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Zuleika is the Executive Director and Founder of Beyond Basic Learning, the first nursery school in Hoboken, New Jersey awarded the Torch of Excellence by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Her vision for this state-of-the-art nursery school is rooted in supporting each child’s growth and development through inquiry, exploration and hands-on learning. The inspiration for Zuleika’s vision was through her own early childhood upbringing as a daughter of missionary parents who traveled extensively, not only exposing her to people from diverse cultural backgrounds, but to life skills attained beyond the walls of the traditional classroom.

Prior to founding Beyond Basic Learning, Zuleika was an accomplished financial practitioner, having worked for I.B.M. in Business Development and Corporate Finance where she also became a founding member of the National Society of the Hispanic MBA Chapter in Boston. She was also employed at American Express Financial Services where she was selected to participate in the company’s Management Development Program for future leaders.

She earned her Certification in Accounting and MBA in Finance from Hofstra University, and while enrolled, she also participated in overseas study programs which extended beyond the requirements of her degree; in Mexico she was exposed to the growing debate surrounding the NAFTA Treaty and in France she closely studied the implications of the introduction of the EURO just six months prior to its launch.

Although successful in her financial career goals, it was her heartfelt passion for learning outside of the ordinary that catapulted her to return to graduate school at Bank Street College of Education to pursue her Masters in Educational Leadership. In fulfillment of an internship requirement at Bank Street she selected the Urban League of Hudson County, an organization that supports the early childhood community, and also supported her efforts to institute Beyond Basic Learning. Her relationship with the Urban League resulted in her leading workshops and training for early childhood practitioners. She has also served as a trainer for nationally recognized educational entities including Teaching Strategies through their participation at the National Association for Education of Young Children. Since that time she has become a nationally and highly sought after educational trainer and public speaker.

A strong proponent of community involvement, through Zuleika's leadership, Beyond Basic Learning supports various organizations such as the Hoboken Museum, the Hoboken School of Music and the Hudson Cradle as well as other early childhood initiatives in Northern New Jersey. Zuleika also serves as a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the Downtown Early Childhood Association, and the Hudson County Alliance of Independent Schools.