Meet Our Team

Young girl holding a speckled hen for a friend to pet

Walk into a LEDS classroom and you might see a teacher sitting quietly with a notebook, jotting down what a child just said. Or setting out magnifying glasses after the class found a beetle. Or crouching beside two friends as they work through a disagreement, helping them find the words. It may look simple, but every one of these moments is intentional: our teachers are always watching, listening and responding to who each child is.

LEDS Staff Members

At Little Explorers, our dedicated staff across all campuses works together to provide a nurturing environment where your child can flourish. We are community of learners, guided by experience and a deep love for early childhood development.

Leadership & Admin

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Christi Gillette

Christi holds degrees in Early Childhood Education (Marietta College) and Special Education (University of Mary Washington) and taught elementary school for seven years. She loves soccer, reading, the outdoors, and time with Josh and their three kids.

Executive Director

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Jess Eustace

Jess studied political science at the College of Charleston and spent years in nonprofit communications and events, including Habitat for Humanity and UVA’s School of Nursing. She loves exploring Crozet with her family.

Director of Operations | Site Manager (South)

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Josh Gillette

Josh taught first and third grade for 11 years before joining LEDS in 2020. He holds a master’s in education from JMU and builds the natural playground equipment our children explore every day.

Student Experience Director

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Ellen holds a degree in Kinesiology from Texas Christian University and uses her knowledge of movement science to help children explore their emotions and personalities through movement. She lives in Crozet with her family.

Ellen Graham

Assistant Director (North)

North Campus Teachers

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Cortney Ballard

Cortney earned her Bachelor’s in English from Arizona State and her Master’s in Teaching from Mary Baldwin. She has taught students from 24 months to 18 years old and loves reading and knitting.

Trailblazers Assistant Lead Teacher

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Michaila Baron

Michaila brings 15 years of childcare experience and loves weaving music and art into the classroom so children can express themselves. Outside school, she enjoys reading, writing, and time with her family and four dogs.

Explorers Lead Teacher

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Faith Contreras

Faith brings 8 years of early childhood experience, a CDA in Infant and Toddler Development, and training in trauma-informed and play-based teaching. She moved from Iowa to Staunton in 2024 with her husband and three daughters.

Trailblazers Lead Teacher

Bio coming soon :)

Pamela Liranzo

Adventurers Lead Teacher

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Pearl Houston

Pearl is a second-generation teacher with associate degrees in Early Childhood Development, Child and Adolescent Development, and English. She’s pursuing her bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education and loves crafting, hiking, and writing stories.

Support Teacher

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Jennifer Iyengar

Jennifer has been part of LEDS since 2019, teaching our youngest explorers. She holds a master’s in Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management and led Hike it Baby Charlottesville, which makes her a perfect Outdoor Lead Teacher.

Outdoor Lead Teacher

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Laura Layne

Laura brings over twenty years of experience working with children and holds a certificate in Early Childhood Education from PVCC. She lives in Crozet with her family and loves reading and a good show.

Adventurers Lead Teacher

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Jaqueline Moniz

Jaqueline holds degrees in Mathematics and Sociology and taught for 18 years in her native Brazil before earning her CDA in Florida. She joined LEDS in 2026 and loves hiking, kayaking, and time in nature.

Afternoon Support Teacher

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Erica Sanchez

Erica was born and raised in Charlottesville and has over ten years of experience caring for children. She loves cheering at her family’s sporting events and adventuring outdoors.

Trailblazers Lead Teacher

South Campus Teachers

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Rita Baron

Rita has been part of LEDS since 2019 and brings over 17 years of childcare experience. As our Aftercare Manager, she keeps the days running smoothly and is beloved by students and coworkers alike.

Support Teacher |Aftercare Floor Manager

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Marlyn Cruz

Ms. Marlyn grew up in the Dominican Republic in a family of educators and knew early that teaching was her passion. She has over 10 years of experience in early childhood education.

Adventurers Lead Teacher

Rachael Dunbar

Rachael holds her CDA and spent three years caring for infants before finding her home at LEDS. Her happy place is time with her wife, Ashley, and daughter, Tinley, on long walks along local trails.

Wanderers Lead Teacher

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Teresa, a Nelson County native, raised four children and cared for her grandchildren before joining LEDS. She loves singing, dancing, and laughing with our Adventurers and Wanderers, and her favorite music is anything Motown.

Teresa Harris

Support Teacher

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Mercedes Lopez-Herrera

Mercedes earned her degree in Early Childhood Education in Querétaro, Mexico, and has over 10 years of preschool experience. She loves sharing her native Spanish with students through songs and stories.

Wanderers Lead Teacher

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Bunny Patterson

Bunny is a Crozet native, a mom of seven, a grandmother and a former doula. She loves gardening, pickleball, and getting down in the dirt with every LEDS kiddo.

Aftercare Teacher

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Jadah Temple

Jadah is back at LEDS and brings experience with preschool, elementary, and middle school students. She also teaches American history in the homeschool community and loves time with her big family and a good book.

Afternoon Support Teacher

Misty Campbell

Bio coming soon :)

Support Teacher

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Anna (AG) Jackson

Bio coming soon :)

Trailblazers Assistant Teacher

Rekha Wright

Rekha has taught at LEDS since 2021 and specializes in working with 2-year-olds. She holds Early Childhood Development certificates from PVCC and NOVA and is working toward her Associate’s degree.

Adventurers Lead Teacher