Ossining Children's Center

Our Staff

Executive Team

Executive Director
Howard Milbert, Advanced Certificate in Administration and Supervision, M.S. in Special Education, Hunter College; City College of New York; B.A. in History, New York University.

Chief Executive of the Ossining Children’s Center since 1985, Howard Milbert is responsible for the Center’s child-centered philosophy, its individualized approach to teaching and childcare, its signature enrichment programs, and its partnerships with other educational and community organizations. He is known throughout New York State as a leading advocate for high quality childcare and early childhood education.

In 2007-2008, Howard has led the Center through a strategic planning process resulting in a comprehensive plan for strengthening the Center’s curriculum, expanding parenting support services, and bolstering the Center’s administrative infrastructure and fundraising.

He was at the helm of the Center through a period of unprecedented growth and change in 1994-97, when the Center purchased 92 South Highland Avenue and transformed it into the Terry Crandall Infant-Toddler Center. That expansion almost doubled the size of the Center’s physical plant, operating budget, and enrollment, which is now 150 children. As part of that expansion, he created the “Stepping Stones to Higher Education Program for Teen-age Mothers,” in collaboration with Ossining High School, Open Door Family Medical Center, and Westchester Jewish Community Services. The program provides childcare, mentoring, counseling, and parenting classes, thereby enabling teen-age mothers to develop parenting skills and complete high school. Since the start of that program, more than a dozen teen-age mothers have successfully completed high school and have gone on to community college or entry level jobs.

As co-chair of the New York State Association of Directors of Not-for-Profit Child Day Care Centers and co-president of the Westchester Early Childhood Directors Association, he is a tireless advocate for children and families. He is a recipient of a “Joey” Award from the Child Care Council of Westchester for his advocacy work. Recently, his advocacy efforts resulted in a major change in government regulations, making child care tuition assistance more available to single low- and moderate-income working mothers.

Assistant Executive Director; Infant-Toddler Program Director
Claudia Weger, B.S. in Education, Wheelock College, Boston

On the teaching staff of OCC since 1990, Claudia has directed the Center’s Infant-Toddler program since its inception in 1996. In preparation for launching that program, she made a study of infant-toddler facility design and curricula at the finest infant-toddler centers in the northeast, incorporating the “best of the best” into OCC’s Infant-Toddler Program. Claudia is a passionate believer in child-centered education, and works closely with OCC lead teachers to individualize their approach to meet each child’s unique learning needs and developmental pace. She has been quoted on child development issues in Parents magazine and Family Energy magazine. Claudia has devoted her career to early childhood education, having taught at the Technology Children’s Center of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Oak Lane Child Care Center in Chappaqua, and Tots and Toddlers (now known as Timber Ridge) in Armonk before coming to OCC.

Director of Development
Shawn Kennedy Cribari, B.A., summa cum laude, Marymount College Tarrytown

Shawn Cribari A 30-year veteran of “friend-raising” and fundraising for not-for-profit organizations, Shawn joined the staff of the Children’s Center in 1997, and has worked with the Center’s board and executive director to build the organization’s annual philanthropic operating revenue from $75,000 to $500,000, and to raise $1 million in Endowment gifts. A past president of the Association of Development Officers (ADO), she received that organization’s “Peter J. Gallagher Award for Leadership and Service” in 2006.

Director of Children’s Services
Terry Becker, M.S.W., Columbia University; B.A., SUNY Binghamton

Terry has been Director of Children’s Services at the Ossining Children’s Center for 19 years. At the Center, she provides psychological and social services to both children and parents, and also provides staff development workshops for the Center’s teacher-caregivers. In addition to her graduate degree in social work she has training from the New York Freudian Society Psychoanalytic Institute. She worked at Belleview Hospital Center for five years in Pediatrics and in Child Psychiatry. In addition to her work for the Ossining Children’s Center, she has a private psychotherapy practice with children and families.

School Age Director
Angela Reyes, B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA

In April of 2008, Angela was appointed as the new School Age Director of Ossining Children’s Center. For 6 years, Angela taught 5th and 6th grades at Central Park East Elementary School in Spanish Harlem in an inclusive classroom, after receiving a fellowship from Teachers for Tomorrow. Directly prior to her new position at OCC, Angela was a stay at home mom for 2 1/2 years so it has been quite an adjustment for her. However, when she visited OCC for the first time, she immediately fell in love with the kids, the sounds, and the caring that she found throughout the Center, and knew she would be very happy here. Angela is in charge of establishing a flowing curriculum for the upper grades, organizing field events, implementing the summer program, and scheduling staffing. At OCC, her teaching philosophy is to create a place where kids who need to be at OCC will thoroughly enjoy their after school experience through having the opportunity to engage in activities that play to their interests. She will also work to ensure that her staff is being fully supported. Angela is very excited to work at Ossining Children’s Center. She is already enjoying working with the staff and kids, and looks forward to putting her own signature on her position as School Age Director.

Lead Pre-School Teacher and Coordinator of Volunteers
Gerri DeSilva, B.A. in Psychology, Lehman College

Gerri has been the Pre-School Head Teacher and Volunteer Coordinator at Ossining Children’s Center for over 16 years. Her many responsibilities include running her classroom; supervising anywhere from 30 to 50 volunteers including community service volunteers, communion and confirmation volunteers, and high school interns; scheduling staff; and ensuring that the staff complies with training requirements for the state. In addition to receiving her B.A. in Psychology from Lehman College, Gerri has her teaching certification for nursery school through the 6th grade. Prior to her position at Ossining Children’s Center, Gerri worked as a pre-school teacher in New Rochelle and Bronxville, and worked as an after school teacher in Pelham. Having always loved to teach, Gerri feels that teaching a 3 year old preschool class is one of the most important jobs in helping children move to the next step, by preparing them for kindergarten. In Gerri’s case, her class is primarily Spanish; the majority of the children come in speaking little to no English and within 3 months they are speaking English fluently. Currently, one of Gerri’s major job gratifications is seeing her former 3 year old students apply for jobs at Ossining Children’s Center as high school interns, or teaching assistants.

Lead Infant-Toddler Teacher
Claudia Febres-Leiva
Claudia has been the Lead Infant-Toddler Teacher for 18 years, where her responsibilities include keeping the room and the children organized, having discussions with parents regarding their concerns, and helping evaluate any issues the children are having. She expects to receive her CDA (Child Development Associate) certificate within 6 months from Dutchess Community College The CDA is a nationally-recognized credential given by the Council on Professional Recognition, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the professional status of early childhood care providers. Claudia also takes more than 15 hours of training every year to stay current in the field. Prior to joining Ossining Children’s Center, Claudia worked at Park School in Ossining as a Teaching Assistant specifically working with ESL children. As part of her job there, she frequently visited newly immigrated parents in their homes to explain the program to them, and to help recruit new students. Claudia’s philosophy of child care is patience, patience, patience, and lots of love. She has two children, ages 12 and 3. Her 12 year old attended the center from 18 months to 2nd grade, and her 3 year old is currently enrolled.

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