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. She has been with MCDBC 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 MCDBC 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.
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 earned her associate of Applied Science in Health Science RN from the Medical Careers Institute in Virginia Beach. Ms. Tonilynn joined MCDBC in 2022.
Teanna Peavy
Primary Lead Teacher
Biography
Ms. Teanna holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mary Baldwin University, where she was
active in the Cadet Core. Ms. Teanna worked at MCDBC during the 2020/2021 school year and
returned to teach for the 2022/2023 school year after a short break. 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 completed her training for
Montessori certification from the Institute of Advanced Studies at Barrie School in Maryland.
Chitra Joshi
Primary Lead Teacher
Biography
Ms. Chitra received her Montessori Certification from Northern Virginia Montessori Institute.
She has a bachelor’s degree from Garhwal University in India. She served as a lead teacher at a
local Montessori school for five years and assistant teacher for two years before coming to
MCDBC this year. Ms. Chitra has previously worked as a home-based tutor for children K- 3.
Assistant and Extended Day Teachers
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,
and in Loudoun County Public Schools. Ms. Verena’s passion is writing children’s books. She is
fluent in German. Ms. Verena joined MCDBC 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 MCDBC in 2020.
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 previously worked as an Assistant
Preschool Teacher for one 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 MCDBC since 2019.
Neha Gupta
Primary Assistant Teacher
Biography
Ms. Neha holds a Master of Business Administration from the Ajmer Institute of Technology in
India. Ms. Neha has three years of previous teaching experience with the toddler and primary
age group. She earned her Montessori Certification from NAMC in 2021. She is also a Dance
Teacher for children and adults. Ms. Neha has been with MCDBC since 2022.
Moriah Fisher
Toddler Assistant and Extended Day Teacher
Biography
Moreen Basiglio
Infant/Toddler Assistant Teacher
Biography
Ms. Moreen holds a Bachelor of Science from Catholic University of Lyon (France), where she
majored in microbiology and biochemistry. Ms. Moreen has several months of previous
experience with infants/toddlers at a local Montessori school. Prior to that she worked as a
medical lab technician. Ms. Moreen has been with MCDBC since 2021. Ms. Moreen is fluent in
French.
Anna Ra
Primary Assistant Teacher
Biography
Ms. Anna has a bachelor’s degree in Math from Western Governors University. She also has an
associate of Ophthalmology and associate of Pre-Pharmacy certification from Howard
Community College. Ms. Anna has previous experience working in a Montessori preschool,
STEM enrichment program, Loudoun County middle school and as a private math tutor.
Pakiza Mehrabi
Infant/Toddler Assistant Teacher
Biography
Ms. Pakiza holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Kabul University in Afghanistan. Ms.
Pakiza is fluent in Dari and has experience teaching the Dari language to high school students in
Afghanistan. Ms. Pakiza joined MCDBC in 2023.
Vanee Papole
Primary Assistant and Extended Day Teacher
Biography
Ms. Vanee has a Bachelor of Science degree from SRR Degree College in Karimmagav, India.
Ms. Vanee has over twenty years of experience working with high school students. Ms. Vanee
joined MCDBC in 2022.
Swati Shah
Primary Assistant Teacher
Biography
Ms. Swati earned a Bachelor of Arts from Loreto College in Kolkata, India. She holds a
Montessori Certification from Association Montessori International (AMI). Ms. Swati has 15
years of experience as a Lead teacher in a Montessori preschool in Mumbai, India. She also has
previous experience as a nanny and real estate agent. Ms. Swati is fluent in Gujarati, Hindi,
Bengali and Marathi.
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.
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.
Kelsey Sawyer
Yoga Teacher
Biography
Ms. Kelsey is a Board-Certified Dance Movement Therapist, 200 Hour Certified Yoga Teacher
and Certified Grief Yoga Teacher. As a dedicated ballet dancer for over 20 years Ms. Kelsey was
exposed to yoga at a young age to further develop her strength and flexibility. As she
continued to pursue yoga she realized that much like dance, yoga possesses therapeutic
qualities due to the emphasis on movement, breath and the mind, body, spirit connection. Ms.
Kelsey earned a Master of Arts at Lesley University for Clinical Mental health Counseling with a
specialization in Dance Movement Therapy in 2019.
