Latonya M Edwards

Chief Administrative Officer

Latonya’s passion for business began at a young age. As a child, she eagerly advised her uncle when he ventured into entrepreneurship. With a natural affinity for numbers and patterns, she quickly mastered the art of cost reduction and implementing more efficient and economical strategies. This early passion guided her to pursue higher education at Medgar Evers College, where she earned degrees in Accounting and Business.

Latonya holds a BA in Bookkeeping and Accounting, an AA in Principles of Business, and is SHRM PHR certified. With over 23 years of experience in Finance, Accounting, and Human Resources, she has made significant contributions to her field. Latonya also serves on the board of a non-profit organization benefiting children in Senegal, Africa, and has held positions within the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS). In recent years, her passion has grown to focus on helping businesses—particularly private schools and nonprofits in New York City—thrive and exceed their goals.

Barbara Shelsky

Director of Admissions

Born and raised in Paris, Barbara is a native French speaker. She graduated from La Sorbonne with a Master’s Degree in Management and Human Resources, and from L’Institut de Gestion Social (IGS-RH) with an MBA focusing on human resources.

Moving to New York from France in 2000, Barbara employed her degrees first in restaurant management and then in fashion retail. In both the hospitality industry and her years in fashion retail, she made customer relations the hallmark of her career. Her involvement in the PS58 PTA as a mother of two bilingual daughters sparked an interest in working in education. She now puts her vast wealth of hospitality experience to work welcoming families into an enriching and valuable education for their children. 

Marina Babakoff

Director of Arts and Cultural Partnerships

Marina Babakoff is the visionary founder of the art program at Smith Street Maternelle, where she has been an art teacher since its inception. She holds a Master of Fine Arts from L’École Nationale Supérieure d’Art de Cergy-Paris and a degree from Le Studio National des Arts Contemporains, Le Fresnoy.

Before transitioning to the world of children’s art education, Marina worked extensively in sound production, creating major programs for France’s national public radio. Her passion for fostering creativity in young minds brought her to New York, where she realized her vision of developing innovative art programs for children.

Marie-Theres Franke

Director of Student Affairs & Special Events

Marie, originally from Germany, relocated to South Carolina at the age of 12. Her love for progressive education began in Kindergarten at the Waldorf School in Germany and continues to influence her work here at Smith Street. With a passion for foreign languages, Marie speaks German, French, English, and Spanish. She pursued her love for French in college, spending a year at La Sorbonne Paris IV. After 15 years as a freelance event producer in NYC, collaborating with artists, designers, and musicians, she joined Smith Street in 2021. As a mother of two daughters, aged 10 and 5, Marie is always organizing a get-together of some sort, driven by her passion for building community and fostering understanding through shared experiences.

Elena Melman

Director of Business Operations and Facilities

Born in the Carpathian Mountains of Russia to parents who communicated in 3 different languages (Russian, Hungarian and Yiddish) Elena has had a love for language since birth. She has encouraged her two sons to enjoy a love of languages by enrolling them in the dual language French program at PS58 when they were in elementary school. Elena joined Smith Street in 2022 and has enjoyed furthering her knowledge of French while keeping the three campuses of the school running smoothly. Elena came to Smith Street Maternelle after an extensive career in film and television and as an instructor at the Juilliard School’s drama division for nearly two decades. She is a graduate of The New School and of Parsons School of Design. 

Rebecca Courty

After School and Enrichment Coordinator

Rebecca grew up in a small village in Auvergne, France with fewer than 200 inhabitants. She moved to Toulouse to study law, initially aspiring to become a criminal lawyer. However, after completing her bachelor’s degree, she chose to pursue a master in Education. Rebecca spent three years working for the French Department of Education in Paris before relocating to New Orleans, Louisiana. There, she discovered her passion for bilingual education while enjoying the vibrant culture, music, and cuisine of the Big Easy.

After her time in New Orleans, Rebecca moved to Mexico City and took a year-long break to explore the world. She later returned to Paris to work at a bilingual school. Since moving back to the US in 2022, Rebecca has been studying to become a seamstress and was subsequently offered a teaching position at Smith Street. This year, she has taken on new responsibilities as the After-School and Enrichment Coordinator and is also preparing for her new role as a mother.

Amy Proulx

Educational Consultant

Amy is a versatile educator and project manager who specializes in school improvement/leadership development and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Over her career, Amy founded and led two K-8 English as a New Language Programs, driving significant academic growth in Harlem and Brooklyn. 

Amy works closely with the Grande Section teaching team and kindergarteners at Brooklyn Heights. Additionally, she serves as a pre-service supervisor and in-service mentor for the TESOL K-12, Teaching Residents, and the Peace Corps Jaffe Fellows Programs at Teachers College, Columbia University.

With experience teaching diverse learners in Boston, New York, Italy, and China, Amy brings a global perspective to her work. She holds a B.A. from Skidmore College and a M.A. in TESOL from Teachers College, Columbia University.