Amanda Michaud is the District Coordinator for the Extended Care & Learning (EXCL) programs for the Farmington Public Schools. She has been with EXCL since 2013 when she was brought on board as a Site Supervisor. Amanda also oversees the EXCL Summer Camp for students in grades K-8. Amanda has over 15 years of experience working in the Afterschool Profession. Along with her work experience, she obtained her bachelor’s degree in 2011 from Lasell College, majoring in Sports Management and minoring in Sports Communication. Amanda also obtained her MBA in 2016 from Southern New Hampshire University. Aside from work, she loves spending time with her husband and two boys. She is an avid crafter & knitter, she loves a great beach days, especially at her families Cape Cod beaches and a good pager turner to read.
Lesleigh Drake is the Director of Leadership and Organizational Development for Nature’s Classroom – New England, an experiential, outdoor education program where she has worked since 2011. Prior to that, she directed overnight summer camp, was a wilderness/trip director and substitute teacher. Since 2017, Lesleigh has volunteered as the Assistant Education Director for a youth education organization in Uganda (The Child is Innocent) and is a trained facilitator for Population Education. (M.A., History, Florida State University).
Jo Ann Freiberg recently retired as an Educational Consultant with the Connecticut State Department of Education. She managed the wide arena of Bullying, Improving School Climate, Restorative Practices, Childhood Trauma, Cultural Competence and Character Education. She currently works as a private Education Consultant with School Climate Consultants, LLC, engaged in the same work. Jo Ann has worked as a classroom teacher, teacher educator, and has held faculty appointments at a number of universities. Jo Ann holds a Ph.D. in philosophy of education from Ohio State University, and her areas of academic teaching and research include moral and character education, educational studies, professional ethics and multicultural education. Jo Ann is currently is a member of the CT State SEL Collaborative and previously has served on the statewide task force on bullying. She has served as an educational consultant in a variety of settings both in Connecticut and nationally. She has been a member of the leadership team of the National School Climate Council. Jo Ann provides a wide range of professional development and educational content to many groups and organizations throughout the country about issues including those above as well as general violence prevention, professional ethics and related subjects in the school, family and community partnership arena. As a parent, she sees the issues from multifaceted levels.
Erin Shea is a SEL creative movement specialist with a YouTube show that focuses on mindfulness, creativity and imagination. Runs after school programs for kids that focuses on improv, creative movement, and mindfulness. Her programs are for kids like her as a child. ADHD, not fitting in public schools, and needed an ultimate creative outlet with extensive movement and “out of the box” mentalities. With over 400k subscribers on her you tube channel, she is currently cultivating SEL content to bring into public schools. During the school year, she performs Poppis Planet live shows at school assemblies. These shows are a one person performance focusing on her puppet friends with different personalities that have big emotions. Empathy, perspective and interactivity driven.
Armela (Mela) Toro Waters, MS, MAIOP, is an Emotional Intelligence facilitator, coach, educator and organizational design consultant who focuses in integrating emotional intelligence to creating inclusive cultures in arts organizations and schools. Mela has experience working in CT schools since 2005, including After School Care, Preschool, K-8 and higher education. She is a certified coach from New York University. Mela holds Master’s degrees in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and Instructional Design. Currently Mela serves as the Director of Product and Training at Accordant Advisors, where she consults, coaches, and creates tools and processes, including the Accordant Advisors Inclusion Index. In the past year, she was a fellow at Creating Inclusive Effective Organizations (CEIO) in New Haven and taught Mindfulness at Friends Center for Children. Previously, Mela oversaw training and coaching at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, bringing social emotional learning skills to over 4000 schools nationally and internationally. Mela enjoys podcasts, creative writing, dance, and fun times with her family.
Ken has been with the Network since 2008, his primary role with the is to oversee training and professional development work, creating linkages between the school day and after school, and working with communities to establish sustainable programs that both enrich and support children and families. He also leads and supports the Quality Advising efforts for State Funded After School Programs. Ken brings more than twenty years of experience in the field of after school and youth development. Ken recently graduated from the University of Hartford Educational Leadership Program with a Doctorate in Education, he holds a Master’s degree in Human Services with a concentration in Organizational Management and Leadership, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a concentration in Child Development. He has been a presenter at the local, regional, and national level on leadership and creating effective partnerships and collaborations. He authored a book entitled, “School and Afterschool Personnel Reports of Partnership, Communication, and Academic Resource Sharing” and is an area Ken is passionate about. He is the Former District Family Resource Center Coordinator for the Windsor Public Schools, where he administered five family resource centers as well as the Child Care Services Director for the New Britain YMCA and a national YMCA of the USA trainer.
Nichelle Harris is the CEO and Principal Education Consultant for Ten Speed Consulting. Nichelle uses her 30+ years of expertise within informal education programs to advise and coach OST educators, administrators, and classroom teachers to meet the increasingly complex demands of the youth we all serve. Nichelle encourages the nurturing of positive workplace culture and a positive growth mindset in professional practice to increase outcomes for children. She is the past chair and past Executive Director of the Ohio Afterschool Network, a Leadership Ohio Fellow, a past C.S. Mott Foundation White-Riley-Peterson Policy Fellow, a National Afterschool Association Emotional Intelligence Fellow and has chaired several national leadership committees for the Out-of-School-Time field. Harris is also a seasoned national presenter on building collaborations and adult learning strategies. Harris holds a BS in Education from the Ohio State University.
Tony Nelson served as the Parent Leader Coordinator for the three-year grant and is the National Mobilization Director for Fathers In Education, Inc. Recently, Fathers in Education submitted a proposal for the 4th Annual Children of Incarcerated Parents National Conference (Well-Being) at Arizona State University where they will be presenting their system and programs. In addition, Mr. Nelson is submitting proposals to the CT Department of Corrections and Bridgeport’s Mayor’s Initiative for Reentry Affairs (MIRA) program (Families First Project). Bridgeport Families First (BFF) is a new program dedicated to addressing challenges faced by children of incarcerated parents.
Michaela Burger is a Community Partnerships Manager at Girls Who Code, working with schools, library networks, and nonprofits to bring Girls Who Code’s free resources and curriculum to students.
25+ years teaching Health and Physical Education, attended the RULER Institute at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, frequent presenter for CT After School Network and SHAPE America since 2008
Shawna is a graduate from Central Connecticut State University. She was a Psychological Science major with a focus in Community Research and Intervention. She worked as the Network’s Research intern her senior year and joined us as our first Research & Evaluation Specialist. Shawna is interested in addressing issues of social inequity in the community and has recently developed an interest in addressing disparities in the after-school field. Her internship project this semester helped inform our CLASP “Moving Towards Mastery” Cohort by examining the most prominent problems of practice in the afterschool field. She is excited to get involved with the out-of-school time partners to address solutions and address issues practitioners face in programming. Her hope is to gain fundamental experiences and skills that will help her explore her passion further in doctoral studies in the future.
Kathy Wilby has worked in the field of early care and education for many years and in every setting from licensed family, child care center, and after school programs. She has been trained in the many tools used for quality improvement in each of these settings. A partial list includes the ECERS-R (Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale, ASQ (After School Quality), and the BAS (Business Administration Scale – Family Child Care. She was an online instructor at Charter State College for ten years and now works with 211 Child Care as an Early Childhood Specialist.
With a rich background spanning performance, education, and innovative leadership, Anthony DePoto brings a unique blend of expertise to every endeavor. A Danbury, CT native, Anthony’s journey began with a BA in Performance from Western Connecticut State University, followed by an M.F.A. in Acting from Minnesota State University, Mankato. His impressive credentials include performances at the Kennedy Center, Off-Broadway, and various television and film projects.
Anthony’s impact extends beyond the stage. He has contributed to the Education departments of esteemed institutions such as Hartford Stage, The Guthrie Theater, and Long Wharf Theatre. In 2013, he founded innerAct Theatre LLC in Sandy Hook, CT, where he spearheads creative workshops that integrate theatre techniques to foster social and emotional learning. innerAct Theatre’s tailored approach engages participants across various sectors, enhancing communication and igniting creativity in a dynamic and personalized manner.
Jona Shook is the Director of Services and Owner of Infinity Music Therapy Services. She is a nationally board certified and licensed music therapist specializing in neuro affirming practices, mental health services, and perinatal music therapy.