Ivana Bradaric Grubbs
Executive Director
Ivana has been a lifelong educator since 1996. She has taught a variety of subjects in German, English and Croatian from elementary schools to university levels. After completing her PhD coursework in German literature, Ivana purposefully refocused her interest and research to the youngest students of German. She is intrigued by the studies on neurodiversity, and committed to inclusion and special needs integration in schools.
Ivana received her supervisor permit from the Early Childhood Department at City College of San Francisco and has been working as a teacher and director at Kinderhaus since 2017. She is dedicated to serving the Kinderhaus community and developing an open and child-led curriculum based on children’s inherent innovation and creativity.
Neele Thönnesen
Teacher
Neele grew up in a small town on the Dutch border in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
In 2018, she successfully completed her training as a state-recognized educator at the School of Applied Sciences for Social Pedagogy and has been working at her training institution ever since. In 2020, she took on the position of group leader and deputy leader.
In August 2024, Neele moved to California to broaden her professional and personal horizons and to further develop herself through new educational experiences. She is looking forward to helping your children grow, discover the world and learn, as well as having a great working relationship with parents.
Paige Franco-Schmidt
Teacher
Paige is originally from Thailand, the land of smiles, and is currently a Sociology student,
along with completed Early Childhood Education (ECE) credits that strengthen her
foundation in child development. She has over two years of experience in Early Childhood
Education, including teaching, leading classrooms, and working in private school settings.
Paige spent nearly a year living in a small town near Bremen with a host family in Germany,
learning the language and immersing herself in the culture. A calm and nurturing teacher, she
loves creating crafts and new projects that spark curiosity and creativity in her students.
Having traveled and lived in multiple cities and countries, Paige brings a rich understanding
of diverse cultures and perspectives, fostering an inclusive, engaging, and inspiring learning
environment.