Our Team
Stephanie brings a rare depth of experience to Dumas, having mastered the full spectrum of early childhood and primary education. Her career began in the heart of Los Angeles at a rigorous private college-preparatory academy, where she operated under elite academic standards and high-performance expectations.
Seeking to understand the foundational needs of all children, she transitioned to the Opportunity School in Amarillo and Early Head Start centers, serving families in high-poverty environments. In these roles, her work went beyond traditional teaching to provide comprehensive, holistic care—addressing basic physical and emotional needs as the essential starting point for any learning.
With a Bachelor’s in Education and over a decade of experience, including five years serving the families of Cactus Elementary, Stephanie combines elite academic vision with a profound, hands-on commitment to the wellbeing of every child. She has furthered this expertise with specialized Texas daycare leadership training, ensuring that Play Co. meets the highest regional standards for safety, curriculum, and operational excellence.
Stephanie | Director & Co-Founder
Jennifer provides the strategic and operational backbone of Play Co., ensuring the organization is as operationally sound as it is socially impactful. Holding a B.S. in Marketing, her professional trajectory includes serving as a Marketing Manager and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Manager for a major communications firm. In these roles, she specialized in building large-scale initiatives that balanced corporate efficiency with community-driven missions.
As an independent consultant, Jennifer now applies this "business lens" to local community development, specializing in turning underutilized assets into productive, tax-generating community resources. While her background is rooted in corporate rigor and strategic marketing, her motivation is deeply personal. Raised three daughters, she is a fierce advocate for the necessity of high-quality care that supports both the child’s capability and the working parent’s stability. At Play Co., she ensures that every operational detail serves the ultimate goal: providing a vital foundation for the children of Moore County.
Jennifer | Co-Founder & OperationS
Kay Lynn leads our five-year-old classroom with a rare combination of state-certified expertise and deep theological training. As a Texas State Certified Teacher, Kay Lynn spent seven years within the public school system at Cactus Elementary, specifically teaching Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten. This experience gives her an "insider’s understanding" of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), ensuring that Play Co. students are not just "ready" for Kindergarten, but are ahead of the curve the moment they walk into a public school classroom.
Beyond her classroom mastery, Kay Lynn holds a Master of Divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary, with a specialized Certificate in Intercultural Studies. Her background as a multicultural ministries pastor and volunteer missionary in Costa Rica, where she studied Spanish and taught ESL, makes her uniquely qualified to lead our Bilingual Exposure pillar.
Kay lynn | Teacher- 5 year Olds
Emily has taught music to little people and big people for the last 13 years. She has traveled the world teaching music and spreading the gospel of Jesus, later becoming an elementary school teacher, and mother to two amazing children.
Emily believes that learning music should be as fun and interactive as it is foundational. She finds creative ways to unlock every child’s potential, bringing hands-on excitement to the classroom through instruments like ukuleles and boomwhackers. Emily is thrilled to lead Play Co.’s music program, where she inspires our students to discover their rhythm, creativity, and love for music every single day!
