Primary Campus
Valerie Garcia Gonzalez
Primary North Lead Teacher
This will be Valerie’s first year at Khalsa, though she comes with two years of experience as an assistant guide before this exciting role of Primary Lead Guide. Born in Puerto Rico, Valerie moved from Florida to Arizona to complete her AMI Diploma from the Southwest Institute of Montessori Studies in the summer of 2023. Having graduated from Stetson University with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and a minor in Psychology, she worked in Corporate Marketing for 6+ years before making the change to Education, following her passion of working with children and pursuing the Montessori philosophy. In her free time, Valerie enjoys traveling, hiking, and enjoying the great outdoors. She loves nature, spending time with her dog Yuni, reading, and doing yoga.
Donna Koenig
Primary North Assistant/Outdoor Environment Teacher
Donna recently returned to Arizona with her husband and family after living in Florida for many years. As a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, her family roots run deep in Arizona. After graduating from Coronado High, Donna attended Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas. She later went on to get her A.M.I certfication from the Southern Montessori Institute in Miami, FL. As an A.M.I Primary teacher with 30 plus years experience, Donna is excited to continue her passion for teaching here at Khalsa Montessori!
Deana P.
Primary North Assistant
Deana began working at Khalsa in August, 2025. She comes with 23 years of experience working with developmentally delayed children. Deana is passionate about helping children learn about themselves so they can thrive in their environment. The Montessori community, compassion, and dedication to children is what she appreciates about Khalsa. Deana’s educational background is in child development, psychology and social emotional learning. She previously taught social learning and self-regulation skills in small group settings. Deana has one son in Lower Elementary. They love exploring and being creative in nature together.
Dyanna Jiron
Primary South Lead Teacher
Dyanna’s journey with Khalsa began in the summer of 2018, where she was recruited as an aftercare assistant. Her passion for the primary children and Montessori Method led Dyanna to the primary north classroom as classroom assistant for two years. Since then, Dyanna took training through the Center for Guided Montessori Studies (CGMS) to become a lead teacher. Outside of school, Dyanna enjoys swimming, hiking, crafting, and spoiling her fur family of one dog and three cats (Ollie, Mo, Frank, and Maxine).
Dash Kirkwood
Primary South Assistant
Dash grew up in the Los Angeles and Phoenix areas and is a child of Montessori herself. She has always been able to connect with and enjoy the presence of younger minds. Through years of volunteer work, tutoring, being a mentor, collaborator and one to connect others, Dash has grown to love and harness the abilities to be a present and active teacher, learner, and friend.
With a Bachelor of Psychology from Arizona State University, Dash spent the last three years of post-graduate life in the ABA field, working closely with people who have developmental disabilities. Most of the experience is direct with children under the age of 10. Her experience has transformed into invaluable insight on different home styles and cultures, the process of learning and how it varies from person to person, a steady glimpse into the world of children, along with behaviors and the purposes they serve, communication, expression, and otherwise.
Dash loves to eat, cook, and share meals with people she loves. Being immersed in the forest or desert is one of her favorite ways to unwind, as well as collecting, exploring, and experiencing music in different places and times. As a music and art lover, she is always discovering and putting to use those findings.
Dash is happy to be with, grow with, teach, and learn from everyone at Khalsa, staff and students alike.
Ninfa Hartley
Primary Tutor
Ninfa joined the Primary South classroom in August 2004. Ninfa is Montessori Primary trained and certified through the Center for Montessori Teacher Education. For thirteen years she has been a Primary South teacher: giving lessons, overseeing areas of the classroom, and leading the classroom when needed.
Ninfa is from Honduras and moved to the United States in 1992. She worked as an ophthalmologist assistant for eight years and became interested in Montessori teaching in 2002. She was an assistant teacher at Community Montessori School before coming to Khalsa.
Ninfa attended the National Pedagogical University in Honduras and has a bilingual secretary diploma. She has been a Sunday School teacher for 18 years and is now the coordinator of the Sunday School program at her church.
Lisa Schuler
Primary After Care Coordinator
Lisa moved to Arizona 8 years ago. She waitressed for 45 years, but after she reached her physical limit, she decided to be a teacher. Lisa’s younger brother went to Montessori in the ’70s, and she had always loved the program. She loves that Montessori is always focused on kindness! Lisa enjoys watching Court TV, and she has three dogs Poppy, Peanut, and PeeWee.
Emma Rystrom
Primary After Care Assistant
Lupita Juarez
Yoga Instructor
Belen Martin
Spanish Teacher
Founder of the preschool Spanish immersion program curriculum, “Funny Sunny Spanish”, Belen has had the privilege of teaching and entertaining young children in the San Francisco and Phoenix areas for many years. She is grateful to have discovered this opportunity to combine her experience, love of children, and her abilities to create an interactive Spanish immersion program for students. Belen is originally from Argentina.
Toddler Campus
Revay Cargo
Toddler North Lead Teacher
Revay has been with Khalsa for 6 years, and she is Infant and Toddler Certified. Revay loves Montessori for so many reasons but a major one is Montessori education honors each child as an individual with their own rhythm, interests, and abilities. Children are seen as capable and are trusted to do meaningful work. Being a toddler teacher means that a child’s experience with school all starts with her, and that is such a special feeling. When Revay is not in the classroom, she loves spending time with her Partner and their two cats, Jasper and Stella. They love to watch movies, do puzzles, build Lego’s and spend time with friends.
Chrystal D.
Toddler North Assistant
Chrystal started at Khalsa as a floater for both Toddler North and South in 2024. She has been in childcare for over 7 years now. Chrystal is married and has two girl chocolate labs Maya & Kiki. In her spare time, Chrystal loves to spend time with her family, lounge around, watch movies and go to baseball games “GO DBACKS!”
Diana De Leon
Toddler South Lead Teacher
I’m new to Khalsa Montessori and just moved from San Diego to Phoenix. I earned a Bachelor’s in Psychology from the Autonomous University of Baja California in Tijuana, MX in 2016, obtained the primary AMI assistant course from MISD in 2013, earned the AMI Assistant to Infancy (0-3) diploma from Montessori Stoppani in 2022, and completed a Masters in Special Education from CETYS University in Tijuana in 2024. I started an infant community in Tijuana, where I worked for 3 years. I gained experience working with autistic children using ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy. I believe in sharing the Montessori philosophy as a way of living, changing the way adults see children, and how we educate future generations. I grew up in Tijuana, MX, and have a 5-year-old son who attends Khalsa. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family, going out with friends, finding new places to eat, museums to visit, and activities to do with my son.
Giselle G.
Toddler South Assistant
Giselle joined the Khalsa Montessori Toddler staff at the end of March 2025 with a year of previous experience in Montessori schooling. She graduated from ASU in 2022 with a bachelor’s in Urban Planning and has lived in Arizona all her life. While Giselle doesn’t have any kids, she has a lovely cat named Hecate (7) who is just as demanding as one. Giselle enjoys crocheting, reading books in her spare time, and playing video games by herself and with friends and family. Giselle looks forward to growing with every child that walks through Khalsa’s doors, both new and experienced.
D. Moron
Infant, Pre-Toddler Lead Teacher
Ms. Moron became a part of the Khalsa Toddler family in 2021. She has worked in Montessori schools since 2015. She has experience teaching children 0 – 11 years old.
In her free time she is very outdoorsy, she enjoys any activities that will keep her busy. In 2020, she entered the beauty industry to become a licensed esthetician to run her own business.
Carmen Barba
Infant, Pre-Toddler Assistant
Carmen is an assistant in Toddler South with Ms. Diana. She has been at Khalsa for five years now. She is very excited for this school year and plans for the best experience for our toddlers.
Charlie M.
FloatingToddler Assistant
Charlie has been working for Khalsa since February of 2024. Charlie’s favorite part about Montessori is the kids having more freedom for expression and using their ideas to problem solve! When he has free time, Charlie enjoys his time at the library, going out with friends, or on road trips. Charlie is a proud cat and tortoise dad.