Debi – Director

Debi is the accomplished Director of our school. Before her director role, she spent 2 years teaching the Pre-K classroom at Beach Friends, starting in 2021. She has her CDA Certification in Early Childhood Education.

Debi is a native of New York City and a devoted mother to two children, with a deep-seated passion and commitment to the care and development of young minds.
She takes immense pride in her role as an educator, leading the way in promoting inclusivity and support for children and staff.

Victoria – Director

Beach Friends director, Victoria holds a bachelor’s degree in Applied Psychology and Human Relations, master’s degree in General Education B-2, Childhood Education 1-6, and a post-master’s in Special Education B-2. Victoria has been caring for, and teaching children for over 20 years.

Before becoming a director at Beach Friends, Victoria taught in private and public schools in the city and on Long Island. Victoria started her career as a nanny and as a daycare worker. She taught as a paraprofessional, a preschool lead teacher, and a special educator on the Committee of Preschool Special Education, an Early Interventionist, a Special Education Itinerant Teacher (SEIT), a General ED UPK teacher, a General Education Pre-K teacher, and a Program Director for an Early Intervention agency.

Today, Victoria resides in Long Beach, New York with her husband and three children.

Katia – Toddler Teacher

Katia, the head teacher in the Nursery classroom at Beach Friends, was born and raised in Freeport, NY. She has been volunteering with children of all ages since she was 14 years old. Initially pursuing a degree in Forensic Science, Katia later rediscovered her passion for Early Childhood Education and development. Before becoming a lead teacher, she gained valuable experience as an assistant and teacher in various daycares across Nassau County. She has since earned her Child Development Associate credential for nursery and preschool students and is committed to continuing her education. Outside of work, Katia enjoys immersing herself in books and attending concerts.

Joanna – Teaching Assistant Nursery

Miss Joanna Valentin was born and raised in Long Beach, NY. At age 14, she was a live-in nanny for 3 small children and worked her way up to become a daycare provider for Social Services. She is a devoted mother to two children. Joanna graduated from West Hempstead High School. She loves children as they hold a very special place in her heart. She enjoys being a part of the Beach Friends Sensory Club family and thrives on contributing to the development of all the children in her care. She is currently obtaining her Child Development Associate in Early Childhood.

Donna Lynn – Preschool Teacher

Donna Lynn graduated with a bachelor’s degree in pre-law from Roger Williams University and recently obtained a master’s in English and Creative writing from Southern New Hampshire University. This past April, a published author, Donna Lynn, released Securely Insecure, a fiction novel. Her next book will be in early 2025, and she is busy editing her fourth novel.
Donna ran our reading program last year at BFSC. She wants to continue to pass the love of reading to the younger generations.

In her spare time, Donna Lynn spends time with her four children, out in nature or sitting on her porch, drinking herbal tea, and reading a good book.

We are so happy to have Donna at Beach Friends!

Dianna – Toddler Teacher

Diana, a graduate of Hofstra University with a degree in Latin American & Caribbean Studies and Touro University with a master’s in General and Special Education for grades 1-6, brings a wealth of experience to Beach Friends. In 2007, she ran an outreach program for at-risk youth at Flushing High School, helping students return to the classroom and graduate. After that success, she shifted to working with elementary-aged students, starting as a paraprofessional and substitute teacher in the NYC DOE before transitioning into teaching 2nd grade and then kindergarten until 2022. Diana was born and raised in Island Park, where her parents still reside, and her husband is a middle school English educator. Together, they have a 2.5-year-old daughter. Diana enjoys outdoor activities, teaching, and spending time with her family, making her a wonderful addition to Beach Friends!

Jasmin – Preschool Teacher

She is attending college and gaining a degree in Child Development to further her career as a child development specialist. She started her career early on volunteering at a daycare in Florida and moved on to mentoring and assisting in a neighboring pre-k here in Long Beach. She started at Beach Friends in August of 2021 as an assistant teacher and transitioned to head teacher in our preschool classroom. Jasmin was born and raised in Baldwin where her family still resides. She married in February of 2023 and her husband is a lead logistics coordinator. They both love to travel and explore new foods. She wants a family of her own one day. She loves teaching and supporting children at Beach Friends. She has two lovely cats Penelope and Sylvester.

Jasmin – Teacher

Katherine was born and raised in Long Beach, New York. Katherine has always enjoyed working with children. Katherine has worked in daycares for over 15 years. She was also a nanny/ housekeeper for 7 years prior. She is currently in the process of obtaining her Child Development Associate in early childhood. Katherine has been a part of the Beach Friends for many years.