Our Teachers
Brittney Powell, Co-Head of School and Infant Teacher
(She/Her/Hers)
Brittney earned a medical degree from a college in South Alabama. Not long after graduating she realized she was more interested in education. Brittney began her journey as a Montessori educator in 2009 as an assistant teacher in a primary classroom. In 2012 she received her American Montessori Society Infant/Toddler credential from the San Francisco Bay Area training center. She continued to grow in the field eventually becoming an administrator and curriculum coordinator for a Montessori School in Alabama.
Brittney was born and raised in a small town in southern Alabama. Her own life experiences helped her choose the Montessori Philosophy for the respectful approach it brings to helping each child become who they are as individuals, and for the confidence it helps build in each child. Brittney believes education begins at birth, and that infants and toddlers need care routines based on their developmental needs, their interests, and their abilities. Although her teaching career began in Alabama, Brittney moved to Rhode Island in 2017 to begin her new journey at Tiger Lily. She enjoys exploring New England with her dog Ruger.
brittney.powell@tigerlilymontessori.org
Britni Haynie Broussard, Co-Head of School and Toddler Teacher
(She/Her/Hers)
Britni was born into a military family in North Carolina. During her childhood she lived in Georgia, Germany, California, and Alabama. She went to middle school, high school, and college in Colorado Springs, graduating from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology. Britni is passionate about equity and social justice for our small humans in this world.
She worked in various childcare centers and elementary before and after school programs before receiving a Montessori 3-6 Preschool Certification in 2013. She has been in the childcare field for 10 years and is looking forward to being a part of the culture shift around education that Tiger Lily Montessori is leading. Britni and her husband have three school age daughters.
britni.haynie@tigerlilymontessori.org
Emily Braunhardt, Toddler Co-Teacher
(She/Her/Hers)
Emily is our co head Toddler Teacher with a bachelors degree in Child Studies and dual certification in the Montessori Philosophy . Emily is certified in ages 0-6. With both of her parents being retired teachers, Emily has always known she wanted to be in the education field. Emily has lived in New England her whole life and can’t imagine being anywhere else. She has been at Tiger Lily since it’s opening in 2017. Tiger Lily is her second family and feels so lucky and grateful to work with such amazing women. She is excited to work with all of your children while getting to know each and everyone of them.
Nicole Martins, Intern
(She/Her/Hers)
Nicole had her calling to the education field ten years ago. It was not something that she originally had on her radar. Despite the myriad of challenges of a traditional child care center she simply could not abandon her passion to teach. However she was also tired. Tired of feeling that her students where neglected by teaching methods She felt they were too rigid, tired of feeling unappreciated, and very tired of seeing her peers disenchantment from a career that once held devotion. So she looked for alternatives. It was not easy to find an early childhood center that suits her soul as an educator, but as soon as she entered Tiger Lily, she felt at home. “Every single educator here wants to be here, and every day I am inspired by their zeal to give one hundred percent. I see a real difference in the Montessori method and I hope to learn more on my higher education journey as I continue pursuing my degree.”
Johnny Robinson, Intern
(He/Him/His)
Johnny Robinson is from Jackson, Mississippi. He is beyond excited to become a member of the Tiger Lily family. Johnny began working with children in high school after volunteering at a daycare center. Since then, much of his career has consisted of working with children of various ages and with children who possess a wide range of learning styles and personalities. After obtaining a master’s in American Studies from Brown University, he began working for AmeriCorps as a museum educator at the Providence Children’s Museum. Through a year of service, he was presented with the opportunity to help lead an after-school program at a local Boys & Girls Club that was designed to help strengthen the math skills of elementary-aged students. Johnny looks forward to working closely with such an amazing group of childcare workers. He also looks forward to bearing witness to the monumental changes and the budding brilliance of the young minds he has been entrusted to care for.
Brittany Northrup, Intern/ETL
(She/Her/Hers)
Brittany was born in New Jersey and raised in New Hampshire. Brittany knew from a young age that she wanted to be a teacher, and everyone told her she would make a good teacher so naturally, she felt she needed to do something else. Exploring options and ideas, Brittany knew her main goal in a career was to be a helper. Spending most of her teen and college years as a nanny and babysitter, Brittany always loved being around children. Their natural joy and zest for life was intoxicating and filled her heart with joy. It was not until her impending graduation from Johnson & Wales University in 2019 with her Bachelor’s of Science in Counseling Psychology that she had to make a choice about her career path. Having worked with children for many years before, she decided to take a risk and email Tiger Lily Montessori to see if they were hiring. Spending time in the classroom was her only goal, simply to see if she liked it. She fell in love. Now, a few years later, Brittany is dedicating her time outside of the classroom to her American Montessori Society Infant/Toddler Montessori Certification to become a certified Montessori guide. The Montessori method is rooted in love, patience, compassion, and support which were all things Brittany felt she lacked from many teachers in her past. Her hope is to help raise a compassionate, loving new generation of thinkers, creators, helpers, and learners.