Our Team
We are fortunate to have a team of specialists, who collaborate with the teachers, families, and all others who may be involved in setting goals for the children identified with special rights.
Vanessa Cid
MAT, Early Educator, Coach,
Social-Skills Facilitator
Vanessa Cid has been an early childhood educator in the Boston area for more than 15 years. She’s taught in the Boston Public Schools, EPCS, and at The Advent School. In addition, Vanessa is a coach to early childhood educators in the Boston area, helping to promote teachers’ self-reflection and curiosity about children and their development. Inspired by the Reggio-Emilia approach and her training in Child and Adolescent Intervention at the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis, Vanessa strives to create an educational experience that supports a children’s growing sense of self, centering the interests, questions, and challenges that arise in their play and social interactions. With this passion in mind, she created and runs The Cambridge Children’s Circle, a small play-based summer program for young children rooted in fostering their social emotional development and getting outdoors. In her spare time, Vanessa enjoys writing, nature sketching, reading, and venturing into the woods with her partner and their Australian “Cuddle” Dog.
Neil Drew
OTD, OTR/L
Neal is a registered and licensed occupational therapist who has worked with the Eliot-Pearson Children’s School students and staff since 2012. He has experience in school, clinic and community-based practice with children and adolescents, and thrives as part of an interdisciplinary team. Neal has experience working closely with parents and families, as well as school staff and other professionals around a child’s needs. Neal focuses on understanding each child’s unique profile around regulation and engagement, in order to establish a strong therapeutic relationship and to support functioning in all settings.
Melinda Macht-Greenberg
Education Specialist
Dr. Melinda Macht-Greenberg is a psychologist and educational consultant who helps families navigate educational resources and create innovative educational plans for children. She is also a clinician with over 35 years of experience supporting the growth and well-being of children and families. Dr. Macht-Greenberg combines a background in developmental theory, assessment, and psychology to help children thrive. She is a faculty member at Tufts University in the Department of Child Student and Human Development and is a consultant to schools and day camps, including the Eliot-Pearson Children’s School.
Vania Machado
Speech Therapist
Vania is a licensed speech therapist with multi-lingual therapy experience with clients who speak English, Portuguese, and Spanish. Vania works with children with a variety of needs and a certified facilitator in Social Thinking Methodology. Vania is also a Shiatsu therapist. Vania holds her Master’s degree and Therapy License from the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions.
Katie Brayden-Calias
M.Ed., PMC
Katie Brayden-Calias, M.Ed., PMC, is a Lecturer of Early Childhood Education at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She has worked in the urban Early Childhood Education field for almost 40 years in various capacities, including special education classroom teacher, director, program manager, and quality improvement consultant. Katie’s commitment to workforce and leadership development is rooted in her strong belief that quality depends on the classroom staff. She has spent the last 15 years training and educating early childhood educators. Currently, she is enrolled as a doctoral student at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Her research explores the influences of organizational culture in community-based early education and care centers on the career development of novice educators. Specifically, she seeks to understand what aspects of organizational culture these educators perceive as supporting their development as they transition into the workforce and influencing their decisions to stay or leave the field. She received her Post-Master’s Certificate from the University of Massachusetts Boston, her Master’s in Education from Simmons College, and her Bachelor’s degree in English from Suffolk University.
Kaori Hattori de Panepinto
MS, IMH-E
Kaori is a mission-driven, educational leadership and management consultant, has been working collaboratively with early learning programs and the greater community to achieve positive outcomes at the individual and the community level in the United States and Japan for over 30 years. Kaori is passionate about connecting people and helping them visualize their desires by gaining adequate skills and resources to live harmoniously. Her motto is cultivating inner peace and connection. Originally from Japan, Kaori has been cultivating a mindful way of living since she was a child, and is a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher.
