About Us
The Directors
Ellen Lenoch
PSED Program Director
Ellen Lenoch
PSED Program Director
Ellen Lenoch has been with our program for 29 years, as PSED Program Director. Ellen grew up in snowy Syracuse, New York and majored in English and Education at St. Bonaventure University.
After graduating college she moved to Boston to volunteer for a year with Little Brother’s friends of the Elderly. She also worked for several years part time at the Pine Street Inn. Ellen holds a Master’s Degree in Education and taught for many years at the COMPASS School in Jamaica Plain. She also directed an after school program at the Dever School in Dorchester before coming to PSED. Ellen and her husband live in Roslindale and are the parents of four grown sons, and also have an 11 year old granddaughter and a 5 year old Collie named Stella. In her free time, Ellen enjoys baking, traveling, hiking, reading and spending time with her friends and family.
Marisa Spitz
PSED Associate Director
Marisa Spitz
PSED Associate Director
Marisa joined PSED for the 2026-2027 school year and is excited to be a part of the team. She majored in Early Childhood Education & Child Studies and has worked with children and families in various settings. After teaching preschool for many years, she earned her Master’s in Education Leadership. Prior to joining PSED, Marisa was the director of a nonprofit preschool. In her spare time, she enjoys teaching and taking group fitness classes, reading, being outdoors, and spending time with her husband and two cats.
Fourth & Fifth Grade Team
Dan Fellman
Coordinator
Dan Fellman
Coordinator | 4th & 5th Grade
Dan Fellman is now in his 13th year as a PSED staff member. Dan started out as a teacher in our 3/4/5 room, also worked a few years as our K/1 Coordinator and he is currently our 4th & 5th grade Coordinator. Dan grew up in Newton and graduated from Beaver Country Day School. He has had a wide range of work experiences including working with preschool age children at BEEP and also as the Extended Day Director at Beaver Camp where he has worked for several summers. Dan is an avid sports fan, especially the Celtics, and he really enjoys leading group games and active activities with the PSED kids.
Autumn Richardson
Teacher
Autumn Richardson
Coordinator | 4th & 5th Grade
Autumn Richardson is a fourth-year staff member at PSED. Autumn grew up in Brookline and attended the Ridley School and graduated from Brookline High School. She attended Newbury College. Autumn also lived in Georgia for a year and then she moved back to Brooklline. Some of her past experience with children include working at the Brookline Teen Center, Brookline, MA (5 years) and working with Students from Steps to Success here in Brookline. Autumn also volunteered at The Greater Boston Food Bank and Community Servings.In her spare time, Autumn enjoys baking and knitting and all sorts of creative projects as well.
Kris Xu
Teacher
Kris Xu
Teacher
Kris Xu is a second year PSED staff person who grew up in Beijing, China and also in Ledyard, Connecticut. They received their bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Education from Boston University. Kris then went on to earn a master’s degree in Human Development and Education Previously Kris worked at an environmental educational summer camp as a counselor and also worked on a year long project with students from Sommerville for a research project while studying for their Master’s Degree. Some of Kris’s interests include music, movies and arts and crafts. They also love being in nature and spending time with friends. This year, Kris is looking forward to building strong and meaningful connections with the students and having an enjoyable first year at PSED!
Denzel Maxi
Teaching Assistant
Denzel Maxi
Teaching Assistant
Denzel Maxi is a second year teaching assistant, working mostly with our 4/5 team. He grew up in both Brooklyn, NY and Brookline MA. After graduating from Brookline High School he attended Berklee College of music for a bit. Denzel has worked as a teaching assistant, and taught piano in a variety of music programs over the years. Denzel enjoys watching sports, playing music and cooking in his free time.He especially enjoys playing the piano. This school year, he looks forward to building connections with the students he works with and watching their growth over the entire school year.
Second & Third Grade Team
Hannnah Baker-Lerner
Coordinator
Hannnah Baker-Lerner
Coordinator | 2nd & 3rd Grade
This is Hannah’s third year working with us at PSED. This year she is the Coordinator for the second and third grades. Hannah grew up in Brookline, and attended Pierce School, PSED for 6 years and Brookline High. She graduated from Brandeis University in Waltham with a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics with minors in Education Studies and Health: Science, Society and Policy. Hannah worked summers as a counselor and administrator at Camp Starfish in Rindge, NH, an overnight camp for children with emotional, behavioral, and learning problems. Prior to that, she also worked at the Museum of Science in Boston providing summer scientific enrichment to children. Most recently, she has done administrative work supporting faculty researching Jewish education at Brandeis University. In her free time, she enjoys collecting Halloween decorations, staying updated on social justice causes, and finding the best places to watch the sunset.
Paula Brackett
Teacher
Paula Brackett
Teacher | 2nd & 3rd Grade
Paula Brackett is a long time member of the PSED family. This year marks her 29th year with us! She has worked with all ages from kindergarten to fifth in her many years with us. She studied both art and music prior to joining our staff. Paula was a teacher at the Loon and Heron Children’s Theater and also co-founded the Song and Stone Theater Group, a high school theater group. Paula has spent several summers working at the Summer at Park program. More recently she has worked for the Town of Brookline as a drama and creative arts instructor. Paula lives in Boston with her daughter Frieda who attends college in Connecticut. In her free time, Paula enjoys working on various creative projects, including her own non-profit organization Sovereign Arts.
Charley Eaton
Teacher
Charley Eaton
Teacher
Second year teacher Charley Eaton grew up in Mount Kisco, NY. They are currently a student at Simmons University studying art and hoping to pursue art education. They worked as a camp counselor for many years as well as an EMT both at a day camp and for various EMS agencies. In their free time, they enjoy creating art, listening to music, and photography. This year they are really looking forward to establishing bonds with the kids and getting more experience in the education field!
Chrysanthemum Ayer
Teacher
Chrysanthemum Ayer
Teacher
Chrysanthemum is in her second year at PSED. She graduated from Academy for Science and Design in New Hampshire before moving to the Boston area. Prior to coming to PSED, Chrysanthemum was a School Age Group Leader at South Boston Boys and Girls Club for two years and a Teacher’s Assistant at UP Academy Boston in an 8th grade math classroom for one year. In her spare time, she likes skateboarding, playing basketball, listening to, playing and making music, and playing video games. One thing Chrysanthemum is looking forward to is making a movie with all the students who are in the film club!
Sabrina Thai
Teaching Assistant
Sabrina Thai
Teaching Assistant
Sabrina Thai is our 2 /3 teaching assistant extraordinaire! Sabrina grew up in Dorchester MA. She is presently a student at Simmons University and will receive degrees in Social Work and Psychology in 2027. She has been a camp counselor for several years and has also volunteered in a preschool classroom. Sarina loves to dance, paint and is currently teaching herself to play the piano .This year she is looking forward to getting to know all of our great kids and having fun with them every afternoon.
Kindergarten & First Grade Team
Zach Knopf
Coordinator
Zach Knopf
Coordinator | Kindergarten & 1st Grade
Zach is in his second year at PSED. Last year he was a second and third grade teacher and this year he is our K/1 Coordinator. Zach grew up right here in Brookline. He attended Lawrence school from 2nd-8th before graduating from Brookline High! He also attended Tulane University in Louisiana where he studied Communications and minored in Management. He has worked with children at the Children’s Center of Brookline and Everbrook Academy. He also spent last summer as a camp counselor at Dexter Camp.
Zach is a huge sports fan, he loves all Boston sports teams as well as soccer across the world. He was a soccer player throughout middle and high school! Along with following the Celtics, he also enjoys going to Maine with his family. Zach is a friendly person who really enjoys meeting all of the children in the program along with their families.
Mimi Greenspan
Teacher
Mimi Greenspan
Teacher
Mimi Greenspan is currently in her third year as a PSED teacher. She was born in Guatemala and grew up in Brookline. She attended the Pierce School and PSED and graduated from Landmark High School. Prior to coming to PSED, Mimi has had a variety of positions working with children. She worked at the Launch program at the Ridley School , worked at Baker School Extended Day, and was a camp counselor at the Horace Mann school for the Deaf. Mimi is fluent in sign language! In her spare time, Mimi loves blowing glass, playing basketball and football and enjoys playing with her cat .She is looking forward to seeing the kids learn and grow throughout the year as well as doing fun activities with them throughout the year.
Marge McMullin
Teacher
Marge McMullin
Teacher
Marge McMullin is in her second year at PSED. She grew up on Cape Cod and has also lived in New Bedford for several years. She worked as a private nanny for six years and also worked at a music camp on Cape Cod for 4 summers. Marge plays the guitar and the ukulele.
In her free time, Marge enjoys playing music and also works part time at a vintage clothing store.
Marge is looking forward to learning more about the students and their unique talents and interests.
Sinead Noel
Teacher
Sinead Noel
Teacher
Sinead Noel is a second-year staff person who joined the K/1 team last year. She grew up in Beverly Massachusetts and studied English Literature at Suffolk University here in Boston. While at Suffolk, Sinead worked as a teaching assistant and a peer writing tutor. She also most recently worked as an Assistant Teacher at Kindercare in the Seaport. In her spare time, Sinead loves listening to K-Pop, reading books, writing poetry and going on adventures with her friends. Sinaed is looking forward to getting to know all of the K/1 kids and doing lots of fun activities with them.