Carolyn LeBlanc
President / CEO
Carrie has many years of experience working with children and parents. She has been in the education field for over 9 years, beginning as a Teacher Assistant at the Moncton Montessori School. It was in this year that she developed a love and passion for the Montessori methodology.
Carrie was given further opportunities, in 2014, to expand her knowledge of the Montessori philosophy by working as a teacher for over six years at Kingswood Academy. She held the positions of Casa (co-teacher), Kindergarten, and Grade 1 teacher.
Carrie has completed the NAMC Lower Elementary (6-9) certification in 2017, a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Psychology, and a Bachelor of Education majoring in Elementary Education. She also finished her 90-hour Introduction to Early Childhood Education course in May of 2020. Carrie has also has diabetic training with Horizon Health.
Assistant Director
Lisa rejoined our team in August 2022. She first came to Willow Bend, along with her adopted son, in March 2021. She remained a regular fixture at the centre for a year as a relief staff, a full time educator and temporary Assistant Director. Lisa discovered her passion for working with children while taking an early childhood class in high school. She continued on to complete her Early Childhood Education diploma from the Institute for Human Services Education in 2002. Lisa has more than 18 years experience as an Early Childhood Educator with a couple of breaks during her journey to work as a Family Support Worker.
Lisa and her husband of 16 years both hail from Sackville, NB but relocated to Moncton in recent years to be closer to their work places. She is a proud Mom to a 4 year old son. Lisa goes on to say "Home is where the heart is and my heart is with Willow Bend. I was thrilled to see first hand the care my son is receiving from all of the dedicated educators at Willow Bend. I am equally delighted to have the opportunity to return as a support, not only to the staff, but to the wonderful families who entrust us with their little ones."
Lisa Embree-Steeves
Melissa Young
Educator - Infant room
Melissa joined our team in September 2020 and hails from Salisbury, NB. She has a keen passion for children and has worked with children of all ages - from babies to after schoolers. Melissa brings with her 3 years experience as an aid. She has over 17 years of skill in the daycare field and received her Early Childcare Education in 2018.
Melissa's positive, cheerful and caring character brings a warmth to the centre. Her time at Willow Bend has been fantastic and she feels like we’re all family. She loves her, hopefully, forever home. Melissa is married and is a fur mommy to a caring and gentle dog.
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Educator - Infant Room
Originally from the Ukraine, Karyna and her husband moved to Moncton in September 2023. She joined our team December 2023 as a relief staff and then 4 months later was thrilled to step into a full time educator position as an Infant Room educator. She brings with her a deep passion for working with children. In 2019, she received a Bachelor's degree in Pedagogy and in 2024 had her credentials successfully recognized in Canada. Karyna has always found joy in supporting children's growth and development. These experiences have enriched her approach with children allowing her to create meaningful and supportive learning environments.
Her previous experience includes working as a babysitter in Israel in 2020 and as a tutour for Ukrainian language for school-aged children. In her spare time, Karyna enjoys getting lost in a good book and is dedicated to improving her English language skills. She and her husband look forward to adding a furry friend, or perhaps two, to their family in the near future.
Karyna Tsarenok
Mylene Capili
Educator - Infant Room
Born and raised in the Philippines, Mylene dedicated over a decade to shaping young minds as a Secondary School Teacher. As the eldest of four siblings, she naturally embraced responsibility and leadership which are traits that she carries into her role as a loving parent to 2 children.
In August 2023, Mylene embarked on a new journey to Canada, fueled by her passion for Early Childhood Education. This path led her to Oulton College, where she graduated in June 2024 with a diploma in Early Childhood Education. Mylene's unwavering commitment to children and their development continues to inspire her, driven by a deep fondness for their innocence.
She joined Willow Bend ELC in August 2024 and says that she is thriving at Willow Bend, finding a joy and fulfillment in her work. Surrounded by supportive coworkers, Mylene is quoted as saying " I am grateful for the warm and encouraging environment that enriches my professional journey."
One quote that inspires her is from Nelson Mandela, who said, "There can be no kneener revelation of a society's soul than how it treats its children." Mylene firmly believes that caring for children's needs is fundamental to the betterment of our community.
Tanisha MacNeill
Educator - Infant Room
Tanisha graduated from Oulton College with a diploma in Early Childhood Education in June 2024 and joined the Willow Bend team in January 2025. She comes from generations of women who dedicated their lives to adopting, fostering and taking care of children who were in need or had exceptionalities. Over the last 2 years, Tanisha decided to switch her career focus from psychology to childcare as she has always had a strong desire to help children and youth grow. She comes to us with a strong knowledge about child development, behaviour management, mental health, inclusive education and more from her educational training in psychology and Early Childhood Education program.
Tanisha's person interests include yoga, reading, cooking, music and swimming.
Educator - 2s Room
Zainab Abdulkadri
Educator - 2/3s room
We are pleased to welcome Miss Zee, or as her family and friends call her "Mother Hen" because of her love of children. She is thrilled to be the classroom educator and believes that every child is unique and has the potential to grow, learn, and succeed in a positive and supportive environment. Zee hails from the beautiful country of Nigeria.
Zee brings with her over 10 years of experience in education and currently pursuing a Master's degree from Crandall University. She also possess a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. She has worked with children of various ages and backgrounds throughout her carer, helping them develop essential skills and a love for learning.
Zee believes that mutual respect and responsibility are key to a successful learning environment. In her classroom, they will work together to be kind, respectful, and eager to learn. Her goal is to help every child reach their full potential while fostering a love for lifelong learning. Zee values open communication and looks forward to working with parents.
Meagan Smith
Educator - 3/4 Room
Meagan first joined our Willow Bend team in November 2022 as a relief staff member until she made the decision to enroll in Oulton College's Early Childhood Educator program in September 2024 with the gentle nudging of Carrie and the staff at Willow Bend ELC. She rejoined the team in April 2024 to do her on the job training and take over as the 3/4 educator. She graduated in June 2024 from the program with a diploma in Early Childhood Education. Meagan was thrilled to come back and work with the children again.
After many years of working long hours and after hours as a Manager of Tim Hortons and security at Casino NB, she found the need to find a career that she could have a consistant schedule for her family. Meagan certainly found her knish as an educator!
The following quote is how she feels on a daily basis - "While we try to teach our children about life our children teach us what life is all about." The children have taught her so much more about herself and what she can bring to the children.
In her spare time, she spend a lot of time with her partner, her 2 daughters, step daughter, grandparents and fur babies Oreo and River.