Meet Our Team

Director of Early Education & Care

Kathleen Bailer, M.Ed. is the Director of Early Childhood Education and Care for Somerville Public Schools. Kathleen brings nearly 30 years of teaching and leadership experience to support the implementation of a comprehensive, integrated, mixed-delivery early education system in Somerville and ensure that all students meet and exceed the kindergarten readiness benchmarks.

Ms. Bailer earned a B.A. in Art from Bucknell University and an M.S. in Education from Bank Street College of Education in New York. Prior to coming to Somerville, Ms. Bailer worked as a principal in public schools, a director of a private school, an early childhood consultant and a teacher in grades PK-5.

Ms. Bailer brings a deep knowledge of early childhood curriculum and an approach that respects and follows the child. She is passionate about the importance of early childhood education and believes that providing high quality education and care is foundational to later success in school and life.

Ms. Bailer holds a Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education license in Principal/Assistant Principal PreK – 6, Early Childhood PreK – 3, Elementary 1 – 6, Art/Visual Art PreK – 9, SEI-Admin Endorsement as well as a Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, Lead Teacher, Director I, Director II License.

Grant Administrative Project Coordinator

Early Childhood Instructional Coach

Early Childhood Instructional Coach

After spending the last eight years teaching in the Healey Head Start Collaborative Classroom, a partnership between the Somerville Public Schools and CAAS Head Start, Jess is now an Early Childhood Instructional Coach.  She has five additional years of experience teaching in a Somerville community daycare with children ages 3-4 years old and leading a toddler class on Long Island, NY.  Jess draws early childhood knowledge from her experience in the field as well as her time studying Early Childhood Education (BS) at Boston University and Child Development (MA) at Tufts University.  Jess enjoys working with fellow early childhood educators to support children’s growth, development, and learning opportunities by thinking collaboratively and sharing collective knowledge and experiences with her peers.  Jess recently welcomed a new baby into her family and is enjoying her front-row seat to child development in action at home.

Early Childhood Instructional Coach

Abby Morales has been in education for 30 years as a teacher, curriculum developer, and administrator. She holds an M.Ed. from Lesley University and is licensed as a Professional Educator and Administrator in Massachusetts. Abby has consulted with early education departments from Rhode Island, Maine, Oklahoma, and New York City and worked for the Boston Public Schools. During her tenure in Boston, she supported district and community-based classrooms as an instructional coach and professional development facilitator. Her work is featured in The Most Important Year, Children at The Center, and Teaching Young Children in Violent Times: Building a Peaceable Classroom. She strives to create classrooms as places of joyful, transformative learning.

Itinerant Early Childhood Access Specialist & Coach

Kathryn (Katie) Gately-Gehant is the Itinerant Early Childhood Educational Access Specialist & Coach for SPYC. Katie brings nearly 25 years of experience as a bilingual teacher, psychologist, and parent.

Katie earned a B.A. in International Relations from Pitzer College, an Ed.M from Harvard University, and an Educational Specialist (Ed.S) and Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) license from the University of Boston, Massachusetts. Katie holds licenses with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as a school psychologist, special education teacher for mild to moderate disabilities PK- grade 12, and general education teacher for grades 1-6. In addition, she also traveled to Costa Rica and Egypt to learn languages. She speaks Spanish and is re-learning Arabic.

Katie brings a deep commitment to equity and inclusion for young learners and families.

Itinerant Speech and Language Pathologist

As a Speech-Language Pathologist, Liz is passionate about all children being able to effectively communicate to access learning in the classroom, to build relationships with peers, and to advocate for themselves. Before joining Somerville Public Schools, Liz worked in Early Intervention and at Boston Children’s Hospital prior to graduate school. She brings experience coaching parents, caregivers, and teachers to our program and firmly believes that children learn best through play and everyday activities.

Liz holds a Masters of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Northeastern University, a Masters of Public Health from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and a Bachelors of Science in Speech, Language, and Hearing Disorders from Boston University. She is licensed by the state of Massachusetts.

Itinerant Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)

Nyralee Chhotu received her master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Simmons University, where she is currently working towards a Ph.D. in ABA. She serves Somerville Public Schools as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) after spending the last seven years as a behavioral therapist and BCBA, working with children in homes, centers, daycares, and schools. Nyralee is a licensed Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Licensed Applied Behavior Analyst in Massachusetts.

Nyralee enjoys collaborating with parents and fellow early childhood educators to help support children’s growth and development. Her clinical interests include providing early intervention to children and parent and staff training. Nyralee’s favorite part of working in early education is helping young children develop new skills that will help them grow.