Our Staff

Ms. Andrea, Director
Kindergarten Lead Teacher (September 1994)

Ms. Andrea has worked for Hearts In Hand for over 20 years. She has a B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies from Colorado State University with an Emphasis in Early Childhood Education. She is Director Qualified through the State of Colorado and has worked with children for over 25 years. She has three boys who grew up at Hearts in Hand.

Birthday: January 8th
Favorite Drink: Pepsi, Starbucks Iced Tea
Favorite Starbucks/Coffee drink: Starbucks Iced Tea (Black Unsweet)
Favorite Restaurants: Young's Cafe, Outback
Favorite Candy/Chocolate: Dove Milk Chocolate, Kit Kats
Favorite Stores: Amazon
Favorite Scent: Vanilla
Favorite Cake: Chocolate
Other things I love: Colorado Avalanche, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Denver Broncos

Ms. Irina, Assistant Director (September 2016)

Ms. Irina has worked at Hearts in Hand for over 3 years. She has her Bachelor's degree in Secondary Education, Early Childhood Teacher Certificate and Early Childhood Director Certificate. She has over 10 years of experience working with children of different ages. Irina's hobbies are traveling, cooking, and being outdoors.

Birthday: May 18th
Favorite drink: Cream Soda
Favorite Starbucks/Coffee Drink: White Chocolate Mocha
Favorite restaurant: Cafe Mexicali, Panda Express
Favorite candy/chocolate: White Chocolate, Twix, Kit Kat
Favorite store: TJ MAXX, H&M, Amazon, Hobby Lobby
Favorite scent: Lavender
Other things I love: House Plants, Macrame, Being outdoors, Travelling

Ms. April, Pre-K Lead Teacher (April 2016)

Ms. April recently moved to Colorado to be close to family after growing up and living a majority of her life in Las Vegas. She worked for five years at a childcare center in Las Vegas and is excited to be continuing in this field here. She has an Associates in Early Childhood Education. She is excited for all the new exciting adventures this new chapter has in store with her Husband and daughter as they grow roots in Norther Colorado.

Birthday: January 16
Favorite Drink: Dr. Pepper
Favorite Starbucks/Coffee Drink: Iced/Blended White Mocha
Favorite Restaurants: Olive Garden, Cafe Rio
Favorite Candy/Chocolate: Dark Chocolate, Sour Gummies
Favorite Stores: Dollar Tree, Walmart, Joann's
Favorite Scent: Woodsy smells
Favorite Cake: Confetti, White, Vanilla Bean
Other things I love: Flip flops (size 10), purses and crystal balls.
Favorite colors: teal, green and purple

Ms. Wendy, Wobbler Teacher (June 2019)

Ms. Wendy moved to Fort Collins from Michigan to be with, and help out her daughter and son in law while she attends CSU vet school and he starts classes at community college. She also has a son back in Michigan who she misses dearly. She has an associates degree in early childhood development and has worked in childcare for almost thirty years only taking time off to be home with her two children when they were little. Now she is excited about her new adventure here in Colorado and the chance to get to know all the kids and families here at Hearts in Hand.

Birthday:November 4
Favorite drink: Coffee or Ginger Ale (Vernors from Mi.)
Favorite restaurant :Just got here, still exploring places.
Favorite coffee shop: The Alleycat
Favorite candy: White Ferreros
Favorite store: any store with crystals and oils
Favorite scent: woodsy and musky oils

Ms. Rhiannon, Wobbler Teacher
(September 2017)

Ms. Rhiannon has lived in Colorado since 2004. She moved here from California when she was in first grade. She has always loved kids and babies, but became interested in childcare when she was placed in a child development class in high school to fill an empty spot in her schedule, and has loved learning about and working with children ever since! She completed her ECE training with Front Range Community College and is delighted to be working in the Wobbler room.

Birthday: June 12th
Favorite drink: Coffee, Dr. Pepper, tea
Favorite Starbucks/Coffee drink: Frappuccino, Caramel cold brew
Favorite restaurants: Tokyo Joes
Favorite candy/chocolate: Chocolate, Sour gummy worms
Favorite stores: Target, 2nd&Charles, Dutch Bro's
Favorite cake: chocolate
Other things I love: plants, animals

Ms. Acacia, Wobbler Teacher (March 2017)

Ms. Acacia has been with Hearts in Hand since March of 2017. Prior to that, she worked at Harmony House while obtaining her degree in Human Development and Family Studies. She has previously worked with infants and wobblers and is now working full time in the Wobbler room at Hearts in Hand. She is excited to get to know our new families as well as continuing to foster relationships with established families at the center.

Birthday: August 6th
Favorite drink: Coke or Pepsi
Favorite Starbucks/Coffee Drink: Mocha
Favorite restaurant: Young's Cafe, Fuzzy's
Favorite candy/chocolate: Snickers
Favorite store: Target
Favorite scent: Lavender
Favorite Cake: Chocolate

Ms. Adrianna, Toddler Teacher (March 2022)

Ms. Adrianna grew up in Aurora, Colorado before moving to Glenwood Springs after college. She attended the University of Northern Colorado, studying English Education at the secondary level with a minor in Psychology and TESL. She plans to go back to school in the near future for Child Psychology and gain more experience in the field. She has an almost two year old daughter who has made her realize that teaching the younger age group is truly an amazing experience. She is beyond excited to be getting to know the children as well as their families!

Birthday: May 23rd
Favorite Drinks: Chai anything, Hot chocolate, Shirley temples
Favorite Restaurants: Ocean Prime, Olive Garden, Rare Italian
Favorite Candy: Sour patch kids, Chocolate
Favorite Stores: Barnes and Nobles, Target
Favorite Desserts: Ice Cream cake, Chocolate raspberry
Other Things I love: Cats, Hiking, Magic the gathering, d&d

Ms. Taylor, Summer Camp Teacher (May 2022)

Ms. Taylor grew up in Fort Collins Colorado and began working at Hearts in Hands in 2016. She worked throughout high school and College and has recently returned after graduating from CSU. She studied Human Development and Family Studies. She teaches dance to children and even worked briefly with adolescents and at risk youth. She loves dance and has been dancing since she was younger and has been teaching for three years. She also is a professional dancer for the Colorado Eagles AHL team.

Birthday: September 24th
Favorite Drink: Dr. Pepper, Lemonade
Favorite Starbucks Drink: Iced Vanilla Latte
Favorite Restaurants: Chipotle or chick fil a
Favorite Candy: milk duds
Favorite Stores: Target and Scheels
Favorite Dessert: Oreo ice cream

Ms. Sara, Assistant Director & Infant Lead Teacher (February 2001)

Ms. Sara has worked at Hearts In Hand since February of 2001. She has a degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Colorado State University. In her spare time she enjoys going to the mountains and seeing movies with her family. Her son Dylan is in the army and her son Tyler attends Rocky Mountain High School. She enjoys spending time with the kids and families at Hearts in Hand. She loves snuggling with all the babies and watching them learn and grow.

Birthday: February 13th
Favorite restaurant: Chili's, Bad Daddy's, Café Mexicali
Favorite store: Target, Kohls, Bath & Body Works
Favorite Drink: Coke Zero
Favorite Starbucks/Coffee drink: Caramel Frap (not really a coffee drinker)
Favorite Candy/chocolate: Hot Tamales and Chocolate
Favorite Stores: Kohls, Target, Bath & Body Works
Favorite Scent: Nothing too Fruity, Fall and Holiday Scents are the best
Favorite Cake: Lemon or Chocolate
Other things I love: The Huskers and Rams - college football, Broncos, Going to movies and Spending time in the mountains with my family

Ms. Kyla, Infant Teacher
(February 2014)

Ms. Kyla was born and raised in Montrose, Colorado. She has also lived in Texas, Ohio, and North Carolina. She enjoys traveling around and seeing different places. She received her Early Childhood teaching certificate from Front Range Community College in the spring of 2016. She has been working and teaching in the child care center setting for over ten years. She has been working at Hearts in Hand since early 2014 and has worked with Wobblers, Toddlers, and Infants in that time. She is a loving mother to her two children: Maddie and Carson. She also enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Birthday: August 5th
Favorite Drink: Iced tea or Coffee
Favorite Starbucks/Coffee drink: White Chocolate Mocha, Pumpkin Spice
Favorite Restaurants: Chick-fil-A
Favorite Stores: Target
Favorite Scents: Leather or Beachy
Favorite Cake: White Chocolate Raspberry
Other things I love or collect: Sunflowers, The Beach

Ms. Krys, Preschool Lead Teacher (March 2019)

Krys moved to Fort Collins in January of 2019. She is originally from Lincoln, NE, and attended college in Iowa. She has her BA in Sociology and Communication Studies and is ECT certified. She has experience with kids of all ages, 6 weeks to 17, ranging from center care, to nannying, to trauma-informed in-patient care. She especially loves teaching through experiences with nature and art! When she is not working, she enjoys baking/cooking, working on puzzles, reading, or playing board and video games.

Birthday: July 6
Favorite drink: Diet Dr. Pepper, Tea (Happy Lucky's, especially!), Coffee, Cold Brew
Favorite Starbucks/Coffee Drink: Cappuccinos, Cold Brew
Favorite restaurant: Totally 80's Pizza, Crooked Cup,Yampa Sandwich Co.,Bawarchi Biryanis, Cafe Little Saigon, Wolverine Farm
Favorite Candy/Chocolate: Paydays, Sour Gummi Worms, ChocoLoves, Kit Kats
Favorite Stores: Safeway, Modcloth, Etsy, Old Firehouse Books, Salus Jerry's Artarama, Sierra Trading Post, Chewy.com
Favorite Scents: Amber, Cedar, Pumpkin, Nature-y Smells, Lemon
Favorite Cake: Fruity (especially lemon!)
Other things I love or collect: Plants, Bears, Breads, Yarn, Art supplies, Sun-catchers, Leopard Print, Glitter, and Tote Bags

Ms. Melissa, Toddler Lead Teacher (June 2021)

Ms. Melissa is a mom of two teenage boys and some pets. She loves being outside doing those Colorado things. She also likes to bake and decorate cakes as a way to wind down. She has been an Early Childhood Educator for around 8 years and has multiple certificates in ECE. She enjoys coming to work every day to see all the little minds learn and grow, accomplishing things we adults take for granted daily.

Birthday: April 10
Favorite Drink: Arizona Sweet tea, Fanta orange
Favorite Restaurant: Panda Express
Favorite Candy: Resse's Peanut Butter, Starbursts
Favorite Dessert: Vanilla cake, Strawberry Cheesecake
Other Things I Love: Camping, Decorating Cakes

Ms. Vona, Infant Teacher (October, 2021)

Ms. Vona has lived most of her life on the western slopes of Colorado but has moved to the Northern Colorado area to be closer to her to adult children and four grandchildren. She has worked with children since her teenage years and enjoys watching the creativity evolve in children as the grow. She especially enjoys the infant stages of development as there is plenty of snuggles and giggles to go around. She is excited and thankful to be a part of your children's' lives.

Birthday: December 18
Favorite Drinks: Coffee, Tea, Bai drinks
Favorite Restaurants: Cheba Hut, Santiago's, Panera
Favorite Candy: Almond Joy, Dark Chocolate
Favorite Stores: Quilter's Dream, City Market
Favorite Desserts: German Chocolate
Other Things I Love: Outdoors, Flowers, Paddle boarding

Ms. Mazzy, Preschool Teacher (October, 2021)

Ms. Mazzy grew up in Illinois and lived in several states before moving to Colorado in June of 2020. She's had experience working with children aged 2 to 11 in varying positions such as nannying and teacher’s aide work since 2016. She has worked in hotels for most of her adult life, but had always dreamed of being a teacher. She is working to become Early Childhood Teacher certified within the next few months. She has five cats, one dog, and two mice! She sees herself as very laid back and loves watching the kids learn and grow into themselves everyday. The little milestones are her favorite!

Birthday: April 15
Favorite drink: Coke Zero Cherry Vanilla Flavored
Favorite coffee: Iced Caramel Macchiato from Dunkin’
Favorite Restaurants: Henry’s Pub, Lazy Dog, Honolulu Poke Bar, Blue Fin, Avanti’s & One World (Peoria, IL specials!)
Favorite Sweets: Hershey’s Cookies n Creme bars, caramel, chocolate and bavarian cream donuts. (I have a major sweet tooth)
Favorite stores: Free People, Target, assorted thrift stores, Barnes and Noble
Favorite Scents: Lemon and sweet seasonal scents (think pumpkin spice, apple cider, bourbon, etc.)
Favorite cake: Double chocolate or strawberry cake
Other things I love: CATS! Fun or cozy socks, music, road trips, bones, rings, antiques, and any small or tiny animal shaped figurine!

Ms. Hayley, Substitute Teacher (May 2021)

Ms. Hayley grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado and has been working in childcare for the past three years. She is currently attending school at Metropolitan State University in Denver and is looking forward to studying abroad this Spring in London, England. She is working toward a degree in English with a concentration in secondary education. In her spare time she enjoys listening to music, painting, exercising, and spending time with her pug Watson.

Ms. Sophie, Toddlers (May 2022)

Ms. Sophie grew up in Louisville, CO and moved to Fort Collins to attend CSU in 2018. She will graduate in May with a degree in Early Childhood Education. Sophie has been working with young children throughout her time at CSU, and most recently was a student teacher in a 1 year olds class. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, skiing, and watching movies. Ms. Sophie loves the enthusiasm for learning that children bring to the classroom everyday! She is excited to start her teaching career at Hearts in Hands!

Birthday: May 26th
Favorite Drinks: Sweet tea, Dr. Pepper
Favorite Starbucks Drink: Pumpkin Cream Cold-brew
Favorite Restaurants: JeJu, Chipotle
Favorite Candy: Jolly Ranchers and Sour Patch Kids
Favorite Stores: Target, H&M, Forever 21
Other Things: I love dogs, and Harry Potter!

Ms. Clare, Infants (March 2022)

Ms. Clare was born and raised in Cleveland, OH (Go Cavs!) She went to college in Chicago, IL for Psychology/Biology then finished her BA at Cleveland State University. For the last 10 years+ she has gained experience in case/crisis management, neurological testing and ABA behavioral therapy. She enjoys hiking with my English Labrador Heinz, Yoga, Writing, Movies and spending time with her family. Ms. Clare is thrilled to be part of the team, especially in the Infant Room, at Hearts in Hand!

​Ms. Andrea, Director Kindergarten Lead Teacher (September 1994)