Mary Bethune Academy is proud of our caring and qualified teachers who engage children actively in learning. Only individuals who exhibit a true love for children and who are patient and understanding are employed by our school. Turnover is minimal among our staff, which gives children a strong sense of security and “family.”

All of our child care staff is required to participate in training and receive a minimum of 16 credit hours in Early Childhood Education annually. All of our teachers are encouraged and supported in continuing their education.

Prior to employment, each staff member was carefully evaluated to ensure a good match with our program mission. This process includes an in-depth interview with the administrators, reference checks, classroom observations and a criminal background check through the Virginia Department of Education.

We are proud of our teachers and encourage our parents to never hesitate to approach them if they have any concerns or questions. Open communication is critically important and we welcome the opportunity to help you help your child!

Mary York

Director of Facilities, Staffing & Programs

Mary York graduated from Triton College in Illinois in 1994 with an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. She is married, and is a mother of two sons and a step daughter, and a grandmother to five grandsons. Mrs. York has been with Mary Bethune since September of 1994. 

Karen Fitzgerald

Director of Office Operations

Karen Fitzgerald graduated from Christopher Newport University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a minor in Fine Arts. She has had over 20 years of administrative experience, six of which have been in a school & childcare setting. She is married and has two young children. Karen has been at Mary Bethune Academy since March 2019.

JoHanna McDaniel

Lead Teacher – The Peeps

JoHanna joined MBA in late spring 2024 as the Lead Teacher for our toddler class, and truly loves working with all of these little learners. She is a graduate of Amherst County High School and currently attending Liberty University, where she is pursuing her paralegal degree with a focus on family law. Her love of children is evident in the compassion and kindness she shows each of one, helping them to learn and grow during these important toddler years. 

Maria Leporati

Assistant Teacher

Maria joined our MBA family in the summer of 2024 and adores working with the children in all of our classrooms. You can often find her snuggling a sweet baby in our Infant Room, or helping our PreK class learn a new activity. She is a graduate of Jefferson Forest High School in Forest, and had a lot of experiencing baby-sitting young children prior to starting her career in childcare. Maria is passionate about helping others, and is always willing to go above and beyond for all of our children to help t hem succeed.

Teresa Jones

Assistant Teacher

Teresa Jones graduated from E. C. Glass High School. She has two children and four grandchildren, two of which attended MBA. She previously worked for Lynchburg City School for eight years and, before that, she worked in the administrative field for almost 15 years. Mrs. Jones has been at MBA since June 2012.

Tia Rodriguez

Lead Teacher – The Owls

Tia joined our MBA family in 2022, starting as the Assistant Teacher in the Nest Classroom, where she fell in love with all of our babies. In August 2023, she decided to take her passion for learning and bring it to our Sandpipers Classroom, in the role of the Lead Teacher for the past 2 years. She is excited to step into the role of Lead Teacher of our Owls Pre-K Class for the 2025-26 year, where she will help them learn and grow, preparing them for Kindergarten. A mom herself, Tia lives in Amherst and is very proud of her three wonderful children. She is a graduate of Amherst High School and received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Phoenix. 

Hollis Moore

Assistant Teacher

Hollis Moore is a graduate of E.C. Glass High School and received her Child Care Certification from Central Virginia Community College. She has worked in all of our classrooms as both a Lead and Assistant Teacher. She loves working with all ages and helping our children learn and grow. She has been with Mary Bethune Academy since June of 2011.

Briana Moore

Assistant Teacher

Briana Moore graduated from Amherst County High School and continues to live in the area with her three children.  Brianna became a part of MBA in August 2022, when she joined the Peeps Classroom, making a great team with Ms. Emily and Ms. Mina. She loves working with children, particularly the young learners in her classroom, helping to provide guidance and patience as they continue to learn and grow.

Joyce Jefferson

Lead Teacher – The Nest

Joyce Jefferson is a graduate of Dunbar High School and has a diploma in Child Day Care Management. She has worked with children all of her adult life and previously operated her own home day care. She has worked with all ages throughout her career and loves her current role in our Infant Room, where she provides loving care for MBA’s littlest learners. Joyce has been at Mary Bethune Academy since July 2018.

Jermoni Carter

Assistant Teacher

Jermoni is a resident of Lynchburg and a graduate of E.C. Glass High School. She enjoys working with children of all ages, which is why she loves her position as an Assistant Teacher at MBA, where she gets the opportunity to work in all our classrooms. As a mother herself, she loves being able to help all of our children – from our littlest infants to our most advanced PreK-ers – learn, grow and succeed. We were happy to welcome her to the MBA family in July 2022.

Valerie Long

Assistant Teacher

Valerie Long is a graduate of Dunbar High School and Life Bible College East in Christiansburg. Since then she has worked in a variety of different jobs, helping children from infants to teenagers and young adults. Mrs. Valerie joined MBA in October 2021 and has helped out all in all of our classrooms. She spends most of her time in the Owls Classroom and loves helping prepare these young learners for Kindergarten and beyond. 

Kimberly Brown

 Lead Teacher – The Sandpipers

Kimberly joined MBA in September 2022 and has spent the last several years as the Assistant Teacher in our Sandpipers Classroom. She loves working with this age level, and is excited to step into the role of Lead Teacher for the 2025-26 school year. Kimberly currently resides in Lynchburg and is a graduate of Blue Ridge Community College, where she earned her certification in early childhood development. In her free time, Kimberly enjoys staying involved in her community, whether it be volunteering at Lynchburg Daily Bread or participating in her local neighborhood associations.

Tierra McDaniel

 Assistant Teacher

Tierra became a part of the MBA family in October 2024 and enjoys being the Assistant Teacher in our Peeps Classroom. She is a resident of Amherst County and a graduate of Amherst County High School. She has always loved working with children, and has found a true passion working with our adorable toddlers, who are always up for an adventure and ready to dive into learning. Tierra is patient and kind with everyone she encounters, and loves the opportunity to be creative – you will often find her decorating the classroom door for the upcoming season.