Meet our TLE® Center team
Alicia Black
Center Director
Favorite TLE® Character:
Lionstein
I have been with The Learning Experience since 2011. I was a lead preschool teacher for 5 years and was then asked to join the management team. I have made educating and loving children my career. It is an incredible journey to see the wonder in their eyes as they grow and learn new things every day. I am a mom of a little boy and a have just added a baby girl. I love spending all my free time with my family and friends. My family and I enjoy camping and spending time adventuring around the great mitten state. I look forward to watching all of our families continue to flourish and grow here at TLE.
Cynthia Umphrey
Owner
Favorite TLE® Character:
Lionstein
Cyndi has a law degree from the University of Michigan and has practiced as a business and estate lawyer in Oakland County for over 20 years. She entered the early childhood education arena in 2006 when she, Mollie and Richard opened the South Lyon TLE. She still works as a lawyer, but makes frequent appearances at the school as characters like an alien game show host, a mermaid, “Sailor Sue”, Thing One, etc. She even dug the South Lyon School’s garden! Cyndi has had a lifelong commitment to the importance of childhood education, enjoying mentoring opportunities with local grade schools. Still practicing as a lawyer, Cyndi’s primary role at TLE is to support Mollie and the teachers and to facilitate their growth and education so the care they provide to your children is the very best.
Mollie Blixt
V.P. Operations
Favorite TLE® Character:
Grace Charity
I started with TLE in December 2006 and have dedicated many years in striving to be the best. It has been an exciting journey to go from one enrolled child to a full and successful school with many happy families and children. It has been very rewarding to see TLE grow in the South Lyon community. I graduated from CMU with a Bachelor's in Child Development and have been a Director for over 13 years. Prior to that, I was a preschool teacher for 5 years in Ann Arbor. I have a passion for working with children and enjoy mentoring the staff to ensure that we are providing the safest and most nurturing environment for all children in our care. I am a very busy mom to 3 boys! We travel all over the country for gymnastics and baseball and I love every minute of it. I'm excited to be a part of this TLE Family and look forward to many more years of watching the children in our care grow!
Ms. Marie
Cook
Favorite TLE® Character:
Flexi Flamingo
Ms. Marie is our own TLE personal chef who has brought such creativity with her healthy cooking to our Independence center! When Ms. Marie is not cooking up something special for our little ones, she enjoys kayaking and camping as well as spending time with her kids!
Ms. Rachel
Infant A Lead
Favorite TLE® Character:
Grace Charity
Ms. Rachel has been with TLE since 2013. Within those years Ms. Rachel has worn many hats during her time here. The most loved position she has carried is being the Lead in Infant B. Ms. Rachel loves spending her time with the babies, preparing them to move into Infant B. She creates fun projects, sings songs and gives all her love to the tiniest humans in our school.
Ms. Darcy
Infant B Lead
Ms. Darcy has been working in childcare for over 10 years and has been with TLE since November! Ms. Darcy grew up in Clarkston and loves spending time with her kids and family, golfing, and fishing! You will always see Ms. Darcy with a shining smile on her face, and nurturing the babies while helping them grow and develop!
Ms. Alisha
Lead Toddler A
Favorite TLE® Character:
Sonar
Ms. Alisha has been with TLE since 2016. She started with the School Age classroom and ended up falling in love with the younger children. While teaching the little ones, she obtained her CDA and never turned back. She spends her days laughing with the toddlers, teaching them sign language and so much more!
Ni-Keya Jackson
Lead Twaddler B Teacher
Favorite TLE® Character:
Flexi Flamingo
Ms. Ni-Keya has been with The Learning Experience since 2018. She started as an assistant teacher while she obtained her CDA. In her free time, she enjoys going to the movies and pampering herself. As a teacher, she looks forward to inspiring her twaddlers to do the best they can every day and help them find their voice.
April Young
Lead Prepper Teacher
Favorite TLE® Character:
Grace Charity
Ms. April has been with The Learning Experience since 2018. She has her CDA and is filled with early childhood experience. Ms. April enjoys traveling, spending time with her friends and reading. As a teacher, she works to maintain positive, friendly relationships with families and students.
Ms. Payton
Lead Pre-K Teacher
Ms. Payton is our lead Pre-K teacher here at TLE! She decided to make a career change to work with children after being a caregiver for 8 years, finally finding her passion! Ms. Payton has her CDA and truly enjoys bringing her students imaginations to life! Ms. Payton loves spending quality time with her daughter and with her family in Traverse City at their cabin!
Nicole McKervey
Lead Preschool One Teacher
Favorite TLE® Character:
Sonar
Ms. Nicole has been with The Learning Experience since 2018. She has her Associates degree in Early childhood Development and is also bilingual. Prior to joining us at The Learning Experience Ms. Nicole taught in Mexico. She enjoys going for bike rides, visiting different beaches and spending time with her three children. Ms. Nicole creates a fun learning environment that encourages children to engage in a hands on positive learning experience.
Yvette Koskela
Lead Preschool Two Teacher
Favorite TLE® Character:
Two Plus Toucan
Ms. Yvette has been with The Learning Experience since 2014. She has held many different hats while being with us. She has her CDA and is continuing her education. In her spare time, she enjoys visiting parks, fishing and watching nature with her husband and children. As a teacher, she loves to nurture and prepare her students for Pre-K.
Nikki Sewell
Lead Toddler B Teacher
Nikki has been teaching at TLE since December of 2012. She graduated from Oakland Community College with an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Development. She loves teaching her little ones and watching them grow. In her spare time, she enjoys going to concerts and spending time with her family and friends.