Senior Staff
Administration
Patrice Wong, Executive Director
Pat has been with Long Beach Day Nursery since 2002. She currently oversees a budget of $3 million and a staff of close to 100 people. Prior to joining LBDN, she had close to 10 years of experience in community economic development, raising more than $3 million for programs focusing on small business development and access to capital. In addition to working with nonprofit agencies, she completed a two-year fellowship with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, during which she also completed an Executive Education program in Public Policy Management at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Prior to making a career switch to the public sector, Pat held senior management positions in the advertising and retailing fields for more than 10 years. She is a graduate of Occidental College with a BA in Social Psychology, and received her MBA from the University of Southern California. She is a graduate of Leadership Long Beach and has served on its curriculum committee as Education Day Chair. Pat currently is vice chair of the Long Beach Early Care and Education Committee, is the 4th district appointee to the Los Angeles County Child Care Planning Committee and is co-chair of the County Child Care Legislative Workgroup. She also serves on the board of the Long Beach Housing Development Company, and is secretary of Abode Community Housing.
Amy Bigelow, Director of Programs
Amy has been serving as the Program Director since the Spring of 2002. Amy joined the nursery in 1989, and has experience working at each of the branches. Amy is directly responsible for the oversight and implementation of all of LBDN’S programs – from staff, curriculum, the food program, early intervention, county and state contracts, professional development and staff training, to the hiring of staff and supervising the Center Directors. She holds a MS in Child Development from University of La Verne and a BA in Home Economics with a focus in Child Development and Family Studies from California State University, Long Beach.
Annette Lindquist, Director of Finance
Annette has extensive experience in corporate finance, financial planning, budgeting, management reporting and financial forecasts. At LBDN, she is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day accounting operations and ensuring compliance with various governmental contracts and grants. Since joining LBDN, she has set up and implemented a financial accounting system which will help the Nursery manage costs and achieve greater efficiencies. She received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Cornell University.
Eileen Factor, Development & Communications Director
Joining the LBDN staff in August 2006, Eileen Factor has 20 years experience in public relations both as a consultant and full-time employee for organizations in Southern California and Chicago, Illinois. Ten of those years have included much success in all areas of fund raising and special event planning and execution, eight years of which were here in Long Beach. She is a very active member of the Rotary Club of Long Beach. This year, marks the third year she has served on its board of directors. In addition, she was publicity chair for three years and in 2004-2005, was honored with the President’s Award for the unprecedented amount of publicity she garnered for the club. She is a member of Rotarians for Mine Action, another issue about which she is very passionate, besides children. Her education includes a certificate from CSULB in Marketing and Public Relations for Nonprofit and Government Organizations, and she has attended numerous relationship-building and other fund-raising workshops and conferences. She has a BA from San Diego State University, having majored in journalism with an emphasis in public relations, including concentrations in advertising and marketing. Her minor was Spanish, which she continues to study avidly to this day.
East Branch
East Branch: Shannon Deeter, Center Director
Shannon Deeter is the newest member of the management staff. She joined the Nursery in October 2007, and is our East Branch Center Director. Prior to joining LBDN, Shannon had seven years experience working with children in summer camps, and as a Master Teacher then Assistant Director in a licensed childcare center. At LBDN, Shannon is responsible for managing all aspects of the childcare program, working as a supervisor to over 43 teachers, and managing the direction of activities of the Nursery towards achieving and maintaining accreditation from the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs. She received her BA in Child Development and Family Studies from California State University, Long Beach and is a certified Site Supervisor by the State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
West Branch
Linda Blackshire, Center Director
Linda has served as the Center Director for the West Branch since February 2000 and has been a teacher for over 10 years. One of her goals is to get the community and neighborhood surrounding the Center more involved with the nursery. With the commitment she has from her teaching staff of 13, Linda is sure to succeed. She received her Associates of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education from Long Beach City College and is certified as a Site Supervisor by the State of California, Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
