At the heart of KinderHaus is a warm and passionate team of educators and staff. Each member brings deep expertise in child development and a shared commitment to nurturing children through nature-based, and play-driven learning and our annual all staff anniversary celebration where everyone who has ever worked at KinderHaus through the years and their families are invited, is a beloved tradition.
Brigitte is the Director at KinderHaus while continuing to work closely with the children in the classroom and combining leadership with her true passion: hands-on teaching and building meaningful relationships with each child. She joined KinderHaus in 2021 and has been a beloved teacher in the Ladybug group ever since. After a year as Head of Pedagogy, she moved into her current role, supporting and guiding the school’s educational vision. Originally from Augsburg, Germany, Brigitte earned her degree in Early Childhood Education in 2011 and brings over a decade of experience working with children ages 0–6. Her international background, including time as an Au Pair in Ireland and Washington, D.C., shaped her global perspective and love for bilingual, culturally rich learning environments. Brigitte is passionate about creativity, exploration, and play-based learning. She enjoys leading art projects, incorporating music into daily routines, and encouraging children’s natural curiosity through hands-on discovery. At the heart of her work is a deep respect for each child as an individual and a strong focus on emotional growth, confidence, and joyful learning.
Laura Administrative Coordinator (Remote)
Originally from Germany, Laura has been an integral part of KinderHaus both onsite and behind the scenes for many years. After working with us in person, she relocated to Austin, Texas at the end of 2021 and now continues to support our community remotely, while still visiting our New York location at least once a year. Laura is truly the heart of our administrative team and a trusted point of contact for many of our families. With a background in fitness economics and clinical rehabilitation, she brings a unique blend of organization, compassion, and a strong understanding of child development to everything she does. Her warmth, reliability, and deep connection to the KinderHaus community make her an invaluable part of our team each and every day.
Annemarie brings a rich background in both Health and Social Sciences and Design, but her greatest passion lies in working with young children. She feels fortunate to be part of Brooklyn’s vibrant German community, where she has gained valuable experience teaching preschoolers at several German-language schools. At Kinderhaus, Annemarie shares her enthusiasm, creativity, and deep commitment to early childhood education. She believes that children thrive when nurtured by positive role models, given the freedom to explore at their own pace, and supported in following their natural curiosity and unique strengths. As the mother of a bilingual elementary-aged daughter, Annemarie finds daily inspiration in the wonder and joy of childhood learning. Outside the classroom, she enjoys knitting and spending time outdoors—whether she’s running through New York City’s five boroughs or discovering new green spaces with her family.
Chyanika comes from New Delhi, India, where she spent over a decade teaching German, growing her school into a PASCH partner institution and helping students earn the DSD certification that opened doors to study in Germany. She holds an M.A. in Curriculum and Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her time in Germany, supported by scholarships from the Goethe-Institut and KMK-PAD, shaped her love for immersive, culturally rich language learning. Chyanika believes children learn best when they feel free to make mistakes, and she brings a playful, curiosity-driven approach to every classroom. Having grown up between different cultures herself, Chyanika brings a deep appreciation for diversity into her classroom, encouraging children to feel proud of who they are and curious about the world around them.
Ines is from Recklinghausen, a small town in North Rhine-Westphalia. During her school days she discovered her love for languages. In addition to English, she also learned French and Italian. Since her parents are from Tunisia, she also learned Arabic and she grew up bilingual. She has a Bachelor degree in French and History. During her studies she also did some internships. This enabled her to gain experience in the field of language teaching. In 2022 she did a 10-month internship at Kinderhaus. She enjoyed the time at Kinderhaus so much that she decided to work as a teacher. She loves to accompany the children in their development, to encourage them and to show them the world in a playful and educational way. Ines loves to travel and discover new cultures. In her free time she likes to watch films/series and meet up with friends and she likes to cook.
Julia is a certified kindergarten teacher and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Alanus University. Her studies focused on Waldorf education, play-based learning, and animal-assisted pedagogy. For many years, she worked with children ages 0–6 in Waldorf education settings. For over ten years, Julia has also taught in German immersion programs, working with children ages 1–6. She is passionate about storytelling and loves to involve children in the process, awakening their enthusiasm and curiosity for the world around them. Julia strongly believes in the philosophy of open-ended play and enjoys creating thoughtfully designed environments that foster open-ended play. Julia has a deep passion for art and sensory experiences and focuses on a holistic, child-centered curriculum that meets children at their individual developmental levels, inspires curiosity, and encourages independent thinking. Drawing from her Waldorf background, she places great value on nurturing all of the senses through inquiry-based learning and meaningful interactions with the natural world. Outside of the classroom, Julia enjoys spending time outdoors in nature with her son.
Katja is from Zwickau, Saxony. She completed her training as a preschool teacher in 1999 and has since worked in various institutions across Germany, with children ranging from birth to age ten. For the past five years, she was based at Kinderhaus, where she led the Lion group.
Lisa grew up in the countryside of Saxony-Anhalt and graduated as a state-certified preschool and kindergarten teacher in 2019. The most important thing for her is to support children on their journey to discover themselves and the world in all its facets, with a strong focus on their individuality. In 2020, she moved to New York City to work as an Au Pair, and since 2022, she has been living in Hanover, Niedersachsen, where she taught children between the ages of 0–6 as a group leader in an immersion kindergarten. With lots of creativity and a positive mindset, Lisa is dedicated to making every day at KinderHaus fun, while creating a safe and caring environment where children feel valued and in good hands. She joined KinderHaus in January 2025.
Lorina holds a degree in Early Childhood Education and brings a rich background of international experience to Kinderhaus. Over the years, she has worked with children of all ages, from leading summer programs for teenagers in Spain to spending several years abroad as an Au Pair. These diverse experiences have shaped her warm, adaptable teaching style and deepened her insight into how young children learn and thrive. Since joining Kinderhaus in 2022, Lorina has become a deeply valued member of our teaching team. She is known for her gentle presence, joyful energy, and heartfelt dedication to nurturing our youngest learners. Her classroom is a safe, loving space where children feel seen, supported, and inspired to explore the world around them.Guided by her belief that children learn best through all their senses, Lorina fosters curiosity, creativity, and holistic development—always honoring each child’s unique rhythm and individuality. Outside of the classroom, Lorina finds joy in traveling and spending time in nature, experiences that continue to infuse her teaching with fresh perspective and inspiration.
Monica has been part of the KinderHaus team for over a year and brings both professional childcare experience and the perspective of a mother of two children, ages 5 and 7 and has also worked as a nanny. She truly enjoys working with children and believes that learning should be joyful and engaging. Her approach combines play and learning, creating opportunities for children to explore, grow, and have fun at the same time. Although German was not one of the languages she spoke when she joined KinderHaus, she has embraced the language with great enthusiasm and has learned a lot over the past year. She now even brings German into her own home and enjoys teaching some of what she has learned to her children. Outside of KinderHaus, she enjoys reading, playing sports, especially basketball and swimming.
Nadine is originally from Hamburg, in northern Germany. She earned her degree in Early Childhood Education in 2019 and has worked with children and young people of various ages, from infancy through young adulthood (0–21). Most recently, Nadine completed her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work in 2025, further deepening her pedagogical knowledge and professional experience.
Alongside her studies, Nadine worked in an early intervention center, supporting children in their development with the goal of addressing developmental delays and supporting children with disabilities. Nadine is known for her great joy in working with children and brings a special sense of patience and calm into the classroom. It is important to her to meet each child at their individual developmental level and to create a safe, nurturing learning environment in which children can grow and flourish.
Olympia is a certified elementary school teacher originally from Miami, Florida, and brings with her a rich cultural background and a deep passion for early childhood education. Born in Wiesbaden, Germany, she grew up speaking both German and Spanish as her first languages. This multicultural foundation has greatly shaped her approach to teaching and her commitment to creating inclusive, nurturing learning environments for all children. Olympia also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Culture, and her educational philosophy is grounded in celebrating diversity, sparking curiosity, and cultivating kindness. She believes that learning thrives when children feel seen, supported, and inspired, and she works each day to foster a classroom atmosphere where every child can flourish. With a playful, hands-on teaching style and a strong emphasis on social-emotional learning, Olympia brings warmth, creativity, and intentionality to every interaction. Her ability to connect with young learners, meet them where they are, and encourage their growth both academically and personally makes her a wonderful addition to our program.
Simona D’Souza, CFA, MBA, HBSc, is the founder of KinderHaus, bringing together her experience teaching finance across multiple countries, and a deep, enduring commitment to early childhood development. Raised in Kuwait and of Goan heritage, Simona brings an international lens to her work, shaped by her Canadian and Indian upbringing and global career. After a successful trajectory at firms such as McKinsey & Company and Bankers Trust, she founded KinderHaus in 2009, initially for her own children, as New York City’s first German immersion preschool. She has built and mentored a team of dedicated educators, and overseen the sourcing, financing, and renovation of school facilities to meet the highest standards of safety and learning design. She works closely with staff leadership and international partners to foster a culture rooted in curiosity, resilience, and cultural fluency. Having traveled to over 60 countries, she brings an international perspective and a genuine appreciation for cultural diversity. A passionate rock climber, she carries that same spirit of challenge and exploration into her work. She is the mother of three young adults, raised in a German-speaking household, an experience that continues to inform her commitment to language immersion and to nurturing confident, adaptable, and globally minded learners.
KinderHaus has successfully established itself as the only German school in NYC that is a visa sponsor organization of teachers from Germany, enabling it to staff its programs with the most qualified native German teachers, all with pedagogical degrees of either kindergarten / preschool teacher (“Erzieherausbildung”) or elementary school teacher (“Staatsexamen” / Master of Education). Many of our teachers stay for years, and some have even returned after moving across the world. We host regular staff reunions and our annual all-staff celebration is a beloved tradition. The bonds we build with one another echo in the bonds we build with our children.