Administration

Anna Goodkind

Executive Director

Anna has been active in the field of progressive early childhood education for over a decade in both the New York and Boston areas. She has experience in teaching, curriculum development, and school leadership and expertise in the Reggio Emilia philosophy of education. Anna most recently served as the Curriculum Specialist and Afternoon Program Coordinator at the Trust Center for Early Education in Brookline and has taught at the JCC Manhattan Nursery School in NYC.  Anna holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Creative Writing from Barnard College and a Master’s of Fine Arts degree in English and Writing with a focus on Children’s Literature from the City College of New York.  In 2018 Anna completed her Early Childhood Education Director II Level certification through Wheelock College of Education and Human Development, Boston University and the MA EEC. Anna is so grateful to be a part of the wonderful community at The Family Cooperative along with her whole family as both Director and parent! Her philosophy of education has always been that young children come to us with their own ideas, experiences, and questions about the world and we are their guides in turning those questions into deep inquiries and learning opportunities--TFC is a place in which this happens on a daily basis.

Meagan Lee

Assistant Director & Admissions Coordinator

Meagan has worked as a classroom teacher with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers for almost ten years before becoming the Assistant Director and Admissions Coordinator. She provides support at the school-wide level and appreciates seeing the growth of the children, teachers, and the school. She is an experienced early childhood educator who has taken the communication and collaboration that she learned in training to become a school counselor and applies it to the entire TFC community. She believes that through observation, reflection and sharing ideas amongst one another, teachers create engaging classroom environments. She believes that early childhood is a wonderful period of discovery where teachers have the unique opportunity to tailor the curriculum to each student’s interests and abilities. Her professional interests include creative arts, anti-bias curriculum and community building. Her interests outside of work often include adventures with her family (Brendan, Bennett and Hazel) and her dog.

Jennifer Morris

Health and Operations Manager

Jennifer is the Health and Operations Manager at The Family Cooperative. She is from Mansfield, Massachusetts, where she is currently raising three children of her own. Her work journey has given her diverse skills and experiences. She has a background in Early Childhood Education in addition to the health and medical field, where she has worked as a dental assistant and a medical assistant. She manages all of the day-to-day health and safety operations at TFC and received her Teacher Certification from the MA EEC to work as an assistant teacher. Outside of work, she loves portrait photography and owns a side business specializing in children and family portraits. She plans to go back to school full time and get her Associate’s degree in science. No matter where Jennifer is or what she is doing, she is happy as long as she can help people smile and feel better.

Sequoia Room Teachers

Claire Messier

Claire grew up in Maynard, MA and now lives in Lowell, MA. Unsure of what path to take, Claire accepted a job as an Assistant Teacher at a school that was beginning their journey of being Reggio-Inspired. She was immediately captivated by the philosophy. She was amazed by the many ways children communicate when you take the time to listen.  Through most of her five years at that school, she taught in an Infant and Toddler mixed-age classroom. She absolutely loves being with babies and young toddlers, and she is so happy to have joined the Sequoia team!

Kate Murphy

Kate has worked professionally with young children for over 15 years. She is passionate about nurturing and maintaining relationships with families in a cooperative setting. She believes that the community we create together can last a lifetime. She enjoys creating spaces for children that are inviting, inspiring, intentional and child centered.

She grew up in a small town in north central Massachusetts where she earned her AA in Child Study. Next, she moved to the valley where she earned her BA in Spanish and Latin American and Caribbean Studies at UMASS Amherst. She is a mother to two fun loving children and a stepmother to a kind 18 year old. She has been teaching at TFC since 2015.

Sarah Hollis

Sarah graduated from Lesley University with a degree in Child, Youth & Family Studies, double minor in Education and Global Studies and a specialization in Teaching Infants and Toddlers. She has spent the last several years learning and growing as an infant teacher specifically as this age group has stolen her heart. She hopes to create an environment based on respect through exploration, discovery, and play. Her job is to help guide and facilitate learning through a co-construction of knowledge based on children's curiosity and interests. Sarah's teaching philosophy and pedagogy is deeply rooted in the Reggio Emilia approach and she is continuing her education by pursing a Master's Degree in Innovative Early Childhood Education through CU Denver in collaboration with the Boulder Journey School. Outside of the classroom, Sarah is a passionate volleyball coach and player. She is currently the assistant women's volleyball coach at Suffolk University. ​

Willow Room Teachers

Maureen Linnane

A native from the west coast of Ireland, she now calls Boston home. She has a deep love for the city and all that it has to offer to developing minds. She teamed up with her sister to open up a bar and restaurant in Cambridge. While enjoying the challenges and experience of the family business, she knew that her true vocation was to work with children.

While working full-time, she pursued a degree in Early Childhood Education, which led her to The Family Cooperative. She immediately felt a connection to the school and the unique sense of community that exists among the parents and teachers. She feels so fortunate to be part of a Reggio Emilia inspired center. And finds it a privilege to witness the growth and development of the children and the foundation for a love of lifetime learning. She is excited to share in the wonder and discovery of learning filled with fun and creativity.

Monica Patro

Monica graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Boston with a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education and Care with a focus on Infant/Toddler Development. She discovered the Reggio Emilia approach through her internship program and fell in love! She finally found an educational approach that spoke to her and aligned so well with her values as an Early Childhood Teacher. It was imperative that she worked in an environment that truly honored the children, and allowed them to make their own discoveries. She plans to continue her studies in the Reggio Emilia approach by enrolling in a Masters program that centers around the approach, and continue working in this wonderful community at TFC.

Sophie Milas

Coming soon...

Maple Room Teachers

Caitlin Maddix

Caitlin grew up in the suburbs of Boston and now lives in Watertown with her wife and three sons, the youngest of whom attends TFC.  Her interest in teaching young children began when she was a kindergartener herself and has grown into a passion and a fulfilling career over the course of her life.  Her first teaching job was at a Reggio Emilia inspired early childhood center and she realized that she had found her home, working to empower children through facilitation of their own self-directed interests and play.  After nine years, she decided to take a break from teaching full time to return to school to complete her degree.  While in school she had the opportunity to conduct research in a laboratory preschool, focusing on how children learn through play and how pedagogical documentation can be a comprehensive assessment tool for children's learning and development.  After completing her degree, she found her way to TFC in 2017, joining a wonderful community of teachers and families.  Her teaching and research experiences have deepened her belief that children's learning is most significant when they are encouraged to engage in self-initiated play experiences and TFC embodies the educational values she feels so passionate about.

Jenni Lonsdale



Jenni grew up outside of Boston in Canton, Massachusetts and although she has always enjoyed working with young children, she actually graduated with a degree in Business Administration, pursuing a career in finance, strategy and operations.  While volunteering at a school near her office, she discovered that working with children was where her heart truly belonged. She quickly made the decision to make a big switch in career paths and spent the next two years working as a full time nanny for a young toddler and preschooler. She was first introduced to the Reggio Emilia philosophy and the impact that an engaged, emergent curriculum can have when she transitioned the children into their new preschool. Determined to learn more about education and curriculum, She completed her Masters of Education in 2017.  She is extremely excited to be a part of the talented teaching team at The Family Cooperative and looks forward to the year ahead!

Mycala Salmonsen

Mycala grew up in Beverly and currently lives in Medford with her boyfriend, Zach and their dog, Murphy. She recently received her master's degree in special education from Simmons University in Boston. She has had a passion for working with children from a young age and her love of teaching stems from her goal to inspire a life-long love of learning. Throughout her teaching career, Mycala has used many different teaching methods and strategies and she is incredibly excited to immerse herself in the methods that TFC prides itself on. This school year will be Mycala’s first with TFC, and she cannot wait to join the team and work with the families and community.  ​

​Kate Laude

Kate grew up in Kennebunk Maine, and has worked with children for most of her life in a variety of settings. After experiencing all of this she decided to move to Boston and attended Wheelock College. During her time here she got a Bachelors of Science in Human Growth and Development with a focus in Psychology, and a certificate in Community Based Human Services. She also participated in Jumpstart, and ran playgroups in a homeless shelter. Within this Kate further fostered her passion for working with children, and sought out many different careers igniting this passion. Although she learned from these careers it wasn’t until most recently that she feels like she found her true calling, a Reggio-Emilia Anti-Bias inspired school. It was here that she learned how capable children are, and when given opportunities, and set up for success they will often thrive. She had the opportunity of watching children go from speaking a few words to saying full sentences, sat beside children as they experienced the world around them and its environment by staying curious, asked questions, and within this saw these same children learn about themselves, what isn’t fair, and how to change it. Within all of these they learned how/what it means to be part of a community. 

Kate is excited to begin this new chapter of her life and learn alongside a new group of children as they create relationships within their community, grow together while learning about each other, engaging in powerful conversations, and explore a new space that will hopefully over time feel like a second home. All while keeping in mind that children are capable, competent, and creative thinkers that deserve to be in a space that is safe, predictable, and allows them to be their whole selves.

Chestnut Room Teachers

Beth Santoro

​Beth began her career in Early Childhood after studying Early Childhood Ed and receiving her BA in Special Education and Elementary Education. She has spent many years as part of a couple local childcare cooperatives as a teacher as well as a parent.  She believes families benefit so much from the home/school community that a co-op provides.
In 2009 Beth completed her Early Childhood Director I & II Certification. In the following years, she continued studying child development with a focus on the Reggio Emilia philosophy.
Through a professional development study in 2019, Beth visited TFC and was drawn to the vibrant community, and the fact that it was a Reggio Inspired space as well as a cooperative school. She joined TFC in January of 2021 as a support teacher in the Chestnut room. She is excited to return to the Chestnut room this year as a full time teacher.
Beth loves the inquisitive nature, curiosity, and enthusiasm of preschoolers! She believes in empowering children to determine the topics of interest studied in their class. As a teacher, she is there to listen to their ideas, facilitate their learning, and build an engaging classroom. She especially enjoys documenting their engagements with each other and the environment.
Beth lives in Chelmsford with her fiancé Chuck, her ten year old daughter Adele and their two rescue cats. Beth and Adele volunteer weekly at Happy Tails Pet Rescue in Hudson, NH. She also manages their social media pages. Beth enjoys hiking with her family, antiquing and painting. She is looking forward to celebrating her November wedding to her fiancé Chuck.

Dawn Sandberg

Coming soon...

Misty O'Brien

​Misty comes to the TFC team with roughly 16 years of teaching experience (working with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and young elementary age children in an afterschool capacity).  She is originally from Maine, earning her B.S. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Maine at Farmington, and has spent most of her teaching career between Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, and, most recently, Switzerland!  While in Vermont she obtained her Master’s Degree in Education.  In the classroom she is passionate about literature, physical fitness (don’t be surprised if your child learns what a squat is :) ), and nature.  When she isn’t teaching, Misty enjoys running, reading, and trivia.

Supporting Teachers

Heidi Bailey

Heidi is an Early Childhood Educator. She has been teaching for over 20 years, every age group, in many different early education settings, and with many different children from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds and cultures.  She loves what she does; it is her calling. She is enthusiastic about providing early exposure to STEAM experiences, as well as social justice/anti-bias education. She began her career in Cambridge at a well respected Cooperative preschool that was inspired by Reggio Emilia. She trained there for 5 years. Then she chose to broaden her horizons by freelancing at many different centers in and around the greater Boston area. With the birth of her daughter, Heidi took a sabbatical and became a stay-at-home mom. Coming back into the field there was no place she would rather be than TFC. Teaching at TFC has provided an exciting opportunity for her to use her experience to help create a new model for teachers by teachers. While at Lesley, she dropped her public school licensure and focused instead on early literacy and Reggio-inspired teaching and learning. Heidi especially loves working with young toddlers, helping them to navigate the bridge between babyhood and childhood. Her practice is infused with art and sensory play, informed by the belief that children learn best through engaging with fascinating materials in a beautiful, responsive environment.

Inaya Dia

Inaya has been with TFC since 2017. She is a new grandmother of a beautiful baby girl and has a special place in her heart for children! She is someone who wants to provide an inviting and nurturing environment where young children can learn and grow, especially through play. She also appreciates and values the diversity of families’ cultures, race and ethnic backgrounds. Her entire goal is to enrich and teach the next generation!