Jennifer McIlhenny (she/her/hers)

Jennifer brings her open heart, creative mind, and endless love of young children with her to work as director and lead teacher of Lavender Farm Preschool. She holds degrees in journalism/communications and graphic design, but her heart and passion belongs in early childhood education. Jennifer has also earned the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education through a program overseen by PSU.

Jennifer has more than sixteen years experience playing, teaching, and learning from preschoolers. She found her love of teaching while acting as a parent teacher at her children’s cooperative preschool where she spent five years parent teaching and learning from a Reggio Emilia influenced, anti-bias director and teacher. Jennifer also spent nine years as a lead teacher and pre-K teacher as well at a magical Reggio Emilia inspired preschool in Northeast Portland.

A Portland area native, Jennifer lives with her husband, Todd (who moonlights as our substitute teacher) and their two dogs, Koya and Ione. Jennifer and Todd have two kids Isabel and Caden. Isabel is beginning her senior year this fall at the University of British Columbia studying kinesiology. Caden is beginning his sophomore year this fall at the University of Washington studying philosophy. He is also helping out this summer in the preschool. When Jennifer is not teaching, she loves spending time with her family and friends along with camping, backpacking, yoga, dance, and swimming in fresh water. 

Ongoing Professional Development

Jennifer is committed to ongoing anti-bias education and professional development thorough the Oregon Center for Career Development and Portland State University. She’s been awarded the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) Code of Ethical Conduct Commitment to a Professional Code of Ethics and awarded the Oregon Registry Step 10.

She has completed extensive anti-bias training at The Anti-Bias Leadership Seminar through Threads of Justice Collective as well as training for creating trauma sensitive classrooms.

Jennifer is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the North American Reggio Emelia Alliance (NAREA) and Rethinking Schools. She is also in the process of becoming a Certified Trainer for the Oregon Registry professional development (https://www.pdx.edu/occd/oregon-registry-trainers).

Mary Aghayan (she/her/hers)

Along with being a phenomenally kind and delightful human, Mary is an artist. She holds an Associate Degree in Fine Art and in Computer Graphic Design. She has several years of experience teaching art to children of different ages in her private art studio and several kindergartens. She was also a nanny and has worked in a preschool since she moved to Portland four years ago. She is a volunteer teaching Farsi Language to the kids with bilingual nationality in IWAO (Iranian Women Associated of Oregon). She loves working with kids and uses her creativity to make them happy. She lives with and her husband Fred and her kitten, Pasha. Mary’s daughter Ella will begin at OSU in the fall. Mary loves gardening, cooking, yoga, dancing and making arts and crafts. She believes this quote that says: “Logic will get you from A to B. But Imagination and Art will take you Everywhere! “

She is delighted to be a part of Lavender Farm Preschool to learn and share her experiences with everyone.

Annalisa Caso (she/her/hers)

Annalisa is a 22 year old PSU college student going for her BFA in Creative Writing. Inclusion is very important for her and she loves being able to blend creativity with learning. In her free time she makes and does cosplay. When not at the sewing machine, she is primarily found reading fantasy books, manga, and comic books.