GOSHEN
Ms. Jennifer - Director
Hi! I’m the proud owner of Luke and Friends in Monroe and Luke’s Other Friends in Goshen.
From a young age, I always dreamed of becoming a mother and having children at the center of my life. By the age of 34, I was blessed with six children—four boys and two girls, including two sets of twins. Motherhood has been my greatest joy and continues to inspire everything I do.
After graduating high school, I pursued my passion for early childhood education at Orange County Community College, where I earned my Associate’s Degree. I knew early on that I wanted to create a child care program of my own, and I was excited to begin that journey.
While in college, I worked in retail management for Phillips Van Heusen, where I advanced to the role of Area Supervisor overseeing 12 stores. This experience provided me with a strong foundation in leadership, team development, and customer relations—skills that have been invaluable in building my business.
As a working mom, I struggled to find child care that felt right for my own children. I was searching for a place that felt warm, clean, and intimate, with caring staff and a positive, welcoming atmosphere. When I couldn’t find that, I decided to create it myself.
Shortly after my fourth child was born, I opened my home and began caring for a small group of children, including my nephew, Luke. Those early days were incredibly meaningful—caring for my own children alongside others in a loving, nurturing environment.
After 10 years of running a successful group family day care, I felt ready to grow. I found a charming, cozy barn in the Village of Monroe and opened Luke and Friends. It quickly became a special place filled with warmth, laughter, and a strong sense of community.
As our program grew, so did our vision. We expanded to a second location in the Village of Goshen—Luke’s Other Friends—which reflects the same values, care, and quality as our original center.
Today, both locations are truly hidden gems. We are committed to providing high-quality child care in safe, nurturing environments where every child feels valued, supported, and loved.
My nephew Luke is now an angel, and his spirit remains a guiding presence in all that we do. I am reminded of him often, and I believe he continues to watch over our centers, helping to keep our children safe and surrounded by love.
Ms. Danielle
Hello! My name is Danielle Fratangelo. I joined Luke & Other Friends in November 2020, where I began as the head teacher in the toddler room. I’ve always enjoyed working with toddlers, but in November 2022, I made the decision to transition into the infant room—and it was the best decision I’ve made.
While I still love toddlers, there is something truly special about watching infants grow, from learning to crawl to taking their very first steps. Those moments are priceless. I am currently the head teacher in the infant room and feel so grateful to be part of the Luke & Other Friends family.
I have been working with children for over 20 years and hold an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. Teaching and nurturing children as they grow has always been my passion, and I knew from a young age that I wanted to become a teacher.
On a personal note, I have been married for 18 years and am a proud dog mom—I absolutely love dogs! I moved to the area in 2008 from Long Island. I’m also a big Disney fan and enjoy visiting Disney with my husband and family. Goofy is definitely my favorite!
In my spare time, I love spending quality time with my husband and family.
Ms. Gina
Hello, my name is Gina. I live and work in Goshen. I have been part of the Luke And Friends family since the center opened. I have my degree in childhood education. I have always loved working with children. They always put a smile on my face. I have a 10-year-old son named Dylan.We are big Mets fans and love baseball. When I am not at the baseball field, I love spending time with my family, taking day trips, trying out new restaurants, going on walks, reading, and I love my coffee!!
Ms. Kristin
My name is Ms. Kristin and I work with the preschoolers at Luke and Friends. I was born and raised in Suffern NY. I moved to Greenwood Lake NY in 2014 where I bought my home with my long time partner. I always knew I wanted to make a difference in the world and help people. In 2008 I graduated from Rockland Community College with a degree in Liberal Arts and Early Childhood education. Two years prior to my graduation I began working at a preschool. I enjoyed teaching and guiding children through their early childhood development for 15 years. I bring with me my knowledge and experience as well as my passion and enthusiasm for working with children in early childhood education. I was trained in Pyramid Model for social and emotional development. My love for children and having the ability to teach and watch them grow gave me a sense of purpose. When COVID shut the school down thats when I found Luke and Friends. I'm delighted to work with the 3 and 4 year olds to prepare them for kindergarten and instill in them the love of learning. The staff is incredible, loving and supportive and I'm excited to share my experience and knowledge with my new families here at Luke and Friends.
Ms. Patty
Hi, my name is Ms. Patty. I am from Monroe New York and currently live in Wallkill. I went to Monroe Woodbury and studied at SUNY Orange, where I received an associates degree in Liberal Arts. Before working for Luke and Friends I worked for Destination Maternity as a General Manager. I was with Destination Maternity for over 20 years.
A little about myself. I have a niece named Courtney; who I love spending time with. I also enjoy spending my spare time with my sister, friends and boyfriend Nick. One of my favorite things to do, is listen to live music and go to concerts. I also enjoy going out to eat, breweries, wineries, hanging by the pool and going to the beach.
I am so lucky to be part of the Luke’s Other Friends team and I love my job . I first started working for Luke’s Other Friends in November 2020 and I am the LeadTeacher for the Toddler room. I find my job very rewarding knowing that the children learn from me everyday. I love making these cuties smile and they always make me smile. I am so happy to be part of this amazing family.
Ms. Sherry
Hello, I’m Ms. Sherry and I joined the Luke and Friends school in May of 2022 as a head
teacher. I have been teaching in the early education field for about 30 years and I love
spending my day with my little friends. I love their energy and curiosity towards the world around
them. I have my CDA credential for early education, certified to teach birth through age 5. I
also have a background in theater and dance, as I was classically trained and danced for New
Jersey Ballet Company in my younger years. I enjoy bringing lots of music and movement into
the classroom.
Ms. Emmary
Hi! My name is Emmary but I am most well-known as “Ms. Emmy”. I have worked at Luke and Friends since 2022.
I am from Cornwall NY and now live in Middletown NY. I attended SUNY Orange and obtained my associates degree in liberal arts. I continue to further my education little by little and hope to receive my bachelors in human development with a focus on child development in the near future.
This past year we welcomed our baby girl, Hallie, who also attends Luke and Friends in the infant room. We love spending every spare second with her. On the weekends I enjoy spending time outdoors, going on walks, trying out different restaurants and of course shopping!
I have worked with children for over 14 years. I started babysitting as soon as I could and had many families I helped. I started working in a daycare setting about 10 years ago. I left my first daycare to begin working with children with special needs. I worked with special needs teens and pre-teens for about 3 years and realized how much I missed working with my little ones. I reached out to Jen and began working at Luke and Friends in afternoons. I am so happy to have made the move and work here full time in the toddler room. I am excited to see the children reach milestones and learn everyday. It is so rewarding to see them grow.
Ms. Atenas
Hello! My name is Atenas. I've been part of Luke and Friends since October of 2022. Since I was a little girl, I always knew I wanted to be a teacher and work with young children.
I am from Veracruz, Mexico and my first language is Spanish. My family and I moved NY when I was 12. I grew up in Suffern NY and graduated from Rockland Community College in 2008. I have an Associates degree and certification to teach from birth to 2nd grade.
During my college years, I worked part-time at the Goddard school in Suffern until I was able to work full-time. I worked every age group for a while and stayed in the infant room for 5 years after graduating and got married.
I took some time off to become the nanny to 2 beautiful children ages 3 and a newborn. I was part of their family for 4 years until I became a mother myself in 2019. I live with my daughter and husband in Middletown where we bought our first home. We love the area and all the family friendly activities we can do together. I love exploring all the parks and farms, shopping, and coffee! I am so happy to have found Luke and Friends and be part of a great working environment and make a difference in your child's life.
Ms. Carla
Ms. Alexis
Ms. Shauna
Hi! My name is Ms. Shauna, and I am so excited to be a part of Luke and Friends! I attended the Orange-Ulster BOCES Early Childhood Development and Care program and have been working in the education field since graduating high school. From the very beginning, working with children has always been a dream and a true passion of mine.
I love helping little ones grow, learn, and discover the world around them. Watching children build confidence, develop new skills, and shine in their own unique ways is the most rewarding part of what I do.
I have a little boy named Ryan who is my whole world. When I’m not at work, you’ll find me on the soccer fields cheering him on and celebrating all of his big (and little!) achievements.
I look forward to a wonderful year of learning, growth, and creating special memories together at Luke and Friends!
Ms. Debbie
Hi, my name is Ms. Debbie and I am a teacher assistant here at Luke’s Other Friends. I grew up in Brooklyn, NY but have lived in Monroe for the last 16 years. I was lucky enough to be a stay at home mom for many years and I volunteer as a religious education teacher at my church. I love working with children and helping them get acclimated to a school setting and learning new things all while making them feel safe and loved. On my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, fishing, listening to music and camping.
Ms. Kaitlynn
Hello! My name is Kaitlynn. I have been working with children in a preschool/daycare setting for almost a decade. I graduated high school in 2016, and right after, I jumped straight into my career in childcare. I have experience working with children from 6 weeks to 5 years old and also have experience in special education, including working as a 1:1 aide. I’m currently furthering my education and am super excited for what the future holds! I’m so happy to be a part of the Luke and Friends team.
The main reasons I love working with children are being able to see them reach their developmental milestones, helping them build confidence and grow into their personality, and creating a bond with each individual child. I also love watching them get so happy and excited over the “little” things, because sometimes the little things really mean the most.
I grew up in a very small rural town, always surrounded by family, riding quads, camping, and having bonfires. In my free time, you’ll usually find me kayaking, fishing, riding motorcycles, or snowboarding. I love staying active and having fun.
