purpose, applicability and definitions.
OCDEL Lead: Jessica Sands (jsands@pa.gov)
Committee members:
Diane Barber (diane.barber@pacca.org)
Executive Director | Pennsylvania Child Care Association
Lemoyne
Kelly Benasutti (kbenasutti@lebanonymca.org)
Director of Childcare Services | Lebanon Valley Family YMCA
Lebanon
Michelle Cooper (mcooper@nuhhce.org)
Director of Advocacy | Child Care Providers United
SE PA
Charles Dinofrio (cdinofrio@lvcconline.org)
President and CEO | Lehigh Valley Children’s Centers Inc.
Allentown
Diane Force (dforce@balahouse.org)
School Director | Bala House Montessori School
Bala Cynwyd
Losa Iliopoulos (littlepeoplesvillage@gmail.com)
Executive Director/Owner | Little People’s Village 1 &.2
Philadelphia
Johanna Jimenez (johanna.jimenez1208@gmail.com)
Child Care Provider | Johanna M. Jimenez Child Care
Philadelphia
Santosh Kang (playwaylovingchildcarecenter@gmail.com)
Director/ owner | Playway loving child care center llc
Erie
Mary Mahoney-Ferster (margar45@hotmail.com)
Community Member
Lewisburg
Sean McAleer (smcaleer@pacatholic.org)
Director of Education | Pennsylvania Catholic Conference
Harrisburg
Samantha Pierpoint (spierpoint@paaap.org)
Assistant Program Director, Breastfeeding Programs | PA Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Media
April Powell (btblearningacademy@yahoo.com)
Owner | Beyond Basic Learning Academy
Philadelphia
Lindsey Ramsey (ramseyln09@yahoo.com)
Assistant Director of Policy and Practice | Trying Together
Pittsburgh
Jack Safer (jsafer@brightsideacademy.com)
President & CEO | Brightside Academy
Pittsburgh/Philadelphia
Wenxi Schwab (wschwab@iu28.org)
Family Educator | ARIN 28
Indiana
Jen Segelken (jen.segelken@philaymca.org)
VP, Youth Development | Greater Philadelphia YMCA
Various
Dr. Philip Sirinides (pzs5539@psu.edu)
Director | Penn State Harrisburg
Middletown
Suany Sufran (Sufran.suany@gmail.com)
Owner Daycare | Child Time Learning Daycare
Allentown
Jeffrey Vitale (jeff@monvalleyymca.org)
CEO | Mon Valley YMCA
Monongahela
Subchapter Workgroup #2: Family and Community
This Subchapter includes regulations related to family engagement, communication with parents, procedures for admission, parent consent and services to a child with a developmental delay, disability or special healthcare need.
OCDEL Lead: Judy Fry (judfry@pa.gov)
Committee members:
Jasmin Auguste (Jasauguste@yahoo.com)
Early Learning Specialist | First Up
Philadelphia
Claudia Aust (caust@ymcagbw.org)
Sr. Association Director School Age Child Care | Greater Brandywine YMCA School Age Child Care
Chester County
Laverne Cheeseboro (heavenlymadecreations@gmail.com)
Owner/Director | Heavenly Made Creations
Philadelphia
Wendy Etheridge Smith (wendy.smith@aiu3.net)
Director, Early Childhood, Family, and Community Services | Allegheny Intermediate Unit
Allegheny County
Jackeline Figueroa (jfigueroa@felskids.org)
Head Start and Pre-K Counts Program Coordinator | Federation Early Learning Services
Philadelphia
Tonya Fisher (tlfisher140@comcast.net)
Owner | Busy Bees Daycare
Blanchard
Libertad Gonzalez (LibertyChildcare@hotmail.com)
Family Childcare Provider | Liberty Family Childcare
Lancaster
Sara Gray-Bradley (sbradley@cassd.org)
Executive Director | Cornerstone Youth Home
York
Tylor Hart (Tylor.Hart@alleghenycounty.us)
Manager | Out of School Time
Pittsburgh
Austin Hobbs (hanselaustin48@gmail.com)
Administrator Assistant | Hansel & Gretel Early Learning Center
Harrisburg
Rosanna Matos (rosanna.matos@firstup.org)
Early Learning Specialist | First Up
Philadelphia
Dawn Nock (dnock@pec-cares.org)
ECE Specialist | People’s Emergency Center
Philadelphia
Dianne Oesterling (doesterling@bcfymca.org)
Director of Child Care and Youth Services | Butler YMCA Child Care Programs
Butler
Ellie Perez (eperez@ywcayork.org)
Program Coordinator | WBYBFI
York
Betsy Spargo (bspargo@lccap.org)
HS/EHS Director | Lawrence County Community Action Partnership
New Castle
Megan Strella (mstrella@lccc.edu)
ECE Adjunct Faculty/Apprenticeship Intermediary Liaison | Lehigh Carbon Community College/Northampton Community College
Lehigh Valley
Minnette Taylor (gtdaycare@comcast.net)
Owner | G & T Daycare, Montessori Program
Philadelphia
Erica Winstead (winsteadschildcare@gmail.com)
Owner/Operation | Winstead’s Childcare
Pittsburgh
Subchapter Workgroup #3: Professional Development (PD), Training & Requirements
This Subchapter includes regulations related to facility persons including suitability, age, qualifications, responsibilities, professional development and preservice training.
OCDEL Lead: Deb Wise (dewise@pa.gov)
Committee members:
Lisa Baer (lbaer@ywcagettysburg.org)
Childcare Director | YWCA Childcare at Adams Commerce Center
Gettysburg
Denise Bermudez (denise.s.bermudez@phila.gov)
Director of PHLPreK | The City of Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Damon Bethea (damon.bethea@unitedwayswpa.org)
Community Impact Manager | United Way of Southwestern PA
Pittsburgh
Jennifer Brennan (jennifer.brennan@wvymca.org)
VP of Child Care | Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA
Wilkes Barre
Barrie Byrd (barrieb@shchildservices.org)
Executive Director | Seton Hill Child Services, Inc.
Greensburg
Matthew Charles (mcharles@hempfieldrec.com)
Assistant School-Age Childcare Director | Hempfield RecCenter
Landisville
Nicole Flickinger (theflicks04@comcast.net)
Owner, Director, Early Educator, and Childcare Provider | Nicole Flickinger Family Childcare
Carlisle
Latonta Godboldt (smallwondersfamilydaycare@gmail.com)
Owner/Director | Small Wonders FCCH
Philadelphia
La’Kasha Hines (lhines@nuhhce.org)
Lead Organizer | Childcare Providers United Union
Statewide
C. Eve J. Kimball (doceve1@gmail.com)
MD | PAAAP
Media
Nicolle King (harleowner@aol.com)
Owner/Director | King’s Country Kids
York
Sharon Neilson (sneilson@gphainc.org)
Director | Woodland Academy/GPHA
Philadelphia
Megan Nestor (megan.nestor@alleghenycounty.us)
Deputy Director | Allegheny County Department of Children Initiatives
Pittsburgh
Jennifer Pizer (jen_pizer@champion.org)
Head Preschool Teacher | Champion Christian Preschool & Extended Childcare Services
Champion
Gladys Ramirez-Wrease (gladys.ramirez-wreas@eastern.edu)
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Success | Esperanza College of Eastern University
Philadelphia, PA
Carissa Swiss (swissc@chc.edu)
Assistant Professor/Discipline Chair | Chestnut Hill College Montessori Teacher Education Program
Philadelphia
Julie Townsend (vetjul@me.com)
Director/Behavior Specialist | Mater Dei
Hatfield
Dolores Vazquez (nales@live.com)
Director | Little Tike Learning Center
Slatington
Subchapter Workgroup #4: Early Childhood Education Program
This Subchapter includes regulations related to staff: child ratio, physical site, equipment, fire safety, the program, elements of child and adult health, nutrition, transportation, and adult records.
OCDEL Lead: Tamula Ferguson (tferguson@pa.gov)
Committee members:
Veronica Alvarado-Frias (play@archstreetpreschool.org)
Director | Arch Street Preschool
Philadelphia
Tiffany Bransteitter (tistrickle@pa.gov)
Obesity Prevention & Wellness Section Chief | PA Department of Health
Harrisburg
Tina Carter (tina.ymca@zoominternet.net)
CEO | Meadville YMCA
Meadville
Denise Cressman (cressmanfm@msn.com)
Owner/Operator | Cressman’s Family Child Care
Danville
Danielle Erkoboni (erkobonid@chop.edu)
General Pediatrician | Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Kathy Frederick (kfrederick@earlylearningconnections.org)
Program Director | Butler County Children’s Center/Early Learning Connections
Butler
Deborah Gallagher (dgallagher@cotraic.org)
Early Head Start Director | Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center Early Head Start
Pittsburgh
Kristin Haegele Hill (khaegelehill@paaap.org)
Director of Community-Based Initiatives | PA Chapter American Academy of Pediatrics
Media
Mary Jimenez (maryj@uwberks.org)
Early Childhood and Community Engagement Program Manager | United Way of Berks County
Reading
Dolly Kalsi (bethlehempa@goddardschools.com)
Owner | The Goddard School
Bethlehem
Kris LeBeau (theartofplay@comcast.net)
FCC, Owner and Teacher | Art of Play Early Learning Center
Mechanicsburg
Mae Lee (OlympiKTots@gmail.com)
Director | Olympik Tots Early Learning Center
Philadelphia
Crystal Lopez (misscrystal@kiddiecity.net)
Director | Kiddie City Early Learning Center
Allentown
Felis Lynd (flynd@ncymca.org)
Child Development Director | New Castle Community Daycare
New Castle
Karen Machak (kmachak@thelearninglamp.org)
Childcare Program Manager | The Learning Lamp
Johnstown
Crystal Messer (cmesser@gv-ymca.org)
Vice President of Childcare | Greater Valley YMCA
Allentown
Mai Miksic (maim@childrenfirstpa.org)
Early Childhood Education Policy Director | Children First
Philadelphia
Sean Perkins (sean.perkins@phila.gov)
Chief of Early Childhood Education | City of Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Mary Rebe (director@greentreeselc.com)
Director | Green Trees Early Learning Center, Inc.
Milford
Michelle Stevens (learnmdm3@aol.com)
Owner/Operator | Stevens Group Child Care and Michelle Stevens Group Child Care
Chester
Subchapter Workgroup #5: Program Certification & Oversite
This Subchapter includes regulations related to general requirements related to applications, appeals & waivers, building codes and insurance, child abuse reporting, departmental access, emergency plans, and the handling of child records.
OCDEL Lead: Mike Ordonez (mordonez@pa.gov)
Committee members:
Adrienne Briggs (absblessed04@yahoo.com)
Owner/Educator | Lil’ Bits FCCH
Philadelphia
Anita Butz (butz5@comcast.net)
Owner and Operator | Anita L. Butz Family Day Care
Pottsville
Anita Caraway (alincaraway@aol.com)
Child Care Provider | 24 Sunrise Childcare
Philadelphia
Sophia Estrella (director@elevationchildcarecenter.org)
Owner/Director | Elevation Childcare Center
Allentown
Jackie Hawkins (jhawkins@lancasterrec.org)
Director of School Age Care | Lancaster Recreation Commission
Lancaster
Tracy Heutsche (doty.tracy@gmail.com)
Owner/Operator | Tracy Heutsche Family Home Child Care
Erie
Mimi Hong (mimiyhong@gmail.com)
Director | Yuong Sang Academy
Horsham
Dinorah Jerez (dinorahjerez151823@hotmail.com)
Owner/Director | Jesiah Jireh Early Learning Center LLC
York
Ivy Johnson (ivy@yalcpa.org)
Executive Director | Young Achievers Learning Center, Inc.
Philadelphia
Kellie Ketchum-Umphrey (padedeva@gmail.com)
Program Manager, Early Head Start | Council of Three Rivers American Indian
Philadelphia
Kelly Langan (klangan@uncnepa.org)
Director of Children & Teens | United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA
Scranton
Maddy Malis (mmalis@FELSkids.org)
Former FELS CEO/SEPECC Advisory Board | Federation Early Learning Services (FELS)
Philadelphia
Melissa Novatnack (mnovatnack@mcrcerie.org)
Director of Childcare | MCRC
Erie
Leena Patel (philadelphia2pa@goddardschools.com)
Owner | The Goddard School
Philadelphia
Amy Pennycoff (apennycoff@lebanonymca.org)
Director of Community Engagement | Lebanon Valley Family YMCA
Lebanon
Lyzette Rios (lrios.goodlands@gmail.com)
Office Assistant | El Centro Nueva Creación
Philadelphia
Zubeen Saeed (zsaeed@buildingblockslearningcenter.com)
President | Building Blocks Learning Center
Wilkes Barre
Melissa Salgado (msalgado@luthercare.org)
Mentor | Luthercare for kids
Lititz
Neydary Zambrano (nzambrano@magicmemories.org)
President | Magic Memories
Phoenixville