Our Team

Amy O'Leary

Executive Director

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Amy O'Leary is the Executive Director of Strategies for Children (SFC), a Massachusetts-based nonprofit organization that leads the way towards meaningful change in early childhood systems across Massachusetts by connecting people to people, people to policy, and people to power.

Since joining SFC in 2002 as the Early Childhood Field Director, Amy has held numerous leadership roles, including Director of the Early Education for All Campaign, helping to shape policy and strengthen advocacy efforts on behalf of young children, families, and the early childhood workforce. Amy is the host of The 9:30 Call, a daily statewide gathering that connects and informs the early childhood community.

A nationally recognized leader in early childhood education, advocacy, and systems change, Amy brings more than two decades of experience building coalitions, developing leaders, centering lived experience and advancing public policy. Before joining Strategies for Children, she worked as a preschool teacher and program director at Ellis Early Learning in Boston's South End.

Amy also serves as adjunct faculty at Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development, Bay Path University, and the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in leadership, advocacy and policy. She is widely known for her collaborative leadership style and her belief in leading with love, fostering abundance over scarcity, and the innovation, creativity and can-do attitude of the early childhood community.

Her leadership extends nationally through extensive board and governance service. Amy was elected twice to the Governing Board of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), serving as its President from 2018 to 2020. In July 2026, she was appointed President of the Skidmore College Alumni Association, beginning a four-year term serving on both the Skidmore College Board of Trustees and the Alumni Board. Amy serves on the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care Advisory Committee and Workforce Council, as well as the Boards of Directors of the Children's Investment Fund, Ellis Early Learning, and the Mad Love Foundation.

She holds a Master of Public Administration from Suffolk University's Sawyer Business School and a bachelor's degree in psychology and early education from Skidmore College. When she's not advocating for children and families, Amy can often be found cheering on the Boston Red Sox.

Titus DosRemedios

Deputy Director

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Titus DosRemedios is Deputy Director at Strategies for Children (SFC), a nonprofit policy and advocacy organization that leads the way towards meaningful change in early childhood systems across Massachusetts by connecting people to people, people to policy, and people to power.

Titus manages SFC's general operations, staffing, grant-writing, and budget development. He supports all SFC initiatives, including The Advocacy Network for Early Childhood, The Early Childhood Policy Pathways Fellowship, The Early Childhood Agenda, and SFC’s many external partnerships and collaborations. He manages SFC’s popular internship program, which has hosted 40 interns over the past 10 years.

Titus joined SFC in 2008 as Research and Policy Associate, and has grown into numerous roles since including Director of Research and Policy. He has led past SFC initiatives including: Community Readiness (2015-2020), Massachusetts Partnership for Infants and Toddlers (2019-2022), and Fast Facts early childhood data for all 351 cities and towns (2010-2020). From 2021-2022 he served as inaugural co-chair of the MA Early Childhood Funder Collaborative's Community Advisory Committee.

Prior to joining SFC Titus held a variety of in-school and out-of-school time teaching positions in Rhode Island, including life skills instructor, violence prevention educator, and second grade teaching assistant.

Titus earned a MA in urban education policy from Brown University, and holds a BA in communications studies and Spanish from the University of Rhode Island. When not at work, Titus enjoys playing and teaching guitar, writing songs, and taking vacations with family and friends.

Marisa Fear

Policy Director

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As Director of Policy, Marisa Fear assists with advocacy, research, policy, and communication efforts. This includes managing SFC's COVID-19 support: producing daily advocacy calls for the early education and care field, documenting the ongoing challenges, monitoring data trends, state and national budget proposals, and EEC policy changes. Marisa facilitates the Speakers’ Bureau, a statewide cohort of early educators, and partners with the field to build advocacy capacity in local communities. She also works closely with SFC interns and manages collaborations with external partners. Marisa is a member of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (DESE) working group on Early Childhood and Out-of-School Time. She is a former SFC intern and previously served as Project Manager.

Prior to joining SFC, Marisa worked as a preschool teacher and program director in Chicago, Illinois. During her time as program director, she focused on curriculum and instruction. Marisa earned a B.S. in Biopsychology, Cognition and Neuroscience, as well as Spanish, at the University of Michigan. She holds a M.Ed in Human Development and Psychology (Child Advocacy) from Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Marge Mahoney

Director of Finance and Operations

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Marge Mahoney is an accomplished non-profit professional with more than 15 years of experience in non-profit financial strategy and operations. Her experience includes optimizing resource allocation, implementing robust financial controls to deliver measurable bottom-line impact to ensure that resources are used effectively to support the organization’s mission.

In her current role, she is responsible for all business management and operational functions internal to the organization. She blends financial expertise and operational leadership to help the organization thrive and works closely with leadership to drive performance and long-term sustainability.

Outside of work, she is passionate about the children in her life especially her grandchildren. She previously taught piano part-time for 16 years and loves spending time with family and friends. Marge earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Fitchburg State University.

Diagneris "Nery" García

Director of Communications

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Diagneris “Nery” García is a people-centered nonprofit professional with more than 20 years of experience designing, implementing, and scaling programs, services, and events across Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Throughout her career, she has provided capacity-building and communications support within health and human services; early childhood, K–12, higher education, and adult education; workforce development; and community engagement. From 2016 to 2023, she was appointed to the Providence Public Schools School Board and served as Vice President, Health and Wellness Committee Chair, and Policy Committee Member.

In her role at Strategies for Children (SFC), Nery drives internal and external communications that advance the organization's mission to lead the way towards meaningful change in early childhood systems across Massachusetts by connecting people to people, people to policy, and people to power. She develops inclusive communication strategies, collaborates with community partners, and uses multiple platforms to share reliable and accurate information, elevate lived experiences, and amplify diverse voices advocating for high-quality, accessible early education and care. Nery supports The 9:30 Call, The 9:30 Call en español and The 9:30 Call em português, manages SFC’s website, curates Year in Review, oversees social media channels, and produces SFC Connections, reaching a network of more than 6,000 subscribers.

Nery holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations (Latin America / Regional Politics and Cultural Anthropology) from Boston University and a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management from Northeastern University. She is deeply committed to equity, inclusion, and community empowerment, and is passionate about creating meaningful connections that expand access to resources and opportunities for all.

Shaakira Parker

Early Childhood Policy Pathways Fellow

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Shaakira Parker is an early childhood policy professional committed to strengthening systems that support young children, families, and educators. She began her career as a preschool teacher, an experience that continues to shape her passion for creating opportunities for all children to thrive and her commitment to partnering with families and communities. Prior to joining Strategies for Children, Shaakira held several roles across research, policy, and advocacy in early childhood, health, and family wellbeing, including with the Learning Policy Institute, the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care as a Rappaport Public Policy Fellow, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and Children’s National Hospital. Across these roles, her work has focused on translating research into actionable policy, advancing equity, and strengthening systems that better support children and families.
 
Shaakira currently serves as an Early Childhood Policy Pathways Fellow at Strategies for Children, where she supports SFC’s research, policy, and advocacy efforts, including policy monitoring, analysis, and implementation. She is also a doctoral candidate in social policy at Brandeis University. Her research interests include improving early childhood systems, the intersection of early childhood education and early childhood mental health, policies and practices to reduce disparities in exclusionary discipline in early childhood settings and disrupting the cradle-to-prison pipeline. She holds a Master of Arts in Social Policy from Brandeis University, a Master of Public Health from George Washington University, and a Bachelor of Science in Child Development from Vanderbilt University.
 
Outside of work and school, Shaakira enjoys reading, trying new recipes, staying active through CrossFit, and spending time with her dog, Sage.

Jayleese Le Blanc

Program Assistant, The Advocacy Network for Early Childhood

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Jayleese Le Blanc is a former early childhood educator with over a decade of experience working in early childcare centers as a preschool teacher. As an educator, she centered children, reinforced curiosity, autonomy, and social emotional learning while she engaged families and emphasized equity. This has continued to be a priority in her personal and professional life. 
 
At Strategies for Children she is the Program Assistant for the Advocacy Network for Early Childhood and is responsible for supporting SFC’s Advocacy Network cohort members. As the main point of contact, her job is to lead communication with alumni and current advocates by building and maintaining relationships through multi-channel communication. Her goal is to demystify the advocacy process for early childhood professionals; build a sense of community and trust within the group; help grow professional networks; and empower people to use their voices to create positive change.
 
Jayleese holds a bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in elementary education from Northeastern University. In her free time, she tends to her garden and many fruit trees, of which she loves to share her harvests.

Ann Kauffman

Early Childhood Policy Pathways Fellowship Coordinator

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Ann Kauffman (she/her/hers) is deeply commited to supporting young children and families across Massachusetts. Before joining SFC, she served as a Site Manager at Jumpstart, where she collaborated with college students, educators, and community-based organizations to promote early literacy and social-emotional learning in preschool classrooms in Lowell and Lawrence. Ann also worked at Head Start on the North Shore and at Big Sister of Greater Boston, serving communities in and around Boston.
 
At SFC, Ann helped launch the Early Childhood Policy Pathways Fellowship, a 20-month program that supports emerging leaders in navigating the early childhood policy landscape. She works closely with host organizations and Fellows to ensure a tailored and comprehensive Fellowship experience that aligns with each Fellow’s interests, career goals, and prior experiences.
 
Ann holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Gordon College and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Policy at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. She aims to address root causes and remove barriers through policy, research, and advocacy to help create more equitable systems across local communities throughout the Commonwealth. In her free time, Ann is involved in her local community, spends time with her loved ones, and enjoys her time in the mountains.

Natalie Van Eron

Director of Advancement

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Natalie Van Eron brings two decades of seasoned expertise in nonprofit fundraising, legal acumen, and strategic leadership to Strategies for Children. Over the course of her distinguished career, including Chief Development Officer roles at The BASE in Boston and Ronald McDonald House Charities in Jacksonville, Florida, she has successfully raised more than $100 million, directly impacting the lives of thousands of individuals.

Driven by a lifelong passion for children’s advocacy and civil rights, Natalie has dedicated her career to systemic change and ensuring vulnerable populations have a voice. She excels at bridging connections between diverse stakeholders and wealth creators to drive deep organizational impact. At SFC, Natalie leads philanthropic strategy and development efforts, mobilizing resources to ensure every child has equitable access to high-quality early education and care. She holds a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Miami School of Law, blending an understanding of civil rights law with an unwavering commitment to educational equity.

On a personal note, Natalie is an inspiring Pilates instructor and a Mediator with Harvard Law School. She has a passion for nature, outdoor adventures, 80’s music, and animals. Through her advocacy, Natalie has saved hundreds of dogs from being euthanized at shelters around the country. Most importantly, she spends as much time as possible with her own rescue dog, Chewbacca, and you can find the two of them out and about all around Boston!

Molly Heald

Early Childhood Partnership Coordinator

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Molly Heald brings a strong background in public policy, direct services, and systems-level advocacy to Strategies for Children. Throughout her work in nonprofit organizations, higher education, classrooms, and policy settings, she has partnered with community organizations and advocates to advance equitable policies that strengthen children, families, and communities. Her experience spans social work, education, legislative advocacy, and community engagement.

Driven by a passion for educational equity and social justice, Molly is committed to building meaningful partnerships that translate research, policy, and community voices into collective action. At Strategies for Children, she coordinates cross-sector partnerships that advance the Early Childhood Agenda, supports coalition engagement, and helps strengthen collaboration among advocates, policymakers, and community leaders working to expand access to high-quality early education and care across Massachusetts. She earned her Master of Social Work from Boston University, where she received the Lenny Bloksberg Award for Excellence in Social Welfare Policy, and holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California San Diego. She is currently completing a Master of Education in Educational Policy and Leadership Studies at Boston University.

Outside of work, Molly enjoys leading a women's group, exploring New England with friends, and finding new coffee shops and local restaurants. Whether she's planning community events, traveling, or spending time with her community, she values creating meaningful connections and building strong relationships wherever she goes.

Internships

Strategies for Children offers internships for students at all levels in partnership with colleges and universities. Interns are an important part of the team, supporting daily operations while also contributing to research briefs, reports, and policy work. This role provides hands-on experience in nonprofit advocacy, helping interns build skills in research, writing, and collaboration.

To apply, send your résumé and cover letter to Deputy Director Titus DosRemedios.