Staff Bios
Marsha Basloe, Executive Director
Marsha Basloe started as Executive Director of the Early Care & Learning Council in Fall 2010. She previously served as Executive Director of Durham’s Partnership for Children, Durham, NC. Basloe has also served as Senior Vice President for Resource Development with the United Way of Central Carolinas in Charlotte, and as the Executive Director for Beth David Congregation and The Gordon Schools, Miami, FL. She is the former Director of the Young Scholars Liberty Partnership Program at Utica College, Utica, NY and the Director of Education at Mohawk Valley Council on Alcoholism/Addictions in Whitesboro, NY. Basloe holds a Master’s degree in Education and Educational Administration and holds a New York State permanent teaching certification.
In her role at Durham’s Partnership for Children, Basloe coordinated the county Smart Start Initiative efforts with the early childhood community to serve the needs of young children birth to five and their families, where she was also on the board of directors of the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, secretary for the City of Durham’s Workforce Development Board and co-chair of the Children Ready for and Succeeding in School RBA (Results Based Accountability) Committee for Durham County. In addition, Marsha worked closely with the North Carolina Child Care Coalition and participated as a mentor for new executive directors. Basloe received the 2010 Women in Business Award from the Triangle Business Journal, an award presented to 26 women in six categories to women in leadership positions in the Triangle in NC.
Basloe is a co-convener for Winning Beginning NY, a statewide coalition working to inform policy makers and the public about the many benefits of early care and learning including home visiting, child care and Pre-K. The coalition aims to build a broad-based constituency to make investment in quality early care and learning a top public priority in New York State.
mbasloe@earlycareandlearning.org
Programs & Operations
Sage Ruckterstuhl, Program & Operations Director
Sage has been at the Early Care & Learning Council since 1988 and is the Program & Operations Director, providing leadership on projects providing services under the broad categories of infant toddler issues, children's health and business partnership development.. She continues to play an active role in the development of training programs as well. Sage holds a Master’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the
University of Connecticut, with her thesis on the topic of employer supported child care. She is also holds a degree in Home Economics from SUNY Oneonta. Sage was instrumental in the development of the Sullivan County Child Care Council when she worked for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County. Sage continues to be challenged and find passion in her professional activities.
sruckterstuhl@earlycareandlearning.org
Evelyn Efinger, Infant & Toddler Program Coordinator
Evelyn Efinger, MSEd, manages all infancy initiatives at the Early Care & Learning Council. This
includes the NYS Infant and Toddler Resource Network comprised of regional Infant Toddler Specialists
whose job is to improve the quality of infant and toddler child care throughout New York State and and Promoting Responsive Relationships funded by ZERO TO THREE. Beginning as a social worker with Head Start families, she has over 30 years experience in the field of early care and education. Her
background includes 3 years with the NYU Head Start Quality Improvement Center where she
supported the development and training of Early Head Start programs across New York and 14 years
as the director of a Child Care Resource and Referral program. She has provided training and
technical assistance at the college and community level. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Clinical
Psychology and a Master’s in Early Childhood Education specializing in infants and toddlers. She is a
graduate Fellow with ZERO TO THREE (2007-09).
eefinger@earlycareandlearning.org
Q Diamond, Project Associate
Q has been with the Early Care & Learning Council since September 2010. He has both Master and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Women’s Studies (with minors in Psychology and Sociology), both from the University at Albany where he has also been teaching since 2001. Previously, Q served as the Program Director for the Capital District Gay & Lesbian Community Council in Albany from 2006-2009 where she had the opportunity to help revitalize current programs including the Center Youth program (for 13-19 year olds), and to originate new programs including the Center Families initiative (to connect and support LGTBQ families with young children) and the LGBTQ College Network (to connect area LGBTQ college students, groups, and staff.) Q has given many professional presentations and trainings on a host of LGBTQ–related issues to a range of business, religious, social service, and academic organizations across a large portion of central NY.
Q loves working with and for children and youth. She is a certified Foster Parent Certification through Northeast Parent and Child Society. Additionally, Q is the Caretaker at the Albany Friends Meeting. In his free time, Q enjoys a host of activities including walking, reading, playing sports, watching and participating in live theater, experiencing live music (especially his favorite – Lori McKenna), cooking, and watching independent films. Q is looking forward to continuing to serve children and families across New York State and beyond.
QDiamond@earlycareandlearning.org.
Fannie Glover, Consultant Services/New Initiatives
Fannie is responsible for developing and delivering programs designed for the customers’ educational,
managerial and leadership needs. She has developed and facilitated management and leadership
training, strategic planning retreats, team building programs, motivational workshops as a keynote
speaker, and presented at national, regional, and state meetings and conferences. Fannie holds a B.S.
in Organizational Development with over 15 years in the area of Human Resources Management at
Tyco Health Care (formerly Mallinckrodt). She is a member of The Albany Colonie Regional Chamber
of Commerce Diversity Council, a past board member of the Capital Region Human Resource
Association (CRHRA) and currently serves as CRHRA Top Five Spectrum Award Chair. She is also a
board member of NYS Society Human Resources Management (NYSSHRM), NYSSHRM Diversity
Director, NYSSHRM Conference committee member, NYSSHRM Diversity Conference Chair and holds a SHRM Diversity Practitioner of the 21st Century Certificate.
fglover@earlycareandlearning.org
Administration
Frank Mahar, Finance Director
Frank began working at the Early Care & Learning Council in January 2011 as Administrative Director. He is responsible for managing and maintaining all agency financial records, preparing agency and program budgets with Executive Director; prepare monthly financial reports, ensure fiscal compliance with requirements of funders, prepare monthly or quarterly vouchers and other financial reports as required by funding sources, programs, and administration, oversee all banking activity, personnel management, and benefits administration. His background includes similar positions in NYS public education settings and a nonprofit corporation. Frank has an MBA from the University at Albany. fmahar@earlycareandlearning.org
Tammy M. Parsons, Bookkeeper
Tammy began working at the Early Care & Learning Council in July 2011 as the Bookkeeper. She works with the Administrative Director to assist with accounting and contracts management of the Council. Tammy’s duties include: preparing and maintaining fiscal records, general bookkeeping duties, and maintaining records and schedules as necessary to assist with the smooth operation of the organization. Her background includes similar positions with small companies up to a large accounting firm. Tammy has also held a management position in a call center environment, and has experience in marketing and advertising. Tammy has an Associates’ Degree from Mohawk Valley Community College and a Bachelors Degree from SUNY Oswego. tparsons@earlycareandlearning.org
Melissa Dobbs, Executive Assistant
Melissa has been the Executive Assistant for the Early Care & Learning Council for more than 19 years. She supports the Executive Director, Marsha Basloe. As an Executive Assistant, Melissa brings many years of service to the field of early childhood education. Among her many duties, Melissa functions as primary liaison to the board/members and ensures a consistent positive board/members experience while handling the executive/administrative day to day support of the agency. She also provides support for all the staff and helps with many of their administrative tasks. Melissa has earned a reputation for maintaining a positive attitude and producing high-quality work while continuing to be challenged and finding passion in the work that she does. mdobbs@earlycareandlearning.org
mdobbs@earlycareandlearning.org
Janice Moses Aondona, Office Assistant
For the past nine and a half years, Janice has been providing outstanding support services to all
staff. Insuring that we maintain a high professional standard, she takes pride in her work and always
goes above and beyond to achieve whatever task is given to her. You can find her brainstorming with
Melissa on creating professional documents for various projects. She is currently studying Psychology
and hopes to utilize her degree by continuing to work in the Early Childhood field.
jaondona@earlycareandlearning.org
Member Services
André LaVallée, Member Services Director
André has been in the field of early childhood education for over nineteen years; eleven of those
years spent in the Army Child Care system. He has worked directly with children from ages six-weeks
to twelve-years and for three years worked as a preschool room lead at the West Point Child
Development Center. In 2000, André had the opportunity to be an Assistant Center Director at an
Army Child Care Center in Vicenza, Italy. Spending a year and half there, he came back to the states
to work as a Training and Curriculum Specialist back at West Point. In 2004, André joined the Early
Care & Learning Council as the Management Training Coordinator providing training and technical
assistance to Child Care Center Directors across the state and later in 2007, became the Child Care
Resource and Referral Project Coordinator. In this role, he provides New York State’s CCR&Rs with
training and technical assistance. alavallee@earlycareandlearning.org
Judy Hartley, Member Services Quality Coordinator
Serving children and families is very evident in Judy’s spirit. She continues to be enthusiastic about the
work of the CCR&R system nationally, statewide and locally and has worked in numerous aspects of
the early care and learning field. Along the way, she earned her Masters Degree from Columbia
University in New York City. Judy’s work has spanned three states and has included starting a nursery
school, three school age programs and initiating a statewide effort promoting child care in 32 rural
Illinois communities. As a result of these endeavors, the University of Illinois recognized her with a
Professional Staff Award of Excellence for Innovation and Creativity. She has participated in the
growth of the CCR&R field as she directed a CCR&R in Champaign, Illinois serving 6 counties and
building awareness of the services provided by CCR&R agencies. You need only listen to her stories
about two trips to Africa to improve the lives of children and families or ask about her grown children
and grand children to learn that Judy exhibits passion. jhartley@earlycareandlearning.org
Abbe Lynne Hahn Hook, Member Services Training Coordinator
Abbe joined the Early Care & Learning Council in 2000. As the Member Services Training Coordinator, she oversees the support, development and delivery of training and technical assistance to build quality leadership among child care center directors and administrators throughout New York State. Abbe has been in the early care and learning field for more than fifteen years. Prior to working at the Early Care & Learning Council, she filled the roles of teacher, educational coordinator and director at child care centers in Indiana, Kentucky and New York. Abbe holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a concentration in Management and a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education. Most recently, Abbe has become a Fully Certified PITC Trainer through the Program for Infant/Toddler Care in California and has earned the New York State Early Learning Trainer Credential.
ahahn@earlycareandlearning.org
Karen Harkness, Member Services CCR&R Training Specialist
Karen has been dedicated to the field of early childhood education for more than twenty-eight years.
Her commitment to children began as a teacher. With an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, she taught children ages six weeks to five years at local child care facilities. In 1988 Karen had the opportunity to open and direct her first childcare center that specialized in infant and toddler care. After successfully enrolling and expanding this program, Karen moved on to administer larger childcare centers in the capital district providing quality childcare for children ages six weeks to twelve years. After having her third child in 1998, she continued her education and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a goal to oversee multiple programs. Before joining the Early Care & Learning Council recently Karen was the Operations Director for Maple Leaf Childcare Center.
Karen was excited and honored to join The Early Care and Learning Council in March of 2010 as the CCR&R Project Associate. She looks forward to being involved with improving the quality of child care across New York State; working with the Child Care Resource and Referral agencies and providing them with support, feedback and training while going through the Quality Assurance Accreditation. Karen is certified in Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) by the California Department of Education Child Development Division and West Ed’s Center for Child and Family Studies. The PITC philosophy put relationships with infants, toddlers, and their families at the heart of high-quality care. Karen is certified to teach trainers, childcare staff and parents in many subjects including but not limited to; environments for children, continuity of care, temperaments, and discoveries of infants. In December, 2011 Karen received a New York State Early Learning Trainer’s Credential. kharkness@earlycareandlearning.org
Donna Fredlund, Member Services Data Services Specialist
Donna Fredlund joined the Early Care & Learning Council in October of 2010. She was previously employed for fourteen years by Par Tech, Inc. in New Hartford, NY, as a programmer/analyst and
ISO 9000 (Quality) Auditor.
Donna graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, and worked in the food service industry for twelve years before returning to college and earning a B.S. in Computer Science from SUNY I.T. in Utica, NY. dfredlund@earlycareandlearning.org
Communications, Research and Development
Mary Stalker, Communications, Research & Development Director
Mary Stalker joined the Early Care & Learning Council in 2010. In her role as Communications, Research & Development Director Mary has the opportunity to combine her education and experience in non-profit leadership with her passion for early care and learning. Mary has been in the early childhood education field for over fifteen years. She has experience in day care centers, group family care and family care. Mary is very involved with her community. She is the founder and manager of the Waterford Harbor Farmers Market. She has a passion for volunteerism and has served with both Mercy Ships in West Africa and the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Alabama. Prior to joining the Council, Mary worked in her own home operating a NYS registered family care where was able to care for her own two young children. Mary holds a MA in Organization Management and is a certified as PITC trainer and NYS Early Learning Trainer.
mstalker@earlycareandlearning.org
Rebekah Widrick, Research/Evaluation Associate
Rebekah joined the Early Care & Learning Council in March 2010. She began her work on the Infant and Toddler Project and has recently extended her research skills to other initiatives at the Council. She holds a Master’s degree in Psychology from SUNY New Paltz and hopes to pursue a doctorate degree one day. Rebekah has over five years of research experience in qualitative and quantitative data collection, organization, and presentation in many different content areas. She is also a published author and has presented at many professional conferences. At this time, Rebekah is grateful to be in a position that allows her to increase the research capacity of the early childhood field.
rwidrick@earlycareandlearning.org
Asil Özdoğru, Evaluation Specialist
Asil joined the Early Care & Learning Council to work on the design and implementation of evaluation projects. Previously worked in local state agencies and private companies in research and evaluation capacities, Asil has a variety of experience in child development and learning, educational technology, developmental disabilities, mental health, and criminal justice fields. Asil holds a doctorate in educational psychology from the University at Albany, SUNY. He has a special interest in early childhood issues as a father of a toddler.
aozdogru@earlycareandlearning.org
Donna Hercules, Special Events Coordinator
Donna Hercules is the professional event/special program coordinator with the Early Care & Learning
Council. She exudes creativity and radiates a positive energy. Her work spans everything from
coordinating advocacy/lobbying efforts to creating budgets to planning the Council’s every event. With
her talent, she easily develops solid relationships with her clients, colleagues and vendors. This ability
allows her to relate to her clients’ needs, and have a greater understanding of their vision, goals, and
objectives for their event. She possesses outstanding communication and organizational skills and
along with the ability to juggle a multitude of details with seemingly impossible timelines and budgets.
Often accused of being a perfectionist, Ms. Hercules directs her passion for perfection into everything
she does from event logistics to project design. Her focus is on the details because she believes that
the details are what set apart the ordinary from the extraordinary.
dhercules@earlycareandlearning.org
Jessica Klos Shapiro, Policy Associate
Jessica joined the Early Care & Learning Council staff in 2010. Jessica’s experience advocating for a variety of issues in New York State includes several years at the YMCAs of New York State, where she participated in the Winning Beginning coalition. Her time with the YMCA allowed her to become well versed in the issues and challenges facing young children, including the growing obesity epidemic and the need for Universal Pre-Kindergarten. Her passion for advocacy as well as quality early learning and development programs for all children fuels her daily work. Jessica holds a Bachelors degree from Syracuse University and has completed graduate work in Public Policy at the University at Albany's Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy.
jklos@earlycareandlearning.org