Nicole Nelson

Site Director

Nicole has worked in early childhood education for over 20 years, with a passion that deepens each year. Her experience spans corporate and home-based childcare, public and private preschools, nature-based programs, and founding and facilitating her own creative camps and workshops for children ages 2–12. Alongside teaching and mentoring, Nicole has worked in admissions, exmissions, local and global outreach, and parent education. She believes relationships are at the heart of this work and values true partnership with children, teachers, and families.

Nicole holds a B.A. in Developmental Psychology and a dual Master’s in Early Childhood General and Special Education. Deeply committed to curriculum development, Nicole is continually inspired by the big questions, joyful energy, and boundless imagination young learners bring to the classroom. She loves connecting and collaborating with educators globally and is a contributing author to Project-Based Learning With Young Children: Inspiring Stories and Practical Strategies from Classrooms Around the World (Routledge, 2026). In 2022, she spent time in Reggio Emilia, Italy, on a work-study trip, where she found inspiration in the practices she experienced firsthand.

Outside of school, she enjoys art and costume making, party planning, and exploring Prospect Park with her son and husband. Nicole is very excited to join the Smith Street Maternelle family this year and can’t wait to build meaningful connections within the community.

Najwa Diouri

Lead Teacher

Although Najwa was born in New York her father decided that it was best for her family to start their education in Morocco. She has been blessed to live in a supporting and encouraging family, where her mother took the responsibility of easing the transition into the new residence and provided the necessary blueprint to succeed in education. 

Najwa’s passion for the French language started when she was nine years old. She enjoyed reading French novels because they sparked her creativity, enriched her vocabulary, and educated her on the French people and culture. Najwa completed her Bachelor’s degree in French and is currently in graduate school. Outside of the classroom, Najwa loves photography whether it’s being in front of or behind the camera. She’s a big foodie and enjoys trying out new food spots.

Mélanie Daguenel

Associate Teacher

Mélanie is a passionate educator originally from Paris and recently settled in Brooklyn, where she lives with her husband and family. She is driven by a deep love for lifelong learning and a commitment to supporting the growth of each child. With a degree in Specialized Education and a Master’s in Educational Sciences, she is also a certified Education Specialist in France.

With over a decade of experience working with children and young adults, Mélanie has held various roles, including Counselor/Clinical Social Worker and French as a Foreign Language (FLE) educator within international NGOs like Doctors Without Borders and the Red Cross. Her background combines clinical expertise with strong academic knowledge, enhanced by a rich cultural sensitivity.

Her teaching approach is inspired by a blend of educational philosophies, particularly the Montessori method, which emphasizes autonomy, curiosity, and respecting each child’s pace, as well as the Reggio Emilia approach, which focuses on fostering creativity, collaboration, and the child as a capable and active learner. Mélanie is dedicated to creating a nurturing learning environment where every student feels supported in developing their self-confidence, resilience, and sense of purpose. She recognizes and nurtures the unique strengths of each child, empowering them to unlock their full potential.

Outside of her professional life, Mélanie enjoys traveling with her family, hiking, and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.

Sandra Oumohand

Associate Teacher

Sandra is originally from Algeria, where she earned a degree in Finance and Accounting. After moving to New York in 2022, she discovered her passion for early childhood education.

Sandra has experience caring for children through babysitting and has been working as a Teacher Assistant since 2023. She has also completed several trainings in early childhood education and childcare and continues to develop her skills in the field.

She speaks French, Arabic, and English and loves bringing her multicultural background into the classroom. As a mother herself, Sandra especially enjoys creating a warm, caring, and positive environment where children can learn, grow, and feel supported.

Karine Gauze

Lead Teacher

Karine has been a teacher at Smith Street Maternelle since 2020. She was born and raised in the south of France, studied in Marseille and lived in Paris for over 15 years. Karine earned a Master’s degree in film and worked on many different productions as a camera operator and director. After being in film for many years, she moved to the media industry where she worked as an editor for a high-end men’s fashion magazine.

Karine moved to Brooklyn with her husband and two children in 2017 and realized the importance for children to learn a new language from a very young age. She turned to teaching to share her language skills and continues to pursue training in early childhood education at City College.

During her free time, Karine loves to travel and explore museum exhibitions. She enjoys music, concerts and running (NYC Marathon in 2022).

Sophie Capéran

Associate Teacher

Sophie is a Paris native who spent her childhood living throughout Europe; in France, Germany, Denmark, and England, where she cultivated a sense of foreign languages and cultures from an early age. At Paris X University, Sophie completed a Bachelor’s degree in Anglo-American Literature & Civilization as well as a Master’s in Political Science.

Navigating the bilingual heritage of her own children she decided to focus and dedicate her attention to the world of early childhood development and education. Sophie worked as a substitute teacher and tutor at Smith Street Maternelle from 2020 to 2024 and joined the team part time this fall in Carroll Gardens. She is dedicated to French culture and education and is excited to share her knowledge across the educational landscape at Smith Street.

Sophie lives in Brooklyn with her husband, three daughters and son who is currently attending the Gowanus Campus, and aside from her work, shares a love for the arts, traveling, yoga and enjoys cooking with her kids.

Matthieu Eveillard

Lead Teacher

Matthieu comes from Brittany, a region of the North-West of France. He spent his childhood, teenage years as well as his early adulthood there, graduating in his studies of English and Information & Communication and becoming a librarian specialized in Music and Film. When he moved to New York City ten years ago, Matthieu worked at establishing a French children’s library and decided to pursue the career of teaching French to children. Matthieu loves to use his passion for music and guitar to teach the children and worked for 5 years in a bilingual preschool of the Upper East Side of Manhattan before joining Smith Street Maternelle. He is currently engaged in a Master’s Degree program of Early Childhood and Bilingual Education at Hunter College and a fervent believer in the Reggio Emilia’s credo that the child has a hundred languages and that reason and dream are things that do belong together.

Sandrine Haloin

Lead Teacher

Sandrine spent 15 years working as a therapist with children and families in France. She holds a Master’s degree in Psychology from Paris and specialized in supporting multicultural families, with a particular focus on bilingualism and the experience of expatriation.

After moving to New York with her family in 2018, Sandrine transitioned into early childhood education and built strong experience in Brooklyn. She has worked as a Lead Teacher in private progressive schools, bilingual French-English immersion programs, and nature-based programs. Her background in psychology, combined with her experience in education, has shaped her thoughtful approach to supporting young children’s development, independence, and curiosity.

Having raised her two daughters in New York’s bilingual and multicultural environment, Sandrine deeply values the richness that multiple languages and cultures bring to children’s lives. She believes that strong relationships with children and families are at the heart of meaningful early childhood education and is passionate about creating a warm, inclusive classroom where every child feels seen, supported, and inspired to learn.

Outside of school, Sandrine enjoys traveling and discovering new cultures, often through food and cooking, which have always been a particular passion. She loves sharing these experiences with her family and finding new ways to connect with the world around her.

Magali Pillionnel

Associate Teacher

Born and raised in Switzerland, Magali is a native French speaker. She graduated from the University of Lausanne with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Slavic studies. Growing up in a multilingual country, she developed an appreciation for cultural nuances and a lifelong interest in languages and literature. She understands the value of progressive education and has worked in nature-based preschool programs as well as elementary after-school arts programs.