2007 CAYL Schott Fellows

Jennifer Amaya-Thompson is the Director of the Massachusetts Head Start Collaboration for the MA Department of Early Care and Education. She holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work from Boston College.

Sonia Carter is the Nutrition Coordinator for ABCD Head Start. Sonia directs nutrition and food services for All ABCD Head Start programs. She has been at ABCD since 1987. She is a member of the Boston Organization of Nutritionists and Dietitians of Color. She holds a Bachelor of Science in General Nutrition from Simmons College and a Maternal and Child Health Certificate from Boston University.

Phyllis Hardy is a Program Planning Specialist for Equity and Diversity Programs at The Education Alliance at Brown University. Phyllis provides technical assistance on the topic of educating culturally and linguistically diverse students. In addition, she conducts preschool special needs evaluations and provides consultation on NAEYC Accreditation. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Masters of Education from Boston College.

Barbara Kozma is the Education Coordinator for the Cape Cod Child Development Program. Barbara has taught young children and preschool teachers for over 30 years. She has trained teachers in early childhood education for the Massachusetts DOE. She has a BS in Early Childhood Education from the College of New Jersey and has continued her education at Wheelock College.

Jeannie Parkus has been Special Education Liaison of the Cambridge Public Schools since 1995. In this role, she also serves as Chairperson of the Transdisciplinary team, which services preschool children and their families. With her extensive specialized training, she also leads playgroups for toddlers and preschoolers. Parkus previously served as an educational consultant with Child Care Choices of Boston, and as a field advisor for ABCD Head Start. She holds a Masters degree from Wheelock College.

Mary Police is President of Building Blocks, an organization for Development and Training for Early Educators. She is a Consultant with the Westborough Area Jewish Community Center, and works through Child Care Connection in Worcester, MA. She has served on the WAAEYC Board for the last 6 years.

Ronna Schaffer is Director of Associates for Human Services, Inc. Early Head Start in Taunton. Ronna has a degree in Early Childhood Education and developmental psychology. She currently serves on MHSA, the ICC and DSS Children’s Board. Ronna presents workshops on
a variety of topics both regionally and nationally.

Pamela Tames is Senior Staff Attorney and Director of Education and Training with The Medical-Legal Partnership for Children at Boston Medical Center. She works with pediatricians and other health care colleagues to provide legal advocacy. She also co-directs the advocacy education and training initiatives for pediatric faculty and residents and other pediatric providers.

Adrienne Welch is the Professional Development Coordinator at ABCD Head Start and Children's Services in Boston. She has twenty plus years of experience in Early Childhood Education as a teacher and an administrator. Adrienne has a deep interest in equity issues as they relate to the youngest members of society.

Susan Werley is the Regional Manager of Jumpstart’s Northeast Region. Susan joined Jumpstart as a Site Manager at Tufts University, she began a service-learning component of the program connecting over 100 external volunteers and training over 50 Tufts students. She did her master's work at Tuft's University in the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Development..