Meet the Team
Dedicated & Certified
Kristi Gaffney
Director
Hello! My name is Kristi and I am the Director at Lily Pads. I have been working in childcare since 2015. I love working with children because they are our future and if I can have a positive impact on a child in any way that is an awesome feeling!
In my free time I like to spend my time with my husband of 20 years Vic and our 3 children Colton, Rylee, and Peyton. We love to travel to the coast and are often traveling to sporting events for our children who are all multiple sport athletes. We also love antiquing and working in our yard.
Jamie Foster
Infant Teacher
Hi my name is Jamie, I have been working for Nicole for about 7 years now. I absolutely love working with children and laughing and growing with them everyday. Not only am I able to teach them , they can also teach us as well. In my spare time , I love to spend time with my 2 boys. I take them on many adventures, like camping , the beach , water parks , trips to other states. I also like to bake , and decorate cakes , in my spare time . I am very crafty.
Frances Boyette
Infant Teacher
Hello I am Frances. I have always been involved with education. I have taught across the spectrum. Fifteen years ago I found babies. I take care of them and in return they fulfill me. I am a mother and a grandmother. In my free time I enjoy sewing, gardening and painting.
Tiana Yarbrough
Infant Teacher
Hello!! My name is Tiana, I am a Infant teacher here at Lily Pads. What I love about working here is seeing all the different personalities of the kids that walk into the classroom every day. It’s always been fun and rewarding watching them grow to be independent. I recently became a new mom to a son who is the light of my life and I’m a aunt to 4 nephews and 4 nieces who brings me joy every time they’re around. In my spare time I enjoy hanging with family, Doing crafty projects or going out on adventures. I’m very excited to be your kids teacher here at Seeds!
Nervan "Gail" Charelston
Head Teacher
Hello!! My name is Gail, I am a Wobbler teacher here at Lily Pads. I am a mother of 2 son's and a grandmother of 7. I am a very family orientated person I love spending time with family and friends. I love working with the children and watching their little minds expand. Seeing the growth in the children really brightens my day and fills my heart with joy!
Elvia Martinez
Wobbler Teacher
Hello my name is Elvia Martinez and I have 4 wonderful kids and they are 18 ,15,11,and 3 years old. I love my kids very much. I love making new memories together! We love to explore new things and make new friends. We love to spend time together, especially playing basketball. I’ve been working with kids since 2018. I worked at my child's school for their after school program. At the school, the kids loved me very much. Sometimes they would call me mom and they always greeted me with such joy when they saw me. I always have a smile on my face no matter what because I always tell myself that there are no bad days and always stay positive and happy. Now I work here at Lily Pads! I Love this job very much but most of all I love the kids here. I'm always happy to see them and they are also happy to see me as well. I get along very well with kids and the job is very rewarding.
Mariah Adamson
Head Teacher
Hi I’m Mariah, I’m 30 years young with 4 children. Two girls and two boys ages ranging from 14-2 years old. In my free time (very rare lol) I enjoy camping with my kiddos or just being lazy at home. Really anything that involves my kids makes me happy. I enjoy working with children because they keep me on my toes reminding me how amazing and exciting the world can be! Every child is different, and what I love is that I get to help each child discover their talents/strengths and nurture those traits through my educational approach.
Elizabeth Staatz
Cook
Hi my name is Liz, I enjoy working with kids, watching them learn and grow. The little smiles on their faces. watching their imagination take flight. Working with children keeps me youthful.
In my spare time, I love spending time with My husband, my son and my daughter. I enjoy camping, and fishing. Reading a good book. I love watching cooking shows, and learning new things to do with food. I love crafting, and being creative.
Ashley Staats
Infant Teacher
Hi my name is Ashley, I love working with children because I get to have a positive impact on their lives, build relationships with them and watch each child grow and develop and learn new things every day!
In our free time my boyfriend and I like to spend time with our dog in the outdoors doing thongs like camping, boating and snow wheeling in his jeep.
Toni Yarbrough
Toddler Teacher
Hi my name is Toni and I am a Toddler teacher. I have lots of years of experience working with children ranging from infants to 6th grade. I love watching them learn and grow into the little individuals that they are. I have a little boy of my own that’s so full of energy! In my free time I like to try new food places, travel, try new activities, and unwind with family and friends.
Natasha Knapp
Preschool Teacher
Hello Lily Pads families! My name is Natasha and I am a Preschool teacher. I started working in child care since 2019, and that’s when I fell in love working with children. Helping children learn and watch them grow up to be strong and independent is everything to me. Experiencing there change in personality when arriving from wobblers to toddlers is a memory!
Outside of my Teacher life I love to run and go hiking. My favorite activity is spending time with my fur babies and my nieces and nephews. There is never a dull moment of being an auntie!