Staff

Amber Marz-Momany

Director

Dedicated to learning and personal development, Amber has been with Westminster since 2005, having worked her way up from college co-op intern to teacher, assistant director and director, appointed in May 2010. Amber has enjoyed every aspect of running a successful business, managing a strong, experienced staff and enjoying the daily joys found in a nurturing environment. Amber’s expertise in process and systems has brought new levels of organization to the overall business aspect of WCDC. Her staff relies on her strong leadership skills and collaborative methods. An avid outdoors person, Amber enjoys a number of sports and outdoor activities with her husband and children.

Tanya Gilbert

Assistant Director

Tanya has extensive child care experience, having started at WCDC in 1998. She has an Associate’s Degree with a major in Elementary Education and relishes her chosen field. Of particular interest to her is the opportunity to help children develop their language and conversational skills and uses reading and the arts to help engage them in discussion. Her artistic talents in crafts and scrapbooking are brought into the classroom as she encourages the children to explore the creative side of learning. Tanya loves being a part in running a wonderful center and building relationships with the children and their families. Away from work, Tanya enjoys scrapbooking and sewing as well as spending time with her husband, Greg, and their two boys, Hunter and Clay.

Sarah Alvarado

Cook

Sarah joined the WCDC team in 2011, and is Servpro certified as well as being a Certified Nurse’s Assistant. Sarah loves seeing the children’s happy faces every day and getting her daily hugs. Sarah became a mom in 2002, and has three daughters.

Teachers

Jennifer Taylor

Infant Teacher
Turtle Room

Jen has been with WCDC since July 2001 and holds an Associate’s Degree in Child Development. Jen enjoys watching and supporting the babies as they achieve first milestones, and creating supportive and lasting relationships with parents. She enjoys all forms of music and playing the piano, and employs music in the classroom to sooth and invigorate the babies. A naturally gifted organizer, Jen enjoys keeping the room clean and tidy. Married with two children, Ava and Owen, along with two family dogs, Jen claims she has the best of both worlds – a loving family and the opportunity to care for babies.

Jessica Eisen

Infant Teacher
Turtle Room

Jessi started teaching at WCDC in 2007. She holds a CDA and an associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education. What Jessi enjoys most about working with children is watching them reach important milestones in their development. Using the green thumb, she inherited from her grandmother, Jessi enjoys gardening and creating beautiful outdoor spaces.

Kristen Sokol

Rotational Teacher
Infant and Toddler

Kristin has been a childcare provider since joining WCDC in 2009, and has an associate’s degree in Child Development. After taking a break to start a family, Kristen returned in 2020. Her favorite thing about working with children is all the wonderful hugs and knowing she’s teaching them and helping them blossom.  Whenever she can find a spare moment, Kristen enjoys learning to sew.

Jenna Kuiper

Toddler Teacher
Panda Room

Jenna has worked in the childcare field since high school – even serving as an after-school care director. She has a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art, and is working toward her Child Development Associate Credential. Jenna joined WCDC in 2017, and loves watching children grow and learn new things every day, especially when they learn to talk. The say the funniest things! In her free time, Jenna likes to craft with her Cricut and make greeting cards.

Maddie Sprite

Toddler Teacher
Panda Room

Maddie has been a part of WCDC since 2018. She is pursuing an associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education as well as a bachelor’s degree in Spanish. Maddie studied abroad in Spain, and is bilingual! The children in her class remind her to notice the little, more exciting things in life. Seeing the world through their eyes keeps her heart smiling.

Arianna Edwards

Toddler Teacher
Monkey Room

Arianna began working at WCDC in 2019, teaching in the infant and toddler rooms, as well as preschool. In the summer, Arianna leads the school age classroom. Being able to work with children of all ages, Arianna enjoys seeing how much they learn and grow over time. In her free time, Arianna loves photography and barrel racing with her horse.

Veronica Washington

Toddler Teacher
Monkey Room

Veronica, “Roni,” began teaching at WCDC in 2008. She loves seeing the children learn and grow throughout their young lives. Veronica has an associate’s degree in Early Child Development, and is a true University of Michigan fan. Go Blue!

Jacqueline Sain

Toddler Teacher
Monkey Room

Jacqueline has worked in childcare since 2001. She is currently working toward her associate’s degree in Child Development at GRCC. Jacqueline started teaching at WCDC in 2014, and enjoys talking with the children and watching them learn new things. Jacqueline’s oldest child is 26, and her youngest is 4 – a 22 year difference!

Samantha Shuff

Young Preschool Teacher
Dinosaur Room

Samantha joined WCDC in 2020. She is pursuing a degree in Child Development, and loves how the children encourage her to use her imagination and find new and creative ways to learn and play. At home, Samantha has two cats, Cloud and Pikachu, whom she loves very much.

Michelle Hidalgo

Young Preschool Teacher
Dinosaur Room

Michelle started working at WCDC in 2017. She has an associate’s degree in Religious Education as well as Early Childhood Education, and a bachelor’s degree in Business Management. Michelle loves cultivating children’s curiosity. Aside from teaching, Michelle enjoys traveling. She has traveled throughout Europe, and has visited Morocco.

Kate Phillips

Older Preschool Teacher
Bunny Room

Kate has been with WCDC since 2014, and has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and in Child Development from Vanderbilt University, along with two years of graduate work in Behavior Analysis at the University of Nevada, Reno.  Kate loves encouraging innately curious minds to explore, and seeing children make connections as they learn how their world works. An avid traveler, Kate takes every opportunity to visit new places and experience different cultures with her husband.

Keila Ortiz

Rotational Teacher
All classrooms

Keila has been with WCDC since August 2021. With her floater role, she is able to connect with all of the different age groups. Watching them grow from class to class is what she loves most about her job. Outside of work, Keila enjoys reading, going to museums, helping at her local church, and spending time with her friends & family.

Megan Woltjer

Older Preschool Teacher
Bunny Room

Megan has been with WCDC since 2015. She enjoys learning with her students and being someone that they can trust. Megan earned an associate’s degree in Child Development, and is working toward completing her bachelor’s degree. In addition to caring for her students, Megan attends to 57 houseplants with an eye out for more.

Melissa Landis

Rotational Teacher
Preschool

Melissa has been with WCDC since 2023. She is one of two children in her family. Melissa grew up on her dad’s family cow farm as well as in her mom’s classroom. She has been in childcare for over 8 years, working in a public school, independently nannying, and doing ABA therapy.

Sarah Tameling

Rotational Teacher
Preschool

Sarah has been with WCDC since 2023. She has a passion for working with kids and helping them learn everything they need to know in order for them to grow into beautiful humans. Her love for teaching and kids began when she started babysitting at age 14. She followed her other passion, cosmetology, for a time and learned how to do the perfect Elsa braid. Some of Sarah’s other hobbies include reading and hanging out with friends.

Taylor Wustman

Rotational Teacher
All Classrooms

Taylor has been with WCDC since 2023. She has been in the childcare field since 2013. She has always had a passion for working with kids. Her favorite part of working with children is forming bonds with them. Taylor loves to travel, try new restaurants, and watch stand-up comedy.