Our wonderful team:

Nelly
Founder/Board of Directors
The concept for Nelly’s Childcare & Preschool was developed by Nelly Parada. A seasoned educator and entrepreneur, Ms. Parada has enjoyed a long and successful career in early childhood education. She has more than 40 years of experience as a Preschool professional, with a focus on early introduction to reading and writing through play-based education and the development of social and motor skills. She holds a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from the Universidad Pedagógica Experimental Libertador, in Valencia, Venezuela. She is CPR and CARES certified and has been licensed by California Social Services as a Site Supervisor since 2004. Her wealth of experience and education provides her with the essential and well-cultivated skills to bring her vision for Nelly’s Childcare & Preschool to reality. She combines her professional and personal experiences, as an educator and caregiver, to continue her passion for the education, care, and individual advancement of children.
Greislye
Director
Welcome to our Campus! I look forward to providing your family and children with the best experience possible. I love working with children of all ages and provide a fun environment for our little ones. I have been part of this organization since its beginning in 2009. I have an Early Childhood Education Supervisor credential, an A.S. in Early Child Education and have been the Director since 2018. I love making a difference in our community and with the children under our care. I love bringing new experiences and ideas to our school and provide a home away from home to our children and our staff! I am originally from Valencia, Venezuela, and am a native Spanish speaker. When I am not at work, I enjoy spending time with my dog, Cooper, and my husband, Bryan. I love traveling, meditation, and getting to meet new people.
Karen
Teacher
¡Hola! I am Maestra Karen and I am the lead teacher for the Infant classroom. I have been part of Nelly’s Childcare and Preschool since 2014 where I have worked with children from two to five years of age. During my tenure at Nelly’s, I have worked diligently in continuing my education. Besides completing the educational requirements of being an Early Childhood Education Master Teacher, I am currently working towards my Associates degree in Early Childhood education. Being a teacher is a position that I have found to be extremely fulfilling and inspiring, particularly being a mother myself. My son, Steven, graduated from Nelly’s Childcare and Preschool in 2017 and is now in elementary school, my youngest child, Liam, is also at Nelly's. To teach young children is an opportunity to shape not only their knowledge but their values and their role in our community. Spanish is a beautiful language, one that I am lucky to speak not only with my son but with my husband and family. I love to enjoy my spare time with my family both at home and in outdoor activities as well as volunteering for my church and community.
Minerva
Teacher
¡Hola! I am Maestra Minerva and I am one of the teachers in our PS2 classroom. I have been working with children for the past 20 years. I joined Nelly’s Childcare and Preschool back in 2015. Throughout all these years of experience, I have found that working with children is extremely rewarding because I see how my work impacts their development and contributes to their health and welfare. For that reason, I have worked hard to continue my education and I am currently working towards getting my A.S degree in Early Childhood Education. I believe that in order to be the best teacher possible, I need to invest time and effort in my professional development. I was born in Ciudad de Mexico but most of my family lives here in the Bay Area. Though I am single, I have plenty of nieces and nephews to keep me busy. In my spare time, I enjoy walking, reading and spending time with my loved ones.
Guadalupe
Teacher
I am the lead teacher of the Preschool 1 classroom. I have been an early childhood educator for the past 18 years and have been a member of the staff at Nelly’s Childcare and Preschool since 2012 where I have taught children from infant to four years of age. Being a teacher is a calling and one that requires a deep love and affection for children. I am so thankful for having the opportunity to be an important part of your child’s life and nothing gives me greater satisfaction than seeing them accomplish small and big feats – from learning how to put their shoes on, to potty training to being happy about sharing toys – milestones that are essential for their development. Knowing that I helped them accomplish these feats gives me an enormous sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. Teaching Spanish is the cherry on the sundae, so to speak! As a native Spanish speaker, it is amazing to see our children develop their vocabulary and comprehension from an early age. I am originally from Ciudad de Mexico, a place very rich in culture, history and amazing food. My proudest accomplishment is being the mother of three lovely children, the youngest of which just graduated from University of California, Santa Barbara. I love to dance and to go camping with my family and friends.
Ludmila
General Manager/Teacher
Hola! I am Maestra Ludmila and co-owner of Nelly’s Childcare & Preschool. Along with my sisters and mother, we founded Nelly’s Childcare & Preschool back in 2009 with the goal of providing a full Spanish immersion experience to our children, surrounded in an environment filled with not only educational activities, but tons of fun and love! Educating young children has been a calling and a passion of mine and I love seeing them practice and master not only their numbers, colors and letters, but many other tasks and skills that are essential for their development. Spanish is my native language and I love teaching the children a language - that is widely spoken and understood around the world. In addition to my Early Childhood Education credentials, I hold a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Universidad Simon Bolivar - the top STEM school in my native Venezuela. In addition to this, I am a former foster parent for Bill Wilson Center and volunteer at organizations such as Upwardly Global and Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America. In my spare time, I love to cook and travel around the world in the company of my husband and my three dogs.
Mai
Distance Learning Teacher/Web Support
¡Bienvenidos! I am Maestra Mai, a co-owner of Nelly's Childcare and Preschool. I worked as Director of this center from 2012 until 2018 when I moved to Sacramento. I am very proud to be part of this wonderful school and vision. We are a second generation bringing our founder's goals to life, to pioneer the idea of an immersion program in the early stages of a child's life. I am honored to be a part of a program with such an upstanding reputation and high ethics. We are a school that focuses on service and excellence for our children and families. I am proud to make a positive difference in their life at this critical early juncture and to be able to witness their first successes in learning. I studied accounting at Universidad de Carabobo in Valencia, Venezuela and tutored math at the same institution for over two years, I also studied Interior Design at San Jose State University and I hold a Supervisor Credential in Early Child Education. I am the proud mom of a Nelly’s Childcare and Preschool alumni who is fluent in Spanish. I enjoy home design, photography and spending time with my family.
Raquel
Teacher
¡Buenos días! My name is Maestra Raquel and I have been working at Nelly’s Childcare and Preschool since 2018. I have the privilege to be the lead teacher for Preschool 3 and getting our older children ready for their next transition into Kindergarten. I recently immigrated to the United States from El Salvador and this has been a very educational and interesting experience. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, with an emphasis in Math, from the Universidad del Salvador and I recently completed my teaching credential from Mission College. Though most of my experience has been working with children in elementary school, working with very young children has been a fascinating and rewarding experience that I cherish greatly. I love to be able to be a positive role model and help developing our children for their next chapter with a loving and caring demeanor.
Rita
Teacher Assistant/Cook
¡Hola! My name is Maestra Rita and I am the cook, as well as the assistant teacher in the infant classroom. Though I have been working at Nelly’s Childcare and Preschool since 2016, I have over 20 years of experience working with children. Being the mother of four children, among them, Maestra Karen – certainly helps! I love being with children and nothing makes me happier than to see them smile, play and grow. It is an immense responsibility to be their teacher for such a young age and for that reason I have made it my goal to continue with my professional growth, by taking Early Childhood Education classes at the local community college. It will be a challenge to maneuver all these goals: work, family and classes – but it is a goal that I intend to accomplish!
Yulma
Teacher Assistant
Hola, I am Maestra Yulma and I joined the staff at Nelly’s Childcare and Preschool in February 2021. I work as an Assistant for Maestra Guadalupe in our PS1 Classroom. Teaching young children has been my passion since early on. I love helping Maestra Guadalupe with the day-to-day activities and getting to know each of the children. I am married with wonderful two children. I studied early child education in Mexico to work with young children since I love spending time and learning from them. I am currently working towards the goal to be a fully accredited teacher in the United States. I love spending time with my family, going to the beach and enjoying nature. I also love to cook, and movies!
Mary
Teacher Assistant/Custodian
¡Hola! My name is Ms. Mary and I am a Teacher's Assistant and the custodian at Nelly’s Childcare & Preschool. I joined the company in 2018 and I love being part of the team. As a mother of four children, I have found so much to learn while working here at the school that it has encouraged me to start taking Early Childhood Education classes at Mission College so in the future, I can become a teacher. I work hard in creating a safe and healthy environment for all the children and I greatly enjoy helping the teachers if they need an extra hand. I am originally from Michoacán, Mexico and love to make pastries and spend time with my husband, children and pets.