Our Team.

Dioffre Cruceta currently serves as the Director of Student Culture at the WHIN Music Community Charter School where he ensures WHIN is a safe, predictable, and responsive environment for all students. Dioffre is a key member of the school’s leadership team who actively supports students, families, and staff members on how to build and maintain a positive school culture in support of a rigorous academic and music program.

Dioffre is a product of Washington Heights and has served the neighborhood as a Youth Development Advocate for the past 15 years. He previously served as a Site Director for the B.E.L.L (Building Educated Leaders for Life) Foundation as well as multiple Dean of Culture roles at various charter schools throughout NYC.

Dioffre has helped craft and manage systems to reinforce explicit and high behavioral expectations for students, families, and staff by ensuring fidelity and accountability through clear and frequent communication.

Anne Cohen is WHIN’s founding Director of Music. Prior to WHIN, Anne served as music specialist at the Blue School, where she wrote K-8 vocal/instrumental curricula and created the school’s first concert band program; served as co-curricular team leader; produced school-wide events; led family workshops; and served on the school accreditation committee.

Anne has served as an workshop clinician and/or guest conductor for groups including Organization of American Kodaly Educators, New York State School Music Educators Association, Kodaly Organization of New York, and Harmony Program. In 2018, Anne received  the OAKE’s Outstanding Emerging Educator Award as well as an honorable mention for the Liz Swados Inspiration Grant for influential female New York City-based music educators.

Anne holds a Post-Masters Advanced Certification in Educational Leadership from Stony Brook University; a MA in music and music education from Columbia University Teachers College, and a BM in music education from Bucknell University.

Dacia Sigler joined the WHIN team in July of 2018. Prior to joining the leadership team of WHIN she served as the Special Education Coordinator at Uplift Luna Preparatory Charter School for four years. In this role, she oversaw Special Education services and managed the Special Education team at four campuses from Pre-K-12th grade.

Prior to her role as Special Education Coordinator Dacia taught Special Education in Inclusion, Content Mastery, and Resource settings for 4 years at Uplift Education. While teaching in her third year, Dacia was asked to join a leadership residency and began working with the leadership teams at the campus and on the network level. Dacia conducted Professional Development sessions for teachers and administrators, managed compliance and Special Education budget for the K-12 campus, and collaborated with leadership teams at each campus to ensure students with disabilities were receiving high quality instruction using best practices.

Ivelisse Sosa joined WHIN in the summer of 2019 as the Director of Operations. She began her career in school operations well over 8 years ago in the Bronx, NY. As a product of her community, educated by New York City Public Charter Schools she has been motivated to pay it forward and provide service to inner city public schools providing streamlined systems and procedures, facilities construction management, and staff/student recruitment.

Ivelisse loves to work in her home community of Inwood. You can often spot her on long walks exploring the community and neighborhood events with her family including a French Bulldog named Lucy.