Founding Team
Anna Caroline Tehan is an Early Childhood Special Education + Montessori Certified + Anti-bias Early Education Leader. She brings 15Y experience as a creative arts & early childhood educator internationally and locally in underserved communities, classrooms and foster care settings, centering our inclusion practices.
Anna Ellis Nesser is an Early Childhood Special Education + Montessori Certified Educator, and a School Greening and Gardening Consultant. Anna's 14Y experience in early childhood education in classrooms & in developing and leading NYC urban farm programs for all ages is key to our nature-based approach.
Clara Planel is a Brazilian-American with two decades of experience growing communities and businesses, who took the leap of becoming an Early Childhood Educator since 2020, studying Special Education at Bank Street College and helping Collective Kind make the dream of progressive quality education come true for families of all backgrounds.
Our Incredible Team:
Carly Zurcher (she/they) @ Slope Teacher Director is a passionate, early childhood educator who is constantly seeking new ways to engage young children in action-based learning. After graduating from Bank Street with a Masters in Early Childhood Education, she moved to Brooklyn and worked in a Reggio Emilia-inspired classroom in South Slope for four years. They have been teaching for over eight years, and enjoy developing emergent curriculum and centering open play in the classroom. They are especially passionate about social emotional learning with a strong emphasis on social justice and providing children with opportunities to use their powerful voices for action.
Emiliana Castillo (she/her) @ Rogers Teacher Director is an early childhood educator, Mom and Artist with 13+ years working as a teacher in New York City with a back round in visual art. A Native New Yorker born in the Bronx and raised in Staten Island, her family is originally from Chile. A passion besides teaching and art is singing and song writing, with songs placed in movies like the Eternals and commercials for Stella McCartney. She looks forward to bringing her love for music and art to the program.
Emily Roese (she/her) @ Admin + Clermont - is a teacher, writer, and creative arts organizer in Brooklyn. She’s spent the last few years working in early childhood education and formerly co-taught the Toddler Program@ Gowanus, now located in Carroll Gardens. In the classroom, Emily loves to foster a playful, generative space for our CK kiddos. She is passionate about child-led approaches and meeting every student on their level. Outside of the classroom, she organizes arts events in Flatbush and is pursuing her Masters in Creative Writing.
Fabio Malzbauer (he/him) @ Clermont Afterschool - Fabio has spent time teaching in Europe and supporting refugee families, experiences that shaped his passion for community and social connection. He loves creating spaces where children feel safe, curious, and inspired to explore. Outside the classroom, Fabio is a musician, and he often brings the joy of rhythm and creativity into his work with kids.
Gina Trobiani (she/her) @ Admin + Slope is a born and raised New Yorker with a background in speech-language pathology. She admires Collective Kind’s approach to accessible education and is thrilled to be working behind the scenes to support each and every family as part of the administrative team! As a licensed speech-language pathologist, Gina believes play is the best way to learn and is passionate about guiding children to find their voices and express themselves. She strives to foster inclusive communities for all children and their families. Outside of the office/classroom, Gina enjoys learning new languages, singing, and spending time with her friends and family!
Jessica Melendez (she/her) is a dedicated early childhood educator with a Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts, with a concentration in Social Welfare, from The City College. With six years of experience as a nanny and a Montessori preschool teacher, she understands the significance of introducing young children to diverse cultures, especially in a melting pot like New York City. Jessica is from Brooklyn, NY, and is bilingual, a skill she enthusiastically integrates into her classroom lessons to enrich her students' learning experiences. Outside of her professional life, Jessica is an avid runner and cherishes quality time with her family, with whom she shares a profound connection to her Mexican heritage.
Jo Solomon (they/them) @ Clermont Co-Teacher believes deeply in the wisdom of children. Originally from New York, they spent the past five years working as an early childhood and arts educator in the Bay Area, and are currently pursuing a Masters of Early Childhood Education at Bank Street. They are thrilled to be joining the Collective Kind community this fall! When not with little ones, Jo can be found sewing clothes, biking around Brooklyn, or tinkering with their miniatures.
Margaret Ellis (she/her) social media, born and raised in Brooklyn, NY has developed and taught early education classes in dance and Spanish. She has worked in Montessori and public school classrooms in both NYC and Ohio over the past four years. She uses her background in Anthropology and early childhood anti-bias studies to foster social-emotional growth in children through play, art, and movement.
Sherry Taylor (she/her) @ Clermont Afterschool + Woodhull Teacher Director has been working with kids for over 15 years. Her philosophy of education is that all children are unique and must have a stimulating educational environment where they can grow.
She has worked with kids of all different age groups. Her experience ranges from developing engaging lesson plans to creating a safe and inclusive space where every child feels valued. The joy of contributing to child’s growth and being part of their early experience is incredibly rewarding and fuels her commitment to education.
Stacey Sukoff (she/her) @ Clermont Director is a career early childhood educator excited to join a community of caring and loving educators. She has spent time teaching in a variety of early childhood settings in the midwest and NYC as well as studying Curriculum and Teaching at Teachers College with a special focus on bringing socially just and inclusive curriculum and instruction into the classroom. Her favorite part about being at school is building relationships and experiencing joy with children and families!
Tara Sacerdote (she/her) @ Slope Co-Teacher Tara believes in children's innate capacity to learn, connect, and explore their environments and social relationships. She's interested in the body as machine and computer, breath as life force, and the imagination to tie it all together. This is Tara's sixth year in the early childhood classroom.
When she's not at school you can find her riding public transit, walking slow, or dancing crazy. She received her early childhood credential from Westside Montessori school teacher education program in 2025.
Tori James (she/her) @ Rogers Co-Teacher takes pride in creating safe and nurturing spaces where children can enjoy learning about themselves and the world around them. She has 8 years of experience teaching toddlers, twos as well as Kindergarteners. She holds an Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Brooklyn College. This fall, she will be pursuing her Masters in Early Childhood Education at Hunter College.
When she’s not teaching, she enjoys doing hair and nails for family and friends. She also loves to read and cook.
Vanessa Maldonodo Bates (she/her) @ Clermont Montessori Guide is a British-Venezuelan AMI Montessori Certified Educator + Event Producer + eternally curious person. With background in Art History and Museum Studies . She is passionate about art, music, theatre, literature and dance. Vanessa is looking forward getting to know the children and helping them nurture and strengthen their individuality.
Our Founding Team:
Anna Ellis Nesser (she/her)
Anna Caroline Tehan (she/her)
MariaClara Planel (she/her)
Learn More about our Vision
Progressive Early Education Should be for All - This is Collective Kind