Preschool Staff 2026-2027

Office Staff:

Heather Hall (Pebble Director of Operations) has deep roots in the Mercer Island community, where she grew up and has lived with her husband and two children for more than 23 years. A University of Washington graduate with a degree in Sociology and Spanish, she has been part of the Pebble community since it opened in 2001, serving as a parent volunteer, Board member, Board President, and most recently as Office Coordinator. In addition to her work at Pebble, Heather has volunteered with Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, the Mercer Island School District, youth soccer, and U.S. Figure Skating. With a background in marketing, retail management, accounting, and more than a decade as a nanny, Heather brings a unique blend of leadership, organizational expertise, and a deep commitment to children and families. Both of her children attended Pebble from the Toddler program through Pre-K, and she is thrilled to serve as Director of Operations at Pebble Preschool.

Fran Covarrubias (Pebble Director of Education) was born and raised in Santiago, Chile and grew up in a family of seven brothers and sisters. She has 4 kids (two Pebble alumni, two current Pebble students). Fran and her husband moved to the United States eleven years ago and lived in Chicago for two years before moving to Mercer Island. She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and has been trained in “Learning Difficulties in the Classroom”. Before moving to the US, Fran worked as the lead teacher in 1st and 2nd grade, and also as a teacher assistant in the psychology department of her university. Fran has taught at Pebble since 2019, in our Jr. Kindergarten, 3-year-olds, and Toddler classrooms. Each year has strengthened her passion for early childhood education, deepened her commitment to nurturing young learners, and reinforced the importance of partnering with families. She is excited to continue serving the Pebble community as Director of Education.

Toddler 2s Teachers:

Teressa Cooper (Lead 2s Teacher) was born and raised in Lindsborg, Kansas – a small, rural community with a vibrant Swedish heritage. She found a strong sense of community care both in her hometown and through her church, caring for many kids in these communities. In an effort to explore somewhere new, Ms. Teressa moved to the PNW in 2017 and joined the Pebble team. She taught for a few years in our toddler and Pre-K classrooms, and in our EPIC days program. Upon the arrival of the COVID pandemic, she returned home to Kansas and taught with us virtually. During her “Pebble hiatus,” Teressa served in Scotland as a Young Adult Volunteer with the Presbyterian Church, USA, where she organized and led playgroups and youth outreach ministries. Missing the Pebble community, Miss Teressa returned to Mercer Island the fall of 2023 and is thrilled to be back teaching. 

Taylor Brown (2s Teacher) Bio Coming Soon

Michelle Strange (Lead 2s Teacher) grew up on Mercer Island and lives on the Island with her two kids. Both of her kids are Pebble alumni. Michelle earned her BA in Medical Anthropology and Global Health at the University of Washington. She has worked many years in a hospital setting, but after having kids she has switched to childcare. She is active in the Mercer Island Northwood Elementary School PTA and volunteers regularly at Northwood. She has previous teacher experience at multiple preschools on the eastside. Michelle is very passionate about play-based learning and development. Children learn valuable skills through engaging with others and role-playing. Michelle is very excited to be here, and this will be her fourth-year teaching at Pebble!

Threes Teachers:

Marian Amoateng (Lead 3s Teacher) was born in Ghana and in her early age spent a couple of years in Nigeria during her parents' work relocation. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resource Management, as well as a Higher National Diploma in Estate Management. Additionally, she has loved volunteering as a creative arts teacher and in Sunday school for children in her home country.  While in Norway, Marian played an assistive role with the Red Cross and worked as an assistant teacher at a kindergarten. She speaks 4 languages and enjoys singing in the choir. Ms. Marian is currently working on earning her early childhood education certificate. We are excited to have Ms. Marian here for her fifth year of teaching at Pebble.

Heidi Lewan (Lead 3s Teacher) is a graduate of Eastside Catholic High School in Bellevue, WA and Concordia University in Irvine, CA. Heidi earned her B.A. in both Early Childhood Education and Liberal Studies, with a Child Development emphasis, and she completed a fifth year of study to earn her Preliminary Elementary Teaching Credential. In addition to a four-year Early Childhood degree, Heidi has also taken classes in Preschool Administration. She completed her student teaching in Pre-K, kindergarten, and fourth grade, and she directed and taught at Little Lambs Christian Preschool for three years. Heidi has been at the Pebble Preschool since it opened in 2001.

PreK Teachers:

Gaseul Jee (PreK Teacher) has been a dedicated member of the Pebble Preschool team for eight years. Originally from South Korea, she earned her B.A. in French Language and Literature and completed her TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Certificate in 2006. Before moving to Mercer Island in 2009, Sumin taught English grammar and reading to college-prep students in South Korea and studied at the University of Washington. Her son attended Pebble for three years, and Sumin deeply values being part of the warm, caring community that once supported her own family.

Dawn Gomez (Lead PreK Teacher) grew up in a military family and has lived all throughout the country. This contributed to her love of traveling and adventures! Dawn also loves to laugh and be silly, and all things sparkly.  Dawn moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington and graduated with a BA in Psychology.  While participating in the North Seattle Co-op Preschool Program, she quickly accepted a position as co-op teacher, and she taught in the North Seattle Community College Preschool program for four years. She also has been the lead teacher for her church’s Sunday Childcare program as well as an assistant to the Children’s Faith Formation Director. Dawn has been at Pebble for eighteen years and her youngest child attended Pebble.  Dawn is extremely excited to begin another year at Pebble, teaching our PreK Class. 

Jr. Kindergarten Teachers:

Stephanie Smith (Lead Jr. K Teacher) has called MI her second home for many years, but grew up in Sammamish, WA. She has a BAEd in Elementary Education and Communication Studies from Western Washington University. Before joining Pebble in the spring of 2021, Stephanie accumulated extensive teaching experience in elementary education, where she honed her skills in fostering a love for learning. Her passion lies in helping students grow, both academically and socially, while building strong, lasting relationships with families. Stephanie has been instrumental in developing our Jr. Kindergarten program, leveraging her education and experience to create an engaging and supportive environment. Stephanie’s dedication to her students and their families is evident in every aspect of her teaching.