Laurel
Executive
Director
Laurel is a long-time Playmates community member and started as a teaching parent in January of 2018 when her first daughter Saoirse was 2 ½. She began teaching the Young 5 class in the Fall of 2021. Her younger daughter Millie graduated Young 5 in 2023!
Laurel has worked with children since 2006. She studied Child Development at City College of San Francisco, then went to SFSU where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.
Being a parent, Laurel has taken a couple gentle parenting courses over the years. She values play-based and child-led learning and is passionate about supporting, nurturing, and appreciating young children as they learn, develop, and grow. She is also passionate about this co-op community and is Playmates’ representative for the California Council of Parent Participation Nursery Schools.
In her free time, Laurel enjoys sewing, knitting, and of course any adventures with her two girls.
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Angela
Young 5 Teacher
Angela studied Child Development at San Jose State University and has worked with children since 1998. She is passionate about child development and especially enjoys the connections made between teachers and families. Angela says, “The amount of growth that happens for children in the first five years of their lives is so monumental that being a part of it is so amazing.”
Previously, Angela worked at three other play-based preschools. But, it wasn’t until her daughter was enrolled at Playmates, that she discovered how a true play-based program operated. Angela was amazed at the children’s freedom to discover their surroundings, using the tools to solve their problems and create their own worlds. Being a part of Playmates for Angela means helping children build the strong foundations they need to succeed in their futures.
Angela currently holds her Master Teacher permit and is working towards her Site Supervisor qualifications. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, baking, cooking, crafting, and eating the food that San Francisco has to offer.
Vanessa
Young 5
Teacher
Vanessa was born and raised in Switzerland, where she studied child development. She brings 16 years of experience working with children 0-5 years of age.
Vanessa is also a mother to two daughters. The older daughter attends Francis Scott Key Elementary, while the younger daughter will be joining our preschool community.
In her free time, Vanessa loves family trips to the Zoo, Cal Academy, and going on hiking adventures all along the coast.
Carrie
Part-time and Substitute Teacher
Carrie, our part-time and substitute teacher, was a student of Playmates back in 1986 and returned 20 years later to become a teacher. “Playmates has always been a home away from home, I spent a lot of time here growing up.” Carrie’s mom, Joelene Maher, was a teacher and then the director of Playmates for many years. Carrie is the youngest four children, all of whom are Playmates alum.
Carrie is a 4th generation San Franciscan and loves the Giants, Warriors, and Forty Niners. She grew up in the Sunset district and now resides in the Haight with her husband Chris and senior dog Charlie. She bowls in a bowling league every Wednesday night and enjoys the outdoors.
When Carrie’s not at Playmates, she’s working as a personal assistant.
Emily
Preschool
Teacher
Emily grew up in Minnesota and has lived in San Francisco for 14 years. She is working toward her ECE Teacher certificate at City College while raising her two boys, now in elementary school. She has over a decade of volunteer experience with preschool children and worked as an assistant teacher in a headstart program last year. She is very excited to join the team at Playmates and looking forward to supporting families raising children in the city.
Emily loves walking along the Great Highway, reading, quilting, camping and spending time with family and friends.
Deanna
Preschool Teacher
Deanna is an East coast native who moved to San Francisco in 2008. Although she misses the changing of the seasons of the North East, she has put down her California roots with her long term boyfriend and two young sons here in the Sunset.
She is a passionate educator, who graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Elementary Education. She then went on to obtain her Multiple Subject Teacher Credential. Deanna has experience working with children of all ages and has most recently taught science to TK, second and third graders at a local SFUSD school.
When searching for a play based preschool for her oldest son she found Playmates by chance and immediately fell in love with the school. Deanna first began her journey at Playmates as a teaching parent when her oldest son attended the preschool in 2019 and then again in the Young 5 program in 2021. She is now excited to begin this school year as a teacher.
When she’s not chasing her kids she enjoys crafting, doing puzzles and spending time at the beach. Fun fact: she has two different colored eyes and so does her son.