Our Learning Team
Berry Patch East Location
Abbey Abresch
I have been teaching at the Berry Patch since 2015, and I am thrilled to be teaching the Strawberries again this year. I have always enjoyed working with young children. They are earnest and curious and just plain fun! I graduated from the University of Northwestern in St. Paul with an Elementary Ed degree and I feel so lucky to work alongside some of the best professionals in early childhood education.
Michele Borne
I have been a part of The Berry Patch team since 2020 and I am so blessed to be a Blueberry teacher. I graduated from Augsburg College with a degree in Elementary Education and have been teaching learners of all ages for more than 25 years. I love working with young children as they have so much enthusiasm for everything! I live in Richfield with my husband, children, and dogs. We love to spend time outside working on our boat, camping, riding our bikes, and enjoying our family and friends.
Steph Calvert
I am so excited to be joining the Berry Patch family as a Huckleberry teacher and look forward to meeting all of my little berries. I graduated with a B.A. from Drake University and worked in marketing for many years. My husband Steve and I have two children, Katie and Chris, both of whom attended the Berry Patch and are now college age. I feel blessed with the opportunity to "pay it forward" and love up these little ones, now that mine are grown. Outside of teaching, I enjoy yoga, gardening, cooking, reading, walks with friends and spending time with family.
Michaelanne deGrood
I have been teaching at The Berry Patch since 2004, and absolutely love getting to know the children and families I serve. Outside of teaching Strawberries, I am a yoga instructor. I work with high school athletes. I enjoy spending time with my family (especially my dog) during my free time.
Leslie DeMuth
I am thrilled to be a member of the Blueberry team at The Berry Patch. After graduating from Miami of Ohio with a B.A. in Political Science, I worked in sales, management and and training. My three teenagers attended The Berry Patch so in many ways I feel like I've come home. I am eager to get to know the wonderful families and children at The Berry Patch!
Kristin Engman
I am so excited to be at The Berry Patch this year teaching the Raspberries! I love little ones and how excited they are to learn and explore. After graduating from Gustavus Adolphus College, I worked for Target Corporation and Lutheran Social Service in Product Development and Web Design. I have volunteered countless hours in our daughters' classrooms, as well as other organizations that serve kids. I also have worked and volunteered with children with autism. My husband Jon and I have two daughters, Heidi and Elsie. We also have a yellow lab puppy named Inga. When not at work, I love to be with my family and friends. I love anything outdoors and also am a Scandinavian folk art painter.
Becky Fischer
I’ve been at the Berry Patch since 2012 and have had the incredible opportunity of teaching all the various age groups: Huckleberries, Blueberries, and Strawberries. Prior to that, I worked at the Edina Family Center in an Early Childhood and Family Education classroom. I attended the U. of M. and studied Speech Communications. I love watching the children here learn, play and grow.
Nikki Gagerman
I am so excited to be joining the Berry Patch family as a Huckleberry teacher. I graduated with a B.A. in Advertising and Public Relations from Drake University and worked in marketing for a publication company in Chicago for a few years. I followed my heart and switched career paths and received my M.A.T. from National Louis University. I am very proud of my teaching experiences. I loved being an Inclusion Aide for a couple of incredible students with special needs. Additionally, I spent over 10 years teaching both second and third grades. I also spent a couple of years teaching pre-school and after school programming in both Cincinnati and Chicago.
My husband (Todd) and I have two daughters. Margot is a freshman in college and Ellie is a sophomore in high school. We live with our dog, Charlie too!
I'm grateful to be back in the classroom, doing what I love most!
Annika Heroux
I am so happy to be a Huckleberry teacher here at the Berry Patch. I graduated from St. Olaf College with a Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance. I’ve had the privilege of being a nanny to a family with young children and I am excited to continue to work with littles here in our Huckleberry classroom. Outside of school, I enjoy playing the violin, teaching music lessons, going for long walks with my husband Andrew, and spending time with my mom, dad, and brother (Kristin and Cole Seager!).
Lisa Herndon
Hi I'm Lisa. I joined The Berry Patch team in 2020 and thrilled to be a Strawberry teacher. I have a B.A in Business Management from Bethel College and I have a graduate certification in Child Brain Development from the Institute for the Achievement of Human Potential.
My experiences range greatly as a Preschool Special Education Paraprofessional, Kindergarten Assistant and Math/Reading Interventionist. Prior to my professional career I volunteered for many years as the parent liaison for both ABC International Montessori and Benilde-Saint Margaret's High School.
I'm so HAPPY to be here and getting to know all of the families.
Kelly Jackson
I’m so happy to be part of the Blueberry team at The Berry Patch! I look forward to helping children learn and grow, while getting to know their families. I have a B.S. in Psychology from U.W. - Madison. I live in Edina with my husband, where we raised our three children. In my free time I enjoy reading, being outdoors, and spending time with friends, family and my two dogs.
Carolyn Johnson
I am thrilled to be a part of The Berry Patch staff and community. I graduated from St. Olaf College where I earned a B.A. in Studio Art and a K-12 Art Education license. I taught art to grades K-8 for many years. My husband and I live in Edina. We like to walk, garden, travel, and visit our two sons who live in LA. I have been teaching at The Berry Patch since 2015. I love the caring environment, creativity, and enthusiasm of the children and the teachers here.
Kristina Matsch
I am starting my fifteenth-year teaching at the Berry Patch. I have a B.A. in Psychology from Hollins College in Roanoke, Virginia. My husband Bill and I have moved around the U.S. eight times in the past thirty-one years. I have held jobs in the administration of secondary schools and colleges all over the country including Director of Transfer Admissions at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, CA. I love being in a classroom working with and teaching children at the Berry Patch. I enjoy reading, walking (very fast), tennis, hiking, biking, baking and spending time with family and friends. I am very excited start another year in the Huckleberry classroom!
Monica Mero
I have been teaching at The Berry Patch since 2015, with the exception of 2020 when I took the year off to be home with my children. I started my career with The Berry Patch teaching the Huckleberries and am now on my 4th year as a Blueberry teacher. I am married and have 3 children Lucia, 17; Vince, 16; Zoe, 13 and a dog named Stella. When I'm not having fun playing with your kiddos, I love any time I can get with my family because they are all so busy with hockey, dance and having a Senior getting ready for college! I am looking forward to another year at The Berry Patch and being with your kiddos!
Jody Radtke
I have been teaching at The Berry Patch since 2018 and am thrilled to be a part of the Huckleberry team and blessed to be a part of the entire wonderful staff! I love getting to know these precious berries and their families. Watching them learn and grow while listening to their contagious giggles brings me such joy! I graduated with a B.A. from St. Olaf College where I also met my husband. We have 3 boys, twins and a single:), who are all in their 20’s. How fast time flies - I can still remember dropping them off at the Berry Patch when they were all ‘little berries’ themselves. When I am not at school, I am often walking or running our dog, Pearl, around Lake Harriet or spending time up North at our cabin.
Cole Seager
After working with the Berry Patch (and my mother, Kristin) this past summer at Camp Sizzle Berry, I've been so excited about the prospect of returning for the full school year! I am a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities with a degree in Theatre Arts and a minor in Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature. I found that my passion for the arts and love for learning was able to help me form connections with all of the wonderful little berries at camp this summer. This school year I will be assisting in the Raspberry and Huckleberry rooms as well as floating around the Berry Patch East location and helping with trips to Arden Park! I can't wait to continue learning and growing alongside all of the students.
Kristin Seager
t is such a blessing to have been with the Berry Patch since 2001! After 21 years as our in-house Music Specialist with my 21st year also spent in the classroom as one of our Raspberry co-teachers, I have made the shift to being fully immersed in our Toddler program 5 days a week. Along with the Raspberry class, I will also be co-teaching one of our T/Th Huckleberry classes starting the fall of ‘22. While I will certainly miss bringing music to our entire preschool program, I am looking forward to being able to connect more fully with my smaller groups of littles and their families, helping them navigate life at school for the first time, watching them learn through play and helping to set them up for success as they move forward on their school journey. My two classrooms will definitely be full of music as well and I will also enjoy helping them to discover the world of Loose Parts play.
I’ve been pairing preschool children with music for over 30 years and have been teaching piano lessons in my home for 30+ years as well and my Bachelor of Science degree in Music Therapy from the U of M has helped tremendously over the course of my teaching career. I enjoy living in Minnetonka with my hubby and watching our nest empty and fill as our adult children move in and out with our oldest, Annika, getting married in Sept of ‘22 and our youngest, Cole, moving back home and joining the staff at Berry Patch East the fall of 2022!
Sheila Shane
I love the Berry Patch and am so excited to be a Blueberry teacher this year! I started teaching at the Berry Patch in 2017 and have worked in the Raspberry, Huckleberry and Blueberry rooms. With a degree in Elementary Education from St Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, I spent the next 8 years teaching in Minnetonka, Texas, Egypt & Germany. I took a break from teaching to stay home with my children and watched them grow while they attended The Berry Patch! Now my 6 proud alumni can be seen helping out in the classrooms and at Camp Sizzle Berry. We all feel blessed to continue to be a part of the Berry Patch community!
Andrea Sollie
I live in Minneapolis with my husband and two teenagers (15 & 16). Our oldest (20), is studying abroad in Mexico this fall. I have a B.A. in Early Childhood Family Education and a M.Ed. in Early Childhood Special Education. I started with The Berry Patch in 2013 and have 25+ years of experience working with young children. I enjoy teaching the Strawberries and am amazed on a daily basis of how capable, creative,
funny, and smart they are! The Berry Patch is the most fun, loving and caring school in which I have ever worked.
Aimee Tanner
I am so excited to join the Berry Patch team! I have been a nanny for Berry Patch children for the last five years, so I am familiar with the schools and the friendly faces we see each day! After graduating with a degree in Elementary Education from Mankato State, I taught public school for four years, and worked in Early Childhood for two years prior to becoming a private nanny. When I am not with my little friends, I enjoy seeing and participating in theater, reading, and spending time with my husband, Bryn. I am thrilled to join this welcoming and caring group, and am looking forward to learning with all of the little Berries!
Libby Zierke
I am so excited to be teaching in the Huckleberry room! Both of my sons attended the Berry Patch and it was the sweetest, most welcoming community. I have my Master's in Elementary Education from St Thomas, but have spent the last 9 years home with my kiddos. I can't wait to get back into the classroom with those little Berries and be a part of this amazing team.
Our Learning Team
Berry Patch West Location
Kalli Anderson
I have worked in preschool and toddler rooms for over 10 years, before taking some time off to be at home with my children and then coming to The Berry Patch in 2018! I love spending time getting to know children and watching them learn new things with such excitement. I have a B.S. in Elementary Education with a Pre-Primary specialty from St. Kate's. Born and raised in Edina, I now live in St. Louis Park with my husband and our three kids.
Madelyn Bock
I have been a Huckleberry teacher since 2020 and absolutely love it! The creative and loving community at The Berry Patch makes my job so much fun. I earned my bachelor degree from the University of Minnesota, while serving in the Army National Guard as supply sergeant for a chinook helicopter unit. My husband, Austin, and I love to cook, as well as all things outdoors- including hiking, fishing and gardening!
Annalise Butler
I am absolutely thrilled to be starting at the Berry Patch this Fall with Blueberries! After spending the last 5 years as a stay-at-home mom and volunteering in a local church preschool, I have loved learning alongside my children and other children. Fostering relationships with young children and seeing the world through their eyes is such a gift! I will be so blessed to have such a special relationship with the Blueberries at Berry Patch West this year. My background is in Finance and Accounting and I have a Master's in School Counseling. I love getting outside, running, hot yoga and reading.
Ashley Crowder
Spending my day with our berries is absolutely the BEST! I have been with the Berry Patch since 2020, and I love that my job allows me to get to know and spend time with all of our students. My background is in editorial design, and I get to share some of that skill set here at the Berry Patch. Previously, I've worked on church staffs in both young adult and student ministries. My husband Petey and I have 2 girls, and we live in SW Minneapolis.
Janelle Ianfolla
I am so excited to be a part of the Berry Patch family as a Huckleberry teacher. I love working with tiny kiddos and have spent the past 3 years as a fitness instructor going into home daycares and centers to teach 1-5 year olds that moving our bodies and nutrition can be fun! I love their enthusiasm to learn at such an early age. I have a Communications Degree and Psychology minor from the UW- Stevens Point. When not teaching, I spend my free time with my husband, teenage daughter and son being active outdoors, attending their many sporting events and going on yearly road trips.
Kara Kanz
Berry Patch has always been a special place for our family, so I am thrilled to be back as a Blueberry teacher!
My three daughters, Harper, Tatum and Berit, all attended the Berry Patch and loved every minute with their amazing teachers and friends. In fact, our closest friends are still the people we met here! This is truly a magical place!
After graduating with a degree in Elementary Education from Luther College, I spent 6 years as a third grade teacher before becoming a full-time mom to my girls. It is such a blessing to be back in a classroom doing what I love the most...loving, nurturing and teaching these sweet little berries!
Lisa Mork
I am thrilled to join the Berry Patch Family and to be a Strawberry Teacher this year. I have a genuine
interest in Child Development as well as a heart for being a positive influence in children’s and families’
lives. I am energized by the desire of the Berry Patch team, to meet each child where they are , learning
and growing as we stay curious and aware. My educational background includes a degree in Psychology
from the University of St Thomas and a degree in Elementary Education with a preprimary focus at
Crown College. I have taught Kindergarten in the Chaska area and have been involved in the Schools in
District 112 for many years as a parent and an educator. I love running with my dog and spending time
with my family and am excited for the upcoming school year.
Kirsten Mrachek
I am thrilled to be a Berry Patch Huckleberry teacher! After graduating from Stephens College with a BA in Fine Arts, I was in media sales and marketing. My three children all attended the Berry Patch and flourished in the play-based, loving & creative environment. I look forward to
getting to know all the wonderful Berry Patch families. When I am not working I love spending time with my family: husband John & children Jack, Lily and Ingrid. I enjoy golf, barre classes, cooking, baking and going on long walks with our yellow lab Bailey.
Sara Parrington
I’m excited to continue working as a Huckleberry teacher. This is a wonder-filled age! I’m grateful to spend my mornings with these little learners and the incredible staff at the Berry Patch. I have a BA in Studio Art and a minor in Education from the College of St. Benedict. I have worked with children in many capacities and settings throughout my life. My husband and I live in Eden Prairie where we raised our four daughters.
Marilyn Rosin
I have had the privilege of being part of The Berry Patch since 2004. I love being part of the Huckleberry class and enjoy the community that exists between the families and teachers. It is rewarding to witness the growth within each child during the school year, and experience the love and hugs we receive daily.
Aimee Tanner
I am so excited to join the Berry Patch team! I have been a nanny for Berry Patch children for the last five years, so I am familiar with the schools and the friendly faces we see each day! After graduating with a degree in Elementary Education from Mankato State, I taught public school for four years, and worked in Early Childhood for two years prior to becoming a private nanny. When I am not with my little friends, I enjoy seeing and participating in theater, reading, and spending time with my husband, Bryn. I am thrilled to join this welcoming and caring group, and am looking forward to learning with all of the little Berries!
Mary Trudell
I have loved teaching strawberries at The Berry Patch since 2010! It makes me happy to see the children growing and learning while having fun! It’s a wonderful place to be! I graduated from the College of St. Benedict with an Elementary Education degree and taught many years in both the Edina and Eden Prairie Schools. When I’m not teaching I love going to my cabin in Park Rapids, reading, and spending time with my family and our two Cavalier King Charles spaniels.
Our Learning Team
Staff and Support
Molly Lounberry Dykstra, Director / Co-Owner
I love being a part of the Berry Patch team and have worked here in some shape or form since my mom (Ms. Berrie) started The Berry Patch \in our home when I was 12 years old! I have played lots of different roles—Student Accounts Director, Calvary Coordinator, and now Director/Co-Owner. When I am not at The Berry Patch I enjoy time with my family (husband Jeff, Kenzie and her new husband, Jack, Clara, and our son Bennett) spread across Minnesota and Texas. I love being outdoors, especially at our family cabin in northern Minnesota and in the mountains in Colorado. When I'm inside I love quiet things- reading, coloring, writing.
Jenny Miller, Site Director - Berry Patch West
I have a Master's in Education from the University of Minnesota and taught first grade for several years. I also taught in the Huckleberry classroom at the The Berry Patch for two years and am currently the Site Director of our Berry Patch West location. I love working in a school setting where I have the opportunity to connect with students and their families, and help support a quality educational experience for young learners.
Cara Terwilliger, Site Director - Berry Patch East
Since joining the Berry Patch in 2006, I’ve worn many different aprons(!) and have settled into the Site Director role at our Berry Patch East location. It’s been such a JOY to be part of this Berry Patch community--connecting families, staff and children--that nurtures and inspires a love of learning during these early foundational years. We are grateful that our own children, Charlie and Alice, have special memories of their BP teachers who impacted their lives with the magic of the Berry Patch!
Carrie Lounsberry, Assistant Director of Enrollment & Operations/ Co-Owner
I love working at The Berry Patch because it has meant so much to our family. Our four children—Tommy, Kate, Charlie, and Susie—have all been loved well here. I love working with this wonderful team, as well as helping families through the registration process. I'm a graduate of Bethel University.
Becky Danielson, Parent & Family Educator
Whether it's working through parenting concerns, offering strategies, or encouraging families, my job is a joy! As a licensed Parent & Family Educator, elementary school teacher, wife, and mom, I use my training (M.A. in Education, B.A. in Elementary: K-1, Early Ed.) and on-the-job experience to assist Berry Patch families. When I'm not meeting with parents, writing or speaking, I love to be with my husband Scott and our two sons—preferably outside.
Zara Guevara, Spanish Instructor
I am originally from Lima, Peru. I have worked as a language teacher and cultural liaison for more than 12 years at both private and public schools throughout the Twin Cities. Having a bilingual family makes me highly appreciative of the benefit of starting a child’s education in languages at a young age. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share the beautiful Spanish language and culture with your children at The Berry Patch!
Kristen Miner, Administrative Assistant
I am so excited to join the Berry Patch team this year. I am a graduate of St. Olaf College and have worked in both non-profits and in education. I am passionate about early childhood education and love Berry Patch's creative, play-based environment where children find their love of learning. I live in Edina with my husband Nathan and our two daughters. We love spending time as a family traveling, being active outdoors, going to their many sporting events, and walking our golden retriever.