CENTER DIRECTOR
Carol Carter

I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Development from California State University, Sacramento in the 80’s. I returned to school in 2009 and earned my Master of Science in 2010 from California State University, East Bay. My Master of Science degree was in Education with a Curriculum Option. Throughout my career in Early Childhood Education I have attended countless conferences, workshops and earned a variety of certificates in the field. I am an enthusiastic lifelong learner of Early Childhood Education. I currently teach courses in Early Childhood Education at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg.

I am a wife and mother. I have been married for 28 years and have two grown daughters. Rachel is a nurse and Hannah is working on her nursing degree!  My husband and I have been enjoying the “empty nest” and have taken up a couple of new hobbies…including kayaking! 

​I look forward to meeting you and showing you around our school! 

2'S TEACHER
Nancy Sanders

Ms. Nancy joined the staff in 2008 and has worked with all our age groups; she has found her calling with our youngest children. Nancy received her certificate in Early Childhood Education from Diablo Valley College and continues to take early childhood education courses. Nancy has two children; her daughter is attending the University of Berkeley and her son recently moved to southern California to pursue a career in Music.  In her leisure time, Nancy and her husband are enjoying remodeling their empty nest. Nancy is an active member of the United Methodist Church and currently is on the Board of Trustees.



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3's TEACHER
Karla Lewis

Ms. Karla was born and raised in Mexico City where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Universidad del Valle de Mexico.  After graduating from college, she published her own magazine and participated in several book conferences as a guest speaker.  
She discovered her passion for teaching when she started tutoring the children in her neighborhood in Mexico in both English and Spanish.

Ms. Karla started her career in Early Childhood Education in 2014 when she joined the staff at Joyful Beginnings. Ms. Karla is currently attending Diablo Valley College to continue her education as an Early Childhood educator, where she has completed 24+ units in ECE.

​Ms. Karla is married and is raising her three enthusiastic daughters to be bilingual. During her free time, she likes to cook, learn languages and travel! Ask Ms. Karla about her favorite place to travel.

3'S TEACHER
Kendra Brown

Ms. Kendra has worked in the Early Childhood field since 2010. Kendra joined our staff in 2012. Ms. Kendra received her Bachelor of Arts from UC Davis and has 24+ units in Early Childhood Education. She enjoys spending time with the children and watching them grow, learn and have fun.
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Ms. Kendra lives in Lafayette with her husband and teenage daughter, her son lives and attends college in Oregon. In her free time Ms. Kendra enjoys walking and biking the Lafayette trails, hiking, and spending time with her family and pets. You will also find Ms. Kendra volunteering her time at the Lindsay Wildlife Experience in Walnut Creek on Wednesday afternoons.

PRE-K TEACHER
Kim Walker

​Ms. Kim has been a teacher in our pre-K classroom since 2014. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Colorado College, and is working toward her Master Teacher permit at Diablo Valley College. When she's not compiling a list of her favorite picture books or exploring new uses for cuisenaire rods, Kim likes to go hiking or out to eat with her husband and two children. 

PRE-K Teacher
Erica Meadors

Ms. Erica started working in early childhood while attending college.  After several years, she left the profession to explore other career opportunities. She rediscovered her passion for early education in 2013.  She enjoys working with all ages and is excited to be part of our 3's team.

She currently has 40+ units in early education, and is working to complete her Associate degree in Early Childhood Education through Diablo Valley College. 

Ms. Erica lives in Martinez with her husband, daughter and son.  In her free time, she enjoys reading a good book, binge watching her latest discovery on Prime or Netflix and spending time outdoors.

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2's Teacher
Andrea Aburto

Ms. Andrea joined our staff in April of 2019. This is Andrea's first experience working in a preschool setting. She has completed 2 courses in Early Childhood Development and is continuing to take courses at Los Medanos College. We are thrilled that she is getting her training from our on staff Mentor Teacher, Ms. Nancy.

Andrea lives in Antioch with her family. In her spare time she likes to cook, spend time with her family and play with her 2 dogs

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