CO-FOUNDER, CEO

Ran Cohen Harounoff has been involved in early childhood education his entire adult life; an entrepreneur in education, he has established schools, a network of preschools, and early childhood training programs around the world. He is currently a consultant on reforms in early childhood education at the international, national and local levels. Ran is an artist and has written children’s books, plays, children’s music albums, and a TV program. Ran holds a Master’s degree in Education from Ben Gurion University, a B.Ed. in Early Childhood Education from the David Yellin Academic College of Education, and studied Organizational Consulting and Development at the Ofek Institute in Tel Aviv.

CO-FOUNDER

DEPUTY CEO & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EARLY STARTERS USA

Sarah Wilner is a special education teacher and trainer with over a decade of high-level experience in Israel’s MASHAV Carmel International Training Center. She established a national early childhood education system in Ghana in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, and trained educators in Nepal, Africa and Asia. She has a bachelors degree in psychology from McGill University, a Master’s degree in Sociology from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and a graduate certificate in group facilitation from Haifa University.

As Executive Director of Early Starters USA, Sarah leads the strategic development and overall implementation of programs, focusing on providing trauma-informed care and educational support to young children and their refugee and migrant families, while guiding the organization’s growth and partnerships to maximize impact.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Dorit Cassouto is a Certified Public Accountant and tax consultant, with a B.A. in accounting and economics with honors, graduate of KPMG Somekh Haikin. She holds an LL.M. with a specialization in commercial and business law, laude. In recent years, she served as Controller and Director of the Finance Department at "Shaare Zedek" Hospital in Jerusalem. Recently, she was a key partner in establishing and operating a rehabilitation hospital (within the framework of an association) in all its complexity, including preparing an economic business plan and raising credit, negotiating and closing agreements with the health funds, suppliers and employees, the Ministry of Health, and establishing the finance, procurement and wage systems.

VP OF EMERGENCY AND DEVELOPMENT AND EASTERN EUROPE OPERATIONS

Yulie Khromchenco is an educator and facilitator, of change processes, and in the last 14 years has worked in implementing change in a various degrees in educational systems in Israel.

She was the director of a leadership program for teachers in underserved communities and trained many teachers, supervisors and early childhood professionals. Her former career as a journalist and editor gives her an advantage in developing written materials and helping people to tell their stories.

Born in Moscow, Yulie is fluent in Russian. At the beginning of the war in Ukraine she joined Early Starters in creating safe education spaces for young children around Eastern Europe and Ukraine. She has a B.ed from Kibbutzim College, and a Master Degree from Spertus Institute in Chicago.

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, ISRAEL

CEO ASSISTANT & HEAD OF ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATION

Naomi is a lawyer and therapist by training, a talented administrator and a creative improviser. “I like the sun & the sea and to gaga, to stare and to swing, but more than anything I love my family and our dog.”

EMERGENCY COORDINATOR

With more than 15 years of experience in preschool education and special education in particular, someone who loves to work with children and is motivated to dream big. Aline manages the organization's spaces in Israel and guides professional training programs for our staff.

HEAD OF RESEARCH

Dr. Yan Serdtse is a psychologist with a master's degree in clinical child psychology, specializing in educational psychology at Sha'ar Hanegev, Gaza strip border, Israel. Fellow Lecturer at the Hebrew University and Sapir Academic College. Founding Director of the Sha'ar Hanegev Innovation, Research and Development GreenHouse. Born and raised in the Crimean peninsula until the age of 7.

STRATEGIC CONSULTANT

Noa Shefi, is a M.A. Drama Therapist and a doctoral student at the School of Creative Arts Therapies, University of Haifa, Israel. Her main field of interest is using drama as a way to enable social mobility especially among marginalized populations in poverty and at emotional risk. In her background she is a social theater facilitator. She has conducted drama-based workshops in Ghana, in a refugee camp in Malawi and managed for 5 years a therapeutic center for families at risk.