Time is a crazy thing. It seems like a few short years ago that I was a new mom with the tiniest human being I’d ever seen or held laying on my belly. I can recall it as clearly as if it were yesterday; how exhausted I was and yet how elated and aware I was of the responsibility of being someone’s parent.
Parenting is the most exciting thing I’ve ever done and the most rewarding. I have worked most of my life at one thing or another, and I have always enjoyed both my studies and my work, but being a Mom is the best. It also happily led me to this wonderful work.
Parenting also brought me to the great partners I have in this work adventure. Sharon Noble, who has become more than a partner is definitely family. It was parenting her oldest son eight years ago that led her here to us, as she was reading Queens Family and called with a question. That question led to a much longer conversation, and here we are.
Cliff Luster, who as the head of our larger company and the father of little ones at the time, gave me the opportunity to put this thing in motion and so we began in 1999 to publish what would go on to become the first of the guides, Brooklyn Family.
We have a super staff of mostly Moms and some Dads, and I appreciate all of them. They are bright, dedicated and lots of fun to be around.
I want to thank them all and specifically mention the name of my personal assistant Tina Felicetti. She has a wonderful sense of humor and is fabulous to work with. I appreciate her more than I can say.
A few names I want to mention out loud are the sales team of Lori Falco (Brooklyn), Sharon Leverett (Brooklyn), Shanika Stewart (Riverdale) and Alexis Benson (Manhattan). They keep me on my toes and are a formidable group of sales professionals.
Vinny DiMiceli (Staten Island), Lisa, Courtney, Joanna, Jesseca and Shavana make up the editorial gang we rely on for great headlines, copyediting, social media, and more. Leah Mitch (the art director), On Man, Arthur, Earl, Charlotte, Mauro, Mariel, Raymond and Cheryl make up our design and production teams, and Sylvan is our web guru, and I mean guru.
We have a great group of staff and contributing writers at New York Parenting and I thank them all as well. And thank you for the success you have given us. We now have guides in all five boroughs which makes perfect sense, because our team actually lives in all five boroughs!
It’s been a great year and I have little doubt that 2014 will be the same. Wishing all of you a Happy Season and a good beginning to the New Year.
Thanks for reading.
