Our Staff
Administration

Deepa Simlot
Owner and Director
Biography
Ms. Deepa is a Montessori Certified Teacher for 3-6-year olds. She has 3 children, all of whom are Primary Montessori graduates. While volunteering in her children’s classes she discovered the beauty and power of Montessori philosophy and materials, and decided to make it her career. She worked in the telecommunications industry as a computer engineer for 15 years before discovering that she would rather be around children than computers.

Lisa Turner
Assistant Director
Biography
Ms. Lisa holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the College of William and Mary in Virginia, with a major in Sociology and a minor in Education. As a parent of two students who attended Montessori of Chantilly, Lisa was an active member of the Parent Guild for four years and served on the Board as both Secretary and Treasurer. Lisa has 11 years of business management experience, and earned her Professional Certification in Human Resources (PHR). Ms. Lisa has served as an administrator at MCDBC since 2010.

Chris Hughes
Office Administrator
Biography
Ms. Chris holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Longwood College. She ran a successful child care business in her home for over 20 years. Ms. Chris later served as an Aftercare Teacher at a gymnastics studio. She also gained valuable administrative experience as the Office Manager at a local dance studio. She has been with MCDB since 2017.
Lead Teachers

Haely Strock
Infant Lead Teacher
Biography
Ms. Haely is a Montessori Certified Teacher for Infants and Toddlers from Seton Institute in Illinois. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Indiana University. Ms. Haely has over thirteen years of experience leading Montessori Infant and Toddler classrooms in the Chicago area. Ms. Haely recently moved to the Washington DC area with her husband and daughter. She has been with MCDB since 2018.

Ingrid Jordan
Toddler Lead Teacher
Biography
Ms. Ingrid holds a Montessori Teaching Certification from Northern Virginia Montessori Institute. She has a degree in Pharmacy from Brazil. She has been with MCDB since 2007. Ms. Ingrid is fluent in Spanish and loves to share the Spanish language with her students. Her youngest daughter was a MCDBC KG graduate.

Sandy Garcia
Toddler Lead Teacher
Biography
Ms. Sandy has been with MCDB since 2017. She received her Montessori certification from Montgomery Montessori Institute in Rockville, Maryland. Ms. Sandy is fluent in Spanish.

Shelly Wachter
Primary Lead Teacher
Biography
Ms. Shelly returned to MCDBC in 2021 after her previously working as a Primary Lead Teacher from 2014 to 2019. Ms. Shelly has over 25 years of experience working with children of all ages. She has worked as a Montessori teacher in various capacities, including Primary Assistant, Toddler Lead, Primary Lead and Elementary Assistant. Ms. Shelly completed her Montessori Certification at the Barrie Institute in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Tonilynn Martin
Primary Lead Teacher
Biography
Ms. Tonilynn opened her own Montessori School after completing her Montessori Certification at the Virginia Montessori Teacher Education Center in Chesapeake, Virginia. At Martin Montessori, Ms. Tonilynn served as the Lead Teacher, while also overseeing administration, enrollment, and curriculum for the school from 2012 to 2021. Ms. Tonilynn is also a professional artist, sign language educator and Life Coach. Ms. Tonilynn earned her associate of Applied Science in Health Science RN from the Medical Careers Institute in Virginia Beach.

Teanna Peavy
Primary Lead Teacher
Biography
Prior to Ms. Teanna’s return to MCDBC this year, Ms. Teanna worked at MCDBC during the 2020/2021 school year. Ms. Teanna holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mary Baldwin University, where she was active in the Cadet Core. She has previous experience working with children at in-home childcare centers, private tutoring, behavior therapy and research opportunities. Ms. Teanna gained valuable work experience in special education in Loudoun County Public Schools. Ms. Teanna is currently working on her Montessori certification from the Institute of Advanced Studies at Barrie School in Maryland.

Preeti Mathur
Supervising Teacher
Biography
She has over thirty years of classroom teaching experience in Montessori schools throughout Maryland and Delaware. Ms. Preeti received her Montessori Certification from Montessori Institute for Teacher Education in Delaware. She especially enjoys working with children in the math and language areas of the classroom. Ms. Preeti holds a Bachelor of Art degree from University of Delhi, India. Ms. Preeti will serve as the supervising teacher for Ms. Teanna, who is working on her Montessori Certification this year.

Neha Gupta
Primary Lead Teacher
Biography
Ms. Neha has three years of teaching experience with toddlers and primary students in the local area. She earned her Montessori Certification from NAMC in 2021. Ms. Neha holds a Master of Business Administration from the Ajmer Institute of Technology in India. She is also a Dance Teacher for children and adults.
Assistant and Extended Day Teachers

Malathi Dhulipala
Primary Assistant and Extended Day Teacher
Biography
Ms. Malathi holds a Master’s Degree from Biju Pattnaik University of Technology in India. She joined MCDB in 2021. Ms. Malathi is fluent in Telugu and Hindi and can speak Tamil.

Verena Heissenberger
Infant Assistant and Extended Day Teacher
Biography
Ms. Verena holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from University of Innsbruck in Austria. She also holds an Art Diploma from ISSA Art School in Munich, Germany. Ms. Verena has several years of experience caring for children at both in-home and daycare centers in the area, along with experience as a nanny. Ms. Verena’s passion is writing children’s books. She is fluent in German. Ms. Verena joined MCDB in 2020.

Sujaathaa(Su) Jahadev
Primary Assistant Teacher
Biography
Ms. Sujaathaa holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Queen Mary’s College in India. She has over ten years of experience working in early childhood education, including two years in a Montessori environment. She has been with MCDB since 2018. Ms. Su is fluent in Tamil and can speak Telugu, Kannada and Hindi.

Miyuki Lin
Primary Assistant Teacher
Biography
Ms. Miyuki has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Strayer University. Ms. Miyuki is a native of Japan and loves to share her culture and passion of sewing and origami with her students. She has been with MCDBC since 2008. Ms. Miyuki is fluent in Japanese.

Shagufta Minhaj
Extended Day Teacher
Biography
Ms. Shagufta holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics from University of Karachi. She has over ten years of experience teaching Kindergarten in a Montessori school in Pakistan. Ms. Shagufta is fluent in Urdu. Ms. Shagufta joined MCDB in 2020.

Liliana Rocha
Infant Assistant Teacher
Biography
Ms. Liliana began working with MCDBC in 2006, helping with both the Pre-primary and Primary classrooms. In 2013 she moved on to gain experience in other local Montessori schools and as a private nanny before returning to MCDBC in 2018. Ms. Liliana is fluent in Spanish.

Shaleena Shukla
Toddler Assistant Teacher
Biography
Ms. Shaleena holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from India. She has been working as a Montessori Toddler Assistant since 2003. She has been with MCDBC since 2006. Ms. Shaleena is fluent in Hindi and Bengali.

Carrie Workman
Primary Assistant Teacher
Biography
Ms. Carrie holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communication from Boston University. She has been an active parent volunteer since 2009 working in her children’s classrooms, with the PTA and coaching youth soccer/lacrosse. Ms. Carrie worked as an Assistant Preschool Teacher during the 2017/2018 school year. Over the years, she and her family have traveled extensively with her husband’s military career before their relocation back to Northern Virginia. Ms. Carrie has been with MCDB since 2019.

Latha Muppidi
Toddler Assistant and Extended Day Teacher
Biography
Ms. Latha worked at MCDBC from 2011 – 2014 and returned in 2021. Prior to her work at MCDBC, she worked at another local Montessori school for two years. Ms. Latha ran her own home childcare center for five years. Ms. Latha holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Andhra University in India. She speaks Telugu, Hindi and Tamil.

Swarna Veerla
Toddler Assistant and Extended Day Teacher
Biography

Moriah Fisher
Toddler Assistant and Extended Day Teacher
Biography

Moreen Basiglio
Infant Assistant Teacher
Biography
Ms. Moreen has several months of previous experience with infant/toddlers at a local
Montessori school. Prior to that she worked as a medical lab technician. Ms. Moreen holds a
Bachelor of Science from Catholic University of Lyon (France), where she majored in
microbiology and biochemistry. She is fluent in French.
Specials Teachers

Anaisa Jauregui
Spanish Teacher
Biography
Ms. Anaisa is an Early Childhood Educator with over thirty years of experience teaching preschool-age children in both the US and Mexico. In addition to teaching our students Spanish, Ms. Anaisa currently serves as a preschool instructor in the Family Literacy Program with Fairfax County Public Schools. Ms. Anaisa is fluent in both Spanish and English. She has been teaching Spanish at MCDB in Chantilly since 2018.

Maddie Tuohy
Yoga Teacher
Biography
Ms. Maddie is the owner of EMpower Yoga Therapy and Wellness Services, where she serves as a Yoga Therapist and Health Coach. She has successfully completed the 250-hour course at the Yogalife Institute in Wayne, PA, which is the equivalent to University Master’s degree in Yoga Therapy. She specializes in working with children and teens with her goal being to help young people thrive and find balance in the mind-body. Ms. Maddie has a bachelor’s degree in Spanish for International Service at the Catholic University of America.

Emily Cooley
Music Teacher
Biography
Ms. Emily is a board-certified Music Therapist, with a Bachelor of Music from Shenandoah University. Ms. Emily’s musical studies had an emphasis on classical guitar. Ms. Emily has previous work experience doing music therapy and as a children’s music teacher. Ms. Emily is certified to teach Music Together and will use this curriculum throughout the year.