Meet our Teachers
Kristen Tonda
Director of Kinder Village
Education:
Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis on pre-primary education from Minnesota State, Mankato.
Experience:
-
10 years experience in early childhood.
-
Two years elementary experience.
-
11 years working as a CNA in nursing home and assisted living.
Fun Facts:
-
Three daughters: Natalie, Charlotte, Macy
-
is powered by coffee and chaos!
Ihya Toure
Assistant Director and Older Infant Teacher
Education: Bachelors of Science degree in Family Social Science from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
Experience:
-
six years at Kinder Village
-
two years working as a part-time social worker
-
volunteer experience: U of MN Masoic Children's Hospital, People Serving People, YMCA literacy mentor
Fun Facts:
-
French is my 1st Language!
-
I love everything banana flavored.
Kayla Urbano
Toddler Teacher
Education:
Degree in Individualized Studies, where I combined my skills of Graphic Design with Early Childhood.
Experience:
-
4.5 years at Kinder Village
-
As long as I can remember, I have worked with children in some form. I began as a helper in my mom’s family child care center. I eventually became her assistant teacher.
-
I have also taught church school, assisted with bible camps, and have been the nursery coordinator since 2014.
Olivia Callaway
Young Infant Teacher
Meet our Teachers
Kristen Tonda
Director of Kinder Village
Education:
Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis on pre-primary education from Minnesota State, Mankato.
Experience:
-
10 years experience in early childhood.
-
Two years elementary experience.
-
11 years working as a CNA in nursing home and assisted living.
Fun Facts:
-
Three daughters: Natalie, Charlotte, Macy
-
is powered by coffee and chaos!
Ihya Toure
Assistant Director and Older Infant Teacher
Education: Bachelors of Science degree in Family Social Science from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
Experience:
-
six years at Kinder Village
-
two years working as a part-time social worker
-
volunteer experience: U of MN Masoic Children's Hospital, People Serving People, YMCA literacy mentor
Fun Facts:
-
French is my 1st Language!
-
I love everything banana flavored.
Kayla Urbano
Toddler Teacher
Education:
Degree in Individualized Studies, where I combined my skills of Graphic Design with Early Childhood.
Experience:
-
4.5 years at Kinder Village
-
As long as I can remember, I have worked with children in some form. I began as a helper in my mom’s family child care center. I eventually became her assistant teacher.
-
I have also taught church school, assisted with bible camps, and have been the nursery coordinator since 2014.
Meet our Teachers
Kristen Tonda
Director of Kinder Village
Education:
Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis on pre-primary education from Minnesota State, Mankato.
Experience:
-
10 years experience in early childhood.
-
Two years elementary experience.
-
11 years working as a CNA in nursing home and assisted living.
Fun Facts:
-
Three daughters: Natalie, Charlotte, Macy
-
is powered by coffee and chaos!
Ihya Toure
Assistant Director and Older Infant Teacher
Education: Bachelors of Science degree in Family Social Science from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
Experience:
-
six years at Kinder Village
-
two years working as a part-time social worker
-
volunteer experience: U of MN Masoic Children's Hospital, People Serving People, YMCA literacy mentor
Fun Facts:
-
French is my 1st Language!
-
I love everything banana flavored.
Kayla Urbano
Toddler Teacher
Education:
Degree in Individualized Studies, where I combined my skills of Graphic Design with Early Childhood.
Experience:
-
4.5 years at Kinder Village
-
As long as I can remember, I have worked with children in some form. I began as a helper in my mom’s family child care center. I eventually became her assistant teacher.
-
I have also taught church school, assisted with bible camps, and have been the nursery coordinator since 2014.
Olivia Callaway
Young Infant Teacher
Kristen Tonda
Director of Kinder Village
Education:
Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis on pre-primary education from Minnesota State, Mankato.
Experience:
-
10 years experience in early childhood.
-
Two years elementary experience.
-
11 years working as a CNA in nursing home and assisted living.
Fun Facts:
-
Three daughters: Natalie, Charlotte, Macy
-
is powered by coffee and chaos!
Ihya Toure
Assistant Director and Older Infant Teacher
Education: Bachelors of Science degree in Family Social Science from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
Experience:
-
six years at Kinder Village
-
two years working as a part-time social worker
-
volunteer experience: U of MN Masoic Children's Hospital, People Serving People, YMCA literacy mentor
Fun Facts:
-
French is my 1st Language!
-
I love everything banana flavored.
Kayla Urbano
Toddler Teacher
Education:
Degree in Individualized Studies, where I combined my skills of Graphic Design with Early Childhood.
Experience:
-
4.5 years at Kinder Village
-
As long as I can remember, I have worked with children in some form. I began as a helper in my mom’s family child care center. I eventually became her assistant teacher.
-
I have also taught church school, assisted with bible camps, and have been the nursery coordinator since 2014.
Kristen Tonda
Director of Kinder Village
Education:
Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis on pre-primary education from Minnesota State, Mankato.
Experience:
-
10 years experience in early childhood.
-
2 years elementary experience.
-
11 years working as a CNA in nursing home and assisted living.
Fun Facts:
-
Three daughters: Natalie, Charlotte, Macy
-
I'm powered by coffee and chaos!
Kayla Urbano
Toddler Teacher- Downstairs Assistant Director
Education:
Degree in Individualized Studies, where I combined my skills of Graphic Design with Early Childhood from Metro State University.
Experience:
-
4.5 years at Kinder Village
-
As long as I can remember, I have worked with children in some form. I began as a helper in my mom’s family child care center. I eventually became her assistant teacher.
-
I have also taught church school, assisted with bible camps, and have been the nursery coordinator since 2014.
Fun Facts:
-
I love anything Disney and Superheroes!
-
I love being a toddler teacher.
-
I enjoy reading books.
Ihya Toure
Young Infant Teacher
Education: Bachelors of Science degree in Family Social Science from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
Experience:
-
6 years at Kinder Village
-
2 years working as a part-time social worker
-
volunteer experience: U of MN Masoic Children's Hospital, People Serving People, YMCA literacy mentor
Fun Facts:
-
French is my 1st Language!
-
I love everything banana flavored.
Asia Owens
Young Preschool Teacher- Upstairs Assitant Director
Education:
Early Childhood Education major at Northwestern, MN.
Experience:
-
9 years experience in early childhood
-
10 years experience coaching soccer
Fun Facts:
-
Proud dog mom!
-
Played soccer in college.
-
I love caffeine and sweets!
Jennie Torres
Preschool Teacher
Education:
Working on completing her CDA
Experience:
-
2.5 years at Kinder Village
-
2 additional years of early childhood experience
Fun Facts:
-
Bilingual in Spanish and English and currently learning French
-
I love to collect coffee mugs from places I've visited
-
I am a plant enthusiast!
Mark Magnuson
Young Preschool Assistant Teacher
Education:
Currently working on his CDA
Experience:
-
1 year early childhood experience
-
youth hockey coach
-
children's book illustrator
Fun Facts:
-
I love anything and everything hockey!
-
I enjoy buying and collecting records and vinyls
Hannah Utke
Preschool Teacher
Education:
Currently attending St. Paul college pursing an associates of science in public health.
Experience:
-
3 years experience in early childhood
-
1 year as a general ed. paraprofessional in an elementary school
Fun Facts:
-
I like football
-
I was a competitive dancer for 13 years
-
I am afraid of gorillas