Our Board of Directors
Marissa Fay-Martin
Founder and Board President
Marissa Fay-Martin is the founder of New Bedford Children. She began her journey toward founding the organization in 2011 when she took a summer job working at a child care center that served children from Dartmouth and New Bedford. She fell in love with the children and desired more for them. She devoted the next 9 years to learning all she could about child development and early childhood education. During this time she was introduced to the work of the schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy and again fell in love. In 2017 she received her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Art Education from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and in 2019 received her Masters degree in Education and Human Learning at the University of Colorado Denver through the Boulder Journey Schools’ Teacher Education Program. In 2018 she traveled to Reggio Emilia, Italy as part of her studies for the Teachers and Professors Study tour. For four years Marissa worked as a teacher, and studio art teacher at various high quality early childhood centers. Marissa is driven by her belief that high quality childcare is a birthright of ALL children, not only for wealthy and privileged communities. She feels called to share what she has learned with the New Bedford community, the city that she calls home.
Geneva Gomes
Board Secretary
Geneva Gomes is a lead preschool teacher at West End Day Nursery School. She is also a writer, performer, and workshop Facilitator at 3rd Eye Unlimited. She is passionate about helping children who have been victims of trauma, abuse, and neglect and empowering them to strive for everything they deserve.
Yasmin Flefleh-Vincent
Board Member
Yasmin has worked as an educator in the region in many capacities and has long been a community advocate. After receiving her B.A. and Early Childhood Education Certificate from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado and then a Masters of Arts in Teaching from UMASS Dartmouth, Yasmin continues to imbue the love of learning, nature and art by working with children and families in the community.
Yasmin has taught Kindergarten for the Fairhaven Public Schools, was the Director of the New Bedford Jewish Community Early Childhood Center, a Literacy Facilitator for Smiles and a member of the Education Committee for the New Bedford Whaling National Historic Park. Yasmin participates in the monthly Art, History, Architecture {AHA} adventures in downtown New Bedford and is a member of the YWCA Greater New Bedford Womxn’s Alliance. Currently she works as the Religious Education Director at the First Unitarian Church in New Bedford and as a related teacher for the Early Childhood Education and Teaching Program at the Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School. At GNB Voc-Tech she teaches courses like introduction to early childhood, curriculum development and behavior management in addition to hands-on classroom opportunities. Her role includes working with the high school students as they become teacher assistants, and guiding workforce development while the seniors are in the community on coop at various early childhood centers.
Sean Carney, Esq.
Board Member
Sean Carney is a native of New Bedford and has lived in the city exclusively, excepting his college years. Sean attended high school at Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech before enrolling at Providence College where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a minor in Theatre. After graduating from Providence College in 2013, Sean was accepted to Roger Williams University School of Law in Bristol, Rhode Island. There, he focused his studies on admiralty and maritime, business associations, and environmental law; graduating cum laude. Sean is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and serves as In-House Counsel for the Boston-based commercial real estate brokerage firm, Payson Smith Holbrook, Inc.
Sean also has nearly ten years of childcare experience from his work with youth at the Mattapoisett YMCA. There, he worked his way through the summer camp and afterschool care curriculum from junior camp counselor to the camp’s program director and site coordinator. He now chairs the Mattapoisett YMCA Board of Advisors and sits on the Board of Directors for YMCA Southcoast. Sean is also the President of the Mark J. Fitzsimmons Memorial Scholarship Fund, an organization dedicated to producing and distributing funds to high school seniors for use in higher education or trade schools.
Sean is very excited to serve on the Board of Directors for New Bedford Children, and focuses his efforts on nonprofit compliance, fundraising, and creating strategic partnerships with various members of the Greater New Bedford community.