Mrs. Lakie Blech

Morah Lakie Blech was named Director of Innovation, with her primary focus on the utilization of technology and marketing strategies in promoting PHA as a center of excellence in primary Jewish education in the Phoenix region. Lakie brings a wealth of experience in education, curriculum development, and technological background.

She studied at Midreshet Tehillah and Moreshet as a seminary student after completing her high school education at YRSRH Breuers, and then went on to obtain her Bachelor of Arts degree from Thomas Edison University, with a Focus on Education. Lakie earned her Masters in Education and Innovation (Principalship) at Arizona State University. She also is a former New York State EMT-B.

She started and operated “Lakie Dance”, a fitness class and program geared towards the female Jewish community, and developed one of the first Orthodox fitness training videos specifically marketed to this demographic. She has extensive experience in social media marketing and technology for a variety of businesses and nonprofits throughout the years.

Lakie also trained in Judaic Montessori Education at Nitivot Montessori and started her teaching career as a Montessori teacher at Kemp Mill Montessori in Silver Spring, MD. She was instrumental in the integration of Judaic and Secular studies in the Montessori method at the institution and has mentored many other teachers over the years in the Judaic Montessori method of education. Upon moving to Phoenix in 2016, she soon joined PHA as a teacher for second and fourth-grade Judaic studies and remained in this position until to 2022. During her years at PHA, Lakie took the initiative to upgrade many of the technological solutions at the institution with the goal of providing the most up-to-date educational offering to the student body, along with improving efficiency and streamlining workflows from the administrative side. This included upgrading the school’s laptops, networks, and virtual classroom offerings - all of which were vitally important, especially during the COVID pandemic. She took control of the PHA social media accounts and successfully implemented a variety of external marketing campaigns for the institution. As Director of Innovation, she continues to work on advancing PHA as the premier center for Judaic education in the Valley, and a role model for other elementary schools throughout the country.

Things she holds dear from her classroom days are collaborative learning and the saying “Make Good Mistakes.”

If you are at Recess you may catch her flipping over the bars.

When she is not working, Lakie enjoys spending time with her husband Ben, and their children, Avigial, Sammy, and Noam. She also enjoys teaching fitness classes, spending time with friends, and the beach.