Dee Berger, MPA ’79:
Kids, fabulous kids
As someone who has focused her entire career on the nonprofit world, Dee Berger would be the first one to tell you that, compared to her classmates, she took the road less traveled. And she’s thankful for it every day.
For 27 years, Berger has worked for the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County, first as clinical director, then assistant executive director, and since 1996, as principal of UCPN’s school, the Children’s Learning Center, which serves 250 children, ages 1 to 21, who have disabilities.
“Thirteen year ago, we needed a new principal for the school — it was not in good shape,” recounts Berger. “My boss said to me, ‘You’ve been complaining about this school since you started here, why don’t you put your money where your mouth is and become the principal?’”
So Berger went back to school to earn state certification as a principal and superintendent of schools, completing 30 credits in nine months at the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University. And she did it all while working as acting principal of the Children’s Learning Center. “I crammed it in, and it was worth it,” says Berger. “I was appropriately certified, and could fast track the mission of transforming the school into a fabulous place for the children.”
And that’s exactly what she did: With “above and beyond” commitment from faculty she views as second to none, a mediocre school was transformed to “one that now gets rave reviews.”
As the head of an organization with a staff of 200 and a $10 million budget, Berger says, “I need the same skills as my classmates who went on to jobs in the corporate world. Understanding accounting, hiring, relevant laws — those of us in leadership roles can’t just care about kids, we have to have those skills.” Going to business school at Cornell was a great experience, she says. “A course in organizational development helped the most — theories of motivation, what makes people tick.”
Knowing how to motivate others comes in handy for someone like Berger, who acknowledges that she has high expectations both for herself and others. “I hardly ever feel a barrier can’t be overcome. I’m continuously plotting how to make a program flourish, and how to encourage faculty to develop and run with new ideas.”
When asked what makes her good at what she does, Berger describes herself as tenacious, highly organized, detail-oriented, and assertive — and most of all, she believes wholeheartedly in the importance of her work: giving special needs kids a chance to reach their potential. Her inspiration and motivation comes from watching these children work so hard to overcome their limitations, and succeed with joy, every day.
“I just look at the kids, there’s so much to celebrate,” says Berger. “My wealth is kids. They’re fabulous; they make it easy to be devoted to what you do.”
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