Leadership Team & Board

We take pride in the commitment of these fine professionals for they are the heart of our program. We believe that ongoing professional development, as well as acknowledgment of their dedication, is vital to their own success and that of our program. Without a dedicated group of professionals, we would be unable to deliver the high caliber of services for which Danville Child Development Center is known and respected.

Leadership Team

Leadership Team Staff

Denise Baney

Executive Director

Denise Baney is the Executive Director at Danville Child Development Center. She was born and raised in northeastern New Jersey. She spent many of her summers “down the shore” with her family and friends throughout her childhood years. She attended The Pennsylvania State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Kindergarten Education with a concentration in English as a Second Language in 2005.

Immediately upon commencement from Penn State, she worked as the PreK Counts Teacher for Danville Area School District and then as a Preschool Group Supervisor at Gordon Thompson Learning Center in Bloomsburg. In 2008, she became the Childcare Director at Susquehanna Valley Child Development Center in Bloomsburg. Her tenure here was just under thirteen years before she moved onto serve the Deputy Director, Operations and Engagement position at STEP Head Start in Williamsport in 2020.

Denise lives in Bloomsburg with her boyfriend, Alex, and 2 children, Hope and David. As a family, they enjoy Family and Friends Game Nights, watching movies, and hiking with their dog. Denise is an avid Foodie who loves cooking (of course!), listening to live music, and writing.

Denise has an uncompromising passion for all children, teachers, and families to reach their maximum potential in both their personal and professional communities. She facilitates such through her strong commitment, integrity, and leadership to the Early Childhood Education field. Her 15 plus years’ experience in staff development and coaching, program regulations and compliances, and promotion of safe, healthful learning environments is sure to optimize social-emotional, cognitive, language, and motor control learning within the DCDC early learning community.

Denise is more than thrilled to be DCDC’s Executive Director who will lead us into the next 50 years!

Leadership Team Staff

Steve Bevans

Director of Finance

Steve has been DCDC’s Director of Finance since 2005, the latest chapter in a career devoted to working in the non-profit sector.

After moving to this area from San Diego in 1992, Steve was Administrative Director of the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble for seven years and founder of the Columbia-Montour Regional Arts Council in 1999. He then served as Executive Director of the Mental Health Association of the Central Susquehanna Valley and then the Williamsport-Lycoming Arts Council. He joined DCDC after a brief foray into the used-book-selling business.

Steve holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Connecticut. He lives in Danville with his wife Trish, their daughter Cora and a beagle named Mitch.

Leadership Team Staff

Samantha Bittner

Education Director

I am Samantha Bittner, the Education Director for Danville Child Development Center. I have had the amazing opportunity to grow up in the Columbia and Montour counties. I attended elementary and high school at Southern Columbia Area School District, graduating in 2008. In 2012, I graduated from Bloomsburg University with a dual bachelor’s degree in early childhood and elementary education. After a few years of student teaching in the Southern, Berwick, and Bloomsburg Area School Districts, I began my early childhood education career. In 2015, I discovered my true passion for early education and became a Young Toddler teacher at Susquehanna Valley Child Development Center in Bloomsburg, PA. In 2018, I was promoted to the Assistant Director position at SVCDC and began my journey as an advocate for early education and quality childcare. In 2020, I took over the Childcare Director position at Susquehanna Valley and continued that journey until January of 2023.

I live in Catawissa, PA, with my husband and three boys, Mason, Oliver, and Reid. We enjoy playing outside, going to the movies, and spending time with all our extended family and friends. As well as working in early childcare, I am a volunteer coach for southern AYSO soccer and volunteer with our local Columbia County 4H clubs.

As an early childhood educator and director, I believe in bringing students the knowledge, guidance, and instruction they need to become well-rounded, productive community citizens. Early childhood education and early intervention are essential keys to providing social, emotional, and cognitive growth in young children and encouraging students to become lifelong learners.

I look forward to getting to know the DCDC family and community and am excited about the future!

Leadership Team Staff

Stephanie Russell

Early Intervention Coordinator

Hi! My name is Stephanie Russell, and I’m a leo! I’ve been working with children for about 8 years. I’ve worked in head start to high school, as a BHT, and in early intervention. In my free time I love to watch movies, hula hoop and go hiking.

Leadership Team Staff

Danielle Spaid

Enrollment Director

My name is Danielle Spaid. I am excited to join the team at DCDC Bloom Road, as the Site Supervisor! I have my associate’s degree in Child Development. I have been in the childcare field for 15 years. I started at DCDC working with toddlers, then taught preschool at Bloomsburg University, and most recently, I taught Pre-K at Columbia Child Development Program.

I live in Bloomsburg with my husband Michael and two children, Carter and Stella. I look forward to working with your family and watching your child grow

Board of Directors

Acting President

Renee Beisswanger Danville Head Start-Retired

Past President

Candy Ryan
Manager for Patient Access Services, Geisinger Health System -Muncy

Vice President

Secretary/Treasurer

Brian Dunleavy

Senior Financial Analyst, B. Braun Medical/DCDC Parent

Directors

Hannah Brehm

Veterinarian, PA SPCA /DCDC Parent

David Brokus

President-Huntermill Associates

Annie Chappel

CSIU Pre-K Counts Teacher/DCDC Parent

Matthew Atchison

Multi-Center Manager, Fulton Bank

Dr. Thomas Tanner

Senior Vice President- Marketing, Carnegie Agency/Former DCDC Parent

Victoria Schmidt

Director of Marketing, Playpower, Inc. / DCDC Parent

Bill Shaffer

Assistant Vice President- Branch Manager, M&T Bank