Marianne Gribbon is an educational professional with over 15 years as a leader in the non–profit sector.  Marianne obtained her Bachelors from Marist College in Psychology/Special Education and her Masters in Educational Psychology.  She began her teaching career in NYC Department of Education as a 5th grade general education teacher.  After a brief stint teaching English in Pisa, Italy, Marianne returned to NY and commenced her 15 year career at Easter Seals NY., Inc.  Significant accomplishments during her tenure at Easter Seals NY include but not limited to:

• Expanding program operations,
• Agency-wide implementation of curriculum and data collection systems,
• Diversification of funding and programming to meet community needs,
• Creation of ongoing training program for teachers, teacher assistants, and principals, and
• Establishing a Social Justice Committee for the agency.

In October 2022, Marianne began her employment at The Children’s Home of Kingston as the Chief Executive Officer.  The Children’s Home of Kingston is a small non-profit that serves young men between the ages of 12 to 21 years of age that are in need of permanency and mental health support. Marianne endeavors to bring stability and expansion to the high-quality program that already exists.

In her spare time, Marianne is working towards obtaining a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership at Grand Canyon University. She enjoys spending time with her family and exploring the world.

Bob Myers began his employment at The Children’s Home of Kingston in October 2022 as the Residential Director. In February 2022, Bob was promoted to Chief Operations Officer. He was previously employed  at The Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie as the Overnight Manager.

“My biggest accomplishment here has been building relationships with staff, and creating confidence between administration and staff. My hopes and dreams for CHK is to have a safe campus and allow the young men we serve to feel safe and secure a future that is bright and positive. I enjoy working here because working with the youth and this group of employees is a fun group that allows for positive energy and fosters a strong sense of accomplishment. My motto is “Be safe and stay strong!’”

Mackenzie Anson has been with The Children’s Home of Kingston since the summer of 2019. Mackenzie was recently promoted to Chief Program Officer. Her role is to ensure effective and clinically based programming is effective in all departments. Mackenzie ensures the Agency’s therapeutic treatment model of Trauma Systems Therapy is implemented and that the treatment our agency provides to our clients is clinically driven and trauma informed. 

Mackenzie received her Bachelor of Psychology in 2008 from Marist College and went on to obtain her Masters in Social Work from Adelphi University in 2012. Mackenzie holds a professional license as a Clinical Social Worker in NY State. She has spent much of her professional career working in the mental health field, focusing on childhood and adolescent mental health and trauma. Previously, Mackenzie worked in a school based mental health clinic, Office of Mental Health Article 31 sites where she was the Associate Director of a behavioral health practice that had over 1,000 patients.

Mackenzie’s accomplishment since being a part of the wonderful team at The Children’s Home of Kingston, has been implementing a trauma informed treatment model so that the agency can be more effective and responsive to the young men we serve. Mackenzie’s hope for CHK is to continue to grow the agency’s therapeutic program and assist the young men in receiving the best chances for a positive outcome. Mackenzie enjoys her work with agency and appreciates the opportunity it affords her to assist the young men in working through their past traumas and helping them identify there is a chance for a positive outcome. Mackenzie’s dream is for the young men to identify their worth within and to never stop reaching for their goals.

Her motto is “It’s okay not to be okay, just don’t unpack and live there. Cry it out and then refocus on where you are headed”.

Jeni Rodriguez has been with The Children’s Home of Kingston for over four years. Her previous employer was New Horizons Resources.  She was there for 20 years and worked her way from a frontline Direct Service Professional to Director of Financial Operations. As the Chief Financial Officer here at CHK, Jeni’s primary responsibilities are budgets, financial reporting, strategic planning, and community support. 

Jeni’s biggest accomplishment here has been listening to our young men and understanding their point of view. Finding financial solutions to help accomplish their goals provides her with a great sense of triumph. 

“My hope and dream is the same today as it was the day I first arrived. My hope is that our young men learn, laugh and grow. That they remember there was a positive place and people in their life. I enjoy working at CHK, to see the young men find their personal success. One of my phrases is, “Reach for the stars, someday you’ll grab them”.

Jenn Chasin is the Human Resources Manager at The Children’s Home of Kingston since June 2020.  Jenn previously worked at Precision Pipeline Solutions for about four years as a Human Resources Generalist and before that she was a Staffing Specialist, a Recruiter, and a Recruiting Assistant.  As the HR Manager at CHK her primary responsibility is to make sure our employees are taken care of and that the agency follows the laws and regulations regarding employment.  Jenn strives to provide a place for staff to feel comfortable discussing their needs. Throughout Jenn’s tenure at CHK, she has worked hard to convey this message to all staff.  

“We cannot make miracles happen in HR but we can collect the data and suggest ideas to managers, supervisors, and the CEO to implement new policies or new procedures as needed.   Keeping the team operating at best possible capacity is always a main priority. My hope for being part of the team here at CHK is to make all our staff feel happy, secure, and know that they are an instrumental part of the success of the young men that are on this campus as well as the agency itself.  The best part of working at CHK is being involved in the lives of these young men who come here with traumatic experiences and showing them positive experiences, and knowing that we made an impact on their lives and future.  My motto is, “Dark clouds may hang on me sometimes, but I’ll work it out.”Dave Matthews or “No one is you and that is your power” Dave Grohl!

Catherine Cruz began her employment at The Children’s Home of Kingstonas Assistant Program Director with the New Horizon Program in June 2020.In January 2023, she was promoted to Program Director. Prior to her work with CHK, she worked as a counselor/therapist with children and adolescents at another non-profit organization, located in Brooklyn NY.

As Program Director, Catherine’s primary responsibility is to oversee the day to day operations and programming of the twenty-four-bed New Horizons Program. Among the many responsibilities as Program Director, other areas to highlight are supporting the organization’s administration in the development and implementation of youth care and treatment for the youth,overseeing all support services of the program, which include: Clinical and Case Management, Educational, Medical, and Residential services. She also works to establish an environment that is respectful and supportive of the youth, staff, and external stakeholders while maintaining and evaluating data to determine and improve program outcomes.

To date, one of Catherine’s greatest accomplishments in the New Horizon Program has been, starting from the case management department and now for the rest of the departments, the restructuring of a more solid program in all its aspects and areas where the priority and vision will always be the well-being of the children in care and their families. Throughout her professional career and her life, being able to care for and help others has always been part of Catherine’s essence and one of her greatest gifts. This is one of her main reasons for being part of this agency. One of her favorite quotes is, “When you touch a human soul, be just another human soul.”

Pamela Baldelli began her employment at CHK in October 2022. She was previously employed at Arlington Central School district where she retired after a 30 year career as School Counselor. 

Pam’s current position is School Principal at the Grove Street Academy where her primary responsibility is to oversee all daily educational activities and operations within the school. Some of additional duties include advising students, evaluating teachers and ensuring adherence to NYS curriculum, establishing an equitable Code of Conduct, and ensuring the school environment is safe for all students and staff members.

To date, Pam’s biggest accomplishment at the Grove Street Academy has been establishing a trusting relationship with students and families. This has allowed her to successfully work with students and families to foster academic success and to promote the emotional development and health of each student.

Pam’s hope for Grove Street Academy is that every student  graduates, attends college, enters the workforce prepared, or attends a trade school;making their contribution to society. 

“My dream is that our students can turn their challenges into something wonderful in their futures.I enjoy watching our students grow academically, emotionally and socially. I am here because I believe my leadership abilities and past experience can make a difference in the lives of our students. My motto is ‘Empowering learning, inspiring success.’”

La’Shana Cummings began her employment with The Children’s Home of Kingston in February 2022 as the Residential Supervisor. La’Shana’s previous experience at the Office of Children and Family Services and The Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie have garnered the respect of her fellow leaders. Her practical knowledge base coupled with a strong regulatory foundation are  vital to the success of our clients. 

La’Shana’s biggest accomplishment here so far has been helping some of these young  men recognize their self worth and value. This role is an opportunity to create positive change in the lives of our young men. Her aspirations are to create a safe, loving, and learning culture.

“I joined the  team because I am passionate about our young men and what real child care work stands for. My way of life/motto is, ‘We Rise by Lifting Others!’”

James Daniels (“Daniels”) has worked at The Children’s Home of Kingston for seven years. Mr. Daniels was previously employed at First Source as a supervisor. Mr. Daniels was recently promoted to Lead Campus Supervisor in which he provides exceptional support to employees, students, and maintaining campus safety. His biggest accomplishment since he began his employment has been building strong and impactful relationships with the young men in our care while balancing the needs of my family after my father passed away.
“My hopes and dreams for CHK is for me to provide exceptional leadership to the employees that work at CHK. I enjoy providing guidance and support to the young men when they need it most. Working at CHK gives me the opportunity to help change and bring enjoyment to the young men. I love the family feel of the company, and for the most part it’s a very team oriented place and I’m all about team. My motto is, ‘Leaders don’t sit around and wait for something to get done, they just do it.’”

Sue Ponte began her employment at The Children’s Home of Kingston in 2019 as the Food Service Director. Her time at CHK has had significant challenges and even greater rewards. During the pandemic in April, 2020, Sue drew from her vast background in food service- including 12 years with Aramark Corporation – and worked tirelessly to see that the needs of our residents were still met. Sue’s time at Aramark included life-changing work as patient service manager at Duke University Hospital in Durham, N.C. Spending time with critically-ill children and their parents, it helped develop an appreciation for how food provides both nutritionally and spiritually. Sue will always treasure the letters parents wrote to express their gratitude for Sue’s dedication. “I thoroughly enjoy working at The Children’s Home of Kingston. I embrace the task of providing nutritious, freshly-prepared meals in a warm environment. Many vegetables come from food grown in an on-premises garden I started in 2019. Not long ago, we grew and stored enough butternut squash to make soup throughout the winter!  Food scraps are composted to help renew our garden soil as part of an overall recycling program that I instituted. Above all, my hope is that the good food we prepare conveys a strong message to our young men and their families. We care. It is all in keeping with my motto: “Healthy body, healthy mind.’”