Our Teachers

Before parenthood, I was involved in advertising and marketing. As my quest for quality childcare became nearly impossible for my two children, I committed myself to creating my own school in 1997. After four years of site searching and development, The Goddard School in Portland opened with 116 students on the roster in October, 2001. Now, my children are adults but I have my community to serve for many more years.

Lisa is a native Texan who has been an Oregon transplant since 1995. She earned her BA in Early Childhood Education from Southwest Texas State University, with lifetime certification, in May 1994. She has been working with children of all ages since September 1994. The Goddard School has been her second family since she opened it with Cindy and Tim in October 2001. Lisa has her Critical Incident Response Certificate by attending 3hrs training offered by Secure Education Consultants through Goddard

Ms. Hernandez has been a part of our Goddard family almost since our conception, joining us in March 2002, just five months after our opening. She has her Associates in Early Childhood Education from Portland Community College. She received her certificate for safety by attending the 3 hours Critical Incident Response training offered by Secure Education Consultants through Goddard.

Mrs. Newberg initiated her higher education at Mount Hood Community College in Natural Resources-Wildlife. After that she got a BS in Arts&Letters from PSU followed by a Masters degree in Education from the same institute. Her work experience goes from Sterling Elementary School in Alaska followed by Working at Eddyville Charter School before joining Goddard in July 2013. She likes swimming, going to Farmers Markets and educating children about the environment and the world around us. She has 2 beautiful long-haired black cats and a Flat-coated Retriever named Kuro, and volunteers at Jackson Bottom Wetlands Education program.

Ms. Lindsey joined our Goddard family in December of 2014 with 3 years previous experience in various preschools. She has her Bachelors in Social Science from the University of Oregon. Lindsey completed 3 hours of Critical Incident Response training offered by Secure Education Consultants through Goddard and received her Certificate of Safety.

I am a very creative person with a passion for all art forms. I love going on adventures with my friends and seeing new things.

Ms. Janet joined us in November 2017. She has been working with children since 1998. She has her CDA for preschool and enjoys working with all age groups. Janet attended 3hrs Critical Incident Response training offered by Secure Education Consultants through Goddard School and has her safety certificate.

Ms. Lila joined us here at Goddard in January of 2020 with 5 years experience as a nanny and 2 years experience as a preschool teacher. She has her High School Diploma. When not working, she enjoys going to the movies with my family and spending time with all four of her daughters. She has a passion for fashion, putting together outfits and going shopping. She finds going on road trips to be very delightful with her boyfriend Toby and loves going to new places like restaurants.

Ms. Sayo joined our family in April of 2017 with 2 years experience working with children. She has her Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Rafael Urdaneta University in her home country of Venezuela. She has attended 3 hours Critical Incident Response training offered by Secure Education Consultants through Goddard and received her certificate of safety.

I am a mother to three beautiful children and "Nonna" to my three amazing grandsons. I have learned to live my life with Joy and enjoy all the moments. I have taught many ages throughout my career from Preschool to School Age. I find that no matter what else I have done in my professional life, I always come back to working with children. I earned my Bachelors Degree In Elementary Education at Warner University in Florida. My most personal accomplishment besides my children is surviving Stage 4 Breast Cancer in 2013. A journey that I celebrate each and every day. In my downtime I enjoy walking, hanging with my grandsons, music, farmers markets, cooking, gardening, dancing and reading.

I was born and raised in Richmond, VA. Moved to Honolulu then here to Portland. I am the youngest of two. I have two fabulous nieces that I love spending time with as well as my family and friends. I enjoy swimming, walking, doing art and reading. I love watching football and basketball.

I am a spunky, random, loving person. I have three beautiful kids and one angel baby. I believe every child learns differently, so I teach them at a level they will understand. After completing high school I went to medical school for a brief period. My passions are enjoying and living life to its fullest. I also like to help the less fortunate the best that I can. In my downtime I love to go on hikes, swimming, as I love the water and dancing.

I was born in California and I'm a huge foodie. I love to read books on my downtime. I have been working in Early Childhood Education since 2011. I have been a program director for an after-school childcare program since 2015. My teaching style is that of a facilitator. I believe in guiding and supporting children, especially through play-based education. My passion is to always have compassion and kindness for others. In my personal time I love hanging out with my family and 3 children. We all enjoy the beach and exploring new restaurants.

I am a woman who believes truly and fully in being the best human I can be. I feel that recognizing each students individual personality and needs, unique to them, and knowing the child's needs make a world of difference. I have lived a life filled with reward educating children for over 20 years and in many different arenas. I value honesty, joy, honoring others choices and all humans for who they are. In my personal time I love to read. I also enjoy food, cooking and growing my own food. I also enjoy painting when I have the time.

Ms. Shehla came to us here are Goddard in June of 2021 with an impressive 17+ years of experience working in preschool settings. She also has her Master of Arts degree in English Literature and is working on getting her Preschool CDA. She is a proud mom of two beautiful kids who loves exploring new things and destinations via both traveling and reading.

I have a 6 year old daughter. I love to travel, garden, do art and reading. I am a social person, love to form new friends and talk to people. I love kids and am excited to be working in a learning environment with children.

I am a Mom of five wonderful kids who are my best friends and my sunshine! I come to Goddard School with 10+ years of teaching experience, specializing in Early Childhood Education. I successfully balanced a teaching career while raising my children. I believe in building strong relationships with kids and parents. Every child is unique and they all need to be seen. My passions include teaching young minds while encouraging new ways of thinking and understanding. I value patience and kindness to support a creative learning environment. In my free time I enjoy reading, exploring new teaching methods and creating meaningful experiences with my family.

Mr. Greyson has been working with preschoolers since 2021. He grew up here in Oregon and got into childcare post high school. He enjoys art, theater and often incorporates these skills into teaching. Creativity, fun and love our classroom rules!

I grew up in Southern California and moved to Portland in 2019. I obtained my Bachelors Degree in Child Psychology at the University of Hawaii. After I got my degree I taught English in South Korea for almost 4 years. I worked at Goddard from 2019, with a 6 month experimental break in public school after achieving my Masters in Early Childhood Education from Grand Canyon University. My teaching style is to 'assume competence in every child' and that 'all children can learn.' I believe in hands-on and play based learning. My passion is SEL, Special Education and Gifted Education. I have 2 cats and I love iced coffee. In my free time I enjoy D&D, space, ocean, occasional video games crafting and coffee.

I am 24 years old and a student at PCC obtaining a degree in Education. I have studied Child Development and that has lead me to major in Education. I focus on supporting diverse learners through a play based learning approach. Getting children to learn about themselves and others while participating in various activities is most important. I am passionate about teaching children and helping them discover themselves in all new ways. I value being helpful to others whenever I can. In my free time I love to travel and learn new languages. I love to read books and documenting my life on camera.

I am 27 years old. I have two beautiful stepchildren ages 10 and 8. We also have a dog, 2 cats and a snake. I have worked in daycare and school settings for 10 years. I believe that kids should be encouraged to be independent. I use gentle words and self regulation. My passions are children, they make me happy. In my personal time I enjoy dancing, making jewelry, reading, outside activities and travel.

I have been working as a Preschool teacher in Portland for some time. My background is in management, marketing and cultural programs. I hold a Bachelors Degree in Nutrition and a Masters Degree in Business Administration. My teaching philosophy is based on creating a warm, inclusive and engaging environment where children feel safe and are encouraged to explore. I am passionate about nurturing a love for learning in children. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my son, traveling, movies, classical concerts and dance performances. I also enjoy exploring new cultures, organizing community events and picnics in nature with my family.

I am an outgoing and enthusiastic person who enjoys thrill beyond fear! I have a hard time picking between easily distracted and lost in focus. I took 4 years of civil and community service classes as well as 4 years of CDA classes in High School. As the oldest of 4, I like to build a similar relationship as I have with my siblings; exemplifying kind behaviors and modeling enthusiasm towards classroom goals. I seek value within the joy of my friends and family. I see myself having a career where peoples days are better because I was involved, no matter how big or small. In my downtime I always have a good time when I'm building something, whether its digital, physical or even social. Time spent with friends and making something we are proud of is time well spent.

I am a tall ray of sunshine! I have three sons. I love nature and antique shops. I like to emphasize the importance of structure while also meeting each child where they are at in their development. I am Vice Chair of Head Start Policy Council and a member of Oregon Head Start Association. I truly enjoy Early Childhood Education as a teacher and a mother. The first three years of a child's life are most important. In my downtime I enjoy Photography and History.

I am a freshman at CU Boulder, studying Real Estate and Finance. I graduated from Sunset High School Salutatorian with a business pathway and was accepted into CU Boulder: Leeds School of Business. I like to focus on class engagement and personalize lessons to each child and their unique personality. I have a yellow lab named Daisy. I am passionate about the outdoors and enjoy backpacking, camping and hiking. In my free time I love to travel, ski, play soccer and hike. I go to college in Colorado so I've been busy exploring Boulder.

By nature I am very shy, but once I am comfortable I love to socialize and communicate a lot. I am currently in my last year of high school and on track to graduate. After high school my goal is to attend Cosmetology School. I love to take my time with children to see where they are in their development. After observation, I use that as a guide to teach them the skills they need. My passions include showing people kindness, love and support whenever I can. I also like making sure people feel safe. In my spare time I love playing my bass guitar, doing nails, singing, painting, drawing, weight lifting, swimming and spending time with my family and close friends.

I am a junior at Sunset High School. I believe in child-led learning, guiding children while allowing them to problem solve. I have received a scholar athlete and varsity letter for 3 years running. I love to travel and be outdoors, the beach and the mountains. In my free time I am either ski racing, cheerleading or doing track. I also enjoy hiking.

I am 20 years old. I grew up in a military family and have lived all over the country. I am one of seven siblings and my favorite color is blue. I graduated High School in 2023 with a 4.3 GPA and a member of the National Honor Society. I am currently studying at PCC but will be transferring to Linfield in the Fall to get my Masters in Early Childhood Education. I believe in teaching young children independence, while always being available to them. I believe all children deserve equal access to a quality education. I am passionate about showing up each day and giving the kids my all. In my personal time, I enjoy reading, cooking, baking and watching movies.

I am from Omaha, NE and I have 3 siblings. I went to College at The University of South Dakota. I graduated high school and I am in the process of obtaining my Bachelors Degree in Business Administration. As a teacher, I strongly believe in repetition as a teaching style as it allows for memorization. My biggest passion in life is to travel the world and help people as much as I can. I love to play any sport and enjoy the outdoors in my free time. I also love to shop!

I love dogs and have 3 of my own. I like to think of myself as someone who has never met a stranger, even though I am super introverted by nature. I believe in kindness and recognizing that everyone has a story. I believe in equity and equality and am passionate about open access to education for those who want it. I hold an Associates Degree and a Medical Assistant/Limited X-Ray Certificate. In the past I was a liason for vaccine programs through the State of Oregon as well as private access. I try to meet every child on their level. What works for one does not always work for another. I try to focus on making learning fun. I find that incorporating fun and imagination helps children stay engaged. In my downtime I love to garden and create spaces that blend colorful and calm. I also like to wander antique and thrift shops.