UMECC's Mission and Vision

Our mission is to promote a lifelong pathway of health and well being so every child can achieve their maximum potential. We at UMECC aim to ensure that every child is ready to learn by age 5 and caregivers are empowered to advocate for themselves and their families.

Collective
Impact

Over 20 early childhood agencies, led by Literacy in Community and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, combine their expertise to develop coordinated solutions that address the broader challenges facing young children and their families. Guided by data and grounded in the lived experiences of our communities, we address systemic barriers that limit equitable access to early childhood resources—ensuring optimal growth, learning, and well-being for all.

Our Shared
Goals

Our main goal is to partner with caregivers to:

Promote child health and development

Provide caregiver support and education

Encourage connectivity among early childhood stakeholders in various sectors

Call Us Today

We offer free, safe support in your language

Early Childhood Ambassador

Veronica has been the advocate for her own kids, and comes to the table with lived experience. She is also fluent in Spanish, and well-versed in various early childhood services. Give her a call today!

Early Childhood Ambassador

Juliana has had experience working with various families in pediatric clinics, and also has her own experiences as a proud mother. She also speaks Spanish.

Our Team

Nadine Ulysse
NYP, Division of Community & Population Health

Is a public health practitioner and Project Leader at NewYork-Presbyterian’s Division of Population Health, where she specializes in pediatric community programming and maternal mental health. With 18 years as a Certified Child Life Specialist, she brings deep expertise in child development and psychosocial care to underserved communities. Nadine leads data-driven initiatives to strengthen early childhood and family support services, focusing on service gaps, grant management, and cross-sector collaboration. Her work reflects a strong commitment to advancing health equity through sustainable, community-rooted solutions that promote the holistic development of children and reinforce public health systems.

Emmanuel Novy
Chief of Strategic Initiatives

I am the Chief of Strategic Initiatives, the department at LINC that houses UMECC. I bring the leadership perspective to UMECC, Citys' First Readers, and collaborate with colleagues and partners to bring literacy advocacy to the city, NY State, and beyond. As a team, we are here to bring lasting impact to early child development in Upper Manhattan.

Sejal Kothari
Program Director of UMECC

I am the Program Director of UMECC and a pediatrician. I moved into the nonprofit world to help children have the best opportunities. From working in NYC public schools, I know firsthand how powerful the intersection between education and health can be, and I'm proud to help UMECC forward as a key resource for our communities.

Veronica Cuello
Early Childhood Ambassador

My name is Veronica Cuello. I am an early childhood ambassador for UMECC. I assist families with the early intervention, CPSE, and UPK process. I have previous experience both as a parent and as a special education educator. I know the process isnt easy, but I am here to support families in any way possible to obtain the services their child needs

Dodi Meyer, MD
Professor of Pediatrics and Vice Chair of Community Health

Dodi Meyer is a Professor of Pediatrics and Vice Chair of Community Health in the Department of Pediatrics at Columbia University Medical Center, and Medical Director of NYP’s Division of Community and Population Health. Dr Meyer’s work centers on equity through a community engagement lens. She has expertise in developing and sustaining community-academic partnerships for the purpose of training, service, and research. She oversees several population and community health initiatives that address major challenges to health through the interlinking contexts of biology, family, and community. Over the past several years her focus has been on addressing social determinants of health and on creating a two-generation approach to care for the mother-baby dyad in primary care settings and in the community.

As a member of the Division of Child and Adolescent Health she sees patients and teaches residents and medical students at a community-based, hospital- affiliated practice in Washington Heights.

Dodi is a graduate of the University of Buenos Aires, Medical School and arrived to the US in 1988 to do her training in General Pediatrics.