2022GalaHonorees

Honorees

Matthew Cohen      
                             

Matt Cohen became the President & CEO of the Long Island Association (LIA), the region’s leading business organization, in 2021. Matt is working with the 77-member Board and the LIA members to implement his vision for Long Island’s future, including making Long Island an attractive place for young professionals, supporting small businesses, and expanding child care options.

Matt previously served as the Vice President of Government Affairs & Communications at LIA for 10 years. In that role, he was the chief lobbyist for the LIA’s legislative agenda, which included the enactment of a permanent state property tax cap and the receipt of more than $7.5 billion in economic development investments on Long Island for transportation, infrastructure, housing, and downtown development.

Prior to joining the LIA, Matt was Executive Director of Government Relations for the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), where he oversaw government and community affairs. Before LIPA, Matt served as Long Island Director for U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, where he was the primary political and policy advisor to the Senator for all Long Island-related issues.

Matt is a member of the Board of Directors for several organizations, including the Long Island Housing Partnership, Discover Long Island (including serving on its Executive Committee), the Child Care Council of Suffolk, Inc., the Advanced Energy Research & Technology Center at Stony Brook University, and the New York League of Conservation Voters – Long Island chapter. He is also a graduate of The Energeia Partnership at Molloy College.

Matt earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Pennsylvania and a Juris Doctor from Hofstra University’s Maurice A. Deane School of Law. He was admitted to the bar in New York State in July 2012.

Matt lives in Commack with his wife, Tracie and son, Jack.

Anissa Danielle Moore

Anissa D. Moore, a Brooklyn native, attended Hunter College, City University of New York, where she received her Master of Arts in Communications/Media Studies. She joined the full-time communications faculty at Nassau Community College (NCC), State University of New York in 1996. In 2006, she was the first African-American woman elected Chairperson of the Communications Department. In 2009, she launched NCC’s Civility Project, geared to promote tolerance and harmony on campus. In 2011, Anissa became the first African-American woman to serve as NCC’s Dean of Social & Behavioral Sciences, and in 2017, she was elected to lead the college’s Academic Senate. She is currently a full professor at NCC.

Anissa is a playwright, poet and choral director. Her creative works include the collaboration Sistas on Fire!, a drama newsical regarding the African-American woman experience. Her poetry book, 11226: Just A Girl From Brooklyn, was released in 2018.

She has served within several organizations that mentor at-risk women and children, and she currently serves as a Board member of the Economic Opportunity Commission of Nassau County and Artists in Partnership.

In 2015, Anissa became the first African-American woman elected to the Long Beach City Council. She launched the Long Beach Women’s Empowerment Network to promote women in business in 2017. She later formed the Black & Jewish Alliance and the Long Beach STEAM Academy, which provides after-school homework assistance and enrichment for low-income children. She also founded the North Park Community Development Corporation, which provides arts education, financial literacy, senior services and housing options for low- and moderate-income Long Beach residents. In 2022, she was appointed to serve as the Deputy County Executive for Health & Human Services in Nassau County. Anissa embraces the motto of her hero, Shirley Chisolm: “I am and always will be a catalyst for change.”  

Robin Beller

Robin Beller has been passionate about childcare since early in high school. 

Robin holds her Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education. She also has a dual Bachelor’s Degree in Child Care Management and Human Resource Management, as well as a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Southern University. 

Early in her college career, Robin began working at a Head Start program as a case manager. She served as a toddler teacher (some of her favorite times in childcare) and a preschool teacher in addition to holding the role of Assistant Director and then Director at several programs for many years. 

From direct care, Robin moved to what is now the Early Care and Learning Council (formerly the New York State Child Care Coordinating Council), where she worked for nine years researching, writing and providing training on a variety of management topics for childcare center directors throughout New York State. 

Since 2004, Robin has served as Long Island Regional Manager at the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. Throughout her tenure, she has demonstrated a continued passion to develop strong relationships with the provider community and to ensure the best for children, staff and programs here on Long Island. 

Working together through strong communication and a high level of respect for Long Island providers is the goal not only for Robin, but the entire team at the Long Island Regional Office.  

CSEA/VOICE (Voice of Independent Childcare Educators)

In 2002, Family Childcare Providers approached CSEA to ask for help organizing a Union to help them have a say in state regulations, policy, and funding for Childcare Providers and for the families they serve. In 2007, Governor Spitzer signed an Executive Order giving CSEA (outside NYC) the right to represent Family Childcare Providers. In 2011, CSEA/VOICE negotiated the licensing dispute resolution process and “Guiding Principles” to help ensure providers are respected. We have worked with DSS agencies across the state.

CSEA established the first bilingual statewide family Childcare Resource Center to support Providers and assist with Registration, Licensing, and Inspections; DSS payments; Fraud Investigations; CACFP and Professional Development, including First Aid/CPR, CDA, ECE Tuition Assistance, Legally-Exempt “Enhanced Rate” training, no cost Vision/Dental, Quality program grants and more.

Since then, CSEA has negotiated a fourth collective bargaining Agreement with OCFS and NYS to secure resources for Family Childcare. Much has been accomplished and more will be by the continued collaboration between agencies working together for the betterment of childcare, families, and providers throughout the state of New York.

For more information call the toll free resource center at 1-877-483-2732, visit  www.voicecsea.org, email voice@cseainc.org, or contact Wendy Nashid-Jackson, CSEA/VOICE Early Learning and Care Representative, at Wendy.jackson@cseainc.org.