Our Team
Jamie Edwards
DIRECTOR
Jamie has been dedicated to working with children for over 35 years. She began her Montessori journey in Portland and Los Angeles, where she served as a Primary Guide, full-time substitute, and Assistant Administrator. In 2007, she earned her AMI Primary Diploma from Montessori Northwest (MNW) here in Portland, further deepening her love for Montessori education.
Through the years, Jamie has had the joy of guiding Children’s House classrooms and working as a full-time substitute at Portland’s beloved ChildPeace Montessori. In 2015, she met Elizabeth and Carl van Warmerdam right here at HVM, and what began as a friendship soon blossomed into a unique opportunity. When the Van Warmerdams retired to enjoy being full-time grandparents, Jamie stepped into a new role as owner and director of Happy Valley Montessori in 2016.
From 2020 to 2025, Jamie returned to her roots in the classroom as Lead Guide, a chapter that reaffirmed her passion for working directly with children. Today, she is thrilled to welcome our new guide, Le Yu, while continuing to nurture the growth of the HVM community.
When she isn’t at school, you can often find Jamie at a live music show (she loves all genres!), on her yoga mat, camping under the stars, roller skating, or enjoying time with family and dear friends.
Le Yu
LEAD GUIDE
Le brings over four years of experience as a Dual Language Educator, specializing in bilingual (Mandarin–English) instruction within Montessori and early childhood classrooms across China, Vietnam, and the United States.
She has worked as a Montessori Homeroom Teacher, guided children in CASA classrooms, designed bilingual curricula, led professional development for teachers, and partnered with families to support biliteracy at home.
Le holds a Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management from Renmin University of China, the Montessori International Diploma (Ages 2.5–6) and the Montessori Administrators Certificate from AMI, as well as a CELTA from Cambridge University.
She is known for building warm, trusting relationships with her students, supporting their independence while fostering a love of language and learning. Le is passionate about creating inclusive, student-centered environments where children can thrive in two languages.
In her spare time, Le enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing sports, reading, exploring new cultures, and engaging in creative activities.
Tanya Gulyy
LEAD ASSISTANT
Tanya graduated from high school in 2014 and attended Mt. Hood Community College for a few months before starting her role as a regular Substitute Assistant here at Happy Valley Montessori. Coming from a large family, Tanya loves the enthusiasm that children bring into everyday life. Enjoying time with children resulted in a dedicated practice of volunteering at her Bible class at church (youngest group: ages 3-5) for the last 10 years. With a keen interest in early childhood development, Tanya clearly recognizes how important the child’s first years are for their overall well-being and healthy growth.
Since hearing about the Montessori method, Tanya had been looking for an opportunity to see and better understand how this particular way of teaching and interacting with children benefits and encourages their growth, joy of living, and discovering new things. Since joining the HVM Staff in 2016, Tanya has witnessed first-hand the tremendous and positive influence that the children experience daily through the Montessori method, especially in practical life skills.
Tanya is thrilled and grateful for her role as the Lead Assistant to continue this important work while learning alongside the children. In her spare time, Tanya enjoys drinking tea, taking long evening walks, regularly attending and volunteering at her church, cooking, listening to music, and spending quality time with family and friends.
Jessica Albrecht
SUPPORT STAFF
Jessica graduated from Concordia University in 2020 with a Bachelors in Elementary Education. Before joining the team in January 2021, Jessica nannied for families working with children ages 6 months to 8 years old. Jessica finds the Montessori method intriguing and has loved exploring alongside students in our school. She enjoys engaging with children at a young age, helping to spark their love of learning, encouraging their growth socially, and seeing them begin to bloom. When she is not at HVM, Jessica can be found spending time with her husband and son, watching movies, playing volleyball, and reading.