Meet Our Team
Maria Soter
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Maria Soter has immersed herself in the world of Early Childhood for over 25 years, from the inception of Salt Lake City's first Preschool for Homeless children in 1998 to, more recently, the creation of the Coaching Model and program for Head Start. Maria has always had a passion to serve children and their families, especially where a need is unmet.
Her vision for The Sammy Center became a reality in 2018 when she heard the CEO of a local program speak on behalf of the Early Childhood mental health crisis that was on an uprising. She has made a commitment to herself, the community, and the children of Salt Lake City to give them an added level of support through The Sammy Center.
alicia christ
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Alicia has lived in Utah since 1996. She enjoys camping with her family and floating local rivers. Alicia has worked with children her entire adult life, starting out at a local daycare while still in high school. She took an interest in helping children with special needs and individual concerns and started taking classes to support them. Having worked with Maria previously, she jumped at the chance to be part of The Sammy Center family. As the School Collaborator Alicia works in partnership with teachers, interns/volunteers, administrators, families and community partners to support our children and strengthen the overall school community.
Reina bomberski
TEACHER
Reine is from Steamboat Springs Colorado and is pursuing her bachelors degree in Psychology with a minor in both nutrition and health from the University of Utah. Her hopes are to practice sports psychology. Reina loves being outside, connecting with nature and being around people. She is excited to not only have a lasting effect on the children at The Sammy Center, but also experience and be apart of the very special community at the school.
Grace Chapman
TEACHER
Grace is going to be a sophomore at the University of Utah, majoring in Early Childhood Education. She started at the Sammy Center as an intern and is excited to transition into a teaching role. With a passion for fostering development, Grace is excited to make a positive impact at the Sammy Center.
Savannah Kreider
TEACHER
Savannah Kreider, known to many preschoolers as "Miss Savannah," is a third-generation Alaskan, born and raised on the beautiful Kenai Peninsula. She began teaching preschool in January 2019 and has never looked back. Savannah recently earned her A.S. in Early Childhood Education & Development at UVU and is currently pursuing a B.S. in Human Development & Family Studies, a minor in Psychology, along with an Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health certificate at the University of Utah. She is deeply passionate about her work and eager to expand her knowledge through her experiences at The Sammy Center. Savannah’s ultimate goal is to open her own Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool center on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula.
Noelle MArgetts
TEACHER/RBT
Noelle graduated from the University of Utah with their child psychology and infant and early childhood mental health degree. They have always been drawn to working with infants and young children and felt they have been able to heal their own inner child through this work. They started at The Sammy Center as an intern and fell in love with the kids, the staff, and the mission of the school.
Ivy Tran
TEACHER
Ivy has a double degree in Psychology and Family, Community, and Human Development, along with a certificate in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health. Her passion has always been centered on working with children and advocating for the mental health of those who may not have a voice. She firmly believes that patience, love, and understanding can make a profound difference, and that every child deserves a safe and supportive space to grow and thrive. Starting as an intern, she discovered a deep sense of purpose at The Sammy Center, and it’s been a privilege to turn that passion into meaningful action
ayla sanchez
CLASSROOM SUPPORT "FLOATER"
Ayla is a dedicated childcare provider with a strong passion for working with children. She began her journey in this field by running her own in-home childcare, where she discovered a deeper calling to support children with different abilities. As a mother of four, including a neurodivergent child, she brings both personal and professional insight, along with patience, empathy, and understanding.
She believes every child deserves to feel safe, supported, and accepted for who they are. Ayla is committed to creating a calm and nurturing environment where children can build confidence, express themselves freely, and grow at their own pace. She enjoys incorporating art, sensory play, and outdoor time into her work to help children learn and connect in natural, engaging ways.
Lane brusa
RBT
Lane is a Salt Lake City native and current Master's in Social Work student at Carlow University. She brings experience in child and family social work and is passionate about mental health, neurodiversity and trauma-informed care especially for young children. Lane is eager to deepen her clinical skills and contribute meaningfully to the work of The Sammy Center. Outside of school and social work, seh enjoys generational Sims gameplay, losing herself in a good book, soaking up the sun, and spending time with her golf-obsessed partner. When she graduates, Lane intentds to remain on our team and grow with The Sammy Center in providing additional therapeutic services. Lane also recently received her RBT certification and is pursuing her BCBA.
toni munoz
RBT
Toni Munoz is a Registered Behavior Technician at Gold Plus Therapy and a proud mother of three. Guided by authenticity and personal accountability, she has transformed childhood adversity into resilience and empathy that shape both her life and work.
Her youngest son, who is autistic (takiwatanga — “in his own time and space”), has deepened her commitment to advocacy and inspired her family to embrace and promote neurodiversity.
Outside of work, Toni finds joy in music, books, rock climbing, and adventuring with her family, whether close to home or across the world. She leads with compassion and believes that owning your happiness is one of life’s greatest strengths.
bell mackey
RBT
Isabel struggled in school and dreaded going every day, she was easily distracted in classroom settings and hardly comprehended subjects. She soon moved to a one-on-one classroom where she didn’t have to learn the way the group did, but learned in ways that work best for her individual needs. ABA is one-on-one support for neurodivergent children, it guides them to achieve their goals, shows empathy to their struggles and constantly finds new learning tactics that work best for their individual needs. As an RBT she has seen her clients reach their behavioral goals and then some. She has enjoyed working together with families and BCBAs, she enjoys brainstorming new levels of promoting and tactics that fit individual clients. Most of all she loves seeing her clients excited, happy and ready to engage in sessions. This shows her that they love learning and enjoy behavioral therapy. Ultimately she became an RBT because she knows what it’s like to have a learning disability, she continues in this field because being a part of these kiddos growth is inspiring to me.
kelly noorda
Chairperson
Kelly Noorda is the Lead Partnership Director for Promise Partnership Utah, where she facilitates cross-sector collaborations to advance early learning strategies and drive meaningful system change. With more than 25 years of experience in early childhood education, she believes that relationships are the foundation of progress, and that through innovation and collective work we can achieve far more together than alone.
Kelly holds dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Human Development and Family Studies and in Psychology from the University of Utah. Her career has spanned roles as a therapeutic preschool teacher and parent educator at The Children’s Center Utah, a Head Start preschool teacher with Utah Community Action, an education specialist providing coaching and behavior management support to teachers, a program coordinator overseeing multiple sites, and a leader of professional development programs focused on onboarding, training, and teacher growth. She also served as an Assistant Education Manager, where she guided curriculum implementation, data-driven practices, and coaching and mentoring programs.
In her role with Promise Partnership Utah, Kelly leads early childhood initiatives for children ages 0–8, building alignment across networks, local communities, and state policy to strengthen and transform early learning systems. She also serves as Chair of the Early Childhood Utah Early Care and Education Committee, contributes to the Utah Early Childhood Conference Committee, and advises statewide efforts through councils such as the Office of Child Care, Waterford Upstart, and Early Childhood Utah.
Rita Mangum
LCSW
Rita began her career in social work, facilitating parenting classes for at-risk communities in the greater Salt Lake and Park City area. Research has shown that strong parent-child bonding is one of the most important protective factors for decreasing delinquency, substance abuse, child abuse, and negative peer influences on children. Protective factors work to increase safety and emotional well-being, build strong family relationships, and promote healthy social connections. Rita has been facilitating and teaching positive parenting practices for over 25 years. She is passionate about relationships, especially those between parents and children. One of the best ways to build resiliency in both yourself and your child(ren) is to focus on the 4 Pillars of Wellness, which include Health, Home, Community, and Purpose. She is looking forward to sharing ways to decrease stress, identify emotions, make healthy connections with your child(ren), and build strong families. Her wellness classes will explore these pillars and provide knowledge, new skills, home practice exercises, and time to talk with other parents about their experiences with parenting and self-care.
The Sammy Center
Emily Bleyl
LCSW, ACSW Associate Professor UofU
Emily is currently the Director of MSW Practicum Education and an Associate Clinical Professor in the College of Social Work at the University of Utah. Prior to 2020, she served for eleven years as the Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers, Utah Chapter, where she managed daily operations including budgets, board meetings, conferences, and continuing education, while also working closely with the Utah legislature and DOPL to draft and strengthen social work statutes. Throughout her career, Emily has consulted with state and county agencies on ethics and practice-related issues, served on numerous boards and committees, presented over 150 talks on social work topics, co-authored ASWB licensing prep materials and a state licensing manual, supervised and advised MSW students, and successfully advocated for six pieces of social work-supportive legislation. She has also taught Practice I and II and a summer elective focused on attachment in the MSW program. Her leadership earned her national recognition as the NASW Outstanding Executive Director of the Year (2013), as well as honors including Utah’s Thirty Women to Watch (2014), Utah Social Worker of the Year (2022), and Practicum Professor of the Year (2023). Emily began her social work career as a case manager at Catholic Community Services in 1995, earned her MSW from the University of Utah in 1999, and then completed intensive post-graduate training at the Yale Child Study Center and a concurrent Bush Fellowship at the Yale Ziegler Center for Child Development and Social Policy. She later directed public policy and community initiatives for United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, co-leading the development of a successful early childhood initiative. Upon returning to Utah in 2003, she worked in private practice and as a crisis social worker at the University of Utah Medical Center before beginning her leadership role with NASW. With nearly thirty years of experience in education, clinical work, policy, and administration, Emily brings a deep understanding of the biopsychosocial foundations of social work and remains committed to advancing educational resources and professional policies that support students, practitioners, and the communities they serve.
Sky Lowe
Secretary
Sky brings vibrant energy, enthusiasm, and heart to our board as our dedicated Secretary. As a professional nanny with a deep love for children, she embodies the spirit of care and connection that drives our mission. Sky is our greatest cheerleader and unwavering supporter always ready to celebrate our wins, champion our work, and remind us why we do what we do. Her passion for supporting young children and families is evident in everything she does, and we’re so grateful to have her voice, positivity, and commitment guiding our work at The Sammy Center.
dmitri smirnov
Treasure
Dmitri Smirnov, MBA, CPA (Retired) brings more than two decades of high-level corporate finance and accounting expertise to his nonprofit leadership work. After earning his MBA from the University of Louisville, Dmitri built a distinguished career with global organizations including The Boeing Company, CNH Global, and VTG Rail, where he served as Corporate Controller and oversaw financial reporting, audits, treasury functions, and departmental leadership. Now retired from corporate life, Dmitri devotes his time to community service, contributing his financial and strategic expertise as a board member and treasurer for several nonprofit organizations, including The Sammy Center, St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church, the Mushroom Society of Utah, and Lingua Bear. His commitment to mission driven work and his extensive experience in financial stewardship make him an invaluable member of the organizations he serves.
Kayla Mayers
Promise Director
Kayla is currently the Director of the Promise Department at the city of Millcreek and holds a Master of Arts in Community and Organizational Leadership from Westminster University.
Her background is in out-of-school time education, and she has worked with youth ages 5-20 throughout her career. In Utah, she has had the opportunity to intersect city government, community work, and education.
She enjoys being able to explore ways that a community can work together to show up for all youth on their educational path, from cradle to career. In her free time, she spends time with her spouse, daughter, and two dogs, enjoying all of the outdoor recreation opportunities that Utah has to offer!