Meet our team of dedicated teachers, parent educators, and childcare professionals
Our Teachers
Diana Wagner-Boyd, Infants, Twos, and Split Age
Diana has been with the Magnolia Co-op since 2014, but has been teaching in the Co-op community since 1997, and attended Co-op classes with her own two children. Diana taught the 3-5s and Pre-K at Ingraham Cooperative Preschool, as well as the Pre-3s and Toddlers. She also taught the Tots, 2 and the Infant Baby Sign Class at Queen Anne Co-op, and the Northwest Toddler Class at the NSCC campus. She is a graduate of Cornish College of the Arts with a degree in Theater and prides herself on bringing creativity to the classroom.
Diana enjoys playing her guitar, gardening, hiking, rock climbing, surfing, and roller-skating. She lives in north Seattle with her Husband Ed, her cockatiel bird “Frisbee”, and “Missy” the cat.
Kaya Brown, Toddlers
Kaya Brown joins us at the Co-op this year as our new Toddlers Teacher and Administrative Assistant to the board. Kaya comes to us from San Francisco. In her free time she enjoys baking muffins and building legos, and you can find her walking her dog through Queen Anne.
Nicole Appell, Threes
Since 2021, Nicole has taught 3-5 year olds. Nicole is passionate about Early Childhood Education because she loves helping children discover new things in the world around them. She finds their inherent sense of wonder and joy inspiring, and believes that teaching young children is important and impactful work.
Nicole has taught children for over 20 years as a K-8 Art Specialist. She was a member of the Washington State Arts Commission Roster of Teaching Artists, Creative Advantage Arts Partner Roster for Seattle Public Schools, and has led large-scale public art projects with Seattle and Lake Washington Public Schools. Nicole graduated from the University of Washington. In her spare time, Nicole enjoys making art, hiking in the mountains, and exploring beaches with her family. She currently lives in Magnolia.
Sara Olson, Pre-Kindergarten
Sara returned to the Co-op at the start of our 2017-2018 school year, having attended with 3 of her children and later working as one of our teachers before taking time off to focus on parenting. Sara is a graduate of Bowdoin College and has pursued post graduate work at the University of Utah, Duke University, Seattle Pacific and Seattle University. She has attended the Washington Association of the Education of Young Children (WAYEC) for 20 years, completed her Pro Teach and is STARS certified. She spent 12 years teaching preschool at Villa Academy.
Sara is the mother of four boys and lives with her husband Bill in Magnolia. She enjoys spending quality time with family and friends and many hobbies, including gardening, scrapbooking, writing and water aerobics.
Mike Pandorf, Enrichment Classes
Mike is a teacher at the Magnolia Cooperative Preschool. He currently teaches the Enrichment class in addition to serving as Teaching Assistant in the 2’s, 2s/3’s, and Pre-K programs. Mike is passionate about teaching early childhood because of his own parenting experiences and the impacts early childhood educators have had on his children. He believes that music and the arts are integral at all stages of education and that music is truly the first "universal" language many of us learn.
Mike has been recognized as a musician for his leadership skills and graduated from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. In his spare time, Mike enjoys playing the French horn and various brass instruments, cooking, and amateur home improvement. He currently lives in Magnolia.
Mary Murray, Teaching Assistant
Mary Murray has been a member of the MCP community for many years as a caregiver for some of our families. This school year, she joins the co-op team as a teaching assistant. She loves the great outdoors and nature and enjoys adventurous activities in her free time.
Our Parent Educators
Louise Sneath, Toddlers
Originally from the UK, Louise and her family moved here 20 years ago and has found a home in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Louise has worked with families for all of her professional career, beginning as a Children’s Nurse in Nottingham (England) and then becoming a Health Visitor before starting her family. After moving here, Louise created and taught a successful New Parents’ Class in Seattle for over a decade and then completed her graduate program from Seattle University in 2020.
Becky Cook, Tots, Twos, Threes and Fours
Teacher Becky started her career as an occupational therapist working on a traumatic brain injury unit in NYC. After having her own three kids and going through PEPS and co-op preschool, she discovered her true passion for building community and supporting other families. Becky brings her OT lens to the classroom to help families understand how children’s neurodiversity and sensory needs influence behavior.
When Teacher Becky is not at school you will probably find her volunteering at her school garden, drinking chai, cuddling her dogs, walking through Discovery Park or buying too many books. Teacher Becky is a volunteer for the Seattle Aquarium Beach Naturalist and Cedar River Salmon Journey Programs and is a member of the 2e parent community. If you talk to Teacher Becky long enough, she will try to convince you to play outside. Please send her cool mushroom pictures and ask her about salmon 😊
Lea Evans, Threes
Lea Evans (she/her) has been on the Parent Education faculty at North Seattle College since 2018 and has taught and advised adult students in various subjects, states, and countries since 2001. Since her child was born in 2013, she has focused more on supporting families. Lea currently works with three co-op preschools, two childcare centers, and facilitates an online course for Seattle Public Schools families. She has training in Positive Discipline, Gottman Bringing Baby Home, parent coaching, and as a postpartum doula. Her child attended a co-op here in Seattle and is currently enjoying dual-immersion elementary school. Outside of work, Lea enjoys bike riding, hiking, and spending time with family and friends. Lea is passionate about her work with families and looks forward to meeting you and your little ones!
Betty Williams, Pre-K
Betty has a Masters in Social Work from the University of Washington and has worked in the early learning field as a child care center director, and college instructor in Early Childhood Education as well as Parent Education. Since 2004, she has been working as a full-time instructor in Parent Education at North Seattle College, where she now coordinates the program as well as teaches four classes. She can think of no better way to spend her time than working with children and families to nurture these young lives to thrive in a supportive community. She is passionate about this opportunity to provide education, resources, and support to families with young children during such a foundational time in their lives.
MAC Teachers
Melanie and Jamie
More information coming soon!