Meet Our Teachers
Chiti Kompella, Lead Teacher
Chiti attended a Montessori school for her early childhood education and later received her Bachelor’s degree in Business in India. She moved to the United States in 1997 with her husband, Srinivas, and then a one-year-old daughter, Priyanka. Srinivas and Chiti had two more children in Bellevue, WA.
When her children went to Montessori schools in Bellevue, she decided to assist in the classroom to see if she would like to pursue a teaching career. She found her passion and took the Early Childhood Montessori certification in 2005 from MEIPN, Montessori Education Institute of the Pacific Northwest, which the American Montessori Society accredits. She has been teaching ever since. She has mentored several student teachers and has traveled to China to train Montessori teachers. She also teaches Positive Discipline parenting classes at Eyas.
Chiti lives in Bellevue with her husband and their third child, who is finishing high school. The other two are adults pursuing careers in Los Angeles and SFO. When she is not at school, Chiti can be found dancing, hiking, cooking, traveling, spending time with her family, or teaching yoga and meditation. She incorporates yoga in her classroom.
Chiti is always happy to speak with anyone about the benefits of Montessori Education and what makes Eyas Global Montessori a unique and successful educational experience.
Marilou Carlson, Lead Teacher
Growing up, Marilou Carlson always loved learning and school and got interested in Montessori when her aunt, a Montessori teacher trainer, lent her a book by Maria Montessori. Montessori’s respect for children and scientific approach to education really rang true to her. She took her Montessori training for 3-6 year olds at Bellevue Montessori School and has been working as a Montessori preschool guide ever since. She’s worked in various Montessori schools, from small to large, east side to Seattle, and full care to school day schools.
She continued her education at North Seattle College in 2014, earning a BA in Early Childhood Education. She loves the Positive Discipline method for understanding children’s behavior and meeting their needs. She enjoys the possibilities for building community in a small school such as Eyas as well as the global representation here. She was born and raised until age six in Ethiopia, where her parents worked in public health. Marilou lives in Seattle now, where she enjoys walking in nature, doing yoga and Pilates, spending time with family, and cooking delicious and healthy food.
Jackie Dealy, Teacher
Jackie Dealy was introduced to Montessori while attending high school and working part time as an afternoon helper. After graduation, she worked full time assisting in the classroom while completing her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Washington in 2006. During her college years while balancing school and work it became apparent to Jackie that teaching children is what brought her the most joy in life. She then completed her Early Childhood Montessori Teaching Credential through the Montessori Education Institution of the Pacific Northwest (MEIPN) in 2008. Jackie resides in Issaquah with her husband and two children: Wesley (born in 2013) and Riley (born in 2017). When Jackie is not at school she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, gardening and fitness.
Maggie Pan, Piano Specialist, Chinese Teacher
Maggie was born in Shanghai, China. In the year 2016, she moved to the United States. She has Elementary Teacher Certification and taught 6th grade in Utah for 2 years before moving to Bellevue, Washington. Here, she became interested in Montessori pedagogy and completed her Early Childhood Montessori Teaching Credential through the Montessori Education Institution of the Pacific Northwest (MEIPN) in 2020. She interned at Eyas and joined the Eyas faculty. In 2023, she completed her Master of Arts in Education. She teaches piano and Chinese language at Eyas. When not teaching, she likes to spend time with her daughter, sew, cook, hike, and play drama.
Valli Arunagiri, Assistant Teacher
Valli is originally from South India and has a foundation in computer science engineering. After relocating to the United States in 2010, Valli's life took a transformative turn as her focus shifted toward nurturing her 15-year-old daughter. Inspired by her daughter's journey towards independence, Valli pursued her passion for dance by founding the Chennai Beats Dance School in 2017, where she teaches Bollywood and Indian cinema folk dance styles.
With a vision to expand and enhance her dance academy, Valli is dedicated to creating a vibrant community that celebrates Indian culture through dance. In 2021, she joined Eyas, embracing the opportunity to teach dance part time and educating children full-time. This role allows her to combine her love for teaching with her commitment to fostering creativity and joy in young learners.
Valli's life is centered around her daughter and her students, making teaching an integral and fulfilling part of her journey. She continuously strives to inspire and empower the next generation through her dance academy and work at Eyas.
Taylor Diamond, Assistant Teacher
Bio coming soon
Carmen Zarabia, Assistant Teacher, Spanish Teacher, Cook
Carmen teaches Spanish at Eyas and prepares hot lunches from fresh ingredients for our lunch program. She has spent over 30 years working in early childhood Montessori programs. Through the MEIPN program, she has audited the Montessori teacher's training in Practical life, Sensorial, and Philosophy areas. She received her Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood in 2007. Her expertise is in observing children and meeting their social, emotional, and academic needs by matching their skills with activities that benefit them.
When not at school, she likes to spend time with her husband, their three children, daughters-in-law, and pets. She is originally from California but has been calling Washington her home for 30 years. She enjoys cooking, baking, gardening, and entertaining family and friends.
Ana Vignolo, Assistant Teacher, Closer
Ana is originally from El Salvador, Central America, where she grew up. Ana met her husband early on, and they raised four successful children together. After dedicating her time to raising them, she completed a Marketing and Business Administration professional degree. This education helped her to contribute to their family’s international insurance business. However, due to political changes in their country, they were forced to leave and eventually settle in Florida. There, she volunteered at a local Catholic school, reconnecting with her passion for working with children.
Recently, she moved to Washington State, where she earned her certification to continue working in the Montessori Classroom. She believes this unique approach fosters the holistic development of students and allows them to reach their full potential. She truly enjoys the supportive community at Eyas, where both the work environment and the relationships she builds make every day a pleasure
Debyati Mukherjee, Assistant Teacher
Debyati grew up in India and taught middle school there. She moved to the United States in 2023 with her husband and son. She joins working at Eyas and is inspired by the Montessori learning environment. She has taken the Montessori assistant teacher certification. Her hobbies include traveling, reading books, writing, and listening to music.