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Staff
Email |
Learning Tree Staff
Profile
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Vinnie Duffy |
This is Vinnie’s 28th year at The Learning Tree. Vinnie is Co-Director of The Learning Tree and is Head Teacher for the PM program. Vinnie graduated from the Child Care Director’s Certificate Program at North Seattle Community College. He graduated from the University of Washington with a BA in History. 
He has participated in local Boy Scouting and was the Cub Master for Pack #9 on Capitol Hill. He has taught Sunday school at St. Matthew's Parish and led 4-H groups on outdoor studies for several years.
Vinnie is Dad to four children, grandfather of three, with his wife Roslyn Duffy. Vinnie is a militant vegetarian, whose interests include: bread making, piano, gardening, hiking and biking. |
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Sarah Luna |
Sarah has been at the Learning Tree for 9 years, but would you believe that before that she was a student? She spent 1981, 1982 and 1983 as a preschool/kindergarten student here! Sarah is very happy to work with her old preschool/kindergarten teacher Vinnie. Sarah has two children one in 6th grade and one in first grade, who both graduated from The Learning Tree! Her son holds the honor of being the first LT grandchild! All three of them play in marimba ensembles, and Sarah and Abdul travel with their bands professionally. Sarah is happy to say that she has made many wonderful friends while working at LT, and enjoys spending time with them all! You will see Sarah most days in the office although she can be found subbing in the classrooms from time to time. |
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James Burres |
James is starting his 5th year full time at The Learning Tree. He has been a part of the Learning Tree family for the past 10 years. His wife, Karen Campbell, is a teacher here. His three daughters have attended The Learning Tree--Kesha (16), Nia (13), and Japera (8)--and he also has a son named Chandly, who is 20. He will be working 11:00-6:00 in the afternoon program. James is a talented musician, who loves drumming and is in The Bakra Bata Steel Drum Band. |
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Mildred Thomas |
Mildred is our champion volunteer! This is Mildred’s 8th year. She has been graciously giving her time in the mornings, 4 days a week. She has been a great help in the classrooms! Mildred will be downstairs with Aurelia, Jessie and Lis. We are very lucky to have her with us. |
Aurelia Walton |
This is Aurelia’s 5th year working at The Learning Tree. She will be in the
Juniper classroom, co-Head teaching with Lis and supervising Noam’s internship. She loves French, dancing, geology, and working with children. |
Karen Campbell |
Karen is a veteran teacher of The Learning Tree. She lives with her husband James and their four children Chandly 20, Kesha 16, Nia 13 and Japera 8 1/2. She loves to read children’s literature, play soccer, watch baseball and drink coffee in the early morning. She is always very excited to teach at the Learning Tree. |
| Laura Holt |
Laura has been affiliated with the LT for the past 19 years. From head teacher to parent to administrator, but she just can’t seem to stay away from the children. Her own 2 boys, Stephen (15), and David (13), are LT graduates. Laura has her Montessori degree from NCME and an undergraduate degree from Seattle University. She serves on the board of the Pacific Northwest Montessori Association and is active in the broader Early Learning community. Laura enjoys travel, skiing, bike riding and baseball with her boys and husband, Fred. |
Rachelle Wilson |
Rachelle first joined LT a year ago as a sub, and now is employed on the PM staff. She recently graduated from Cornish College of the Arts’ music department, for general music studies in voice and theory. In her spare time she works as a band manager for a local group, studies astrology, Szasz, and music composition. She adores children and is scheming up a way to combine the LT community and music performance. |
Heather Braaten |
This is Heather’s 3rd year at LT. She is a recent graduate of MEIPN, an AMS Montessori training program. When not working, she enjoys taking yoga classes, reading, and playing with her bulldog, Hubert. |
Elisabeth Darling |
Lis has worked in the childcare field for over 18 years. This is her second year at the Learning Tree. She lives in Seward Park with her partner, James, her dog Sunny and two cats, Monte and Vera. She enjoys gardening, croquet and badminton in her spare time and likes to sculpt and paint, make Super 8 movies, and play in her dollhouses. |
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Margo Lauritzen |
Margo has been at LT for over 3 years as parent (to Kepler, almost seven), volunteer, sub, assistant, intern, and now co-head teacher with Karen and Heather in the Dogwood class! After close to 40 years in Seattle, Margo still laments the end of summer and the beginning of the gray; though there is some consolation in creative endeavors – singing, playing piano, dancing & writing. |
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