Leadership and Staff

Christa Edwards

Executive Director

Christa began a second career at BlueSkies in 2010, following five years in the publishing world. She has been a volunteer, a Teacher and Head Teacher in the Infant Toddler program, and was the Assistant Program Director 2016-2021 before leaving for a year and returning as Interim Executive Director. She was hired for the permanent position in Fall 2022. Christa holds a B.A. from Scripps College. She is fascinated by the study of how children learn, how children develop a concept of self and, on the adult side, in building teaching teams and strengthening and supporting staff.

Ameena Muhammed

Program Director, HedCo Infant Toddler Center

Ameena holds an M.A. in Educational Administration from the University of Jos in Nigeria and has been at BlueSkies since 1989. She is the go-to expert for infants and toddlers as well as inclusion for children with special needs, was the Infant Toddler Program Director for more than 20 years, and has been the overall Program Director at BlueSkies since 2016, ensuring high standards of program quality through teacher coaching and support. Ameena trained in the R.I.E. philosophy with its founder, Magda Gerber and has completed four years of training at Children’s Hospital Oakland in Early Childhood Mental Health and Reflective Supervision, as well as having taught early childhood education courses with the N.A.C. through Cal State Hayward.

Selam Gebremichael

Program Director, Ellen Sherwood Nursery School

Selam has a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development with a concentration in Early Childhood Education and Development from Pacific Oaks College. She was a Co-Lead Teacher in our pop-up Kindergarten class, started in 2020 during the public school closures because of COVID-19. She was hired as Program Director in the Nursery School in early 2021, had a baby, and has been back since December of 2021. She has two prior years’ preschool experience and three years of elementary school experience working to develop educational programs for children age 6-10.

Baby House

Sandra Rodriquez

Head Teacher, Baby House

Sandra has been at BlueSkies for over 17 years. She has 27 Early Childhood Education units and working to get her A.A degree in Early Childhood Education. She has experience working in the baby house for 10+ years.

Amy Mei

Head Teacher, Baby House

Amy joined BlueSkies in August 2023. She has a BA degree in Business Management from Suffolk University. She is continuing her education to get her ECE units. She is an experienced teacher with over 7 years in the ECE field.

Maria Villanueva

Master Teacher, Baby House

Maria started at BlueSkies in 2003, left to take care of her children in 2005, and returned in 2008. She has 24 Early Childhood Education units and over 18 years’ experience working with children.

Emma Jedrzejewski

Teacher, Baby House

Emma has just graduated with a bachelor’s in psychology from UC Santa Barbara and she has 12 ECE units. She has experience of working with children and she loves it. 

Keila Hurtado Magana

Teacher, Baby House

Keila joined BlueSkies in 2020. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a B.A. in Child Development and has worked with young children since 2017.

Wobbly Walkers

Michelle Dotson-Powell

Head Teacher, Wobbly Walkers

Michelle started at BlueSkies in early 2023. She has 34 ECE units and she is working to get her A.A degree in Early Childhood Education. Michelle has 20+ years of experience with all preschool ages.

 

Michelle Lollock

Master Teacher, Wobbly Walkers

Michelle has been at BlueSkies since 2014. She has 20+ years of experience working with children. She earned her Master’s Degree in Developmental Psychology from SF State University.

Kea Seng

Master Teacher, Wobbly Walkers

Kea started in the Wobbly Walkers in 1988. She moved to Southern California in 1991 then returned to us in 1993 and has been here ever since. She has 18 ECE units.

Mu Da

Teacher, Wobbly Walkers

Mu started at BlueSkies in September of 2019 as an Assistant Teacher. She has worked as a substitute in many classrooms and has been in the Wobblies exclusively this last year. She has an AA degree in Child Development.

Kiara Kelly-Montoya

Teacher, Wobbly Walkers

Kiara started at BlueSkies in 2022. She has an A.A degree in business and teacher permit in Early Childhood Education. 

Sarah Chan

Teacher, HedCo Infant Toddler Center

Sarah started at BlueSkies in 2020. She has a B.A. in Liberal Arts from  Saint Mary’s College, and is working on a Master’s degree in Education. She has completed 12 ECE units.

Todds

Sandy Quach

Head Teacher, Todds

Sandy started working with Blueskies in 2012. She has Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development from UC Davis and over 42 units in Early Childhood Education. She is serving as Head Teacher for the Todds for last 10 years.

Eboni Bolton

Teacher, Todds

Eboni started at BlueSkies in September 2022. She has an AA in Child Development from Merritt College and has more than ten years of experience working with young children. At BlueSkies she has worked in Wobbly Walkers, Todds, and Playroom.

Rita Gonzalez

Teacher Aide, Todds

Rita joined Blueskies in 2023. She has 6 ECE units and is enrolled in Chabot College to complete her A.A degree in early childhood education.

Playroom

Steven Salinas

Head Teacher, Playroom

Steven is an experienced preschool educator with over 25 years of experience in the field. He recently joined BlueSkies in 2023, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Steven holds 48 ECE units.

Malika Tiguercha

Teacher, Playroom

Malika has graduated from Merritt College with an AA degree in Child Development and an AA degree in Business administration from Laney College. She has recently joined BlueSkies however she has prior two years of experience as preschool teacher. 

Miriam “Mimi” Segalini

Master Teacher, Playroom

Mimi has been at BlueSkies since 1986! She has worked in many classrooms at the school over the years, and has been in the Playroom since 2010. She has 26 ECE units.

Moneka Ashley

Teacher, Playroom

Nicole joined BlueSkies in 2022. She has a B.A. in Collaborative Health and Human Services from California State University, Monterey Bay.

Homeroom

Brittany Hudlin

Head Teacher, Homeroom

Brittany has a Master’s degree in Education with the Early Childhood Education option from California State University, East Bay. She has been at BlueSkies since March of 2021.

Benjamin Haywood

Master Teacher, Homeroom

Benjamin has been working at BlueSkies since he was a teenager! He has worked in most of the classrooms at the school. He has 12 ECE units.

Schoolroom

 

 

 

 

 

Rosalia Arteaga-Romo

Head Teacher, Schoolroom

Rosalia holds a B.A. in Early Childhood Education from San Francisco State University, became a teacher in the Wobbly Walkers in 2012, and the Head Teacher in 2014. She worked in the Wobblies until 2019, at which time she shifted to be Head Teacher of our Schoolroom classroom.

Magdalena Chacon Diaz

Teacher, Schoolroom

Magdalena has graduate from San Francisco Bay Area, Montessori teacher Education center. She has an associate degree in Early Childhood, Teacher Credential and Diploma. She has experience of working with the children aged 3-6 years since 2004.

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Dyana Arteaga

Substitute Teacher, Ellen Sherwood Nursery School

Dyana started at BlueSkies in 2019. She has an A.A degree in Early Childhood Education. Her son, Alessio, is in the Homeroom.

Keneesha Fowler

Substitute Teacher, Hedco and Nursery School

Keneesha joined BlueSkies in September 2023. She holds an A.A. in early childhood studies with over 15 years of experience as a teacher.