YMCA of Columbia-Willamette Child Care Child Development Director Profiles

Child Development Director Profiles
Pat Knowles
Director at YMCA Playground at Providence St. Vincent YMCA Child Development Center
I have been working with children and families for over 30 years as a Teacher and Director. I have Directed several University Programs as well as Parent Co-ops. I am particularly interested in helping parents understand the developmental needs of children and to advocate for respectful treatment of children. Our center is well known for quality teaching staff, an exceptional facility and plentiful opportunities for children to express themselves through art.

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Linda Sahlfeld
Director of Beaverton YMCA Child Development Center
I attended Portland Community College and received my Associates degree in Early Childhood Education. I have been in the child development field since 1993 as a Teacher, Assistant Director, and Director in the Beaverton area. I discovered after taking some business classes that it wasn’t for me. My true passion was for making a difference in the lives of children and assisting parents to be the best they could be. I found that being a center director allowed me the flexibility to spend time in each age group, build relationships with parents, and help guide and mentor staff to create a developmentally appropriate environment where everyone is learning and happy.

I have two daughters and have been fortunate to have them in the center with me, watching them grow and develop. In our spare time we enjoy using our boat to catch the best seafood/fish on the west coast, taking trips to the coast or eastern Oregon and most of all doing things as a family.

Janice Freeman
Director of Southeast YMCA Child Development Center
I attended Oregon State University receiving my degree in Child Development and Family Studies with a concentration on Infant/Toddler Development. I have been in the Child Development field since 1983 as a Teacher and Director of Child Development Centers in the Portland area. I am also a volunteer for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) as a voice for abused and neglected children in the Multnomah County Court system. It is my goal to provide a welcoming, safe and caring environment for children and their families. The SE YMCA Child Development Center is staffed with an amazing group of seasoned teachers who provide a wonderful developmental program for Infants through School Age children.

Kathy Finn-Brennan
Director of Clackamas Community College YMCA Child Development Center
My name is Kathy Finn-Brennan and I have just recently come to the YMCA Child Development Center at Clackamas Community College. I have a BS degree in education from Western Illinois University and over 20 years of experience in early childhood. The majority of that experience is at a director level. I directed a program in Deerfield, Illinois and most recently was founding director of a church based program in Lake Oswego, Oregon. I am excited to come to this center. I love working children and I look forward to developing strong relationships with the families in this center.

Julie Koch
Director of Gladstone YMCA Child Development Center
My name is Julie Koch and I am the director of the Gladstone YMCA child development center. I started in a childcare center in 1986 as an infant/toddler teacher. Shortly after that I became the infant/toddler supervisor. I taught pre-school, kindergarten, and then in 1997 became a director. I had two years of child psychology at Clackamas Community College. I have also had training in working with special needs at Western Oregon State College. I am known to not only my thirteen grandchildren as Nana, but also to hundreds of children and parents. I ask myself many times why I continue in the childcare field, then a little person walks up hugs you and says Nana I love you! We do make a difference!

Heather McIntyre
Director of the Cedar Hills YMCA Child Development Center
In February of 2007, I began my career with the YMCA at the Cedar Hills Child Development Center. After holding the position of Coordinator for the center, I was offered the opportunity to become the Center Director. I am a strong believer in the core values of the YMCA and have been involved in child care for 10 years. Child Care is my calling and spending my days learning from children and seeing things through their eyes makes every day a wonder. During my free time, I enjoy spending quality time with my three wonderful children and my fiancé. We enjoy the outdoors and try to take advantage of any sunny Oregon days!

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Lori Vallery
Director of the Newberg YMCA Child Development Center
I have worked in the child care industry since 1992 at the Newberg location and have been with the YMCA since 2003, when the site became a YMCA Child Development Center. Teaching is not just what I do, it's what I am. One of the reasons that I work with children everyday is because I enjoy watching them develop socially, emotionally and physically.

Leslie Wilsey
Director of the Springfield YMCA Child Development Center
My name is Leslie Wilsey and I earned my degee in Early Childhood Education from Oregon State University in 2003. I worked on campus at a child care center through college and after school as well. I started my YMCA career as an Infant Coordinator at the Playground in May 2006. I was fortunate enough to be able to remain with my kids until they were toddlers! I then accepted the Director postion at Springfield Meadows. I believe strongly in the YMCA's mission and follow it through with the work we do at our center.

Sheri Helvey
Director of St. Anthony YMCA Child Development Center
I bring to this position over 12 years of Professional Director experience. Prior to coming to St. Anthony's in 2000, I owned and operated a large Child Development Center and School age program on the east side for 10 years. I thoroughly enjoy being the Director of the St. Anthony YMCA Child Development Center and look forward to many more years of the challenges and rewards that go with being a part of the lives of the families and children within our program.

Emily Shultz
Director of Sherwood YMCA Child Development Center
I am very thankful that I have been able to work with children for the past ten years. My teaching career has lead me through various schools ranging from small family daycares to centers of various sizes. I feel blessed that I have been able to be a part of so many children and their families’ lives.

I started college in the town of Bozeman, Montana where I was raised and then transferred to Humboldt State University in Arcata, California where I graduated with a degree in Child Development.

My goal is to create an environment for children of all ages rich in learning, comfort, warmth, discovery and creativity. I continue learning in my life and find that the more I seek to learn, the more passionate I am about teaching and directing. I always make time for conferences, workshops and extra curricular classes. I enjoy gardening, hiking, camping and most other things outdoors. I love to share my passions with the children and hope to inspire them to become life long learners.

Robin Aldrich
Director of Wilsonville YMCA Child Development Center
My name is Robin Aldrich. I am the Director at the Wilsonville YMCA Child Development Center. I have been a part of the YMCA for over 5 years, starting in Clackamas as a Toddler teacher, and then transferring to Wilsonville when we first opened in September 2002. I have been involved in Early Childhood Development since my first son was born, 14 years ago. My child care experience began as a summer camp counselor with school-agers. My educational background includes 2 years at Clackamas Community College, where I majored in Law Enforcement, and 4 years at Marylhurst University, where I majored in Human Studies with a focus on pre-adolescent development and the Fine Arts. I love the rewards of working with youth, their families and my community. My personal interests include a love of outdoors, camping, fishing, hiking and riding. I also enjoy reading, writing, sculpting and spending all the time I can with my family!

Sheri Greenstone
Director of Y's Choice YMCA Child Development Center
I have been in the child care field since 1997. I began working at Palomar College Child Development Center, while attending the college and Cal State University working toward my degree and elementary teaching credential. During that time, I discovered my love for working with young children and their families. I completed my Associate’s Degree with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education and became a lead teacher at the center.

In January 2001, my husband and I moved to Hillsboro for his job with Intel. I continued on with my education, completing my Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management while working as Preschool Lead Teacher, Kindergarten Teacher, then Assistant Director for a center in Beaverton. In 2005, that center became a YMCA facility. I continued as Assistant Director at the Beaverton YMCA before accepting the Director position at Y’s Choice. Child care has become my passion and I enjoy the opportunities I have here making a difference in the lives of young children and families.

My husband and I live in Hillsboro with our two cats. We love to work in our gardens, hike, camp, backpack, take our boat out, and travel to visit friends and family.

Mandy Mitchell
Director of the AmberGlen YMCA Child Development Center
I have been working with children since 1995. I worked my way through college by teaching in a childcare center. I graduated from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio in 1999 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. I then taught third grade in Akron, Ohio for one year. During the following summer, my husband accepted a job with Intel, and we moved to Beaverton, Oregon in September of 2000. I left my third grade teaching position and searched for something new in Portland. I entered the field of Early Childhood education once again by teaching Kindergarten for KinderCare Learning Centers in November of 2000. From there, I quickly realized that I wanted to be a bigger influence on the lives of all the children in my center, so I accepted a position in center management in January of 2002. I have been an Assistant Director and a Center Director for the past four years, and know that center management is where I can do all of the things I love to do in Early Childhood Education. Getting to spend time in classrooms working with children and teachers, as well as building relationships with parents and the surrounding community is what makes being a Center Director so much fun, and so rewarding for me!

Judy Booker
Director of the YMCA Child Development Center at ODS
Hi my name is Judy Booker. I am the Director at ODS YMCA in downtown Portland. I have been in Child Care over 25 years. I discovered a love of working with children, at an early age babysitting my young cousins.

I have a Degree in Early Childhood Education and a Bachelors in Human Development. My career in childcare started in High School working during the summers at a small church day care. After getting my degree in Early Childhood Education. I worked at Elliot Elementary's preschool program for two years. I moved to Eastern Washington to be a Nanny and continue my education. After moving back to Oregon I was the Head Teacher in the 3's & 4's room at a Church Preschool program for two years before leaving and going to work for Children's World Learning Center for 16 years. I started out as a teacher and left has the Educational Coordinator. I worked for almost two years at the YMCA St. Anthony Center, before becoming the Director at ODS. I enjoyed working at the Y downtown location because diversity of the families we have. On my down time I enjoy traveling with friends, shopping and just plain old R&R.

Kelly Skopil
Director of Market Street YMCA Child Development Center
I am a graduate of Western Washington University and have been working with children for 11 years as a mentor, Teacher, Assistant Director, Executive Director and Director. I have been in Early Childhood Education since 2000 and feel that I have found my niche. I enjoy being a Director for many reasons, but selfishly because I get to be involved in every classroom and see every child, every day. I also have found that teaching and supporting Teachers is one of my talents. I am President of the Multnomah County Oregon Association of Child Care Directors (OACCD) and have a team of individuals that help me educate and support Directors in our area.

Although I'm not a Native Oregonian, I feel very at home in Portland. I enjoy traveling, being outdoors, sports and spending time with family when time allows. I am also a very proud Auntie of three.