Early Childhood Staff

Char Apanius began at the Mandel JCC in 2007, working with children from toddlers to Pre-k, with a total of 18 years of teaching experience in the field of Early Childhood. She holds an associate’s degree in Early Childhood Care and Education, an interdisciplinary undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education and Phycology and a Master’s Degree in Primary Education. Additionally, she has earned a residential educator license through the state of Ohio for Pre-k through grade 5. 

Char’s role, in her vision, is to support and develop each child’s inborn curiosity and to support them in reaching their unique potential. She has a passion to discover and share experiences. This has been a guiding force in her life and has provided the most influence on her views of Early Education. As an early childhood teacher, Char cultivates foundational learning skills. She recognizes the importance of her role to nurture, construct, facilitate and guide children’s growth across all domains.

Char enjoys many creative pursuits, such as a lifelong interest in pottery and jewelry art. She is also a gardener and has shared this passion with the school by generating and implementing a garden curriculum and outdoor experiential learning opportunities. Her classroom reflects her love of exploration and nature and inspires students to strive towards further creative investigations. 

Meryl earned her Bachelor of Digital Arts degree from Bowling Green State University. She has worked in the childcare field since 2018, both as a private nanny as well as at various preschools.

She grew up in Shaker Heights and now lives in Cleveland Heights.

Meryl loves walking and hiking in nature and observing the natural world. The importance of the world around us is something she strives to impart to her students.

Sheila currently works as an Infant Care teacher and is the Infant Age Group Lead.  She relocated from Philadelphia to Shaker Heights in August 2019 where she lives with her husband, and two children. She began her Early Childhood Education career at the Mandel JCC in February 2020. Previously she taught elementary grades and middle school science and math. Sheila spent a brief stint working in healthcare as a Physical Therapist Assistant.  As a PTA she spent the majority of her career working to educate families, patients, and caregivers. 

She is an enthusiastic reader and has long been a believer in the use of emergent curriculum, loose parts and open ended play to enhance learning. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Affairs from the University of New Hampshire, a Master of Science degree in Elementary Education from Saint Joseph’s University and is currently enrolled in a graduate certificate program in Early Childhood Education Pedagogy through a joint program with Boulder Journey School and University of Colorado.

Holly holds an associate's degree in early childhood education from Cuyahoga Community College and has been teaching at The J’s preschool since 1992.

The majority of these years have been spent in a classroom teaching three-year-olds. “Helping children cultivate a love of learning and develop a strong connection to our classroom community is one of the most rewarding aspects of my work,” Holly said. “Our program responds to what is really important in early childhood education – building trusting relationships, supporting children’s ability to understand and regulate their feelings, cultivating children’s innate curiosity and preserving children’s right to a healthy childhood. The start of the school is a new beginning for teachers and children alike. It’s my favourite time of year!”

Holly is passionate about her own growth and development and participates in professional workshops and conferences. “There are so many ways to grow and evolve as a teacher,” said Holly. She has participated in a weeklong Conscious Discipline training program, which continues to shape and influence her practice and those around her. In addition, Holly plans J-Family Days for community members.

Holly’s connections to The J run deep. Her adult children attended preschool at The J. Both of Holly’s daughters met their husbands at Camp Wise, The J’s overnight camp. Holly and her husband Doug enjoy spending time with their three granddaughters.

Nikki has been part of the JCC family since 2018.  She has been a Pre-K teacher, a toddler teacher and a threes teacher. She began as a substitute teacher while still in college.

Nikki has experience working with children of all ages and different abilities as a program aide at Friendship Circle of Cleveland.  During college, she completed an internship with Friendship Circle and realized she greatly enjoyed working with children of all ages and different abilities. She continued to work as a program aide at Friendship Circle after college. 

Julia embarked on her journey in early childhood education as a Preschool teacher in 2018, starting out at her family's business where she had the privilege of learning the ins and outs of running a preschool under the guidance of her mother. Seeking to deepen her knowledge and skills, she pursued a degree in Early Education with a minor in Special Education at Kent State University.

Today, she is continuing her education at Cuyahoga Community College, further expanding her expertise in the field of Early Childhood Education. Specializing in working with toddlers brings her immense joy and fulfillment as she nurtures the young minds and hearts in her care. Each day is a new adventure brimming with wonder, laughter, and boundless opportunities for growth and discovery.

She is dedicated to creating a warm and inviting environment where toddlers feel safe, supported, and empowered to explore and learn through play. Building strong relationships with both the children and their families lies at the heart of her practice, as she recognizes the significance of collaboration and open communication in guiding each child along their unique developmental journey.

Her teaching philosophy for toddlers is deeply rooted in patience, empathy, and a comprehensive understanding of child development principles. She strives to strike a balance between structured learning activities and free play, enabling toddlers to develop essential skills while nurturing their creativity and independence. Through continuous observation, reflection and professional development, she constantly adapts and enhances her teaching strategies to meet the evolving needs of the children in her care.

Being a Preschool teacher is not merely aprofession to her; it is a vocation that infuses her days with purpose and significance as she witnesses the remarkable growth and development of the young minds entrusted to her guidance.

Lydia comes to the J after many years of teaching in early elementary school classrooms in Greater Cleveland. She has lived in 11 states, but came to Cleveland 16 years ago and has called Cleveland Heights home since 2012. 

Prior to earning her M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education from Ursuline College, she earned her B. Mus. (BA of Music) From Grand Valley State University and her M. Mus. From the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. She's also thrilled to have just started earning her Doctorate in Education in Early Childhood Education Leadership from American Jewish University.

She loves NPR, research, writing, school and learning, movies, books, and spirited discussions, as well as travel, cooking and the arts. She's passionate about educational equity and social justice. Most of all, she cherishes spending time with her person, Scott and their dog, Cleo. 

A passionate advocate for early childhood movement education, Maria specializes in teaching dance to children in the early years.

Over the past 20 years, she has helped preschools and dance schools establish infant/toddler/preschool creative movement programs in both Cleveland and New York City. Some notable schools are Jewish Community Center of Manhattan, Mark Morris Dance Group, New York City Ballet, Mandel Jewish Community Center and Solon Chabad Preschool. In addition, she currently teaches early childhood dance at Hudson Conservatory of Ballet.

She is a mom of 3 wonderful kids who have all attended this JCC program. She holds a Master’s Degree in Dance Education from New York University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Dance from Slippery Rock University.

Rebekah has been with The J since 2014. She has a warm demeanour and passion for working with young children.

She carried her love of working with young children with her when she made the move with her family from Tucson, Arizona, to Cleveland, Ohio. In Tucson, Rebekah worked as a camp director and preschool teacher.

Since living in Cleveland, she has worked at a number of early childhood centers but she feels most at home at The J. “One of my biggest passions in life is being in a classroom with children where I can support, nurture and influence their positive growth,” Rebekah said. “I’m equally passionate about developing meaningful relationships with parents and families of my students – we’re partners working towards a common goal to do what’s best for their children. The J is the perfect place to do this – the environment truly feels like a home away from home.”

Rebekah has a “play to learn” philosophy accompanied by the Conscious Discipline method. This makes for a smooth-running classroom facilitated by creativity and curiosity.

She graduated in May 2018 with her associate's degree in early childhood education and has obtained her Ohio licensure for Pre-K.

Working with children has always been the foundation of Bobbie’s career. Prior to working with the early childhood team, Bobbie was active in various roles at
The J, such as in community outreach and program development. All three of her children attended preschool and camp programs at The J as well.

When Bobbie returned to The J to teach preschool, she felt that she was right where she was supposed to be. Here she has found a strong community amongst her early childhood colleagues. Bobbie looks forward to spending every day in the classroom.

She feels that when she helps children explore the world, she is able to see things from their point of view. Bobbie has worked with all of the age groups in the Mandel JCC early childhood program ranging from the 2s to Pre-K. In the past, Bobbie has also served in an administrative role at a satellite location for one of The J’s early childhood programs.

Bobbie has been working with the 3-year-olds for the past three years and is looking forward to entering her fourth year with this age group.

Elena came to Cleveland from Russia after graduating from the Ural Pedagogical University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English language and English literature and a minor in German language. Here, in Cleveland, she met her husband and together they are now raising two wonderful children, Vera and Alexandra.

After having her children, Elena realized that she needed more information about how American public schools operated, so she enrolled in a school-based master program at John Carroll University, which placed her into the Lower Hawken School for a year to complete her studies. This experience was extremely rewarding. Not only did it make Elena a stronger mentor to young children she was working with, it made her a stronger parent. The idea of fair play is very close to Elena’s heart because it recognizes that each child is unique, and the needs of one child will be different from the needs of another, and those needs deserve to be met. Elena’s goal is to create a safe, fun and supportive climate for children to learn and grow while making new friends and discoveries at The J’s preschool.

Over the past two decades living in Cleveland, Elena has been busy getting an associate degree in commercial art and graphic design, volunteering in a metropolitan school district, starting a family, substitute teaching in Orange, Beachwood and Shaker Heights schools, kayaking and camping with her loved ones, and enjoying her friends and her community.

Stef is delighted to be part of The J’s teaching team for another great year. Prior to coming to The J, she worked as a preschool teacher at Park Preschool for several years, a preschool aide at Gurney Elementary School and an educational assistant at Lewis Elementary School. Stef views her teaching role as an opportunity to support and empower children and enhance their learning potential.

She sees working with children as a privilege and looks forward to another year of fostering kindness and friendships, exploration and growth.

Stef graduated from Ohio University in 1998, and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism, with a minor in public relations. She also earned a certification in environmental studies from Newcastle University in Callaghan, Australia.

Stef lives in Solon with her husband, Jamie. They have two children, two dogs, two fish and one hedgehog. In her free time, Stef enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, hiking, spending time outdoors and caring for animals.

Jordan has a M.A in Education and has been in Early Childhood Education for over 20 years with at least half that time spent internationally. During that time, he created play based, child centered classrooms focused on experiential learning. Alongside his passion for Early Childhood Education he has developed passions for writing, cooking and baking. Since returning home to Cleveland in 2016 he has been teaching in the Jewish Community as well as working as a professional baker and running his own artisan pizza business. He has a lifelong relationship with the JCC that spans from attending preschool and camps as a child to teaching here both 20 years ago as well as last year! He is excited to once again rejoin the JCC community as an Educator and is looking forward to a great year in Room 3! 

India has a tremendous amount of experience working in early childhood. She started her career running an in-home daycare for infants through preschoolers.

Before joining the staff at The J, India was active in her community of Cleveland Heights, volunteering her time with the PTA at Roxboro Elementary School.

What started off as volunteering a few days a week tutoring kindergarten to third graders, quickly grew into a position chairing. For the next three years, India recruited other parents to give their time in the classroom as well.

India is a founding member of the parent group Building Rox, recently renamed Building Heights. Its mission is focused on raising funds and providing opportunities at little or no cost for children in the community and CHUH (Cleveland Heights-University Heights) School District. The camp works in partnership with a local Cleveland Heights theatre group that offers a free performing arts camp to fifth graders.

Together with Reaching Heights, a new camp has been developed for the CHUH School District called Heights Middle School Shorts, which serves local middle school families.

India is the mother of three sons ranging from high school through adulthood. India loves music, singing and storytelling and has taught enrichment classes to our 3-year-olds in chorus and storytelling. India has taught the 2s through Pre-K at The J. India is a floater in our early childhood department.

Lisa is a 40-year preschool veteran, mom of 3, born and grown in Massachusetts and has a BA in Psychology. Her philosophy around early care and education is that children learn most by exploring. She loves teaching through literature, science, and art. When not at the JCC, she enjoys spending time with her family, sports, car shows with her son, concerts and traveling.

Amy serves as a support specialist for the Mandel JCC Preschool. She began her relationship with the JCC in the Fall of 2005 as a parent of preschool children. Amy’s 3 daughters each attended the JCC preschool when it was a part time program. Amy has taught and tutored children and adults in science, reading, and math. After spending time raising her 3 children, she was eager to join the JCC family and bring her passion for science, art and reading to young children.

Melanie’s diverse career path led her to her true passion of working directly with children in an early childhood setting. Starting with roles as a Nursing Home Administrator and as an Administrative Hearing Officer and Paternity Specialist at the County Child Support Office, she eventually found her calling in Early Childhood Education. With experience in both administrative roles and direct interaction with children of every age group, she has found the most joy working with infants and toddlers, where every moment is a new discovery. For nearly three decades, she has been dedicated to providing quality care that nurtures children’s curiosity and exploration. Beyond work, Mel cherishes time spent with her two children and two grandchildren, relishing every moment of family and connection.

Heidi graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1987 with a B.A. in Human Resources. Following her heart, she went back to receive a Masters in Elementary Education in 1993 from Belmont University in Nashville, TN. She’s the youngest of 10 children and has always enjoyed encouraging and inspiring children. She first taught 3rd grade in Nashville, TN, Atlanta, GA and was a Math Resource teacher in Reading, PA.

After marrying her true love, they moved to Hong Kong and Tokyo where she was a substitute teacher. Being the only English speaking teacher in China, she had the principal and students singing and dancing to the Hockey Pokey. Today, she’s the Support Specialist for the past year at the JCC. Heidi is in every classroom assisting all the talented teachers, encouraging and inspiring every child to be safe and feel connected. She truly enjoys creating relationships with each child and their wonderful parents and believes that every child is special in their own way!

Angela holds a degree in history from Columbia University and taught Humanities at Hawken School before staying home to raise her kids. She is thrilled to be back in education, in a role that combines her love of Judaism, her fascination with early childhood development, and the most supportive and nurturing environment a teacher could ask for. In her spare time, Angela enjoys hiking, listening to podcasts, singing in her car and attending her kids’ sporting and music events. 

Talya is delighted to be a part of The J’s teaching team for another great year. A graduate of Syracuse University, Talya has a Bachelor of Arts degree in inclusive elementary and special education.

Prior to teaching at The J, Talya spent a year in Israel where she taught English to Hebrew speaking children. She also worked for the Jewish Federation of Cleveland in its public education initiative where she managed reading tutors in eight different Cleveland City schools.

Talya’s love for children began at an early age. She grew up in a close-knit family where living Jewish values and sustaining meaningful Jewish practices and traditions positively influenced and shaped the person she is today.

Talya is excited about facilitating a dynamic classroom experience where all children thrive. “Every day in the classroom is a new adventure, an opportunity for children and teachers alike to grow. It’s a two-way street. My students learn as much from me I learn from them,” she said.

In addition to teaching Pre-K, Talya has taught sign language as an enrichment class to our 3- and 4-year-olds. She has taught Hebrew school at Park Synagogue and is an avid soccer player. Talya is a creative and crafty person and has channeled these skills through the pandemic, opening up her own Etsy shop.

Cory is beyond excited to be working for the Mandel JCC’s Early Childhood Center. She came to the J in March of 2023 and has been teaching our youngest infants throughout her time here. She has a BA in Sociology from the Ohio State University. Cory loves watching cartoons, pottery, and coding in her spare time. She looks forward to each new year as it comes and hopes to spend many years teaching at the JCC’s preschool.

Jordana was excited to join The J’s early childhood team as a support specialist. She offers programming assistance throughout the toddler and 3s classrooms. Her hope is that the children in her care feel safe to explore their environments.

Jordana graduated from Brush High School in South Euclid in 2022. She worked as a counsellor for Mandel JCC’s J-Day Camps for three summers after being a camper herself at Camp Wise and J-Day Camps. She was a staff member for The J’s Kids Club during the 2021-2022 school year, where she enjoyed working with kids on their gross motor skills during free play. Jordana is excited to grow as an early childhood professional and share her love of art and movement with the children.

Jordana lives in South Euclid. In her spare time, she enjoys painting, hiking and being
in nature.

Carli, having graduated from John Carroll University with a degree in Early Childhood Education, comes to us with many years of classroom experience. With a passion for early childhood education and a commitment to fostering a nurturing, mindful, playful, and engaging learning environment, she is excited to partner with all the stakeholders at the JCC’s Early Childhood Center and can’t wait to create rich relationships, mindful environments and joyful learning for many years to come.

Jill has been teaching at The J since 2008 and truly believes working with children is her calling. Jill loves watching her young students grow. Offering them guidance, support and encouragement is second nature to her. “It’s about building trust and connections with both parents and children,” she said. “We want parents to feel comfortable and secure in knowing that their children are receiving exceptional care while they are away from home. We all take our work seriously – and we love coming to work each day!”

Jill considers The J her “home away from home.” “It’s the exact feeling I want children to have when they come here each day,” she said.

Jill enjoys taking long walks and caring for animals. She lives in Beachwood with her son and dog.

Christine has over 20 years in early childhood education. She brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for nurturing young minds. Her journey began in the classroom, where she witnessed firsthand the magic of fostering curiosity and a love of learning in children. She is excited to be back in a classroom spending her days exploring the world with young children.

As both a teacher and assistant director, she has committed to developing the whole child. Her classroom is a vibrant space where exploration and creativity take center stage. She believes in creating a nurturing environment that supports each child's social, emotional, physical and intellectual growth.

She finds it incredibly rewarding to see the spark of curiosity ignite in a child's eyes and to guide them as they embark on their lifelong journey of learning. She's thrilled to be a part of this crucial stage in their development and looks forward to meeting and developing relationships with children and families.

Lisa has been devoted to the early childhood field for over 26 years. She has worked with all ages of children, from infants and toddlers to pre-K and school-aged students.

Lisa holds a child development associate certificate and a degree in early childhood education from Eastern Gateway Community College. She was presented with the Toddler Teacher of the Year award in 2005 from Tru-Mah-Col.

“I love being a part of children’s growth and development,” said Lisa. They are curious and creative learners, which I find fascinating to observe.” Lisa is dedicated to the social and emotional development of each child and makes it her goal to foster kindness and friendships in her classroom.

Originally from Hubbard, Ohio, Lisa moved to the area in August 2014. During her free time, Lisa enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, taking walks at the lake and is an avid animal lover.

Charline Zimmerman Miller LPCC-s has a Master’s Degree in Clinical and Community Psychology and has worked in various settings and with individuals and families across the lifespan. While many of her colleagues were focusing on specialization Charline resisted taking the ‘narrow path’ and has followed her own needs, instincts and passions, with a respectful attitude of embracing diversity and complexity in understanding the needs of children and adults.

Charline is employed by Bellefaire JCB and through a grant from the Ohio Children’s Alliance is able to be here at the Mandel JCC Early Childhood Center as an Early Childhood Consultant. She provides training and technical assistance to staff and teachers as well as contributes to specific consultations, as requested, with children and parents.

She has a long history of specific experience that informs her role here at the “J” including being the Mother-Infant Specialist at the Mayfield JCC, a toddler specialist at the Heights Parents Center, a parent involvement coordinator for Head Start and a psycho-therapist working across the life span including with mother-infant pairs, children, families, adults and the elderly.

She loves being with children and the dedicated staff here at the “J” and feels like it is meant to be, B’shert. This position combines her extensive work history as well as her family values and personal experience.  She is a wife of 40 years and mother to two wonderful adult daughters, along with a wonderful son-in-law and ‘grandcats’.  In her spare time, she is a voracious reader, loves gardening, being in nature, art, traveling and her latest challenge is trying to be a better cook.  She loves going for walks and adventures with her husband and friends, especially when the adventure is exploring and learning about Cleveland.