People

Tovah P. Klein, Ph.D. - Director

Director Tovah P. Klein, Ph.D (tklein@barnard.edu) is a faculty member in Psychology and author of two highly regarded books, Raising Resilience: How to help our children thrive in times of uncertainty (HarperCollins, 2024) and bestselling How Toddlers Thrive: What parents can do today to plant the seeds of lifelong success (Simon & Schuster, 2014). She holds a doctorate in developmental and clinical psychology from Duke University. 

Her research focuses on children's social-emotional development, parental influences on children’s development, responses to stressful and traumatic events, parental experiences and challenges, including work and family and being a parent during the pandemic, as well as children's use of play to process emotions and stressful experiences. She is on the Advisory Boards of Room to Grow, Ubuntu Pathways, Children’s Museum of Manhattan and Hunts Point Alliance for Children. She was an advisor to Sesame Street and is a consultant to children's media. She is frequently quoted in the media as an expert on child development, parenting, and stressful world events. 

She is the mother of three, all Toddler Center graduates. Her love of this age stems from the joy of observing and being inside children's worlds. Outside of Barnard, she enjoys being with family and friends and wandering the city. Social Media: @tovahklein 

Alison Davis - Senior Associate Director

Alison Davis (aldavis@barnard.edu) joined the Toddler Center as Associate Director in 2018. She holds a Masters in Social Work and a Masters in Early Childhood Education. Alison spent several years working with children and families as a social worker in NYC hospitals prior to discovering her love for early childhood education when her own children were in preschool and she joined a parents-as-subs program. She left the field of social work and began teaching when her children entered elementary school. Alison loves witnessing the joy in young children's discoveries and the confidence they develop throughout their year here. In addition, she enjoys supporting parents through what can be a challenging time as toddlers begin to exert their own will and wishes she had the Toddler Center when her own children, now young adults, were young. In her free time, Alison likes to travel, spend time with her family (and dog), see shows, and go hiking.

Robin Otton - Center Administrator

Robin (toddlercenter@barnard.edu) holds a Master of Science degree and began working at the Toddler Center in November of 2022 after 25 years of administrative and admissions work within the NYC independent school world.  Supporting and interacting with Toddler Center families and staff instills her with satisfaction and joy.  Away from work, Robin enjoys time with family, birding in Central Park, and solving puzzles–crossword and jigsaw.

Ketaki Krishnan - Research Coordinator/Asst. Teacher

Ketaki (kkrishnan@barnard.edu) graduated from Barnard in 2023 with a degree in Psychology. Ketaki will be coordinating the Toddler Center's research projects and also teaching in the Monday/Thursday afternoon and Wednesday morning classes. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, cooking her favorite South Indian dishes, and making art inspired by nature, childhood, and nostalgia.

Hannah Corrie - Teacher

Hannah (hcorrie@barnard.edu) holds a Masters in Early Childhood Education as well as a Masters in English literature. She is a proud Barnard graduate and has been a lead teacher at the Toddler Center since 2021. She loves working with toddlers and witnessing their discoveries as they make meaning of their world. In her free time, Hannah enjoys writing poetry, exploring the city with friends and family, and spending time in Riverside Park with an iced coffee and a good book.

Alison Itzkowitz -  Teacher

Ali (aitzkowitz@barnard.edu) obtained her Masters in Early Childhood Education in 2023 and has been teaching young children since 2015, including two years of teaching English in Japan. Though she mostly worked with preschool-aged children in the past, after coming to the Toddler Center in 2022, she feels she has found her true calling in working with toddlers. She loves that moment of discovering a toy or phrase that will help a toddler feel safe and cared for in their first school experience. In her spare time, Ali enjoys yoga, experimenting with new recipes, and playing with her cat, Mushroom. 

Leslie Perrell - Assistant Teacher

Leslie (lperrell@barnard.edu) has worked at the Toddler Center since 2019, but her BTC “roots” go back much further to when she simultaneously had two roles: a BTC toddler mom and a Barnard undergraduate studying Developmental Psychology and working in the Psychology Department. Before Barnard, Leslie was a professional ballet dancer and after graduating, she worked for 35 years in market research, largely in the healthcare industry. This recent chapter of her life was inspired by reading Dr. Klein’s How Toddlers Thrive and experiencing the deep joy that comes from being the “Gammy” of two sets of twins. Recently, she completed a Child Development Associate certification and loves being an Assistant Teacher. When not stealing a chance to see her son and grandchildren, Leslie enjoys playing the piano, needlework, and biking. Each day she is more aware of how much she loves being with young children and learning about them and alongside them. For her, there is nothing more important or joyful.

Sunita Shah- Assistant Teacher

Sunita (sshah@barnard.edu) holds a masters degree in Early Childhood Leadership and Advocacy. She has worked in several preschool programs over the years, and is excited to be back at the Toddler Center again, working with the Wednesday morning group. Sunita loves watching toddlers explore the world and looks forward to supporting each toddler as they blossom and grow. She is a mom to two teenage daughters with whom she enjoys baking and creating art. Sunita is involved with HRPMamas, a lower Manhattan mothers group, and volunteers at Nido de Esperanza in Washington Heights.