President: Alyssa Weber, Amphenol
Alyssa is a DICC parent with a child in preschool. They were born in Elmira, NY, and moved to Ithaca in December 2022 after a long time away from the Southern Tier. Alyssa holds an MS in environmental health and safety management and currently works as a Corporate Stewardship Manager for an electronics company. They have a background in safety, security, risk assessment, and business continuity for manufacturing. They are currently a Certified Safety Professional (CSP). Alyssa loves spending time outdoors with her family, reading, and making art. Alyssa joined the DICC board to give back to a community that has done so much for their family.
Vice President: Catherine Baldessare, Cornell University
Catherine is a dedicated former DICC parent who is passionate about continuing the mission of equity in childcare. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management and brings a wealth of HR expertise to the board, having served as an HR Business Partner at Wells College. Catherine is eager to contribute her skills to continue fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for all families at DICC. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys crochet and spending quality time with her family, and she is excited to be of service to the community through her role on the board.
Treasurer: Valentina Fulginiti, Cornell University
Valentina Fulginiti has been a DICC parent since 2020 and joined the Board in December 2022. A native of Bologna, Italy, and a proud member of a tri-national household (Ita/Can/US), she works at Cornell University as a Senior Lecturer of Italian; she currently serves also as the Associate Chair of Romance Studies. She holds a Ph.D. in Italian Studies from the University of Toronto, an MA in Italian Linguistics, and a BA in Contemporary Literature, both from the University of Bologna. Before entering academia, she worked for many years in Italy as a workshop facilitator for teenagers from underprivileged backgrounds, including first- and second-generation Italians, high school students at risk of dropping out, and incarcerated minors. Steadfast in her belief that multilingualism is the rest state of language rather than an exception, she is passionate about supporting bilingual education and creating opportunities for early second-language acquisition through play and storytelling. Valentina is very appreciative of DICC’s staff and teachers’ focus on diversity and inclusion, and she is eager to give back to this wonderful community.
Secretary: Melissa Troiano, GEM Rehab
Is a DICC parent with a toddler and infant currently at the center. Melissa and her husband Eric recently moved from NW Arkansas to be closer to family on the East coast and for Eric to have his dream job at Ithaca College. Melissa is a long-time geriatric Occupational Therapist who specializes in fall recovery and orthopedic aftercare therapy. Melissa received a BS in Health Sciences and an MOT in Occupational Therapy from Bay Path University in Longmeadow, MA. She previously worked for Preferred Therapy Solutions and Encompass Health as an Occupational Therapist and Rehabilitation Director. Melissa currently works for Gem Rehab at Vestal Park Nursing Home as an Occupational Therapist and Rehabilitation Director.
Marie B.Langlois, Cornell University
Marie is a DICC parent, with a toddler attending the center. Originally from the province of Québec, she has lived in various parts of Canada. Having been in Ithaca for six years, she currently works for the Mathematics Department at Cornell as a Lecturer and Director of TA Programs. She hopes to contribute her organizational and educational skills to the DICC board, aiming to support an institution that advocates for the inclusion of all children.
Jacob McNamara, Schlather, Stumbar, Parks & Salk, LLP
Jacob (“Jake”) McNamara is a former DICC parent and joined the Board in 2025. Jake grew up in Spencer, New York and has been a member of the Ithaca community for twenty years. Jake is a litigation attorney at Schlather, Stumbar, Parks & Salk, LLP, the former president of the Tompkins County Bar Association, and he works across many counties in Upstate New York. Jake loves running, reading and spending time with family.
- Chelsea McNutt
- Jessica Riley-Jones
