Parenting Center

Every step starts here

From the moment you even think about starting a family, 92Y’s Parenting Center is here to support you. We know that as well as the wonders and rewards, every stage of parenting can bring new challenges. Our programs are designed to help you navigate the perplexities of parenting every step of the way — from pre-natal preparation to infant care to toddler development and beyond.

The 92Y Parenting Center is far more than just a place to take a class. Parents form lifelong friendships here — it’s a place where community is built, and we welcome our families back for advice and support at every stage of family life. As the first center of its kind in the nation, we established the model, and we continue to set the standard.

It’s why, when it comes to getting the best help for parents, every step starts here.

Stay connected with us at facebook.com/92YParenting.

Faculty

Sally Tannen

Director

Sally Tannen is in her 17th year as director of 92Y’s groundbreaking Parenting Center …

Sally Tannen

Director

Sally Tannen is in her 17th year as director of 92Y’s groundbreaking Parenting Center — the first of its kind in the nation, and a resource for more than 1,400 New York City families. Sally directs the Parenting Center’s activities, oversees its programs and day-to-day operations, leads the weekly New Parent Get-Togethers, and regularly meets with parents, offering advice and support on topics from infant development to choosing a nursery school. Among the new initiatives she has introduced are the popular year-long separation programs 2s Together and 3s Together. In 2017, Sally launched the Grandparents Center, furthering 92Y’s commitment to supporting families at every age and stage. She writes the monthly column, “Ask Sally” for the bi-monthly magazine New York Family and for newyorkfamily.com. Her newest initiative is a podcast series, to be launched this fall.

Sally has over 40 years of experience in working with parents, guiding them through their concerns and helping them navigate their challenges. Before joining 92Y, Sally held the position of director of admissions at NYC’s Little Red Schoolhouse for nine years. Prior to that, she spent 16 years at the Village Community School, first as a teacher and later as director of admissions. She also served as head of the lower school at St. Luke’s School. Sally has taught in the Early Childhood Department at Kingsborough Community College and led workshops at Bank Street College of Education.

Sally received her MA in Early Childhood Education from Bank Street and a BA in English from Washington University in St. Louis. She has attended the Reggio Emilia Study Tour in Italy and Brazelton Touchpoints training. Sally has four children and three grandchildren. She and her husband live in New York City.

Associate Director

Wendy Goldstein

Associate Director

As the new Associate Director of the Parenting Center, Wendy Goldstein works with parents and staff as a valuable resource. She continues in the classroom as part of the 2s and 3s Together team. Wendy Goldstein has been on the staff of the 92Y Parenting Center for over a decade. She has taught Little Explorers, Parkbench, 2s Together and 3s Together. She has a Master’s Degree from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University and an AB in History from Bryn Mawr College. Before joining the Parenting Center, she worked as a psychotherapist with adolescents and teens. Wendy has maintained a connection to 92nd Street Y throughout her adult life. She lived briefly in the 92Y Residence after college and later returned as a new mom to the Parenting Center. She has two teenage daughters who attended the Nursery School, camps, art classes and Connect. Wendy lives in Manhattan with her husband and daughters.

Rebecca Schoffer

Director of Jewish Family Engagement

Rebecca Schoffer

Director of Jewish Family Engagement

Rebecca Schoffer originally hails from Margate, NJ. An alumna of Tufts University and the Atlantic Acting Conservatory, Rebecca has been teaching and working with children and the creative arts since moving to New York in 2008. Rebecca has worked within the 92Y Bronfman Center for Jewish Life in various capacities over the years, including leading the Havaya International program in 2009 and 2010, as well as private coaching for creative Bar Mitzvah experiences. From 2010-2014, Rebecca worked at the Atlantic Theater Company, where she also taught children’s theater and music classes and performed in theater for young audiences. Rebecca began co-leading Shababa with Karina Zilberman in 2013. Rebecca currently leads Shababa Fridays, Shababa Saturdays, High Holiday family services, singing mitzvah troupes, Shabbat dinners, PJ Library programs and our creative family seder at 92Y. She also performs in and produces Shababa Concerts throughout the year. In November 2015, Rebecca and Karina released their first collaborative album entitled: Shababa of the Heart. In 2015, Rebecca also wrote and directed Sammy Spider’s First Mitzvah - the Musical! based on the book by Sylvia A. Rouss. Co-written with composer Joel Esher, Sammy Spider had its world premiere here at 92Y, thanks to a generous grant from PJ Library and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Rebecca is a playwright of other children’s plays and musicals and hopes to bring more joyful Jewish family theater to 92Y in the year to come!

Jody Bernstein

Jody Bernstein has worked at 92nd Street Y for several years. She has experience in a number of different departments. Jody has her masters in elementary/secondary special education from Bank Street and has worked with all ages ranging from young babies to adults. She has worked at the 92nd Street Y nursery school, Brick Church preschool, Columbia Grammar, Kingsborough Community College, The Fashion Institute of Technology and has a private practice as a Learning and Assistive Technology specialist. In the Parenting Center Jody teaches a wide range of classes.

Karen Blumberg

Karen Blumberg started out as a Parenting Center member, taking her newborn to our New Mother, New Baby classes over 17 years ago – and she hasn’t left yet!

Karen Blumberg

Karen Blumberg started out as a Parenting Center member, taking her newborn to our New Mother, New Baby classes over 17 years ago – and she hasn’t left yet! She has a background in art, making her a perfect addition to our Art Smarts program. She is also a co-leader of our 2s Together program.

Karen has a supportive husband and is the mother of two fantastic teenagers.

Alice W. Dunsker

Alice W. Dunsker has taught Baby Massage for the last 15 years and is here to support parents. She believes baby massage is a wonderful way to help parent and baby bond. For her, baby massage is a restorative experience for little ones. As a parent, Alice remembers the experience of being a new parent and wants to help parents as they commence their awesome journey.

Alice lived in Rochester, NY, where she raised two children while teaching junior and senior high school students. She was also the Hillel Director at SUNY Brockport, and was a volunteer coordinator for Retired Senior Volunteer Program. She was the volunteer coordinator and assistant director of development for Rochester Area Multiple Sclerosis. She graduated from the Swedish Institute of Massage and is a certified Infant Massage Instructor from Loving Touch Foundation. In addition to her work at 92Y, Alice volunteers at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital as a cuddler to newborns in the NICU.

Gabrielle Greenberg

Gabrielle Greenberg has been on the faculty and has played a key role in the growth and expansion of the Parenting Center program for over 25 years.

Gabrielle Greenberg

Gabrielle Greenberg has been on the faculty and has played a key role in the growth and expansion of the Parenting Center program for over 25 years. She works with parents and caregivers, babies and toddlers, leads groups in the Parenting Center classes and co-leads the separation programs for two and three year olds. She is a co-author of the 92Y Wonderplay Best Practices Handbook and has also developed a parenting series for teen mothers living in group home settings and for women in prison as they prepared to re-unite with their young children.

Claire Lewin

Claire Lewin has over 20 years of teaching experience, ranging from kindergarten to 1st and 2nd grades. She has been a leader at the Parenting Center for over ten years and her two children attended the Parenting Center when they were younger. Claire received both a BS in Elementary Education and a Master’s in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education, and Special Education from Adelphi University.

Claire is the proud parent of two children.

Melanie Mandel

Melanie Mandel has been a leader with the Parenting Center for over 6 years and currently co-leads our 2s and 3s Together program.

Melanie has directed 92nd Street Y special needs programs since 1997. She is responsible for coordinating afterschool and evening programs for children, young people and adults with disabilities. Melanie oversees the Nesher Program for Children with Developmental Disabilities. She facilitates the mainstreaming of young people with special needs into 92Y afterschool programs and directs Camp Mini Tova, 92Y’s summer camp for children with special needs.

Andrea Scannell

Andrea Scannell is a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) and holds a Masters Degree in education. At 92nd Street Y, Andrea teaches the prenatal breastfeeding workshop and runs the weekly breastfeeding support group. Andrea also teaches infant care and breastfeeding classes and runs breastfeeding and new mom support groups in various venues throughout Manhattan and Queens. She also works one on one with families in their homes to help them adjust to life with a baby and to get breastfeeding off to the best possible start!

Michelle Shoham

Michelle Shoham is an integral part of the Parenting Center, leading classes and playgroups for young children, and supporting parents on a wide variety of child development and parenting issues.

Michelle Shoham

Michelle Shoham is an integral part of the Parenting Center, leading classes and playgroups for young children, and supporting parents on a wide variety of child development and parenting issues. Her diverse background and extensive experience help her meet the needs of 92Y’s families. Michelle was born in New York, raised in a bilingual home in Israel and completed high school in the states. She served in the Israel Defense Forces as a photographer and received her BA from Tel Aviv University. She has an MA from NYU in applied psychology, specializing in the psychology of parenthood. She now calls New York her home but still has deep bonds with Israel.

Diana Simkin

Diana Simkin has a BA from Cornell University and Master’s Degree in Dance Education from NYU and is both a certified personal trainer (specializing in pre and post natal exercise and also Pilates) and a Lamaze International-certified childbirth educator. She currently teaches Infant Massage and Lamaze Prepared Childbirth classes at 92nd Street Y and Lamaze at Mt. Sinai/Roosevelt Hospital, and in-home personal training. She is the author of The Complete Pregnancy Exercise Program, The Complete Baby Exercise Program and co-author of Preparation for Birth, The Complete Guide to the Lamaze Method.

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Parenting Center

Every step starts here.

Planning Starts Here

Bonding Starts Here

Discovery Starts Here

Parkbench

Ask the Experts

Grandparents Center

2s and 3s Together

Shababa

Every step starts here

Faculty

The 92Y Parenting Center Advisory Committee

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