New CCCS Director

Jennifer Marino Rojas has been promoted to executive director of the Child Care Council of Suffolk (CCCS) following the retirement of Janet Walerstein who held the position for the past 33 years. “I am greatly honored to have this opportunity to serve Suffolk County’s children and families as the CCCS executive director,” Rojas stated. “Going forward, it is perhaps more critical than ever before for families and children to have access to safe, affordable, high-quality child care and early childhood education.”

The Centerport resident previously served as the Child Care Council of Suffolk’s associate executive director as well as a consultant to the Long Island Pre-K Initiative. The Centerport, New York resident has spent nearly two decades working to improve policies and programs in New York that affect children and families. Prior to joining CCCS, Rojas was vice president of Grants and Operations at the Rauch Foundation, Garden City, New York, where she was responsible for grant-making and day-to-day operations. From 2007 to 2012, she was the deputy executive director for the Children’s Defense Fund – New York, where she managed the policy, legislative and advocacy efforts around children’s health, juvenile justice, child welfare, education and early childhood learning. Prior to that, Rojas served in the City of New York’s Administration for Children’s Services in various capacities, including: Family Court attorney, chief of staff and associate commissioner for the Division of Child Care and Head Start.

Rojas is a graduate of Marist College, Poughkeepsie, New York and holds a Juris Doctor degree from The Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.

About Child Care Council of Suffolk, Inc.

Child Care Council of Suffolk, Inc. is the not-for-profit planning and coordinating agency dedicated to making child care work for all Suffolk County’s diverse communities. Through advocacy, education, and resource and referral, the Council takes a leadership role in supporting children, families, providers, employers and the public to ensure that quality child care takes its place as an integral part of society.

(Photo Courtesy of K. Stanley Photography.)