Nurturing Young Minds
with Care & Creativity
we’re all about our amazing team of educators!
We handpick talented and passionate teachers who bring warmth and enthusiasm to our school. Our loving, proactive, and devoted teachers are the heart and soul of our program, each one dedicated to creating a nurturing environment where children thrive. Each member of our team has completed comprehensive coursework in early childhood education, are well-versed in the industry’s best practices, and is trained in Pediatric First Aid and CPR. It is their creativity, care, and knowledge that has fostered our warm, comfortable and home-like environment where children learn and find friendships in our close-knit family.
Jenny Bradshaw
DIRECTOR
Jenny brings a wealth of experience, warmth, and enthusiasm to her role as Director of First Friends. With a deep affection for young children, she has dedicated her life to creating nurturing learning environments for our earliest learners. Raised in Marin County, Jenny earned her BA in Education, Learning, and Societies and Communication from the University of Washington, and later pursued a Master’s degree in Educational Therapy at Notre Dame de Namur University, where she studied individualized intervention strategies to support learning on academic, psycho-educational, and socio-emotional levels.
She brings a broad range of practical experience to this role, including work in preschool and elementary classrooms, designing and implementing individualized preschool curricula, running home-based schools for early learners, and caring for infants and toddlers in daycare settings. In parallel, Jenny also worked as a project manager on large-scale international and corporate events. She is thrilled to bring her organizational, leadership, and project management skills to her role as Director, where she can channel them toward what she is most passionate about: supporting our youngest learners.
Outside of work, Jenny enjoys gardening, cooking for her family, and spending time at home with her daughter, husband, and dog.
Jocelyn Rivera
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Jocelyn is a dedicated educator and program leader with more than 20 years of experience in early childhood education. She holds a B.A. in Education from Brown University and earned her California State Teaching Credential at the University of San Francisco. Throughout her career, Jocelyn has worked with children from infancy through sixth grade and spent 14 years as the owner and director of a successful preschool program in Marin.
She is deeply committed to creating hands-on, project-based learning experiences that inspire curiosity, foster collaboration, and connect young children to the world around them. Jocelyn is also a proud mom and stepmom to five boys—ages seventeen to twenty-two—and lives in San Rafael with her husband and their two playful dogs, Ziggy and Bean. When she’s not in the classroom, she enjoys yoga, hiking, gardening, and traveling.
Theanna Acdol
TEACHER
Theanna was born and raised in the Philippines in her cozy hometown called Iloilo. Theanna loves working with children; she has been part of numerous outreach activities that served children affected by systemic issues in the Philippines. She volunteered and spent two summers teaching english and math to young children in rural areas of her childhood hometown, alongside organizing feeding programs and donation drives for the local community. She previously worked as a nursery care provider at a preschool in San Francisco, and simultaneously completed her Early Childhood Education studies at the College of Marin.
Teacher “Yanna,” as the children call her, brings to the classroom a heart full of warmth and excitement not only for how much she could share with the children, but also what the children could teach her about the world every day.
Ana Segal
TEACHER
Ana grew up in creative and vibrant classrooms, attending a performing arts school in San Francisco. She completed her B.S. in Music Production at Elon University in North Carolina, where she tutored in the writing center and music department. She was also delighted in teaching local second graders English and math. Later, Ana became a registered yoga teacher: a valuable tool for teaching mindfulness and mind body awareness. She later pursued her Early Childhood Education studies at Saddleback University.
She returned to Bolinas and worked as an organic farmer for two years, cultivating her deep and loving relationship with the land. Ana enjoys rotating between her many hobbies such as crochet, sketching, songwriting, and painting. She also loves to hike with her 3-year-old rescue dog, Shadow.
Ana wants to empower young minds to believe in their inner strength. She brings warmth, creativity, and a playful spirit to the classroom, as she fosters meaningful relationships through the magic of music, yoga, and gardening. Ana is thrilled to connect with the inspiring young kids and families of First Friends.
Kate Gomez
ASSISTANT TEACHER
Kate is a Marin native who has seven years experience working with children in various settings. She previously worked as the Program Leader at the YMCA After School Program at Hidden Valley Elementary School, as a tutor for children K-5, and camp counselor. Her love of working with children and their families inspired her to study Early Childhood Education at College of Marin.
Kate’s approach to her work at First Friends Preschool is marked by a warm, loving demeanor and excellent organizational skills. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new places with friends and family.
Schedule a Tour
We invite you to experience the magic of our preschool firsthand! Come take a tour and discover the nurturing environment, dedicated educators, and enriching activities that await your child.
Schedule your visit today and see why families love being part of our preschool community.