Our Team

Maestra Melissa

Founder & Director

I come from a long line of educators and although I received bachelor degrees in Biology and Spanish, I returned to university after traveling extensively to complete my teaching credential. As a student of the world, I love to travel and discover all that it has to offer. Learning is my true passion, to be out in the world meeting people, trying new food, learning new languages and exploring nature. This passion is what I bring to the Jardín. I love to see the world through the eyes of the children and watch them discover.  I truly enjoy their natural curiosity and problem solving. After teaching Kindergarten in bilingual public schools for 8 years and developing my vision in the field for the ultimate Spanish immersion preschool, I created Jardín de Mariposas in 2010 so that my daughter  would have the opportunity to explore, discover and develop in a natural environment where Spanish was spoken and highly valued. I am proud to have a family with two bilingual daughters.

Maestra Eda

Assistant Director

I’m originally from Toluca Mexico where I taught music to preschool-age children before moving to the U.S. with my family. I have worked as a Spanish teacher since 2011, including 5 years at Jardin de Mariposas in Palo Alto, and 1 year running my own home-based program in Los Altos. I attended Santa Cruz University, where I obtained a certificate in Early Childhood Development.

My passion is working with preschool children. At that age they are curious, they are imaginative, and most importantly, they are sponges for knowledge. As a teacher, I have always believed this age is the best time to teach, to guide, and most importantly, to learn from them! I believe in teaching through experiences, techniques, and “tricks” to support your child’s learning. We create an environment where your child plays, enjoys, feels safe experimenting, and all of this without even realizing he/she is learning Spanish!

Maestra Deysi

Teacher

Hi, my name is Deysi. I was born in Mexico but I grew up in between Mexico and the United States. I have two children, a 17 year old son who loves sports and music and a 2 year old girl which keeps me very busy. They are my inspiration and the reason why I try to be a better person each day. 

I am very excited for the upcoming year. I began working at Jardin de Mariposas on summer 2016 as an intern and found myself delighted with its program because it allows children to learn Spanish, interact with others and have fun at the same time.  I am currently enrolled in the Child Development Program at Foothill College where I also finished my Associate Degree. I have been working with children of preschool ages for many years. I took care of my cousins, nephews and nieces until I had my own children,  I also volunteered in my son’s school for several years and all these years of working with children have been a rewarding experience. I am a native Spanish speaker and I will put my skills to work to help your children learn Spanish and to make their learning experience a positive one. I am looking forward meeting all of the families of Jardin de Mariposa.

Maestra Yaya

Teacher

My name is Yadira Diaz. I’m originally from Mexico. I began working with preschool age  children 6 years ago and I was thrilled by the way they  can learn and their own way to see the world. Children have the amazing ability to spread happiness, hope, unconditional love, their zest of life and beyond. Children have taught me to see life from a different perspective, the side of life that as an adult I tend to forget. Working with children is one of the most rewarding and gratifying experiences. 

Currently, I am enrolled in Canada College where I am planning to finish my Associate degree  in child development. I believe children are the future and I would make my best effort to guide them and support them in the most positive manner.

Maestra Brenda

Teacher

My name Brenda and I am very excited for this school year!

A little bit about me:

I love being in my garden, crafting and painting! I am from Mexico City and I moved to California at the age of 9. I have experience working in school settings “behind scenes” doing community reach and office work with all different age groups across the board— from elementary school to high school. However, this is my 4th (almost 5th) year inside the classroom.

Things I love: I love plants! I may not be an expert but I have found a love for gardening. My passion for plants started with succulents and have gradually transitioned to house plants and seasonal plants. My dream is to one day have my own cottage house where I can have a giant greenhouse.

Something surprising about me: I have six dogs! The oldest one is a 11 year old chihuahua and the youngest one is an 11 month old Doberman, the one that follows me around everywhere is a mini labradoodle.

I am thrilled to be your child’s teacher! This school year will be filled with fun, lots of learning and new adventures!

Maestra Robin

Teacher

About your Maestra: Robin
I was raised in Minnesota and my parents used Spanish as a way to talk at the dinner table about things they didn’t want us to understand, until my older brother and I learned enough by the time we were in middle school to catch on. I was fluent in Spanish by the time I was 16 and am trying now to remember all the words I’ve forgotten over the years. I have two boys (one who just graduated from Jardín and is off to 1st grade!) and one who will be joining the Águilas.

My Education:
I majored in Spanish and Psychology at Santa Clara University, and got my master’s in Early Childhood Education with a specialization in Child Life from Mills College. I have been teaching young children for many years and am glad to get back to my roots with the Colibríes this year.

Things I love:
I love to read and spend time outdoors. The beach is a personal favorite. I love to travel but vacationing with kids is a lot of work right now. Working with children and families is my passion- I’ve left the field a couple times but I always end up back.

Something surprising about me:
I got scuba certified to get over my fear of sharks and open water. I wouldn’t say it worked, and I haven’t had a chance to use my certification since I received it.

Maestra Irma

Teacher

Hello! My Name is Irma Contreras. I was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. I have 3 wonderful children, 21, 18 and 11 years old and I enjoy every moment with my family.

My favorite thing to do is camp and spend time exploring the great outdoors.

I love working with children and learning from them. I have spent many years working as a nanny and recently decided to go back to school to make early childhood education a career. I am studying at Chabot College. I am very excited to be a part of the Jardín de Mariposas Team, where children learn Spanish through games, music and many diverse experiences throughout the day!

Maestra Desiree

Teacher

I was born in Lima, Peru. In 2014 at the age of 16 years old I came to the States for the very first time to visit my mom, who at that time I hadn’t seen for a whole year and a half after she left Peru. I was fortunate to be able to stay with her until just before my 18th birthday. I went back to Peru, and in 2018 I returned to the States as a Permanent Resident and have been living here permanently since then.

My Education:
After I received my High School diploma on June 1st of 2018, I decided to keep pursuing my dream of becoming an Early Childhood Educator, and joined Cañada College the same year. After 4 and a half years,I finally was able to graduate with an AA in Early Childhood Education. In addition, I discovered my passion for Human Psychology so I decided to work my way up to also get an AA in Psychology and finally an AA in Social and Behavioral Science.

Things I love:
Some of the things I enjoy the most during my free time are going on long walks/hikes, traveling to beautiful places, cooking, baking, and spending time with the people I most care and love. In addition, I love going on long drives, reading books, listening to music and dance.

Something Surprising about me:
A fun fact about me, which I personally feel very grateful for being able to experience, is that I have scuba dived in the second largest and most diverse coral reef on Earth which is located around Isla Mujeres, Cancun/Mexico. It was definitely the most surreal and magical moment of my life that until this day it gives me chills just remembering the whole experience.

Working at Jardin de Mariposas:
For me it is a great honor to be included as a part of the community of Jardin de Mariposas as a Lead Teacher for the Canarios. I strongly believe in the mission, idea, and philosophy of this learning center, where young children have the ability to be curious, use their different abilities, learn new things through play in a safe and nurturing environment with amazing mentors and resources.

Maestra Mila

Teacher

My name is Milagro Arias, and I am from a tiny town in the Pacific foothills of the rainforest in Costa Rica. I vividly remember waking up to loud toucans and howler monkeys.
I first learned about Jardin de Mariposas while looking for a Spanish immersion program for my daughter. Walking to Jardin de Mariposas in the morning with my daughter is a time I treasure in my heart, and right around that time, I decided I wanted to work with young children.
I have a BS in Computer Science from Universidad de Costa Rica, so problem-solving and mathematical thinking are deeply rooted in my teaching approach. I am one class short of getting an AS in child development and two classes short for the math AS at Foothill College. While a student at Foothill College, I worked as an embedded tutor in pre-calculus and calculus classes. I also did multiple independent studies on mathematical teaching and learning.
I am passionate about working with young minds, learning about each child, and finding ways to make the curriculum and activities attractive to them. I have two children, Marisol (13), who is in 7th grade, and Felipe (almost 3!), who is in the Canarios here at JDM. We enjoy watching our daughter’s sports– softball, soccer and volleyball. I enjoy reading (primarily audible with a toddler and a teen!), traveling, cooking, baking, hiking, swimming, and hosting dinner parties for family and friends.

Maestra Luisa

Teacher

My name is Luisa Fernanda López, I was born in Colombia, specifically in a city called Villavicencio, located at the east of Colombia. My mother language is Spanish. I trained as an industrial engineer and I moved to San José two years ago. 

I love walking while I enjoy the landscape and listening to the animals or just the peace that comes with the air. One of my hobbies is to decorate spaces for special moments, it is part of a family tradition and Colombian culture. Is it such an important tradition to me that in the last few years I have developed a business called @ludecoration, that creates special moments with amazing decorations.

Last year I decided to work in Jardín de Mariposas and I feel it is one of the best experiences of my life. I love the experience to share and be witness to the ways that the children develop their skills, discover tools, and let their imagination fly. I can only describe this experience as an adventure, where every day I learn something different while I am sharing knowledge in my first language.

Now, I am studying early childhood education with the aim to be a teacher, offer my students a great experience and have enough tools to deal with the challenge of learning a new language.