Palo Alto Community Child Care

Our History

In 1971 a Child Care Task Force appointed by Palo Alto City Council recommended the city take an active and supportive role in the provision of child care and related services and that a non-profit corporation be established to implement and coordinate the recommendations.

Palo Alto Community Child Care (PACCC) was created and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) organization, and in March 1974 City Council approved a contract with PACCC allocating funds for various aspects of the plan.

Under the plan a sick care program, an infant-toddler center, a preschool program and two part-time centers were established. Other elements of the plan included licensing of 35 day care homes; subsidizing of low-income children at two non-PACCC centers; and hiring a City Child Care Coordinator who would also serve as the Executive Director of PACCC.

For the next ten years PACCC operated seven child care programs, seven independent "affiliate" programs and a network of 25 family child care providers. One of the City's child care goals was too see the administration of PACCC child care centers become self supporting. Accordingly, in 1984, the City of Palo Alto reduced its administrative subsidy to PACCC.

With the passage of the utility users' tax in 1989 after-school care facilities were established at every elementary school site. PACCC became a major provider of school–age care and the number of PACCC centers increased from seven to 15.

PACCC currently serves the child care needs of more than 900 families daily; providing care for children from as young as two months through the 5th grade at 19 sites throughout the city. Approximately 17% of PACCC families receive subsidy or scholarship support either from the city, the State, or from PACCC itself.

Administrative Team

JANICE SHAUL, Executive Director
(650) 493-2361, ext 26,

Janice was appointed Executive Director in May 2007. She is responsible for maintaining the mission and vision throughout all aspects of the agency including Programs, Finance, Development and Outreach and works closely with the agency Board to do so. She joined PACCC in 1993 as Director of the Neighborhood Infant-Toddler Center and quickly rose to Program Coordinator of PACCC's Infant-Toddler and Preschool programs before being named Associate Director of PACCC in 2001.

Janice's first task as Associate Director was to ensure a smooth integration of three new child care programs into the PACCC family. This integration was successful and has enriched the offerings of PACCC.

Janice received a Bachelor's degree in Child Development from San Jose State University. She is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and has served as Local Assessor and Validator for the NAEYC Accreditation Program. She continues promoting high-quality programming by working with PACCC staff to maintain accreditation status and to fulfill requirements as established by the State of California Child Development Division and Community Care Licensing.

LISA LEWIS, Associate Director
(650) 493-2361, ext 11,

Lisa was named PACCC's Associate Director in July 2007. As Associate Director, she works closely with the Executive Director to maintain the mission and vision throughout all aspects of the agency. Lisa served as Center Director of PACCC's Sojourner Truth Child Development Center for over six years, and joined the administrative team in 2004 as Director of Education and Outreach.

As Director of Education and Outreach, Lisa was instrumental in developing PACCC's role in the FIRST 5 North County Partnership and Family Resource Center. Lisa has over 20 years of experience in the field of early and middle childhood education and has worked with children and families in a variety of capacities, including Child Advocate and Crisis Worker at the Women's Shelter in San Luis Obispo and as a child and family counselor while a graduate student at San Jose State University.

Lisa holds two Masters Degrees: one in Clinical Psychology and Transpersonal Psychology and a B.S. in Human Development. She serves on The Local Early Education Planning Council of Santa Clara County (LPC) and supports PACCC's Outreach Department in maintaining strong collaborations with community partners. She is also a trainer and workshop facilitator, specializing in stress management, meditation, effective communication and conflict resolution.

LANIE WHEELER, Chief Financial Officer
(650) 493-2361, ext 13,

Lanie joined the staff of PACCC in 1994. As the agency's Chief Financial Officer, she is responsible for the professional management of the agency's seven million dollar annual budget. A Palo Alto resident for more than 40 years, Lanie has long been active in the local community.

Elected to the City Council in 1991, and re-elected in 1995, she has served both as the City's Vice Mayor (1995, 1999) and Mayor (1996). Her wide-ranging community work includes service with the League of Women Voters (President 1973-75), the Planning Commission (1979-89, Chair 1985-86), Palo Alto Housing Corporation, Canopy: Trees for Palo Alto, the Kiwanis Club of Palo Alto (President 2000-01), the PTA, and AYSO.

Lanie currently serves on the Board of the Palo Alto Library Foundation and the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce. In 2003, Lanie was honored by the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce with the Tall Tree Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service. In addition to a B.A. degree from Harvard University, Lanie holds an M.B.A. in Finance from Golden Gate University.

JUDY SWEENEY, Director of Human Resources
(650) 493-2361, ext 14,

Sweeney joined the staff of PACCC in 1995. Prior to her appointment, she served for more than ten years as the Human Resources Manager of KTEH/Channel 54, a public broadcasting (PBS) affiliate located in San Jose. Her extensive experience also includes ten years of service with the Santa Clara County Office of Education, where she served successively on the administrative staffs of Osborne School at Juvenile Hall, the County Children's Shelter and the Commissioner of Athletics Office. Sweeney's primary responsibility at PACCC is the design, implementation and management of all personnel-related policies for a staff that numbers approximately 140 full- and part-time employees. She provides pro-bono counsel to other child care and non-profit agencies, including Samaritan House, and served from 1996 to 2000 on the Board of The Children's Pre-School Center. In addition, Judy volunteers for the California Dictionary Project, whose mission is to distribute dictionaries annually to third-graders in California public schools. She still finds the time and energy to follow the exploits of Stanford University's Women's Basketball team with unwavering enthusiasm.

LISA ROCK, Infant/Toddler/Preschool Program Coordinator
(650) 493-2361, ext 18,

Lisa joined the PACCC staff in 1994 when she became a part-time teacher at College Terrace Children's Center (CTC). She quickly moved to full-time status as a head teacher and as assistant director in 1997. She became director at CTC in 2002, and was appointed to her current position in 2003.

Lisa oversees PACCC's 8 infant-toddler and preschool programs. In this role she is responsible for upholding National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards of excellence and supporting the strong bond created between centers and the families they serve.

Lisa has a B.S. in Human Development from University of California, Davis. She has been working with children and families since 1988 and served from 2005-2009 on the Board of Directors of the Children's Preschool Center in Palo Alto.

KRISTIANE TURNER, School–Age Program Coordinator
(650) 493-2361, ext 16,

A member of the Palo Verde Kids' Club (PVKC) staff since 1994, Kristiane was appointed to her present position in July 2001. As one of the agency's most experienced Center Directors, Kristiane brings to her position not only a thorough familiarity with the day-to-day operation of a PACCC school-age site, but particular expertise in the accreditation requirements of the National AfterSchool Association (NAA).

Under her leadership, PVKC was only the fourth school-age program in California to earn NAA accreditation, an achievement which resulted in Kristiane being named PACCC's official advisor to all school-age sites going through the demanding accreditation process.

Kristiane holds a B.S. degree in Human Development and Psychology with a concentration in Early Childhood Education from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and a kindergarten through eighth grade teaching credential.

DIANA PAULDING, Subsidy Coordinator
(650) 493-2361, ext 21,

POULIN JOSEPH, Accountant
(650) 493-2361, ext 12,

LA'KEISHA FLEMMING, Accounting Clerk
(650) 493-2361, ext 22,

KRISTINA FREGGER, Office Manager/Executive Assistant
(650) 493-2361, ext 20,

KYLA CAMPBELL, Administrative Assistant/Human Resources Assistant
(650) 493-2361, ext 10,

BEATRIZ PASTOR, Outreach Coordinator (The Provider Connection)
(650) 493-2361, ext 15,

SONYA MORENO, Project Associate
(650) 493-2361, ext 27,

SHEILA MANDOLI, Volunteer Coordinator (The Provider Connection)
(650) 493-2361, ext 19,

PACCC Board of Directors 2011 – 2012