Our Babysitters, Our Leadership
Our babysitters are provided by our fabulous nanny and sitter placement partners. If you are looking for private care, no better way to land a quality caregiver than by attending an event that showcases the best sitters from top companies like College Nannies and Tutors and UrbanSitter. In fact, if the three hour event is not quite long enough, parents can sign up for extended hours where sitters will bring children home for private care. Rather than hiring with hope that your children will connect with the nanny of your choice, let them first build relationships on their own through Project Playdate.
College Nannies and Tutors
College Nannies, the nation’s largest nanny resource, Builds Stronger Families ® by offering a complete set of nanny placement, on-call nannies and professional babysitting services that lead to happy children and successful students. Mention Project Playdate and get enlistment to the service for free ($150 value). To learn more about College Nannies and Tutors and to sign up for Extended Hours, please visit: www.collegenannies.com.
UrbanSitter
Our Leadership
Founder, Executive Director: Amanda Raposo is the co-founder of both Powerhouse NYC and Project Playdate. She graduated in May 2011 from New York University with a B.S. in Social Work and a minor in Social Entrepreneurship. While in school, Amanda placed a special focus on courses in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. As a former employee of the Educational Alliance, she was a mentor for at-risk youth and families in New York. Amanda is CPR certified and has been a childcare provider for 10 years.
Founder, Managing Director: Gina Braham currently serves as co-director of Powerhouse NYC. She will graduate in May 2012 from New York University with a B.S. in Social Work with a minor in Public Policy & Management. She has worked with youth in the social service realm with organizations such as KEEN and University Settlement’s STRIDE program. Gina has been a childcare provider for 8 years and is currently working as a private nanny. She joined the Project Playdate/Powerhouse team because she believes in the mission of assisting young mothers in moving towards financial and emotional self-sustainability. However, she also believes that an organization is stronger if it practices what it preaches, which is why she is committed to making Powerhouse self-sustainable through Project Playdate.
Maura Heron, Managing Director: Maura Heron holds a BA in Spanish and a Masters in Public Administration. She has been in the nonprofit sector for eight years, working in such fields as domestic violence, developmental disability, and international disaster relief and development. She currently works for a legal nonprofit in New York. Maura is certified in CPR and First Aid and has cared for children for over 15 years.
Head Babysitter, Childcare Expert: Jay Stolar is a 2005 graduate of the NYU Tisch School of the Arts. For the past six years, Jay has built a career as a professional music and songwriting instructor for children 4-11 years old. In 2006, Jay launched Rock Star Camp, a summer camp tour for up-and- coming bands that reaches over 30,000 campers each summer. This program teaches children how to be rock stars and allows them to perform with a live band in front of hundreds of people. Jay’s private music sessions have been very successful in preparing young children for lives filled with a love of music and a commitment to practicing their craft. Most importantly, it provides youth with an outlet to express their feelings and creativity. Jay has offered live entertainment for children at almost every Project Playdate pajama party in the past two years. He is also available at cost for our special event packages.
Business Mentor: Matt VosBurgh is a Finance and Management graduate of the NYU Stern Undergraduate School of Business and currently is a Commodities Compliance Analyst in the Compliance Department of Barclays Capital in New York. Matt works with Project Playdate for two simple reasons: he believes in the cause and loves children. He has always been aware of the power of investing in the community and its potential for social impact.