Date: Jun 12, 2012

Hofstra's Susan Vignati Receives Advocate of the Year Award

From the Child Care Council of Nassau Inc. and NCAEYC

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY … Susan Vignati, assistant director of the Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute at Hofstra University’s Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center, has been named the recipient of the Margo O’Connor Advocate of the Year Award, bestowed by the Child Care Council of Nassau, Inc., in collaboration with the Nassau County Association for the Education of Young Children (NCAEYC).

The award was presented to Ms. Vignati on June 1, 2012, at the “Stand for Children” celebration at the Children’s Garden in Eisenhower Park. The celebration marks the anniversary of the first “Stand for Children” rally in Washington D.C. in 1996, and brings attention to the need for affordable, accessible, high-quality child care and early education. 

Susan  Vignati, who resides in Seaford, NY, joined the staff of the Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute  in 2001. Previously, Ms. Vignati held the position of  early childhood education and child development associate (CDA) trainer/advisor for Nassau County Head Start.

 

She has more than 30 years of practical experience in the field of early childhood education.  Ms. Vignati holds a bachelor’s degree from Adelphi University and a Master’s in Early Childhood Education from Hofstra University.

Ms. Vignati also held the position of adjunct assistant professor at Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus in the department of Curriculum and Instruction. She is past president of the Nassau County Association for the Education of Young Children (NCAEYC). She has served as liaison for Head Start, Conference Chair and then vice president since 1991 at NCAEYC. After stepping down as president of  NCAEYC for more than 10 years, Susan continues to remain an active board member.  She has been a member of many early childhood quality education committees such as the Stand for Children Committee through the Child Care Council, The Early Years Institute Advisory Committee Quality Circle and was board vice president for the American Institute of Physics(AIP) Child Care Center. Ms. Vignati is also a Child Development Associate (CDA) representative for the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition in Washington, D.C.

Hofstra University’s Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center houses the nationally-accredited Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute and four clinics:
•    Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic
•    Psychological Evaluation, Research and Counseling (PERC) Clinic
•    Reading/Writing Learning Clinic
•    Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic

For more information on the Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute and the services of the Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center visit hofstra.edu/saltzmancenter or call 516-456-5660.

###

Related Link: More About the Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute