Shera Sonenberg
Founder, Executive Director & Teacher
Shera Sonenberg is a children’s book illustrator, with prior professional experience as an associate early childhood teacher and as a nonprofit community center administrator. A passionate advocate of children and families, she currently leads the organization’s educational, community building and creative vision, as well as oversees general administration, and looks forward to connecting with families both near and far.
SHERA’S STORY
As a young mother in 2013, I searched for enriching ‘mommy & me’ type socialization experiences for myself and my eight-month-old daughter. It was very disappointing to find that the majority of these programs were financially inaccessible to my family. In the cold, snowy New York winters, I was struggling with parental loneliness and postpartum depression, and I craved an opportunity to meet neighborhood families with whom I could relate. I was also concerned that my child was not spending enough time enjoying playing and growing with her peers. However, even when we could occasionally stretch our budget to include a ‘mommy and me’ program, I found that many of these classes focused solely on the child experience. Although I enjoyed watching my daughter grow and play, I would leave still feeling a bit lonely and unfulfilled…
Years later (after moving to Miami and happily welcoming our second child), I was inspired to start an accessible playgroup model to provide enjoyable, developmentally appropriate creative enrichment activities for little ones with rich bonding opportunities while fostering meaningful connections amongst local Caregivers.
The mission of the Round Robin Playgroup is to provide opportunities and resources that create equitable access to high quality ‘Caregiver & Me’ Playgroups in order to support early childhood development and encourage secure caregiver & child relationships. Our ‘pay what you can’ tuition & donation-based model allows all participants to pay what they can, enabling us to redistribute the donations to underprivileged communities. With equal access to socialization opportunities and creative exploration, we create a network of caregivers dedicated to building meaningful bonds and enhancing our children’s early years.
Tatiana Acebal
Playgroup Leader
Tatiana Acebal is a stay-at-home mom to a smart, witty, and adventurous 3-year-old. She grew up in Miami with Puerto Rican and Cuban roots. Her journey into motherhood and interest in child development have inspired her to collaborate with Round Robin Playgroup. With her educational background and love for sensory play, she is excited provide accessible resources for caregivers to enjoy quality enrichment with their own children.
Virginia Campos
Playgroup Leader
Virginia Campos or (Ms. V), is a certified educator with fifteen years of experience in education. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Florida International University. Ms. V, brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role as a trusted resource for parents everywhere. Drawing upon her years of expertise and a deep love for teaching, she is excited to create a nurturing environment where little ones can explore, learn, and grow through hands-on experiences. Her goal is to create a positive environment where caregivers and little ones can connect through play. As she embarks on this new chapter, Ms. V is filled with excitement and anticipation, eager to make a meaningful difference in the lives of young children and their families through the power of play.
Advisory Board
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Dr. Daniel Sternberg
PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD
Dr. Daniel Sternberg is a physician specializing in pediatric development and youth education. He trained as an emergency physician in The Bronx and, upon graduation, has worked in multiple hospitals in South Florida. In his practice, Dr. Sternberg sees the importance of social and community supports on the parent and child's well-being and its downstream effects on their future. He aims to help build Round Robin Playgroup into a national movement to reemphasize the needs of children in their first and most crucial educational phase: relationship building.
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Kita Lantman
BOARD MEMBER, SECRETARY
PROGRAMMING COMMITTEEKita has spent most of her career working in marketing positions in the legal, publishing, and not-for-profit human service industries. Her favorite part of being the marketing director at her local community center was helping to create welcoming and inclusive social environments for an ethnically and religiously diverse clientele. As the primary caregiver for her two aging parents, she knows how isolation can take a toll on one's emotional and mental wellbeing. She's thrilled that Round Robin Playgroup not only focuses on the enrichment opportunities for young children, but also addresses the need to build community amongst their parents, grandparents, nannies, and other caregivers.
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Abigail Phillips
BOARD MEMBER, TREASURER
Abigail Phillips is a Vice President at Pacific Investment Management Company. In her role as a Global Digital Product Manager, she leads various product efforts for PIMCO’s technology platforms. Abigail has held previous investment management roles at JPMorgan, John Hancock, and most recently Fidelity Investments. Abigail’s previous volunteer experience includes time spent at the Junior League of Boston, leading efforts to create a college admissions mentoring program, as well as mentoring business students at Yeshiva University. She holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Boston University and an Undergraduate degree in Economics from Yeshiva University. Abigail is dedicated to ethical oversight and steering Round Robin Playgroup’s fundraising efforts and strategies.
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Mara Bragg
BOARD MEMBER, PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
Mara Bragg is an early childhood educator and writer with a special interest in family engagement and creating supportive communities to ease the new parent journey. She has led New Moms Groups and Grown-Up & Me classes, created programming for family events, and connected and nurtured cohorts of families with young children through grassroots engagement work. Mara's current professional role is co-lead teacher in the pre-nursery programs at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan in New York City; she also volunteers as a La Leche League Leader, facilitating breastfeeding support groups for new parents. Mara is thrilled to be helping bring enriching and accessible early childhood classes to new communities through the innovative Round Robin Playgroup model.
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Molly Aviva
BOARD MEMBER
VOLUNTEER MARKETING DIRECTORMolly Aviva is an international marketing expert specializing in brand strategy and copywriting for online brands. She led monday.com’s billboard ad creation, branded their public listing on NASDAQ, and worked on their Super Bowl 2021 advert. Additionally, she has created video ads for brands such as Riverside.fm and is excited to work alongside Shera to build a better way for families to bond alongside their neighbors.
Meet our Roost of Dedicated Community Volunteers
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Eli Osina
Advisement
Eli is a professional accountant and father of three boys. He provides bookkeeping & budgeting counsel.
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Matthew 'Moshe' Rosenfeld, Esq
Advisement
Matthew is an attorney at Rosenfeld Law Group, PLLC.. He lives in South Florida with his wife Yehudis and two sons.