Staff

Lorraine Mondesir
Director

With a strong commitment to personal and professional excellence, Lorraine joined the staff of the Early Learning Center in February 2017. Prior, she served for 24 years as an assistant teacher, lead teacher, and most recently as director in the Early Childhood Center at Brooklyn College. As an experienced early childhood educator and administrator with 31 years in the field, Lorraine holds B.A. and M.S. degrees in Early Childhood Education from Brooklyn College, along with several certifications in teaching, supervision, and administration. She also has an array of experience in leadership, curriculum planning, grant writing, and in creating a supportive family-friendly environment for diverse student-parents, as well as designing conducive classroom settings for infant/toddlers, and pre-school and school-age children. She holds memberships in several professional organizations to include the National Coalition for Campus Childcare Centers, NYC Association for Educators of Young Children, and the Child Care Council of City University of New York.

Sophia Solomon
Lead Teacher and Curriculum Coordinator

Sophia returned to the Early Learning Center in August 2018 after a two-years appointment as the Educational Coordinator of the preschool program at Ivy Bound International School in Bangkok, Thailand. Prior to leaving for Thailand, Ms. Solomon was the Educational Director/Lead Teacher at the Early Learning Center.

Ms. Solomon has also been an adjunct lecturer at Hunter College CUNY, School of Graduate Education where her hands-on, interactive curriculum design for teaching Child Development is now the blueprint for teaching that course at Hunter College.

Growing up in East Africa, Europe and the Middle East gives Ms. Solomon a uniquely multicultural perspective, a passionate commitment to creating learning environments that embrace diversity and honor individual learning styles. Her teaching approach places a high value on developing social-emotional skills alongside academic excellence to nurture critical thinkers who can tolerate dissention, embrace paradox and negotiate differences respectfully.

Ms. Solomon has an M.S. Ed., Birth-8 years old and a B.A. in Music (piano) & Library Science.

Elizabeth Leone
Lead Teacher/Administrative Coordinator

Elizabeth Leone, known by all as Liz, is a new member of ELC.   She has educated and nurtured children from four months to five years old, including children with developmental delays and ELLs at the Early Childhood Center of Brooklyn College for over 10 years. Liz prides herself on her ability to fully support parents throughout their child’s educational journey and uses her own experiences as a mother to help others. Additionally, Liz has mentored undergraduate students during their fieldwork placements and was a research assistant conducting qualitative interviews at Brooklyn College early childhood.

Liz has a bachelor’s degree from the CUNY B.A. program, concentrating in speech-language pathology, early childhood education, and child psychology. She holds a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education with an extension in early childhood special education at Brooklyn College. Liz is a mom of three beautiful boys, who have all have experienced attending and graduating from the ECC. She believes that this unique opportunity allowed her to better understand the parent’s perspective at the center as well as the teacher’s responsibility to the families.

Mariestel Adon
Assistant Teacher

Mariestel has worked at the Early Learning Center since January 2019. She attended Herkimer County Community College where she earned an Associates in Science Degree in Childhood Education and worked as a sign language tutor.

Mariestel began her career as an assistant teacher and tutor in after-school programs. But, her true passion is working with very young children, where she shares her enthusiasm for cooking and teaching songs in sign language.

Lynn Schaul
Theater Arts Specialist

Lynn Schaul is a theater arts specialist and has been in the field of Arts Education for over two decades. She is a graduate of NYU’s program in Educational Theater and holds a Master’s degree in Technology in Education.  Lynn has toured nationally with Children’s Theaters and has led Arts in Education programs throughout New York City and Los Angeles. Lynn uses the power of play and make believe to help children develop language and explore the world around them.