Welcome to The Garden

Lisa Anand

(she/her) joined The Garden Coop Nursery School community as a parent in 2007. While playing and getting to know all the kids on the yard, her passion for working with young children was born. After her younger son graduated, she earned her certificate in Early Childhood Education from UCLA and became a teacher at The Garden in 2012. She was thrilled to be named Director of the school in 2014, and subsequently completed additional administrative coursework to earn her California Child Development Program Director Permit.

Prior to working at The Garden, Lisa acquired a BA in French from UCLA and spent a year teaching in France after college. She also spent five years at Lanterman Regional Center as the Toy Loan and Play Program Coordinator facilitating play groups, Music Together classes, and special workshops for parents and their children with developmental disabilities. Lisa believes that the preschool years are some of the most amazing and rewarding, but knows they can also be challenging for parents. She is honored to share this journey with the Garden School families and offer them support and counsel.

Rebecca Espinoza

(she/they) is a Los Angeles native and joined The Garden as an Associate Teacher in 2023. After graduating from Pasadena City College with an AA in Psychology, Rebecca transferred to Cal State Long Beach where she graduated with a BA in Psychology and a passion for conflict resolution. She is currently completing the Early Childhood Education program at UCLA.

Rebecca enjoys cooking, dancing, photography, and crafting of all kinds: from card making to paper flowers and more. She strongly believes in The Garden’s non-violent communication approach. She believes that modeling and encouraging children’s natural capacity for curiosity and empathy will give them the tools to develop stronger bonds throughout their lifetime. Rebecca is excited to share her creativity and passion for learning with the Garden community.

Elizabeth Franco

(she/her) joined The Garden as an Associate Teacher in 2024. She was born and raised in Los Angeles and brings over 15 years of experience working with children. She currently resides in Santa Monica with her husband, Mario and their son, Mateo (born in 2019). Her interest in working with young children was sparked while taking a Child Development course–she knew then that she wanted to pursue a career in the field. She received her BA in Child and Adolescent Development from Cal State University, Northridge in 2013.

Over the years, Liz has worked as a teacher in a day care center, an accountant, a nanny and a family assistant. She loves reading, traveling, dancing, photography, creating art and most of all learning.

She is grateful to have been introduced to The Garden, where children’s individuality is celebrated and given a safe place to thrive. She looks forward to getting to know the children and their families, providing support and nurturing children’s natural curiosity.

Edlín Reconco

(she/her) joined The Garden as a parent in the fall of 2017. After completing her practicum hours at The Garden, she joined the team as a part-time teacher in January of 2017. Edlín has a BA in Cultural Anthropology and an MA in Teaching from the University of California, Irvine. She also holds a Single-Subject Teaching Credential in Spanish and taught Spanish for six years at a local high school in Koreatown.

Edlín is excited to share her love of learning with children. She believes that all children are naturally curious about the world and eager to learn. A child’s early learning experiences and relationships impact their attitude toward learning later in life. She is thrilled to be in a school like The Garden where children form strong loving relationships in a safe place that honors their interests and needs.

Cristina Drake

(she/her) was born and raised in California. She attended UC Santa Cruz where she studied cultural anthropology and art history. After college she lived in Vancouver, New York, and London, working in the film industry. In 2010 Cristina moved back to California and began studying early childhood education at UCLA Extension. In 2012 she started working at The Garden Cooperative Nursery School.

Cristina is deeply committed to the philosophy of nonviolent communication and has embraced The Garden School culture. In 2017, she gave birth to her first child, Sonny. She returned to teaching part-time. In 2020, she had her second child, Louisa, who is now a student at the school. Cristina enjoys continuing her parenting journey at The Garden and serving as a substitute teacher as needed.

Yuliana Parada

(she/her) joined The Garden as a parent in 2013. As a co-op parent, she shared an array of skills, passions, and traditions with the children, including Spanish language activities, geological enrichment, African drumming and dancing, capoeira, tortilla and tamale making, planting, and harvesting. She remained involved with the Garden community even after her children graduated.

Yuli studied geology at Pasadena City College and has a love of nature and the outdoors. She enjoys camping with her family and once hiked Mt. Whitney with fellow Garden parents. After completing her Associate Teacher Permit coursework at UCLA, she returned to The Garden in 2021 and brings curiosity, energy, and creativity to the classroom.