Meet the Team
Lanny Cheuck - Director
Lanny taught for the NYC DOE for 8 years and held other roles such as Literacy Coach, Department Chair, and a member of the Principal's Cabinet. After moving to San Francisco, she worked in a charter school for 3 years and became immersed in project-based learning and portfolio assessment. She is passionate about investigating how children demonstrate their learning and how they reflect on their own growth. After returning to NYC and becoming a mother, Lanny began working as an education consultant to principals and lead teachers. She taught school leaders on how to integrate portfolios into a graduation requirement for the 20 lowest performing high schools in Detroit, Michigan. This work led to transformative results in those schools.
After having her two young daughters, Maddie and Willa, Lanny became very interested in creating high-quality educational programs that are part-time and flexible for families living in North Brooklyn. The need for such a program and a love for green spaces and nature were the catalyst for wBees Forest School. Opening wBees Forest School has been a true dream come true for her.
Lanny taught for the NYC DOE for 8 years and held other roles such as Literacy Coach, Department Chair, and a member of the Principal's Cabinet. After moving to San Francisco, she worked in a charter school for 3 years and became immersed in project-based learning and portfolio assessment. She is passionate about investigating how children demonstrate their learning and how they reflect on their own growth. After returning to NYC and becoming a mother, Lanny began working as an education consultant to principals and lead teachers. She taught school leaders on how to integrate portfolios into a graduation requirement for the 20 lowest performing high schools in Detroit, Michigan. This work led to transformative results in those schools.
After having her two young daughters, Maddie and Willa, Lanny became very interested in creating high-quality educational programs that are part-time and flexible for families living in North Brooklyn. The need for such a program and a love for green spaces and nature were the catalyst for wBees Forest School. Opening wBees Forest School has been a true dream come true for her.
Melanie Hernández - Russell lead teacher / After-school lead teacher
Melanie was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. Throughout her life, she had the opportunity to attend six very different schools in three different countries. Since an early age, Melanie felt a great fascination for schools and the communities that build inside of them. All of these varied experiences has led to her strong belief in cultivating a sense of community, empathy and respect in the class environment as well as implementing an emotionally responsive practice. She has been working with young children for over eleven years with the last five years teaching at West Side Montessori School in the Upper West Side before joining wBees Forest School in 2016. Melanie is thrilled to continue her journey at wBees Forest School which embodies the approach to education that resonates with her and is also in her community of North Brooklyn.
Melanie holds a B.S in Social Communications, a M.A in Early Childhood General and Special Education, and an Early Childhood Montessori credential. In addition, Melanie is a mom to a rambunctious toddler boy who loves to eat and play with their dog Lupe!
Melanie was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. Throughout her life, she had the opportunity to attend six very different schools in three different countries. Since an early age, Melanie felt a great fascination for schools and the communities that build inside of them. All of these varied experiences has led to her strong belief in cultivating a sense of community, empathy and respect in the class environment as well as implementing an emotionally responsive practice. She has been working with young children for over eleven years with the last five years teaching at West Side Montessori School in the Upper West Side before joining wBees Forest School in 2016. Melanie is thrilled to continue her journey at wBees Forest School which embodies the approach to education that resonates with her and is also in her community of North Brooklyn.
Melanie holds a B.S in Social Communications, a M.A in Early Childhood General and Special Education, and an Early Childhood Montessori credential. In addition, Melanie is a mom to a rambunctious toddler boy who loves to eat and play with their dog Lupe!
Kelly Szuhay - Russell co-teacher / After-school lead teacher
Kelly was born in Cleveland, Ohio and has been working with children in one capacity or another since she was a teenager. She received a B.S. in Retail Merchandising and went on to earn her MACTE Early Childhood Montessori accreditation in 2012. After working in Fashion utilizing her original degree, Kelly felt something was missing in her professional satisfaction and found Montessori through a dear friend. This career pivot was a monumental shift in her life and she feels unbelievably lucky to be able to make a living doing something she feels so passionate about and aligned with. Kelly has been a Montessori teacher here in NYC for 6 years, spending the majority of that time at West Side Montessori School on the Upper West Side and more recently integrating into the community at Brooklyn Heights Montessori School in Brooklyn. She is so grateful to have been able to share Montessori curricula with her three year old daughter Harmony who was a student of wBees Forest School for the past two years. Kelly has also enjoyed being a lead teacher for wBees Forest School's camps for the past year and a half and is really looking forward to joining the Russell classroom community this fall. She is consistently inspired by the way children are so genuine, live in the moment, and radiate their authenticity unselfconsciously. She holds Montessori's respect for children very dear to her heart and looks at teaching as a practice as much as a career.
Kelly was born in Cleveland, Ohio and has been working with children in one capacity or another since she was a teenager. She received a B.S. in Retail Merchandising and went on to earn her MACTE Early Childhood Montessori accreditation in 2012. After working in Fashion utilizing her original degree, Kelly felt something was missing in her professional satisfaction and found Montessori through a dear friend. This career pivot was a monumental shift in her life and she feels unbelievably lucky to be able to make a living doing something she feels so passionate about and aligned with. Kelly has been a Montessori teacher here in NYC for 6 years, spending the majority of that time at West Side Montessori School on the Upper West Side and more recently integrating into the community at Brooklyn Heights Montessori School in Brooklyn. She is so grateful to have been able to share Montessori curricula with her three year old daughter Harmony who was a student of wBees Forest School for the past two years. Kelly has also enjoyed being a lead teacher for wBees Forest School's camps for the past year and a half and is really looking forward to joining the Russell classroom community this fall. She is consistently inspired by the way children are so genuine, live in the moment, and radiate their authenticity unselfconsciously. She holds Montessori's respect for children very dear to her heart and looks at teaching as a practice as much as a career.
Duncan Figurski - Russell teacher Assistant / STEAM after-school lead teacher
Duncan Figurski went to Eugene Lang College for Interdisciplinary Science and is highly passionate about combining his academic interest with art. Duncan studied the pedagogy of different scientific disciplines and acted as a science fellow for an epidemiology course. He is also a working artist showing more and more of his work in the past year. For the past 5 years, he has been working in teaching children from ages 3-10 years old in afternoon art classes and summer camp in the media arts in the Church Street School of Music and Arts in Manhattan. Duncan has been working as an after-school STEAM teacher for wBees Forest School since the winter and has been teaching summer camp this year. Throughout all of his time working with children over the years, he finds it an invaluable and beautiful experience. He believes helping younger minds to grow and find their footing can teach us so much about ourselves.
Duncan Figurski went to Eugene Lang College for Interdisciplinary Science and is highly passionate about combining his academic interest with art. Duncan studied the pedagogy of different scientific disciplines and acted as a science fellow for an epidemiology course. He is also a working artist showing more and more of his work in the past year. For the past 5 years, he has been working in teaching children from ages 3-10 years old in afternoon art classes and summer camp in the media arts in the Church Street School of Music and Arts in Manhattan. Duncan has been working as an after-school STEAM teacher for wBees Forest School since the winter and has been teaching summer camp this year. Throughout all of his time working with children over the years, he finds it an invaluable and beautiful experience. He believes helping younger minds to grow and find their footing can teach us so much about ourselves.
Gayla Brooks - Russell teacher assistant / Music after-school teacher
Gayla Brooks is a musician, teacher, and dog-mom living in Brooklyn. She was born and raised in Hong Kong, spent 3 years in Singapore, and went to high school in San Francisco. Gayla attended college at The Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU Tisch and holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Music Production and Music business with a minor in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies. She is currently preparing for her graduate studies where she plans to study Special Education.
Gayla has played guitar for 15 years and the drums for 10 years and plays in a few Brooklyn punk bands. She spent her first year out of college as the assistant music teacher at the Aaron School, a Manhattan Special Education school. At the Aaron School, she worked with kids affected by ADHD, Autism spectrum disorders, as well as sensory processing issues. It was here that Gayla saw what a profound effect music can have on children with special needs and sparked the passion in her to continue her studies in this vein. This past year, Gayla worked as an assistant teacher at The Playschool, a teacher-run play-based cooperative school in Williamsburg. She is looking forward to bringing her passion for music and experience with young children to wBees Forest School this fall.
Gayla Brooks is a musician, teacher, and dog-mom living in Brooklyn. She was born and raised in Hong Kong, spent 3 years in Singapore, and went to high school in San Francisco. Gayla attended college at The Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU Tisch and holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Music Production and Music business with a minor in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies. She is currently preparing for her graduate studies where she plans to study Special Education.
Gayla has played guitar for 15 years and the drums for 10 years and plays in a few Brooklyn punk bands. She spent her first year out of college as the assistant music teacher at the Aaron School, a Manhattan Special Education school. At the Aaron School, she worked with kids affected by ADHD, Autism spectrum disorders, as well as sensory processing issues. It was here that Gayla saw what a profound effect music can have on children with special needs and sparked the passion in her to continue her studies in this vein. This past year, Gayla worked as an assistant teacher at The Playschool, a teacher-run play-based cooperative school in Williamsburg. She is looking forward to bringing her passion for music and experience with young children to wBees Forest School this fall.
Margi Breisler - Bayard lead teacher
Margi grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, where she attended a Montessori program that had her climbing trees and staring admiringly at leaves. Many years later, after a short stint working as a freelance writer, she found her way back to Montessori, teaching in Williamsburg. She quickly realize that for her, few things were more fun than being around the earnest, creative, unfiltered minds of children. Seven years later, having witnessed her students' tremendous social, emotional, physical, and academic accomplishments, she doubts that she could find a job that feels more important. She continues to feel honored to work with parents and guide children in becoming their most confident, well-rounded selves.
Margi started teaching seven years ago, and has worked with young children for over ten years. She received her Masters degree in Early Childhood Education with a focus on Special Education and her Bachelors degree in English. She has her Montessori Certification and New York State Teaching Certification. She worked as a lead teacher in a well-regarded Montessori preschool in Williamsburg and is excited to be able to continue her work in the North Brooklyn community. She's looking forward to working with the exceptional teachers at wBees, in a program that brings the Montessori philosophy together with Forest School approaches.
Margi is the proud mother of a two-year-old girl. She speaks Latvian and tries to remain active in the Latvian-American community. She loves the beach, hiking, traveling, baking bread, going to the movies, and long, lazy brunches.
Margi grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, where she attended a Montessori program that had her climbing trees and staring admiringly at leaves. Many years later, after a short stint working as a freelance writer, she found her way back to Montessori, teaching in Williamsburg. She quickly realize that for her, few things were more fun than being around the earnest, creative, unfiltered minds of children. Seven years later, having witnessed her students' tremendous social, emotional, physical, and academic accomplishments, she doubts that she could find a job that feels more important. She continues to feel honored to work with parents and guide children in becoming their most confident, well-rounded selves.
Margi started teaching seven years ago, and has worked with young children for over ten years. She received her Masters degree in Early Childhood Education with a focus on Special Education and her Bachelors degree in English. She has her Montessori Certification and New York State Teaching Certification. She worked as a lead teacher in a well-regarded Montessori preschool in Williamsburg and is excited to be able to continue her work in the North Brooklyn community. She's looking forward to working with the exceptional teachers at wBees, in a program that brings the Montessori philosophy together with Forest School approaches.
Margi is the proud mother of a two-year-old girl. She speaks Latvian and tries to remain active in the Latvian-American community. She loves the beach, hiking, traveling, baking bread, going to the movies, and long, lazy brunches.
Lisa Bruno - Bayard lead teacher
Lisa is a Brooklyn native with over 10 years of experience working with children. Prior to working in Early Childhood Education, Lisa received her undergraduate degree in Studio Art from Hunter College and spent several years living and working at The John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina where she learned to knit, quilt, play guitar and contra dance. An active member of The Folk School community, Lisa continues to visit the school annually and has taught classes in hand lettering, weaving and painting.
While working at a preschool in Brooklyn Lisa was advised to read E.M. Standings biography of Maria Montessori. Inspired by Montessori’s life and work Lisa began reading Montessori’s books including The Secret of Childhood and The Absorbent Mind, finding the philosophy of observation and child led learning to meld with her own ideas of respectful and progressive education. Lisa received her AMI primary training from Montessori Northwest and her Master of Education degree from Loyola University. She has been joyfully guiding children in beautifully prepared Montessori environments since 2012. Her rich background includes teaching positions at several well-known schools including Red Hook Playgroup, Brooklyn Heights Montessori School, and Brooklyn Friends.
When not working with children Lisa can be found riding her bike, crafting, playing guitar or on long walks with her dog, a 9-year-old rescue named Whistle Pig.
Lisa is a Brooklyn native with over 10 years of experience working with children. Prior to working in Early Childhood Education, Lisa received her undergraduate degree in Studio Art from Hunter College and spent several years living and working at The John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina where she learned to knit, quilt, play guitar and contra dance. An active member of The Folk School community, Lisa continues to visit the school annually and has taught classes in hand lettering, weaving and painting.
While working at a preschool in Brooklyn Lisa was advised to read E.M. Standings biography of Maria Montessori. Inspired by Montessori’s life and work Lisa began reading Montessori’s books including The Secret of Childhood and The Absorbent Mind, finding the philosophy of observation and child led learning to meld with her own ideas of respectful and progressive education. Lisa received her AMI primary training from Montessori Northwest and her Master of Education degree from Loyola University. She has been joyfully guiding children in beautifully prepared Montessori environments since 2012. Her rich background includes teaching positions at several well-known schools including Red Hook Playgroup, Brooklyn Heights Montessori School, and Brooklyn Friends.
When not working with children Lisa can be found riding her bike, crafting, playing guitar or on long walks with her dog, a 9-year-old rescue named Whistle Pig.
Anna Robinson - Bayard co-teacher / Theater after-school lead teacher
Anna Robinson holds a B.F.A. in Theater Performance from the University of Michigan and just recently earned her M.S. Ed. in Theater Education from the City College of New York. She has worked professionally as an actor and as a nanny for a family of two young children for many years. For the past year and a half, she has been teaching with the Russell teaching team for both Seedlings and Sprouts and has learned so much about how to teach in a Montessori-inspired classroom. Anna has been bringing her love of story-telling and theater play to our students in both our morning and afternoon programs and is excited for her new role of co-teacher at the new Bayard location!
Anna Robinson holds a B.F.A. in Theater Performance from the University of Michigan and just recently earned her M.S. Ed. in Theater Education from the City College of New York. She has worked professionally as an actor and as a nanny for a family of two young children for many years. For the past year and a half, she has been teaching with the Russell teaching team for both Seedlings and Sprouts and has learned so much about how to teach in a Montessori-inspired classroom. Anna has been bringing her love of story-telling and theater play to our students in both our morning and afternoon programs and is excited for her new role of co-teacher at the new Bayard location!
Hannah Berry - Bayard / Russell Art teacher
Hannah Berry was born and raised in Alaska where she developed a strong love for nature and the arts. She received her BA from Lewis & Clark College in Portland Oregon and soon afterwards, moved to New York to follow her career in the visual arts. Hannah recently received her Master of Fine Arts degree from Pratt and is a working artist specializing in figurative paintings paired with nature. Hannah has been working with children for the past eight years ranging from childcare to teaching for the Gustavus Preschool Summer Program. She also worked as a visiting Art Teacher and volunteer reading assistant at the Barnette Magnet School in Fairbanks, Alaska for several years. Her love for travel and teaching even took her to Nepal where she taught English there in 2013.
Hannah has been working as an after-school art teacher and a camp teacher at wBees Forest School since last winter and is thrilled to be joining both our Bayard and Russell locations as the visiting art teacher where she will join each class weekly. Joining wBees Forest School allows her passion for art and her enthusiasm for teaching kids and inspiring creativity to come together.
Hannah Berry was born and raised in Alaska where she developed a strong love for nature and the arts. She received her BA from Lewis & Clark College in Portland Oregon and soon afterwards, moved to New York to follow her career in the visual arts. Hannah recently received her Master of Fine Arts degree from Pratt and is a working artist specializing in figurative paintings paired with nature. Hannah has been working with children for the past eight years ranging from childcare to teaching for the Gustavus Preschool Summer Program. She also worked as a visiting Art Teacher and volunteer reading assistant at the Barnette Magnet School in Fairbanks, Alaska for several years. Her love for travel and teaching even took her to Nepal where she taught English there in 2013.
Hannah has been working as an after-school art teacher and a camp teacher at wBees Forest School since last winter and is thrilled to be joining both our Bayard and Russell locations as the visiting art teacher where she will join each class weekly. Joining wBees Forest School allows her passion for art and her enthusiasm for teaching kids and inspiring creativity to come together.
Charlie Bellahsen - French after-school lead teacher
Charlie was born in Paris but moved to the French Caribbean island of Saint Martin at age 4 where she grew up with her family. It is in Saint Martin that she cultivated a passion in languages. Multi-ethnicity is what defines the island and as far as she can remember, she was always enveloped in Caribbean languages and culture: English, Spanish and Creole. After graduating from high school, Charlie returned to Paris and studied Foreign Languages as an undergraduate. After 2 years of studying English, she moved to Sevilla, Spain as an Erasmus student (European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students). There, she studied the Spanish language and Economy at the University Pablo de Olavide for a semester.
After moving back to her island, she made the decision to become a teacher of foreign languages and knew that it was a wise one. Charlie is passionate in bilingualism and the process of learning specific to each kids. She moved to New York in 2014 and decided to specialize in teaching French as a Second Language. She taught in the French American Academy in Jersey city for the past two years working with children from 3 to 8. Besides this post, Charlie has been teaching with EFNY in the NYC public schools. She also teaches enthusiastic adults who want to learn her native language at Coucou Brooklyn. Through teaching bilingual children, she is constantly creating and writing about new methods to teach and loves the challenge. This year she wishes to cultivate the same passion in her students and inculcate them in the importance of languages in our world.
Charlie was born in Paris but moved to the French Caribbean island of Saint Martin at age 4 where she grew up with her family. It is in Saint Martin that she cultivated a passion in languages. Multi-ethnicity is what defines the island and as far as she can remember, she was always enveloped in Caribbean languages and culture: English, Spanish and Creole. After graduating from high school, Charlie returned to Paris and studied Foreign Languages as an undergraduate. After 2 years of studying English, she moved to Sevilla, Spain as an Erasmus student (European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students). There, she studied the Spanish language and Economy at the University Pablo de Olavide for a semester.
After moving back to her island, she made the decision to become a teacher of foreign languages and knew that it was a wise one. Charlie is passionate in bilingualism and the process of learning specific to each kids. She moved to New York in 2014 and decided to specialize in teaching French as a Second Language. She taught in the French American Academy in Jersey city for the past two years working with children from 3 to 8. Besides this post, Charlie has been teaching with EFNY in the NYC public schools. She also teaches enthusiastic adults who want to learn her native language at Coucou Brooklyn. Through teaching bilingual children, she is constantly creating and writing about new methods to teach and loves the challenge. This year she wishes to cultivate the same passion in her students and inculcate them in the importance of languages in our world.
Sandra Nydegger - French after-school lead teacher
Sandra was born and raised in a small city on Lake Geneva in the French speaking part of Switzerland. Her mother was German and she grew up speaking two languages fluently. English and Italian were added later on in school so learning and speaking second languages have always been a part of Sandra's life. Her parents were nature enthusiasts and weekly hikes and outdoors activities were an essential part of her childhood, snow, rain or shine. Her mother also applied the Montessori approach in her way to educate her two daughters. All of these experiences have shaped the way Sandra views education for not only her daughters but her vision of how children learn best for her students.
After studying Graphic Design and Photography back home, Sandra moved to New York and worked in both of these fields for close to 20 years. In 2005 she started teaching photography workshops to children at a summer camp in Switzerland. This experience was enlightening and after having her own daughter 6 years later she started teaching photography, art and French in various schools and programs, including Pomme Verte (a French and Art after-school program she co-founded), EINY - Ecole International de New York, and EFNY.
She embraces her parents love to the outdoors and believes that being outside greatly improves learning skills. Sandra is also a certified Pilates teacher and has practiced Yoga for years. She includes both practices into her teachings. She is looking forward to bringing her passion for languages, movement and the arts to wBees Forest School's French after-school program this fall!
Sandra was born and raised in a small city on Lake Geneva in the French speaking part of Switzerland. Her mother was German and she grew up speaking two languages fluently. English and Italian were added later on in school so learning and speaking second languages have always been a part of Sandra's life. Her parents were nature enthusiasts and weekly hikes and outdoors activities were an essential part of her childhood, snow, rain or shine. Her mother also applied the Montessori approach in her way to educate her two daughters. All of these experiences have shaped the way Sandra views education for not only her daughters but her vision of how children learn best for her students.
After studying Graphic Design and Photography back home, Sandra moved to New York and worked in both of these fields for close to 20 years. In 2005 she started teaching photography workshops to children at a summer camp in Switzerland. This experience was enlightening and after having her own daughter 6 years later she started teaching photography, art and French in various schools and programs, including Pomme Verte (a French and Art after-school program she co-founded), EINY - Ecole International de New York, and EFNY.
She embraces her parents love to the outdoors and believes that being outside greatly improves learning skills. Sandra is also a certified Pilates teacher and has practiced Yoga for years. She includes both practices into her teachings. She is looking forward to bringing her passion for languages, movement and the arts to wBees Forest School's French after-school program this fall!
