Meet the Teacher
Get to Know Our Rockstar Team!
Our goal is to create a bond with each child and family, to determine the best methods to help each child succeed.
Amy Payne
Owner/Director
I can not wait to get to know your family! I have been in the childcare field for over 15 years in positions ranging from infant to after-school teacher, program manager for a national chain, a nanny, the owner and director of a very successful home daycare, and now as the Owner and Director of Mrs. Amy’s Adventures! I plan to create a bond with your child and family that can be hard to find at larger chain centers. I take pride in knowing each child feels safe and valued on an individual basis.
Alexandra Palacios
Assistant Director/Office Manager
Hey! Y'all can call me "Alex". I was born and raised in New York/New Jersey and moved to the great state of Texas a few years ago. I graduated from the New York Institute of Technology and dedicated my career to pediatrics, women’s health, and emergency medicine. I come from a huge family and my husband and I just recently welcomed our first baby girl. I absolutely love being a mama!
I’m grateful for this opportunity to get to know your family, and for the trust you have in us to care for your precious littles. I believe it’s never too early to start educating children, and they all have unique abilities to grow and learn when given a positive learning environment!
Ms. Michelle
Cook
Hello, my name is Michelle, and I'm the cook here at Mrs. Amy's Adventures! I'm from Florence, TX, and love being outdoors. I enjoy riding my horses, and hanging out with my grandkids. I enjoy cooking for the kiddos and seeing their smiling and welcoming faces everyday!
Ms. Chrissy
Curriculum Coordinator/ Classroom Float
I was born and raised in Austin, Texas. I have been a preschool teacher for 25 years. My husband Jim is a golf pro (no, I do not play golf). We have a daughter, Julia, at Angelo State University where she will continue her volleyball career.
My goals at Mrs. Amy's Adventures is to provide a safe, loving, and fun classroom where toddlers can get messy while they explore and learn. I want every child and parent to feel supported.
I believe every child is special and unique in their own way. I want to make sure they are surrounded by fun, positive energy.
Ms. Gina
Nursery Teacher
Hi, my name is Gina Gamboa. I am from Snowflake Arizona. My family and I moved here beginning of August. I have a 6 year old little girl and a passion for working with kids. I have been working with children since 2015. My goals are to build roots with my family here in Texas and continue my journey in childcare. I believe it is so important for children to have play based learning where they can interact with toys and art each day and build on their skills.
Ms. Brenda
Nursery Teacher
Hello, my name is Brenda Gutierrez and I'm very excited to start a new chapter here at Mrs. Amy's Adventures. I am 22 years old and fluent in both English and Spanish. For the last 4 years I've been working with autistic children from ages 5-19 years old. I lived in Bertram, Texas all of my life and plan to stay here for even longer!
My long term goal is to continue working with young children and be able to shapre their young minds. I believe right now is the time to help them learn how to build relationships, get out of their comfort zone and learn how to communicate their needs.
My philosophy on Early childhood education would be building strong and healthy bonds with all of my students. I think it's important to get to know each child to help them learnand build the confidence they need in their everyday life.
Ms. Laynna
Infant Teacher
I grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana and graduated from highschool in 2019. I've been working in childcare for the last two years and really enjoy it! My goal is to work a career that I love and to provide care to others that need it. I want to further my experience and knowledge in this field. My philosophy is that bond building is the most important part of childhood education. Having a good relationship with both the children and their families are the basic building blocks for creating a strong learning environment. I look forward to meeting everyone and developing that bond!
Ms. Jennifer
Infant Teacher
My name is Jennifer Garay, I was born and raised in Austin, TX. I graduated high school in 2021 and currently working on my associates degree in business. I am expecting my first baby in June 2025, and am so excited to start this journey as a first time mom. I have a year experience in child care with ages up to 12 years old. I speak fluent english and spanish and beginner/intermediate in ASL.
I aspire to one day have my own remodeling business with my partner, but in the meantime I want to help children! Although they are young, I want to teach them that there is a whole big world out there that has so much to offer them. That they can do anything they set their mind to!
Aside from us teachers, I want to show your children that they can learn from each other as well and we will help guide them. I do believe that is a big part of child education, teaching them to use all their resources.
Ms. Breida
Toddler Teacher
My name is Breida, and I am in the toddler room! I graduated from Liberty Hill High in 2016 and am currently enrolled in Austin Community College majoring in Education. I’ve always enjoyed working with children and knew it would be something I wanted to make a career out of.
My goal working here is to gain as much experience and learn as much as I can, turning every situation into a learning event for both myself and my students. I plan on incorporating Spanish to our toddler program to help expand the children’s communication skills. I believe in a play-based program because I have witnessed much success in children building their confidence, creativity, and social emotional skills while attending our school. I am so excited to be working with your child!
Ms. Illyanna
Toddler Teacher
Hello! My name is Illyanna but for the kiddos I am Ms. Lily. I have lived in Liberty Hill my whole life. I attended ACC and obtained my Associates degree in psychology when I was 16. I have two beautiful kiddos, Christine (4) and Charmie (1). I have lots of experience with children and I am looking forward to getting to know each and every one of your babies!
My biggest goal is to ensure that every child's educational and emotional needs are met each day.
I believe every child should come to school excited about playing and learning and feel safe with their friends and teachers. Every child has their own learning style and I want to be there to help them along the way.
Ms. Hanna
Preschool Teacher
Hello! I’m a born and raised Texan who loves working with children. I’m an artist and a huge dog lover. I played sports my whole life and I can honestly say this is the best team I have ever been a part of. I want to teach children to enjoy learning and know how fun it can be! It is never too early or too late to learn anything. My goal is to expand the little minds of children and help them reach their fullest potential. Children will always remember how someone made them feel, I want my students to feel like they are capable of great things, because they really are!
Ms. Kristen
Preschool Teacher
I am coming to Texas from South Dakota where my love of childcare began. I graduated high school in 2009 in Minnesota and went on to the Minnesota Army National Guard where I served for 10 years working with computer systems. My husband and I recently moved to Texas with our 8 year old and 5 year old sons. For the last 9 years I have worked in childcare where watching children grow and learn has brought me the most joy.
My goal is to create an environment that is both safe and enriching for our children. I am passionate about children's social emotional development and so I strive to make learning fun and enjoyable for every child in my care.
I believe that children learn best through meaningful play. Each child is an individual with different needs and as an educator I will foster an environment that recognizes each child's strengths, abilities, needs and learning style.