Early Childhood Education Leadership

Marc_HoffmanMarc L. Hoffman, Founder and Executive Director Marc L. Hoffman is an education entrepreneur and motivational speaker who has built a series of education companies that inspire, teach and advocate for children of all ages and from all walks of life. As the founder and president of Strong Start Early Care & Education, Marc is forging new pathways into establishing quality education for all children at an early age—something he passionately believes will help prepare your child for success in school and in life. Marc’s path to leadership roles in entrepreneurial education ventures is rooted in his background as a teacher and research assistant in the Psychology Department at Yale University, specializing in the study of emotional intelligence. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Williams College and a Master of Child Clinical Psychology from the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology at Yeshiva University. He is the founder of the Hoffman Educational Group, an organization that offers customized one-on-one academic coaching, tutoring and educational advocacy services for students and their families. Marc’s passion for educating others is personal. Diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD at age 8, he provides unique and deeply personal insights into the most effective ways to help all learners reach their potential. As a national advocate in the LD/ADHD community, Marc is widely recognized through his speeches, seminars, workshops and one-on-one engagements. He is on the board of Eye to Eye, the national non-profit mentoring movement that matches school-aged students labeled with LD/ADHD with similarly labeled high school and college students.

Christina_ZwicklerChristina Masciola, Director As Director of Strong Start Early Care & Education, Christina Masciola brings her extensive experience with Connecticut Early Learning and Development standards to her role as architect of the curriculum your child receives. Christina holds a Connecticut Initial Educator teaching certificate in Elementary Education and is also a Designated Head Teacher through the Connecticut office of Early Childhood. Christina spent the past four and a half years as a Lead Pre-kindergarten teacher in Greenwich, where she also went through the NAEYC accreditation process. She has attended multiple professional development training sessions focusing on state standards, including ones specific to Connecticut Early Learning and Development standards and Preschool Assessment Frameworks, as well as training in behavior support systems in the classroom. She has also has worked as a building substitute and intern in Connecticut’s public school systems. Christina is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Sacred Heart University, earning her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Masters of Arts in Teaching with a concentration in Reading. During her studies, she was inducted as a member of Psi Chi Psychology National Honor Society as well as the Pi Lambda Theta International Honor Society and Professional Association in Education. Christina’s love for working in early childhood education started at an early age, working as an Assistant Director at a summer camp for children between ages two and six. It was through this experience that she realized the importance of providing young children with the strongest foundation possible to create a passion for lifelong learning.