About Us

Made Manifest LLC partners with schools, community organizations, and small businesses to deliver practical, hands‑on learning experiences that build confidence, strengthen skillsets, and create meaningful real‑world outcomes.

Our work spans two core areas:

• AI coaching and workflow development for entrepreneurs
• Professional learning and technology integration for educators and school leaders

Across both fields, we support people in using modern tools in ways that reduce stress, save time, and create opportunities for growth. With deep experience working alongside business owners, teachers, administrators, and multilingual learners across the tri‑state area and beyond, our approach remains grounded in equity, collaboration, and practical application.

Our Approach

We believe professional learning should be engaging, relevant, and immediately useful. Whether supporting an entrepreneur building their first AI‑powered workflow or working with educators to strengthen instruction, our focus stays on clarity, accessibility, and real-world application.

Our trainings are:
• Grounded in the actual work people do every day
• Designed to be hands-on and non-intimidating
• Welcoming to all levels of technical comfort
• Built around collaboration, creativity, and culturally responsive practices

For educators, this may mean using AI to organize instructional materials, draft lesson components, or streamline communication with multilingual families.

For small business owners, it may mean building marketing workflows, simplifying operations, improving customer engagement, or learning how to use AI tools to support growth.

Across all settings, we meet people where they are and guide them toward what is possible—one practical step at a time.

Our Team

Dana Unger, M.Ed

Dana Maynard Unger, M.Ed., is the founder of Made Manifest LLC and a leader in helping both schools and small businesses adopt technology in ways that are practical, inclusive, and rooted in real‑world needs. With more than twenty years of experience supporting educators, administrators, entrepreneurs, and multilingual communities, Dana specializes in making modern tools understandable, accessible, and genuinely useful.

She holds an M.A. in Instructional Technology and Media in Education and an Ed.M. in Special Education with an emphasis in assistive technology from Teachers College, Columbia University, along with a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her background in instructional design, accessibility, and communication informs every program she builds.

Dana is known for her humor, flexibility, and ability to connect with learners across roles and industries. She believes that authentic relationships and trust form the foundation for meaningful growth. Her work includes AI literacy training for schools and businesses, workflow development for entrepreneurs, live translation tools for multilingual engagement, differentiated instruction, and inclusive communication strategies.

As a Microsoft Global Partner and a certified Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) at the federal, New York State, and New York City levels, Dana leads a team that collaborates with districts, community organizations, and small business owners. Whether supporting educators in designing equitable learning experiences or helping entrepreneurs create AI‑powered systems that simplify their day‑to‑day work, Dana is committed to equity, clarity, and practical solutions that empower people to do their best work.

Ben Sadoff, MSW

Ben Sadoff (he/him) is a social worker and educator with over 10 years' experience designing, managing, and facilitating multi-generational school and community-based educational programming.

He specializes in Live Translation & Digital Tools programming and workshops for Made Manifest.

Julie Termini

Julie Termini brings over 20 years of experience with elementary and middle schools in a variety of capacities - from classroom teaching and mentoring to coaching, developing mentors, training teacher leaders, professional development, and consulting.

She has worked to develop staff and professional development programs at both the school and district levels. Julie’s passion for literacy, effective technology integration and a hands-on, engaging approach to learning has unlocked her interest in blended learning and STEAM education.

It is a combination of these skills that has enabled Julie to support teachers using a variety of instructional approaches to help all students achieve.

Erin Higgins

A passionate and highly experienced educator, Erin is a retired teacher and educational technology instructor with over 31 years of expertise in classroom management, instructional technology, and professional development.

Currently serving as a Professional Learning Specialist  in several capacities, she equips educators with tools to teach essential digital literacy skills and integrate AI, translation tools, and various web platforms into everyday instruction. Her career spans roles from elementary teaching and technology facilitation to directing a successful afterschool STEAM program, always with a focus on inclusive, personalized learning and impactful technology integration. 

With advanced degrees in educational technology and a proven ability to design effective, engaging instruction for students and teachers alike, she continues to support K–12 education through hands-on training, innovative lesson design, and a deep commitment to empowering both educators and learners.

Jocelyn Spielberger

Jocelyn has spent over 20 years in the EdTech sector designing and building products that make an impact in classrooms.

She’s worked across leading companies and led professional development for educators nationwide. In 2024, she joined the Made Manifest team to continue helping schools and educators make the most of the tools they already have. Her love of learning and desire to nurture children's innate curiosity brought her to this work.  Jocelyn holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MA in Education from NYU’s Steinhardt School, with a concentration in Education, Communication & Technology.

Originally from Washington, D.C., Jocelyn now lives in Westchester, NY with her husband, their two teenage sons, and their dog, Ollie. And, she loves staying active outdoors. 

Rich Bertrand

Rich Bertrand, a Georgetown University and SUNY New Paltz graduate, teaches English in the Clarkstown Central School District. As a tech liaison and District-Wide AI & Technology Committee member, he integrates technology to enhance student engagement, fostering dynamic learning spaces that bridge the humanities and STEM. His curriculum empowers students to become “Future Ready,” recognizing that large language models emerge from the alchemy of language arts, mathematics, and the sciences.

Bertrand’s coursework evolves in step with student needs, granting learners greater agency through Design Thinking, UDL principles, and multimodal expression. Using IDEO’s EDIPT (Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test) framework, students approach texts as designers—viewing authors as engineers of meaning, problem-solvers who craft language with purpose. He continues to explore new approaches to modernize the writing workshop, blending human and AI-driven feedback in ways that preserve critical thinking, elevate reflection, and place ethical decision-making at the heart of curriculum design.

Jenny Mirmelstein

Jenny Mirmelstein is a seasoned communications leader with more than 25 years of experience in public relations, marketing, and strategic communications. Over the past decade, she has focused her work in the education space, leading school communications efforts with a deep understanding of how strategic messaging and community engagement support student and district success.

Throughout her career, Jenny has worked across a wide range of industries, from consumer products to business technology, bringing a versatile, results-driven approach to every role. Her background gives her a unique lens through which to approach school communications, blending private-sector innovation with a public-sector mission.

As a trusted advisor to superintendents, leadership teams, and school staff, Jenny oversees a broad portfolio that includes crisis communication, media relations, social media strategy, website development, marketing campaigns, and community-building initiatives. A skilled collaborator and forward thinker, she brings clarity, creativity, and strategic insight to every project, helping schools strengthen their relationships with families and the wider community.

Ashley Shanley

Ashley Shanley is an Instructional Tech Coach in Rahway Public Schools in NJ. With over a decade of experience in education, she began as a Kindergarten teacher and later held roles as a K-8 computer/technology educator.

She loves to share her knowledge and passion for Google as a Google Certified Trainer, Coach, and Innovator. Ashley is a proud graduate of Rutgers University with a BA in Psychology/Education and earned her MA in EdTech from NJCU.

Douglas Marolla

Doug Marolla began his career in education in 1996, working in the South Bronx with high schoolers. 

He learned to incorporate the many new technological tools that arose during the young days of the internet and the proliferation of school based educational software.  

Mr. Marolla's multi layered background of tech support (hardware), Instructional Technology (software), and nearly 30 years as a classroom teacher provide for a diverse and robust level of expertise in today's rapidly changing and technologically challenging classroom. 

His latest project - implementing AI and other dynamic programs to foster student learning - is probably the most exciting one to date.

Mary-Ann Mastreani, LPC

With over 30 years of experience in Yoga, Meditation, and Mindfulness, Mary-Ann Mastreani brings a deeply compassionate and practical approach to wellness.

Holding a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology with specializations in Somatic Therapies and Expressive Arts, she is also a certified Integrative Life Coach through Coaching for Transformation.

Mary-Ann has guided hundreds of individuals through the challenges of burnout, stress, and major life transitions—particularly in high-demand professions like education. Her approach is grounded, accessible, and designed to meet participants exactly where they are.

Abigail helfat, M.Ed

Abigail Helfat, M. Ed. is a Reading Specialist and Special Educator with over 20 years of experience.  Abigail earned a Master’s Degree in Language and Literacy at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and is trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach. 

She taught at the Carroll School in Massachusetts and the Churchill School in NYC, both specialized settings for students with learning disabilities. In addition, Abigail has been working with teachers as an adjunct instructor in the Literacy Program at Hunter College for the past 15 years.  She is an advocate for best practices in literacy instruction and dedicated to supporting teachers so they can learn research and methods to meet the needs of all students.

Ian Smith

Ian Smith is an experienced educator and professional development consultant with a strong background in instructional technology, AI integration, and student engagement. He currently teaches in the Somers Central School District, where he leads in-service trainings on artificial intelligence and serves on the district’s AI Committee.

Formerly with Mount Vernon CSD, Ian taught a wide range of courses, led EdTech initiatives during remote learning, and established the district’s first Esports program. He also designs and facilitates professional development workshops through Made Manifest, including a featured presentation at the international 2023 Microsoft Education Empowerment Summit.

Audrey gordon

With over a decade of classroom teaching experience, Audrey has a strong foundation in maximizing student engagement and a deep understanding of the everyday needs of educators. In recent years, she has shifted into a staff developer role, where she trains teachers and school staff on effectively integrating instructional technology software. Her hands-on approach and classroom background allow her to support educators in practical, meaningful ways as they incorporate digital tools into their teaching. 

It is always Audrey’s goal to provide meaningful, relatable, and straightforward training that allows participants to feel confident about using what they’ve learned independently (and knowing that Audrey is only an email away if they need some follow-up support). Audrey is passionate about making technology feel less overwhelming and more empowering for teachers.

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