Our Administration Team
Jonnie Cardinale - Owner & Founder
Jonnie Cardinale is the owner and founder of Natural Bridges Children’s Center. With over 17 years of experience educating children in Santa Cruz County, Jonnie brings a unique perspective that bridges early childhood education and elementary school success.
- Expertise & Credentials:Â Holds two degrees in Early Childhood Education and a national certification as a handwriting specialist.
- Specialized Training:Â Earned a micro-credential in the Neuroscience of Growth Mindsets and attended the prestigious Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. She specializes in early literacy, math, curriculum planning, and educator mindfulness.
- Advocacy & Leadership:Â A fierce advocate for early childhood education, Jonnie frequently speaks on the importance of early learning for a smooth transition into Kindergarten. She has authored several articles on the topic and has served on both local and statewide boards dedicated to advancing early education.
Jonnie’s work with families is grounded in building children’s executive function skills, social-emotional confidence, and fostering strong home-school partnerships.
Behind the Scenes:Jonnie has called Santa Cruz home for over 45 years, where she lives with her husband, Joe, and her three prized English Cream Retrievers, Winnie, Walter & LibbyLou. She is a fierce advocate for animal rights and weaves her passion for ethical, compassionate care throughout all of her teaching and NBCC’s curriculum. In her spare time, Jonnie studies canine behavior and has developed a specialized, three-pillared framework for understanding how dogs’ early experiences, learning, and developmental processes shape their behavior. Her background in early childhood development helped scaffold this framework, and has created a meaningful segue between the two wonderful worlds. It is Jonnie's hope and dream to one day have her whole canine institute alongside her amazing preschool.Â
Aubrey Raney - Assistant Director
Aubrey Raney is the assistant director and master teacher at Natural Bridges Children’s Center, bringing a wealth of experience to our Santa Cruz preschool community. Holding a bachelor's degree in psychology, Aubrey possesses a specialized skill set focused on the social, behavioral, and cognitive development of young children.
With extensive experience guiding children ages 2 to 11, she is deeply passionate about designing early childhood education environments that support and nurture each child’s unique learning style and behavioral needs.
Expertise, Credentials & Child Development Background:
- Education:Â B.A. in Psychology (Emphasis on Child Psychology) - California State University, Chico
- Specialized Certification:Â Handwriting Without Tears Certified
- Advocacy & Leadership:Â During her university tenure, Aubrey completed a student advocacy internship with Students for Quality Education. In this role, she collaborated with statewide student leaders and presented student success priorities directly to the California State University Board of Trustees.
Aubrey's academic background and advocacy roots fuel her dedication to student success, child counseling principles, and fostering emotional well-being in early education.
Behind the Scenes: Aubrey moved to Santa Cruz, CA when she was 12 years old and is proud to live and work in the community she loves. Outside the classroom, she enjoys soaking up the California sunshine with a good book and exploring local Santa Cruz hiking trails with her loyal dog, Tango. Her deep connection to nature and the local community perfectly aligns with the outdoor and holistic values we cherish at Natural Bridges Children’s Center.
Our Teaching Team
Zeya Hazelman - Master Teacher
Zeya Hazelman is a master teacher at Natural Bridges Children’s Center. ​
Charlie Cook - Master Teacher
Charlie Cook is a master teacher at Natural Bridges Children’s Center. ​