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This is Jeena’s 5th year at CHA in the Language Arts Department, and 3rd year as Lighthouse Coordinator. Before that she spent 5 years working at international schools in the United Arab Emirates. In her free time, Jeena enjoys traveling, eating out, shopping online and watching Netflix. She and her husband Shaffiq, love trying out new things and spending time with their dog Valentine, aka Vallie. Jeena earned her Masters Degree in Elementary Education at the University of Puget Sound, and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations from Pepperdine University.

Liam Spence

Assistant Chef

Jessica Springer

Teacher, 4th Grade

Originally from Maryland., Jessica relocated to Washington two years ago. Previously, she taught Language Arts, developed an extracurricular science program for a bilingual school, and home schooled her own children for several years. Her goal this year is to challenge her students academically through exploratory learning in Science and Social Studies. On school breaks, she likes to spend time with her three kids (8, 12, and 16) and husband, exploring their new hometown of Bellevue.

Kaylee Strachan

Admin Assistant

Kaylee grew up in California and moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington. She recently graduated with a degree in Communication. In her free time, she enjoys reading, baking, spending time with friends and family, and traveling. Kaylee is very excited to be joining the Chestnut Hill Academy team this year!

Monique Stuart-German

Director of Student Services

Monique has worked for Bright Horizons since 2004, in both San Diego and in Seattle. She graduated from Seattle University with her B.S. in the Humanities with a Pre-Med Area of Concentration, as well as a B.S. in Psychology. She went on to complete her M.S. in Child and Family Development at San Diego State University, which cemented her desire to work with collaboratively with families and to promote a passion for lifelong learning. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, reading, cooking, crafting, and taking classes.

Jack Sturgess

Specialist, P.E.

Born and raised in London , England . Jack studied sport and exercise science at Merrist Wood College before moving across the pond to the States in 2012. Jack is a keen soccer player and coach and has been teaching soccer to children of all ages for the past 9 years. He is really excited to join the CHA team as the new PE specialist and can’t wait to get started. Jack is a firm believe that physical education empowers young people as well as teaching them life lessons and social skills. In his spare time Jack likes to play golf, hike and enjoy the beautiful scenery that WA State has to offer.

Vanessa Suarez

Specialist, Spanish

Ms. Suarez was born and raised in sunny Miami, Florida but her family is from Cuba. She moved to Washington last year with her partner and their silly pup named Messi. Ms. Suarez graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education and an endorsement in English as a Second Language (ESOL). She has taught Reading, Language Arts, and Math to 3rd and 4th grade. She was also a 10th grade English Teacher. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and discovering new restaurants. Ms. Suarez is very excited to be joining the faculty and staff of CHA. She is very excited to be teaching Spanish and is looking forward to meeting all the students at CHA. It is her goal to provide an exciting Spanish experience and foster a successful learning environment.

Christi Taylor

Teacher, 5th Grade Humanities

Christi Taylor received her Bachelor’s degree in Education from Central Washington University, and her Master of Arts in Teaching from Grand Canyon University. She is certified in Elementary Education, English, and Special Education. Teaching since 1995, Christi is proud to have recently celebrated her 20 year anniversary with Bright Horizons. She is passionate about the community at CHA and enjoys getting to know the families and watching their children grow. Christi has a beautiful daughter named Caroline and is experiencing the joys and challenges associated with being the parent of a middle school student. She also enjoys reading, camping, traveling, gardening, cooking, and playing outside with her yellow lab.

Sonali Thakre

Associate Teacher

Sonali has a Bachelor’s degree in Education from India and has worked for 2 years in kindergarten schools before moving to the US. She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Teaching at City University of Seattle which broadened her knowledge and gave her an opportunity to learn the differences in the education system between India and US. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, cooking and spending time with her family.

Natasha Warenkiewicz

Teacher, 3rd Grade Math

Natasha grew up in Los Angeles and attended the University of Arizona. While in Tucson, she earned her undergrad degree in Political Science and her graduate degree in Secondary Education. After teaching for four years in Arizona, she moved to Seattle. After moving to the Seattle area she worked as a substitute teacher for the Bellevue and Seattle School Districts and joined CHA in 2013. When not working with students, Natasha enjoys reading and spending time with friends and family.

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