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MEET THE TEAM
Directors
Ms. Leah Tong is the founder and Executive Director of Bunny Hill. She has rich early childhood education experience and is fiercely dedicated to the success of every student. As a passionate and caring teacher, she focuses on providing the best curriculum that fit all children's development physically, artistically, and academically. She is a NYS certified teacher and special education teacher, as well as the Professional in Human Resources® (PHR®) from HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®). She holds an EdM in Private School Leadership from Columbia University, an MA in early childhood education, special education, an MS in Human Resources from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a BA in Economics and English Literature from Peking University in China. Before opening Bunny Hill, she worked in various private/public schools and law firms. Her international background from China and Korea made her believe in bilingualism and equipped her to help young children thrive and achieve global success.
Ms. Trisha Mapili is the Director of Bunny Hill Preschool Center in Long Island City. She was awarded her Bachelor’s degree in Women's Studies and Childhood Education from Queens College, and has completed a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education for Students with Disabilities from Touro College. She is NYS Certified in Childhood Education, Early Childhood Education and Students with Disabilities (B-2). She has been a UPK teacher at Bunny Hill for five years. Her experience as a Pre-K teacher sparked her passion for early childhood education and development. As the education director, she hopes to encourage student-led practices amongst her classrooms based on their needs and interests, while incorporating her love for the natural world into meaningful learning opportunities.
Ms. LiMei is the Education Director of the BunnyHill Greenpoint location. She brought with her years of experience in the education field and her passion in supporting families with young children. She is dedicated to providing the best education and care possible, both in nurturing a child’s social, emotional and cognitive growth, and in collaborating with and supporting every family and colleague she works with. She had taught English and Chinese in both China and the United States. Beginning in 2016, she took on administrative roles as a program coordinator in its immersion summer camp at Avenues, the World School in New York City as well as a school director in 2022 at an early childhood center in Long Island City. She was also a lead instructor in Avenues's experiential program "Global Journey", guiding and helping students to expand their learning into analyzing and solving real world issues. She holds a bachelor's degree in English Literature and two master’s degrees: one in American Studies from Sichuan University, China, another from University of New Hampshire with a major in Elementary Education. She will graduate in December, 2024 with another master's degree in Early Childhood Education and Special Education from University of Mount Saint Vincent in New York. Being part of the exciting journey of a child's growth and transformation is the biggest joy in Ms. LiMei's professional life.
Ms. Maria Dantos is the the Education Director at Bunny Hill’s Vernon Campus in Long Island City. With over 18 years of experience in school administration, educational leadership, and teacher development, she brings both expertise and heartfelt dedication to fostering high-quality, nurturing learning environments. Maria holds a BA and an MSEd from the University of Pennsylvania and is recognized for her collaborative leadership style and unwavering commitment to supporting the growth of both teachers and children. Her passion lies in building inclusive communities, mentoring educators, and designing purposeful spaces where children can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. At Bunny Hill, she continues to champion excellence in early childhood education through thoughtful guidance and an inspired vision.
Ms. Christy Huang is the Director of Operations across all BunnyHill schools. She is involved in Event Planning, Finance, and consistent quality across all BunnyHill sites. She was awarded her Bachelor’s degree in Art from The City College of New York, and is in the process of acquiring her Master’s Degree in Bilingual Childhood Education from Hunter College. She has been with BunnyHill for over five years, since the Vernon location first opened in 2019. She has an additional four years of administrative and early childhood teaching experience. She brings her experience and love of children into all of her efforts to mentor teachers and support all staff, bringing the same loving, Reggio-inspired spirit to each school in the growing family of BunnyHill schools.
Ms. Nicole Campbell is the Administrative Director of the Bunny Hill LIC Preschool at 11th Street. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Communication from Grand Valley State University. Her interest in communication theory and families led her to attend Michigan State University for her Master’s in (Family/Interpersonal) Communication. There, she worked as a graduate teaching assistant in the Broad College of Business while conducting research in the Family Communication and Relationships Lab. Ms. Nicole moved to NYC to pursue a Master’s in Social/Developmental Psychology at NYU and work in the NYU/Columbia Couples lab. Her communication research has been published in the Journal of Health Communication, Western Journal of Communication, and the Journal of Family Communication. Ms Nicole brings a unique perspective to fostering positive relationships and creating an enriching environment at Bunny Hill.
Ms. Tian is the Administrative Director at the Bunny Hill Greenpoint location. Originally from Shenzhen, a coastal city in China, she came to the United States to pursue her master’s degree. She graduated in 2019 from Teachers College, Columbia University with a master’s degree in TESOL. Before transitioning into her current administrative role, Ms. Tian spent significant time as a teacher at Bunny Hill, where she taught in the 1’s, 2’s, and 3K classrooms. Throughout her teaching career, she developed a deeper understanding of the Reggio Emilia Approach, which she carefully integrated into her daily lesson planning to foster a creative and child-centered learning environment. Ms. Tian is passionate about watching children adapt and thrive within the nurturing environment created by the Bunny Hill team. She firmly believes that every child has the ability to grow and succeed when provided with the right balance of support, encouragement, and autonomy. Her commitment to fostering a strong foundation for each child’s development as well as empowering the teaching staff continues to inspire her work.
Ms. Xiao Chen is the Administrative Director of Bunny Hill Infant and Toddler Center in Long Island City. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood and Childhood Education from SUNY Geneseo, and has completed a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education and Special Education from Touro College. She is NYS Certified in Early Childhood Education and has been a preschool teacher at Bunny Hill for six years. As the Administrative Director, she hopes to provide a positive, caring, beautiful and educational environment for both the children and the teachers to enjoy each day.
Ms. Gaby Nunez is thrilled to return to Bunny Hill as part of the Long Island City community. She earned her Master’s Degree in Special Education from the University of Long Island and has over a decade of teaching experience across elementary and middle schools in New York City. Previously, she served as the Lead Teacher for the Jupiter classroom at Bunny Hill’s Vernon location in 2023, where she built meaningful relationships with children and families.
In addition to her career in education, Ms. Gaby is a professional salsa dancer and Co-Owner of Cucala Dance Company, also located in LIC. She is passionate about fostering a nurturing and inclusive learning environment, and she looks forward to reconnecting with families while building new relationships within the Bunny Hill community.
Teachers
Long Island City - 11th Street
Long Island City - Vernon Blvd
Greenpoint - 213 West
Bilingual Lead Teacher (LIC, NY): Help set bilingual educational standards/goals of Chinese & English for kids ages 2-5 years. Establish procedures/programs to reach bilingual education goals, develop individualized language-immersion and Reggio Emilia Approach inspired curriculum with a good understanding of developmental Psychology. Design/instruct classroom, outdoor activities to promote kids bilingual learning, intellectual, social and physical growth. Monitor students' progress and meet with parents and staff to discuss students’ progress. $52,603/Year. Bachelor’s + related expr. Contact: BunnyHill Babies at bunnyhillkids@gmail.com
Job requirements:
● Bachelor's degree in early childhood education or related (developmental
psychology, health studies)
● At least 6 months of experience of teaching children Mandarin.