Governing Board
Jamileh Almasoud
PRESIDENT
Hello, my name is Jamileh Almasoud. I have 20 years in the early childhood field as a lead, supervisor, early learning coach, early learning coach supervisor, Stars Trainer, PLC facilitator and co-coordinator for professional learning communities, and Early childhood faculty. I also have my BA in English Literature/Education, BA is Early Childhood Education, MA in Educational Leadership and my MA in Adult Education Currently working on my Doctorate in Adult Education. My areas of interest include teacher preparation including: environments, interactions, curriculum, assessments, guiding behavior, screening, anti-bias, advocacy, and family engagement.
Lisa Neumann
PAST PRESIDENT
My love language is service and I have been able to serve on the WAEYC board in the Presidential Track and and the former Snohomish County AEYC, now the Pacific Northwest (PNW) Chapter of WAEYC. As a long
time member and years of board service, I have benefited from networking and mentorship from leaders and have been able to share my leadership knowledge and experience with others. I get energized when I learn that I connected an emerging leader and/or member to an opportunity. My 30+ years in the Early Childhood Education profession has seen so many wonderful changes and I am passionate about equity, addressing institutional racism, and inclusion. I am researching, reflecting and engaging within communities to learn more and to move from being an advocate to being a consistent ally.
My involvement in WAEYC invigorates me to keep doing my day job, Director of the Edmonds College Center for families. The center is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and participates in the Washington state’s QRIS system, Early Achievers. Quality programming for children and families, especially, for families often identified as vulnerable or at risk is another passion of mine.
To relax, I enjoy gardening (flowers and plants, not food), hiking and have hiked in over 17 national parks, scrapbooking and hanging out with my family and friends.
Becky Zaleski
VICE PRESIDENT
My name is Becky Zaleski and I live in Spokane, WA. Currently, I’m the Early Learning Coordinator for NEWESD 101, serving school districts and ECEAP programs in the Northeast WA region. In this work, I’m fortunate to see first-hand the intentional hard work teachers put in each day to ensure a safe, high quality learning environment for the most vulnerable children and families in their communities. I appreciate the work NAEYC/WAEYC has done to keep the field of early learning current, centered on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and I will continue to advocate and contribute to the mission in my role as Vice President.
Kianna Lewis
Membership Chair
Kianna Lewis is an impassioned educator dedicated to empowering children to embrace their unique identities and appreciate diversity through a comprehensive approach involving focused curriculum, respect, play, music, movement, and literature. With an unwavering commitment to nurturing young voices, Kianna perceives each child as destined for greatness, striving to bridge the resource gap by leveraging her skills to create robust program plans that lay the groundwork for their future success.
Her philosophy centers on progress driven by purpose, cultivated through love, language, creativity, and education. She places a high value on social-emotional development and actively collaborates with parents and families to provide optimal home support, believing that every child deserves a voice that matters.
In her capacity as Lead Preschool Teacher, Kianna excelled in developing monthly lesson plans focused on play-based learning methods and implementing social-emotional practices for 3 to 5-year-olds. She skillfully managed day-to-day activities and classroom functions while nurturing the well-being and development of 10 children. Kianna collaborated with fellow teachers to create music and movement curricula for toddler and infant classrooms, providing educational support to students and families from low socio-economic backgrounds.
Serving as Lead educator for her own business Haven Education, Kianna demonstrates her commitment to positive communication within families by executing parent support and strategy action plans at Haven Education. Her nationwide implementation of cultural diversity and emergent curriculum emphasizes cognitive, social, emotional, and language development. She consults with teachers on preschool curriculum, learning styles, and classroom management while collaborating with state social workers to aid students with behavioral development and special needs. Kianna also designs engaging music and movement activities, coordinates special events, and creates inclusive holiday programming.
In her more recent role as an Instructional Coach, Kianna offers reflective and relationship-based coaching and professional development to early childhood educators and leaders, including those involved in Multnomah County’s Preschool for All initiative. Collaborating closely with teachers and administrators, she aligns efforts to meet classroom and program objectives, implement best-practice standards, and elevate job-embedded professional development. Kianna focuses on fostering an environment of continuous quality improvement, aiming for more equitable and inclusive classrooms, particularly benefiting children in the BIPOC community.
Kianna Lewis’s professional journey reflects her unwavering commitment to nurturing children’s development, fostering inclusive environments, and empowering them to recognize the power of their voices and individuality.
Tiffany Malicoat
SECRETARY
I began my career in Early Childhood Education in 2002. In the years since, I have had opportunities to care for, teach, and support children and their families in five different states from around the country. Within that time, I have worked as a lead teacher/caregiver in every age group from infant through PreK, been an assistant director, co-director, school education manager and even owned my own in-home center for a few years.
I am currently a senior in the Bachelor of Early Care and Education program at University of Washington expected to graduate next year and hold an Associate’s degree in Child Development and received a Paraprofessional certificate back in 2012.
I am on the PNW WAEYC board (Pacific Northwest Washington Association for the Education of Young Children) as the Professional Development Coordinator. I also am a member of the Kirkland Green Stewards Program. In this program I work with the city of Kirkland as a volunteer to help restore local parks. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my husband and two sons. I also enjoy reading, hiking, most outdoor activities (NOT related to snow) and traveling. I am eager to continue learning, growing, supporting and advocating for other early childhood professionals through the Washington Association for the Education of Young Children.
Bekah Cardwell
TREASURER
Before moving to a number of places out West, Bekah grew up in a small farming town in Ohio where cows and corn were way more plentiful than people. Once in the PNW, Bekah lived (in this order) in Eugene, OR; Olympia, WA (where she got her degree from Evergreen State College); and Portland, OR, (what a great 6-year stint!), before finally settling in the small town of Yelm, WA. Bekah’s worked with numbers in the nonprofit industry for the past 22 years. In her downtime, she enjoys playing video games, mowing lawns, yoga, long walks with spurts of jogging, hanging out with her partner and her daughter, and ‘sharing’ the couch with her pups and cats.
Lizzy Chandler
MEMBER-AT-LARGE
Lizzy Chandler (she/her) has been an early childhood educator for six years. Currently, Lizzy teaches preschool and facilitates a toddler playgroup for children and their caregivers at an all-outdoor school in Whatcom county. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a concentration in children’s multilingual language development, and has worked in multiple early years settings such as licensed center-based care, Head Start, and outdoor preschool. Areas of interest include social and climate justice, professional development for early educators, place-based education, and PLAY! Lizzy is grateful for the opportunity to serve as member-at-large on the WAEYC board to support current and future early childhood educators, and the opportunity to grow leadership skills within herself and for her school community.
In her spare time, Lizzy enjoys knitting gifts for friends, playing video games, hiking with spouse Jacob, and sitting in the sun with her dog.
Jamie Cho
MEMBER-AT-LARGE
Jamie Cho (she/her) is currently Assistant Teaching Professor of Justice in Early Learning at the University of Washington.
Originally from California, she has worked in the field of education as an early interventionist, inclusion specialist, teacher educator, field supervisor, consultant, parent educator, and researcher. She has her BA in Psychology with a minor in Education and her doctorate in Special Education from UC Berkeley. Jamie is committed to social and climate justice and has been working to create systemic change within early learning programs. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family exploring local trails, bowling, and traveling.
Joelle Crilly
MEMBER-AT-LARGE
Hi! My name is Jo and I have 10 years in the early learning field, each year my passion growing deeper. I firmly believe that early education sets the stage for lifelong success, and I’m committed to staying on top of the latest research and best practices to deliver the highest quality care and education. In the most recent years, my focus has broadened; I have learned about the many factors contributing to the revolving door of teachers in the field. I have set my sights on doing anything I can to positively impact the retention, happiness, and growth opportunities of our educators.
Recently appointed to the WAEYC Board, I am thrilled to leverage this platform to further the field of early childhood education, particularly in the realm of public policy. I am deeply inspired by the commitments that our educators make every day to deliver high quality education while also potentially serving as more of a parental role to some of our children who may desperately need the care and devotion that we bring. We build families and communities in each of our programs with the goal of children thriving and learning to love learning! I am excited to continue my journey in education with this opportunity!
Khavin Debbs
MEMBER-AT-LARGE
Khavin was born and raised in Sacramento, CA. It was there that he cultivated his love for being outside and experiencing nature. In 2013, he relocated to Seattle, where he taught at a Montessori preschool and finished his BA from The Evergreen State College and M.Ed from Antioch University. Khavin is currently working on a doctorate in Educational and Professional Practice. He co-founded a consulting business called Ujima Collective in order to not only talk to organizations about anti racism, but to also give BIPOC professionals the opportunity and resources to become consultants. Khavin is also an artist and photographer, and enjoys soccer, basketball, music, mycology, rock climbing, and going for walks with his wife Rachel and daughter Forest.
Michelle Herrera
MEMBER-AT-LARGE
I am of Filipina, Chinese, and Spanish and Portuguese bloodlines. I was born in Portland, OR and raised in Vancouver, WA. While attending nursing school at Linfield College [University], I fell into a teaching job at the same preschool–middle school I spent 11 years growing up in. Partnering with children and their families, as well as advocating on their behalf, is the reason I chose to remain in the early childhood education field and why I chose to pursue early childhood education as a professional and as a student. Having been in the early childhood and education fields for a decade, I am finally finding my true voice and passion within the field. I am presently going through North Seattle College’s Bachelor of Applied Science Early Childhood Education program with an expected graduation date of Spring 2024. I recently moved from Southwest Washington to Sammamish, WA to accept a position as the Assistant Director for a NAEYC accredited early learning program. I joined WAEYC because I represent both the early childhood workforce and the children and families we serve, and I believe that it is my duty to advocate for them.
Sarah Hinis
MEMBER-AT-LARGE
My name is Sarah Hinis and I am thrilled to throw my hat into the ring for becoming a member at Large for the Washington Association for the Education of Young Children. Originally I am from Los Angeles, California and have moved all over the country over the last 13 years since my
husband is active duty Coast Guard. I currently live in Port Angeles with my husband, four year old daughter and two cats. The children of today are the adults of tomorrow. That is why part of my job as Youth Development Program Executive for the Olympic Peninsula YMCA is to have
the children’s best interests at the front of every day. I hope to be successfully voted on as a
member at large so that I can represent the WAEYC on the peninsula!
Christi Meats
MEMBER-AT-LARGE
Hailing from the scenic Pacific Northwest, Christi has roots in the small conservative town of Des Moines, WA along the Puget Sound south of SeaTac Airport. While she appreciates the allure of palm trees in Palm Springs, her heart belongs to the lush landscapes of the PNW or does it. Christi embarked on a new journey in 2016, initiating youth summer day camps while still immersed in finance. By 2019, discontent with finance led her to become a teacher assistant, sparking a career pivot. Committed to student advocacy and culturally appropriate classrooms, she returned to school, pursuing a bachelor’s in applied science in Early Childhood Education, set to graduate in 2024. Balancing motherhood, studies, and a professional role fuels her passion for genuine connections and community support. Christi’s drive is fueled by the desire to contribute positively to others’ journeys and continually add meaningful chapters to her own story.
Christi’s has diverse interests. She finds solace in long walks, cherishes moments of meditation, and has a deep love for the water in Puget Sound. Music and dancing hold top spots in her list of passions, reflecting her vibrant spirit. Gardening, watching sporting events is a fun past time and savoring coffee (perhaps a little too much) are woven into her daily routines.
Family and friends play a central role in Christi’s life, fueling her enthusiasm for making genuine connections and being a support system in her community. This multifaceted individual is on a journey, weaving together the tapestry of her experiences in the embrace of the Pacific Northwest communities.
Kristin Monson
MEMBER-AT-LARGE
Hi my name is Kristin Monson. I care deeply about quality learning opportunities and meaningful support for educators in our region that work with our youngest learners (birth to age 8) and their families. I was born and raised in Spokane Washington. I graduated from Eastern Washington University with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Early Learning. I have a Coaching Certificate from the University of Washington, and recently completed her Masters Degree in Educational Leadership with a Principal Certificate at Washington State University Spokane. Most importantly I taught first grade, Kindergarten, and Preschool in the Anchorage School District for eleven years. Currently, I am the P-3 Early Learning Professional Development Coordinator at NEWESD 101. I sincerely enjoy yoga, spending time with family and walking her puppy named Goose.
Melissa Renes
MEMBER-AT-LARGE
Hello, my name is Mellissa Renes, but everyone calls me, “Missy.” I was born on Whidbey Island and spent my formative years growing up on the Peninsula. I pursued my education at Northwest University, where I graduated in 1998 with a degree in Behavioral Science. Driven by my passion for early childhood education, I have worked for a local private preschool company for almost three decades!
Throughout my career, I have had a diverse range of working experiences, serving as a toddler teacher, summer camp coordinator, program manager, and assistant director. My experiences and leadership skills have continually evolved, culminating in my current role as director. In 2022, I achieved a significant milestone by graduating from Eastern Washington University with a Masters of Education, specializing in Early Childhood. My commitment to nurturing young minds and fostering growth has been the cornerstone of my professional journey.
Outside of my professional endeavors, I find joy in embarking on
adventures that take me across the country or around the world. I am excited about the opportunity to serve on the WAEYC board and look
forward to connecting with others.
Raishawn Swensen
MEMBER-AT-LARGE
I am an Early Learning Professional who has worked in the field for over 5 years. From being in the education system as someone who needed an educator that represented me to now being in the field representing so many under privileged families. I have my Associates in Early Childhood Education that I received in 2021 from Pierce College and I am currently going to North Seattle College obtaining my BAS in ECE that really focuses on Anti Bias and Anti Racism and intentional teachings. Its my mission to support all families with equity and to listen to what it is they need and want in the education system. To advocate for culturally appropriate classrooms and assessments and to help support educators get the education, advocacy and, pay they deserve to be the best the can be for each and every child that enters into their classroom.
Amor Zarate
MEMBER-AT-LARGE
My name is Amor Zarate. I am proudly Mexican. I am the youngest of 7 siblings. I am the first in my family to attend and graduate from college.
I immigrated to the United States 19 years ago. Having to learn the language and culture was difficult but not impossible!
I have worked in early childhood education (ECE) for over 18 years now. In 2013, I graduated with my BA from Goddard College, I currently work at North Seattle College, which I love so because one of my passions is support the Latino community and that is part of my job in North Seattle!
I believe that dreams are achieved with effort and perseverance, you just have to work for it! For me, coming to this country means coming to fight for my dreams and to have a better future.
Ninderjit Gill
Executive Director
Ninder Gill is a full-time tenured faculty at North Seattle College teaching in the ECE AAS and BAS Programs. She has over 15 years of experience teaching teachers with a focus on ensuring early educators examine their classrooms, curriculum, and pedagogy from an anti-bias
and anti-racist lens. She is currently serving her second year as the WAEYC executive director.
