Our Staff


Dedicated to authentic Montessori education, the administration and staff at South Coast Montessori are highly trained, talented, and love working with children. We believe that great teachers are our best asset.

"Our care of the child should be governed, not by the desire to make him learn things, but by the endeavor always to keep burning within him that light which is called intelligence.”

- Maria Montessori

Brian

Head of School


Brian brings a strong business background and a passion for education to his role as Head of School. He graduated from UCLA with a degree in Economics. After years of teaching overseas Brian had a successful 20 year career in Hospitality, managing hotels and resorts. A parent of two, Brian looks forward to helping our new school achieve long-term sustainability and success in the community.

Lisa

Administrator


Lisa brings 20+ years of administrative and marketing experience with her to the front office. She received a BA in Communication from UCSD and completed her Early Childhood Education at SBCC. She has been involved with local schools as a student, parent, volunteer, and employee. She is the parent of two Montessori school alumni and is passionate about Montessori education.

Chelsea

Marketing and Communications Specialist


Chelsea recently moved to Santa Barbara from Boise, Idaho. She brings with her 10 years in the Education and Communication fields. Over the years, she has been involved with volunteering and leading groups with marketing and communication goals. She is a parent to four children and is passionate about opportunities and growth within the community.

Nanette

Elementary Instructional Assistant and Afternoon Site Director 


Nanette is a Santa Barbara native and has a strong background in the creative arts. She has 20+ years teaching experience with an Early Childhood Education teaching credential and a Primary Montessori Certification. She’s enjoys teaching cooking and supporting the elementary classroom. She’s overseeing after school projects for the older children and is supporting SCM aftercare program.

Meaghan

Spanish Language Instructor 


Meaghan Yolles, M. Ed, is an accomplished teacher and educational tutor with 10+ years of experience in both traditional and Montessori classrooms. Meaghan returned to school and earned an AMI Primary Diploma at the Montessori Institute of San Diego followed by a Master of Arts in Education from Loyola University Maryland. Having learned Spanish as a toddler, she deepened her love of the Spanish language while spending three years as a teacher in Madrid, Spain. During her last year in Spain, she worked as an Assistant Teacher in a Primary classroom at Madrid Montessori, an AMI international school. Meaghan brings to her teaching an ability to bond with a child, empathizing with them by meeting them where they are, and further inspiring them to grow in their learning with a thirst for knowledge. Meaghan also offers one-on-one, in-person tutoring for young learners of all abilities catered to their individual needs & goals.

Brenda

Primary Program Assistant


A long time resident of Santa Barbara, Brenda inherited her passion & love for children from her mother, also a teacher. She received her Associates in Early Childhood Development at Santa Barbara City College. After working for SCM for several years, she has grown her love and passion for Montessori philosophy. Her goal is to continue her Montessori learning and receive her AMI Montessori teacher certification. Brenda is inspired to create a safe and loving environment for children, and hopes one day to be able to travel and make a difference in underprivileged countries. 

Daniela

Primary Program Assistant


Daniela was born in Los Angeles but raised in Santa Barbara. She received her A.A in ECE at Santa Barbara City College and is planning on attending UCSB to continue her Education studies. She is passionate about children’s education and wants to create a safe and loving environment for them. She hopes to grow and learn alongside the children.

Annie

Primary Program Aftercare


Annie was born and raised in Santa Barbara. She has been involved with South Coast Karate since she was 3 years old, and became an official instructor for children and adults after earning her black belt at 15. She has been working around and with children most of her life. Annie has been studying Early Childhood Education since high school and is now continuing her studies in college. Annie loves reading, writing, karate, basketball and time with her friends and family. She finds joy in encouraging children's creativity and doing what she can to make their experiences with learning positive and impactful. 

Katrina

Primary Program Aftercare


Katrina was born in Los Angeles and raised on the Central Coast. After attending Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, she transferred to UC Santa Barbara where she earned her B.S. in Psychological & Brain Sciences with a minor in Applied Psychology. She loves working with children, is passionate about social psychological research, and enjoys her part-time work in the wine industry. She hopes to attend graduate school for clinical psychology in the near future. 

Paige

Primary Program Aftercare


Paige has taught for over a decade and has a master's degree in Education from UCLA. For the past seven years, Paige taught in the lower elementary Montessori classroom at Adams Elementary School. Before that, she taught 4th and 5th graders in Los Angeles. Additionally, Paige spent a year teaching English in South Korea to students ranging from preschoolers to adults. During her years teaching in L.A., she created a year-long lesson/ curriculum on kindness and called it her "Kindness Project."  Outside of teaching, Paige enjoys swimming and spending time with her family. She and her husband recently celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary and are proud parents of two teenage sons.

Brenda

Toddler Program Assistant


Brenda grew up in Santa Barbara, CA. She has two boys aged 15 and 5. Brenda has been working with children for 8 years. She received her degree from SBCC in Early Childhood Education, and after graduating from SBCC,  received her bachelor's degree at UCSC, where she majored in Sociology. Brenda has always had an interest in learning about Montessori and is very happy to continue to learn and expand her knowledge. During her free time Brenda enjoys crafting and if time allows, loves doing outdoor activities.

Tatum

Toddler Program Assistant


Tatum was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California. She is currently studying at Santa Barbara City College, hoping to transfer to a four-year university to become an elementary school teacher. She is highly passionate about caring for children as well as their education, as they are our future. Tatum strives to create positive, safe, and inclusive environments for all children and parents. She is always excited to work with children and enjoys teaching them valuable learning skills.

Emily

Toddler Program Assistant


Emily was born and raised in Santa Barbara. She has worked with children and been around them all her life. She hopes to promote a healthy and safe learning environment through her position as an aide and plans on starting her studies in Early Childhood Education.

Karen

Toddler Program Assistant


Karen grew up in a small town in Ventura County. She is currently a student at Santa Barbara City College, studying Communication Science. Alongside her major, Karen has a strong interest in health coaching and a deep passion for health and nutrition. Karen has always been drawn to working with children and hopes to continue working with children in a way that fosters curiosity, mindfulness, and creativity. In her free time, Karen cherishes spending time with her 1st grader and loved ones. She is excited for the journey ahead at SCM and the opportunity to combine her passion for communication, health, and working with children.

Ana

Infant Program Assistant


Ana was born in Guerrero Mexico but has been raised in Santa Barbara since she was 9 years old. She graduated Santa Barbara City College in 2019 with an associates and 3 certificates in the field of Early Childhood Education. While being with SCM she’s loved expanding her knowledge on Montessori philosophy and is eager to continue to foster an environment where children can thrive.

Melle

Infant Program Assistant


Melle was raised in Santa Barbara. She majored in Early Childhood Education and has been working with children for over 10 years. Melle provides creativity and exceptional care to infants and children of all ages during their formative years. She has a deep interest in childhood education and providing a safe and nurturing environment for children to grow freely. Melle is a loving mother to her son, and is excited to be working in the South Coast Montessori community.

Raven

Infant Program Assistant


Raven was born and raised in Santa Barbara. She has a strong background in Art and is currently enrolled for ECE at Sant a Barbara City College. Raven hopes to bring her love of creativity to a classroom setting where it can blossom and thrive. She loves children and her goal is to be a positive memory in all their lives. She looks forward to working with and learning more about the Montessori pedagogy.

Ruben

Maintenance and Janitorial


Ruben was born in Mexico City, and grew up in the small town of Hidalgo Mexico where he graduated with a math major. Upon moving to the United States, he settled in Santa Barbara and attended SBCC, learning English as a Second Language. Since starting at the campus in 2011, Ruben has rarely missed an evening of cleaning and maintaining our classrooms. More recently he has taken on projects for the school, including building the toddler play structures. He enjoys hiking, mountain biking and running in his free time.

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