Staff Directory & Key Contacts at the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)

Here you will find EEC's staff directory and key contacts at EEC by unit or function. You can contact EEC's Main Office  by calling [phone] .

Commissioner's Office

• Speaker requests and event invitations for EEC Commissioner Kershaw: External event request form
• Amy Kershaw, Commissioner
• Chris Power, Chief of Staff
• Kim N. Le, Director of Communications
  • Media inquires: [phone]
• Addison Koelle, Legislative Director
• Eugenia Soiles, External Engagement Director
• Request a public record from EEC.

Regional Operations

Overview of licensing regions office information. 

• Joseph Rucker, Deputy Commissioner of Field Operations

Regional Licensing

• Erin Craft, Regional Director of Western MA (Region 1), [phone]
• Marisol Rosado-LeDoux, Regional Director of Central MA (Region 2), 508) 461-1459
• Maria Torres de Martinez, Regional Director of Northeastern MA (Region 3), [phone]
• Angela Peevy, Regional Director of Southeastern MA, Cape and Islands (Region 5), [phone]
• Renee Collyer, Regional Director of Metro Boston (Region 6) Regional Director, [phone] 

Family Access & Engagement

• Tyreese Nicolas, Deputy Commissioner of Family Access & Engagement 

Child Care Financial Assistance

For families looking for assistance accessing child care financial assistance contact your Child Care Resource & Referral Agency who can help you navigate child care resources.

• Bethanie Glass, Director of Child Care Financial Assistance
• Elyse Tibbetts, Priority Access Manager
  • Kelly Castor, Family Access Specialist –  Western MA (Region 1)
  • Cynthia Smith, Family Access Specialist –  Central MA (Region 2)
  • Mary Dennehy-Colorusso, Family Access Specialist –  Northeastern MA (Region 3)
  • Ashley Theodat, Family Access Specialist – Southeastern MA, Cape and Islands (Region 5)
  • Onika Jenkins, Family Access Specialist – Metro Boston (Region 6)

Head Start

Head Start and Early Head Start are federal programs that provide funding for children ages 0-5 from low-income families to receive quality early education services. Learn more about Head Start here. 

• Amy Whitehead-Pleaux, Massachusetts Head Start State Collaboration Office Director
• Danya Tribuna, Massachusetts Head Start State Collaboration Office Administrative Assistant

Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE) Team

CFCE programs are locally-based programs in your community that provide child development services and resources to families with young children. Learn more about CFCEs or find your local team.

• Haji Shearer, Associate Commissioner of Family and Community Supports  
  • Florence Howes, Family and Community Engagement Specialist, Western MA (Region 1) & Central MA (Region 2)
  • Loretta Prendeville, Family and Community Engagement Specialist, Southeastern MA, Cape and Islands (Region 5) & Metro Boston (Region 6) Regional Director
  • Elisabeth Cheney, Family and Community Engagement Specialist, Northeastern MA (Region 3)
• Ayesha Rodriguez, Family Engagement Program Manager 

Workforce Program Support & Innovation

• Jocelyn Bowne, Deputy Commissioner of Workforce, Program Support & Innovation
• Pam Roux, Director of Educational Technology & Instructional Design 
  • Contact EEC StrongStart Professional Development System: [e-mail]
• Ellen Grondine, Senior Associate Commissioner of Workforce Development 
  • Questions on educator hiring requirements and/or certification: [e-mail]
• Jose Mendez, Director of Child Care Business Operations & Facilities
  • Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) Grants - Help Desk
    • Call 1-833-600-2074
    • Email [e-mail] 
• Sarah Volkenant, Associate Commissioner of Program Innovation and Support 

Program Development 

• Jhanet Montoya, Program Development Specialist, Focused on Family Child Care (FCC) 
• Jamee Beaudry, Program Development Specialist, Focused on Educational Leadership and Group and School Age (GSA) programs
• VACANT, Program Development Specialist, Focused on Out-of-School-Time (OST) programs  

Program Quality Improvement

• VACANT, Director of Program Quality Improvement 
  • Amy Carey, Program Quality Specialist – Western MA (Region 1)
  • Eric Litt, Program Quality Specialist – Central MA (Region 2)
  • Jody Dominguez, Bilingual Program Quality Specialist – Northeastern MA (Region 3)
  • Chewlee Lim, Program Quality Specialist – Southeastern MA, Cape and Islands (Region 5) & Metro Boston (Region 6) Regional Director

Behavioral Health Support Team

• Aimee Smith-Zeoli, Special Education Support Specialist
  • Alexis Thibodeau, Behavioral Health Support Specialist – Western MA (Region 1) & Central MA (Region 2)
  • Stacey Ware, Behavioral Health Support Specialist – Northeastern MA (Region 3) & Southeastern MA, Cape and Islands (Region 5)
  • Christopher Lloyd, Behavioral Health Support Specialist – Northeastern MA (Region 3) & Metro Boston (Region 6) Regional Director

Background Record Checks

• Contact Center / Background Records Check Questions:  [phone]

Last updated:	November 10, 2023