News
Welcome New Faculty and Staff! 2024-25
Welcome to our newest members of the CEE community!
Millie Carter, Fifth Grade Teacher
Born and raised in Bakersfield, Millie moved to LA to study at CSUN. She recently earned a Master's degree in Curriculum & Instruction. Millie has served as a mentor teacher, WASC team lead, literacy coach, and curriculum builder for upper elementary grades. After eight years of teaching in elementary grades, most recently at Ohr Eliyahu Academy, Millie joined The Center because of its focus on diversity and inclusion, and how its mission aligns with her values and vision of education. Outside of school, she enjoys spending time with her toddler, exploring new places, and crafting. To Millie, community means finding connection, support, and empowerment in a network of peers who understand and uplift each other in pursuing equity and excellence.
Wilfredo Castillo, Facilities Team
Wilfredo joins the Facilities Team following experience as an electrician's assistant, truck driver, asbestos removal technician, and heavy machinery operator using forklifts, bobcats, and excavators. To Wilfredo, the concept of community is a group of people who work or communicate together regarding the same objective. He is looking forward to building more skills and being part of a new community.
Courtney Farkas ‘14, Instructional Support Team
Courtney is proud to return to The Center after graduaing from CEE in 2014 and working at CEE’s Camp Adventure during Summer 2023. Courtney recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin where she majored in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, and English as a Second Language. She has many years of experience as a camp counselor and student teaching in kindergarten, first grade, and fifth grade classrooms. These experiences taught Courtney to embrace each child as a unique person and ways to meet kids at their level to help them succeed. Courtney shares, “My love for CEE is evidenced by a first-grade CEE writing assignment asking about my dream job, in which I wrote, ‘I would like to work at the CEE Caring Place’!”
Mari Flores, In-House Floating Teacher
Mari was drawn to The Center for its collaborative environment where individuals are encouraged to share their skills and learn from one another. Mari joins the The Center community having worked many years in early childhood education, most recently at Christopher Robin preschool. Mari shares how a supportive community creates a sense of belonging, inspiring her to push herself to make a positive impact. Mari looks forward to contributing to the positive learning environment at CEE.
Theressa Giammarco, School Nurse
Theressa served as a nurse in the Neonatal ICU at Cedars Sinai Medical Center before joining CEE. She is excited to dive into a new community to learn new skills and continue to grow as a nurse. Theressa has worked in healthcare and the wellness spectrum for the past decade, and takes a lot of pride in caring for people. Her favorite part of nursing is building rapport with patients, working towards healing.
Victoria Goatley, School Counselor (Toddler through First Grade)
For the past 8 years, Victoria served as school counselor at the school in North Carolina where she previously worked as a Kindergarten and second grade teacher. Victoria strives to be a person who welcomes change and when she saw an opportunity to embrace another change in her life - to move across the country and join The Center - she knew she had to take it. Victoria is most proud of the connections created with the students and families in her prior school. She has learned as a counselor is to be present in the space, in the moment, with the students and families. Taking the time to be present means so much and helps form better connections. For Victoria, community means the people that they care for and that care for them. Whether it is to celebrate them, give them motivation to keep going, or to be a shoulder to lean on for support, their community is there, showing up for each other. Victoria is excited to be part of a community that nurtures a sense of belonging that is so vital to students’ mental health.
Carlos Gomez, Maintenance Tech
Carlos joins CEE after many years in the hotel industry, sharing that upon joining The Center, he felt that the school would be a great place to help others and make a difference in the community. Carlos is proud of his communication and work management skills, and is eager to make a contribution to the Facilities team and be a part of the close community.
Bianca Gonzalez, Advancement Database Manager
Bianca earned her degree from Santa Clara University in Child Studies and Psychology. Upon graduation, she served two years with AmeriCorps in the San Francisco Unified School District, discovering a passion for operational excellence and working in a school environment. During her time there, she supported a mentoring program, even creating a new educational game for Black History Month that has been adopted by the district mentoring program. Following her service, Bianca moved to Los Angeles to work for a pediatric cancer non-profit called The Pablove Foundation where she worked to support arts programming for pediatric cancer patients and funding pediatric cancer research. She is now excited about the opportunity to work in advancement at CEE, and finds it a joy to once more find herself in a school community.
Michelle Gottlieb, EC2 Associate Teacher
Michelle has experience working in early childhood and elementary school settings as an early interventionist and therapeutic teacher. She has collaborated extensively with students and families as they navigate social, emotional, or behavioral health issues in school, providing indivdual support to meet each child’s needs. Michelle earned her Bachelor’s degree at CSUN and a certification at UCLA Extension. She shares that she is excited to join CEE’s kind and caring environment.
Hannah Ingram, Fourth Grade Teacher
After almost two decades of teaching in San Francisco, New York, and the DC-area, most recently at Norwood School in Bethesda, Maryland. Hannah returned to the West Coast to join CEE. She shares that she “was immediately drawn to CEE's evident commitment to cultivating an authentically diverse and culturally responsive learning environment.” Hannah has worked collaboratively to develop, workshop, and document innovative curricula, with a particular interest in integrated and emergent curricula. Hannah feels particularly proud of her work to further social justice in collaboration with school leaders and parent groups, including organizing community events and facilitating peer-led professional development opportunities.
Alex Kalasountas, The Caring Place Co-Lead Teacher
Alex has had a profound interest in childcare since starting with babysitting at age 13. Following her graduation from high school, she started working with the Boys and Girls Club and then onto a role as a private nanny, where she cultivated meaningful relationships with the families in her care. Alex shares that for her, community is a collective of individuals united by shared values, offering support and collaboration. She is excited to contribute to an environment at CEE that is characterized by a culture of mutual support and assistance, where individuals actively come together to help one another.
Sofia Kroese, School Nurse
Sofia grew up in Southern California, then completed her BSN degree in Seattle, Washington. Following graduation, Sofia began working in a Pediatric Cardiovascular ICU back home in California. As a pediatric CVICU nurse, she gained invaluable experience working with patients of all ages, from neonates to teenagers, refining her quick decision-making and teamwork skills. Sofia is excited to continue serving children during important moments in their lives and supporting their well-being in an educational environment. Outside of school, Sofia enjoys playing tennis, her goldendoodle Penny, coffee, and traveling!
Rigo Lopez, Instructional Support Team
Rigo comes to CEE from the UCLA Lab School, where he worked as a Teacher Assistant and Teacher Apprentice. Before that, Rigo served with the AmeriCorps program City Year, helping establish the program at Hollenbeck Middle School and providing academic support and after school tutoring. Rigo also has experience as a Behavior Interventionist, working with children with Autism in a high school setting, helping each student meet their academic and social goals. Rigo believes in creating a safe and inclusive learning environment where each student feels valued and empowered to take ownership of their learning journey. Rigo earned a Bachelor's degree in History from California State University, Los Angeles, and a Masters in Teaching from the University of Southern California.
Maia Morgan, School Counselor (Second through Sixth Grade)
Maia began her career as an educator in San Francisco, where she first discovered a passion for mental health. While attending San Francisco State University, Maia worked with multiple schools and gained firsthand experience with the evolving concerns of today's youth. She went on to earn a Master’s Degree in K-12 Guidance and Wellness and a certificate in LGBTQIA+ health and wellness at New York University. After earning her Master's degree, Maia returned to California to partner with a community-driven school to create an Early Education Counseling Department. She is excited to bring her experience, empathy, and expertise to the CEE community. Maia is dedicated to providing inclusive support to all students and ensuring equity in their access to mental health resources and care.
Travis Price, PE Teacher
Travis grew up in Boston and has been teaching physical education there for many years, most recently at The Fessenden School in Newton, MA before moving to Los Angeles and joining The Center. Travis shares that CEE’s core values really resonate with him, and he looks forward to making a positive impact on the community. He is most proud of his work around teamwork, and teaching children how to work together and have a positive attitude has been a great experience.
Carly Purmort, First Grade Teacher
Carly joins CEE with fifteen years of experience in education, the last ten in independent schools, most recently at Oakwood School, with a focus on elementary education. Carly embraces lifelong learning, constantly seeking to enhance her understanding of how young learners thrive. Outside of the classroom, Carly is proud of her accomplishment in trekking to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, embracing the opportunity to venture beyond her comfort zone and dismantle self-imposed limitations along the way.
Melanie Thomas, PE Teacher
Melanie is from Arkansas and has been teaching physical education for the last 23 years, the last ten of which have been at Oakwood School. She helped develop the K-3 PE curriculum at her prior schools, as well as serving as a presenter at the CAPHERD Conference with other PE teachers. In addition to her work in the classroom, Melanie earned her mindfulness and breath-work instructor certification in 2021, had an article published on self-love earlier this year, and has hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro! For Melanie, community is a sense of togetherness that helps create an environment where we are all working together so that students feel safe, seen and supported.
Eric Varela, Kindergarten Teacher
Eric Varela holds a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Music from California State University, Los Angeles. He went on to earn his Master’s in Teaching from the University of Southern California and has worked in the public and private education sectors. Most recently, Eric taught in the Dual Language program at the UCLA Lab School. After several years of teaching kindergarten, Eric has learned the importance of fostering students’ curiosity, nurturing their joyful personalities, promoting their ability to take risks, and embracing their genuine character. Eric recently presented at the Bank Street Teaching Kindergarten Conference, focused on developing routines and using the classroom to support and strengthen children’s understanding of numbers.
Colby Yee, Third Grade Teacher
Colby comes to CEE from the Town School for Boys in San Francisco, with a passion for centering relationships in his work as a teacher, cherishing the opportunity to see students for who they are and to celebrate them each day. Colby is proud of facilitating Students of Color affinity groups at his former school, in addition to being a facilitator for the AAPI affinity group at the NAIS People of Color Conference. He enjoys putting creative energy towards lesson design and learning experiences inside and outside of the classroom. For Colby, community means feeling a deep sense of belonging in a space.
Maia, Travis, Carly, Melanie, Eric, and Colby (L to R)
Back
Born and raised in Bakersfield, Millie moved to LA to study at CSUN. She recently earned a Master's degree in Curriculum & Instruction. Millie has served as a mentor teacher, WASC team lead, literacy coach, and curriculum builder for upper elementary grades. After eight years of teaching in elementary grades, most recently at Ohr Eliyahu Academy, Millie joined The Center because of its focus on diversity and inclusion, and how its mission aligns with her values and vision of education. Outside of school, she enjoys spending time with her toddler, exploring new places, and crafting. To Millie, community means finding connection, support, and empowerment in a network of peers who understand and uplift each other in pursuing equity and excellence.
Wilfredo Castillo, Facilities Team
Wilfredo joins the Facilities Team following experience as an electrician's assistant, truck driver, asbestos removal technician, and heavy machinery operator using forklifts, bobcats, and excavators. To Wilfredo, the concept of community is a group of people who work or communicate together regarding the same objective. He is looking forward to building more skills and being part of a new community.
Courtney Farkas ‘14, Instructional Support Team
Courtney is proud to return to The Center after graduaing from CEE in 2014 and working at CEE’s Camp Adventure during Summer 2023. Courtney recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin where she majored in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, and English as a Second Language. She has many years of experience as a camp counselor and student teaching in kindergarten, first grade, and fifth grade classrooms. These experiences taught Courtney to embrace each child as a unique person and ways to meet kids at their level to help them succeed. Courtney shares, “My love for CEE is evidenced by a first-grade CEE writing assignment asking about my dream job, in which I wrote, ‘I would like to work at the CEE Caring Place’!”
Mari Flores, In-House Floating Teacher
Mari was drawn to The Center for its collaborative environment where individuals are encouraged to share their skills and learn from one another. Mari joins the The Center community having worked many years in early childhood education, most recently at Christopher Robin preschool. Mari shares how a supportive community creates a sense of belonging, inspiring her to push herself to make a positive impact. Mari looks forward to contributing to the positive learning environment at CEE.
Theressa Giammarco, School Nurse
Theressa served as a nurse in the Neonatal ICU at Cedars Sinai Medical Center before joining CEE. She is excited to dive into a new community to learn new skills and continue to grow as a nurse. Theressa has worked in healthcare and the wellness spectrum for the past decade, and takes a lot of pride in caring for people. Her favorite part of nursing is building rapport with patients, working towards healing.
Victoria Goatley, School Counselor (Toddler through First Grade)
For the past 8 years, Victoria served as school counselor at the school in North Carolina where she previously worked as a Kindergarten and second grade teacher. Victoria strives to be a person who welcomes change and when she saw an opportunity to embrace another change in her life - to move across the country and join The Center - she knew she had to take it. Victoria is most proud of the connections created with the students and families in her prior school. She has learned as a counselor is to be present in the space, in the moment, with the students and families. Taking the time to be present means so much and helps form better connections. For Victoria, community means the people that they care for and that care for them. Whether it is to celebrate them, give them motivation to keep going, or to be a shoulder to lean on for support, their community is there, showing up for each other. Victoria is excited to be part of a community that nurtures a sense of belonging that is so vital to students’ mental health.
Millie, Wilfredo, Courtney, Mari, Theressa, and Victoria (L to R)
Carlos Gomez, Maintenance Tech
Carlos joins CEE after many years in the hotel industry, sharing that upon joining The Center, he felt that the school would be a great place to help others and make a difference in the community. Carlos is proud of his communication and work management skills, and is eager to make a contribution to the Facilities team and be a part of the close community.
Bianca Gonzalez, Advancement Database Manager
Bianca earned her degree from Santa Clara University in Child Studies and Psychology. Upon graduation, she served two years with AmeriCorps in the San Francisco Unified School District, discovering a passion for operational excellence and working in a school environment. During her time there, she supported a mentoring program, even creating a new educational game for Black History Month that has been adopted by the district mentoring program. Following her service, Bianca moved to Los Angeles to work for a pediatric cancer non-profit called The Pablove Foundation where she worked to support arts programming for pediatric cancer patients and funding pediatric cancer research. She is now excited about the opportunity to work in advancement at CEE, and finds it a joy to once more find herself in a school community.
Michelle Gottlieb, EC2 Associate Teacher
Michelle has experience working in early childhood and elementary school settings as an early interventionist and therapeutic teacher. She has collaborated extensively with students and families as they navigate social, emotional, or behavioral health issues in school, providing indivdual support to meet each child’s needs. Michelle earned her Bachelor’s degree at CSUN and a certification at UCLA Extension. She shares that she is excited to join CEE’s kind and caring environment.
Hannah Ingram, Fourth Grade Teacher
After almost two decades of teaching in San Francisco, New York, and the DC-area, most recently at Norwood School in Bethesda, Maryland. Hannah returned to the West Coast to join CEE. She shares that she “was immediately drawn to CEE's evident commitment to cultivating an authentically diverse and culturally responsive learning environment.” Hannah has worked collaboratively to develop, workshop, and document innovative curricula, with a particular interest in integrated and emergent curricula. Hannah feels particularly proud of her work to further social justice in collaboration with school leaders and parent groups, including organizing community events and facilitating peer-led professional development opportunities.
Alex Kalasountas, The Caring Place Co-Lead Teacher
Alex has had a profound interest in childcare since starting with babysitting at age 13. Following her graduation from high school, she started working with the Boys and Girls Club and then onto a role as a private nanny, where she cultivated meaningful relationships with the families in her care. Alex shares that for her, community is a collective of individuals united by shared values, offering support and collaboration. She is excited to contribute to an environment at CEE that is characterized by a culture of mutual support and assistance, where individuals actively come together to help one another.
Sofia Kroese, School Nurse
Sofia grew up in Southern California, then completed her BSN degree in Seattle, Washington. Following graduation, Sofia began working in a Pediatric Cardiovascular ICU back home in California. As a pediatric CVICU nurse, she gained invaluable experience working with patients of all ages, from neonates to teenagers, refining her quick decision-making and teamwork skills. Sofia is excited to continue serving children during important moments in their lives and supporting their well-being in an educational environment. Outside of school, Sofia enjoys playing tennis, her goldendoodle Penny, coffee, and traveling!
Rigo Lopez, Instructional Support Team
Rigo comes to CEE from the UCLA Lab School, where he worked as a Teacher Assistant and Teacher Apprentice. Before that, Rigo served with the AmeriCorps program City Year, helping establish the program at Hollenbeck Middle School and providing academic support and after school tutoring. Rigo also has experience as a Behavior Interventionist, working with children with Autism in a high school setting, helping each student meet their academic and social goals. Rigo believes in creating a safe and inclusive learning environment where each student feels valued and empowered to take ownership of their learning journey. Rigo earned a Bachelor's degree in History from California State University, Los Angeles, and a Masters in Teaching from the University of Southern California.
Carlos, Bianca, Michelle, Hannah, Alex, Sofia, and Rigo (L to R)
Maia Morgan, School Counselor (Second through Sixth Grade)
Maia began her career as an educator in San Francisco, where she first discovered a passion for mental health. While attending San Francisco State University, Maia worked with multiple schools and gained firsthand experience with the evolving concerns of today's youth. She went on to earn a Master’s Degree in K-12 Guidance and Wellness and a certificate in LGBTQIA+ health and wellness at New York University. After earning her Master's degree, Maia returned to California to partner with a community-driven school to create an Early Education Counseling Department. She is excited to bring her experience, empathy, and expertise to the CEE community. Maia is dedicated to providing inclusive support to all students and ensuring equity in their access to mental health resources and care.
Travis Price, PE Teacher
Travis grew up in Boston and has been teaching physical education there for many years, most recently at The Fessenden School in Newton, MA before moving to Los Angeles and joining The Center. Travis shares that CEE’s core values really resonate with him, and he looks forward to making a positive impact on the community. He is most proud of his work around teamwork, and teaching children how to work together and have a positive attitude has been a great experience.
Carly Purmort, First Grade Teacher
Carly joins CEE with fifteen years of experience in education, the last ten in independent schools, most recently at Oakwood School, with a focus on elementary education. Carly embraces lifelong learning, constantly seeking to enhance her understanding of how young learners thrive. Outside of the classroom, Carly is proud of her accomplishment in trekking to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, embracing the opportunity to venture beyond her comfort zone and dismantle self-imposed limitations along the way.
Melanie Thomas, PE Teacher
Melanie is from Arkansas and has been teaching physical education for the last 23 years, the last ten of which have been at Oakwood School. She helped develop the K-3 PE curriculum at her prior schools, as well as serving as a presenter at the CAPHERD Conference with other PE teachers. In addition to her work in the classroom, Melanie earned her mindfulness and breath-work instructor certification in 2021, had an article published on self-love earlier this year, and has hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro! For Melanie, community is a sense of togetherness that helps create an environment where we are all working together so that students feel safe, seen and supported.
Eric Varela, Kindergarten Teacher
Eric Varela holds a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Music from California State University, Los Angeles. He went on to earn his Master’s in Teaching from the University of Southern California and has worked in the public and private education sectors. Most recently, Eric taught in the Dual Language program at the UCLA Lab School. After several years of teaching kindergarten, Eric has learned the importance of fostering students’ curiosity, nurturing their joyful personalities, promoting their ability to take risks, and embracing their genuine character. Eric recently presented at the Bank Street Teaching Kindergarten Conference, focused on developing routines and using the classroom to support and strengthen children’s understanding of numbers.
Colby Yee, Third Grade Teacher
Colby comes to CEE from the Town School for Boys in San Francisco, with a passion for centering relationships in his work as a teacher, cherishing the opportunity to see students for who they are and to celebrate them each day. Colby is proud of facilitating Students of Color affinity groups at his former school, in addition to being a facilitator for the AAPI affinity group at the NAIS People of Color Conference. He enjoys putting creative energy towards lesson design and learning experiences inside and outside of the classroom. For Colby, community means feeling a deep sense of belonging in a space.
Maia, Travis, Carly, Melanie, Eric, and Colby (L to R)
The Center for Early Education, a socio-economically and culturally diverse independent school for children, toddlers through grade six, strives to graduate students who are joyful, resilient, lifelong learners. The Center embraces a philosophy of education that combines a nurturing, inclusive learning environment with an increasingly challenging academic program that addresses the developmental needs of each child.