Board of Directors
The Coalition’s board of directors is comprised of individuals who offer unique expertise in the early childhood community, as well as private and business sectors. The board creates and oversees early care and education programs, as well as policies affecting best-practice.
Officers
- Octavio A. Verdeja Jr., Board Chair
Verdeja & De Armas, LLP - The Hon. Cindy S. Lederman, J.D., Vice Chair
11th Judicial Circuit Court
- Daniel Armstrong, Ph.D, Treasurer
Pediatrics, Mailman Center for Child Development, University of Miami
- Gerald K. Schwartz, Esq., Secretary
Beloff & Schwartz
Required Members
- Theresa Axford
Monroe County School District - Roderick E. Beasley
South Florida Workforce - Yolanda Borroto
South Miami Lutheran Church School
- Gina Cortes-Suarez, Ed.D.
InterAmerican Campus, Miami Dade College - Shaleen Fagundo
Interamerican Learning Center, Child Care Provider Representative - Esther Jacobo
Regional Director, Department of Children and Families - Commissioner Barbara J. Jordan
Miami-Dade County of Commissioners - Jane W. McQueen
Miami Dade County CAA Head Start/Early Head Start Program - Ann-Karen Weller, R.N., B.S.N.
Chronic Disease Prevention, Miami Dade County Health Dept.
Conditional Members
- Modesto E. Abety-Gutierrez
The Children's Trust - Lisa Martinez
Miami-Dade County
Optional Members
- The Hon. Cindy S. Lederman, J.D.
11th Judicial Circuit Court - David Williams Jr.
Informed Families: The Florida Family Partnership
Private Sector Business Members
- Alan Eckstein, Esq.
Attorney at Law - Yvonne T. Johnson, M.D.
South Miami Hospital - David Lawrence Jr.
The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation - Harve A. Mogul
United Way of Miami-Dade - Yesenia Perkins
Conch Republic Seafood Company - Lucy C. Piñeiro, Esq.
Lucy C. Piñeiro and Associates
Ex-Officio Member
- Magaly Abrahante, Ed.D.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
