OUR STAFF

2022-2023

Office & Administration

Francine Marchese

Executive Director

Francine (She/Her) is an early childhood specialist with experience in professional development and teacher preparation. She has been a teacher of pre-k, kindergarten and primary grade students in New York, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. She is passionate about early childhood education, especially through creating environments that are inviting, engaging and culturally responsive for young children. She has been a staunch advocate for social justice her entire life and is always striving to be better. She has extensive experience teaching in higher-education and has been an instructor at the Johns Hopkins School of Education as well as the University of Maryland. Originally trained as an artist, Francine holds a BFA in fine arts from Pratt Institute and an MS in early childhood education from Bank Street College of Education. Francine is especially passionate about play-based learning, which is why she feels right at home at Bolton Hill Nursery. Francine has two grown children – a stepdaughter who teaches 2nd grade in Baltimore County and a son who is an aspiring filmmaker living in Brooklyn, NY – and a partner, Don, who is a former lawyer/investment banker who currently works with mentoring college students in Baltimore. In her spare time, Francine loves to paint, garden, cook, travel, and spend time with her family.

Becky Bauer

Assistant Director

Becky (She/Her) is a proud midwesterner who came to Baltimore to attend Goucher College. Through friends and a love of the city she knew she could call this city her home. Though her focus in college was on art, working with children has always been a part of her life. She has been at BHN since 2015 and in 2020, she decided to take on the role as Assistant Director of Operations. Outside of BHN, Becky is a true gourmet and loves to host her friends and try new foods and new restaurants around Baltimore. She lives with her husband and two cats, Mo and Max. She can often be found around BHN singing a song, wondering what she was thinking, and sipping her coffee. She loves working with children two to five because they’re at such a formative age. She is always amazed at their growth and development and feels joyful she gets to be a part of it.

Leigh Hibler

Director of Finance

Leigh (She/Her) grew up in Richmond, Virginia where she studied marketing and English at Virginia Commonwealth University, and then earned her MBA at the University of Richmond. After college she worked in the coal industry, focusing on market research and commodities trading, where she claims to have “sold coal to Santa Claus.” Leigh’s acquaintance with BHN began well before her time as the financial administrator. Both her sons are alumni and she served on the board of directors when BHN purchased its current building. When she isn’t crunching the numbers in the front office or keeping up with her boys, Leigh enjoys baking, soccer, spending time outdoors, or just relaxing with a good book. Leigh describes the continued appeal of BHN as a “magnetic pull” that has kept her close to the community over the years.

Kateri Pelton

Office Manager

Kateri (They/She) is a born and bred Baltimorean from Lauraville! Kateri likes to call Bolton Hill a second home, as they grew up attending Memorial Episcopal Church and acting in many of the Memorial Players shows. She recently graduated with a Master's in Theatre Directing from the University of London Royal Holloway and loves all things logistics, planning, and artistic. Kateri aspires to be the first American on the Great British Bake Off, but will settle for directing their own version from the comfort of her home kitchen!

Full-Time Teachers

Becky Bauer

Becky (She/Her) is a proud midwesterner who came to Baltimore to attend Goucher College. Through friends and a love of the city she knew she could call this city her home. Though her focus in college was on art, working with children has always been a part of her life. She has been at BHN since 2015 and in 2020, she decided to take on the role as Assistant Director of Operations. Outside of BHN, Becky is a true gourmet and loves to host her friends and try new foods and new restaurants around Baltimore. She lives with her husband and two cats, Mo and Max. She can often be found around BHN singing a song, wondering what she was thinking, and sipping her coffee. She loves working with children two to five because they’re at such a formative age. She is always amazed at their growth and development and feels joyful she gets to be a part of it.

Sari Bowers

Sari Bowers (She/Her) is a seasoned educator who grew up in Baltimore but has lived in Texas, Germany, and South Korea. While living in South Korea, Sari also taught English. Sari earned her Bachelor's degree in English, with a minor in Communications, theatre-film and video, from Guilford College and was afterwards drawn to work helping others. She has taught children with special needs at Kennedy Krieger, taught English as a second language, and worked in elder care and child care. Outside the classroom, Sari is a mother, animal lover, and world traveler. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, painting by the numbers, and reading novels. Her experience teaching children with special needs and students of varied cultures has taught her that all people learn in their own unique way, an invaluable perspective she is excited to bring to Bolton Hill Nursery.

Lyric Brumfield

Lyric (She/Her) was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, where she graduated from Mergenthaler Vocational Technical High School with her studies of Early Childhood Development. Lyric loves spending time at the dance studio, where she studies Ballet, Modern, Tap, and Contemporary, and when she is not taking dance classes, she’s teaching dance to children as young as 18 months old. Lyric is one of six siblings and is family oriented, so spending quality time with family is very important to her. Lyric is excited for her new position and is eager to join the BNH family!

Gevette Branch

Gevette (She/Her) was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She has a degree in Early Childhood & Special Education. Gevette has spent a collective amount of that time as a special education and pre-school teacher. She spends her free time hiking and cooking for her family. She hopes to inspire the children in the classroom to live freely and happily.

Laura Fitzpatrick

Laura (She/Her) grew up in New York and Connecticut, and attended Massachusetts College of Art where she studied Art Education. Returning to Connecticut after college, Laura taught in a two-year-olds classroom for 14 years. After a few visits, she fell in love with and moved to Baltimore late in 2016 and joined the BHN staff, already a seasoned educator. When she isn’t at BHN she enjoys painting, making soap, and vegetarian/vegan cooking. One of her favorite things to do with children is singing. Laura especially enjoys working with the twos because they are curious and they always make her laugh.

Reshena Frink

Reshena Frink (She/Her) was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She attended Baltimore City Community College where she obtained a A.S. in Early Childhood Education. She also studied at University of Maryland Global Campus where she received her B.S. in Psychology. She is currently seeking her Master’s in Nonprofits and Association Management there as well. She has worked in early childhood education since 2015. When she isn't working at BHN, she enjoys spending time with her daughter and girlfriend, as well as her family. She also enjoys painting, writing poetry, and spending time in nature. She looks forward to bringing all she has learned to the BHN family and is excited to be a part of the team.

Tennille Jackson

Tennille (She/Her) comes to us from Pocomoke City, “The Friendliest Town on the Eastern Shore.” Though she attended cosmetology school, Tennille’s passion lies in helping rather than hair. She has worked with kids since she was 17. Her extensive experience has taken her from schools to day cares to residential facilities. Her infectious smile and sharp sense of humor is invaluable at BHN, where she brightens the days of kids and grownups alike. Tennille is at home onstage as well as the classroom, whether as a stand-up comedian or a karaoke star, but nowadays dedicates most of her time outside of BHN to her daughter.

Anastasia Kupstas

Anastasia (She/Her) is from Kalamazoo, Michigan, and came to Baltimore to attend Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University. She holds two Bachelor’s degrees, the first in Saxophone Performance (2018) and second in Audio Engineering (2019) from Peabody. For work, Anastasia has been a private nanny (including for a BHN family!) and is currently an audio engineer for Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church. She also teaches private music lessons to all ages in piano and saxophone. Outside of work, Anastasia most enjoys vegetable gardening, embroidering, and roller skating. She is excited to join the BHN team!

Hannah Merrill

Hannah (She/Her) was born in Massachusetts, but grew up in New Jersey. Shortly after high school she began her professional life with children by working as a mother's helper, as well as working at a daycare center. She studied Special Education, a study which culminated in a school-to-work program in an all-inclusive classroom. Hannah moved to Baltimore and began work as a nanny, a position she held for seven years. Though she is very close with the family, Hannah is excited for the new adventure of becoming part of a school community. At home, Hannah is an avid host and lover of good food with good friends. She also has a flair for decorating, and takes great pride in beautifying her space. She cherishes time with her family and sees them at every opportunity. Her compassion and pizzazz is a valued combination here at BHN.

Grant Nickson

Grant (He/Him) was born in Chicago, but moved frequently while growing up, attending high school in Montclair, New Jersey. It was in Montclair that Grant began working with children, both babysitting and teaching art classes at a local museum. He landed in Maryland to attend MICA where he majored in Illustration, with a particular interest in illustrating for children’s media. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he became a stalwart substitute at BHN where he quickly impressed everyone with his caring and kindness, as well as the massive color-by-numbers sheets he made by hand! He is ready to join the BHN team full time as a Bluebirds teacher. When he isn’t at BHN, Grant continues to make art using multiple media, including animating for music videos. He also enjoys hiking, biking, and reading in his spare time.

Paige Owen

Paige (She/Her) grew up in Anne Arundel County, MD and attended The College of New Jersey, where she studied Women & Gender Studies with minors in Religious Studies and Deaf Studies. Paige has always worked with children, most recently working as a behavior technician with autistic children ages 2+ and at a Montessori preschool with ages 3-4. She loves seeing children make progress on their goals everyday. Paige has lived in Mount Vernon with her dog, Kona since 2018. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.

Trisha Pandohie

Trisha (She/Her) grew up in Howard County, Maryland, with a brief detour to California. She studied elementary education at Howard Community College but quickly found herself in the world of Montessori education. Trisha has taught at three different schools over the past fifteen years, most recently at Greenspring Montessori. Trisha enjoys spending time with her boyfriend and family, doing yoga and pilates and is an accomplished amateur chef. A resident of Mount Vernon, Trisha looks forward to bringing her passion, expertise, and years of experience to BHN.

Will Ryerson

Will (He/Him) grew up in Ohio and studied music at Earlham College, but he has lived and worked in Baltimore for fifteen years. Over the years, Will has been a full time teacher and a substitute at BHN, but he is perhaps best known to current BHN families for his weekly music classes. He also taught elementary music in Baltimore City Public schools. Mr. Will is a musician and songwriter, and plays a number of instruments in a number of bands, in styles ranging from funk to children’s music. He also organizes shows for local artists. As a longtime member of the community, Mr. Will is excited to continue as a weekly music and substitute teacher in the coming school year.

Rachel Richardson

Rachel (She/Her) was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, attended Hamilton College in New York, and received her Master's of Fine Arts in Fiction from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She has taught creative writing to senior citizens and seventh-graders, as well as composition, humanities, and academic literacy to community college students in both Carolinas and Dundalk. She is a writer, runner, and lover of all things small, especially people. She and her fiance, Dean, the Barrel and Special Projects Lead Brewer for Union Craft Brewing, have lived in Hampden since 2017 with their dog, Lucy Beth Wednesday Divine.

Kristen Schmitz

Kristen (She/Her) grew up in Savannah, Georgia, helping care for the many young children in her extended family. She attended the University of Georgia where she majored in Special Education. Taking her talents to the west coast, she moved to southern California where she worked as a preschool special educator. Kristen later moved to Maryland and moved up to kindergarten special-ed in Baltimore County Public Schools. She took a break from the classroom to raise children of her own, but returned to teaching in 2015. She has been a BHN parent, teacher, and board member. Kristen is conscientious, organized, and brings to BHN her years of experience as an educator and parent. In her spare time, Kristen enjoys trips to the beach, or just relaxing at home with her dog Hazel.

Brad Wright

Brad (He/Him) grew up first in New Mexico, then in New Jersey, but has spent most of his time in and around Baltimore since attending Goucher College. He majored in English Literature and Secondary Education. He taught Language Arts to 11th graders for three years but has also been a busboy, copywriter, animal sitter, and a driver for a summer camp. When he isn't working at BHN or elsewhere he can be found cooking, strolling outdoors, reading his way through stacks of unread sci-fi and fantasy books, watching movies, or practicing the air guitar. He loves hearing jokes and stories (real and make believe) from all the young thinkers at Bolton Hill Nursery, where he began teaching in the summer of 2019.

Substitute and Floater Teachers

Caroline Cross

Caroline (She/Her) is a Bolton Hiller, having grown up just a stone’s throw from the Nursery School. She attended Roland Park Country School through the eighth grade and then graduated from St. Timothy’s School. She is now a rising sophomore at the University of Vermont. At UVM, she is a proud member of the Student Alumni Association and enjoys helping out at events when possible. Outside of academics, she most enjoys spending time with friends, reading, and spending downtime with her Siamese cat, ”Boo.”