Carmen Gatti
Director of the Southeastern PA School-Age Child Care Project
Carmen has primary responsibility for overseeing and guiding the work of the Southeastern PA School-age Child Care Project the Professional Development and Technical Assistance Division of Montgomery Early Learning Centers, Inc. She assumed the role of Project Director in April 2006. As Director she is responsible for Project management including budget development and oversight, daily operations, supervision of staff, creation and implementation of work plans, identifying and seeking new /expanded funding sources, negotiating contracts with agencies and businesses, and fulfilling all contractual reporting. Carmen carries on the tradition of providing supports to practitioners in order to enhance the quality of services delivered to children in Pennsylvania. She has worked in the Early Childhood field since 1977. She is one of the few individuals that have graduated from Concordia University with a degree in School Age Child Development. In May 2009, Carmen graduated with a Master’s in Education from West Chester University. Carmen is actively involved in many professional development events, organizations and conferences. She is currently an active member of the PA Key Cross-sector Technical Assistance Advisory Committee; PA Key School-Age Care Advisory Committee and SERK Regional Leadership Council and Professional Development Council, and the PA School-Age Professional Credential Advisory Group.
She lives in Akron Pennsylvania with her husband Frank. She has three daughters Tiffany, Alicia and Francesca.
Thomasine Washington is the Senior Manager of Technical Assistance and has worked for SEPA SACC for more than 6 years. A graduate of Eastern University majoring in Organizational Management, Thomasine has worked extensively with programs to help them become accredited by the National After-School Association (NAA). She is also an endorser with the NAA. Thomasine serves on the board of The Pennsylvania School Age Child Care Alliance (Penn SACCA, the state affiliate of the NAA). As a professional development instructor, her specialty is sessions that help administrators run their programs more effectively. Thomasine has dedicated her 35-plus years in the child care field to improving the quality of care for children. She believes that quality improvement is a continuous process - it never ends!
Neshamah Maillard is Manager of the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania Success by Six® (SB6) Project. Neshamah conducts Early Childhood TA for this initiative and Technical Assistance for Keystone STARS which includes school age TA. She facilitates the PA model of Mind in the Making for Directors. Neshamah’s professional development session specialty is creating partnerships with parents.
Neshamah became a Certified Playground Safety Inspector out of her concern for safety and supervision of children and her love of outdoor play. Neshamah is a member of Penn SACCA, NAEYC and she serves on the non-profit board of a historic Philadelphia based child care organization. Neshamah came to SEPA SACC in August 2004.
She graduated from Hampton University where she received her BA degree in Communications. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband Tyrone, and 3 daughters. Neshamah’s lives up to her motto of "service with a smile".
Pat Hess is the Manager of Professional Development (PD)/Systems. Pat received a BS degree in Elementary Education from Bloomsburg University and graduate work in the field of education from Temple University. She has over 25 years of experience in the field of school age child care. Serving as adjunct professor at Lehigh Carbon Community College in the early childhood department she has experience teaching the Director Credential and Foundations of Early Childhood Education.
As a member of NAEYC and the Pennsylvania School-Age Child Care Alliance she is active in promoting program quality and public advocacy on issues affecting children and youth I their out-of school time.
Her favorite certification is that of "Play Coach". As a certified Play Coach she brings creative, hands-on, open-ended experiences to the learning process.
Click Here to email Pat Hess.
Colleen Estock is the Office Manager of the School Age Project (The Project), and has held that position for over 5 years. Colleen is usually the first point of contact at SEPA SACC and is happy to help you with your questions regarding professional development, or direct you to the staff person that can best help you. She is responsible for the communications that school age programs receive from The Project. Colleen attended Kutztown University and is a life long resident the Philadelphia region.
Sara Bruning is the Contract Information Coordinator. She gathers data and runs reports for STARS Technical Assistance, Success by Six, and the Effective Climates in School Age Programming initiatve. She also maintains the extensive lending library of SEPA SACC. She has a B.A. in Spanish from the Templeton Honors College of Eastern University and spent a semester studying in Costa Rica. She has run the Philadelphia Marathon and thinks once was enough.
Janine Massenberg provides technical assistance as a Project Associate for the Success by Six project. Janine received her BS degree from Northeastern University, Boston MA. She has seven years experience working on the child care field in various capacities including Director of Education, Program Assistant and Center Supervisor. Her primary experience has been at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Willow Grove. Janine currently resides with her family in Quakertown, PA.
Janice Baston is a Project Associate who provides technical assistance and professional development for both early childhood and school-age programs. Much of her work is directed to working with programs in the Success by Six and Keystone STARS projects. Janice earned her M.S. Degree from Eastern University in Non-Profit Management. Her special area of expertise is Program and Organizational Development and Business Practices.
Donna Smith provides Keystone STARS and School Age Technical Assistance. Donna received her BS Degree in Elementary Education/Early Childhood with a Minor in Sociology from Temple University. She has worked in the Education field for over twenty years. Donna has most recently worked for Project H.O.M.E in Philadelphia as K-6 Program Manager. She has previously worked in the roles of Education Assistant, Lead Teacher and Assistant Director.
Monica Stanoch provides early childhood technical assistance for Keystone Stars. Monica received her M.S. degree in Individual and Family Studies from the University of Delaware. She most recently worked at the Southeast Regional Key in the Keystone Stars professional development department. Monica currently resides with her family in Philadelphia, PA.
Veirdre Jackson is a Project Associate who provides professional development and technical assistance to early childhood and school age programs. She has a Master's degree in Elementary Education and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. She has had experience as an entrepreneur, educational professional, and community activist with 15 years of diversified experience in education, family development programming, community collaboration, and organizational leadership. Her area of expertise is in designing curricula and educational programs, developing community partnerships, cultivating leaders, and implementing professional development programs.