LEADERSHIP
Co-Directors Katie Sutherland and Lesley Buttars
Originally from Nebraska, Katie made her
way to North Carolina studying at Meredith
College. After graduation, she and her
husband knew they wanted to make North
Carolina home. She taught preschool for
three years before staying home to raise
their three boys who all attended UPPS.
Through their time at the preschool, Katie fell in love with the UPPS philosophy and community. She is passionate about play-based learning and helping children create
a love for school and has been a teacher in
the UPPS Turtle Twos class for three years.
Katie is excited to take on a new role and
lead this amazing group of teachers. In her
free time, you'll find her around town biking
with her family or off on an adventure with her boys.
Lesley and her husband moved to Chapel Hill
over 15 years ago. She began teaching
preschool after graduating with a B.S. in Early
Childhood Development. As a former and
current UPPS parent, Lesley has also worked
in various preschool roles over the years. She
has a passion for creating and implementing
early childhood curriculum and spaces that
foster learning through developmentally
appropriate play. Lesley looks forward to
working closely with teachers, and
connecting with current and prospective
families while continuing to lead UPPS as a
strong pillar in the Chapel Hill community.
When not at UPPS, you can find Lesley
outside with her family, watching one of her
children play sports, playing with their puppy,
hiking by the Eno River, or traveling to the
coast.