Board Members

Dr. Kimberly Honnick, Ed.D.

New Jersey

Dr. Kimberly Honnick is the Founder, CEO, and Chief Vision Officer of Bo Knowz Learning, LLC. With more than 30 years of experience in education, her dynamic career spans public school systems and Head Start programs, where she has served as a teacher, administrator, and nationally recognized thought leader.

Dr. Honnick is widely respected for her leadership in curriculum and instructional design, with a strong emphasis on Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). She develops innovative units of study and authors books that create impactful learning experiences for both students and educators. Her areas of expertise include Leadership, Special Education, Student Support Services, SEL, Educational Technology, and Personalized and Blended Learning Models.

A passionate advocate for developing future educators and leaders, Dr. Honnick empowers schools and communities through job-embedded professional learning, coaching, and capacity-building leadership. Her work is anchored in equity, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.

Her leadership has earned national recognition. Dr. Honnick received Learning Forward's Principal as Leader of Professional Learning Scholarship for her exceptional efforts in leadership and coaching. She was also named one of the nation's Top 100 Innovative Educational Leaders by the Global Forum for Education. Additionally, she serves on the Advisory Board for the Transformative Leadership Program at Pace University's Lubin School of Business.

Beyond her professional achievements, Dr. Honnick is a proud dog mom to Balboa and draws inspiration from her lifelong admiration of Rocky — a symbol of resilience and determination that reflects her personal journey and enduring passion for education.

Willing Irene Chin-Ma, LMSW

New York City, NY

A solid foundation in social work remains the bedrock supporting over 35 years of Willing's leadership in community and advocacy work. At the heart of her work lies a commitment to empowering communities to embrace lifelong learning and a determination to eliminate the disparities in resources and opportunities for working families. Her highly regarded expertise as an executive spans quality performance improvement, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness.

Willing is a passionate social worker in the field of human services. After earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology/Counseling from Hunter College, she went on to graduate from New York University School of Social Work. For more than 28 years at Grand St. Settlement, she has been a strong advocate for low-income seniors, children, and families — holding several senior leadership roles and spearheading some of the most significant initiatives in the organization's history.

She was the driving force in applying for and implementing Grand St. Settlement's first senior apartments, leveraging more than $11 million in federal grant funding. From 2015 to 2025, under her leadership, GSS was awarded Federal Head Start Program grants totaling over $45 million to improve quality center-based and family child care services for infants and toddlers in underserved areas of Brooklyn and Manhattan. Willing created a long-standing niche in giving children with special needs a safe and nurturing environment to develop and grow, and positioned GSS as a leader in 2Generational programs for families.

Alethea Etinoff

Washington, DC

Alethea Etinoff is the Founder of The Business of Early Childhood Education®, a platform dedicated to strengthening the business and operational foundation of early childhood programs. Based in Washington, DC, she is an experienced early childhood program administrator and business leader with more than a decade of leadership in licensed early learning settings.

Her work centers on program operations, health and safety systems, and leadership development. She delivers practical, systems-focused professional development that strengthens both educational quality and long-term business sustainability.

Alethea has presented for national organizations including the National Association for Family Child Care, the National Head Start Association, and the National CACFP Association. She serves as a Founding Board Member of Head Start East.

Dr. Quiera Evans

Newark, NJ

Quiera Evans, Ed.D., is a mission-driven early childhood leader with 20+ years of experience in program strategy, organizational development, and family engagement. She currently serves as Chief Program Officer at The Leaguers, Inc., providing strategic, administrative, and programmatic leadership for Head Start and Early Head Start, overseeing program compliance with federal and state standards, cross-sector partnerships with local school districts, and staff and parent capacity building.

Previously, Dr. Evans served as Director of Early Head Start, strengthening comprehensive services for expectant families and children from birth to three and elevating parents as primary educators. As a Preschool Instructional Coach, she guided continuous quality improvement through reflective practice.

Dr. Evans holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, Administration, and Policy from Fordham University, along with two master's degrees from Montclair State University in Educational Leadership and Early Childhood Education. Rooted in improvement science, her doctoral preparation emphasized inquiry cycles, problem-solving design, and rapid tests of change — an approach she applies to program design, coaching, and organizational learning. She is deeply passionate about developing leaders and has facilitated leadership trainings and institutes across New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

As a Board member, she brings deep program expertise, an improvement science mindset, and an equity-centered focus on results for children, families, and the leaders who serve them.

Dr. Sergio Montolio, PhD

Bronx, NY

Dr. Montolio, Ph.D., is an accomplished entrepreneur, executive leader, and business consultant with more than 20 years of experience empowering small business owners and developing high-impact leaders. He is the CEO and Founder of SM Consulting Associates Inc. and SM Worldwide Training Services Corp., organizations dedicated to advancing business development and leadership excellence in the United States and the Dominican Republic.

A respected author and thought leader, Dr. Montolio has written Finding the Best in You, RISE ABOVE: Overcoming Greed and Self-Doubt, and Emotional Leadership: How to Use the Power of Self-Awareness, Self-Reflection, Emotional Intelligence, and the Customer Experience to Connect and Enhance Your Leadership and Relationships, reflecting his commitment to meaningful societal dialogue and public policy advancement.

Dr. Montolio currently serves as Director for Early Head Start at Rising Ground, where he champions community well-being and early childhood development. His expertise spans business administration, public policy, leadership development, and executive coaching. He holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice and a Master's in Public Administration & Inspectors General from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, as well as a Ph.D. in Public Policy & Administration from Walden University.

Through every role, Dr. Montolio remains dedicated to inspiring growth, strengthening organizations, and developing the next generation of leaders.

Yvette Sanchez Fuentes

Yvette Sanchez Fuentes is Senior Vice President, Government Relations & Research at Start Early, where she leads the organization's national strategy to advance its policy agenda and strengthen partnerships with peer organizations and federal agency staff. She also oversees the National Center for Parent, Family, and Community Engagement, one of four National Centers that develop evidence-based best practices for Early Head Start and Head Start programs across the country.

A nationally recognized early childhood expert, Yvette has been influential in driving effective policy and practice change in areas of Head Start, child care, and the workforce through intentional engagement of stakeholders. She has dedicated her professional career to understanding how policy, research, and implementation impact lifelong outcomes for young children and their families struggling with adversities, including low-income households, migrant and seasonal farm workers, immigrant communities, American Indian and Alaska Native populations, and dual language learners.

Prior to joining Start Early, she served as Director of the Office of Head Start, a Presidential Political Appointee, where she shepherded sweeping reforms including the release of the Head Start Roadmap and the creation and rollout of the Parent, Family and Community Engagement Framework. She also steered the launch of a pilot program that allowed spending flexibility for creating additional early learning programs, which led to the implementation of Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships.

Yvette began her career at Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo, Inc. She received her B.A. in liberal arts from California State Polytechnic University.

Tanya Stone

Florida

Tanya Stone is the Founder and CEO of Stone Catalyst, LLC, a leadership development and organizational culture consultancy. She is a nationally recognized Head Start leader known for driving culture transformation and building high-performing teams through her signature "catalyst for change" approach. As a consultant, Tanya partners with new Head Start grantees, new Head Start Directors, and programs experiencing or desiring change, helping them build the leadership capacity and systems needed to thrive.

Most recently, Tanya led a multi-county early learning program serving over 1,000 children and families, guiding more than 200 staff across 19 sites. Under her leadership, the program earned the National Head Start Association Program of Excellence designation, reflecting a strong commitment to quality, systems, and sustained impact. Her experience also includes 13 years as a childcare owner-operator and deep expertise in Head Start and Early Head Start compliance and federal grant management.

Tanya is an author, speaker, and recipient of the 2026 NHSA Vanessa Rich Leadership Award. Her work centers on strengthening leadership, culture, and organizational effectiveness. She is honored to bring her experience and perspective to Head Start East and is deeply committed to helping programs nationwide build systems that sustain excellence and expand impact.

Dr. Autumn Tomas

Jacksonville, FL

Dr. Autumn Tomas is a nationally recognized Head Start consultant, former Head Start parent, and executive leader with more than 30 years of experience strengthening early childhood programs and nonprofit organizations. Her connection to Head Start began as a parent, an experience that shaped her lifelong commitment to ensuring children and families have access to high-quality, equitable services.

As Founder and CEO of A Tomas Consulting, Dr. Tomas partners with Head Start programs nationwide to strengthen governance, improve operational systems, prepare for federal reviews, and secure competitive grant funding. She brings a comprehensive perspective grounded in lived experience as a parent, program leader, and Non-Federal Chair for federal grant review panels. Having served as a Head Start Director, she understands firsthand the complexities of compliance, fiscal oversight, ERSEA, and strategic planning.

Her leadership is rooted in accountability, systems-building, and protecting the integrity of the Head Start mission. As a Head Start East Board member, she remains deeply committed to advancing strong governance and sustainable program quality to support lasting outcomes for children and families.

Andy Roszak

Falls Church, VA

Andy Roszak is the Founder of Head Start East and Founder & CEO of the Institute for Childhood Preparedness (ICP), an IACET-accredited continuing education provider operating nationally and internationally. Since its founding in 2018, ICP has trained hundreds of thousands of early childhood professionals and has held contracts with organizations spanning Head Start associations, state departments of education, Child Care Aware affiliates, and the U.S. Military. He brings nearly a decade of partnership with Head Start and Early Head Start programs, combining expertise in law, public health, emergency preparedness, and early childhood education in direct service of children, families, and the workforce that supports them.

Andy previously served as Chief of Preparedness, Health and Environment for the Region II Head Start Association and held senior leadership roles at Child Care Aware of America and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — experience that reflects a career embedded across the full breadth of the early childhood field. A recognized advisor to Sesame Street in Communities and recipient of a FEMA Community Preparedness Award, he is the award-winning author of the Preparing for the Unexpected book series (Kaplan Early Learning / Gryphon House), host of the Early Childhood Chats podcast (earlychildhoodchats.com), and an Adjunct Professor at Old Dominion University.

A graduate of Harvard University's Early Education Leadership Program, Andy holds a Juris Doctor and Master of Public Administration and is admitted to practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court.