Administrative Team
Director of Early Education
on parental leave fall 2025
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she/her
Anna has been active in the field of progressive early childhood education for over fifteen years, in both New York City and the Boston area. She has experience in teaching and teacher supervision, emergent curriculum development, progressive Jewish education, school leadership, and expertise in the Reggio Emilia philosophy of education. Anna holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Creative Writing from Barnard College and a Master of Fine Arts degree in English and Writing with a focus on Children’s Literature from the City College of New York. In 2018 Anna completed her Early Childhood Education Director II Level certification through Wheelock College of Education and Human Development, Boston University and the MA EEC. Anna previously taught at the JCC Manhattan Saul & Carole Zabar Nursery School in New York City, and most recently served for two years as the Executive Director of The Family Cooperative, a Reggio Emilia inspired early childhood center in Watertown, MA. Anna lives in Brighton with her husband, Nick, who is a play therapist and the school counselor at the Advent School, and Owen, her energetic five-year-old son. Anna and her family will be welcoming their second child at the end of August. Anna previously worked at TCEE, where she was a teacher, curriculum specialist, and afternoon program coordinator between 2016 and 2020, and is grateful to be back at the wonderful TOS community as Director of Early Education since 2022. Her philosophy of education holds that young children come to us with their own ideas, experiences, and questions about the world and that we are their guides in turning those questions into deep inquiries and learning opportunities–TCEE is a place in which this happens on a daily basis.
TCEE Acting Director (fall 2025)
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Emma stepped into the role of TCEE Assistant Director in 2022 after a year as TCEE Toddler Coordinator. Before coming to TOS, she spent her career as a toddler teacher at the Brookline-Brighton JCC Early Learning Center. She graduated from Brandeis University with a degree in Sociology and has been working in early education classrooms ever since. Watching kids grow and learn to be independent, confident people gives her endless joy. In her free time, Emma enjoys trying out new recipes, walking in the woods, and testing out new designs on the pottery wheel. She lives in Brighton with her wife and their two cats.
Administrative & Afternoon Coordinator
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Emma graduated from Boston University with an EdM in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Counseling in 2017. As a child mental health intern, she worked closely with classroom preschool teachers and discovered a passion for social and emotional learning and teaching. Since then, she worked as a preschool teacher full-time for many years before moving into an administrative role in 2023. She enjoys learning every day from the trials and triumphs of working with young children!
Before she became an early educator, Emma worked with youth of many ages, stages and backgrounds. In the past, she has been an after-school teacher for teenage immigrant and refugee students in Vermont, a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant at a university in Brazil, and a teacher-counselor for local adolescent girls in residential treatment. She draws on these many experiences to build positive relationships with children during the most important time of their lives: early childhood. She looks forward to caring for and learning with the TCEE community. Outside of the classroom Emma enjoys playing soccer, cycling, gardening and reading.
Learning Specialist
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Edye began her journey at The Trust Center for Early Education as a preschool teacher in 2011. After the birth of her son, Edye returned to TCEE in a dual role of Learning Specialist and a parent of a child in the school. As an educator it has always been an important part of her philosophy that children’s social and emotional development are imperative to their growth and well-being. Edye’s role in our school has many facets to it, including supervising preschool classroom teachers or helping to develop strategies for different children’s learning styles. Edye works in classrooms on a weekly basis, doing “small group work” that emphasizes concepts such as how to be part of a group, recognizing their own as well as others feelings, and learn tools to help handle some of the big emotions. Another important part of her role is supporting families at home whether it’s answering questions about child development or helping parents problem solve behaviors at home by creating materials that encourage positive behavior, or sending articles to parents. Edye feels so fortunate to work in such a diverse and welcoming community, as well as being parent alumni whose child thrived at TCEE. Edye lives in Needham with her husband and son and enjoys playing sports, going to music concerts, inviting friends over to BBQ and watching reality TV.
Teachers
Nesharim Teacher
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Alisa grew up in the Liberal Jewish youth movement in London and at the age of 19 moved to Israel to live on the Reform Kibbutz Lotan for 16 years. She moved to the States with her husband and two children in 2002. She gets a deep satisfaction sharing her love and knowledge of Hebrew, Israel and the Jewish holidays and traditions in the day to day school life.
Alisa is also a certified yoga instructor who also leads many yoga classes in different preschools in the area. She enjoys integrating these skills into her classroom learning through yoga and movement, seeing, touching, listening and singing. She strongly believes that using all of these senses will help develop many aspects of a child’s mind, body and spirit.
Float/Sparrows Teacher
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Andrea is an early childhood educator with over 25 years of experience in both Latin America and the United States. She began her teaching career in Ecuador, working with preschool and elementary-aged children through fifth grade in leading private and public schools. She holds two master’s degrees, one in Special Education with a focus on autism and ADHD from the Pontifical Catholic University of Brazil, and another in Educational Leadership and Planning from the Javeriana University of Ecuador.
Since moving to Boston, she has continued her work in the early education field. She previously served as a lead preschool teacher in a classroom of 18 children ages 4 to 5, where she implemented a dynamic, play-based pedagogical approach focused on emotional well-being, creativity, and early academic skills.
To complement her international experience with U.S. academic credentials, she is pursuing an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education at MassBay Community College and plans to begin her Bachelor’s Degree at Boston University next year. She is passionate about early learning and committed to helping every child grow with confidence, joy and purpose.
Barvazim Teacher
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Andrea is very excited to start the new year. She has been working with kids since 2013 and thinks it has been one of her best decisions in life. Being around kids and being able to teach them and get to know them by who they are is just amazing and unique.
Atelierista/Sparrows Teacher
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Bret joined the TCEE teaching staff in 2015. He is from a small mountain town in Pennsylvania where he went to Mansfield University and studied art education and worked with students from preschool to 12th grade. He has worked previously in preschools as an art and general education teacher. He looks forward to exploring the ideas of the world and our communities with students.
Yanshufim Teacher
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Caitlin is so excited to be back at TCEE for her third year! Caitlin has lived in Massachusetts her whole life, and grew up on the South Shore. In 2022 she graduated from Plymouth State University with a bachelor degree in Youth development and education. In her free time Caitlin likes to hang out with her family and friends, and go to Maine and Cape Cod!
Yanshufim Teacher
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Caroline was born and raised in Boston. A graduate of Bridgewater State University with a BS in Psychology, she also completed her Early Childhood Education Director II level certification. Caroline has over a decade of work experience in Early Childhood Education and thoroughly enjoys young children. In her spare time, Caroline appreciates all that Boston has to offer, traveling and spending time with her friends and family.
Yonim Teacher
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This is Colleen’s sixth year at TCEE. It was in college, when she was part of the Jumpstart program, that she discovered her love for working in early education. Colleen went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Human Development from Merrimack College. After college she worked at a childcare center in Dedham and for the Milton Public Schools. When not in school she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
Agurim Teacher
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Dana has been working in childcare and education for over 10 years. She has a bachelor’s degree from Fisher College in Human Services with a concentration in Early Childhood Education and Early Intervention. She strives to create an environment where children feel safe to express themselves and try new things. When she is not at work Dana enjoys traveling, pilates, and spending time with friends and family.
Nesharim Teacher
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Emma is thrilled to be making the move to full-time staff at TCEE! She spent the last 2 summers in toddler classrooms and has developed a passion for educating (and playing with!) young children, especially toddlers. She recently graduated from Boston University with a Master’s in Mathematics Education and a Bachelor’s in Deaf Studies. While most of her time at BU was spent across various theaters, she discovered a joy in 2019 for working with children and has sought out mentorship, tutoring, and classroom opportunities ever since. When not at school, you can find Emma hanging out with friends, chattering on about her dog, or doing some random theatre-related task! She can’t wait to start in Tukim and build connections with the children and their families.
Barvazim Teacher
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Hannah is a Brookline High School alumna and a graduate of Lasell College, where she earned her degree in Early Childhood Education. She has been part of the TCEE community for six years. Prior to joining TCEE, Hannah gained experience working in various preschool, elementary school, and day camp settings. She enjoys working with children because she values helping them build meaningful connections between themselves and the world around them.
Nesharim Teacher
Tukim Teacher
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Bio coming soon!
Agurim Teacher
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Kelsey is so excited to be joining the TCEE team this year! She has a background in education, with a Master’s from the University of Tennessee, and taught 3rd and 4th grade before finding her passion in preschool! For the past four years, she has worked with toddlers at the JCC in Brighton.
Kelsey loves the magical way young children have of looking at the world, and her favorite moments of the day are the ones when she can share in a child’s fascination over something small like a rock, leaf, or bug. She’s all about getting kids moving with games, yoga, and other active play, and she enjoys mixing art, math, and science into the fun.
In her free time, Kelsey loves painting, reading, and napping.
Float/Sparrows Teacher
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Kenia Ferreira is certified to work with infants and toddlers, with eight years of experience, in addition to working with the Montessori methodology and teaching the Spanish language. She was also a student of plastic arts and business administration in the Dominican Republic. She studied Early Childhood Education at Urban College. She currently lives with her family in Allston, MA. She has a son who is 25 and he is studying to be a doctor in Medico. She also has a daughter who is 17 and she wants to be an artist. She has a beautiful cat named Lion. She likes country life, and is passionate about reading, arts, and cooking in her free time. She likes working with children because it is the purest and most beautiful feeling for a human being. She wants to continue learning spontaneity from them.
Yanshufim Teacher
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Melanie can’t wait for her third year with TCEE! After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in education and applied linguistics from Washington University in St. Louis, she spent a year working at the Brighton branch of the Boston Public Library. Now she is excited to grow and learn along with her TCEE kids! Originally from Las Vegas, NV, Melanie spends her free time exploring the Boston area, taking care of her houseplants, and surviving the long winter.
Barvazim Teacher
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Natalie is excited for her second year at TCEE! She has worked with children of all ages in classrooms, daycares, and tutoring over the past decade and loves engaging young minds! She enjoys reading, doing puzzles, and discussing unicorns (who doesn’t?) and is looking forward to a fun and fruitful year.
Yanshufim Teacher
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Bio coming soon!
Pedagogista & Yonim Teacher
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Priscilla graduated from Boston College with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Studio Art. She also Priscilla graduated from Boston College with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Studio Art. She also has a Master’s in Developmental Psychology from CUNY. Her teaching practice is influenced by Jewish values, "special rights" for children with various developmental needs, and child-led curriculum. Her favorite part about working with children is finding the awe and wonder in the everyday moments and helping to nurture children’s innate curiosity and desire to learn. She has been teaching for eleven years, and she is ECE Director certified. In her free time, Priscilla enjoys reading and playing with her cat Gus.
Agurim Teacher
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Rachel was born and raised in a very small town in Vermont. After moving from her hometown and spending time in Burlington VT for school she decided she needed to see a big city and chose Boston! She absolutely love cooking and going to farmers markets for fresh fruits and veggies. On Sundays she likes to spend her morning finding a new coffee shop in the city followed by an afternoon nap with her 15 year old cat, Rudy.
Float Teacher
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Sarah is excited to be back with the TCEE community this year for her 3rd year. Prior to joining the team, she had worked two years as an Assistant Teacher at the Harbor School in Maryland, where she grew up, working with children ages four/five. She worked for four years as an Assistant Teacher at Frances Jacobson Early Childhood Center in the Longwood area with different age groups. She got her master’s in early childhood education in December of 2020 at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Sarah is a big fan of sports, going to concerts and trying new places to eat. She is looking forward to the upcoming school year, watching children grow and helping them achieve their goals.
Tukim Teacher
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Sarah is excited to return to TCEE for her sixth year, with this being her fifth as a Toddler Teacher. Her first year she was the HomeBASE Director working with students from the Brookline Public Schools. Prior to that, she was the Youth and Families Director at the YMCA of Greater Boston working with children and families of various backgrounds. Sarah first knew she enjoyed working with children when she was the Program Coordinator for Charles River Center. During her time at Charles River Center, she was working with children and adults with disabilities and was also the liason between the organization to Special Olympics Massachusetts. Sarah’s goal at TCEE is to help children by giving each child the building blocks to develop a love for learning. Sarah believes in allowing each child to choose their own path while gently guiding them along the way.
Yonim Teacher
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Selina is excited to join TCEE for her second year! She has three years of experience in leading a preschool and after-school program. Having worked predominately with ESL and I.E.P. students, she has a passion for making education accessible and enjoyable for all her students.
Selina is originally from Portland, Oregon. Studying at Portland State University, she volunteered with youth programs in Women’s Resource Centers and safe shelters. She previously was administration support with Planned Parenthood, where she worked closely with their Teen Council program.
Yonim Teacher
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Sydney is from Connecticut and graduated from UConn with a BA in Psychology. During her undergrad, she worked at the Child Development Labs with infants and toddlers. In her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball, reading, and spending time with her family and friends. She is thrilled to continue building connections with the families and children at TCEE!
Tukim Teacher
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Thanh is excited to start her second year at TCEE! She graduated from Boston University with a degree in Early Childhood Education and has been teaching toddlers/preschoolers since 2019. Thanh loves working with children and helping them learn through play and creativity. Outside of the classroom, Thanh enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and her dog Mizu.
Float Teacher
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Vanessa was a music educator for 18 years with a Master’s Degree of Education in Music, and has been in general education settings including early childhood education for over 5 years. She has taught in both public school and private school settings. She is passionate about teaching, and loves helping children become curious and joyful learners! She is excited to grow in her career at TCEE!
Float Teacher
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This is Zach’s second year at TCEE. He is so excited to spend the school year as a float teacher and spending time in all classrooms! Prior to working at TCEE, Zach was a special education teacher for 7 years.
Specialists
Yoga Teacher
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Christyn has made her mark as one of Boston’s most loved and sought out Children’s Yoga Teachers and Teacher Trainers. With over 20 years of experience teaching movement to children, she brings a wealth of experience and wisdom to every class. Regarded as an expert in her field, Christyn has presented at the National Children’s Yoga Conference, the National Conference on Children and Homelessness, as well as countless workshops and in-services for teachers. In 2010 she developed the 100 hour KidPowerment Children’s Yoga Teacher Training. She has had the honor of guiding aspiring children’s yoga teachers around the world to find their voices, and give them tools to create engaging and creative classes that are also developmentally appropriate and firmly grounded in yoga. Christyn is the founder of KidPowerment Yoga.
Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
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Deena graduated from The Bank Street College of Education with an MS in Child Life in 2004. She worked with children and families in a variety of different hospital settings including the Emergency Department, the Intensive Care Unit and long-term rehabilitation units. Deena currently lives in Brookline with her husband and children. After being a stay-at-home mom to her 5 children she returned to work as a Lead Teacher in a toddler classroom. Deena is really excited about stepping into the role of the Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant at TCEE because it allows her to use her training and experience in supporting children and families and apply it to the Preschool setting that she loves!
Music Educator
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Joshua Cohen is beyond excited to continue with the Temple Ohabei Shalom family this year as the Music Educator! Josh grew up in Northern California going to Jewish camps and participating in youth group activities. Before he knew it he had fallen in love with Jewish music, playing guitar, and singing. Over 15 years later, he is excited to bring his love of spiritual music to TOS. The last few years he has been fortunate enough to be a Songleader for BBYO, which has allowed him to travel the country spreading ruach to Jewish young adults. He has been living in Boston for several years now and has been involved with a variety of Temples in the area, but now is very happy to finally find a home with TOS.