alexa kreisberg, ms, ccls

Alexa Kreisberg, MS, CCLS is the Director of Child Life at Brooklyn Hospital. Previously she served as the Manager of the Child Life Program at Brookdale Hospital & Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. In her positions, she worked with patients from newborns to young adults on the pediatric inpatient unit, intensive care unit and emergency department, as well as various pediatric outpatient clinics. Alexa focuses on sickle cell pain management and coping, asthma education, bereavement, new diagnosis communication and doctor office experiences for children. Alexa earned her Master’s in Child Life from Bank Street College and received a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a concentration in early childhood education from Quinnipiac University. She is an active member of Child Life of Greater New York, where she sits on the board as Member at Large. Alexa has traveled to a number of third world countries as a volunteer with Kids International Dental Services, where she provides Child Life support for the dentists performing procedures. Her expansive experience allows her to impact the lives of children and families from diverse backgrounds.

Gaby stern, ms, ccls

Gaby Marden Stern, MS, CCLS is a certified child life specialist with a variety of experiences in hospitals in the US and abroad. Gaby worked as a child life specialist at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore for 3 years in their ambulatory surgery unit and hematology/oncology unit before starting and serving as the Director of the Child Life Program at New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. In this capacity, Gaby built a sustainable child life program and balanced her clinical responsibilities in the pediatric emergency department with young patients and families while also serving as a leader of efforts aimed at improving the patient experience. Currently, Gaby is serving private patients and families, offering child life services and interventions in their homes and communities. Gaby is also consulting for several non-profit and for-profit businesses, using her child life experience to consult for programs serving kids in different healthcare and community settings. 

Gaby holds a M.S. in Child Life from Bank Street College of Education in New York City and a B.A. in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. 

lori lerma, ms, ccls

Lori Lerma, MS, CCLS is a graduate from Bank Street College of Education with a Masters in Child Life. Prior to her work in child life she worked in the non-profit industry doing fundraising and event planning. Lori has spent the past ten years working in New York City as a Child Life Specialist. She has had the privilege to work in many institutions throughout the city such as Bellevue Hospital, Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital, Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital and The Brooklyn Hospital Center. Her experience has allowed her to experience and serve many different cultures and populations, providing her with a sound base in culture sensitivity and diversity. She has focused on bereavement work, Asthma education, and surgical and radiology procedures throughout her practice in the hospital. She also has done extensive work with supporting parents both in and out of the hospital through stressful and challenging life events. Currently she is training at the Harlem Family Institute to receive a license in psychoanalysis.