Meet Our Staff | The Child Unique Montessori School

All Campus Staff

Cindy Acker

Founder & Principal

Cindy is the founder of The Child Unique and The Montessori Elementary School of Alameda (MESA), and has served as principal for over 30 years. She has several degrees in education, human development, spirituality, cultural studies and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from UC Berkeley. Cindy has also been involved in public policy, representing Montessori schools in California. She is a published author and a national keynote speaker. Apart from her passion for education, Cindy is a singer and choir director in Novato and a mother of three adult children. Cindy speaks Dutch and Spanish.

Tiffani Battle

School Office Manager (based at Taylor Campus)

Tiffani Battle has been a teacher for 12 years. She has a degree in Elementary Education, her Montessori Primary Certificate and an administrative certificate. She fell in love with Montessori after receiving her degree in education and has never been happier. She loves how Montessori fosters the whole child and teaches peace. She has been a site director, head teacher, toddler teacher and elementary teacher in her journey as an educator. She is the proud mother of 2 beautiful children (a boy and a girl) and she is excited to be a part of The Child Unique community.

Miesha Lampkins

School Events Coordinator (based at Encinal Campus)

Miesha Lampkins was born and raised in the Bay Area. She received Montessori training and has worked with Montessori children for more than 8 years as a lead teacher. She has always had an interest in event coordination and is excited to join The Child Unique and MESA as the School Events Coordinator. Her warm and bubbly spirit is perfect for hosting and coordinating events. She seeks to complete a Bachelor’s degree program in Hospitality at California State University Eastbay.

Joseph Niles

Director of Technology/Encinal Campus Cultural Teacher

Steve Slater

School Music Teacher

Steve Slater has been playing drums for nearly 25 years. Steve attended Santa Barbara City College and San Jose University. He is a percussion instructor at Allegro Music and has his own studio in Fremont, the School of Drums. Steve leads the drum line at Mission San Jose High School for over ten years. He also plays drums in three San Francisco Bay Area rock bands and in his own jazz ensemble, Park St. Trio, based out of Alameda. He is the primary songwriter and has released two albums of original music.

Taylor Campus Staff

Zoe Lopez

Toddler 2 Teacher

Zoe has been an assistant teacher at The Child Unique, and is excited to return to The Child Unique, after time off to become a mom. She spent several years working as a dance instructor for children and working at a local gym daycare. Currently, she is completing a degree in Psychology, and enjoys increasing her knowledge of the mental, social and emotional development of children. Zoe loves working with children of all ages and enjoys watching them learn and discover the world. In her spare time, Zoe loves learning, reading, dancing, listening to music, spending time outdoors, working out and enjoying her new baby.

Johanny Marte

Toddler 2 Teacher/Spanish Teacher

Johanny was born in Santo Domingo and has worked in a Montessori classroom in the Dominican Republic for 14 years. She received her Montessori teacher certification from the American Montessori Society in 2005. She has a degree in Clinical Psychology, specializing in children with learning disorders and also has a degree in Elementary Education. She is the mother of two beautiful children who inspire and encourage her to a better person. In her spare time, Johanny likes to read, watch documentaries about space and nature and spend time with her family.

Emma Neilsen

Primary 4 Teacher/French Teacher

Emma was born and raised in Paris, France where she obtained a Master’s degree in marketing. She moved to the U.S. in 2007, where she earned an MBA from the University of Maryland and worked for several years for Rosetta Stone managing a team of over 100 language teachers. Following the birth of her first child, she decided to become a teacher at a multilingual Montessori school. She now has three daughters and is working towards her Montessori teacher certification. During her free time, Emma enjoys photography and writing.

Fatma Shoukry

Elementary & Middle School Teacher/Arabic Teacher

Fatma lived in Cario, Egypt before coming to the Montessori Elementary School of Alameda. Fatma has been working with children for 18 years. She holds a degree in Education and her Montessori Primary teaching credential. She has been a Montessori Guide at private schools in Egypt since 2008. Fatma is currently completing her Elementary Montessori credential. In her spare time, she loves reading, traveling and working out.

Rosie Galvez

Physical Education Teacher

Rosie was inspired to pursue a career in education while creating a fictitious Wellness Center project her senior year of High School. Rosie holds a degree in Exercise and Sports Sciences and is certified by the International Sports Sciences Association and the American College of Sports Medicine. For the last 18 years, she has worked with people of all shapes, sizes, and abilities, ages 6-75, with the intention of enhancing their self-esteem and quality of life, as well as cultivating a sense of community through movement. Rosie understands that when life happens, there is always a way to move around to embrace the process of change. She is looking forward to sharing her ideas with all of the TCU and MESA students.

Danilo Portugal (On Leave)

Primary 4 Assistant Teacher

Danilo is originally from Brazil and has been living in Oakland for the last ten years. He is proud to be the father of two beautiful and strong young girls, Lua and Alidia, ten and seven years old respectively. Danilo has enjoyed working with children for seventeen years and attended a Montessori school in Brazil. He became a Montessori teacher in the United States and teaches Capoeira, a dynamic Brazilian form of martial art and dance. He is both a musician and dancer and in his free time, likes to surf.

Nicole Baptista

Assistant Teacher

Nicole Baptista was a Montessori child! She was born and raised in the Bay Area and attended Seaview Montessori, a public Montessori school in San Pablo. She is thrilled to continue with The Child Unique Montessori School community this year. She feels passionate about Montessori education and is currently enrolled in Montessori training and Early Childhood Education courses at Contra Costa College. Nicole hopes to inspire everyone at The Child Unique with her love of crafting and gardening.

Jeanna Nagle

Assistant Teacher

Jeanna Nagle loves working with children and is very happy with her position at The Child Unique. She has studied child development at Merritt College, where she earned a Child Development Assistant Certificate, and has experience volunteering at several childcare centers. She likes to swim and play soccer and basketball and attend Giants, A's, and Cal games.

Kwang Sriprommasa

Elementary Teacher Intern

Kwang, (Thitiyaporn) Sriprommasa graduated from Bangkok University in Thailand with a bachelor's degree in English. She recently completed her Early Childhood Credential at The Montessori Institute of Advanced Studies. Kwang enjoyed working at the Encinal and Pacific campus in past years and is looking forward to joining the Taylor campus this year.

Meiyi Ko

Toddler 2 Assistant Teacher

Tanisha Tomasulo

Office AM Assistant

Tanisha has been part of The Child Unique community since 2015 and is very excited to join the office staff this year. Tanisha holds a B.A. in Communication from the University of Hawaii and has been a student of the practice and philosophy of the Montessori Method since her children were young. She and her husband James have three children - two boys and one girl - who have one fish, one bearded dragon, and the hope for a dog.

Sadaya Cummons

Office PM Assistant

Julia Tian

Volunteer

Encinal Campus Staff

Marisela Mascorro

Encinal Campus Director/Primary 1 Teacher

Mari is very excited to begin her 12th year with The Child Unique. She has a degree in Liberal Arts and Child Development and is currently completing her Montessori Early Education Credential. Mari is the proud parent of three beautiful daughters. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family and going on adventures with her daughters and husband, Jon. She loves the family like aspect of The Child Unique and the peace education that is helping to make a better world.

Hurma Majid

Primary 2 Teacher

Hurma Majid was born and raised in Pakistan. She was married soon after completing her Bachelor's degree in Commerce from the University of Karachi in Pakistan. Hurma is happy to have recently received an A.M.I Diploma from The Montessori Teacher's Training in Karachi, Pakistan. She likes to spend most of her time with her family, to include her four year old daughter and her husband, who is the source of inspiration for her. His support, trust and love has allowed her the confidence to become the person that she is today.

Joseph Niles

Director of Technology/Encinal Campus Cultural Teacher

Dawn Ocampo

Afternoon Teacher

Dawn Ocampo is Filipino-American and was born and raised in the Bay Area. She has been a Montessori teacher for 9 years and has enjoyed teaching in Primary classrooms at schools on both the East and West Coasts. She has a Bachelor’s degree in journalism and is a certified yoga instructor. Dawn loves her family, the outdoors, music, dancing, creativity, reading and learning.

Katsuko Ono

Assistant Teacher/Montessori Intern

Katsuko Ono graduated from Hiroshima University in Japan with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. After working in the fashion industry for fifteen years, she changed careers and began studying education. She is very happy to be working at The Child Unique Montessori School. Katsuko used to practice Judo regularly and is a black belt. Currently, her interests are yoga, hiking and the arts.

Sonia Chen

Primary 1 Assistant Teacher/Mandarin Teacher

Kaila Chan

Afternoon Assistant Teacher

Pacific Campus Staff

Raina Ford

Pacific Campus Director/Teacher

Raina Ford was born and raised in Oakland, California. As the oldest child of five, she helped her mother with the younger siblings and learned early on that she wanted to work with children. She began assisting in a classroom setting in high school as a tutor and went on to pursue a Bachelor's of Science degree in Psychology. In her free time, Raina enjoys watching movies, reading and spending time with her family.

Lindsay Correa

Assistant Teacher

Lindsay earned an Associates degree in Early Childhood Education from Merritt College. She has worked in the childcare field for 3 years and loves to read, dance and cook. Lindsay has traveled to many countries, including five wonderful trips to Vietnam. She dances with a vietnames dance company that performs traditional vietnamese, contemporary/modern, ballet and hip hop styles. Lindsay is looking forward to working with the children this year.

Porshia Lewis

Teacher

Porshia has been a teacher here at The Child Unique since 2006, working as both a Pre-primary and Toddler Teacher. She has studied psychology and holds a certificate as a Lactation Consultant (through Alta Bates Medical Center). She is happy to have been accepted into the National University bachelor’s program for Early Childhood Development Multiple Subject Credential. Her current goals are the completion of her Montessori Infant/Toddler Credential and ECERS assessor through the Montessori Teacher Education Center.

Johanny Marte

Toddler 2 Teacher/Spanish Teacher

Cherefah Obad

Assistant Teacher

Cherefah is 23 years old and currently a senior at California State University, East Bay. She has two A.A. degrees, one in Liberal Arts and in one Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences. Since middle school, she has always known that she wanted to work with children as she enjoys watching and assisting children to grow and learn. She is looking forward to seeing each of them progress throughout the school year.