Allyse + Dani
Allyse began her career in the South Bronx as a first-grade teacher shortly after graduating from Teachers College, Columbia University. She then taught at PS 59 in Manhattan and kindergarten in Larchmont, NY. Allyse dedicated a decade of her career as an education consultant, supporting early childhood classrooms nationwide. She coached teachers, worked alongside administrators, and educated parents on research-based literacy curriculum. She has had the privilege of leading large-scale workshops on literacy education, presenting at the NCTE, and becoming a published author of phonics curriculum. Currently, she consults across the tri-state area and for The Educators Link, creating online courses for teachers. Allyse now lives in Ridgewood, NJ, where she is raising her three daughters with her supportive husband, Ray, and beloved French bulldog, Eli. She learns from them each day as they challenge her in the best of ways! Her passion for literacy and play has only grown exponentially since having her own children. She started nj READy 2 PLAY with Dani in hopes of spreading the joy of literacy to all children, especially across New Jersey!
​Dani started her teaching career after graduating from the University of Michigan School of Education. She taught English for one year in Israel, where she really stepped outside her comfort zone only partially knowing the native language of her students! This really taught her to think outside the box in terms of communicating with her students in different ways. After Israel, Dani taught first and second grade at a charter school in West Harlem for four years (where she met Allyse as a coach!). Dani then moved to PS 59 in the NYC DOE where she taught third and fourth grade ICT for 6 years, supporting neurodivergent students and creating access to the general education curriculum. At PS 59, Dani mentored new teachers and served on the school’s equity team. Dani now lives in Montclair with her husband, Mike, her son Brooks and daughter Charley. Dani is excited to bring her love of children and education to her new community, Montclair.
Allyse & Dani Together
Founders of NJ Ready 2 Play
Allyse and Dani, both Rockland County natives and passionate educators, met when Allyse coached Dani as a first-year teacher. Their connection was instant—and lasting. Years later, after becoming moms and moving to NJ, they dreamed up nj READy 2 PLAY: a program that blends early learning with joyful, play-based experiences.
They're excited to bring their expertise to Montclair and Ridgewood—creating a space where kids thrive and caretakers find community.
Our Team
Creator & Teacher of Story 2 Stage
Actress, Liz Samuel
Liz Samuel is an actress, producer, writer, host and drama teacher. She is a SAG-AFTRA actor in film and television and has performed in many plays both in NJ and NYC. Liz has appeared in projects for NBC, CBS, Apple TV, Netflix, and more. She is the founder, host, and producer of the Montclair Story Salon, a bi-monthly storytelling fundraising event series. Liz also wrote, created and starred in the award-winning digital series *MOMTRESS*, a semi-autobiographical dramedy. In addition to her creative pursuits, Liz is passionate about teaching. She offers drama and storytelling enrichment classes in the Montclair area, where she helps students develop their performance skills and discover their own unique voices. Liz also coaches actors and writers privately for auditions and storytelling endeavors.
We are so excited for the experience she will bring our school age children!
Teacher Books & Babbles
Speech & Language Therapist, Olivia Lada
Olivia is a bilingual English/Polish speaker who provides culturally and linguistically appropriate therapy based on each family's values.
After earning her masters degree from Columbia University, Olivia gained experience working in public schools, private therapy clinics and in homes. ​She has experience with a variety of disorders. She has a passion for working with the pediatric population, specifically early communicators.​
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Olivia holds the Certificate of Clinical Competency from the American Speech Language Hearing Association and is licensed to practice as a Speech Language Pathologist in the state of New Jersey. In addition, Olivia holds her Speech Language Specialist certification from the New Jersey Department of Education. Olivia is dedicated to providing evidence based therapy services and is continuing her education in many areas. Olivia is a PROMPT (Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets) trained therapist and an NLA (Natural Language Acquisition) trained therapist.
You can learn more about her with her private practice Olive Tree Therapy. We are thrilled to have her as part of our team and teaching Babbles & Books in our Bergen location.
Young Writers Camp
Educator & Literacy Consultant, Rachel Rothman-Perkins
Rachel is an early childhood teacher and educational consultant with extensive knowledge, experience, and a passion for supporting children, families, and educators with early literacy learning.
Rachel began her career as a classroom teacher and school-based instructional coach, applying skills developed from her Providence College degree in Elementary and Special Education. She then went on to earn her master's degree in Equity-Centered Literacy Education and Leadership from San Jose State University.
For the next decade, Rachel focused on educating teachers, working nationally and internationally as a Senior Staff Developer with the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University.
In 2022, Rachel founded We Grow Together, LLC and partners with many schools and districts to bring the best of current practices from research and classrooms to educators across the country. She resides in New Jersey with her husband and toddler in a house filled with books and all types of play. This has inspired her to partner with local families and education centers to provide a joyful, play-based, nurturing approach to foundational literacy development through individualized instruction and small-group workshops for young learners.