Kimberly Palumbo

I’m an Early childhood Director with 15+ years’ achievement in progressively responsible leadership roles in educational environments. I am a strategic operational leader adept at building relationships, from parents and children to teachers and clients, and I have a demonstrated track record of success creating improved institutional cultures while delivering on key metrics.

Highlights of my current work as Director include:

• Rolling-out a stimulating curriculum for children ranging in age from 6 weeks to 5 years..
• Driving consistent YoY growth. I have been recognized for delivering improvements across critical engagement metrics—Team Engagement, Teamwork, Management Support, Basic Needs, and Accountability.
• Spearheading the successful opening of new centers in Manhattan and Long Island City, and created an educational environment where children have thrived socially, emotionally and educationally. 

Highly regarded Educational Director with 15+ years’ achievement in progressively responsible leadership roles in educational environments and a demonstrated track record of success creating improved institutional cultures while delivering on key metrics. Proven financial manager skilled at all aspects of budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and planning. Adept at building relationships with all stakeholders, from parents and children to corporate partners.

Strategic operational leader who excels at hiring and developing staff members to promote educational environments in which children reach their fullest potential.

Areas of Expertise:

Team Leadership, Curriculum & Program Development, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Strategic Planning, Financial Management, Budgeting, Forecasting, P&L, Reporting & Documentation, Compliance, Fundraising, Outreach

Professional Experience

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The Learning Experience- Long Island City 2016-2018

Director 

• Personally spearheaded successful opening of a brand-new, 170-child-capacity childcare center in September of 2017, subsequently developing curricula and cogently managing a staff of 35 teachers.
• Led ongoing initiatives to train and educate staff to improve overall performance and enhance classroom learning. 

Director 

Ensure daily delivery of outstanding early childhood programs that enable children to learn and grow via a host of stimulating and age-appropriate activities. Serve as an integral member of CCLC’S senior staff, supervising a full range of educational programs (both in and out of the classroom) in addition to services, fundraising, and outreach, for families with children under the age of 5 years. In addition, hold day-to-day teaching responsibilities: assign students to lead services and events, deliver lessons, and assess each student’s mastery of key skills and concepts.

• Captained all areas of daily operations at a center with capacity for 68 students, simultaneously providing hands-on leadership, guidance, mentoring, and support to all members of an 18-person staff. 
• Drove consistent YoY growth: 176% to plan in 2013, and 128% to plan in 2014. 
• Recognized for delivering improvements across critical engagement metrics—Team Engagement, Teamwork, Management Support, Basic Needs, and Accountability—in 2014 and again in 2015, and for CCLC @ 90 Park’s achieving the third-highest ranking for engagement out of 2,000 centers nationwide.
• Improved overall levels of Family Engagement in survey reporting from 64 (out of 68 possible) families.

Director 

Strove to enhance the center’s sense of cohesiveness and community, creating materials for parents and reaching out to build relationships. Established performance standards establishing goals and expectations for all educators and instructors. Researched, compiled, calculated, and reported on core financial information.

• Coordinated and led all areas of day-to-day operations at a high-performing, 68-child-capacity learning center. 
• Ensured preparation and upkeep of New York City licenses as well as operations-critical NAEYC requirements. 

Director, 75 Rockefeller Plaza (Bright Horizons)2004 to 2005

• Personally spearheaded successful opening of a brand-new, 118-child-capacity childcare center in 2005, subsequently developing curricula and cogently managing and balancing a $500K annual operating budget.
• Led ongoing initiatives to train and educate staff to improve overall performance and enhance classroom learning. 
• Conceived, planned, and rolled-out a stimulating curriculum for children ranging in age from 6 weeks to 5 years 

Fostered substantially enhanced communication by creating center-specific materials for parents and the community. Forecast, planned, and reported on all aspects of the United Nations Child Care Center’s budget on an annual basis. Defined and instituted performance standards, including metrics and KPIs. Responsible for the preparation and upkeep of New York City Department of Health licenses in addition to NAEYC requirements.

• Effectively increased dialogue between operations management at the United Nations and center management at the United Nations Child Care Center. 
• Held daily responsibilities for ensuring the operational success and efficacy of a 73-child-capacity center. 

Championed an environment encouraging and nurturing to the development of children, families, faculty and staff in a backup childcare setting, defining best practices and instituting core operating procedures. Held broad-scope leadership and management responsibility for work plans, capital improvements, and budgeting. Introduced communication channels and resources to foster dialogue with parents and support logistical coordination of events and programming.

Created parent-centered workshops covering a variety of topics, from child development to nutrition.

• Planned and implemented an exciting curriculum governing day-to-day in-class experience for 2,000 children, who ranged in age from 6 weeks to 12 years,
• Successfully built and maintained cooperative relationship with critical corporate stakeholders as well as partners and clients, including Time Warner, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, and Bearing Point.
• Increased enrollment by 30% in a single year at the center by rolling-out an incisive targeted marketing campaign.
• Comprehensively prepared the center and its staff for NAEYC accreditation—ultimately achieved in January 2002.

• Cultivated relationships and support with key stakeholders at Fortune 500 companies, including New York Life, Credit Suisse First Boston, Price Waterhouse Cooper, and MetLife. 
• Prudently managed, forecast, and reported on an annual operating budget in excess of $400K.
• Organized receptions for high-profile guests and guest speakers, including Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Early Intervention Teacher- Riverdale, NY

Education & Certification

Mount Saint Mary College – Newburgh, NY

Master of Science, Elementary Education

Mount Saint Mary College – Newburgh, NY

Bachelor of Arts, Biology & Chemistry

Certification: New York State Permanent Certification Pre-K–6 | New York City Public School License Pre-K–6

i have a MS in Elementary Education, and I have a NY teaching licenses for Pre-K-6th grade.