Meet the Staff

Kristine Cicchetti

Director

Kristine has been involved with the Northeast Early Childhood Council for more than 18 years, beginning as a parent volunteer and growing into her current role as Director. Her journey with NECC reflects her deep commitment to strengthening families and building supportive communities for young children.

As Director, Kristine leads regional efforts across seven towns in northeastern Connecticut to ensure children from birth through age eight are healthy, supported, and ready to succeed in school and in life. She works in partnership with parents, educators, community organizations, and local leaders to connect families to resources, expand early learning opportunities, and strengthen systems that support young children.

Kristine is especially passionate about elevating parent voice and leadership, recognizing that families are essential partners in shaping strong, responsive communities. As a parent of three grown children herself, she brings both professional experience and lived understanding to her work.

Christine Rosati Randall

Regional Outreach Coordinator

Christine Rosati Randall brings extensive experience in early childhood systems-building, community engagement, and public service to her role with the Northeast Early Childhood Council. She has spent more than a decade working across Northeast Connecticut to strengthen supports for young children and families, with a strong focus on collaboration, equity, and access to resources.

Christine’s work has included regional leadership roles with the Northeast Early Childhood Council, where she helped develop and implement community-based plans, build cross-sector partnerships, and expand outreach and engagement efforts across multiple towns. She has also served as an Outreach, Engagement, and Family Support Provider with Day Kimball Healthcare’s Nurturing Families Network, where she worked directly with families, facilitated parenting programs, and connected parents of young children to critical services and supports.

In addition to her community-based work, Christine served as a Connecticut State Representative for the 44th District, where she championed policies supporting children and families. She successfully led the passage of legislation related to developmental screenings and advocated for funding to strengthen early childhood services, schools, and healthcare in her region. She was recognized as a Children’s Champion by the Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance.

A longtime Killingly resident and parent, Christine brings both professional and personal perspective to her work. She is part of a large extended family that includes nine grandchildren, grounding her commitment to ensuring that all children and families in the region have the opportunity to thrive.

Renée Toper, Parent Ambassador, Plainfield Parent, covering Plainfield, Sterling & Canterbury

Bio coming soon…

Melissa Kennedy

Covering Killingly & Brooklyn

Melissa lives in Killingly with her husband and their two young daughters, who keep life joyful with their kindness, creativity, and humor. As a former preschool teacher, she has always been passionate about early childhood education, a passion that closely aligns with the mission of NECC.

After moving to the area as a new mother and feeling unsure of what resources were available, she became a Parent Ambassador in 2021 to better connect with her community. Today, she loves helping families access information and support with ease. Her hope is that parents feel empowered by the many resources available in the area and confident that NECC is there to help them find exactly what they need.

When she’s not working with NECC, she runs a laser-engraving business from home. In her rare spare time, she also loves to read.

Sam Withers

Covering Thompson & Putnam

Sam is a homemaker and the Office Manager for her husband’s heavy-duty diesel mechanic business. She’s a proud mom of three (ages 13, 8, and 3) and keeps busy with their lively household that also includes three dogs, a cat, and five chickens.

As the oldest of four, Sam grew up helping her mom run an in-home daycare, which sparked her lifelong love of working with children. After benefiting from local parenting resources when her oldest was a newborn, she became passionate about connecting other families to the same support and opportunities.

In her spare time, she loves reading, learning new things, and expressing her creativity through painting and sketching.

Alexis LaFleur

Covering Plainfield, Sterling & Canterbury

Alexis works as a Patient Care Assistant and is a wife and mother of four children, ages 19, 18, 16, and 5. In January 2026, she and her husband began homeschooling their youngest child, with a strong focus on social-emotional learning. When she was younger, she dreamed of becoming an elementary school teacher, and while her career path evolved, she feels those dreams have come full circle through parenting and homeschooling.

Alexis was introduced to NECC in 2024 through a Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Parent/Caregiver Café. She later participated in UConn’s People Empowering People (PEP) workshop, where she became inspired by the organization’s impact across Northeastern Connecticut.

In addition to her involvement with NECC, Alexis has supported families through the local nonprofit Parent’s Corner, helping with community outreach and coordinating fundraising events. In her spare time, she creates homemade soy wax melts and incense designed to be safe for families with pets and small children, which she sells at local craft fairs.