Our Team

Florence Prophete-Barbour, Ed.D, was appointed to the position of Executive Director of Harbor Child Care in June 2021. In this role, Mrs. Barbour is the chief executive officer overseeing five centers, a staff of 300, approximately 1,000 students, and a budget of over $11M annually. Previously, Mrs. Barbour was the Senior Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development for Harbor Child Care, Inc. Before this position, she was the center director of Harbor Child Care at RXR Plaza in Uniondale for eight years. She began her journey in early childhood education, interestingly enough when she was a psychologist serving adults with developmental disabilities. In her work, she continued to gravitate to educating children, especially our youngest learners. With that in mind, she earned a license in School Supervision and Administration (now called School Building Leader) and worked as the director of an early childhood program providing services for children with developmental delays. For over 30 years, she has devoted herself to the care and education of young children.

My name is Deanna Hubbard. I have been working in early childcare for over 30 years. I joined the Harbor Child Care team in 2016, where I started as an Assistant Pre-K teacher and then moved up to Head Pre-K teacher. I was promoted to Center Coordinator in December 2022 and Assistant Director in December 2023. Through the years, I have gained excellent experience working with children and their families. As an Assistant Director, I am dedicated to ensuring a healthy and safe environment that will stimulate the physical, intellectual, multicultural, social, and emotional growth of our children.

With more than 25 years of experience as an educator, Laura has dedicated her career to nurturing the academic, social, and emotional growth of children while supporting families and fellow educators.

Laura earned her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and Sociology from Queens College. She went on to pursue advanced studies, obtaining a Master’s in Early Childhood Education from St. John’s University, a Master’s in Special Education,  Reading Certificate from Columbia Teachers’ College  and her Professional Certificate in School Administration from Stony Brook University.

A lifelong learner, Laura strongly believes in the power of learning through experience. Her intensive training in special education law has allowed her to guide and advocate for countless families during CPSE and CSE meetings. She gained valuable expertise while working with the county as a Representative at the Committee on Special Education, where she helped ensure that children with diverse needs received the services and support they deserved.

Laura has also served as a kindergarten and elementary school teacher as well as a literacy coach, roles that enabled her to champion curriculum development and instructional best practices. Her work here at Harbor will support the integration of the Creative Curriculum within Pre-K and Universal Pre-K programs, enriching early learning environments for young children.

Beyond her local impact, Laura’s commitment to education extends globally. She serves on an educational board that supports a school in Ghana, fostering cross-cultural connections and helping to provide children abroad with greater opportunities for learning.

Laura has spent many weekends cheering on her son and extended family on the football, lacrosse and baseball fields.  She enjoys golfing, going to see live music and traveling.

Cristina is the Assistant Center Director at Harbor Child Care’s Herricks location. She holds a Child Development Associate (CDA) Certification in Early Childhood Education and brings over eight years of dedicated service to Harbor Child Care.

Throughout her career, Cristina has filled many key roles, including Head Infant Teacher, Head Toddler Teacher, and Teacher’s Assistant in the UPK department. She also served as Interim Director at the Manhasset location before stepping into her current role as Assistant Center Director. These experiences have given her a strong foundation in both classroom leadership and center operations.

Cristina’s passion and dedication to early childhood development are at the heart of her work. She is committed to creating a nurturing, inclusive learning environment where children feel safe, valued, and supported in their growth. As Assistant Director, her goal is to continue fostering meaningful learning experiences that promote each child’s social, emotional, and developmental success.

As a mother herself, Cristina understands the importance of trust, care, and individualized attention. She is deeply committed to ensuring every child thrives and reaches their full potential during these critical early years.

Meagan Wilson is the current Center Director of Harbor Child Care’s Manhasset Center, located at Northwell Health. With more than 13 years of experience as a childcare provider, Meagan has developed a strong commitment to delivering high-quality care that fulfills the goals of parents while addressing the diverse needs of their children. Since joining Harbor Child Care in 2019, she has made significant contributions as a Lead Infant Teacher and later as an Assistant Center Director. Prior to her work at Harbor, Meagan spent over 8 years working closely with children with special needs, which has deeply shaped her philosophy on childcare. As a mother of three, she understands the importance of providing every child with a safe, nurturing environment that encourages learning and growth.

Meagan earned her Associate’s Degree from Nassau Community College and is currently furthering her education by pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Care & Management.

Claudina Munoz Cigliano is the Assistant Director at RXR Plaza in Uniondale. As the Assistant Director, Claudina is dedicated to ensuring a safe, nurturing, and fun learning environment. Claudina works closely with the director to support the diverse needs of the children as well oversee the daily operations of the center. Claudina has worked in Early Childhood since 2011. Starting as a consultant for the Archdiocese of New York and then joining the administrative team of a Brooklyn-based Early Childhood Program. During that time, Claudina gained experience in all aspects of center-based learning as well as administrative regulations. After becoming a mom in 2020, Claudina took on the role of Site Director and helped to create a home away from home learning environment for over 50 students and their families. According to Claudina there is nothing better than a happy thriving child.

Lisa Virzera joined Harbor Child Care in 2009 and was promoted to Center Director of the Harbor Child Care Willis Avenue/Mineola Center in May 2017. She started with Harbor Child Care as a head toddler teacher, and was promoted to administration in 2013.

With her understanding of child development Lisa is responsible for 22 classrooms at the Willis Avenue/Mineola Center. Her responsibilities include but are not limited to ensuring full student enrollment for the infants, toddlers, and the preschool classrooms, as well as making sure that the program adheres to state standards and regulations. Lisa uses her past years of experience to continually grow in her position as well as further enhance the growth of the Willis Avenue/Mineola Center.

Lisa holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Childhood Education from SUNY Old Westbury, and a Master of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from Queens College. Lisa is continuing her education and going back to school at Marymount University to pursue her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Organizational Innovation.