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About Us Anchor

The Sled Drivers

Your group are like magic fairies.
You are saving people's lives. I swear, you are the best th
ing about what I do.

Manager, Office of Community Schools

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Co-President, Co-Founder & Treasurer

Katie Sperling

Katie is a former adjunct assistant professor of political science at Columbia and has held positions as PTA president, Treasurer and Fundraiser at three public schools. She served on a Joint Task Force for Gifted and Talented Education chaired by Borough Presidents Diaz and Adams. She has two graduates of NYC public-school schools.

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Co-President & Co-Founder

Rana Strazza

A life-long performer, Rana is a director, producer, composer, and screenwriter. She executive-produced corporate and theatrical events for over a decade and created a developmental theater that trained hundreds of public school students in the Arts, introducing many to professional representation and careers (including her two daughters).

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Board Secretary

Susan Townes

Susan has been a constant contributor to the Sled and recently joined the Board. She formerly worked in technology at various software companies and JP Morgan Chase, and ended her career as Parent Coordinator at PS 276. She also was PTA Co-President at her daughter’s NYC public elementary and high school for nine years. She lives in New York and New Jersey with her husband.

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Social Media Coordinator

Alex West

A NYC native and proud graduate of the city’s public school system, Alex holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Vermont and the University of Southern California. A data manager at NYC-based startup, Fitbiomics, she dedicates time and technical expertise through community work with the Sled, supporting the city and schools that shaped her.

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Board Member

Hannah Wiltshire

Born and raised in NYC, Hannah has dedicated her life to children, working for over 30 years as a teacher, educational leader and social worker with a Masters from Columbia in Social Work. She is the Director of the Lower School at Mary McDowell Friends School, a Quaker school for children with learning disabilities who attended NYC public schools, as did her three adult children.

The Sled's First Ride

The Sled got its start on November 19, 2019 when The New York Times featured a story on the day-in-the-life of two of New York City's 114,085 homeless students , Sandival and Darnell, who attend PS 188 on Manhattan's Lower East Side and PS 76 in East Harlem. That very day, an annual holiday drive for PS 188 (that was inspired by this story) was canceled. Fearing the children's wishes would go unfulfilled, a few fearless friends took action, and ultimately fulfilled over 1000 wishes while raising $55,000 in a three-week effort that has expanded over five years. These Sled Drivers made new tracks, delivering essential, emergency relief to children and families experiencing crises through the coronavirus pandemic and every season since. Still, each holiday, they - and their Sugarplum Sled Fairy Force - sprinkle ever more of the wish-making magic that started it all.

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