Faculty

JESSICA BLACK-3s Assistant Teacher

Jessica grew up outside of Boston. She graduated from The University of Vermont with a degree in Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics. For the past 15 years, Jessica has been raising her three children, first in NYC and now in Darien. She and her husband Andrew started a children’s toy company a few years ago which reignited her interest in early childhood development and motivated her to substitute teach at SLPS. This will be her seventh year as an assistant teacher in the 3’s program. In her spare time, Jessica likes to play tennis, walk her dog Taco and spend time with her family.

ERIKA CAPUTO- Pre-K Head Teacher

Erika received her B.A. in Communication from the University of California at San Diego and completed her Child Development Associate coursework through Connecticut’s community college system.  She worked in the corporate world until her second child was born.  She and her family have lived in Darien since 2004.  Erika’s two daughters (now in college) attended Saint Luke’s Parish School and she served on the Parent Teacher Committee during this time.  In 2009 when her younger daughter started Kindergarten, Erika wanted to stay at SLPS and that is when she joined the Saint Luke’s Parish School team!  In 2015 she also became part of Saint Luke’s Children’s Ministries.  In her free time, Erika likes to get outside and take walks whether by the water, in the woods or in the neighborhood and she especially enjoys spending time with her daughters and her family!

NATALIE CAPUTO- 4s Assistant Teacher

Natalie is currently attending the University of Connecticut, where she is studying Communications and Human Development & Family Sciences. Her very first school experience was right here at SLPS in the 3s and 4s, and she’s so excited to return now as an Assistant Teacher! Natalie has lived in Darien for most of her life. Her mom, Ms Erika, has been a dedicated teacher at SLPS for the past 16 years, making it an extra special place for their family. In her free time, Natalie enjoys dancing, spending time with friends, and relaxing at home with her mom, younger sister Katherine, and their cat, Zazu.

SEBNEM CEKEN- 4s Assistant Teacher

Sebnem graduated from Gazi University in Ankara, Turkey in Business Management and received her Teaching Certificate from Kocaeli University in Kocaeli, Turkey. She moved to the United States in the summer of 2000 and received her Certificate in Early Childhood Education from Norwalk Community College. She volunteered in the Media Center in Westover Elementary School and the Jewish Community Center in Stamford. She has been living in Stamford with her husband and twin children.  She enjoys cooking, playing volleyball and taking care of her family.

FIONA CONNOLLY-  3s Assistant Teacher

Fiona emigrated from Ireland to the United States in the early 90s.  She has had many jobs since then including marketing, working in a hair salon and childcare.  She has also been a longtime substitute teacher at SLPS and has worked with children of all ages.   Fiona currently lives in Stamford with her husband and 2 daughters- Emma Rose who graduated from Loyola University Maryland and Jessica who graduated from Villanova University.   

KELSEY CUELLAR- Floating/ Friday 3s Assistant Teacher

Kelsey Cuellar graduated from CT State Norwalk Community College with an associate degree in Early Childhood Education. Before joining Saint Luke’s Parish School, she taught at a preschool in Old Greenwich, where she focused on supporting young children’s development through creative play, hands-on exploration, and social-emotional growth. Born and raised in Norwalk, Connecticut, Kelsey still lives there with her mom, dad, and younger sister. During the summer, she works as an assistant teacher at Horizons and has proudly been part of the program for the past three summers. On weekends, Kelsey enjoys hanging out with friends, going on runs, and spending time with her family. When she has time off, she loves visiting Southern California—especially relaxing on the beaches of Laguna while also visiting close friends and family.

CHERYL DEVAULT- 3s Head Teacher

Cheryl graduated from the University of Vermont with a B.A. degree in Psychology and Sociology, and from Manhattanville College with an M.A. in Teaching: Elementary Education Pre-K to 6.  Before having children, Cheryl taught at New Canaan Country Day School, Greenwich Country Day School and Pear Tree Point School in grades nursery-2nd grade.  She also worked as a Title 1 Tutor at Westover Magnet Elementary in Stamford and served on multiple PTO boards of her children’s schools over the years. Cheryl lives with her husband in Stamford. She is the very proud mom to 4 children-twin sons who attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute, a daughter who attends Yale as a grad student and a daughter who lives and works in Boston as an engineer. Cheryl enjoys spending time with her family and dog Teddy, reading, crafting, and spending time outside.

HOLLY DRAKE- 3’s Head Teacher     

Holly grew up outside of Rochester, NY, and graduated from Cornell University with a BS in communications. She received her CDA from Connecticut State Community College.  Post college, she worked in public relations and corporate marketing/video production in New York City.  She’s been a resident of Darien since 2002 where she’s enjoyed raising her three sons – all of whom attended SLPS.  Holly taught for Maureen Bloom Playdates prior to coming to SLPS in 2018.  In her spare time, Holly enjoys outdoor activities – running, biking, kayaking, paddle, gardening – but more than anything treasures time with her family all together.

ASMAE ELBAQI- 4s Assistant Teacher     

Asmae has been part of the SLPS community since 2019. She spent three years in the 2s program and is now entering her fourth year as an assistant in the 4s. She also enjoys spending her afternoons with both the 3s and 4s during Lunch Bunch. With over 16 years of experience in early childhood care, Asmae brings warmth, dedication and a deep love for working with young children. She lives in Darien and has two daughters- her oldest is a junior at Elon University and her youngest is a senior at Darien High School. Asmae loves spending quality time with her girls.

SARA FAUGNO- 4s Head Teacher

Sara earned an associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education at Norwalk Community College. She began her teaching at Canaan Ridge School where she taught for 8 years. She then moved on to become the director of Noah’s Ark preschool in Stamford. After Noah’s Ark, Sara decided to take time off  to raise her three beautiful children. Sara and her family have been a part of the Darien community since 2014 and enjoy all that is has to offer. In her spare time, she loves volunteering in her children’s schools, spending time at her family’s house in Vermont, watching her children’s sports events and going out for coffee with good friends.

AMANDA FOSTER- PreK Head Teacher

Amanda Foster graduated from Norwalk Community College with an Associates Degree in  Early Childhood Education. She started as a counselor in training at a Stamford summer camp at the age of 13. By the time she turned 16, she was a full-time camp counselor and worked with children ages 5 through 12.  In 2017, Amanda started working at St. Luke’s on Sundays in the Godly Play room with children between the ages of 3 through 5. She was an assistant teacher at SLPS for 4 years before becoming a head teacher in the 4s this year.  In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, going to concerts and spending time with her friends and family.

CATHERINE GEDNEY- 3s Head Teacher

Catherine earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and her Master’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Maine.  Her previous teaching experiences include teaching third grade at Fairfield Country Day, teaching at Easton Country Day and co-teaching in the 3rd grade at Pear Tree Point School. She and her husband both grew up in Darien and are raising their three children here in town.  She is happy to be returning to teaching at SLPS where she attended as a child. In addition to teaching, Catherine has run the Beachcomber Camp at Norwalk Yacht Club, taught CCD at St. Thomas Moor and is a Girl Scout leader.

SUE HERRMANN- 3s Assistant Teacher

Sue is a graduate of the University of Connecticut with a BS in Marketing and Sacred Heart University with an MBA in Finance. Sue spent 27 years working in the pharmaceutical industry; her most recent position was Director of Sales Operations. She then worked at Greenwich
Catholic School as the Director of Communications. Sue served on the PTO Board of her children’s elementary school, Northeast Elementary School. She spent years volunteering at her children’s schools. Sue currently lives in Stamford with her husband Rob, where they raised their
two children Will (26) and Samantha (23). She enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Sue is very excited to join SLPS and meet her new friends in PreK.

JAMIE KOHLER- 2s Assistant Teacher

Jamie Kohler graduated from Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, with a BS degree in Business Administration and an MS degree in Marketing. While attending school, she worked at Bright Horizons Preschool assisting in the early childhood curriculum. Jamie spent several years working at a marketing agency, assisting in the writing and creating of print ads, websites and collateral materials. She took a special interest in working with small companies needing to build a niche online presence. In 2016, she married her husband Mark, and together they live in Stamford where they are raising their three young children. Together they enjoy taking beach vacations, boating, hunting, and fishing.

JENNIFER KOUTINAS- 4s Head Teacher   

Jennifer has been active in the childcare Preschool field since 2004. She began in Stamford as a Co-teacher and worked her way up to Lead Teacher in the 4’s classroom. She also worked in the Afterschool program, Summer camp and became an Administrative Assistant. She runs the Sunday School Nursery room here at St. Luke’s since 2005. Jennifer joined our teaching staff in 2016 as an Assistant in the young 2’s room before becoming a Headteacher in the older 2’s room. She completed her Child Development Associate Degree (CDA) in 2020 and continues to add classes and workshops to her education.  She enjoys spending quality time with her two grown children. Her hobbies include beach days, going to live shows and concerts, and trying new restaurants with friends.

WENDY LACEY- 2s Head Teacher

Wendy moved with her family from England to live in Stamford in 1997. She has two boys who are now grown and living in Denver, Colorado. When her boys were in  Westover Elementary School, she volunteered there teaching arts & crafts in their after school program.  She was also a Den Mother for her boys cub scout pack. Wendy was a head teacher at Just We Two teaching  2 & 3 year olds for 15 years.  She also worked at a church based after school program running a kindergarten, first & second grade classroom for 14 years. Wendy is very artistic and loves doing arts and crafts with her students and friends. Her happy place is her garden growing English roses, flowers & vegetables which she loves to share with everyone.

FIONA LAVELLE- 4s Assistant Teacher

Fiona was raised and educated in England, where she went on to a career in banking. She started as a substitute at SLPS in 2012. Fiona has supervised in our Lunch Bunch program and has been an assistant in our 4’s class for 10 years. She and her family have resided in Stamford since 1998. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking and walking with her dog.

KRISTIN MALLOZZI- 2s Head Teacher

Kristin earned her BBA in Marketing from Hofstra University. She worked as an assistant at Saint Luke’s Parish School from 2015 until 2020. Before joining St. Luke’s, she had been a parent volunteer at her daughters’ preschool, elementary school and middle school. Kristin is a coach in the New Canaan softball league where both of her daughters are avid travel softball players. Kristin and her family live in New Canaan.  In her spare time, she enjoys outdoor activities with her family including hiking, biking and swimming. She was the 2s head teacher last year and will be returning to her assistant teacher role this year.

CARRIE MCMASTER- 2s Assistant Teacher

Carrie has been an involved member at St. Luke’s since her boys (now 19 and 22) were students at SLPS. She was an assistant teacher at SLPS in the 3 year old class for 4 years before taking on the role of Children’s Ministries Coordinator for the church. For several years, she was our Godly Play teacher and a very popular substitute teacher.  She has been our floating assistant for 4 years and is excited to return to the classroom as an assistant in the older 2s this year. She and her husband also coordinate the Run with the Saints event at St. Luke’s and are active parishioners. Carrie loves gardening, reading and spending time with her family and 2 dogs.

KIM MOLLOY- Friday 3s Head Teacher

Kim Molloy graduated from The University of Delaware with B.A. degree in Communications/Journalism. While in school she was also a nationally ranked figure skater. After graduating she started her broadcast journalism career at ABC Sports and ESPN where she became and Emmy Award winning producer.  After her 20 year career in sports television, she became a stay at home mom here in Darien. She has served on the board at Noroton Presbyterian’s Nursery School and the Country Club of Darien. She also served on the Hindley School PTO and was involved in several parent committees at Middlesex Middle School and Darien High School. She joined the staff at SLPS in the fall of 2024. She and her husband have two children. Their daughter is currently an undergrad at Vanderbilt University. Their son attends Salisbury School. In her spare time, Kim enjoys traveling, spending time with her family and staying active with the family’s two black Labradors.

YVONNE NICHOLLS- Friday 3s Head Teacher

Yvonne holds a Master’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from NYU and previously taught at The Dalton School in New York City. After relocating to Darien to raise her three children, she became an active volunteer in both the community and local schools, demonstrating a deep commitment to supporting children’s development both inside and outside the classroom. Her passions include reading, sailing, photography, and interior design. Yvonne is delighted to teach at SLPS, where her own children were once students. She is dedicated to creating a warm, engaging, and nurturing environment that fosters creativity and lays a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

RYANN PEGLER- 3s Assistant Teacher

Ryann grew up in Simsbury, CT and has lived with her family in Darien for almost 25 years. She graduated from the University of Colorado. Ryann has served as a volunteer for the Darien Nature Center, the Community Fund and the PTOs at DHS, Middlesex, Greens Farms Academy, and Ox Ridge (where she was co-chair). Most recently she was the buddy coordinator for Challenger Baseball. Ryann has three boys, two Penn State grads and a sophomore at William & Mary. In her free time, Ryann enjoys tennis and paddle, walking her dog Winni, and boating and traveling with her husband.

MAUREEN ROACH- 4s Head Teacher

Maureen, her husband, John, and their four children have lived in Darien for almost 20 years. They began raising their family in Ridgewood, NJ before relocating to the Bay Area of San Francisco, then returning to their roots on the East Coast. Maureen holds a degree in Economics and Finance and recently completed her CDA. She also holds a certification in Special Education Advocacy. She has volunteered at various Darien organizations over the years. As her children moved on from the Darien Public Schools, she focused more time working with the Court Appointed Child Advocacy Program of CT. Maureen’s favorite things include children’s literature and returning to Jersey beaches.

MICHELLE ROBOTTI- 2s assistant teacher

Michelle is a lifelong Stamford resident who adores her quaint neighborhood.  Michelle spent many years as a customer service representative for Zotos International before making the leap to full time motherhood. Following her time at Zotos International, Michelle would spend many years as a stay at home mom to her three children Madison (22), Cristian (20), and Cassie (18).  Once her kids were older, Michelle decided to get back into the workforce as a Substitute Teacher at The Mead School for two years.  Michelle and her husband Cris live in Stamford with their three children and two puppies, Harlee and Jax. Michelle loves going to the beach, hosting family and friends at her home, and listening to her ever changing music playlist.  Michelle is so excited to be a part of the SLPS and is excited to meet her new little friends!

KELLY SCALLON- Lunch Bunch Teacher

Kelly has lived in Darien for 23 years and is an active community volunteer. She served as Chairman of the Darien High School Parent’s Association over the last two years and sat on the Executive Board for over 7 years. Prior to that she was co-chairman of the Middlesex Middle School Parent Association.  She has held leadership roles at Hindley Elementary, Middlesex Middle School, and in the local Girl Scouts. Her professional career spans 20+ years in advertising sales, including a decade in digital media with The Washington Post, CBS Interactive, Condé Nast, and Tribune Companies. Kelly is recognized for her creative marketing strategies, professionalism, and strong client relationships. Kelly has substituted and taught Lunch Bunch at SLPS for two years.  Originally from Potomac, Maryland, she now lives in Darien with her husband, Hugh, their two children, and family dog, Scout.

AMANDA SMITH- 3s assistant teacher

Amanda grew up in New Canaan. She received her B.S. in Elementary Education from Boston University and M.A. in Learning Disabilities/Special Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Amanda taught 2nd and 3rd grade at The Marymount School in Manhattan and Wilton Public Schools. Amanda and her husband moved to Darien in 2000 and they raised their four daughters here, all of whom attended SLPS. Amanda served on the PTO at SLPS, Hindley School, and Darien High School. Her oldest daughter attends the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Her twin daughters are juniors at Vanderbilt University and University of Wisconsin-Madison and her youngest daughter is a junior at Darien High School. In her spare time, Amanda likes to go for walks, needlepoint, read, and spend time with her family and two dogs.

ANGELA STAMNES- Friday 3s assistant teacher

Angela was born and raised in New Jersey. She graduated from Rutgers College with a BA in English and a minor in Communication.  Formerly a book publicist at a few of the top houses in the industry, Angela ended her career at Simon and Schuster to raise her 2 children, Gabby (18) and Wyatt (16). Gabby will be a sophomore at Bucknell this year and Wyatt is currently a boarding student at The Lawrenceville School.  Both of her children attended SLPS, and Angela is excited to be a part of the 3’s program.  Angela and her husband, Damian, live in Darien. Angela is an avid runner and marathoner, can always be found on a lacrosse field cheering on Wyatt,. She loves to walk her dogs and, of course, spend time with her family.

ABBY STRAVATO- PreK Assistant Teacher

Abby Stravato was born and raised in Massachusetts and moved to Darien in 2011 with her family where she graduated from Darien High School in 2020. She graduated class of 2024 from Providence College with a degree in American History.  She spent her first year out of college subbing part-time at Saint Luke’s Parish School and Saint Thomas More’s Happiness Preschool. She also did lunch bunch in the winter and the fall at Saint Luke’s! As well as volunteering at the Museum of Darien because she has a love for history.  She lives in Darien with her family, two dogs, and one cat. She loves playing tennis, being outdoors, and is an avid reader. She is currently rereading the Harry Potter series! She is excited for her first year as a teachers aide at Saint Luke’s and hopes to pursue a career in higher education in the next few years.

MARY BEIRNE TINSLEY- 3s Head Teacher

Mary Beirne earned her bachelor’s degree at Denison University and her Master’s in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from NYU. She has taught Young 3s at Saint Luke’s Parish School since 2012. Prior to Saint Luke’s, Mary Beirne student-taught 3rd grade at Manhattan Country School and 4th grade at Manhattan New School. Mary Beirne and her family have lived in Darien since 2007. She is extremely active in the community and an active member of Saint Luke’s Parish. Her daughter attended Saint Luke’s Parish School. In her spare time, Mary Beirne enjoys gardening, opera, figure skating, needlepoint, photography, and genealogy.

MORGAN VITTI- 4s Head Teacher

Morgan graduated from Marshall University with a degree in Early Childhood Education/ Elementary Education/Special Education as well as a minor in Child Psychology.  She graduated with an emphasis in Reggio Emilia studies.  She was previously a preschool teacher at Children’s Discovery Center in Charleston, SC and also worked for Cabell County Schools in Huntington, WV as a para-teacher in a 3rd grade classroom.  Morgan recently moved back from Charleston, SC to her hometown of Stamford where she has been assisting with curriculum writing for Building Blocks in Stamford and Wilton.  Morgan gave birth to her second child, a son named Vinny this past spring. He joins big sister, Stella. In her spare time, Morgan enjoys doing calligraphy and painting.

LILY ZINICOLA- 3s Head Teacher

Lily was born and raised in London, England, where she trained as a Montessori teacher.  She moved with her husband and two children to Connecticut in 1999, after spending 4 years in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Lily attended Norwalk Community College to study Early Childhood Education. She has worked as a co-teacher in private nursery schools in Stamford for many years. Most recently she worked at Just Wee Two, an enrichment program for 2 year olds in Stamford and Greenwich.  Lily also volunteered in her children’s elementary school and has helped out at an after school program. She joined SLPS in 2020 as an assistant teacher in the 2s and took over as a 3s head teacher last year.  In her spare time, Lily enjoys cooking and entertaining, reading and spending time with her family.