Our Team
Kristina Satchell | Director
Kristina joined FPPK in 2023 as our Director. She earned a master's degree in Infant and Family Development and Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special and General Education Dual Certification from Bank Street College of Education. She also holds a bachelor's degree in Art History with a Visual Arts Concentration from Barnard College, Columbia University.
She is a consultant for the Bank Street College Education Center and one of her most recent positions was as director of a home-based Early Head Start program in the Lower East Side. Kristina brings a wealth of experience and a forward-thinking approach to education. She has shaped many education programs during her extensive career as an educator by leading teacher training initiatives and providing invaluable guidance to new parents as they navigate the early childhood years.
Cheryl Negrini | Administrative Assistant
Cheryl, a former FPPK parent of three, did not want to say goodbye to our outstanding school. After working in the medical field and time as a stay-at-home mom, she became a teacher’s aide for the three-year-old children at FPPK. After several years in the classroom, she transitioned into Administrative Assistant.
Toni Rossi | Lead Teacher: Two-Year-Old Class
Toni brings over 30 years of experience into her role as lead teacher for our two-year-old class. She studied Child Development, Psychology, and Journalism at California State University, Northridge. Toni believes a school should be a loving, compassionate, and inclusive place. Her teaching philosophy embraces each student's curiosity, individualism, and love of learning.
Vanessa Petrone | Assistant Teacher: Two-Year-Old Class
Vanessa, known to the children as Ms. V, is excited to be joining the FPPK team. She has a passion for working with young children and finds joy in their curiosity and playful spirits. With a focus on helping children build resilience, confidence, and independence, she strives to create a safe and supportive environment where mistakes are embraced as opportunities for growth. As a mother of two, Vanessa brings both personal insight and professional dedication to her work. She is currently pursuing her Child Development Associate (CDA) credential.
Joanna Polowitz | Assistant Teacher: Two-Year-Old Class
Joanna joined FPPK over a decade ago as a teaching assistant and currently works in our two-year-old class. She is a former parent who loved our school so much that she wanted to join our staff. She enjoys working with children, watching them grow and get engaged in learning, and ensuring she keeps them laughing and enjoying their experience at school.
Sharon Cajas | Lead Teacher: Three-Year-Old Class
Sharon Cajas is a seasoned educator with a wealth of experience that she brings to her role as lead teacher in our 3-year-old class at FPPK. Sharon has over 10 years of experience working with preschoolers and has familiarity with the Reggio Emilia approach. She will be the first to tell you that she loves what she does. Sharon feels that early childhood education is a beautiful journey, and she treasures the moments created by young minds.
Marco Gomez| Lead Teacher: Four-Year-Old Class
Marco joined FPPK in 2025 as a Pre-K 4 teacher. He began teaching preschool in 2022 and was drawn to early childhood education through his passion for supporting children as they explore their curiosity and develop their unique strengths.
He comes from a family of educators and is multilingual, bringing a rich perspective to the classroom. Marco is currently working toward his Child Development Associate (CDA) credential to further enhance his teaching practice.
Rachel Fenkel| Lead Teacher: Four-Year-Old Class
Rachel Fenkel is the Lead Teacher for FPPK’s 3-year-old class and brings a wealth of preschool teaching experience to her role. She earned a master’s degree in education and has worked in a variety of preschool programs, summer programs, and camps with children of different ages. Rachel takes a social-emotional approach to teaching, fostering confidence, empathy, and a lifelong love of learning in her students. She especially enjoys watching children grow throughout the year and supporting the new friendships they build, while creating a warm, creative classroom environment where every child can thrive.
Kumhee Gloria Kim | Assistant Teacher: Four-Year-Old Class
Kumhee Gloria has been an assistant teacher at FPPK for three years, and currently, she is the assistant teacher for our 4-year-old class. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration in Korea. She brings much experience from teaching at daycare centers and Korean schools. Gloria loves to work with children and served as True Light Toddler Ministry director for five years.
Julie Lev| Lead Teacher: Kindergarten
Julie joined FPPK over 15 years ago and has served for a decade as our lead kindergarten teacher. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Westminster College, Oxford. Julie spent three years teaching in England and six years in the U.S. before teaching at our school. As a former FPPK parent herself, Julie is motivated by her desire to help children grow emotionally, socially, and academically in an environment where they are shown love and respect.
Christina Todd | Assistant
Christina holds a four-year degree in Marketing and is now pursuing her true passion—teaching. She has several years of experience working with children in both educational and caregiving settings, where she assisted with classroom activities, provided one-on-one support, and helped create safe, engaging environments for learning. Christina is currently pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education.
Sharon Snyder | Creative Movement
Sharon teaches our Creative Movement program at FPPK. She earned her degree from the University of the North Carolina School of the Arts in ballet. Sharon has held leading roles in “The Nutcracker,” “Four Temperaments,” “Dancing with Duke,” “Concerto Barroco,” and more. She has trained around the country, including the Pennsylvania Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet, and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Sharon’s classroom curriculum introduces students to ballet terminology and encourages them to listen to the music to learn rhythm, spatial awareness, and creativity through movement.
Faye Timmer | Music Education
Faye Timmer is a choral singer and conductor, church musician, and a early childhood music educator. She has taught at Columbia University Head Start, Dwight-Englewood (chorus and orchestra), Webop! at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the Very Young People’s Concerts with the New York Philharmonic.
Faye believes every child is inherently musical and should have the opportunity to explore their voice, instruments, and movement. Outside of teaching, she enjoys hiking, going to the beach, and gardening. She is excited to be part of the FPPK staff and looks forward to sharing music with both children and families.