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Samantha completed a degree in Child Development at Chico State University in 1997. After graduation, she moved to the Bay Area to continue her education and to teach preschool at Hoover Children's Center in San Mateo. In December of 1999, Samantha earned her teaching credential and for the next five years went on to teach Kindergarten at Westlake Elementary School and The Hilldale School, both in Daly City. Samantha holds a California Child Development Permit and enjoys continued professional development through a variety of different Bay Area and National organizations. Being at the beginning of a child's educational path is both inspiring and rewarding to Samantha. Sweet Peas was created shortly after the birth of her first son as Samantha decided to create a family based preschool where children are both nurtured and stimulated, a place where she would want her own children to be if they were in someone else's care. Her vision to offer this kind of nurturing learning environment was what inspired her to create multiple locations for Sweet Peas and she feels very blessed to work with so many wonderful families throughout their children's formative years.

Annette Medrano (she/her/hers) is a native Californian who received her Bachelor of Arts in Child Development from Whittier College in Southern California. She has had the opportunity to teach in Germany, Spain and Los Angeles before finding her passion in the educational management industry in the San Francisco bay area. Annette is entering her sixteenth year of early childhood education and has experience in program management, mentoring, leadership development and community engagement. Annette strives to make a lasting impact in the lives of her staff, students and community by fostering compassion and intellectual curiosity, igniting imagination and instilling a love of learning. In her spare time, Annette enjoys spending time outside with her husband and two daughters, getting up early for a sunrise trail run in the Marin Headlands, and being enthralled by the latest thriller novel.

Adri is a recent Chico State graduate with her BA in Child Development and minors in family relations and psychology. Adri truly loved learning about the many aspects of a child’s development and is so excited to continue to utilize her knowledge in her work at Sweet Peas Too. She has been a family nanny, psychology tutor, daycare assistant, and has loved her time spent as an infant and toddler center intern most of all. Her favorite part of working with children is watching their curiosity and growth. No matter the age of the child, they have a lot to teach us grown ups! Adri wants to contribute to a high quality and fun learning environment for all the Sweet Peas children! Adri loves arts and crafts, spending time outdoors, and with animals. She is excited to incorporate her interests into her teaching and guiding the children each day!

Selena loves working with young children and seeing them learn and grow. She is currently attending SFSU and majoring in Child Development. As a teacher, she believes she has the opportunity to make a significant impact on children's lives and help them develop a strong foundation for future academic and social successes. In her time as a teacher, she has developed a teaching philosophy that focuses on creating a safe and nurturing environment where children can learn and grow. She believes that toddlers learn best through hands-on experiences and positive interactions with their peers and caregivers. She strives to create a classroom environment that encourages exploration, imagination, and curiosity. When she is not teaching, she enjoys being active, either hiking or going to the gym. She loves exploring San Francisco and her all time favorite past-time is going to the movies and eating popcorn!

Fia has been working with children her whole life. Born into a large extended family, she would watch over her many younger cousins. From that experience, her interest in early childhood education bloomed. In addition to watching the younger members of her family, Fia volunteered with two local churches for 7 years to help with childcare and education. Currently, Fia is finishing her Associate’s degree in early childhood education and plans to transfer to SF State to continue her education in pursuit of her bachelor’s degree. As a teacher and as a student of life, Fia believes in always trying to improve herself. She believes that education should be fun to develop a life long love of learning. She also believes that the classroom should be a safe, welcoming place where young minds are encouraged to grow. Fia believes that every person, not matter their age, should be treated with respect and empathy. When she is not working, Fia loves to cook her grandmother’s old recipes. She also loves to write, sing and crochet in her free time.

Alba traces her joy for teaching back to her own childhood. Her mother worked as a prenatal health educator and she would volunteer at clinics as a young girl. Engaging with women and children from all backgrounds Alba quickly grew fond of being a part of growing and nurturing a community. Her experience working with families taught her the importance of teamwork and inclusiveness. As a teacher, Alba carries those values into her own classrooms. In 2016, Alba began teaching at Tiny Tot preschool in Sacramento, and then at Kirkham Child Development center in San Francisco starting in 2018. The classroom setting has helped Alba create flexibility around working with a wide variety of temperaments and learning styles, from parents and children alike! Alba is always in touch with her inner child, eager and always curious!

As the eldest of four children and the daughter of an early childhood educator, Charlotte comes to Sweet Peas with a wide variety of both personal and professional experience working with children. She spent several years as an educator at a natural science summer camp in Big Sur and last year served as an Extended Day teacher for kindergarteners at the San Francisco Friends School. Charlotte has worked with children and young adults with special needs at a supported living service and has a heart for making education and learning accessible and equitable. She studied International Relations at UC Davis and is currently obtaining early childhood education credits at CCSF. She’s interested in how the experiences people have early in life impact how they engage in the world and she’s honored to play a role in children’s formative early years. She loves to see the wonder and delight children get from imaginary and sensory play and facilitating a child’s growth and learning through play brings her great joy. In her free time, Charlotte enjoys hiking, reading, backpacking, exploring the city, and taking her corgi to the dog park.

Esme discovered her passion for working with children when she started babysitting at age twelve. She went on to pursue childcare in her work as a camp counselor, nanny, youth group leader, and preschool assistant as she developed her joy for understanding how to support children in their growth in the world. Graduating from Chico State with a BA in Sociology and Multicultural Gender Studies, Esme decided to return to her work in childcare as an infant toddler teacher at Sweet Peas Preschool, while taking Early Childhood Development courses at City College of San Francisco. She is passionate about cultivating creative spaces in the classroom for children to freely explore and discover about the world. She believes in treating all children with respect, care, and confidence, and keeps a playful energy to her educational work. In her free time, Esme enjoys hunting for antiques, cooking, going for walks, and watching movies.

Emory joined Sweet Peas Too in 2022 with over 5 years experience as a qualified Early Childhood Educator in various programs around the Bay Area. Prior to her work in Early Childhood Education, she enjoyed 3 years as an Ice Skating Coach as well!  Emory has enjoyed furthering her knowledge around working with children by taking ECE classes and is a mother of two young children. Emory truly enjoys working with children and loves to help them to build a positive image of themselves in a safe and nurturing environment.

Jennifer raised all three of her children and loved seeing each of them develop into their own unique selves. Helping them become independent and confident was a joy and it drew her toward her path as a teacher. She now has two beautiful grandchildren that continue to inspire her love of children. She is a dedicated, passionate, fun, loving, caring, and energetic person who simply loves being with children, engaging with them during art, crafting, dancing, or listening to music or playing educational games! She believes that every child is a unique human with wonderful potential. Jennifer is currently taking Early Childhood Education courses in order to further her career in a field which she loves and has a passion for. Her ultimate goal is to help children grow, develop and reach their highest potential. During her free time, Jennifer loves to spend time with her family and friends and all her beloved pets. She loves crafting, comedy shows, concerts, museums and travel.