Board Members
Dr. Traci Korhonen, Ed.D.
FOUNDER, Director, and educator
Traci Korhonen started Dream AcadeME in 2013 to create opportunities for children to learn from the lens of their dreams while meeting their needs. In order to build this type of learning dynamic, Traci viewed the parent-teacher partnership as a vital component to the model’s success. Over the years as Dream AcadeME was formed into a nonprofit, the business expanded because of word of mouth from parents. Traci remains forever grateful to these families who were the cornerstones of Dream AcadeME’s early days and its success.
Since founding Dream AcadeME, Traci has worked with school choice initiatives to support public charter schools and education freedom. She was the visionary and founder of a chartered public school in southern NH and worked with families to build and offer a microschool in the same area.
Traci believes the that the industrialized model of education formed nearly 100 years ago is phasing out. Instead, smaller more intimate school communities similar to the old-fashioned multi-age schoolhouses are replacing the large buildings with long hallways where children were separated by age.
Traci reimagines education by looking at what families and children want/need and evolving in the face of challenges. Although research is slow to be integrated into the real world, we now know much more about psychology, child development, motivation, biology, and sociology to create a model that is unique and adaptable for all children. A place where children love to come to learn, and where families feel confident in their school choice.
Success is bred from curiosity and wonder, finding out what you are good at and love, and bringing those aspects into your work and life. In Traci’s humble opinion, children need more wonder with time outdoors and less time on devices. Technological devices need to be limited to intentional and restricted supervised use as a learning and research tool. A tool that invites children to be inventors and engineers. Technology expands beyond computers and ipads to real tools and other machines that allow children time and space to bring their ideas to life. The technology is a tool, but it is not the center of education. What is at the center is the child and their interests, needs, and what is developmentally appropriate.
Students need to be developed as lifelong learners with emotional intelligence and believe that they can make a difference in the world doing what they love. They need to spend a lot of time outdoors at all ages! Indoors they need a comfortable space, warm and cozy, like a home with intimate spaces for discussions and small group work. Outside there would be more quiet areas in nature for independent study, and with access to animals and spaces for mindfulness that develops the heart, mind, and soul of the child.
Students also need to be taught about the connection between their mind and their body, their gut and their brain. They need to understand how a mind and body will feel stressed, depleted, depressed, anxious, etc. when it is low in certain nutrients and minerals and overloaded with toxins in the environment. They need to learn how animals and healthy soil is the source of these nutrients and minerals and understand the importance of biodynamic growing practices that enrich their food. Assuming a child needs to change their behavior without looking at their diet and surrounding environment is illogical. Traci believes we can cultivate mental and physical health by empowering students with skills and knowledge that will improve their overall wellbeing for a lifetime.
Teresa Surette
SECRETARY
Teresa holds degrees in Early Childhood Development and Arts Administration, essentially a double major in Art/Management with music and marketing concentrations and a minor in Leadership. Teresa grew up playing soccer, classical double bass, and painting watercolors. She is a big fan of music, art, developmental math, and particularly loves finding ways to incorporate them into her daily life and that of her daughter. Teresa is passionate about the many subjects through which art can be a vehicle, whether is it science, technology, math, stories, anthropology...the list goes on! If there is a way to incorporate art into play and learning, she's all about it!
Teresa first met Traci as a student in her ECE Curriculum class in 2011. Under Traci's strong tutelage, Teresa's interest and love in best practices for teaching children grew. Traci empowered Teresa with her infectious love of learning and Teresa loves supporting Dream AcadeME's mission.
In 2022-2023, Teresa worked at an outdoor nature school in the Boston area with PreK students. She is enthusiastic about learning anything and everything related to the way children learn, think, and the impact of intentional teaching to spark creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. She believes truly that in order to be successful in a technologically driven world, it is important to be able to think and imagine beyond the current scope. Teresa is fascinated with how the brain works, how we learn, and how we can help shape the most meaningful experiences for children by meeting them where they are in their interests, experiences, and strengths. She loves that Dream AcadeME focuses on all of these things. Teresa maintains an openness to learning more, challenging any previously held beliefs, and building on her existing knowledge and skills.
Teresa also works as a Realtor and lives in Newton, MA, with her detective husband and elementary aged daughter, who is constantly messy - her daughter, not her husband. She's still working on her husband's comfort level with mess-making ;-) If she's not busy showing houses, she is in the children's section of the library picking out way too many books, watching her daughter dig in the sandbox her husband built, or maybe even trying to read a book for herself! She can't help but plan ways to bring art and math into their family playroom and make learning fun! Every day her family spends time outside, and they always end the night with a story, or two, or three, or sometimes 15. She also has two teenaged step-daughters who enjoy art and running.
Teresa is proud to be a part of an amazing Board and to help grow the presence of Dream AcadeME In the New England area.
Stephanie LaFlam
Treasurer
Stephanie has a bachelor's degree in Environmental Planning and Policy and Geography. In addition to her degree, she is also a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST), a licensed foster parent in the state of New Hampshire, a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), and a mother of four wonderful little people.
Stephanie understands that poverty not only has an affect on people, but it also affects our environment. She comes from a tumultuous and poverty ridden background and has always wanted to help those in need or who are underserved; particularly families with children. Stephanie looks for ways to support environmentally influenced teaching moments whenever possible and would like to be a part of an organization that is working toward a similar goal. She believes in empowerment through education.
Her life experience has shown Stephanie that support in early childhood years is not only good for the child, but the family and helps to create a happier, healthier community. She has worked with mothers and children in the natural birth and home birth world as an office manager at a birthing center with midwives. In order to further the notion of support early development, she is working to start a public PreK in her home town in western NH. Stephanie enjoys working on her home, canning homemade jams and pie fillings amongst other delicious things, and caring for her family.
Emily Rose Reeder
board member
Emily Rose graduated Pepperdine University Seaver College in 2012 where she studied Art History. For over a decade, she has created and taught inspiring ELA, math, history, and physical education curriculum to students at every level pre-k through high school in private, public, and homeschool settings. Emily Rose and Traci met in 2017 working together where she was the lead teacher and Traci was the administrator/coordinator. Here they started a microschool in Malibu on a seven acre farm with a blended classroom of children ages 4-10. Combining Emily Rose’s classical approach with Traci’s constructivist style, an inspiring and unique curriculum emerged which challenged the children to practice foundational skills in a hands-on student-led classroom. The students, as an example, wrote an original play inspired by their unit learning about the rainforest. They produced and starred in the play filming a short film, and even worked with Dream AcadeME music teachers and professional musicians to write lyrics and record a music video! This emerged organically and from the structure and support Emily Rose created in the environment.
Emily Rose is currently working to publish content for students to build strong, foundational literacy as well as innovate experiential entrepreneurial projects in the classroom to inspire the next generation of innovators. Running her own small business, she also works in the real estate industry part time gaining extensive experience harnessing technology in marketing and sales and acquisition, development, and management.
Emily Rose spent her childhood in Nebraska and Iowa. Growing up, she loved riding horses and raced sailboats competitively during the summers of high school. Emily Rose is passionate about discovering, testing, and sharing lifestyle inspiration with others. She lives with her husband, Matthew, and young son in Southern California. They love to explore new places around the world as a family.
Mark Castellino
Board Member
The editor and creative director of LA HOME magazine, Mark studied graphic design in the UK and was partner in a design consultancy in London for 15 years before he moved to Los Angeles.
In 2005, Mark created Fyndes.com, an online marketplace for art, design and vintage objects. The Los Angeles Times voted it one of the best sites for vintage shopping on the web.
An avid reader, Mark is fascinated by the power of storytelling, specifically the things which people collect and the stories that surround them. To this end, he founded Focus Media Agency which publishes Focus and LA Home. The magazines showcase the achievements of the people and creative community of Los Angeles who are largely under-represented in mainstream media.
Mark brings his enthusiasm for storytelling to the students at Dream AcadeME by guiding them through the creation of their own stories through research, interviews, and imagery. He has facilitated students publishing of their own school magazine, as well as worked in public schools to help students design their images for a business idea. Finally, he has made space in Focus magazine for students to publish articles, including a historical review of the Santa Monica Pier written by a high school tutee of Dream AcadeME.
Anna Reeder
Board Member
Anna Reeder earned her dual masters in education and Counseling psychology at Columbia University. She completed her undergraduate degree with honors from Sarah Lawrence University. She runs her own practice focusing on holistic wellness and specializes in healing trauma. Anna is passionate about empowering women and children - supporting wellness from womb to adulthood. Since 2018, she has also worked in the real estate space innovating in interior design, marketing properties, and property management.
Anna has traveled extensively to nearly every continent. She thrives on exploring the world through a locals point of view - immersing herself in the people and culture wherever she is.
Nancy Fleming
Board Member
Nancy Fleming has dedicated her life to serving families and young children in a variety of ways in both nonprofit and public schools. Her artistic talent and love for gardening have influenced her teaching over the years. Nancy brings experience in education leadership and entrepreneurship to the board. Over the years she has woven her artistic abilities into marketing and advertising roles in the business world.
Nancy is known amongst the families she works with her for high level of emotional intelligence and fostering emotional integrity of young children. She has found herself in community based roles leading parenting coop programs and supporting other parents in the language and tools that help develop a young child’s emotional regulation skills.
Nancy has spent most of her life in Southern California and has been an integral part of the Dream AcadeME nonprofit organization and California program development over the years. You can find Nancy spending time sailing with her husband and two children in the Long Beach Harbor, cultivating pollinator plants to raise monarch butterflies every year, and supporting both of her children’s education through volunteering in their programs.