Our Teachers

Upon graduating from Miami University with a degree in Liberal Arts, Krista spent a year in the South of France as a Jeune Fille au Pair where she fell in love with the culture and language. She also had a minor in Music and decided to pursue her Suzuki Certification in Piano, teaching for the University of Cincinnati Preparatory department before taking a full time position as a Suzuki teacher on the lovely island of Bermuda! Krista taught at the Bermuda Suzuki Academy for three years and met her husband, who is from Paris, France, while living on the island. After her daughter was born, Krista returned to The States and got her Montessori Certification with NCME in 2002. She has taught at Montessori programs in the Cincinnati area. Krista also maintains a part-time Piano Studio in her home in Loveland. She enjoys being part of the Little Sprouts program.

Emily has a Bachelor of Music degree and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She has played the violin since childhood and played professionally for 20 years in Washington DC. She is also an RN. She has taught violin and Pilates and is eager to teach more subjects. She is passionate about animal welfare and animal rescue, including adopting a pit bull who was 13 years old at adoption from Animal Care Humane Society in Cincinnati.

Liza is a registered nurse and educator who loves coming up with creative ways to connect people with themselves, each other, and the planet. She believes that hands-on learning is key to making this world a better place. She has taught in elementary schools, high schools, colleges, hospitals, and the great outdoors, and she’s thrilled to be teaching at Leaves of Learning. She completed Ohio State’s Ohio Volunteer Naturalist course in 2022, and is a Certified Interpretive Guide. She received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UC, and a Bachelor of Health Promotion and Education from UC. Liza is a Cincinnati native and lives in Wyoming with her husband, three homeschooled daughters, two dogs, and 5 chickens. When she doesn’t have to be inside, you’ll find her with her daughter and dogs, out on a hike.

Chelsea Borgman is an artist and educator. She received her master’s degree in art education and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies from Penn State University and her bachelor’s in studio art from Kenyon College. She was the 2019 recipient of the Judy Chicago Art Education Award. Chelsea teaches a variety of art classes at Leaves of Learning and has experience teaching across age groups and contexts. She was a teacher and gallery coordinator at Brazee Street Studios for six years, where she taught children and adults glass fusing techniques. Chelsea has also worked as an educator in art museums, galleries, and schools. She is passionate about learning and experimenting through art-making.

Donald Broerman, a Cincinnati native, earned his Bachelor of Music in classical guitar performance at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) under the direction of Clare Callahan, graduating magna cum laude in 2013. He has also studied with David Case at the University of Oregon (School of Music) and jazz guitar with Mike Denny and Chris Sorenson. He started his training at the Musical Arts Center in Cincinnati. His high school rock band won first place in the High School Band Challenge and fourth place in the Battle of the Bands at Bogarts. During his time at CCM, Mr. Broerman performed in master classes from internationally acclaimed artists such Oscar Ghiglia, David Russell, Robert Belinic and Rupert Boyd, and participated in classes given by Zoran Dukic, Marcin Dylla, Carlos Perez, Johannes Möller, Daniel Lippel, and others. Courses completed for degree include: Guitar Pedagogy, Guitar Repertoire and History, and Guitar Ensemble. Donald is an active composer, whose compositions are primarily solo guitar works. He briefly studied composition with Terry McQuilkin at the University of Oregon, Orchestration at CCM, and had private lessons with Jennifer Jolley (Composition Professor at Ohio Wesleyan, President and Co-founder of N.A.N.O. Works Opera Company). A budding interest in this field has led to performances of his own works at CCM’s Something Different, Classical Revolution, and a commission by The Ascend Project. Mr. Broerman serves the community through his work in nonprofits. His work includes serving as president of Greater Cincinnati Guitar Society and as a member and guitar adjudicator for the Ohio Music Educators Association. Donald is a dedicated pedagogue. His students have won gold medals in the Royal Conservatory of Music examinations. His teaching experience includes Indian Springs Academy of Music, Wyoming Fine Arts Center, and Northern Kentucky School of Music, as well as co-directing and instructing at the CCM Guitar Youth Workshop.

Linda has been part of the Leaves of Learning community since 2016. Her experience working with children includes 13 years as a paraprofessional at Sands Montessori Elementary School. She has taught arts and crafts in after-school enrichment programs and at Evendale Cultural Arts Center.

Linda enjoys acrylic painting, sewing, and making fairy gardens, gnomes, and ornaments. She brings her love of crafting and experience with children to helping Leaves students discover the joy of creating.

Sharon Cardona’s experience includes fourteen years working as a sign language interpreter in the Greater Cincinnati area. Prior to that she worked as a teacher for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in the public schools, both in Ohio and in Indiana. Sharon’s experience also includes eight years homeschooling her two children, who have attended Leaves. She loves balancing freelance interpreting with homeschooling. Sharon is really excited to be working at Leaves of Learning, teaching and sharing her passion for ASL and the culture of the Deaf.

Jordanne is a Licensed Advanced Cosmetologist with experience as an independent stylist, makeup artist, and special-occasion artist. Her experience as a homeschool parent informs her approach to individualized learning.

Her classes introduce basic cosmetology techniques, proper hygiene, and a healthy self-image in a welcoming environment. She helps students develop practical skills, confidence, and respect for themselves and others.

Heather began homeschooling her two boys in 2000 and has been a part of the Leaves of Learning community since 2001. In 2012, she started back to work as a part-time assistant in the Little Sprouts classroom, where she was inspired to go back to school and obtain her Montessori Early Childhood Education credentials. She attended the University of Cincinnati and the Greater Cincinnati Center for Montessori Education. The opportunity to work with young children is very rewarding for her. She is energized by their wonder and enthusiasm, and thoroughly enjoys watching them blossom in the classroom. Heather is passionate about the Montessori Method and Leaves of Learning. She loves the way they both foster peace, independence, and a natural love of learning in the children. When Heather is not enjoying her time in the Little Sprouts classroom, she loves traveling and hiking with her family, nature and nature photography, gardening, and reading.

Jennifer has been teaching for over twenty-one years. The first nine years were spent full-time in both public and private schools. When her first child was born she decided to become a stay-at-home mom—a decision that quickly led to becoming a homeschooling mom. During that time she continued to teach small groups part-time, and she also directed several children’s choruses and theaters. Jennifer believes that hands-on exploration and play are vital to learning, and she strives to create a respectful environment in which work, active play, and creativity go hand-in-hand.

Erin Deschene graduated from Saint Mary’s College with a Degree in Communications and a minor in Speech Pathology. As a writer, she has been published in the textbook Principles in Advertising. She has worked as a computer trainer, as well as a public relations and media specialist. Her passions led her to study Art History in Italy and continue to earn a Master’s Degree in Italian and Literature at Middlebury College in Vermont. Erin’s passion for a global Classical education developed while studying at Middlebury College under professors from Europe. She has homeschooled her children for over 15 years. Additionally, she has taught middle school and high school literature, history, speech, debate, drama, and science to area homeschool students in classrooms for over 10 years. Her love of integrating concepts and ideas from Art, History, Geography, Philosophy, and Literature is a gift she uses to inspire her students.

Julie Doughty graduated from James Madison University with a B.S. with honors in early childhood education. After graduation she moved with her husband to Blacksburg, Virginia, where she took classes from a professional potter and participated in the annual art show and sale in Baltimore for several years. Julie began homeschooling her children in 1999 and teaching at Leaves of Learning in 2008, but she has been involved as a parent here since 2001. Julie loves working with clay with her students and watching their projects evolve as they gain new skills.

Evan is a Leaves of Learning alum, and is delighted to return as a teacher. While a student at Leaves, Evan worked with a team of around 50 other students to create three feature-length films. Through that process, he discovered a love for crafting sets, props, and costumes, and is excited to share that passion with students at Leaves. He graduated with honors as a Cutler Fine Arts Scholar from Ohio University’s Honors Tutorial College with a BFA in Film. That film program allowed him to study alongside the School of Film’s MFA program, working together on short films and graduate thesis projects as well as his own honors thesis. He has crafted props for various university theatre productions, and worked as an intern for Paper Mache Monkey Art & Design in New York. During his internship, projects included an interactive sculpture piece for the Lincoln Center for the Arts under the direction of Tony Award-winning set designer Mimi Lien and a window display for a sports-fashion retail store in Times Square. All of these experiences have further cultivated his passion for creating sets and props for a variety of venues. Evan has also spent extensive time delving into stop-motion animation and puppetry, and is an avid sculptor. Evan enjoys D&D, painting miniatures, sci-fi and fantasy media, comic books, and tabletop gaming with his fiancée and two cats, Wilf and Graham.

Julie Hamman is thrilled to be part of the Leaves of Learning community. She previously taught middle school math and science in a private school in Chicago. Teaching in Chicago was such a wonderful experience, and she is so happy to be back to teaching and living in Cincinnati with her husband and children. Julie received her education degree from The University of Dayton and her master’s from Concordia University in Chicago. Julie loves working with the students and parents each year at Leaves of Learning.

Tom spent 23 years in business management before making a career move to follow his life goal of being a teacher. His experience includes 16 years as a Philosophy and Music teacher for Great Oaks Schools Adult Education. His love of philosophy began while attending Miami University when he was first assigned the work of Baruch Spinoza. Since then, he has studied and taught the combined works of not only Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, but also the evolving ideas of Kierkegaard through Sartre. Tom has also been a jazz fusion, rock, and blues guitarist for many years, playing both solo and with his own bands. Tom lives in Cincinnati with his wife, Tami. They are the happy and proud parents of two incredible adult children and two wonderful grandchildren.

Caren graduated from the University of Dayton in 2005 with a degree in Liberal Arts with a concentration in Psychology, Sociology and Women’s Studies. From high school and beyond Caren has been on a stage performing or singing weddings. She’s been creating art from a young age and as an adult, coined her sewing business, Little Red Bird Studio from 2012-2016. When her second daughter was born she stayed home with both children and slowly found her way to coaching kids’ sports, attaining yoga certifications for both kids and adults while falling into the journey of homeschooling. Movement, music and many forms of creativity have always fueled Caren and it’s an absolute delight to bring sprinkles of mindfulness, movement and creativity to her classes at Leaves of Learning.

Holly is a history educator and writing instructor with more than ten years of classroom experience. She taught history courses and led writing workshops for the California State University system for years before moving with her family to Cincinnati. Her university teaching experience also includes remote lecturing. She also works as a freelance writer, editor, and subject-matter expert, with clients ranging from small businesses, independent authors, and corporate textbook publishers. She holds a Masters in History from CSULB and a professional editing certificate from UC Berkeley.

Jessica joined the Leaves teaching community after being a Leaves parent. She enjoys sharing her love of reading and classic literature with students. Her background in residential planning and interior design brings a creative perspective to her teaching.

Jessica aims to create a fun, inclusive classroom where every student feels respected and valued. Outside the classroom, she enjoys bookstores, local coffee shops and restaurants, and cheering on her children at their activities.

Julia received her undergraduate degree in communications and public relations from the University of Dayton and a master’s degree in elementary education from DePaul University. After teaching kindergarten in Chicago for six years, she relocated to Cincinnati in 2013. Julia has raised two daughters while running her family-owned service technician dispatch company. She loves traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family. She brings a unique, challenging, and fun experience to the classroom.

Molly graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a BS in Special Education. She has over nine years of experience in the public school setting from kindergarten through 12th grade. She loves working with students and helping their little brains learn and grow in their own unique ways. Her goal for her students is for them to not only grow academically, but grow as people while in her classroom. She’s also a life and leadership coach. Molly is the mom of two young boys and when she’s not running around with them, she likes to read, bake, and do puzzles.

Joanna is part of the Leaves of Learning and Little Sprouts team. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Film Studies from Tulane University and a master’s degree and teaching license from the University of Virginia. She taught first and fifth grades in Virginia public schools and has teaching experience from toddler through adolescent levels.

Joanna enjoys the Montessori approach, helping young children build confidence through hands-on work, and sharing early literacy and children’s literature. She and her husband enjoy traveling, cooking, gardening, reading, and spending time with their foster children.

Julie taught for nine years in an elementary school and has been at Leaves of Learning since 2007. During those years Julie has taught a variety of high school, middle school, and elementary school classes. Julie has an associate’s degree in nursing and spent four years working in healthcare as a registered nurse. Julie received a BA in biology and a BS in elementary education from UC. She has completed twelve hours of graduate work in gifted education at XU. Teaching is not just imparting knowledge; it is about inspiration as well. She encourages children to take part in their learning by sharing ideas and insights, using creative methods to solve problems, and reflecting on their progress and feelings about their work. Julie uses hands-on activities and critical thinking problem sets to encourage children to learn in different ways. Being a teacher is more than a job, it’s a calling. It’s where she feels happiest and most content, as though the very reason she exists has been revealed.

Born in Philadelphia, PA (and a huge Eagles fan) Joe is proud to have been a part of
the Leaves of Learning family for at least seven years! He graduated from
Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Science in History. After calling Chicago
home for ten years, he met and married his wife Elizabeth, but they soon relocated to
Cincinnati, where his wife could finish her master’s degree in animal behavior. They
share a house with a mischievous cat named Spats, a goofy yet adorable yellow lab
named Oakie, and their amazing daughter, Violet. Joe has taught some fun classes
over the years including history, government, mythology, film analysis, drama,
psychology and law, and speech and debate. When he is not teaching at Leaves of
Learning, he enjoys acting in community theater. His theater credits include Uncle Louie
in Lost in Yonkers, Sidney in Catch Me If You Can, and Owen in the The Foreigner.

Elena has lived on two continents and attended school in three countries. She is fluent in Romanian, French, and Italian. Elena loves to cook and bake with her LOL students. She enjoys listening to chamber music, and jogging in the company of her two dogs. Elena attended law school in Bucharest, Romania, where she was born and raised. She continued her studies in Vancouver, Canada, where she focused on criminology and law. Elena married and followed her husband to Cincinnati, Ohio, when he landed an engineering job in aviation at GE. She attended graduate school at University of Cincinnati on a full merit scholarship. Here, Elena earned her MS in criminal justice. As a doctoral student at UC, Elena taught research methods and statistics for social sciences on campus, as well as facilitated distance learning for criminal justice graduate students. She conducted research, reviewed for Security Journal, and published work in the areas of international crime, victimization, statistics, and workplace violence. When her first daughter was born, Elena became a homeschooling mom. In 2012, Elena and her two daughters joined the Leaves of Learning community. She is excited and honored to share her passion for cooking, languages, and social sciences with her students. Elena loves teaching at Leaves of Learning!

Julia is an artist and illustrator living and working in Cincinnati, Ohio. Born the youngest of seven children in a family of educators, Julia started drawing as a child and never stopped. She earned a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art (2015) in fine art and creative writing before moving to Cincinnati, where she has made a life filled with creativity, collaboration, and connection.

In 2020, she held two consecutive residencies at the Contemporary Arts Center, where her interactive installation Flourish (2022) was exhibited alongside two murals in the Creativity Center. As the Cincinnati Art Museum’s Rosenthal Education Center Artist in Residence, her installation Mural of Cincinnati (2023) joyfully reinterpreted the collection’s Saul Steinberg mural for all ages and abilities. She appreciates the way her work often overlaps with learning and accessibility. You might find Julia at her studio in Northside or casting spells in her tiny garden.

Sarah has been a part of the Leaves community since 2013. Her two children attended Leaves of Learning for their preschool and elementary education. She has worked as a long-term substitute teacher and a tutor at Leaves. Sarah graduated from University of Cincinnati in 2005 with an Applied Science degree in radiologic technology with a focus on physics and math. Sarah’s teaching approach is teaching the whole child, learning from them, and digging deep into their passions. Sarah is thrilled to be a permanent member of the staff and is excited to create an engaging learning environment where students feel happy, healthy, safe, engaged, and supported to explore new challenges.

Amanda Marasch-Brinkman is a boomerang Cincinnatian with a degree in Musical Theatre. She spent eleven years living in and loving New York City, where she worked in the stage, TV, and film industries. Amanda loves teaching the next generation of artists and humans, including her son. She teaches with many different organizations in the Cincinnati area and feels like her cup overflows when she can support her students in expressing themselves through the arts. Some of her TV credits include HBO’s Girls, the Dr. Oz Show, and How Do You Write a Joe Scherman Song. She also appeared as an inmate on six seasons of Orange is the New Black. Amanda worked three years as a stand-in on various sets, including Netflix’s Seven Seconds for Nadia Alexander, HBO’s Girls for Aidy Bryant, and Netflix’s OITNB for Kate Mulgrew, Annie Golden, Dale Soules, and Natasha Lyonne.

Christina is the happy flower farmer-florist behind The Flower Lady LLC. She earned a BA in mass communications from Wright State University, and horticultural training through Berea College and The Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati. Christina specializes in growing flowers using organic growing practices and creating beautiful and fragrant solutions for just about every floral need. Her primary focus is serving brides, private clients, local restaurants, and small businesses in the Over-the-Rhine (OTR) neighborhood where she lives, works, and gardens. She also LOVES to teach her trade of flower farming-floristry and is grateful for the opportunity to grow and learn with the staff, students, and families of Leaves of Learning.

Diana has a Chemical Engineering degree from Purdue University. She worked in research and development for a polymer manufacturer where she specialized in adhesives for food packaging applications. During her nine years in the industry, she earned several patents for adhesives in coextrusion applications. Diana’s passion for teaching in the classroom was kindled after becoming involved in several science outreach programs that connected technical professionals with K-12 teachers and students. She decided to make the switch to teaching and has loved it ever since! Diana brings a practical and problem solving approach to the classroom. Her goal is to foster curiosity in students through a hands-on and process-oriented science program.

Amy has a degree from Ball State University School of Architecture and has practiced architecture in Georgia, Indiana, and Ohio. She has also worked in the graphic arts field, owning her own design studio creating wedding and event stationery. She is a homeschool mom of four boys. She is also a certified instructor of the American Cursive Handwriting System created by Master Penman Michael Sull and teaches lettering, calligraphy, and cursive to students all over the country. She is a member of the International Association for Master Penmen, Engrossers and Teachers of Handwriting (IAMPETH) and the Greater Cincinnati Calligrapher’s Guild. When not teaching or practicing calligraphy, you can find her hiking and enjoying the outdoors with her husband and sons.

Justine has her B.A in Montessori education from Xavier University and over twenty years of teaching experience. Montessori is a way of life for her. She loves to watch the progression of children through the three-year cycle and to be able to participate in their development. By the time they complete the cycle, they have grown into confident, capable, curious, and caring people. She treasures being a part of the process and is so happy to have the opportunity to work at Leaves of Learning. Justine is a Cincinnati native and has two sons.

Bikem grew up in Cincinnati before moving to California where she lived for five years. There, she earned degrees in Bioengineering (B.S.) and Psychology (B.S.) from the University of California, San
Diego (UCSD) and established her love of teaching. After UCSD, Bikem moved across the country to Pennsylvania for graduate school in Urban Education (M.Ed. & Ph.D.) at Temple University. Her interests
in education equity, particularly the school-to-prison pipeline, school discipline, and education during incarceration drew her to that program. While in Philadelphia, she taught undergraduate courses at Temple University and graduate courses at West Chester University and served as Assistant Director for
Academic Coaching at Temple University’s Center for Learning and Student Development. The pandemic brought her, and her constant companion and favorite travel buddy (her little dog, Gary) back home, where she is very excited to be a part of the Leaves of Learning community.

Pam is passionate about math and believes it can be enjoyable for everyone. She spent ten years designing games. Through this work she learned to be creative while using her math brain; she hopes to bring this mindset to her students. Pam holds a M.S. in Predictive Analytics and coaches youth soccer. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two young sons. She is passionate about music, literature, and art and sees math as an integral part of all the beauty in life.

Jenny graduated from Miami University with a BA in mathematics and statistics and a BS in secondary mathematics education. She taught everything from algebra to calculus at Middletown High School for four years before becoming a stay-at-home mom. She taught part-time at Miami University Middletown. She has taught at Leaves of Learning since 2006. While teaching at Leaves, Jenny earned her master’s degree in education. She lives in Franklin with her husband, two children, three cats and one dog.

Jess has been active in the photography field as a professional for over three years with her company, ‘Say Yes To Jess’, but she has been a practicing photographer for over ten years. Jess has a background in digital arts, video, and business. She has taught several after school enrichment classes to children looking to further their skills in the arts. She is excited to be able to share her passion for photography with Leaves students.

Elizabeth loves the hands-on philosophy LOL embraces, the passion with which children are encouraged to learn, and the opportunities for success LOL provides. She is excited to meet her students and delve into learning with them! Elizabeth has a B.A. in international affairs and a M.Ed. in elementary education from the University of Cincinnati and is a certified teacher. She taught sixth grade at Freedom Elementary in the Lakota school district for five years. She has also tutored children in math, reading, and writing. Elizabeth believes strongly in creating a nurturing learning environment in which children are supported in their individual learning styles. As the workshop facilitator for the Bullies and Victims program, she worked with students, parents, and educators throughout the Greater Cincinnati area to teach strategies to eliminate bullying. Additionally she has been a teacher at Camp Invention. Her son, Evan, attended Leaves of Learning for 10 wonderful years before graduating and heading off to college. Elizabeth enjoys reading, cross-stitch, playing board and card games with her son and husband, and attending cultural events.

Sara is part of the Leaves of Learning and Little Sprouts community. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Mount St. Joseph University and a Master of Education in Montessori Education with a 6–9 credential from Xavier University. Her experience includes children’s mental health, youth counseling, and motor skill development.

Sara has taught in 3–6 and 6–9 Montessori classrooms and online. She values learning environments that nurture curiosity and independence while meeting each child where they are. Outside school, she enjoys music, baking, camping, geocaching, and fostering dogs with her family.

Justin West is a composer and artist whose work integrates sound, electronics, and installation. As a member of the art collective Intermedio, Justin creates interactive and immersive musical experiences using speakers, computer programming, and live performers. His installations create spaces where observers become participants. Throughout his work he explores the roles of composer, conductor, performer, instrument, and listener — what they are and what they will become in the age of the bit. His artwork and performances have been featured at the Contemporary Arts Center, BLINK, Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival, and with an outdoor installation called “Twist” in the Court Street corridor in downtown Cincinnati. Justin was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1988. He received his B.M. in music composition from Heidelberg University in 2011.

Madelaine is a performer with a background in musical theater, jazz, and rock and roll performance. She attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA where she earned a Bachelor of Music in jazz vocal performance and then began a master’s in K-12 music education. She left the master’s program in order to work in private childcare while working as a performer for the next several years. She returned to the Cincinnati area in 2015 and continued working in the performance arts as the front woman for a local wedding/event band while also managing two local businesses and volunteering with various community theater groups. Madelaine left her role as a general manager in order to be able to dedicate more time to the performing arts. She has a deep love for choral music and musical theater and is delighted to be sharing the joy of music and theater with students of all ages.

McKenzee is an assistant in the Little Sprouts Program. Her Montessori journey began in 2012, and she values its child-led, hands-on approach to learning.

Outside the classroom, McKenzee runs a small-batch bakery business. Her work at Leaves combines her interest in early childhood education with her creative passions as she supports children exploring and learning.