LePort Montessori

Ida was born in California but raised in Nebraska. She found her way back to the Golden State through an opportunity to serve two families as a nanny. Throughout her education, she balanced her studies with roles at a daycare and as a swim instructor, where she discovered her passion for teaching. It paved the way to pursue a degree in Early Childhood Education at Peru State College,​ and she now continues her education at Cerritos College. In her free time, she likes exploring new coffee shops throughout the city and taking indoor cycling classes! Ida is excited to be a part of this program and says there’s nothing more rewarding than being a part of a child’s early success!

Lisa Aguilera holds a B.A. in Child Development and Family Studies from California State University, Long Beach, earned in 2013. She received her AMI Assistants to Infancy diploma in 2016 from The Montessori Institute in Denver, Colorado, earned her Masters in Montessori Education from Loyola University, Maryland in 2018.

Lisa began her journey with LePort Montessori in 2013 as an Assistant Teacher in a toddler classroom. Just a year later, she opened her own classroom and spent seven years as a devoted and nurturing Head Toddler Teacher. In January 2021, she stepped into school leadership, first as Education Director and now proudly serves as Head of School.

Over the years, Ms. Lisa has worked collaboratively with parents and her colleagues to create an optimal learning environment for young children both at school and at home. She views bridging the gap between home and school as a pivotal step in a child’s growth and enjoys parent education just as much as guiding young children.

Lisa brings warmth, experience, and a deep commitment to supporting both children and their families. Outside the classroom, she enjoys visiting local coffee shops, staying active, and spending quality time with her husband and their three young children.

Ms. Rocio was born and raised in Mexico. She attended Santa Ana Community College, where she studied child development. Throughout her life she has always been interested in working with children. Ms. Rocio previously worked as a teacher’s assistant at Lutheran preschool. She has also worked as a caregiver for many years. In her free time, Ms. Rocio loves spending time with her family and going on walks with her dog Bella.

Ms. Andrea was born and raised in Orange County, California. She started working in childcare at a young age and has volunteered at many childcare centers and Elementary Schools in Irvine, California. Ms. Andrea received her Associate of Science Degree in Infants and Toddlers and a Certificate of Proficiency in Early Childhood Assistant Teacher at Irvine Valley College. In 2021, Ms. Andrea completed her AMI (0-3) Orientation at The Montessori Training Center Northeast. In 2025, Ms. Andrea completed her AMI Assistants to Infancy (0-3) training at Montessori Stoppani Institute.

During her free time, Ms. Andrea loves to spend time with family, listen to music, paint, and travel around the world!

Ms. Khaliun was born and raised in Mongolia and moved to California in 2013. She earned her Master’s degree in Child Development from California State University, Los Angeles. Before entering the preschool setting, Ms. Khaliun worked as a behavior technician supporting children on the autism spectrum, which strengthened her understanding of individualized learning and development.

Ms. Khaliun likes to learn about Montessori philosophy, especially its focus on independence and hands-on exploration. In her free time, she loves hiking, cooking, and spending quality time with her two sons.

Ms. Abi was born in East Los Angeles and was raised in Santa Ana. She is currently attending California State University and is working towards her degree in Chicano Studies, where she is taking Child and Adolescent classes. Ms. Abi is excited to be part of the LePort team and can’t wait to grow with each student. In her free time, Ms. Abi likes to listen to music and hang out with her two dogs Spots and Stuart.

Ms. Juliette Castelar holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology from UC Irvine, a Master’s in Montessori Education from Loyola University Maryland, and AMI Diplomas in both Assistants to Infancy (0–3) and Primary (3–6) from The Montessori Institute of San Diego and has also completed the core courses for a Master’s in Business Administration.

She brings over eight years of teaching experience—mentored by Dr. Silvia Dubovoy and serving as a Toddler Head Teacher and Primary Teacher. Ms. Juliette then transitioned into administration, serving as Academic Coordinator at The Philippine Montessori Center, where she supported the Head of School, Director of Administration, and teaching staff.

Originally from the Philippines and now a Southern California resident for over 20 years, Ms. Juliette has a great passion for working with children as she is drawn to their capacity for learning at the infancy and primary stages. With the use of Dr. Maria Montessori’s philosophies of a prepared environment, children can learn to be confident and independent and build a strong foundation for their development.

In her free time, she enjoys weight training, trying new restaurants and traveling to new places. Ms. Juliette is approachable and is committed to building strong relationships with children, parents, teachers, and the school community.

Mrs. Marilyn D’lima was born and raised in India. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from St. Andrews College Mumbai and worked with an insurance firm for a couple of years. She later developed a passion for working with children, so she pursued and obtained a Diploma in Early Childhood Care from Podar Institute of Education in Mumbai. Before joining LePort, she worked as a Lead Teacher and Assistant Teacher in India and Dubai. She moved to California in 2023 and lives with her 2 daughters and husband. In her free time, she likes to cook, listen to music and go on long walks.

Ms. Natalie was born in Whittier, California and raised in La Habra, California. She has studied Child development at Irvine Valley College. Ms. Natalie always knew that she would work in a field that involves child development. She wants to be a good role model for children and lead them in the right direction. As she grew older, she realized how much of a positive impact a teacher can have in someone’s life. In her free time she loves to spend time with her friends and family, and enjoys visiting new places and trying different kinds of food.

Ms. Norma Gamez comes from the medical field where she worked as a medical assistant for over six years. Wanting to work with children, Norma earned her Early Childhood Education units from North Orange County Community College and worked at a family childcare home with children ranging from infants to school-age before joining LePort. Mrs. Gamez has since received her AMI Montessori Infant and Toddler Diploma from the Montessori Institute of San Diego. Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Gamez enjoys spending time with her family.

Ms. Laila grew up in Santa Ana and is pursuing her degree in Child Development at Santiago Canyon College. She has always enjoyed working with children and is excited to work in a classroom setting where she can see each child develop. Ms. Laila considers herself a family person as she has one older and younger brother and enjoys spending time with family. In her free time, she loves going to the beach and hiking.

Ms. Rupashree Goswami (Rupa) was born and raised in India. She received her Masters degree from University of Calcutta, India in Psychology with special emphasis on child development. Before coming to United States in the year 2000, she worked several years as a counselor and primary school teacher in India. She completed her early childhood education units from Irvine Valley college, Irvine. She lives in Irvine with her husband and 2 sons. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Rupa loves to cook, travel, watch movies and spend time with her own kids and other children.

Ms. Nallely graduated from California State University, Fullerton in 2018 with her Bachelor’s in Psychology. Ms. Nallely began her journey at LePort Montessori in 2016 as an Assistant Teacher at our Fountain Valley campus. She worked there for 2 years before transferring to our Westpark Campus. In 2021, she completed a Montessori Orientation Course for Assistants to Infancy at The Montessori Training Center Northeast. Ms. Nallely is completing her AMI Assistants to Infancy training at Montessori Stoppani Institute. Originally from Michoacán Mexico, Ms. Nallely has been living in Southern California for many years. Ms. Nallely loves to work with children, and takes pride in continuing to prepare herself to help the children to grow and learn not only in education, but in life. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading, and traveling to new places. Ms. Nallely is a very friendly, kind person that always loves to help others.

Ms. Monse was born and raised in Santa Ana. She attended the University of California, Riverside, where she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics for Teaching. Ms. Monse has always been interested in working with children and began her teaching career at the early age of 17, working with elementary and middle school. During her free time, Ms. Monse enjoys spending time with her family and building Legos with her younger sibling.