Our Mighty Team
Your Child Is in Great Hands
I am very fortunate to be the director of our small, mixed-age program where I get to blend the best of best of connection-centered, project-based and democratic early childhood philosophies. Each day we strive to practice and embody respectful, loving relationships where children, parents and teachers are seen, heard and valued. We are honored to see the world through the wondrous, present eyes of children - as scientists experimenting with and discovering the world.
When I’m not poring over brain research or nature-based provocations, you'll find my family and I with nets, wet shoes, sun-kissed cheeks hiking, picnic-ing, and catching and "thinking like" newts, tadpoles, crabs and butterflies. I love paddle boarding, jogging, yoga and watching my kids surf and mountain bike with their dad while our baby and I collect rocks and try not to eat sand. I'm proud mama to Noelle (7), Teddy (5), Hope (17 months) and Nina dog (10 years).
I have spent the past 16 years helping children construct their own understandings and lighting a life long passion for learning. I've worn many hats in the field of education: infant caregiver, elementary classroom teacher, college application mentor for underrepresented youth, Director of a private school and home-based preschool. In addition to directing and teaching at Mighty Bambinis, I'm honored to serve the Bay Area early childhood community as CCSF Child Development Faculty, former Wonderschool Mentor Teacher and Advisor, and Early Childhood Matters parent education workshop facilitator.
I have a Masters in Education, California Multiple-Subject Teaching credential with an Elementary Math Emphasis, Early Childhood Education Site Supervisor Permit, and a BA in Communication from UCSD.
Evelyn Nichols, M.Ed.
Mia
The wonder and creativity that children bring to this world is what I have always cherished the most. Working with children and watching them blossom into wholesome human beings is my greatest passion. I have been lead teacher at Sweet Peas Preschool in San Francisco since graduating Chico State with my degree in Liberal Studies.
Being immersed in nature is the best way for a child can have to learn not only about the way the outside world works but also, how to connect themselves with the Earth. I love to foster the children’s love for the outdoors while showing them the wonders that the world has to offer us if we treat the Earth and one another with love, kindness, respect and care.
Some of my passions include hiking, yoga, nature’s insects (especially bees), and spending time with my loved ones. Living in the Bay Area has shown me the true beauty of the outside world and all of the reasons why we need to take care of our planet so that she can take care of us in return.
Chloe
Chloe was born and raised in Tiburon and spent her whole life loving and studying native and medicinal plants and wildlife, and honoring the land and native people of Marin. She has extensive education with a BS in Psychology from UC Santa Cruz, Permaculture design certificates and over 520 hours of study at Cypress Health Institute. In addition she trained at the California School of Herbal Studies where she is certificated in Herbal medicine focusing on plants in our Northern California bioregion. On top of all of that she is a trained CranioSacral Therapist.
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She has been an environmental educator at Sprout Up and a preschool teacher at Coastal Community Preschool in Santa Cruz.
We love sharing in Chloe’s passion for all the plants’ gifts and seeing all the world around us as truly magical and healing. The children love her kindness and playfulness, and have fully caught her passion for caring for the planet, caring for the Earth as she provides and cares for us! Medicine is all around us
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Melinda
Before joining Mighty Bambinis, Melinda has been a teacher at Marin Waldorf since 2010. She spent years teaching Kindergarten there and was the school’s naturalist. Before that she was a lead preschool teacher at Waldorf Preschool Mountain School.
Melinda has been teaching preschool for 20+ years at Waldorf and Montessori programs in Marin. She loves the low ratio and says that despite all her years working in some of Marin’s best schools she’s never seen children so happy when they are at school as here.
We also have been loving working with Melinda as she is a Master teacher and Mentor in all senses. She has taught all of us teachers so many amazing games, fingerplays and songs that only Waldorf teachers know. She always has a way to support every child in every situation.
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Melinda loves the outdoors and spends her time hiking, rock climbing, kayaking and backpacking with her family. She has 2 grown children and is an avid backpacker and naturalist.
Michele
Michele has been teaching at Mighty Bambinis since we opened in July 2021. Michele has a Masters in Education in Early Childhood Education from Hunter College in NY and a Bachelors in Psychology and Sociology from Western Washington University. She has been a lead teacher and family social worker in New York for many years before moving to Mill Valley to focus on spending time raising her young children.
Michele is a Strawberry mom whose 2 kids attend Edna. Michele is coach to her kids softball, baseball teams and dedicated parent volunteer at school. Her family spends lots of time exploring nature in Marin!
Rachel
Rachel has worked for over a year at San Francisco Waldorf . She has always had many roles working with young children. She graduated from University of San Francisco with a BS in Global Religions, Theology. She is training in Reiki, yoga and mindfulness. Rachel is leading the children in yoga and mindfulness games and going to begin teaching meditation.
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She shared, “No matter what belief one holds, one undeniable truth is that we come from a place of pure love. The senses we were gifted are tools to rediscover and stimulate the love that permeates through our spirit. When we use our eyes, ears, hands, tongue, or nose, it is meant to purposefully interact with the world, appreciating its offerings and giving back to it with gratitude.
Nature is our medicine, and my life's mission is to learn and spread ways we can all serve it and each other. “To be whole. To be complete. Wildness reminds us what it means to be human, what we are connected to rather than what we are separate from.” – Terry Tempest Williams.”
