Meet the Team

Kris Youmans
Chief Educational Officer & Superintendent 

Kris joined the organization in 1985 as a child care worker, became a physical education and health teacher the next year, and was named Director of Education in 1995. She was named to her current position and joined the Northern Rivers Executive Leadership Team in 2013.

In her current role, she is responsible for the strategic planning, direction, and operations of all educational programs and services at the Early Learning Center, the Neil Hellman School, and the School at Northeast.

Sharon Hutchinson-Jones
Executive Program Director, Early Learning Center

Sharon joined the organization in 2001 as a coodinator at the Center, was named Assistant Director in 2010, and became Senior Director in 2015. She previously served as a family services administrator for Schenectady Community Action Program Head Start and as a senior counsellor and youth advocate for Equinox.

She provides leadership, oversight, and direction for all Early Head Start and preschool programming at the Center, with a team of more than 50 professionals serving more than 200 young children and their families each year.

Renee Kingsley
Director, Neil Hellman Preschool