Kristin Podelnyk - Director
I have been working in the field of education for the last 15 years, and am so happy to be back in the world of preschool after spending some time with elementary students! I love helping children with their social emotional development, and fostering the love of learning and new discoveries in my students during the most formative years of their education. I have a degree in Human Development and Family Sciences from Oregon State University with endorsements in Early Childhood Education and Human Services, and my M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction Leadership from ASU. My two daughters and I live in the Rock Creek community and love spending time traveling and exploring new places!
Taryn Nicolai - Operations Manager
As a past parent of MSP, I feel so grateful to be apart of this wonderful team. After graduating from U of O with a degree in sociology, I worked in management for several years. Once returning to Oregon after living in Japan, I began working in early childhood education. After my son attended MSP in 2021, I began working with Beaverton School District until I was presented with the amazing opportunity to work as the Operations Manager for Mustard Seed. I believe this position allows me to combine my strengths of management with my love of working with children!
Diane Carey - Office Receptionist
Bio coming soon!
Anika Davidson - Teacher
Bio coming soon!
Stacey Jellum - Teacher
I have been working in the field of Early Childhood Education dating back to 2000. I have experienced both assistant and lead teacher roles, and enjoy all of my time spent in the classroom. I have my associates degree in Early Childhood Education and Family Studies and enjoy bridging the indoor classroom environment with the outdoor environment, bringing nature inside whenever possible.
When not helping to shape young minds, I enjoy spending time with my family. My Husband and I are outdoors as much as possible, at choir concerts for our two daughters and spending lots of time with extended family. We are also avid sports fans and are often at Timbers, Hops or Trail Blazer games.
Kelsey Wilson - Teacher
I have over 20 years of experience working with children of all ages and from all over the world including Arizona, Oregon, Hawaii, and Beijing China. I earned a BS in Communication Studies with a minor in Psychology from PSU. I married my high school sweetheart and have two wonderful sons who are 8 and 14. In my free time, my family and I love to enjoy all the outdoor activities Oregon has to offer, traveling, and playing with our new addition - a teacup maltipoo named Hula!
Becky Mossman - Teacher
Hello! My name is Becky and I am so excited to be joining the team at MSP. I have spent my entire life living in California, until 2021 when we, me, my husband Nick and dog Ellie, relocated to Portland. We are so happy to be joining this community and can’t wait to get to know you all better. I attended Biola University and graduated with a degree in Intercultural Studies and Sociology. I also have taken many Early Childhood Education courses since becoming a preschool teacher 8 years ago.
Shannon Rider - Teacher
I started teaching preschool just out of college and fell in love instantly. Working with kids has always been a passion of mine, starting with babysitting when I was 12 years old. I graduated from George Fox University with a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education. While preschool is my first love I have also enjoyed subbing in elementary classrooms and working in a special education classroom for the last few years. When I’m not at school, I enjoy spending time with my husband, two kids, and our two cats. My favorite hobbies are photography, watching my kids play sports, camping, taking trips to the beach and Sunriver, and going to Blazer games.
Hannah Jones - Teacher
I first started working with children when I was 17 helping out in the preschool that was at my high school. I then continued that education while attending Oregon State University where I graduated with a bachelors degree in Human Development and Family Science with an option in Early Child Development. I have experience being a lead teacher in a class with children as young as a few months old all the way through preschool years.
My husband Grant and I have two wonderful daughters, Penny and Zoey. We love to spend time at the beach, camping, and hiking.
Marybeth Canny-Burke - Speech Language Pathologist
I have worked in early childhood education for 22 years as an assistant teacher, lead teacher, owner/director of my own Montessori school, and now as Speech Language Pathologist. I have my masters degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Pacific University and an undergraduate degree in Sociology from University of Massachusetts. Working with preschool aged children is my passion and I am so excited to join the Mustard Seed Team in an official capacity. My goal is to support all learners in the classroom no matter what their needs.
In my spare time I love to hike, camp, garden, and explore with my 2-year-old son, husband, and my big teenage step-children. We are nature lovers and can be found outside rock-hounding, fishing, or taking care of our chickens.
Jessica Jones - Teacher
Bio coming soon!
Kelli O’Toole - Pre 3’s Teacher
I have been helping young children learn and grow since 2003 in many different settings. I first fell in love with teaching young children as a nanny and then as a preschool assistant teacher. It was at my first preschool position that I found I also loved working with children that have special needs, they are amazing kids that each have a different way of learning. Since then, I have worked at NWRESD as an Instructional Assistant in their preschool classrooms. In addition, I earned a Master’s degree in Special Education from Liberty University in 2016. My passion is teaching young children; watching them grow and learn new things every day is exciting. Both of my children attended MSP as preschoolers. My family and I love trying new parks all around Washington county and going to all the festivals and pumpkin patches Oregon has to offer.
Marie Krueger - Teacher
Bio coming soon!
