President

Mary is a school leader, educator, author, and researcher whose interest in supporting the development of young children’s innate curiosity and interests along with respect for the environment led her to the St. Louis Teachers’ Recycle Center and Play Studio. She brings knowledge and experience gained through her many years of experience in elementary and early childhood education and through her extensive research work and doctoral studies in Transformative Learning in the Global Community.

Executive Director/Treasurer

Susan has helped young children access and express their creative spirit since the 1980’s. Formal training in Early Childhood education, includes ISAE Master Play Coach, the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education, the constructivist approach to the art of play. As the founder and Executive Director of the St. Louis Teachers’ Recycle Center (SLTRC), Susan brings together her experience and involvement in child-centered experiential art and play, the study of early childhood development, and environmentally-conscious business practices.

Center Director/Consultant

Kindra Smith has facilitated, encouraged and participated with children and adults in craft and music activities for most of her life. Her strengths include generating ideas and probblem solving to create successful events/activities for all.  She has created memorable treasure hunts, hosted excellent house concerts, sang with preschoolers, beaded with tweens/teens and makes legendary potato leek soup and chili.

Board Advisor

Amy utilizes her BS-Education and MA-Elementary Ed, Awarded with Distinction in her work at Creative Reuse Centers.  Her preference is for a “Certification” in “Beautiful Junk” -working with children, parents, educators, artists and community members.  She refined relationship-building skills working collaboratively with public, private and nonprofit entities.  Currently an educator in Sheboygan, WI, her passion is for play and its inherent value.  Both she and Susan are  “Institute for Self Active EducatIon, Champions with the Reusable Resources Association, Boston.  After start-up of the Chicago WasteNot center, she received the AT&T People First Gold Star Award, and a Public Allies Leadership Award.  After start-up of the UNM-Wemagination Center, it earned an Award of  Merit, Creative Reuse Materials, from Keep New Mexico Beautiful.  Amy is excited to work with the St. Louis Teachers’ Recycle Center and its continued growth!

Board Member

Lin Carty brings to the board her experiences as a public educator as well as developer of The Resource Place is Mobile, AL. For 8 years Lin taught CEU credited classes to childcare professionals in Mobile, helping them to realize the importance of play and the value of developing a child’s imagination. Lin has been an active member of the Reusable Resource Association, taking part in trainings for the NAEYC annual conference.

Marketing Consultant

My story of meeting the great people at SLTRC starts with Thom whom found me through a local Facebook group we are both involved with. Thom reached out to me to assist with Kindra at the center. That led to me assisting with some errors with internet listings. After that, one thing led to another and a complete new website, social media refresh, and I am now on the board. I am excited to assist the mission in my mother’s memory. My mother was a teacher in both religious school and special needs children. She would have been apart of this organization in a heartbeat.

Student Volunteer Coordinator

Addi is a 2026 graduate of Westminster Christian Academy with a heart for service and a passion for purposeful leadership. Deeply committed to supporting young children through church camps and ministry programs, she has spent years volunteering in her church’s preschool classrooms, where she’s seen firsthand the power of creative, hands-on learning. She understands the value of diverse materials and imaginative play in helping children grow with confidence and curiosity. Blending her love of helping others with a strong interest in economics and business, Addi chose to focus her senior service project at The St. Louis Teachers’ Recycle Center. As a junior board member at SLTRC, she is dedicated to strengthening connections, building sustainable systems, and creating a clear and welcoming path for future volunteers. Whether organizing resources, encouraging young learners, or dreaming up new possibilities, Addi brings energy, compassion, and thoughtful vision to the work she does.