Kristina Quigley holds certification as an elementary and special education teacher. Kristina has been working with children, adolescents, and young adults for over 20 years. With experience as a classroom teacher, outdoor play-based learning educator, and behavior analyst, Kristina provides behavioral and academic consultation and training to school districts, families, and community organizations. Kristina has particular interest in supporting learners in developing play and social skills to access interests in a joyful, authentic way.​​

Ann-Marie Kuba holds a certificate in elementary education and special education, being recognized as Teacher of the Year by COSAC (currently Autism NJ). She has worked in the field of special education for over 25 years both as a teacher and behavior analyst. She has been a teacher, early intervention provider, and is currently a behaviorist for a public school in New Jersey. She has presented for school districts, organizations, and parents as well as at AutismNJ, DEC, CEC, and BCASC. Ann-Marie is passionate about working with clients, families, and communities to ensure effective, meaningful, and fun learning is happening.

Anna is a Certified Professional Coder (CPC) and Biller (CPB) through the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). She specializes in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) billing. With experience in office management and insurance claim processing, she brings organizational and administrative skills to support office operations and ensuring smooth workflow. She is passionate about helping families to navigate ever changing and complex insurance regulations and providing excellent support to other team members.

Rachel Kraus is a certified elementary and special education teacher with over 18 years of dedicated experience in supporting children with disabilities. Her journey includes a diverse array of roles, from paraprofessional and in-home ABA therapist to her current dual role as an MD teacher and BCBA providing personalized in-home services. Beyond these responsibilities, Rachel spearheads the Special Olympics program at her school, driving compassion and inclusivity through impactful extracurricular initiatives. Her dedication to helping children achieve their fullest potential and her commitment to working closely with families to enrich their dynamics is a true hallmark of her professional approach. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Kim Conklin holds an elementary certification and special education certification. She has been working as a classroom teacher for over 25 years. Kim currently works in a Public School in New Jersey and has served as a general education teacher and a special education teacher. In addition she works as an in home behaviorist  providing parent training and overseeing home based programs while supervising therapists working with learners. Kim is a dedicated teacher helping children to develop socially and academically to reach their fullest potential.

Alyssa has over 25 years of experience as a special educator. She holds a certification in both special education and elementary education. The majority of her career has been spent in the classroom educating students with multiple disabilities. While teaching at the elementary level, Alyssa lead inclusive after school programs, as well as organizing events to spread awareness throughout her community. Alyssa has also been an active participant in the Unified Sports program in her district since its inception. Alyssa currently works as a teacher for Sayreville’s Bombers Beyond Program which helps adults (18-21) develop skills necessary for independence and employment. Alyssa is dedicated to creating positive environments for learners where differences are celebrated! Her goal is for all learners to feel supported and valued, not only in class, but in their daily lives.

Tracey Carlesimo, Ed.M. is a certified elementary and special education teacher with a master’s degree in education and over 20 years of experience in the field of special education. She specializes in early childhood education, working with children from preschool through grade 3. Throughout her career, Tracey has served as both a classroom teacher and early intervention provider, gaining experience across a wide range of educational settings, including early childhood classrooms that implement the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). She has also taught in elementary resource rooms and behavioral disabilities classrooms, developing a deep and comprehensive understanding of early education in the public school system. Tracey is passionate about empowering families and has provided training to help caregivers support their children’s academic growth and social development. Over the past four years, she has focused on teaching social skills to children in New Jersey public elementary schools, a role she finds especially rewarding. Motivated by a genuine love of teaching, Tracey is dedicated to helping every student reach their full potential.

Marissa Nigro holds a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and has over 10 years of teaching experience, including time in public schools. She is passionate about creating a classroom where children feel safe, supported, and excited to learn. Marissa loves designing hands-on, play-based experiences that spark curiosity and help children grow both academically and socially. She believes in working closely with families to build strong partnerships, knowing that children thrive when everyone is working together.

Christa Conway has a B.A. in Communication and Psychology and is a certified teacher in P–3 and Students with Disabilities. For the past seven years, she has loved teaching integrated preschool, where she helps young learners grow academically, socially, and emotionally. Before teaching preschool, she worked one-on-one with students with disabilities in private schools across New Jersey, and she also provides in-home ABA therapy to support children and their families. Christa’s passion for teaching comes from her family. Her eldest nephew, who is on the autism spectrum, has been her greatest inspiration. Watching his journey, alongside her sister’s, showed her the power of patience, love, and education. She carries that inspiration into her classroom every day, believing that there is nothing more special than looking into a child’s eyes and knowing you are making a difference.

Bonnie Polanco has a bachelor’s degree from Rutger’s University in Political Science as well as a degree in Elementary Education from Rider University and a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration and Supervision from Rutgers University. Bonnie was a teacher in Franklin Township and North Brunswick for 8 years before having 3 kids of her own! She wrote curriculum for North Brunswick with a focus on reading and writing lessons. She did extensive professional development on Writing Workshop and enjoys showing children the fun in writing about what you love! Bonnie also did research during her master’s on the value of play based learning in early education. Bonnie believes in getting children outside to enjoy the magic of nature and spends a lot of time creating sensory bins and messy play opportunities for her children.

Kari Whitehurst holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology. She has been a preschool teacher for 10 years, and is the afterschool enrichment program coordinator at her preschool. During the summers, she can be found at Camp Riverbend as the Nature Specialist. Prior to teaching, she served as an avian wildlife rehabilitator and educator with The Raptor Trust for 10 years. Incorporating STEM and nature education into her classroom and enrichment programs in engaging and creative ways is a top priority of Kari’s.

Janine Dayson has been a teacher and dance educator for almost 20 years. She holds a Masters in Special Education along with a BFA in Dance. Janine currently teaches at a public school in NJ in an ABA classroom and teaches dance at studios in Northern NJ. She also has a certification in Autism Fitness, learning best practices for fitness for individuals with special needs. Janine is thrilled to combine her two passions and can’t wait to dance with you!

Ben Norkus is a music educator and singer from the Jersey Shore. His previous music teachers growing up and his mother, who is also a teacher, inspired him to follow in their footsteps. He graduated with both a Bachelors of Music in Music Education (Voice Primary) and Masters of Arts in Teaching from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ. He has taught in Westfield Public Schools for six years and taught one year of Preschool Music and Movement in West Orange, NJ, working in a specialized program for students on the autism spectrum and students who are neurodivergent. To build upon these experiences, Ben completed the Introduction to Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Program at NYU Steinhardt. He is very passionate about making sure music-making is accessible to all of his students, and that they always want to keep a connection to music in their life.

Tovah Segelman Spring, MS, CCC-SLP, is a certified speech-language pathologist, yoga teacher, and mom of twins! She is so excited to bring this dynamic and unique class to Play and Talk with Us.

Taylor Chwae Weldon (Ms. Taylor) is the proud owner of Tutu School Westfield, coming soon. A lifelong dancer, she found her passion for ballet at the age of three, and by age seven knew she wanted to teach and own a dance studio. She grew up studying dance recreationally, studying and performing with professional ballet companies, and later went on to earn her Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Dance and a Minor in Arts Management from Columbia College Chicago. Taylor is particularly fond of the magic of dance as a way to support early childhood development, so she also holds Master's of Early Childhood Education (birth to 2nd grade, plus special education) from DePaul University in Chicago. Over half of her 15+ years teaching dance to all ages were with Tutu School Franchises at its Brand Studios in Chicago before moving to New Jersey with her Westfield native husband in 2024. Taylor is so excited to be partnering with Play and Talk With Us to bring Tutu School’s imaginative, play-based approach to early childhood ballet education to the community.