Preschool Staff 2024-2025

Office Staff:

Stephanie Boyer (Pebble Director) has been a part of the Mercer Island community since 2004 and has served as the Pebble Director since 2016. Originally from Southern California, she has truly embraced the Pacific Northwest. Ms. Steph holds a B.A. in Elementary Education and a parent coaching certification, with over eighteen years of experience working with preschool children. In addition to her role at Pebble, she works with Mercer Island School District administrators as a Wellness Coordinator. Stephanie is also a certified candidate for ordination in Word and Sacrament within the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA). She is passionate about a holistic approach to life and learning, and she values investing in the lives of students and families during their time at Pebble and beyond.

Heather Hall (Office Coordinator) has deep roots in Mercer Island, where she grew up and has lived with her husband and two children for the past 21 years. She graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Spanish, laying a strong foundation for her community involvement. An enthusiastic volunteer, Heather dedicates her time to youth soccer in the area, U.S. figure skating, and the Mercer Island School District. Her leadership roles at Pebble Preschool, Sunday school at MIPC, and Girl Scouts have reflected her commitment to nurturing young minds and supporting families. Heather's diverse professional background includes experience in marketing and retail management, as well as over a decade working as a nanny. Both of her children attended Pebble from Toddler through Pre-K, and she is thrilled to be in her third year at Pebble.

Toddler 2s Teachers:

Teressa Cooper (Lead Teacher) was born and raised in Lindsborg, Kansas – a small, rural community with a vibrant Swedish heritage. She found a strong sense of community care both in her hometown and through her church, caring for many kids in these communities. In an effort to explore somewhere new, Ms. Teressa moved to the PNW in 2017 and joined the Pebble team. She taught for a few years in our toddler and Pre-K classrooms, and in our EPIC days program. Upon the arrival of the COVID pandemic she returned home to Kansas and taught with us virtually. During her “Pebble hiatus,” Teressa served in Scotland as a Young Adult Volunteer with the Presbyterian Church, USA, where she organized and led playgroups and youth outreach ministries. Missing the Pebble community, Miss Teressa returned to Mercer Island the fall of 2023 and is thrilled to be back teaching. 

Fran Covarrubias (Lead Teacher) was born and raised in Santiago, Chile and grew up in a family of seven brothers and sisters. She has 4 kids (two Pebble alumni, one current Pebble student, and hopefully the fourth one will be as lucky as his siblings and will come to Pebble too!) Fran and her husband moved to the United States ten years ago and lived in Chicago for two years before moving to Mercer Island. She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, and has been trained in “Learning Difficulties in the Classroom”. Before moving to the US, Fran worked as the lead teacher in 1st and 2nd grade, and also as a teacher assistant in the psychology department of her university. This is her fifth year teaching at Pebble and she loves it here at Pebble Preschool.

Avril Henderson (Assistant Teacher) is originally from Utah and now calls Snoqualmie home. A passionate painter and drawer, she has always been drawn to creativity. Growing up with five siblings, she’s well accustomed to the energy and joy of being around children. With valuable experience from volunteering at several schools, Avril is excited to make Pebble her teaching home. She aspires to become an elementary art teacher and is thrilled to work with two-year-olds this year. Avril can’t wait for an incredible school year ahead.

JJ Richards (Lead Teacher) although born on the East Coast, grew up in Issaquah, attended school in Seattle and raised her family on Mercer Island. This is JJ’s seventh year with the Cubs class and her joyful presence is a warm welcome for the toddlers. Ms. JJ has a degree from the University of Washington in Speech Communications, early childhood education from Bellevue Community College, and many many years of experience as an art docent, room parent, volunteer and various committee chair & member roles in the Mercer Island School District.  With both her kiddos out of the house now, she juggles teaching and working for local interior design firm Trove Interiors.  Ms. JJ has a gift with our youngest students and continues to be a huge support to parents raising their little ones.  

Michelle Strange (Assistant Teacher) grew up on Mercer Island and lives on the Island with her two kids. One of her kids is a Pebble alumni and the other one is currently attending Pebble. Michelle earned her BA in Medical Anthropology and Global Health at the University of Washington. She has worked many years in a hospital setting, but after having kids she has switched to childcare. She is active in the Mercer Island Northwood Elementary School PTA and volunteers regularly at Northwood. She has previous teacher experience at multiple preschools on the eastside. Michelle is very passionate about play-based learning and development. Children learn valuable skills through engaging with others and role-playing. Michelle is very excited to be here, and this will be her second-year teaching at Pebble!

Christina Whorley (Assistant Teacher) was born and raised in Washington, where she has appreciated the state's diverse beauty. Growing up in Redmond, she has always had a passion for child development. With 35 years of experience, Christina has worked in various settings, including a child development center in Kirkland for 10 years, as a nanny for three years, and teaching Sunday school for 20 years. She finds immense joy in nurturing children as they grow into their unique selves. Interestingly, Christina was almost born on Mercer Island, where her parents began their life together, but they moved just a month before her birth. Joining the Pebble family feels like a full-circle moment for her, and she views it as a truly providential opportunity to be teaching at Pebble Preschool.

Threes Teachers:

Marian Amoateng (Lead Teacher & 2s Assistant Teacher) was born in Ghana and in her early age spent a couple of years in Nigeria during her parents' work relocation. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resource Management, as well as a Higher National Diploma in Estate Management. Additionally, she has loved volunteering as a creative arts teacher and in Sunday school for children in her home country.  While in Norway, Marian played an assistive role with the Red Cross and worked as an assistant teacher at a kindergarten. She speaks 4 languages and enjoys singing in the choir. We are excited to have Ms. Marian here for her third year of teaching at Pebble.

Heidi Lewan (Lead Teacher) is a graduate of Eastside Catholic High School in Bellevue, WA and Concordia University in Irvine, CA. Heidi earned her B.A. in both Early Childhood Education and Liberal Studies, with a Child Development emphasis, and she completed a fifth year of study to earn her Preliminary Elementary Teaching Credential. In addition to a four-year Early Childhood degree, Heidi has also taken classes in Preschool Administration. She completed her student teaching in Pre-K, kindergarten, and fourth grade, and she directed and taught at Little Lambs Christian Preschool for three years. Heidi has been at the Pebble Preschool since it opened in 2001.

PreK Teachers:

Sumin Fowler (Assistant Teacher) moved to Mercer Island after her program at the University of Washington in 2007 from South Korea. Sumin taught English Reading and Grammar Test Prep to 5th to 12th graders at Ulsan Il-Jung Academy. She has a B.A. in French language and literature and TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language) Certification in a Master's Program. She has a strong interest in supporting the Immigrant Korean community. Sumin's son attended Pebble for three years. This is Ms. Sumin’s sixth year teaching at Pebble Preschool and we are so lucky to have her.

Dawn Gomez (Lead Teacher) grew up in a military family and has lived all throughout the country. This contributed to her love of traveling and adventures! Dawn also loves to laugh and be silly, and all things sparkly.  Dawn moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington and graduated with a BA in Psychology.  While participating in the North Seattle Co-op Preschool Program, she quickly accepted a position as co-op teacher, and she taught in the North Seattle Community College Preschool program for four years. She also has been the lead teacher for her church’s Sunday Childcare program as well as an assistant to the Children’s Faith Formation Director. Dawn has been at Pebble for sixteen years and her youngest child attended Pebble.  Dawn is extremely excited to begin another year at Pebble, teaching our PreK Class. 

Jr. Kindergarten Teachers:

Stephanie Smith (Lead Teacher) has called MI her second home for many years, but grew up in Sammamish, WA. She has a BAEd in Elementary Education and Communication Studies from Western Washington University. Before joining Pebble in the spring of 2021, Stephanie accumulated extensive teaching experience in elementary education, where she honed her skills in fostering a love for learning. Her passion lies in helping students grow, both academically and socially, while building strong, lasting relationships with families. Stephanie has been instrumental in developing our Jr. Kindergarten program, leveraging her education and experience to create an engaging and supportive environment. Stephanie’s dedication to her students and their families is evident in every aspect of her teaching.