Victoria Cameron

Director of Curriculum

Victoria Cameron is a lifelong resident of the Ann Arbor area, a vibrant community she is proud to have deep roots in. She attended Ann Arbor Public Schools and then Eastern Michigan University for her undergraduate and postgraduate programs, while her father is a retired professor at the University of Michigan (Go Blue!). She is a proud mother to three adult daughters and feels fortunate to be a grandma to six amazing little ones. 

Victoria is a dedicated and highly respected professional in the field of Early Childhood Education, bringing over 25 years of rich experience and leadership to her work. Her career has spanned a variety of roles - from a classroom teacher in preschool, elementary, and middle school settings to a program director at Foundations Preschool of Washtenaw County, and an adjunct instructor at Washtenaw Community College. One of Victoria’s greatest strengths is her exceptional ability to collaborate with colleagues, families, and administrators. She is widely recognized for her capacity to build strong, authentic, and individualized relationships with families, earning the admiration of peers and the trust of those she serves. 

Victoria champions a child-centered, strengths-based, and whole-child approach to education, aligning seamlessly with Ivybrook’s vision of children as capable, competent, and worthy individuals. Victoria believes that the hybrid curriculum offered by Ivybrook, which is a blend of the philosophies of Montessori, Reggio-Emilia, and the Theory of Multiple Intelligences, makes it stand apart.  This curriculum provides access and opportunity to every child to learn in ways that addresses their individual needs.  

Victoria’s deep sense of purpose is rooted in a lifelong calling to support young children, their families, and the dedicated educators who nurture them every day. Victoria cannot wait to begin this new chapter with the Ivybrook community. She looks forward to learning and growing together in the service of our children. 

Victoria holds a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education, Eastern Michigan University - Ypsilanti, MI, and a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education/Mathematics, also from Eastern Michigan University - Ypsilanti, MI 

Stephanie Hess

Lead Educator

Mrs. Stephanie Hess joins Ivybrook Academy with a strong foundation in early childhood education and a passion for nurturing young learners. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from the University of Michigan–Dearborn, and a master’s degree in Teaching and Learning from Liberty University. 

Mrs. Stephanie brings a wide range of teaching experience across educational settings, and she is excited to return to her true calling—working with young children during their most formative years. She is known for her warm, calm presence, her dedication to developmentally appropriate practices, and her ability to build strong, trusting relationships with children and their families. Mrs. Stephanie collaborates effectively with colleagues and supports student teachers and peers through mentorship and shared learning. 

Mrs. Stephanie has been married for 28 years and is the proud mother of four wonderfully talented adult children. She enjoys family game nights, traveling, reading, stargazing, and volunteering as a youth leader. Mrs. Stephanie looks forward to building a nurturing classroom community where children are encouraged to explore, grow, and thrive. 

Jasmine Phiengsai 

Lead Educator

Jasmine brings nearly a decade of experience in education, having supported children across classroom, clinical, and home-based settings. She recently relocated to Ann Arbor from Northern California, where she lived just beyond the redwood curtain and Humboldt fog—where the mountains meet the ocean. 

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Business with a Minor in Child Development from Cal Poly Humboldt and a Master’s degree in Special Education with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis from Ball State University. Her academic and professional background reflects a deep commitment to individualized, evidence-based learning rooted in compassion and inclusion. 

Jasmine’s teaching philosophy is grounded in a humanistic, child-centered approach. She is dedicated to creating warm, inclusive environments where every child feels safe, supported, and empowered to grow—academically, emotionally, and creatively. Her work emphasizes intentional, values-driven instruction that affirms neurodivergence and is both trauma-informed and culturally responsive. 

Colleagues and supervisors consistently describe Jasmine as calm, collaborative, and deeply attuned to the needs of each child. She is known for her strong communication skills, thoughtful classroom management, and ability to build meaningful relationships with students, families, and peers. Her professional experiences have included developing and implementing customized behavior support programs, leading social-emotional learning groups, and mentoring fellow educators in best practices for working with diverse learners. 

Outside the classroom, Jasmine enjoys hiking local trails, paddling on the water, practicing photography, spending time with her family and dog, and playing rugby. 

Jasmine is excited to be a part of the Ivybrook Academy Ann Arbor community and looks forward to a joyful year of connection, learning, and growth. 

Kathryn Thomas-Palmer (Kate) 

Educator

Ms. Kate is a licensed private therapist in Ann Arbor with over two decades of experience in the field. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work, with a focus on Interpersonal Practice / Children & Youth in Families & Society, from the University of Michigan, as well as a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University. 

Ms. Kate is excited to join the Ivybrook team this fall as a substitute teacher! Her background in social work includes extensive experience providing therapy to both adolescents and adults. Her passion for supporting children and young people extends far beyond clinical settings—she has taught music, volunteered at Ele’s Place (a healing center for grieving children and teens), and guided youth through the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor (UUAA) curriculum. 

Ms. Kate looks forward to fostering education and growth in the students at Ivybrook—and her guess is that she’ll learn just as much from them as they will from her! 

Alexis Reyes

Educator

Karen Kennard 

Educator

Karen has nearly six years of experience as a Lead and Co-teacher in early childhood programs. She holds a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential in Infant/Toddler, and is currently pursuing her Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education/Development at Washtenaw Community College. 

A long-time resident of the area, Karen is a proud mom of twin 21-year old daughters who will graduate college in 2026! She shares her home with an English Cream Golden Retriever and enjoys traveling, decorating, thrifting and antique shopping.

Karen has a deep love for teaching young children because of the wonder that shows in their eyes when they discover something new or remember something they did in school two weeks prior! She strives to be remembered as an early childhood educator as described in a poster she saw in her high-school guidance counseler's office that said: "100 years from now it won't matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how much money I had in the bank, or what my clothes looked like, but the world might be a little better because I was important in the life of a child".