Meet the EBCA staff

I am honored to serve as the new Director of EBCA. With more than 20 years of experience in early childhood education, I have a deep passion for helping young children learn, grow, and thrive. Throughout my career, I have served as a classroom teacher, curriculum coordinator, member of school leadership teams, and assistant director. I earned my Bachelor's Degree in Education from Ohio State University in 2006. Originally from Ohio, I have been married to my husband for 30 years. We have one daughter, and I recently became a proud "Gigi" to a grandson. In our free time, we enjoy camping, fishing, traveling, and spending time together as a family.

As Director, I am committed to partnering with our dedicated educators to create a safe, nurturing, and welcoming environment where every child can grow socially, emotionally, physically, and academically. I believe the early years are foundational to a lifelong love of learning, and I look forward to building meaningful relationships with our children and families so that everyone feels supported, connected, and a true sense of belonging within the EBCA community.

I am excited to join the EBCA family and look forward to getting to know each of you.

My name is Tina Dill and I am beginning my 14th year at EBCA. During my time here at EBCA, I have taught in the 3 year old classes and our Pre-K classes as well as serving as the Curriculum Specialist. This year, I am honored to serve as the Assistant Director of EBCA and continue my role of the Curriculum Specialist. I began teaching because I have a passion for showing students that learning can be fun and the most rewarding part has been watching the growth of each child during the school year. As the Assistant Director, I am looking forward to getting to know all of the families in the preschool and providing support to all our families, teachers and staff.

I'm Lynn and I'm now in my 27th year as the Music Teacher at EBCA, I am also the Operations Specialist for the school which means I do my best to make sure the mechanics of the preschool run smoothly every day so the teachers can do their job. My husband, Ken, and I have been married for 34 years and have 2 grown children. Annie is 28 and married to Tyler. She has a degree in Music Therapy from Arizona State University and a Master's degree from Wake Forest in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She is working as a clinical mental health counselor in Chicago. Our son, Andy, is 24 and works at Lockheed Martin in Ft. Worth, Texas as a Project Manager focusing on the F-35 jets. Both of our children attended this preschool and I just never left. This is a really special place where every day is a great adventure with amazing children!

My name is Karen and in fourth grade, I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up. I followed that dream, and became a teacher when I was 22 years old. I have been teaching at East Brentwood Children's Academy since 2009, and I love it! My children attended EBCA, gained amazing skills, and have now graduated from University. I teach a 5 day pre-K class, and really enjoy seeing the sparkle in the children's eyes as they learn something new and discover growing abilities.

I am Ms. Kimbr, and this is my 11th year at EBCA as a Pre-K 4's Teacher. Currently, I am the Pre-K 4/5 year old teacher. Prior to EBCA, I was a 4's teacher for 4 years in Louisville, KY. My degree is in Business Education from WKU, but I am passionate about helping young children develop socially, emotionally, physically, and academically in preparation for Kindergarten. My husband, John, and I have three adult children; Liza, Reece, and Karlie. In my free time, I enjoy vacationing with family, being at the lake, working out, hiking, cooking, reading, and socializing.

My name is Surbhi Arora. I joined the EBCA team in August 2021 and teach pre-k 4/5 year olds. I must say that this preschool is a 'hidden gem' in the neighborhood. It offers a nurturing environment for children and helps them develop into a complete human being. The staff are a loving family and share a respectful and caring relationship with each other. This is one of the greatest qualities of EBCA, as it trickles down to the children in many beautiful ways. I have worked with kids in different capacities in the past (I'm also a mom of 2 wonderful kids) and absolutely love it. I love helping a child succeed, be it academically, socially or emotionally. I look for positivity in every aspect and this combined with my 'listening with patience' are some of the helpful skill sets I bring to my classroom. I take pride in being a staff member at EBCA and highly recommend this preschool to everyone I know.

I'm Andrea, and teaching in the 3s and PreK classrooms for the last 4 years has been such a joy. I love getting to know all the amazing children and the supportive, caring families who make EBCA so special. It's an honor to guide children through these important years of development and discovery, and to help prepare them for the big step into elementary school. Before coming to EBCA, I worked in marketing and communications, but raising my own kids and supporting them through their early learning years has been most meaningful. Our family's wonderful experience at EBCA inspired me to bring my skills and energy into the classroom. I live in Nolensville with my husband, Ry, and our two children, and we love being outdoors, going on family outings, and working on fun projects together at home.

I'm Chris and I have been at EBCA since it started in 1999. I have taken a few years off here and there, but I always come back. This year I am teaching in 4's MWF.

I have lived in Nashville with my husband, Ken, since 1988. I am originally from the New Orleans area. I attended LSU and graduated with a degree in elementary education. I taught for a year in Louisiana before I moved to Tennessee. I taught 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th grades before I had my children. I have 2 daughters that went to this preschool. Hard to believe, but they are now grown. They went to UT in Knoxville, graduated, got married and stayed in Knoxville. I have twin granddaughters thanks to my oldest daughter. What a joy that is! Needless to say, I am traveling to Knoxville a lot more often. I love spending time with my family, my 2 granddogs, 2 grandcats, and my 2 granddaughters. I also love being a grandmother, the beach, hiking, reading, completing 500 piece puzzles, games, logic puzzles and sudoku. I love reading children's books and watching children engage in the stories. I look forward to a great year with these amazing teachers and the fantastic preschoolers that walk through our doors. Thanks for letting us be a part of your child's life!

Hello there! I'm Ms. Dana, born and raised in Tampa, Florida. After graduating with my Bm psychology from the University of South Florida, I moved to Nashville in 2016. The Tennessee weather and beautiful outdoors keep me here! I've been teaching preschoolers for 10 years now and it brings me so much joy. Each day I get to see the work I do improve the lives of young children. The community of EBCA is truly special. The support of the administration, church, fellow teachers, and the parents really allows me to love each day I get to come to work.

My name is Lindsey Bullock and I teach the 3's class on Tuesday/Thursday. I have a BA in Humanities-American Studies from BYU and worked a few years before staying home to raise my 4 children. I have 3 girls and a boy: Ellie, Claire, Haddie and Carter. Ellie is at Centennial High School, Claire and Haddie at Legacy Middle School, and Carter is at Winstead Elementary. We keep busy! I love to read, hike and explore new places in Tennessee. This is my 2nd year at EBCA. I previously taught the 3's class at another preschool for 6 years. I love seeing the kids come in each day excited to be at school and excited to learn. My favorite part is to see them so proud of themselves when they have mastered a concept or completed an art project. I am so grateful to be at EBCA in such a supportive and loving environment!

Hi! My name is Madeline and I joined EBCA in 2025! I've always had a passion for working with children and spent six years as a nanny before joining the EBCA family. I work full- time in the 3s classroom, Monday through Friday with Ms.Shannon. I'm currently working toward my bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education (Pre-K-3), and I'm excited to continue growing alongside the amazing kids I get to teach each day. I love creating a fun, safe, and nurturing environment where children can explore, learn, and thrive. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, playing with my dogs, and going to the beach. I'm so excited to be part of your child's learning journey this year!

This will be my 13th year teaching at EBCA. When I first started working here I was a float one day a week. About every other year I seemed to add another day of work. I loved my co-workers, parents, and students so much I am now a 3-year old teacher 5 days a week! This year I have a TTH and a MWF class with Ms. Madeline as my co-teacher. I truly love being a 3-year-old teacher. I love to see their growth from the beginning of the year to the end of the school year. When they come to school in August, they are still a little like a toddler, but by May they have matured into a child ready for pre-K. Before having children I worked as a Fitness Trainer, a Director of Nutrition Services at a hospital and a nursing home, a salesperson at Sysco Food Services, and a Research Coordinator at Vanderbilt. I was a stay at home mom with my kids until my neighbor (a previous employee of EBCA) asked if I wanted to be a float one day a week at EBCA. My husband, Rod, and I are originally from Ohio and are big Buckeye fans. We are also Tennessee fans due to our money being spent there for our girls college! We moved to Brentwood in August 1998 for my husband's job. We love it here and will probably always own a home here. We have 3 girls, Taylor who is 24, Olivia who is 22, and Brooke, who is 20. I am lucky to have them all living in Nashville near us! In my spare time I like to exercise, spend time with family and friends, go out to dinner and watch sports. I am very happy to be a teacher at EBCA. Thank you for trusting in me and giving me the opportunity to teach your children.

My name is Guillermina (Ms. G.), and I was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. I live in Brentwood, TN with my family. I have a Bachelor's degree in Architecture (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic), as well as specialized in Art (Guanajuato, Mexico) and Interior Ceramics (São Paulo, Brazil). I changed careers to spend more time with my family and discovered that I love teaching. I have been working as a teacher at EBCA for seven years, and it has been an extraordinary experience. I teach the older 2's class Monday through Friday with Ms Jen. My passion is teaching children in a creative, fun, and meaningful way for everyday life. I love being with children and making them smile and feel safe. Feeling loved and having fun while learning is the perfect combination for children.

My name is Jen Uptain. I have been teaching preschool for over twenty years, and I absolutely love watching little ones grow, learn and discover the world around them. Every day in the classroom brings something new, and I am passionate about creating a fun, safe and nurturing environment where children can thrive. When I am not teaching you will usually find me crafting, spending time with my family, or taking care of my fur babies. I am married to a wonderful husband and together we have raised two fantastic young men. I believe in learning through play, the magic of imagination, and the importance of early literacy.

My name is Fatemeh Pakfetrat and I am a 2 year old/Toddler teacher. I have been with EBCA since 2025 but I have 12 years experience working in childcare. I love helping children and being surrounded by wonderful teachers at EBCA. The staff at this school are top notch and amazing people to be around. I highly recommend this school to everyone I know. I am blessed to be working alongside all the amazing staff. I have lived in Tennessee for 19 years and my 3 children and their families also live here. My favorite hobbies are planting flowers and gardening. I also like to go for walks with my grandchildren and go to watch their sports events.

My name is Amanda Gootee, I started at EBCA as a two year old teacher and a float in 2023. I love the EBCA family and helping all of our youngest friends learn and grow! I graduated from Indiana University East with a bachelor's degree in psychology and I am currently teaching percussion at Page High School. I love art and music and incorporating them into the classroom to make learning extra fun!

My name is Kristine Vasilevskis. I have a BA in Political Science from UC Irvine and I hold a teaching credential in Early Elementary Education from San Francisco State University. I have worked in traditional schools as well as Montessori classrooms. I have been teaching at East Brentwood Children's Academy for 14 years. I am a young Two-year old teacher on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I float on Wednesday and Friday. I have three boys, two of whom attended East Brentwood Children's Academy. My sons are graduates of Ravenwood High School and they are spread out geographically in college; University of Wisconsin, Madison, University of South Carolina and Belmont University. I love singing and easel painting! I can often be found making up songs for the children of the school. Music makes everything brighter!

I'm Rhonda and I have been with the preschool since it opened. I taught in the 3s for 20+ years. I now work as a float and substitute. I enjoy working with children of all ages and love being a part of the EBCA family.

Hi! I'm Lindsey Worthington, a Richmond, VA native turned Brentwood local in 2015. My husband, Richard, is an Actuary and I have two daughters, Marshall (7th grade at Sunset 3rd Middle and an EBCA alum!) and Virginia (3rd grade at Jordan Elementary). I have a Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology with a concentration in Child Psych from Virginia Commonwealth University. After graduation, I taught biopsychology and de-escalation techniques to VCU Medical Center hospital staff and assisted on the Psychiatry units. I soon recognized my love for teaching and shifted gears and was lucky enough to teach Pre-Kindergarten for a number of years prior to becoming a mom. I joined EBCA in August 2023 as the Art teacher/ a float and have loved greeting these sweet friends with open arms in carline!