Staff Bios

Fran (she/her) is the executive director of Kidspace and started working there in 1998. She has more than 5 years experience as a lead toddler teacher and over 15 years experience working with children. Fran moved to Seattle from New York in 1994 where she managed a group home for developmentally disabled adults for many years. Fran has a BA in political science and has taken many early childhood education classes. She loves the daily challenges and rewards of being a director. In her spare time she enjoys music, sports, nature, and spending time with her daughter and husband.

Michelle (she/her) is the curriculum and facilities director and a lead preschool teacher at Kidspace. She began working at Kidspace in 1990. She has an AA in ECE from Seattle Central and has a mentor teacher certificate through SCC. Her favorite things about Kidspace are the hip staff, wonderful parents, and amazing children. Michelle has a deep interest in adoption as she was adopted at a young age. Her other interests include baking, hiking, working out, shopping, politics, and spending time with her daughter, Mackenzie.

Kim (she/her) has been Kidspace’s Mentor Teacher since 2010.  She has worked in ECE for 25 years as a teacher, program director, and a parent educator. She grew up in sunny southern California and earned her BA at Cal State Fullerton. She and her family lived in San Francisco and Berkeley until moving to Seattle in 2005. She holds an AA in Early Childhood Ed from NSCC and is active in NAEYC. Kim loves Kidspace for its dedicated staff and amazing families, and especially enjoys conversing with the children.  Her interests include live music, textile arts, and exploring cities through the lens of a camera.

Jack Fajardo (they/them) is the Kidspace Chef. Jack has extensive experience cooking in other local childcare centers and we are thrilled to have them at Kidspace.

Kelly (she/her) is the Kidspace office administrator. She began working at Kidspace in 2005. Kelly worked as a teacher in several classrooms before becoming the office administrator.

Kate (they/them) is the assistant teacher in the infant (Sequoia) room. They began working at Kidspace in 2021 and have been working with young children since 2015.

Olivia (she/her) is the lead teacher in the infant (Sequoia) room. She began working at Kidspace in 2014 and has been in the infant room since graduating from SPU with a degree in Individual and Family Development (with a minor in Women's Studies) in March 2016. She is currently working on completing her Masters degree in Early Childhood and Inclusive Education with a specialty in Infant Toddler Mental Health.

Pauline Harris is the lead teacher in the Waddler (Willow) Room and has been working at Kidspace since 1996. She has more than 16 years of experience working with infants through school-age children. Pauline likes the warm, nurturing environment, low ratios, great benefits, and the male teacher role models at Kidspace.  Pauline’s interests include dancing, writing, and helping others.

Courtney is the full-time assistant teacher in the Waddler (Willow) Room. She began working at Kidspace in 2018. Her previous experience working with children includes 4 years in the Boise School District working as a paraprofessional with autistic children.

Catalina is the full-time lead teacher in the Toddler (Apple) Room. She started working at Kidspace in 2005. After working almost 10 years as the assistant teacher in the infant room she was promoted to the lead toddler teacher in 2015. Catalina moved to Seattle from Bogota, Colombia, where she was born and raised. She has previous experience working as an elementary school teacher as well as teaching Spanish to young children. She is also the proud parent of two daughters.

Carter is the full-time assistant teacher in the Toddler (Apple) Room. He began working at Kidspace in August 2012 as the floater teacher and moved into the Toddler room in 2018.

Jennifer is the lead teacher in the Young Preschool (Treefrog) Room and has been working at Kidspace since 2001. She previously worked with children as a nanny and as an assistant teacher in Alaska. Jennifer has an AA in visual communications from the Art Institute of Seattle. She enjoys the community-oriented atmosphere and the high level of parent involvement at Kidspace. She also likes that children are treated as individuals and with respect. Jennifer’s interests include anything arts-oriented, music, hiking, camping, snow boarding, and exploring Seattle.

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Marcela is the Lead teacher in the Young Preschool (Dino) Room. She started working at Kidspace in October 2018. Marcela is originally from Colombia, having moved to Seattle in 2010. While in Colombia she completed 8 semesters in Psychology with focus on Child Psychology. More recently she completed a CDA Child Development Associate) program in Seattle. Marcela has worked the last 6 years as a teacher at another center in Queen Anne, including the last 3 years as a lead teacher with young preschool children.

Elise is the full-time assistant teacher in the Young Preschool (Dino) Room. She began working at Kidspace in 2017.

Pat is the lead teacher in the Preschool (Aspen) Room and started working at Kidspace in 2007. Previously he worked at Able Child Children’s Center for 17 years. While at Able, Pat worked for several years as a lead teacher in the infant and toddler classrooms, then a lead teacher in the preschool classroom. Over the years he has been a very active and well-known member of the Seattle early childhood community. Pat has 32 credits in ECE from North Seattle Community as well as a BA in Biology from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.

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Nancy is a full-time float teacher (works in multiple rooms giving teacher breaks and plan time) who began working at Kidspace in 2016.

Taylor is a full-time assistant teacher in the Treefrog room. She began working at Kidspace in 2016.

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