Meet The Learning Center's Faculty and Staff
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Dana Hunter Yeager | Educational Director, Novice Teacher
Dana has a Masters of Education in Early Childhood and Elementary Education and over 20 years of classroom experience in both independent and public schools. She first worked as a teaching artist in Pennsylvania and Ohio teaching creative movement. At Allegheny College she designed and implemented a third-year education course and supervised students in their college field experience. She served as coordinator for over 15 years in the Creating Landscapes Summer Program on the Allegheny Campus where she founded the Novice Program. In 2011, with the help of many, she founded The Creating Landscapes Learning Center School, now The Learning Center K-8 School. She is continually inspired by the enthusiasm and commitment from the families in our growing learning center community. Dana dances through life with her three children Maxwell, Adaline, and August and her husband Scott.
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Dan Winston | Assistant Director, Apprentice Teacher
Dan earned a Masters in the Art of Teaching from the University of Pittsburgh School of Education in 2011. He is certified in both Elementary Education, Middle School Mathematics, and Project-Based Learning. While a graduate student, he was selected to intern and student-teach at the university’s renowned Falk School. Dan was an active member in the Creating Landscapes summer program for 20 years, having worked and played as a student, intern, and faculty member. He has been happily teaching at The Learning Center since it opened in 2011. In addition to being an educator, Dan performs in plays put on both in the community and by Allegheny College and loves playing, recording, and performing music.
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Emily Cicora | Players Teacher
Emily studied English and Early Childhood Education at Kent State University, and is certified to teach grades K-8. While in graduate school, she spent several years teaching at the university’s lab school. Before joining The Learning Center’s faculty, she worked as the director of the Meadville YMCA’s Early Learning Academy, earning the center a four-star designation. Emily is a lifelong artist who enjoys infusing visual arts into the work the Players do each day. Emily and her children have also been involved in the Summer Landscapes program since 2010; she currently serves as the program’s visual arts instructor.
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Sarah Wolford Youngblood | Novice Teacher
Sarah studied English Literature and Theatre Arts at the University of Pittsburgh, where she received her Bachelor's Degree. She received her teaching certification from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and has a certificate in Orton Gillingham's Comprehensive Multi-Sensory phonics training. Sarah has spent many years teaching drama and music to children from preschool through high school and spent several years as the Artistic Director at the Academy Theatre before transitioning into teaching full time. Sarah has worked for several years in the Summer Landscapes program, where she was a co-teacher in the Novice program and coordinator of the Apprentice program. Sarah is very involved in many community organizations, including Meadville Community Theatre and the Crawford County Historical Society.
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Christine McHenry-Glenn | Voyager Teacher
Christine McHenry–Glenn has a BFA in Fine Arts and an MS in Sustainable Systems. Chris has a 25+ year career as an educator teaching all age levels in three countries: U.S., Japan, and England. She has taught a variety of disciplines including the visual arts, ESL, and environmental /sustainability education. At Slippery Rock University Chris designed environmental science curriculum for elementary-aged students and coached pre-service teachers in facilitating nature and gardening programs. Her experience in education includes researching school architecture and its pedagogical influences on building inhabitants. Chris is also trained in the Orton-Gillingham methodology for developing reading skills,as well as Project-Based Learning. Chris joined the Learning Center staff in August 2017, where she is continually inspired by the level of engagement and ownership the students have for their own learning.
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Lauryn Starkie Kreuder | Apprentice Teacher
Lauryn, originally from Wales, studied theater and mediation and earned her Bachelor of Arts from Bennington College. In Vermont, she worked as a case manager for children and their young parents in poverty. She also worked in preschools, small claims court, and ran a coffee shop with her husband. They returned to the Meadville area in 2019, where Lauryn had attended a tiny school near Diamond Park. She was delighted to find The Learning Center for her own child to attend and joined the teaching staff that fall. She truly loves the enthusiasm of the students and the entire Learning Center community.
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Emily Wright | Player and Voyager Teacher
Emily earned both a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering and Secondary Education in Mathematics from Geneva College. While in school she served as a teacher's assistant in the Engineering Department as well as in the Humanities department. Emily has experience teaching a wide range of mathematical topics in high needs school districts. She is excited to start teaching at the Learning Center where some of her other passions - music, the outdoors, and project-based learning - can inspire the next generation of learners.
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Annie Maloney | Forest School
Born and raised in New York City, Annie moved to the area in 2016, where she lives on a farm with her husband and two young children. There they raise sheep and pigs, and make maple syrup. Before moving to PA, Annie worked in northern Minnesota and Canada instructing paddling and dogsledding expeditions at the Voyageur Outward Bound School, and as a ropes course facilitator and professional leadership trainer at Cornell University's Team & Leadership Center. She holds a PhD in Forest Ecology from Boston University, where she studied the impacts of winter climate change on forests in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Here in northwestern PA, Annie is also the Executive Director of the Foundation for Sustainable Forests, a land trust and sustainable forestry organization. Alongside her husband and friends, Annie completed a 1,000 mile Arctic paddling expedition in 2013. She looks forward to sharing and creating new outdoor experiences at Forest School!
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Sara Mehler | Health & Physical Education, School Nurse
Sara is a Learning Center mom and happily serves as the school nurse, physical education/health teacher, as well as coach to the cross country and spring track teams. She has a nursing degree and works at UPMC Hamot's Women Hospital. When first arriving in Meadville 10 years ago, she needed something to do so she started teaching fitness classes at the YMCA. Because who doesn't need something else, she finds training for and running marathons or triathlons a "hobby".
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Rebecca Fogleman | Office Administrator
Becki is from the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. You might notice a small accent from Bluefield, Virginia. She's a coal miner's daughter who was raised to love all your neighbors, help when you can and respect nature. In 2002 she made the move to Pittsburgh to work for T-mobile. This move provided several opportunities to travel the U.S., check items off her bucket list, and experience other ways of living all while getting paid. It was a good thing too because in 2012 everything changed. Jordan and Beau are Becki's world. They share her love of traveling, family and the outdoors. Jordan started The Learning Center in the Spring of 2022 with Beau following the next fall. Becki was quick to volunteer as a parent so when the opportunity was opened to become the administrative assistant she jumped on the chance.