Elementary Team

Selma Laurence was born in Peru and grew up in Surfside, Florida. She graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelors of Science in Recreation & Sports Management. Selma  has worked in camp and park settings since college and even worked as a Park Ranger in the Grand Canyon. When Selma returned to Miami she decided to change careers to Education. She earned her Teaching Certification and worked for Miami-Dade County Schools as a Reading Interventionist and Kindergarten teacher for the past three years. She has been a member of Temple Beth Sholom since she was 15 years old.  Selma loves to travel, go paddleboarding, and Orangetheory. Selma has recently become a new mother and cherishes the time she spends with her baby, Zoe, husband Josh and her dog Jensen. She is very excited to be able to continue her connection with this temple by teaching here.

Dylan Savage grew up in South Florida and just recently moved to Miami from New York City. Dylan has earned her Master's of Science in Non-Profit Management and has spent the last five years teaching at a Jewish, Reggio Emilia-inspired school. She is passionate about the Reggio Emilia approach and is dedicated to providing an environment that inspires exploration, community, and creativity. Dylan spent 13 summers working at the camp she grew up going to. She enjoys going to the beach, cooking, trying new things, and spending time with her husband, Greg, daughter, Esme, and dog, Sunny. Dylan is excited to join the Temple Beth Shalom family!

Brittany was born and raised in the beautiful state of Georgia. After completing high school, she pursued her passion for education by attending Georgia State University in Atlanta. It was there that Brittany earned her Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, gaining a solid foundation in teaching strategies and child development. During her time at Georgia State, she had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in China. This experience broadened her perspective and enriched her understanding of diverse cultures. In 2014, Brittany made a life-changing decision and moved to Miami, Florida. Eager to continue her professional growth, she pursued a Master's degree in Reading from St. Thomas University. This specialized degree equipped her with valuable insights into literacy instruction and further fueled her passion for helping learners become confident readers. Beyond the classroom, Brittany’s heart is filled with love and joy for her family. She is blessed to have a supportive husband, Kevin, who is her partner in life's adventures. They have a son named Zane and dog, Louie. When not teaching or spending time with her loved ones, you can find Brittany pursuing other passions, such as going to the beach, exploring different parks, traveling to new places, learning about different cultures, biking, serving in her local church community, and being an avid reader!

Rachel has been a Miami Beach resident since she was 2 and ½ years old. She graduated from Ransom Everglades High School in 1996 and then The University of Miami in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Education.   In 2002, Rachel earned a Master of Science in Education with a specialization in Reading and Learning Disabilities and graduated with Honors from the University of Miami.  Rachel began her career teaching 3rd grade at North Miami Elementary and went on to teach at South Pointe Elementary, then Temple Beth Sholom and finally has been teaching at North Beach Elementary since 2013.  Rachel has been an active congregant of Temple Beth Sholom since 1983.  She is currently co-chair of the Social Justice Network, has led Direct Service Projects, has been a Mitzvah Day Captain and has been Vice President on the Board of Trustees. Rachel is on PACT’s Executive Committee as the Vice President of Media Relations and PR. Rachel is also Vice President of Fundraising for the National Council of Jewish Women.  Through all of this community involvementRachel recognized that a major issue in the community is food insecurity.  Rachel learned about and became involved with Food Rescue US- South Florida. For over three years, every Sunday at 8 am Rachel goes to Whole Foods and “rescues” excess food and delivers it to Lotus House or drops the food at a community fridge run by Buddy System US. In addition, to receiving The Emerging Leader Award from NCJWRachel was recognized as a “Woman Worth Knowing in Education” on Miami Beach, awarded Teacher of the Year and the Rookie Teacher of the Year at North Miami Elementary, and was earned the Outstanding Associate Teacher’s Award at the University of Miami. When Rachel finds spare time, she loves living a plant-based lifestyle, enjoys exercising (she is addicted to her Peloton bike and treadmill) and loves spending time with her husband Michael, as well as with her greatest accomplishmentsher children Max and Ellie, and their 100-pound puppies Lincoln and Duke.  

Rachel Adams grew up in the northeast and has been a resident of Miami Beach since 1999.  She and her husband have two boys who spent their early years at TBS.  Rachel joined the TBSIS family in 2009 as a teacher at The Foundation Level, working with ages 2 through Pre-K, and currently is with the Older-Two year olds.    She studied Computer Science and Information Technology on a University level and went back to school for her degree in Education, specializing in Early Childhood Education.  She has earned the Child Development Associate Credential, and loves working with children. She enjoys contributing to the next generations of learners and hopes to make a positive difference for our community through collaboration and commitment to being a life-long learner.

Patricia Tobon was born in Colombia and moved to the United States more than 25 years ago. She has a bachelor's degree in Communications and Journalism, a certification in Special Ed Tech, and is a certified yoga instructor for adults and children. Patricia is a mother of two young women, ages 23 and 20 who started their school years at TBS. She has more than 15 years of experience working with children as a school teacher at the Innovative School and Portland (ME), and as a yoga teacher. She is passionate about learning, reading, and outdoor sports like kayaking, scuba diving, and biking. 

Andrea Martinez was born and raised in Medellin, Colombia. She graduated from Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.  She has had a diverse career serving as a psychologist in various educational settings. She also worked as a school psychologist and offered early child education workshops for parents and taught psychology at a local university. In 2003, she moved to the United States to learn English and now resides in Miami Beach with her husband and two teenagers.  Andrea was actively involved as a board member in the PTA of her children’s school and enjoys an active lifestyle including going to the gym, paddle boarding, and rollerblading.  

Emma Pitcairn grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and fell in love with the city of Miami while attending the University of Miami for her bachelor's degree. Emma majored in History and Art History with a minor in Fine Art while at UM. She recently graduated from Vanderbilt University with her Masters of Education in Learning, Diversity, and Urban Studies. While at Vanderbilt, Emma's passion for the Reggio Emilia model and Culturally Responsive Teaching grew as she studied and traveled to the town of Reggio Emilia in Italy. In her free time, Emma enjoys taking her Goldendoodle, Lola, on walks, teaching art classes, and trying new restaurants. As a teacher, Emma looks forward to encouraging her students to dive into their own curiosities and learn about the world around them through play and exploration. 

Marley Penson was born and raised in Miami Beach, FL and attended the Innovative School of Temple Beth Sholom as a child. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and her Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Florida. Go Gators! Growing up, Marley was deeply connected to Temple Beth Sholom. During her time at UF, Marley worked at a local temple creating and teaching enrichment activities that connected students to Judaism and the world around them. Outside of teaching, Marley loves to travel, cook, and go to the beach. As a lifelong learner herself, Marley is very excited to begin her teaching journey at the Innovative School of Temple Beth Sholom!

Natasha Hanono is a Miami native, born to Jewish Cuban Panamanian parents. Natasha speaks Spanish, English, Hebrew, and conversational French. She is the middle of five children and from a young age has been very involved in the Jewish community. She graduated from the University of Miami and has a strong appreciation for the arts and history. She loves to travel, explore, and adventure! She has a passion for yoga and all things wellness, from movement to meditation, music, languages, surfing, riding horses, and being outside. She loves to connect with people from all walks of life and loves spending time with family and friends.

While living in Colombia, Natasha earned her ESOL certification and started working with learners of all ages teaching them English. Prior to working at the Innovative School, Natasha was a corporate wellness specialist and yoga teacher. During the pandemic, she felt called to work with children, recognizing the need for real presence and childlike innocence in our lives. Natasha believes in the power of compassion and leading with an open heart.

Lori Ryan PhD. is Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Colorado Denver’s School of Education and Human Development. Lori’s work focuses on early education, educational leadership, equity and inclusion. Lori’s teaching, research, and coaching build the capacity of teachers and leaders where in partnership with early childhood communities, she promotes a strong image of children, families and leaders as co-constructors of their own learning stories within unique cultural contexts.

As co-director and faculty of the Buell Early Childhood Leadership Program, Lori leads a $475,000 annual grant project where a cohort of graduate fellows engage in transformational learning to co-create opportunities with Colorado’s children and families. In this work she co-leads and co-researches constructivist leadership learning design principles.

Lori serves as lead faculty in CU Denver’s Master’s degree in partnership with Boulder Journey School, and along with the school leadership serves as participating founder of the Foundation Reggio Children Loris Malaguzzi Center and on the Ph.D. Board of Reggio Childhood Studies.

Lori has been a member of the early childhood field since earning her doctorate from the State University of New at Buffalo where she studied infant toddler education. From the early 1990s-2009 Lori served as the Pedagogical Coordinator and Director at Clayton School District’s Family Center, one of the three schools of the St. Louis-Reggio Collaborative.