School Administrators
Michelle Rivera
Vice President of Education
Michelle Rivera
Vice President of Education
- What do you love most about Brighton Center?
- I love how we serve children of all abilities and help support families. I am honored to be called to serve the community and help level the playing field for all children.
- What keeps you motivated?
- I am motivated everyday as I see children learning. Their eyes light up and to see the wonder in their faces is a privilege to be a part of each day. Children of all abilities have the capacity for great achievement. Their brains are growing, learning, and adapting at a rate we as adults can only dream of! They are stretching and reaching goals, they are working so hard to accomplish their tasks and they do this with everlasting JOY. Children’s work is play and I enjoy watching children discover, study, and develop in this supportive environment designed just for them!
- Which of Brighton's Core Values would others say you embody the most?
- Strive for Greatness speaks most directly to my heart. I aspire to not only support our Mission and Vision, but to honor the Mission and Vision of Brighton with excellence in my day-to-day work. I also seek ways to encourage and support each staff member on their own journey to strive for greatness. Greatness is not only about accomplishing the big goals, but also about being mindful of the small tasks which lead us to amazing accomplishments.
- What is one thing you can't live without (besides family/friends)?
- I really love my coffee and travel. Life would certainly be dull without travel and good coffee. I love the adventure of traveling with my family to new places and to our beloved regular vacation spots. Coffee is an essential part of my morning, okay – its part of my entire day!
- What ONE word describes Brighton's impact?
- Powerful! Brighton’s impact is powerful to each individual child, to families and in our community. How will we grow this powerful impact in the years to come? I grateful to be a part of answering this question.
Carolyn Rodriguez
ECE Site Director
Carolyn Rodriguez
ECE Site Director
- What is your position at Brighton Center and how long have you worked for Brighton?
- I am the ECE director at Lullwood but have been blessed to work at Brighton for the last 12 years as an early intervention specialist.
- What is one of the fondest memories you have while working with preschool aged children?
- One of my fondest memories while working with a family was when I was working with a child with a medical diagnosis and his mother was a high school student. Her level of commitment and dedication was amazing. She was so involved and asked questions and was willing to try anything new to help her child achieve his goals. I was his Early Intervention Specialist for almost 3 years and it was heartwarming and incredible to see the progress he made throughout the years. He was a baby when he was enrolled so mom and I shared in his growth, development and progress. From sitting on his own, to crawling, and eventually walking was exciting. Mom graduated high school and I was so proud of her to accomplish this wile spending all of her time caring for her child. She kept all of our visits and was always working on his overall development to make sure he was successful.
- What is the best part of your job?
- The BEST part of my job is supporting, coaching and teaching the parents. Also seeing their progress and how hard they work to show me what they have done to help their child and the progress their child has made. It's wonderful to see the parent's become successful and so appreciative.
- What do you love most about working with children and their families?
- What I love the most about working with children and their families is sharing in the progress. I love learning from the families and experiencing the positive impact and successes that we share.
- What inspires you?
- Educating and supporting families and providing them with the information and education that they may not have ever found or known is what inspires me to go to work each day.
- What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
- In Junior High and High School, I was in the school marching band and played the alto/bass clarinet.
- You must sing karaoke, what song do you pick?
- "Happy" by Pharrell Williams
- Create a hashtag to describe Brighton.
- #CommittedToSucceed
Jose Jimenez
ECE Site Director
Jose Jimenez
ECE Site Director
- What is your position at Brighton Center and how long have you worked for Brighton?
- I am the director at Brighton Preschool and I have been at Brighton Since the summer of 2022.
- What is one of the fondest memories you have while working with preschool aged children?
- One of the fondest memories of course is how much fun preschoolers have throughout the day at school. Somehow they know that learning occurs through play and hands on. It is amazing at how much they learn on a daily basis. Every preschooler is a special person. So my fondest memory is not a specific student but all of the preschoolers that come to us and somehow enrich our lives as people and professionals.
- What is the best part of your job?
- The best part of my job is being able to go into every classroom and actually make a connection with many students on a daily basis.
- What do you love most about working with children and their families?
- I love being able to work with families as a team. Working as a team with parents provides us the opportunity to place children in a safe and nurturing environment in which they will flourish with a little love and understanding of their needs.
- What inspires you?
- I love working with children. Their playfulness, their curiosity and their eagerness to learn inspires me to come to work.
- What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
- I love reading and collecting comic books. I have a collection of over 2800 comic books.
- You must sing karaoke, what song do you pick?
- I would try to sing any Eagles song such as Hotel California.
- Create a hashtag to describe Brighton.
- #Brightoninclusive
Jessica Garcia
ECE Assistant Director I
Jessica Garcia
ECE Assistant Director I
- How long have you been working with preschool aged children?
- I have worked with children for about 25 years and have been at Brighton for 12 years.
- What is one of the fondest memories you have while working with preschool aged children?
- All of the memories of walking into the classroom and the children being so excited to see me.
- What is the best part of your job?
- The children.
- What do you love most about teaching and working with young children?
- I love seeing the success' of the children.
- What inspires you?
- My work family inspires me every day.
- What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
- That I like to watch horror movies.
- If you had to create a hashtag to describe Brighton, what would it be?
- #BrightonFamily
Odessa Montano
ECE Curriculum & Classroom Coordinator
Odessa Montano
ECE Curriculum & Classroom Coordinator
- How long have you been working with preschool aged children?
- I have worked with preschool aged children for 11 years.
- What is the one of the fondest memories you have while working with preschool aged children?
- My fondest memories working with children is getting to see them walk for the first time. I get to share the excitement along with parents and it is such a great feeling.
- What is the best part of your job?
- That is the best part of my job, getting to see each child hit their milestones.
- What do you love most about teaching and working with young children?
- I love working with young children because they always make my day so much better.
- What inspires you?
- My daughter inspires me. When I'm in my class with my kiddos, I always think about how I would like my daughters teachers to love on her so I do that for my kids.
- What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
- Something people would be surprised to know about me is that I love to dance.
- If you had to create a hashtag to describe Brighton, what would it be?
- #family
KK Bossaller
ECE Curriculum & Classroom Coordinator
KK Bossaller
ECE Curriculum & Classroom Coordinator
- How long have you been working with preschool aged children?
- I am an early intervention specialist and I have been with Brighton for almost 13 years.
- What is the one of the fondest memories you have while working with preschool aged children?
- There are so many! But there is one memory of seeing the progress of a little guy after brain surgery learning how to walk and talk again. He was such a fighter.
- What is the best part of your job?
- Observing all of the "baby steps".
- What do you love most about teaching and working with young children?
- It's truly the smiles in the parent's eyes when their child makes progress. And the text messages that parents send when they hear words or videos of their child's first steps. I love when parent's share their joy with me. To share in the joy of the family's we serve is the best.
- What inspires you?
- Parent's who are willing to do anything for their children's success. Watching parent's who are living on limited sleep while changing doctors and changing hospitals and continuing to have faith in their child.
- What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
- My first name is Mary and I have been called KK since I was a few months old.
- If you had to create a hashtag to describe Brighton, what would it be?
- #DontStopBelieving
Monica Watson
Cook - Higgins Campus
Monica Watson
Cook - Higgins Campus
- How long have you been working with preschool aged children?
- I have been working with preschool aged children for 4 1/2 years.
- What is the one of the fondest memories you have while working with preschool aged children?
- One of my fondest memories of working with preschool aged children happened when a child walked up to me and said that I was a good cooker.
- What is the best part of your job?
- The best part of my job is knowing that I have the opportunity to introduce new foods to the children. I like the fact that I get to influence a child's life from the inside.
- What do you love most about teaching and working with young children?
- I like the fact that I get to influence a child's life from the inside. Sometimes having a full tummy can brighten up the day.
- What inspires you?
- I'm inspired by the Word of God to always give my best, even when I don't think that I can complete a task.
- What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
- People would be surprised to know that I camped out at Alaska Zoo in the winter time.
- If you had to create a hashtag to describe Brighton, what would it be?
- #nevergiveup
Diana Tello
Cook - Lullwood Campus
Diana Tello
Cook - Lullwood Campus
- What is your position at Brighton Center and how long have you worked for Brighton?
- I am the cook at Lullwood since June 2022
- What is the one of the fondest memories you have while working with preschool aged children?
- Love to see the kids play outside and enjoy playing with water.
- What is the best part of your job?
- The best part of my job is that I enjoy cooking for the kids.
- What inspires you?
- achievement, or accomplishment, and learning and development, a great work culture.
- What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
- I never say no, if they need me.
- You must sing karaoke, what song do you pick?
- Purple Rain
- If you had to create a hashtag to describe Brighton, what would it be?
- #Brightonlove
Rachel Perez
ECE Curriculum & Classroom Coordinator
Rachel Perez
ECE Curriculum & Classroom Coordinator
- How long have you been working with preschool aged children?
- I have been at Brighton for 8 years.
- What is the one of the fondest memories you have while working with preschool aged children?
- The many hugs from the children when coming back from vacation.
- What is the best part of your job?
- The hugs from the little ones!
- What do you love most about teaching and working with young children?
- The fun and joy in witnessing milestones being accomplished throughout the year.
- What inspires you?
- What inspires me is the passion and love for children's development and setting a foundation for them.
- What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
- I love to sing randomly and make up silly songs.
- If you had to create a hashtag to describe Brighton, what would it be?
- #PassionAndLoveForKiddos
Jena Soto
ECE Curriculum & Classroom Coordinator
Jena Soto
ECE Curriculum & Classroom Coordinator
- How long have you been working with preschool aged children?
- I began working with children in 2007 when I started after school care with the YMCA and later transferred to their childcare center. I worked there until 2014 when I made my move to Brighton center and have been here ever since.
- What is the one of the fondest memories you have while working with preschool aged children?
- The fondest memories I have are seeing the children develop in my class. Having a child with no words to start having 10-15 words when they leave my classroom or a non-mobile child go from sitting, crawling or even walking!
- What is the best part of your job?
- Watching each child meet their milestones and knowing that I had a part in that.
- What do you love most about teaching and working with young children?
- Each day is unique! My day can be turned around from a simple hug or smile from my kids.
- What inspires you?
- Each day is unique! My day can be turned around from a simple hug or smile from my kids.
- What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
- My son attended ECE Brighton in 2007 while receiving ECI services, while being diagnosed with high functioning autism. He is now in mainstream high school, receiving straight A's and is doing awesome! I credit ECI for where he is today!
- If you had to create a hashtag to describe Brighton, what would it be?
- #Awesome
“Brighton offers families hope, caring, understanding, education and every bit of it is 100% from their hearts. Our daughter has benefited from ALL of the services that Brighton has to offer. They have become like another family to us and they will always be a part of our lives.“
