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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. Lily Ahn is the Educational Director of the Bunny Hill LIC Preschool and UPK Center. As a mother of five children and life counselor at her local community church, she warmly combines care ethics and growth mindset approach towards nurturing the whole child. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts Studies at Barnard College/Columbia University, her Master’s in Business Administration at Georgetown University, Post Baccalaureate Teachers Education at William Paterson University, and received her EdM in Private School Leadership at Columbia University. She has ten years of experience in education, serving in various roles within early childhood and elementary school contexts. She excitedly brings her passion for experiential learning to Bunny Hill, implementing a rich child-centered curriculum that reflects the Reggio Emilia approach and prepares students for Kindergarten and beyond.
Ms. Elizabeth Kaftan is the Director of Bunny Hill Infant and Toddler Center in GreenPoint. She was awarded her Bachelor’s degree in Art History from Vassar College, and has completed a Master’s Degree in Art History from UC Santa Barbara, as well as a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, with a minor in Elementary Mathematics from Sam Houston State University. She is NYS Certified in Early Childhood education, and has over fourteen years of experience teaching on the Early Childhood level, including preschool, kindergarten, second, and third grades, in the public school system as well as in private school settings in New York and Texas. Having raised three children herself, she believes that the natural curiosity and enthusiasm of children should be nurtured and challenged in an environment rich in varied experiences, both social and academic.
Ms. Trisha Mapili is the Director of Bunny Hill Infant and Toddler 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. 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. LiMei joined the Bunny Hill team in 2023 as an Administrative Director at its Vernon 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. Tian is the Administrative Director of the BunnyHill Greenpoint location. Before becoming a part of the administrative team, she worked as a BunnyHill teacher for 4 years, and she has taught in the 1's, 2's and 3K class. She graduated from Teachers College, Columbia University with a Master's Degree in Teaching English. She is passionate about seeing children adapt and thrive in the nurturing environment that all BunnyHill staff create.
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.
