Wilmington Teacher Bios
*Listed Alphabetically by last name

Brenda Beale
Hi my name is Brenda Beale. I started at TLC back in 1995, I worked 15 years then decided to leave to care for my daughter Grace. Over the years I earned my EEC Lead Teacher Infant/Toddler and PS certification. 10 years later I'm back at TLC and loving it! In my free time I enjoy shopping, and recently began teacher my 16 year old daughter to drive.

Katie Craven
Hi! My name is Katie Craven and I am a teacher in the Two's Room. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Earth Science from Bridgewater State University. My favorite activities to do with children are crafts and dance parties! It's important to me that the kids leave everyday having had fun learning something new. In my spare time I enjoy going to Maine to see my older brother and younger sister. I also enjoy hanging out with my Bernese Mountain dog Beardsley, and my cat, Mac. 


Laura Flynn
Hello my name is Laura Flynn. I am a mother of three children. I graduated from Northeastern University in 1993 with a degree in Education. I have been working in the early childhood field for twenty five years. I am a certified teacher from early childhood to the third grade. I am also Preschool lead teacher certified. I enjoy working with young children and watching them grow and learn from the world around them. I have been a part of the TLC community since 2012. In my spare time I enjoy running, going to the beach, watching hockey and baseball. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends.

Sam Maher
Hi, my name is Samantha, but you can call me Sam. I came to TLC with many years of Early Childhood experience, and I am a certified Lead Infant/ Toddler teacher. I have an Associate Degree of Liberal Studies from Middlesex Community College. I love my position as Lead Crawler Room teacher at TLC. I have always worked with infants and toddlers; it is my favorite age group to work with. I love watching all the children learn and explore new things. I have two boys at home. My oldest is 15 and is going to be a sophomore in high school, and my youngest is 8 and is going into 3rd grade. In my free time you can find me on the baseball field cheering on my boys and their teams. I also enjoy reading and spending time with my family. Thank you for trusting me with the care of your children and allowing me to watch them learn and grow!

Cheryle Malia
 Hi, I'm Cheryle Malia, owner of Tender Learning Centre's two locations. I have a Business Degree as well as an Early Childhood Education Degree and I am Director II qualified through the state of MA. Tender Learning Centre in Burlington was established in 1987 and I started working there as an Infant teacher in 1988. Within a few months, I was promoted to Assistant Director and then Director alongside the founder. When the founder was ready to move on, I took over as owner in 1990. I got married to John Malia shortly after starting at TLC. Overseeing maintenance, you will often see John between both centers helping to fix things up when needed. John and I have 4 children, three girls and a boy. All my children went through TLC and have all worked there at some point during their high school or college careers. In 2009, I happily opened the second location in Wilmington. In previous years, when not working, I spent a lot of time at sporting events and dance recitals. I also enjoyed running road races including the Boston Marathon, 3 times. I currently enjoy skiing with my family as well as vacationing at our house on the Cape. We also have a Standard Poodle who is loved very much. I currently work in both centers as needed. 

Joann Martin
Hi my name is Joann Martin, I am the Assistant Director of Tender Learning Centre Wilmington. I have worked in the Early Childhood field for over 25 years, I have a degree in human services and am Director qualified with Early Education and Care. I also worked with homeless families for 5 years. I am married and have two sons ages 13 and 15. I enjoy watching my son’s play soccer and am an avid reader.

Leila Mento
My name in Leila Mento. I have been working in the field of Early Education for the past 23 years and I received my BA in Human Development from Lesley University. I have worked with a variety of age groups including preschool, kindergarten and school-age children. I started working at TLC in September of 2012. In my classroom, I try to create a fun, engaging, age-appropriate learning environment for al students. I strive towards making each child’s experience independent, lifelong learning; encouraging self-help and appropriate problem-solving skills. I am an enthusiastic Boston sports fan. I love to travel to warm places and am a Dunkin Donuts junkie. I don’t mind getting dirty and encouraging the children to do the same. Creepy crawly things scare me but I always put on a brave face and try to use these moments as a learning experience (except frogs). I just can’t do it!

Taryn Porter
Hi, my name is Taryn Porter. I’m an Associate Director at Tender Learning Centre in Wilmington. I have an Associate Degree in Early Childhood and I am Director I qualified through the state of MA. I started at Tender Learning Centre in 2004, working in the Crawler and Toddler room and eventually settled in the Two’s room for 3 years. In 2009 I got a job as a Preschool teacher through the Town of Burlington, and I continued to work afternoons, school vacations, and Summers at TLC. Looking for a change from the classroom, in 2019, I was offered a full-time position as Administrative Assistant at Tender Learning Centre. I started by splitting my time between the Burlington and Wilmington locations but eventually I settled into Wilmington full time. I recently became the Associate Director and will be, once again, splitting my time between both locations. I’m looking forward to my new role and the continual growth of TLC! In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family, crafting, listening to true crime podcasts, and hanging with my cat Willy. 

Jessica Rivet
Hi, my name is Jessica Rivet. I have been working at TLC since 2014. I became teacher qualified at North Shore Community College and plan to further my education in early childhood education. My goal is to provide a safe, nurturing learning environment while encouraging children to evolve age appropriate developmental skills, and thrive in a positive social setting. In 2016 I had my daughter who attends TLC, and am expecting my second child in April 2019. In our free time my daughter, fiancé, and I enjoy spending time at Lake Winnipesaukee, going to the park with our dog Nala, and visiting family. I love to watch football, GO PATS, and would be lost without my favorite extra tall coffee mug!

Michael Rosenberg
Hi, my name is Michael and I started working at TLC in 2017. Before that I was a child at TLC from the age of 3 months to about 12 years old. I am currently going to school at UMass Lowell. I work in the Two's, Pre-K, Pre-School, Kindergarten and After School rooms. I enjoy playing basketball and designing clothes.