Diplotots Team

Tiffany had been working for one year in the field of early childhood education when she joined Brynmor. Prior to that, she has been an educator for over five years, including time spent in Korea teaching kindergarten through ninth grade students in English as a second language. She has always had an interest in working with children in some way. Many of the members of her family are educators, and she believes that this influenced her decision to go into this line of work.

The youngest in her family, Tiffany lives in Maryland with relatives nearby. She enjoys travel, watching TV, and reading.

Tiffany gets the most satisfaction when she finds the joy in helping children learn, grow, and overcome challenges. Seeing their excitement when they
learn something new is incredibly rewarding. At Brynmor, Tiffany hopes to help create a supportive and nurturing environment where children feel safe, encouraged, and motivated to learn. She also looks forward to
collaborating with the educator team to ensure that every child receives that attention and care that they need and deserve.

Drawn to the world of early childhood education because she wants to
nurture and be a huge part of a child’s early development, Nefeteria has
been in the field for over 11 years. She finds watching her children learn
and grow and also supporting them and their curious minds the most
satisfying part of this role.

Nefeteria is from Washington, DC and her parents are biracial. Her first
language was Vietnamese. She has an older sister and a younger brother.
She is the proud mother of a beautiful daughter. When she has some free
time, Nefeteria likes to shop, relax, and spend time with her daughter.

Contributing her enthusiasm, dedication, and eagerness to grow as an
Educator, Nefeteria has a short-term goal of becoming a preschool teacher.
Thinking longer term with Brynmor, she aspires to be an Executive Director
and help with opening new centers.

As a child growing up, Beverly always wanted to be a teacher. She realized her dream and has been in the education field for over 25 years. She graduated from high school in North Carolina and then moved to Washington, DC. She got her start at the daycare in her church and was inspired to learn more about early childhood education. She attended classes and obtained her Child Development Associate credential.

The most satisfying part about teaching for Beverly is knowing that the children in her care trust and believe in her and feel confident that they will be safe with her. She has seen how children’s brains are like sponges and she is always amazed at what they are capable of learning. At Brynmor, Beverly hopes to lend her knowledge and new ideas to our team. She also has goals of furthering her own education.

Beverly treasures spending time with her family and has two daughters and a five-year-old grandson. She very much values the time spent with her grandson. She enjoys attending church, singing, and watching Netflix.

Emma has been with Diplotots since 2022 and has been in the early childhood education field for six years. Before working at Diplotots, she also worked for many years in private childcare in McLean, VA. She focuses on engaging children’s interests and letting them learn through play. This year, Emma began working on her CDA credential so she may grow and achieve more in the field that she loves, early childhood education.

Residing in Virginia, Emma has been living in the US for over 22 years. She has two brothers, and she was raised by a single mother. Her mother and one of her brothers work in a retirement home for priests. Her family also has a catering business. In her free time, Emma loves to build miniature houses, listening to music, and reading novels. Her absolute favorite hobby is baking.

Always grateful to have a job that allows her to give support and nourishment to the little ones that come to her Center everyday, she strives to give them the love and attention that they deserve. She is motivated by knowing that she is teaching children the skills that will help them to achieve their goals in life.

Katrina has been in the early childhood education field for over 20 years. She worked for a home daycare and then with ECE programs in Washington, DC. Her degree is in family and consumer sciences with a concentration in child development. Helping children learn and seeing them develop and grow is a passion for Katrina.

She grew up in the Prince George’s County area and still lives in Maryland. Katrina has a son and two brothers. One of her hobbies is line dancing and a favorite quote of hers is “It doesn’t matter if you fall down. What matters is that you get back up.”

At Brynmor, Katrina hopes to continue to grow as an educator and to find new ways to make a real difference in the lives of the children in her classroom. She is committed to the success of the Diplotots children and families.

When her children were younger, Tawana volunteered at the elementary
schools that they attended. The school principals saw her potential to be
an educator because she was so talented working with children. That got
her into the field where she has grown for the past 17 years. Tawana has a
passion for nurturing and caring for young children.

Now living in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Tawana grew up in the
DMV area. She has been married for 26 years and has three adult
children. She enjoys reading motivational books, dining out, and dancing.

Observing how young children develop and grow through positive role
modeling is very motivating for Tawana. She loves seeing them flourish in
her classroom. At Brynmor, she will contribute her wealth of core
knowledge of early learning in a way that shapes her student’s academic
journey.

In addition to completing internships in Maryland public schools, Tea was a teacher for ten plus years in a family-owned childcare center in Washington, DC.  She has her Associates degree in Education from Montgomery College and knew even as a young child that she was going to be a teacher.  

Tea grew up in DC and lives here with her mom and brother.  They just recently said goodbye to their family’s dog who lived to be 19 years old.  Tea loves all things make up, skincare, and perfume.

At Brynmor, Tea hopes to contribute her love and passion for our field and will work to make a lasting impact with children and families.  She believes that educators help contribute to making the world a better place through their love and dedication.

Rochelle’s career in early childhood education spans 37 years and started when she was a senior in high school. While taking a child development class, her teacher helped her learn about careers in the field. She also credits her 6th grade teacher for taking her under her wing and Rochelle knew then that she wanted to nurture and support children. Growing up, she was always drawn to babysitting and taking care of her younger cousins. She started professionally as an assistant teacher and then moved to a lead teacher, assistant director, and now director.

Rochelle has three children and one grandchild. She grew up surrounded by family in Washington, DC and fondly remembers their get-togethers. Her grandmother used to live near the Capital building and the cousins actually played in the halls and visited the offices.

Hoping to continue to grow at Brynmor, Rochelle wants to share her knowledge and mentor her educators. She plans to encourage and reach more families here and help children grow, develop, and discover. Seeing families have wonderful experiences at Brynmor will help us grow into an amazing high quality education destination.

Brenee earned her Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education from American Intercontinental University and has been in the field for seven years. She also has experience working in a charter school as a resource officer.  Growing up, she helped her grandmother with her childcare center and credits that experience with developing her love for education.

Brenee is from Washington, DC and likes to explore the city with her children.  You’ll also find her reading when she has the time.  As one of the oldest in her family, she took care of her younger siblings when they were younger.

One of her goals at Brynmor is to accomplish instilling a lifelong love of learning for the children in her classroom.  Brenee loves to see them grow in their skills and confidence under her guidance and will create a safe and nurturing environment each day.

Nala has been inspired by her mother and by wonderful educators who played an important role in her life. Besides watching her mom raise her and her siblings, Nala visited her mother at work and saw the way that she interacted with and educated each child in her care. The teachers that she had from elementary to middle school and even in high school showed her the difference between simply teaching and actually educating students. They met Nala where she was and showed great support and listening.

Nala has been born and raised in Washington, DC. Her parents were married for 33 years until her father passed away in 2020. She is the youngest in her family and has three brothers and two sisters. In her downtime, you’ll find her watching Law and Order SVU, Chicago PD, drama movies, and shows on Lifetime. She also paints cartoon characters and creates abstract art.

At Diplotots, she loves watching the children learn and grow into smart and creative little people. Witnessing them explore to find themselves and figure out what they like and don’t like is satisfying to see. It warms Nala’s heart to see at the end of the day when children are not ready to leave and to know that they had a great day. Her goal is to have the opportunity to grow and learn at Brynmor while sharing her warm energy and creativity.

While having the opportunity to work in a church summer youth program, Davon saw how she could impact a child’s learning through positive, caring interactions.  She then had the opportunity to work in the field in both Washington, DC and Delaware.  Watching the children in her care grow and reach milestones, Davon strives to support them in a nurturing environment. 

Davon is from DC and earned her BS in Psychology from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.  In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, sleeping, and spending time with her cats.

Joining the Brynmor team, Davon looks forward to growing in her knowledge and understanding of the childcare field.  She brings her joyful and resilient spirit to Diplotots to encourage children to learn and have new experiences.

By observing her Aunt Diane nurture and love children as a child care provider, LaShawn knew that she wanted to be an educator. She has been in the field for over 30 years and credits these early influences for her inspiration and appreciation of young children.

LaShawn is a native Washingtonian and received her college degree in Social Work from the University of the District of Columbia. During her free time, she enjoys doing crossword puzzle, watching movies, and traveling. Her family consists of her sister, her nieces and nephews, and her uncle. Although she does not have children of her own, she is appreciative of being in the presence of your children.

While at Brynmor, LaShawn hopes to contribute and apply her years of knowledge of educating children using the HighScope curriculum. Witnessing the excitement of the children in her care, she loves to see their growth and development flourishing as they become eager learners. LaShawn is committed to the Vision and Mission of Brynmor and to the success of every child.

Jordane has previously worked with elementary school aged children and is excited to begin with a new age group at Brynmor. As someone that has always enjoyed learning and being in academic environments, she has developed a strong interest in working with children. Jordane is motivated by seeing children develop into curious learners.

As a second-generation Washington, DC native, Jordane has enjoyed growing up in the District. She has two older sisters and four nieces and nephews who she enjoys spending time with. Biking, reading, and watching reality TV are all free time activities for Jordane.

Seeing children apply what they learn every day and helping them develop socially and emotionally is important to her. She feels happy when she sees how their personalities emerge and change, and when she understands their interests and learning styles. At Brymor, Jordane hopes to learn new teaching styles and techniques that she can have with her throughout her career in education.

With a background in early childhood wellness intervention visits, leading a summer camp, and tenure at a preschool, Rebekah brings over seven years of experience to the Brynmor team. She has her degree in children and family studies and believes in engaging children in their classroom activities in creative and lighthearted ways. Rebekah truly believes that it is her calling to make a lasting difference in children’s lives.

New to the DMV area, Rebekah is originally from South Carolina. Still in SC are her mother, her siblings and her niece and nephew. She can’t wait to explore DC and find new hobbies in her spare time.

Rebekah’s goal at Diplotots is to contribute to a smooth and peaceful work environment for children, families, and teammates. She looks forward to seeing what she can help to improve and to learning from her new team. Her goal will be to foster lasting relationships with her coworkers and families.

Celina has dedicated nearly a decade to working in childcare, as a teacher, caregiver, and Registered Behavior Technician.  However, her passion has always been in early childhood education, especially with infants.  She is fascinated by the early stages of development and how nurturing environments can shape a child’s foundation for lifelong learning.  With a bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology and a master’s degree in Child and Adolescent Developmental Psychology, she aims to combine her education and experience to create enriching, responsive, and developmentally appropriate spaces for young children to thrive.

Originally from North Carolina, Celina moved to DC this winter.  She has a strong connection to her community which stems from her upbringing in North Carolina.  She is excited to get to know her new home and learn more about DC.  Some of her free time activities are scrapbooking, trying new restaurants, going to concerts and the theater, and just relaxing with a good book or show.

Being part of a family’s support system and making a difference in their journey is extremely rewarding to Celina.  She loves to discover how each child is unique and how to best help them learn through play, structured learning, and emotional support.  At Brynmor, she wants to make a lasting impact on the systems that support children and families while continuing to personally learn and evolve.

Jasmine loves the moment when she walks into her classroom and the
children light up and lift their arms out for a hug. She has been in early
childhood education for over ten years in infant and toddler classrooms.
She loves to help others and enjoys watching children achieve milestones.

A mother of four, Jasmine has two daughters and two sons who are the
focus of her world. They just recently welcomed two miniature poodles to
their family. She was born and raised in Washington, DC. When she has
some free time, Jasmine enjoys reading, shopping, and spending time with
her children.

As someone who gravitates toward people, Jasmine always tries to listen
to and learn from those around her. She wants to grow her career at
Brynmor and looks forward to developing strong relationships with her
peers and the children in her classroom.

Jarae has been with Diplotots for eight years and has contributed so much to our program. She is drawn to the early childhood education field because it is rewarding to see how children learn and develop. Placing an emphasis on getting to know children and their families, she creates a warm environment that promotes learning.

Calling Maryland home, Jarae was born and raised there. She is the mother of a beautiful little girl who inspires her to be better each day. In her free time, Jarae enjoys spending time with her family and indulging in self care.

Knowing that she is helping to shape future generations is important to Jarae and she promotes this in a child led, play based approach. Among her career goals is to obtain her degree in early childhood education. She is committed to being a strong part of the Brynmor team as we deliver on our Vision and Mission.

Felecia has been committed to helping children learn throughout her 32-year career. She has worked in other programs and also with the DC Public School System. Her own love of learning spurred her to go into the education field so she could help others learn. She is a warm and nurturing presence in the classroom.

In her free time, Felecia loves to go fishing, do some shopping, watch movies, and spend time with her family. She has two children and one grandchild. She is also calls Washington, DC home and grew up here.

Now with Brynmor, Felecia will contribute her creativity and friendliness to our program. She wants to share her passion for teaching with Brynmor families. Every day she looks forward to seeing happy children and their smiling faces and knows that they will have fun learning.

As an over 13 year veteran of the early childhood education field, Latoya brings her care and experiences to Brynmor at Diplotots. While in high school, she volunteered every day after school at the center where her mother worked to earn her community service hours. She fell in love with how fun and fast paced the environment was – there is never a boring day working with children!

Latoya was born and raised in the DC area and lives there now with her son. They also have six fish and two guinea pigs called Ethel and Lucy. In her free time, she enjoys building miniature houses, reading, watching nature documentaries, and traveling. Latoya set a goal for herself of visiting all seven continents, and she has three left to visit before her goal is complete.

For Latoya, there is great satisfaction in seeing the children in our care thriving and knowing that we make an impact every day in the lives of children and their families. So much of what a child will become and how they will move through the world is shaped within the first few years of life. At Brynmor, Latoya hopes to bring her adaptability, experience, and child development knowledge to our team.

Carla began her work in childcare in 1991 at a church daycare. She worked in the summer youth program and the director asked if she wanted to stay because of the way that she interacted with children. Helping children learn through play and seeing their growth and progress makes this career meaningful for Carla.

Carla has lived in Washington, DC all of her life. She has three beautiful children – one son Namios and two daughters Matrinique and Natori. She also has three wonderful grandsons – James, Joel, and Antoine. Spending quality time with her family is always a focus for her. Some of her pastimes are shopping, traveling, and watching scary movies.

She has always been passionate about working with children of all ages and watching them grow as learners. Carla hopes to contribute her style of teamwork, loyalty, and understanding to the Brynmor family and is looking forward to this new chapter of learning.

Christian has been in the early childhood education field for six years and has been with Diplotots since 2021. He worked with children in summer camps and helped design engaging programming for his campers. He sees being around children as a way to tap into his inner child and has always loved their energy and curiosity.

Growing up in Washington, DC, Christian also lived in the Bowie Maryland area before returning to DC. He considers his mother, his uncle, and his cousin his family and enjoys spending time with them. Some of his hobbies are sports and watching films.

Besides bringing his perspective as a male in the field of early childhood education, Christian brings his enthusiasm and positive energy to Brynmor. He finds great joy in seeing the children arrive in the morning ready and excited to start their day with him. Christian is committed to helping children learn through play and in an environment where they feel secure and appreciated.

Kay has worked with children since she was a teenager and has enjoyed her twelve years in the field. She grew up in a big family and always helped take care of her two younger siblings which started her love for this work. Knowing that she has made a positive impact on a child’s development is the most satisfying part of her job.

Having an ethnic background from Sierra Leone and Lebanon, Kay feels pride in her heritage. She has older and younger brothers and a younger step-sister. She also counts a mini Golden Doodle Lucki as a member of her family. Going on hikes, trying different foods, and working out all occupy Kay’s free time.

At Brynmor, Kay would like to further her career and continue to grow as an educator. In addition to being a strong team player, she hopes to contribute
positive energy to her classroom and the school as a whole.

Mitra has experience working with children in a preschool setting and loves this age group. She is originally from Afghanistan and worked in a preschool there and also in Albany, New York. She has her Bachelor’s degree in English literature. Mitra is rewarded by seeing children grow in a safe and loving environment.

The oldest of five children, Mitra has two younger brothers and two younger sisters. She lives in Lorton and likes to go shopping and spend time with friends in her spare time. Mitra practices make up skills as a hobby and also likes fish. Her favorite authors are William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, and Jane Austen.

In working with children by helping them develop their creative sides and through singing with them, Mitra finds great enjoyment. She wants to be a positive role model at Brynmor and be a great partner to all of her peers.

Irene has been in the early childhood education field for the past ten years and calls this time period the best of her professional career. In high school, she was an assistant teacher in a kindergarten classroom and that’s when her interest in child development began. When she became the mother of twins, she realized that thier best learning happened through play.

Believing that a hands on, positive and curious mindset is critical in our field, Irene gains satisfaction from knowing that she is a part of a loving, healthy, and safe environment where all children can explore and use their imaginations to learn about the world around them. Her goal as an Educator at Brynmor is to create lifelong relationships with the children and families that she serves. She will encourage curiosity, and self-expression which will allow each child to discover their unique personalities.

Irene is a proud Hispanic and was born in Massachusetts. She’s been married for 29 years. Both of her sons serve in the military and Irene is looking forward to having grandbabies. In 2019, she completed her Associates degree in Early Childhood Education from Northern Virginia Community College.