Our Goddard School Teachers

Dr. Susan Monbarren opened The Goddard School in Ballantyne in 2005. She holds her Doctorate degree in Chiropractic Medicine and a Bachelors Degree in Communication. Dr. Susan is directly involved with the everyday operation of the school. She has a great capacity for ensuring Goddard families receive the highest standard in Early Childhood Education. She provides all of the support the school needs to qualify for Goddard’s Circle of Excellence and our 5 Star Licensure. Dr. Monbarren invites you and your family to tour our facility to learn more about The Goddard School in Ballantyne, our nurturing environment and educational curriculum.

Hello! My name is Aleksandra (Alek), and I am the Co-Lead teacher in the Young Toddler classroom. I grew up in Russia and completed my education there. I graduated from the Social-Pedagogical College in the city of Samara. My degree is in Early Childhood Development and Education. I also hold a degree in Linguistics and I speak three languages (Russian, German and English). I have been in the educational field for over ten years and I have always enjoyed working with young children. I have one child of my own, Paul, who is now 21 and attending college here in Charlotte. I look forward to meeting your child and I am so thankful to be apart of the Goddard School.

Hello! My name is Leslie and I am the Director of Family and Community Engagement for the Goddard School at Ballantyne. I am a native of Charlotte receiving my Bachelor's in Elementary Education at UNC Charlotte and later a level 3 Certification for Administration in Early Childhood Development. I have been involved in the educational field since 2010, taking a special interest in early childhood education. My experiences are in both public and private education providing developmental support in children from Birth to Elementary ages. All children deserve to learn in an environment that contributes to healthy social-emotional development and a confidence in themselves and their educational team. I am so proud to be a part of the Goddard School as an educator and a parent. I look forward to working with your family as we build strong foundations for successful academic futures together.

Hello! My name is Shelby Lazenby and I am a lead teacher in the Preschool 1 Classroom. I graduated from Appalachian State University with a bachelor's degree in public health and a minor in social work. I have always been passionate about the health, safety, and education of the youth in my community. I was drawn to be a teacher at the Goddard School through the philosophy behind our curriculum. Promoting learning through children's interests and play helps children develop cognitively and physically. I want children to find the same joy in school as I do. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, reading and spending quality time with friends and family. I look forward to getting to know your child and your family!

Hello! My name is Girle and I am the Co-Lead teacher in Preschool 2. I am married with two children of my own. I hold a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology that I earned while living in the Philippines. My background is working in special education and I have always enjoyed teaching in the classroom! I have also started pursuing a graduate degree in Special Education that I continue to work towards as a working parent. In addition to teaching, I have had the pleasure of working as a school counselor and learned to foster foundational skills children need to thrive and excel in the classroom. The goal I set for my classroom is providing a space where your child is valued and loved. Welcome to Preschool at Goddard!

Hello! My name is Kristina and I am a Co-Lead teacher in the Preschool 1 classroom. I relocated to the Carolinas from upstate New York. I attended Dutchess Community College where I studied Liberal Arts and I earned my degree in Child Development through New York State Educational Incentive Program. I have since obtained my certification as a North Carolina Lead teacher. I have over 24 years of experience working with children of various ages. I have been apart of the Goddard Family since 2012 and I am happy to be a part of your child's education.

Hello! I am Shoma Sengupta, a co-lead teacher in Pre-K 1. I have my Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education Administration and I am currently pursuing my Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Leadership. I have been working in Early Childcare for over 6 six years. I am a mother of two and proactively manage my time to make as much time for my family as possible. I am also very active in the community with multiple charity organizations. I have had the pleasure to author a book, “Reinforce Positivity in Life” which I was delighted to see sell on Amazon. I enjoy teaching and all of my time with my young students. I enjoy getting to know the children’s learning styles and taking multiple approaches to meet their educational needs. Our classroom has a safe, nurturing and secure environment for each of our students.

HI! My name is Kerri and I am apart of the Resource Team and Food Service Management at the Goddard School at Ballantyne. I have experience and an educational background in business and restaurant management with focus in Safe Serve food practices. I spent many years at home with my two children and that experience, along with my love for children led me to the Goddard school in 2018. Creating a safe learning environment where children can thrive and build healthy relationships in their "village" is very important to me. I am so happy to apart of your child's village!

Hello! My name is Bisakha and I am a teacher in the Get Set Classroom. I hold a bachelors degree in English Literature. I became a part of the Goddard Family in 2024. I am a mother of two children and when I am not working I love spending time with my family and friends. As a teacher, I value the importance of providing a safe and fun space where children can freely explore and enjoy the process of creating. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Goddard Team! I look forward to seeing you!

Hello! My name is Harlina and I am a lead teacher in the infant classroom. I hold a Master's Degree in Art Education. I studied at Queen's College in New York and finalized my graduate degree at UNC-Charlotte. I came to Goddard with 10 years of teaching experience in public schools. I worked with the school for several Summers before changing my career path to Early Education and joining the Goddard School full time. I am from the Dominican Republic and raised in Queens, New York. I love working with children and I am very passionate about my job. During my free time I am very active outdoors enjoying nature and the arts. I look forward to meeting all new families!

Hello Goddard Families! My name is Rishita Karadkar and I am originally from the beautiful country of Bharat (India), specifically the vibrant city of Mumbai in the state of Maharashtra. I live with my wonderful husband, Rohit and our lovely teenaged daughter Radnyi. I completed by Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Commerce from the University of Mumbai in 2004. After my studies I was married and moved to the United States when our daughter was only two years old. I found my passion for teaching while supporting a non-profit organization and their OM school. My work with the school involved teaching young children about culture, behavior, academics, and social responsibility. This work sparked a deep connection for me with education. Finding the Goddard School allowed me to further step into the role of an educator. I am truly excited to share my passion for learning with all of you as we begin this incredible journey at The Goddard School Ballantyne!

Hello! My name is Romain and I am a co-lead teacher in Preschool 2. I relocated to North Carolina from upstate New York. I am a mother of two boys and I love spending time with my family. I have worked in the field since 2015 and hold a degree in Child Development and I am a certified professional educator. I enjoy the challenge of modifying our lesson plans to reach each child. I chose to work at the Goddard School in Ballantyne because of the reputation we have among educators for providing a program that supports the whole child. I am excited to build a healthy foundation for learning for your little ones!

Hello! My name is Tina and I am a co-lead teacher in the Pre-K classroom. I became part of the Goddard Family in 2021 after moving to Charlotte from Seattle. In Seattle I worked in a Pre-K program which followed a very enriching STEAM program. I hold a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in English Literature from Delhi University in India. I hold an additional Bachelor’s degree of Education and I have completed initial training in Early Childhood Education. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to connect with children and work with co-teachers who ensure our classroom is comforting and learning is fun. In my spare time, I enjoy reading books and going for long walks with my retriever, Max. I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you. I look forward to our partnership as we encourage your children’s love for learning!

Hi! My name is Rylee and I am a Co-Lead teacher in the Toddler Classroom. My passions are teaching, art and nature. I started off by teaching art but discovered a strong bond with my two year olds. I love watching them grow, I love how much they teach me. My goal for every child is for them to feel safe, comfortable, loved and seen. I am so excited to meet you and your family!

Welcome to Goddard! My name is LaTanya and I am a Co-Lead Teacher in the Infant classroom. I have over a decade of experience in early childhood working with multiple age groups. Infants and Early Toddlerhood are my favorite ages to work with! I find the most fulfillment nurturing our babies and providing a loving learning environment that promotes their milestones at Goddard. My educational and professional background includes a degree in early childhood development, early childhood administration certifications and I am currently completing another degree in Early Childhood Education. I have also owned and operated an in-home daycare in Monroe. I am a wife, mother and grandmother. I have a large family of 10! I enjoy cooking, watching movies and running my small boutique. My favorite new past time is watching my son play for the North Carolina Tarheels every Saturday during football season.

Hello! My name is Ekaterina and I go by Kate, I am the lead teacher in the Get Set classroom. I have a Bachelor's degree in Economy and Marketing and certificates in Early Childhood Education as my career shifted toward my passion for education in 2018. I feel so privileged to have the opportunity to be a part of this stage of development! In my classroom, children learn through creativity, meaningful connections, and exploration. I am a mom of an amazing boy. We love to spend time outdoors hiking, kayaking and exploring nature. I enjoy reading about psychology, health and wellness. I also love educational crafts that I bring directly to the classroom. Welcome to Get Set!

Hello! My name is Ariel and I am a Co-Lead teacher in the Transitional Kindergarten Classroom. I hold a Bachelor's Degree in Child Development and Family Relations from North Carolina Central University. I have been in the educational field since 2008 enjoying over 18 years of experiences. I am originally from High Point, NC and a mother to 3 children ages 23, 18 and 11. I have a passion for the arts in which I leverage to enrich core instruction by integrating as much as possible into lessons and activities. A Math and Science rich curriculum is also important to me as we set a strong foundation for our students that can branch into any industry that interests them later in life. Goddard's high quality standards as a school and the Ballantyne location particularly drew me in as I understood that this was a school that would nurture my career as an educator. I make a point to encourage students to embrace their unique qualities and be true to themselves. Welcome to TK!

Hello! My name is Jennifer Rieger, and I am a co-lead teacher in the TK classroom. I joined the Goddard family in early 2025 after moving to Charlotte from Connecticut with my husband and three children. I hold bachelor’s degrees in Elementary Education, Special Education, and Psychology from Syracuse University, along with a Master’s degree in Literacy from Fordham University. Over the years, I have worked with children from preschool to fifth grade. I made the move from elementary to preschool, because I believe that supporting children early helps them grow into confident, lifelong learners. I am passionate about play-based learning and creating a nurturing, engaging environment where children feel safe to explore and grow. I was drawn to The Goddard School because of its commitment to high-quality early education and the whole child. Outside the classroom, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, going to the beach, and reading. I look forward to meeting your family!

Hi! My name is London and I am a co-lead teacher in the Infant classroom. I am from Charlotte and hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education (K-12) from UNC Charlotte. I have over 5 years of experience in elementary art, preschool day camp and nannying. I am a cat mom to 3 sweet and cuddly fur babies: Leo, Mochi and Nala. In addition to playing with my fur babies, I love practicing yoga, working out at the gym, trying new group fitness classes, and discovering new vegan/plant-based recipes to make for my friends and family. The first time I visited the school campus, I instantly fell in love with the fun, vibrant and inviting atmosphere. Every time I enter the building, I feel welcomed and appreciated by my team, students, and their families. Our room is filled with endless possibilities, warmth, and love as your little ones grow, make exciting discoveries, and reach new milestones every day. We are so excited to have you in the Infant classroom!