The Emerson Team
Executive Director & Team Teacher
Christina Oliva
During the 2019-2020 school year, Christina was a parent of an Emerson student, served as the Vice Chair of the Emerson Board of Directors, and was both a short- and long-term substitute teacher for our students. Christina joined the Emerson team as a full-time teacher for the 2020-2021 school year. She took on more administrative responsibilities beginning in 2023 when serving as Registrar and Administrative Assistant, all while remaining hands-on in the classroom with students. In the Fall of 2024, Christina took on the role of Executive Director. She is also a member of our Pyramid Model Implementation Leadership Team.
Christina graduated from Skidmore College in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies and Antioch University of New England in 2009 with a Master of Science degree in Environmental Studies, specializing in both Environmental Education and Integrated Learning. She brings 20+ years of teaching experience with children and youth in the outdoors including tennis, swimming, yoga, meditation, backcountry expeditions and gardening. For the last 13 years Christina has honed her skills as a teacher-naturalist teaching in and around the wilds of greater Boston and working in three outdoor, nature-based and Reggio-inspired preschools in NH. When not at Emerson, Christina enjoys adventuring with her son and husband, being creative in the kitchen, growing food, reading and building community.
Team Teacher
Frances Witte-Holland
Frances graduated from Hampshire College in Amherst Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Science in Education and holds a Masters of Education in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education from Bank Street School of Education in New York City. Frances brings over 20 years of experience teaching and learning with young children having worked with preschool age children through second graders. Her decades of experience working with young children and families, passion for the natural world, for creating and for learning and growing are just some of the elements that make her a great addition to our team.
Frances is the parent of an Emerson alum! Her youngest daughter, Lillian, attended Emerson School for Preschoolers from 2011-2013. Following that time, Frances joined Emerson’s teaching team for two years from 2013-2015. It was during this timeframe that a former team teacher, Tabitha, was completing her teaching internship at Emerson. She recalls appreciating how welcoming Frances was and how much she learned from her. Frances rejoined the Emerson teaching team in 2024.
In her free time, Frances enjoys hiking, nordic skiing and exploring with her dogs, Ruby and Oliver. She loves to create art from found objects and is an avid gardener. Frances loves the community feeling of Emerson and is looks forward to Wandering Wednesdays!
Team Teacher
Jana Flynn-Padick
Jana joined the Emerson team in August 2024 and teaches in the M/W/F and T/TH classes. After residing in Colorado for more than 20 years, Jana relocated to Concord where she lives with her partner and their daughter. In 2020, Jana left her career as a retail manager in the natural and holistic health industry to stay home with her infant. During this time, she discovered her passion for working with children to foster healthy development and resiliency. Jana entered the Early Childhood field and enrolled at NHTI where she earned her General Studies degree and Advanced Early Childhood Education Certification. She will complete her Early Childhood Education degree in spring of 2025. Jana is a level ll Educator credentialed through the state of NH, and describes herself as a “life-long learner with a growth mind-set.”
Jana is passionate about animals, the environment, traveling, outdoor recreation, and visiting nature centers with her family. In the classroom, she loves offering experiences to invent with loose parts and recycled materials, reflecting her commitment to supporting children in developing relationships with the natural world.
Team Teacher/Mentor/Volunteer and Substitute
Pam Mosca
Pam joined Emerson in the fall of 2018 as a MWF afternoon class teacher. Since retiring in 2022, she has returned as a substitute teacher and mentor. She fell in love with Emerson’s philosophy of child-initiated, collaborative, emergent curriculum when her two children attended Emerson in the mid-90s. Pam received her Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from the University of New Hampshire and her Master of Education from Plymouth State University. She has taught 3rd, 4th and 5th grades in Concord Public Schools. Research shows that social, emotional and intellectual learning are intertwined and Pam is honored to journey with parents and Emerson teachers as children grow in so many beautiful ways. Pam’s interests include mindfulness, yoga, reading, discovering fabulous picture books (for people of all ages), gardening and pickleball.
Administrative Assistant & Team Teacher
Brett Sandstrom
Brett was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, but did most of her growing up in St. Paul, Minnesota. She graduated high school in 2011 and from there took a gap year during which time she volunteered in Cambodia for three months working in an orphanage and traveled throughout Southeast Asia and Australia. It was on this journey that Brett's passion for working with young children was solidified. While seeing amazing temples and beaches, she found herself constantly missing working with the children in the orphanage every day. Upon returning stateside, Brett pursued a degree in Early Childhood Studies at Plymouth State University, focusing in Early Care and Education as well as Early Intervention, and received a minor in Child and Family Studies with the Social Work department. In 2016, Brett graduated as that year's Outstanding Early Childhood Studies Major. Brett now lives in Franklin with her husband, Brent, and young daughter. They spend lots of time in nature and with friends. Brett's passion and enthusiasm for early childhood education was so evident in her interview, our hiring committee members could feel her excitement, her deep understanding of development, her understanding of the critical role of play, and the importance of relationships - with the children, colleagues and families!
Registrar & Team Teacher
Kimberly Porter
Kim started working at Emerson in January of 2018. She needed a part time job to supplement her seasonal position as a landscaper and thought it would be great to be back in the world of early childhood education - even if it was just on the periphery. What began as a cleaning job, evolved into filling in as a substitute, and then becoming a part time teacher. Now, she is a core part of our Emerson teaching team. In addition to being in the classroom, she assists with many registrar duties behind-the-scenes. Kim has a passion for gardening (both for work and pleasure), spending time with her feline bestie, Mr. Furley, and for good music and good books. Kim received her Associate’s Degree from NHTI in 2014 in the field of Early Childhood Special Education.
Substitute Teacher
Faith Barry
Faith Barry earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Child and Family Studies from the University of New Hampshire where her concentration was in Early Childhood Education. She loves to witness children growing in independence and maturing socially and emotionally and encouraging them in these areas. Faith began teaching the Tuesday and Thursday morning class at Emerson back in 1998. After 22 years of teaching at Emerson and 30 years in the field of ECE, Faith retired at the close of the 2022-2023 school year. We are so fortunate that she continues to serve as a substitute teacher in all of our classes. Faith lives in Deerfield at the end of a dirt road with her husband Kevin. They have three grown children, four grandsons and two granddaughters. She enjoys gardening, reading, family time and volunteering at her local food pantry.