MORNINGSIDE CENTER STAFF
Tom Roderick, Executive Director
Tom oversees all Morningside Center’s programs. During his 27-year tenure as executive director of Morningside Center, Tom has helped build the organization from a one-person operation to a stable mid-sized nonprofit. In 1985, Tom co-founded the Resolving Conflict Creatively Program. In 2002, he created The 4Rs (Reading, Writing, Respect and Resolution). Tom’s early experience teaching in East Harlem is the basis of his book, A School of Our Own: Parents, Power and Community at the East Harlem Block Schools. He has a Bachelors degree from Yale and a Masters in Education from Bank Street College of Education.
Tala Manassah, Deputy Executive Director
Tala joined Morningside Center in early 2009. Prior to joining our staff, Tala was the Founding Executive Director of the Middle East Children's Institute (MECI). In 2008, MECI was recognized by the Clinton Global Initiative, and became one of CGI's Member Commitments. She is the author of "From Rage to Interlocution" included in the anthology A Community of Many Worlds: Arab Americans in New York City (Syracuse University Press, 2002). Tala earned her A.B. in Philosophy and A.M. in the Humanities at the University of Chicago.
Lillian Castro, Director of Administration
Lillian oversees administration of Morningside Center’s work in schools as well as our PAZ after-school program. Before joining Morningside Center in 1997, she was coordinator of the Center for Collaborative Education’s Coalition Campus Schools Project and a community school board member. She has a BS degree from Empire State College.
Carmen Cabello, Controller
Sara Carrero, Communications Associate
Leslie Dennis, Program Associate
Yadira Garcia, Program Director, PAZ @ PS 24 After-School Program
Yaritza Hernandez, Assistant to Director of Administration
Ann Mathews, Human Resources Director
Laura McClure, Communications Coordinator
Brenda Soto, Business Assistant
Adam Torres, Program Director, PAZ @ PS 214 Elementary School After-School Program
Vanessa Tricoche, Program Director, PAZ @ PS 214 Middle School After-School Program
Joseph Yabyabin, Human Resources Assistant
STAFF DEVELOPERS
Victoria Cheng
Ava Daniel
Javier Diaz
Nelly Espina
Emily Feinstein
Edwin Figueroa
Tara Fishler
Mariana Gaston
Bruce Gill
Emma Gonzalez
Denise Gordon
Joyce Griffen
Janice Marie Johnson
Lauren Hyman Kaplan
Heather Loewecke
Joseph McCarthy
Kristin Page Stuart
Tolanda Tolbert
Marieke van Woerkom
Christopher Vermillion
Elizabeth Young
