Hanna Gebretensae

Hanna Gebretensae

Hanna Gebretensae has been appointed division chair of the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Program at Urban College of Boston (UCB).

“We are extremely fortunate that Ms. Gebretensae has agreed to lead the College’s Early Childhood Education Program,” said Dr. Linda Edmonds Turner, president of UCB. “We feel confident that under Ms. Gebretensae’s leadership, the College’s ECE Program will continue to thrive and move forward as a nationally recognized model in preparing Boston-area residents to fill critical, much-needed positions in the region’s childcare community.”

Since beginning her assignment in August, Gebretensae has worked with the faculty, administration and student body to run UCB’s early childhood education program.

“I am thrilled to be chosen to lead the ECE Program and carry its important mission forward,’ said Gebretensae.

Prior to her appointment, Gebretensae was employed by the University of Massachusetts’ Donahue Institute as a Head Start technical assistance specialist. Previously she has served as director of policy, education and training for the Cambridge Child Care Resource Center, and as program director of Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center’s Acorn Center for Early Education and Care.

She is involved with a number of community empowerment initiatives and organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League of Boston, Action for Boston Community Development Inc., and the Boston Inner-City Directors Network.

Gebretensae has held adjunct faculty positions at Lesley University, Wheelock College and UCB. She received a bachelor’s degree from Lesley University, majoring in human development with an early childhood education minor, and holds a master’s degree in education with a concentration in educational administration, planning and policy from Harvard University.

A fellow at the Schott Fellowship in Early Care and Education Policy in 2003-2004, Gebretensae is now a doctoral candidate at the University of Phoenix, in the Educational Leadership Program. Her dissertation and research will focus on second language acquisition.