Our Staff

It takes a big heart to shape little minds! Our staff has over 300 collective years of experience in the teaching field or experience with young children.

Mallory Paderick

Mallory is serving as the interim Director of St. Luke Preschool. She is a Sanford native and has a BS from North Carolina State University in Marketing and Management. Mallory is an active member at St. Luke United Methodist Church and has served on the Preschool board for six years. She has a son and daughter.

Ashley Melpolder

Ashley teaches one of our two-year-old classes. She is currently completing her Teacher's Certification from Appalachian State. Ashley has worked in several day care settings and enjoys working with preschoolers. She is married with two girls.

Christine Hillard

Christine teaches one of our four-year-old classes. She joined our staff in 2019 after working for fifteen years in Lee County Public schools. Christine is currently working on her Bachelor's of Education. Christine is married with two children. 

Monica Ibarra

Monica serves as a Teacher's Assistant. She is bilingual, with a background in Dermatology, Urgent Care and Aesthetics. Monica has seven years experience working with children ages three months to preteens, and enjoys dancing, running, and spending time with loved ones! 

Cathy Lewis

Cathy runs our one-year-old  program. She joined our staff in 2002. She is well known in the community for her many years of devoted service at Buffalo Presbyterians Preschool. Cathy has also worked in our church’s After School Program. She has two sons and a daughter, and is the proud grandmother of eleven grandchildren, including two sets of twin girls!

Katherine Wheby

Katherine teaches one of our four-year-old classes. She received a BA in Elementary Education from UNC Chapel Hill and taught elementary school in Lee County before joining our staff in 2011. Katherine has been very involved in the planning and implementation of the children’s ministry at St. Luke UMC. She has two daughters.

Tonya Walden

Tonya serves as a Teacher's Assistant. She attended Central Carolina Community College and has fourteen years of experience working with toddlers. She has worked at a preschool and has also been a private nanny for several years. Tonya enjoys spending time with her husband and three children.

Carolyn Lee

Carolyn teaches one of our two-year-old classes.  She joined our staff in 1993. Carolyn attended Fayetteville State Univ. and Fayetteville Tech. She served at Haymount UMC as the Director of the Mother’s Morning Out program and taught a two-year-old preschool class. Carolyn is the current Director of the St. Luke After School Care program. She has three sons and three grandchildren.

Amanda Powers

Amanda teaches one of our four-year-old classes. She attended East Carolina University, and graduated with a BS in Child Development and Family Relations. Amanda joined our staff in 1989. She served as a previous director of the St. Luke After School program. Amanda has two children and two grandchildren.

Kelsey Price

Kelsey serves as a Teacher's Assistant. She received a BA in Political Science from California State University of Bakersfield. She has served as a leader on the Children's Ministry at her church for over 8 years. She is married and has a son who attended our preschool before he started his journey to elementary school!

Bonnie Guerra

Mrs. Bonnie joined our team in 2019 as our Music Teacher and we are so excited to have her! Bonnie grew up in Sanford. She received her BA in Child Development and Family Studies and Music from UNC Chapel Hill. She has over nine years experience teaching.