The SBRT Team is made up of dedicated Children’s Aid staff who build and maintain the necessary infrastructure to support collective impact, including communications, engagement, measurement, and sustainability.
Maria Panora,
Director
Maria Panora has worked with Children's Aid for over twenty years in various capacities. Most recently she was the Community School Director at C.S. 61 Francisco Oller before joining SBRT as our Director. Throughout her time at Children's Aid she has worked closely with community members to create, implement, and manage programs based on community needs. She believes in the power of data to shape goals and in the importance of having a growth mindset. Outside of her work, Maria is a devoted and passionate soccer mom. She loves to see her daughter enjoy playing in the soccer leagues she once played in growing up. Maria aspires to be an agent of change in everything she does, working with and for her community to build a stronger Bronx.
Email: mariap@childrensaidnyc.org
Mariel Charles,
Collective Impact Manager, Community Vision & Strategy
Mariel Charles is a native-Bronxite with a deep dedication and love for the advancement of student voices at every level. As a former middle-school teacher, Mariel combined her love of language and appreciation for history to provide students with Language Arts and Civics instruction that was relatable to their lived experiences and conducive towards activism and change-making within their collective communities. Mariel brings experience working in the non-profit, philanthropic, and government sectors, and is eager to see how relationships formed between each of these sectors can lead to transformational change in her home borough. Mariel is a proud alumna of Duke University and the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education.
Email: mariel@risingtogether.org
Courtney Chambers, AmeriCorps Program Manager
Rose DeStefano,
Senior Advisor
Rose DeStefano was the Director of Business Initiatives and Job Quality at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development, where she worked with entrepreneurs, business leaders, community-based organizations, and change-makers to unlock innovation and expand equity for NYC workers. Before working in NYC, Rose spent 10 years in the nonprofit sector across a broad range of systems and issues.
Nyasia Manning, Collective Impact Manager of Resources & Outreach
Nyasia Manning is dedicated to building equitable systems that allow low-income communities of color to thrive. Prior to joining Children's Aid, she worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA with the Office of Community Schools focusing on elevating the importance of Success Mentorship, in an effort to address chronic absenteeism. Nyasia completed her BA in Psychology and Childhood Education at Hunter College.
Email: nmanning@childrensaidnyc.org
Carla Pimentel,
Communications and Operations Associate
Carla Pimentel is a passionate advocate and proud product of the New York State public education system. Growing up in the vibrant borough of the Bronx, she developed a deep appreciation for her community and its diverse voices. While studying Journalism at SUNY Plattsburgh, she discovered the profound impact of words in advocacy and outreach. Motivated by her upbringing and education, she finds herself compelled to take action when confronted with pressing issues, leveraging the power of words to influence social change.