Rachel is a longtime Alaya teacher, beginning her time at Alaya in 2000, while she was a student at Naropa in the Early Childhood Education program. She later completed a master’s degree in Contemplative Education.

Working with families and children and creating environments and holding space that nurtures children’s curiosity, creativity, and inner strength is her joy and her passion. She lives in Boulder with her husband Brian and daughter Wini. She enjoys traveling, camping, and exploring the hot springs of the west. At home, Rachel enjoys cooking, gardening, crafting, and anything that involves using power tools!

Kaitlyn has been working in the Early Education field for 8 years. She started her journey as an Assistant Teacher at Timberline Learning Center in Breckenridge, CO where she eventually was promoted into a Lead Teacher role. Falling in love with the field and with the desire to grow, she found herself as the Assistant Director of a center in Lakewood. By getting her early education roots in a school that practiced the Reggio Emilia philosophy, she was excited to join Alaya and dive into their Contemplative education style. She is currently in the process of getting her Masters in Early Childhood Education from the University of Colorado Denver.

Originally from New York, Kaitlyn moved to Colorado for the mountains. She is an avid skier, hiker and biker. She spends most of her time off enjoying the great outdoors with her partner, Patrick, and their baby Sofia.

Amy taught preschool throughout her twenties, and was a teacher at Alaya in 2003-2006. She earned her Master’s degree at Naropa in 2004, in Environmental Leadership and Contemplative Education. Amy took a break from teaching in the classroom after she had her first baby, and has spent the last 15 years focused on being a mom, homeschooling her two boys, studying herbalism and aromatherapy, and teaching an assortment of yoga classes. Her older son, Isaiah, was a Tiger at Alaya in 2011, and her younger son, Quinn, was a Garuda in 2015. In between, their family lived in Bath, Maine for four years, where they enjoyed spending time with her extended family on the east coast, and playing by the ocean.

At home in Longmont, Amy loves gardening, baking, books, arts and crafts, being outside, and snuggling with her cat and three dogs. She and her husband Joe love to hike, camp, and take the kids on road trips to explore the country. Amy is delighted to be teaching again at one of her favorite places, Alaya Preschool!

Sigridur Gudmundsdottir has been with Alaya since 2016. Everyone calls her Sigga. The mother of grown children, her ease and expertise with young children is immediately apparent. Her three children live in Iceland, Sweden, and France and her three grandchildren live in Iceland and Sweden.

A native of Iceland, she and her husband have lived in the United States since 2015. In Iceland, she taught children ages 6 to 15 years old in elementary and secondary schools. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the University of Iceland in 1977 and then continued her studies, first in Denmark and then in the United States.

Sigga has called Boulder home for the past 7 years. Shortly after arriving, she began meditating at the Shambhala Center where her instructor connected her to Alaya Preschool where she was very happy to start teaching again. 

Sigga loves to travel and has lived in Iceland, Denmark, England, New Hampshire, and Minnesota.  She is especially appreciative of the beauty that surrounds us here in Colorado. She also enjoys getting to know her surroundings and generally just loves life in all its beauty. To relax, Sigga also loves to read, knit and cook.

Hanna is a passionate nature enthusiast and outdoor educator who thrives on exploring the wonders of the natural world. With a deep love for bugs and a keen interest in sharing her knowledge, she dedicates her time to teaching others about the intricate beauty of nature. Hanna's engaging teaching style and infectious enthusiasm inspire her students to appreciate and protect the environment.

Hanna has been a caregiver for over 10 years and has been a teacher in preschools since 2020. Her experience in early childhood education has enriched her approach to teaching, allowing her to connect with young learners and foster a love of learning from an early age.

In addition to her love for the outdoors, Hanna enjoys engaging in crafts, collaging, and baking with her students. These activities provide a creative outlet and a fun way for students to learn and explore their imaginations.

Whether she's leading a nature walk, conducting hands-on studies, or sharing her favorite nature facts, Hanna brings a sense of wonder and excitement to every outdoor adventure. Her mission is to foster a deeper connection between people and nature, encouraging everyone to become stewards of the environment.

During the school breaks Hanna enjoys gathering with friends for potluck dinners, climbing, highlining, and aerial arts. She enjoys traveling and experiencing outdoor adventures with her partner and dog Rango.

Mikayla has the cheerful distinction of being both a graduate (Garuda Class of ’93) and a beloved teacher at Alaya, since 2006. Mikayla received her B.A. from The New School University in New York City, where she studied education and social justice. She specialized in working with refugee youth through the International Rescue Committee, which inspired her to write her thesis on disaster education in New Orleans and Haiti. Mikayla was raised in the Shambhala Buddhist community, which Alaya is associated with through our shared founder, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. As part of her Buddhist community, Mikayla has staffed many contemplative education programs both in the U.S. and abroad, including a role as both director and teacher of the international Aloka Childcare program in France. 

As a trained hip hop dancer, Mikayla can be found dancing in grocery store aisles, along sidewalks or most anywhere that music is playing. She enjoys photography - especially printing photos in a darkroom. She also loves painting, making jewelry, the occasional woodworking project and going to see live music. 

Lorna has taught at Alaya since 2016. Originally from the East Coast (CT and NYC) she has worked closely with young children for over 20 years. She has a profound love and respect for the importance of helping foster the growth of children in the community, with a focus on social emotional development. With extracurricular backgrounds in dance, poetry, theatre, and public speaking, she enjoys bringing these passions into the classroom, especially music and movement, and witnessing the children explore language and self expression.

Evina grew up in Southern California before returning to her home state of Colorado in 2023. She holds a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Early Childhood Development from Cal Poly Humboldt. With over 10 years of caregiving experience and two years in ABA, she brings a thoughtful, child-centered approach to supporting each child’s unique development.

Evina believes childhood is meant to be filled with wonder, muddy boots, curious questions, and meaningful connections—with ourselves, one another, and the natural world. She is passionate about nurturing independence, emotional awareness, self-help skills, and peaceful conflict resolution while honoring each child’s curiosity and individuality. She loves creating opportunities for children to connect with nature, express themselves creatively, and practice mindfulness while feeling safe, supported, and free to explore.

Outside the classroom, Evina can often be found dancing with friends, enjoying live music, spending time outdoors, or happily immersed in one of her many creative hobbies.

Addie was born and raised in Boulder and has 14 years of experience working with children in a variety of childcare and educational settings. She holds a degree in Environmental Conservation and Management with a minor in Sociology, as well as a certification in Regenerative Foods. Her background has shaped her deep appreciation for nature and her belief that children learn best through curiosity, hands on experiences, creativity, and meaningful relationships.

Addie is passionate about creating a classroom environment where children feel safe, supported, and encouraged to be their authentic selves. She loves giving children opportunities to explore the natural world, express themselves through art and creativity, develop independence, and learn through play. She believes in honoring each child’s individual personality, interests, and pace while helping them build confidence and a lifelong love of learning.

Outside of the classroom, Addie loves making art, playing guitar, spending time outside, skiing, and doing yoga. She especially enjoys being in nature and finding opportunities for adventure and creativity. At home, she loves spending time with her two cats, Oliver and Einstein. She is excited to be part of the Alaya community and to have the opportunity to learn and grow alongside the children she works with.

Quinn is a 22-year-old early childhood educator who believes learning is most meaningful when children are free to explore, ask questions, and connect with the world around them. She loves creating hands-on experiences that spark curiosity, incorporate movement, and help children build confidence through play, adventure, and time spent in nature. Quinn is passionate about meeting each child where they are, recognizing their unique strengths, and building meaningful relationships that help every child feel safe, supported, and valued.

Originally from Upstate New York, Quinn recently graduated from the University of New England in Maine with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Special Education. Growing up near the Adirondack Mountains and attending college on the coast of Maine inspired her love for the outdoors and strengthened her belief that nature is one of the best places for children to learn and grow. With more than six years of experience working with children—including as a gymnastics coach and in a variety of childcare settings—she enjoys encouraging confidence, creativity, and joyful movement while helping children develop new skills. 

Outside of the classroom, Quinn enjoys hiking in the mountains, seeing live music, swimming, practicing yoga, traveling, and photography. She is excited to join the Alaya Preschool community and is grateful for the opportunity to support children as they learn, grow, and discover who they are. 

Brooke is a teacher at Alaya, where she has taught since moving to Colorado in 2009. She has been an educator for 25 years, mostly in preschool settings including 10 years at schools serving children who need extra support. Brooke holds a B.S. in Early Childhood Education (E.C. Ed.) and is completing coursework toward her Master's in E.C. Ed. Contemplative Movement and Insight Meditation are Brooke's main contemplative practices.  

When school is not in session, Brooke can often be found on a mountain trail. She also has 3 grown children and a life-partner to spend treasured time with.

Christina is a born and raised Coloradan, growing up in the beautiful city of Arvada. In 2010 she started working with children, later transitioning to teaching preschool. She received her Associate's degree, as well as her Director Certification in Early Childhood Education and graduated in 2025 from Naropa University with her Bachelor’s in Contemplative Psychology. 

Christina loves and respects the uniqueness, energy, curiosity, emotion, and brilliance that each child has to offer, all while creating a safe space for them to express and flourish in. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, gardening, and exploring coffee shops with her partner and their rescue dog, Winnie. Christina is honored to be joining the Alaya Preschool team and is looking forward to the memories the year will bring.

Sara Benson was a teacher in the Boulder Valley School District for 30 years and has been retired for 2 years. Sara taught at the Boulder Community School of Integrated Studies (BCSIS) for her teaching career. Sara began at BCSIS as the Special Education teacher for children in grades K-5. She taught and addressed the needs of students that had a wide range of academic, physical and emotional needs. About 10 years into her career at BCSIS, Sara moved into the role of Literacy Specialist, and instructed students who struggled with reading and writing. Alongside her role as the reading specialist, Sara taught Physical Education, which at BCSIS, was called Movement. Sara’s Movement program consisted of lessons in improvisational creative expression through movement along  with traditional PE and sports related skills.

Sara began working at Alaya as a substitute in the fall of 2025. She delights in working with the young preschoolers at Alaya and is excited to continue to develop her teaching skills at this level. 

In her free time, Sara loves to hike, garden, dance, travel and study and practice medicinal herbalism.

Darlene started teaching at Alaya in 1986 and this is now her 40th year of teaching there.  She has a BA in Somatic Psychology from Naropa University and was Adjunct Faculty in Naropa’s Education Dept. for over 15 years.  As an ECE specialist, Darlene is recognized for her creative approach to meeting and guiding the energetic needs of young children. She has trained teachers and interns in contemplative education locally as well as internationally at the Alice Schools in India and with AASC in Nicaragua.  

Darlene currently teaches Contemplative Movement practices. In 2009, Darlene was awarded Educator of the Year for Boulder County.  She lives in Boulder with her husband David and besides hiking, dancing, paddleboarding, gardening, and just appreciating life, she especially likes outdoor time with her family and 5 grandchildren.