Our Teachers and Staff

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My name is Lisa and I have been the sole owner of AppleTREE Academy for over 25 years. Working with children was a lifelong dream of mine and now serves as my passion. I received my CDA (Child Development Associate) in preschool education and an Ancillary and I now sit as the owner and director of AppleTREE Academy for 30 years. In addition, I am also the preschool children’s pastor for New Beginnings Church in Covington, Louisiana. I have also served on The Board of Directors for The Northshore Association for the Education of Young Children and Children and Adults with Attention Disorder bringing my passion for children and their families. I am married to Brendon Hayes. We have four adult children and seven grandchildren!

My name is Jane Williams. I earned my CDA (Child Development Associate) in May 2009 for Infants/Toddlers and an Ancillary. I have been working/teaching children for 47 years. I have worked with all ages from infants to Pre-Kindergarten. I have been at AppleTREE Academy for 30 years. I am the Assistant Director and presently the Pre-K teacher. My calling was to work with children which is my whole life. I have two wonderful children of my own as well as several grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.

Hello everyone, my name is Krystal Chaisson. I have been here at AppleTREE Academy for 5 years. I am from Chalmette, but I relocated to Lacombe in 2005, where I now reside with my wonderful husband, Robert, my daughter, Mila, and my 2 fur babies, Roux and Buster. I love anything Disney, Golden Girls, and anime. In November of 2024, I received the call that changed my life forever, and I became a double transplant warrior and am living my best life ever! In addition, a hobby that I love, that also helps me unwind, is spending time with my family, sewing, making hairbows, making beaded pens and badge reels. I am a graduate of McNeese State University with a Bachelor's degree in General Studies with a minor in Art. I have worked with children for about 16 years and absolutely love this field of work. I love working with infants and having the opportunity to get them from the start and watch them grow up. In 2019,  I received my Ancillary certificate and continue to take classes in order to further educate myself in the development of my babies. One thing I like for my parents to know is that I will love and care for the babies as if they were my own. I look forward to meeting and interacting with you and your children!

 My name is Elizabeth Chauvin, I am in my early twenties and currently the lead teacher for the 6-12 month olds. One of my favorite hobbies are spending quality time with my family and fiancé. I have been working with young children for 4 years and my absolute favorite part about it... is to watch them grow. When a child first comes to me they are at the start of crawling then I work on sitting up and by time they leave they are walking, talking, and very expressive with their feelings. I love being able to bring out the best side in a child and to show them they are loved and cared for. I have wanted to work with children since I was very young and feel so grateful to be able to do what I love.  I can't wait to interact with your child!

Hi, I’m Kayleigh Evans! I'm so excited to be a part of your child's early learning experience. I graduated from Ascension Christian High in 2023 and am currently attending college at Delgado. Before joining this daycare, I worked at Ascension Christian Early Learning Center, where I discovered my passion for working with children.

Outside of work, I enjoy singing, playing guitar, and attending church at Bethany in Baton Rouge. I also love spending time with my dog, Diesel! I feel very blessed to meet and share time with each and every child whom I care for, and I'm looking forward to getting to know your little ones.

 Hi! My name is Ashely Walker.  I have been working in child care since 2005. I have always loved working with children. I love the fact that I get to watch them grow and have the opportunity to teach them new things. Along the way, I am a proud mom to a little girl. She is my world and love watching her grow up we love to do lots of crafts together.

 Hi! My name is Jessica Montalbano. I live with my husband and our three girls in Covington, LA. I love spending time with my family and fishing. In the past, I was a substitute for the St. Tammany Parish School System. In the future, I am looking forward to obtaining my CDA.

 My name is Tamarra and I have been working with children for over 10 years. I always knew since I was little that I wanted to be a teacher. I love watching children understand and apply what I have taught them. Shaping young minds and watching them grow into the person they are going to be is my true purpose for working with children.

Hi! My name is Rodnique Alexander, but most people call me Ro. I'm passionate about early childhood education and love creating fun, engaging learning experiences that help children grow socially, emotionally, and academically. With a background in general studies and hands-on experience in both classroom and childcare settings, I focus on building a warm, supportive environment where every child feels safe, seen, and inspired to learn.

Outside the classroom, I enjoy learning new things, being creative, and finding ways to grow personally and professionally. Whether it’s through music, storytelling, or hands-on activities, I believe that learning should be joyful, meaningful, and tailored to each child's unique strengths.

I’m excited to be part of your child’s learning journey!

My name is Monica Jones. I have earned my CDA (Child Development Associate) in 2005 for Infant/Toddler and an Ancillary. I have been teaching children since 1996. I started out my journey in teaching as a substitute at a local school. I then began my journey in the childcare field in 1999. I have worked with children of all ages from infants to preteens. I have received my ancillary certification. I love teaching children. It is a deep passion of mine to watch children learn and grow. I look forward to learning new things daily to help interact with the children and their families.

 Hi, my name is Megan Chauvin, I originally started working at AppleTREE Academy as a part time floater but throughout my time here I have grow to truly love working with children and decided to make a career out of it. I am currently working towards my goal to obtain my CDA. I have been working with children since December 2024. I love the bonds I get to make with not only the children but the parents as well. In my spare time I enjoy hanging out with my loved ones, taking care of my pets, and reading. 

  Hi, my name is Mikayla Barnes and I am 21 years old. I am from Covington and I am currently studying to be a pediatric nurse. I have 2 years of experience in childcare and absolutely love working with children.  

 Hello! My name is Shelley Taylor. I have been working in the education field for 28 years and just recently retired as a Special Education Teacher. I have 3 children and raised golden retrievers. Some hobbies that I enjoyed are kayaking, camping and listening to music.

 Hello everyone...I'm Susan. I have been working in childcare for 15 + years. One thing I love about this field of work is spending time with children and getting to them grow and thrive while in my care. I love to travel to different places as well as scrapbooking my different journeys.