Our Team
We've built the Little School by carefully bringing together like-minded individuals who share a passion for early childhood development. We love what we do. In addition, we continually invest in our own growth and development, celebrating and challenging each other in weekly meetings or extended professional development sessions. The result is a culture of deep collaboration and mutual respect, and an enviably tenured and experienced team.
Because the longevity of our staff is one of the unique features of The Little School, the bios below appear in order of tenure at the school.
Cassie Britton
Child Development Specialist
Cassie holds a BS in Human Development and Family Studies from Cornell University.
Prior to joining The Little School, she taught at the Cornell University Lab Nursery School and at the Whitney Young Development Center in San Francisco. She also currently teaches Sensory-Social Playgroups with Fiona Zecca. She taught at The Little School for ten years and has worn many hats in her long tenure with us. In her current role as Child Development Specialist she serves as a mentor to teachers and helps guide classroom practice.
This is Cassie's thirty-seventh year at The Little School.
Lisa Treadway
Teacher, Classroom Two
Lisa holds a BA in Psychology from State University of New York at Binghamton and a Program Director level California Child Development Permit. She studied ECE at San Francisco State University and City College of San Francisco.
This is Lisa's thirty-fifth year at The Little School.
Sarita Escobar
Teacher, TK
Sarita has studied ECE at City College of San Francisco.
Prior to joining The Little School, she taught at the Jewish Community Center Early Childhood Development program. She has studied traditional Japanese Taiko drumming since 1986, and in 1990 helped found the children’s branch of the nationally acclaimed San Francisco Taiko Dojo, where she teaches beginning children’s classes.
This is Sarita's thirty-third year at The Little School.
Trina Moore
Teacher, Classroom Five
Trina holds a Bachelors Degree in Child Development from San Francisco State, an ECE certificate from Canada College in Redwood City, and a Site Supervisor level California Child Development Permit.
Prior to joining The Little School, she was a Summer School Co-Director and Head Teacher at Fellowship Academy and Preschool. She is currently the co-director for The Youth and College Age Ministry at the San Francisco Christian Center.
This is Trina's twenty-fifth year at The Little School.
Sotweed Schneble
Teacher, Classroom Four
Sotweed holds an Associate of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education from City College of San Francisco and a Teacher level California Child Development Permit.
Prior to joining The Little School, he taught at The San Francisco School, Brandeis-Hillel School, Pacific Primary and Marin Day School.
This is Sotweed's twenty-fourth year at The Little School.
Mica Saldivar
Teacher, Classroom Four
Mica studied Early Childhood Education at De Anza College in Cupertino and at City College of San Francisco, and has her Associates degree in Early Childhood Education. She holds a Site Supervisor level California Child Development Permit.
Prior to joining The Little School, she was a parent volunteer at Playmates Cooperative Nursery School in San Francisco, taught in a respite care program for United Cerebral Palsy of San Francisco, and at Palcare in Burlingame.
This is Mica's twenty-third year at The Little School.
Barbara Chu
Teacher, Classroom Four
Barbara holds a BA in Broadcast Communications from San Francisco State University. She studied Early Childhood Education at City College of San Francisco and holds a Site Supervisor level California Child Development Permit.
Prior to joining The Little School, she taught at Star Light Christian Preschool and Wu Yee Children’s Services.
This is Barbara's seventeenth year at The Little School.
Megan London
Teacher, Classroom Three
Megan holds an AA degree in ECE from Lane Community College in Eugene, OR. She holds a Child Development Teacher Permit and is currently in the process of earning her Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education through Edvance College in San Francisco.
Prior to joining The Little School, she taught in the Lab Preschool Training Center at LCC and at Unity School in Eugene from 2000-2003. She has held positions as Homeschool Teacher and Behavior Support Specialist for families and preschool programs in San Francisco seeking additional support.
This is Megan's sixteenth year at The Little School.
Alexis Buckley
Teacher, Classroom One (TTH)
Alexis holds a BA in Social Science with a concentration in Children and Families and an MA in Early Childhood Education, both from San Francisco State University. She also holds a Site Supervisor level California Child Development Permit.
Prior to joining The Little School, she worked as a teacher in a mixed age-group class at Bryant Child Development Center. She also has worked as a private childcare provider.
This is Alexis's thirteenth year at The Little School.
Jessica Moskowitz
Teacher, TK
Jessica holds a BS in Early Childhood Education from the School of Education at Boston University.
Prior to joining The Little School, she developed her teaching skills in a mixed-aged classroom at the Early Childhood Learning Lab at Boston University and the Rainbow Preschool in the city of Boston.
This is Jessica's twelfth year at The Little School.
Creni Johnson
Floater Teacher
Creni holds ECE course work from San Francisco Community College.
Prior to joining The Little School, she was a caregiver for a Little School family and their four children for eight years. Since 2001 she has been the Board President for Tabula Rasa Treatment Homes serving juvenile delinquent teenage boys in Sacramento.
This is Creni's tenth year at The Little School.
Brittany Cunningham
Teacher, Classroom Five
Brittany hold a BA in Child and Adolescent Development from SF State University.
Prior to joining The Little School, she spent four years as a Head Teacher working with preschool age children in both Reggio Emilia-inspired and emergent curriculum preschools.
This is Brittany's ninth year at The Little School.
Tomoko Honda
Teacher, Classroom Three
Tomoko holds a BA in Child and Adolescent Development from San Francisco State University.
Prior to joining The Little School, she was a parent volunteer at Rocky Mountain Participation Nursery School and a teacher at Playmates Cooperative Nursery School.
This is Tomoko's eighth year at The Little School.
Jess Zagrobelny
Teacher, Classroom Four
Jess holds a Bachelors Degree in Art Education from San Francisco State University, as well as ECE coursework from Saddleback University and City College of San Francisco.
Prior to joining The Little School, Jess worked as a Jumpstart Corps member implementing early childhood language and literacy programs in underfunded communities, and as an Education Coordinator and Lead Teacher at Bright Horizons.
This is Jess' sixth year at The Little School.
Sarah Blake
Teacher, Classroom Five
Sarah holds a BA in Early Childhood Education from Mills College.
Prior to joining The Little School, she taught at C5 Children's school for three years, and Slippery Fish Co-Operative Preschool for one year. She has previously worked as a private childcare provider and as a mentor for teenagers at San Francisco Art & Film. She loves music and is a certified Music Together teacher.
This is Sarah's sixth year at The Little School.
Sue Dudley
Teacher, Classroom One (MWF)
Sue holds a Bachelor of Arts in Arts in Architecture from UC Berkeley, as well as child development coursework from City College of San Francisco. She also holds a Site Supervisor level California Child Development Permit.
Prior to joining The Little School, she taught for SFUSD, St. Cecilia School, Happy Times, and Congregation Beth Sholom, for a total of twenty-seven years of classroom experience. Additionally, Sue previously spent four years and many summers teaching at The Little School.
Sue is returning to The Little School for her sixth year.
Laura Zellerbach
Program Director
Laura holds a BA in Psychology with Women’s Studies from Barnard College at Columbia University, and an M.S.Ed. in Infant and Family Development and Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special and General Education Dual Certification from Bank Street College of Education in New York.
Prior to joining The Little School she was Director of Curriculum and Staff Development as well as Child Development Specialist at Katherine Michiels School in San Francisco.
This is Laura's sixth year at The Little School.
Sophia Garcia
Teacher, Classroom One
Sophia holds a BA in Child and Adolescent Development, with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education, from San Francisco State University.
Prior to joining The Little School she was a lead teacher at the Jewish Community Center (Helen Diller Campus) for three years, at Bright Horizons for one year, at First Presbyterian Early Childhood Center in Santa Barbara for one year, and at the YMCA Preschool of Santa Barbara for three years.
This is Sophia's sixth year at The Little School.
Nancy Ong
Business Operations Manager
Nancy holds a BS in Finance and Real Estate from San Francisco State University. She also holds a Health and Life Insurance License from the State of California.
Prior to joining The Little School, she was the Office Manager / Project Coordinator / Bookkeeper at the Bay Area Women’s and Children’s Center for 34 years. She co-facilitated a Parent / Child Observation Class for children five and under for over 20 years. She served on the Board of the North Peninsula Mandarin School, Indo-Chinese Housing Corporation, The Tenderloin Scholarship Fund, and BAWCC’s Advisory Board.
This is Nancy’s sixth year at The Little School.
Rosie Bochenek
Teacher, Classroom Three
Rosie holds a degree in Sociology from San Diego State University and Early Childhood Education coursework from Diablo Valley College.
Prior to joining The Little School she taught at the City of Walnut Creek Community Arts Preschool, Larson's Infant Center, and Pixar Child Development Center.
This is Rosie’s fifth year at The Little School.
Jake Stueckle
Teacher, Classroom Four
Jake has studied Philosophy and Music Performance at Whitworth University, holds ECE coursework from City College of San Francisco and is pursuing a BA in ECE at Ashford University.
Prior to joining The Little School, he was a junior preschool teacher at a Kids by the Bay Financial District in San Francisco, the program director for the Cub program at Mountain Camp Woodside, and a program assistant for the Sunset Neighborhood Beacon Center after school program.
This is Jake’s fourth year at The Little School.
Kaile Thomas
Executive Director
Kaile holds a BA in Child and Adolescent Development with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education from San Francisco State University, an MA in Early Childhood Education from San Francisco State University, and a postgraduate certificate in parent-infant mental health.
Prior to joining The Little School, she was the Director of the San Francisco Family Support Network at Safe & Sound.
This is Kaile’s fourth year at The Little School.
Elise Chan
Administrative and Development Coordinator
Elise holds a BA degree in Child and Adolescent Development with a concentration in Early Childhood Education and AA in Psychology. She also holds a Site Director level Child Development Teaching Permit.
Prior to joining the Little School, she taught high school English in Miyazaki, Japan.
This is Elise’s third year at The Little School.
Laura Jamieson
Director of Finance
Laura holds a BS in Accounting from Golden Gate University. Prior to joining The Little School, she was the Chief Financial Officer/Controller of Jewish Family and Children's Services for 20 years. She has served as Treasurer on the Board of Families with Children from China and volunteered for the San Francisco Education Fund as a reading tutor.
This is Laura’s third year at The Little School.
Laura Brady
Teacher, Classroom One (MWF)
Laura holds ECE coursework from College of Marin.
Prior to joining The Little School Laura has spent over 15 years working with children of all ages and abilities as a nanny with Bay Area Families. She trained as a Postpartum Doula and has an ongoing practice as a licensed massage therapist. Laura is the mother to two wonderful teenagers.
This is Laura’s second year at The Little School.
Mukti Dharod
Teacher, Classroom Five
Mukti holds a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Child and Adolescent Development with a concentration in School-Age and Family. She has also done her minor in Education and Special Education from San Francisco State University, as well as Child Development coursework from City College of San Francisco.
Prior to joining The Little School, she taught at StarSeeds, City College Mission Campus School, and Shalom School for a total of five years of classroom experience.
This is Mukti’s second year at The Little School.
Asia Koliner
Teacher, Classroom One
Asia holds a BA in Community Studies from University of California, Santa Cruz and studied ECE at Saddleback College.
Prior to joining The Little School, she spent time working and interning with the Boys and GIrls Club of America, as a patient coordinator at UCSF Pediatric Orthopaedics, and spent two years working at a Reggio-Emilia inspired preschool in San Francisco.
This is Asia's second year at The Little School.
David Rubin
Facilities Coordinator
David holds a BA in Sociology and joins us after a seven year career in Software. Working as the Facilities Coordinator at the Little School, he brings a strong background in organization, task management, problem solving and collaboration to the team. His focus is on maintaining and improving the facilities around the school to make sure it is always a safe and fun place for kids to learn.
This is David’s first year at the Little School.
Sam Mainman
Teacher, Classroom Two
Sam holds a BS in Family Studies and Human Development from the University of Arizona, an MAT in Early Childhood Education from the College of Charleston, as well as a Teacher level California Child Development Permit.
Prior to joining the Little School, Sam was a lead preschool teacher in an inclusion classroom at Valley View Early Learning Center in the Catalina Foothills School District 16 in Tucson, AZ for four years. Sam also has experience working with foster care children and families in the Tucson area and nannying for various families throughout the years.
This is Sam's first year at the Little School.
Riley Graham
Floater Teacher
Riley holds a BA in German Studies from San Francisco State University and an MA in Education with an Emphasis in Education from Mills College. She studied Early Childhood Education at City College of San Francisco and holds a Site Supervisor level California Child Development Permit.
Prior to joining The Little School, she worked in a bilingual preschool in Germany, the Children's School at Mills College, and Pacific Primary in San Francisco. Riley has been working in the field of Early Childhood Education for over 15 years.
This is Riley’s first year at The Little School.
Kathy Prophete
Teacher, Classroom Two
Kathy holds a MA in Early Childhood Education from San Francisco State University, and her undergraduate work concentrated on Elementary Education with a minor in Child Development. Kathy has a California Multiple Subjects Credential and a Child Development Directors Permit. Kathy has been an educator for over 25 years, specializing in relationship-based programs grounded in attachment theory and developing emergent and project-based curricula inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach.
Prior to joining the Little School, Kathy founded, directed, and co-taught at Mount Sutro School, a small part-day enrichment program for young toddlers and two-year-olds.
This is Kathy’s first year at The Little School.
Maria Silva
Teacher, Classroom 5 and TK
Maria holds Early Childhood Development coursework from Cañada College. Prior to joining The Little School, she taught for the City of South San Francisco at a private play based preschool for 7 years. She also mentored school aged youth in South San Francisco’s Park and Recreation after school program for 2 years.
This is Maria’s first year at The Little School.
Gaydean Valdez
Teacher, TK
Gaydean has been teaching young children since 2001. Prior to teaching at the Little School she worked at Katherine Michiels school in San Francisco. She specializes in gardening with kids that promotes cognitive, social and emotional learning through garden and environment. She was also a head teacher for preschool and Pre-K aged children for many years.
This is Gaydean’s first year at The Little School.