OCAEYC Peer Guides
OCAEYC is pleased to introduce you to our OCAEYC Peer Guides! We are a team of dedicated Family Child Care Leaders who are passionate about guiding and supporting new providers on their journey to opening their own in-home family child care.
OCAEYC Peer Guides understand the importance of quality training and information for early care and education providers. That's why we work closely with our partners to ensure that our members have access to the best resources, network, and training opportunities available. We believe that by equipping providers with the knowledge and skills they need, we can help them thrive in their professional endeavors.
We are a community of like-minded professionals who are committed to fostering a supportive and inspiring network of colleagues. Through our community, providers can connect with each other, share experiences, and learn from one another. We believe that by building a strong community of leaders, we can create a supportive and collaborative environment that benefits everyone involved.
If you are an Orange County Family Child Care provider that is interested in becoming an OCAEYC Peer Guide, please email: [email protected]
Asistencia está disponible en español. Por favor, haga clic en el botón naranja de abajo para enviar un correo electrónico.
Meet the Peer Guides
Learn more about the background and interests of the OCAEYC Peer Guides.
Anabell Garcia-Chak
Licensed Early Child Care Educator with 21 years of experience working with children from infancy to school age, holding a Bachelor’s degree in Business. Passionate about professional growth, she has advanced her education in child development to enhance her commitment to the field. Anabell currently operates a high-quality bilingual Spanish program for infants and toddlers, focusing on early language and social-emotional development.
Beyond her work as an educator, Anabell has spent 11 years managing a network for licensed providers, providing mentorship to empower Latina women in their language, helping them navigate new regulations, improve their business practices, and feel connected. Her mission is to raise the standards of care in the community, providing both a nurturing environment for children and a supporting hand to her colleagues.
In her free time, Anabell enjoys painting and socializing with family and friends.
Angie Ding
Angie Ding became the program director of an after-school program that also offered a preschool program. While observing the toddler classroom, she discovered her passion for working with children. This led her to pursue ECE classes in college, and obtained a Child Development Program Director Permit. She continued to work in the toddler classroom until she got married and moved to Irvine. That is where she discovered the Montessori philosophy and began her Montessori education.
Angie obtained an AMI (0-6 years) diploma from MISD and used her experience and knowledge to start her own family child care business, Angie's Children House. In her free time, she enjoys hiphop dance, cooking, and snowboarding in the winter.
Belen Arnosio
Belen Arnosio has always had a passion for teaching and guiding young children through their early stages of development. That's why, when she was pregnant with her second child and looking for a way to stay home with her children while also pursuing her career goals, she decided to open her own home childcare program.
Eleven years ago, Step by Step Childcare Inc was born, and since then, Belen has been dedicated to providing a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment for the children in her care. With more than 20 years of experience in the field of child care, she has developed a keen understanding of how to help children thrive and grow, and she is committed to helping each child in her program reach their full potential.
In her free time, Belen loves spending time with her family, whether they're taking walks in the park, cooking together, or just enjoying each other's company. She also enjoys staying active through exercise and pursuing her creative interests through crocheting
Elena Douglas
Elena Douglas has always been driven to succeed in both her personal and professional life. When her children were young, she was determined to find a way to stay at home with them while also contributing to her family's financial well-being.
That's when she decided to start her own business, Elena's Tiny Tots, which has been thriving for 23 years.
As the owner of Elena's Tiny Tots, Elena takes pride in providing a safe and nurturing environment for young children to learn and grow.
In her free time, Elena enjoys indulging in her love of music, dance, and singing. She also enjoys spending time outdoors with her dog.
Juan Araya
Juan Araya has always been passionate about early childhood education. After finishing high school, he explored various career options before ultimately deciding to pursue a degree in child development.
His love for working with children began at a young age, as he grew up helping out in his mother's child care program. Today, Juan is proud to co-run Michy's Reggio Family CC with his mother, where they provide high-quality care and education to young children.
In his free time, Juan enjoys working on his YouTube channel, where he shares his knowledge and expertise in child development. He also loves playing games, going out with friends, and spending quality time with his girlfriend.
Juan Cabrera
Juan Cabrera is a passionate educator and entrepreneur who co-founded Mrs. Cabrera's In-Home Preschool & Child Care to fulfill his vision of creating an educational center that aligns with his values and ideals. With over 24 years of experience in education, Juan has worked in diverse educational environments and brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his business.
In addition to his passion for education, Juan is also interested in staying up-to-date with technological advancements and enjoys exploring the outdoors through hiking. He loves embarking on exciting travel adventures with his family and believes that experiencing different cultures and ways of life is essential for personal growth.
Karina Bernabe
Karina Bernabe has been passionate about taking care of children from a very young age. When her first child was born, she knew she didn't want to leave his side and decided to open up her own childcare business at home.
For the past 20 years, she has been running Happy Childhood Daycare and has been dedicated to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all the children under her care. Her dedication to the field of early childhood education and her commitment to the children she cares for have earned her a reputation as a trusted and reliable child care provider in her community.
In her free time, Karina loves spending quality time with her family and exploring the great outdoors through hiking.
Laura Hancock
Laura found her passion when she was a teenager, as she would babysit the neighbors children. She attended college at La Verne University and obtained her BA in Human Development, along with her program Director’s permit.
She accepted a job at Orange County Head Start as a teacher, working there for over 20 years. She Left Head Start and worked for the Garden Grove School District as the preschool teacher for 4 years. When the economy took a down turn she didn’t have the seniority and was let go. She took this opportunity to open up a large Family Childcare Center in 2012.
“Laura’s Little Angels family Childcare Center” was created and going strong to this day. She has been a home Childcare Center for over 13 years. Her family daycare is partnered the High Quality Start program.
Laura has been apart of the California Early Childhood Mentor Program for over 20 years. She has 35 plus years experience in the field of education.
Mahnaz Javadiaghdam
Mahnaz Javadiaghdam's experience working with special needs children as a behavior interventionist inspired her to seek out a career that would allow her to provide the kind of personalized care and attention that can be hard to achieve in a traditional work setting. That's what led her to start Bright Nest Home Daycare three years ago.
As the owner of Bright Nest Home Daycare, Mahnaz is committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment for the children in her care.
With her background in behavior intervention, she has a unique perspective and skill set that allows her to tailor her approach to each child's individual needs. Outside of work, Mahnaz loves spending time with her family and cherishes the moments they get to spend together.
Mariela Guzman
My name is Mariela Guzman, I came to this beautiful country in 2000 to get a better life. In 2003 I had my only daughter and I had many problems finding someone who would really take care of her. I started working in a daycare as an assistant.
My niece, who was the owner, opened my eyes. She told me that this was a great opportunity to have my own business. In January 2007 I got a child care license. It was not easy at all. I then managed to get my big license in child care and I moved to a bigger house with space for the children. It has been 17 years of hard work but it has given me a lot of happiness.
Michy Michea
Michy Michea has always had a passion for education and knew from a young age that she wanted to become a teacher. After completing high school, she pursued her dream by attending university and earning a degree in early childhood education after five years of hard work and dedication.
In 1994, Michy moved to California where she began working with children, starting her own licensed child care facility called Michy's Reggio Family Child Care. For the past 29 years, she has provided a safe and nurturing environment for children to learn and grow, drawing on the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education to encourage exploration and creativity.
In her free time, Michy enjoys indulging in her creative passions, including knitting, painting, and cooking. These hobbies provide a much-needed source of relaxation for her, especially when paired with the music of decades past, such as the 80s, 70s, 60s, and 50s.
Myriam Reyes
Myriam Reyes discovered her passion for working with children after becoming a mother herself. Previously in the corporate world, she found herself missing out on quality time with her daughter and realized that she wanted to earn a living doing something she loved. A friend introduced her to the daycare business, and eight years ago, Mimi's Daycare was born. Myriam takes great pride in providing a safe, nurturing environment for the children in her care.
In her free time, Myriam prioritizes spending time with her loved ones, but she also recognizes the importance of self-care. She enjoys taking classes in child development to expand her knowledge and expertise. Additionally, she has started to carve out time for herself, whether it's by working out, watching a show, or pursuing her hobbies.
Nayibe Abdel
Nayibe Abdel used to work long hours at a restaurant and missed out on precious moments with her children. She was inspired to start Mamy's Daycare as it would allow her to be present in their lives while also pursuing her own career. For 19 years, she has dedicated herself to running a warm and nurturing environment for the children in her care, and takes joy in being a positive influence in their lives.
As a native Spanish speaker, Nayibe also takes pride in sharing her language and culture with her young children and finds that every day brings new opportunities for learning and growth. On her free time she enjoys
Sherry Tao
Sherry Tao has embarked on a life of exploration, having held three passports and traveled to over 30 countries. After moving to the United States, she pursued her passions for Montessori education as an AMS 3-6 primary teacher and established her own business, "ChongHwa Montessori Children's House" in 2019.
In addition to being a Positive Discipline educator, she is actively exploring the possibilities to incorporate multilingualism and multicultralism into early eduction.
Engaged in volunteer work, Sherry channels her energy into making a positive impact in the world. She participates in the OCAEYC Peer Guide project and currently serves as a member of the Irvine Child Care Committee, where she contributes to the well-being of the community.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Sherry finds joy both in savoring culinary delights and immersing herself in outdoor activities.
Mahsheed Hosseini
Mahsheed Hosseini brings together a unique blend of leadership, compassion, and real-world experience in education and community service. She earned her degree in Computer Science from the University of Tehran Jonoob in 1997 and later completed her MBA in Health from Kaiser University in Florida in 2017.
While her academic background is rooted in technology and management, her passion has always centered on children and education, with a particular focus on early childhood development.
In early 2020, anticipating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and driven by concerns for her children’s health due to underlying asthma, Mahsheed made the difficult decision to withdraw them from school.
This moment became a turning point. Combining her professional management experience with her deep care for children, she founded Deecyda to support families seeking safe, nurturing, and reliable care. What began as support for older students during the height of the pandemic quickly expanded to younger children as community needs grew.
Mahsheed is a strong believer in the power of community and runs her business with this philosophy at its core. She views every child as a future leader and approaches her work with dedication, professionalism, and heart.
Danny Montano Cespedes
Danny Montano is the owner and operator of Anita's Daycare, a family child care program dedicated to providing high-quality early learning experiences in a nurturing, family-centered environment. With a passion for supporting young children and their families, Danny has worked diligently to build a program that emphasizes safety, developmentally appropriate practices, cultural responsiveness, and strong community connections.
As a graduate of the OCAEYC Child Care Business Cohort and an active leader within the family child care community, Danny is committed to continuous professional growth and advocating for quality early childhood education. He enjoys mentoring and encouraging aspiring family child care providers, sharing his experiences navigating the licensing process, program development, and business ownership.
Danny believes that family child care programs play a vital role in supporting children, families, and communities. Through Anita's Daycare, he strives to create a welcoming space where children can learn, explore, and thrive while building meaningful relationships that foster lifelong success.
Miriam Ruiz
Miriam Ruiz is a dedicated family child care professional and owner of a home-based early learning program committed to providing high-quality care and education for young children and their families. With a passion for creating nurturing, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate learning environments, Miriam works to ensure that every child feels valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.
As an active member of the early childhood education community, Miriam is committed to continuous professional growth and lifelong learning.
She has participated in leadership and business development opportunities through OCAEYC and enjoys collaborating with fellow educators to strengthen the family child care profession. Fluent in both English and Spanish, Miriam values building strong partnerships with families and fostering meaningful connections within her community.
Through her work, Miriam advocates for equitable access to quality early learning experiences and believes that family child care providers play a critical role in supporting children's development, school readiness, and family well-being. Her dedication, compassion, and commitment to excellence continue to positively impact the children, families, and educators she serves.
Natalia Silva
Natalia Silva earned her BA degree in Liberal Studies and Multiple-Subject Teaching Credential from California State University, Long Beach. She taught Kindergarten and developed a Spanish program for 3 years at an elementary school in Orange County.
She then went to continue her education at Trinity College, Dublin after being accepted into the prestigious Masters Program in Early Childhood Education and Care. She taught and managed community preschool programs in Ireland for three years. After founding Sol y Luna Nature School, Natalia returned to CSULB to obtain a second M.A. in Early Childhood Education. She graduated in 2020.
Pedagogical interests include anti-bias education, nature-based learning, dialogical teaching and patient problem solving. Personal interests include traveling, cooking and the arts.