President, Kathleen Cook, Early Childhood Educator


Board of Trustees

The Early Steps Board of Trustees includes administrators, parents and diversity advocates connected to New York City independent schools.

President, Kathleen Cook, Early Childhood Educator

Executive Director, Jacqueline Y. Pelzer

Alan Berk Vice President, Leonard Rosen & Co.
Kelly O'Connell Bird Coach Liaison, UPenn GSE Urban Teaching Apprenticeship Program;
EdD candidate, UPenn Mid Career Doctorate, School Leadership
Bertram Gibson CFO,  Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone
Martha Haakmat Executive Director, Haakmat Consulting, LLC
Martha Hirschman Head of Lower School, Dwight School Dubai
Patricia Redd Johnson
Educational Consultant, Former Senior Associate Dean of Admission The Hotchkiss, Former Director of Admission The Dalton School
Stuart Johnson Head of School, Tuxedo Park School
Cheryl Kelly Head of Early Childhood, Grace Church School
Tom Kelly Headmaster, Horace Mann School
Sarah Lafferty Director of Lower School Admission and Financial Aid - Trevor Day School      
Jean G. Lamont Independent Consultant; Former Head of School, The Foote School
Dan Lascano Founder, Chief Investment Officer, Lomas Capital
Andrew McLaren Former Head of School, Little Red Schoolhouse
Mark Ostroff Founder, Chief Executive Officer, Alloy Asset Management
Sandra Owens Area Development Director, United Negro College Fund
Michele Owens-Patterson Senior Psychologist, Prep for Prep
Alexandra L. Peters President, New Space for Women (Health Center)
Marcia Roesch                 Director of the School and Child Care Search Service, Columbia University
Corrente Schankler Owner, Petal Design Studio
Lydia Spinelli Consultant and Director of Summer Steps at The Brick Church School
Caroline M. Tripp Independent Consultant
David R. Trower Headmaster, The Allen-Stevenson School
Linden Havemeyer Wise Special Counsel, The Metropolitan Museum of Art; Trustee, The Chapin School