Director
Assistant Director
Lead Teacher
Teacher
Teacher
Teacher’s Aid
Teacher’s Aide
633 Taraval St.
San Francisco, CA 94116
254 Laguna Honda Blvd.
San Francisco, CA 94116
Meaningful Beginnings Daycare Center
Director
Assistant Director
Becoming a teacher was not only part of the plan for Rebecca Wang; it was the unequivocal dream – a dream that involved the passionate, never-ending pursuit of knowledge that would also enable her to impart her years of experience into the budding lives of children. This dream, now fully realized, continues to grow with each passing day as she seizes every new opportunity to help children flourish. Beyond instilling a lifelong love of learning into her students, she relishes the ability to infuse happiness into every stage of their unique learning journeys. Harnessing Meaningful Beginnings as a springboard for learning and creating a community that extends beyond a shared geographical location. She especially appreciates when our learners simply surprise themselves – and their parents and teachers, too – with the levels of learning they have accomplished. For her, that’s the greatest reward there is. A graduate of San Francisco State University, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Child and Adolescent Development specializing in Early Childhood Education and can read and write fluent Mandarin.
Lead Infant Teacher
Born and raised in San Francisco, Sandy has always held a profound love of caring for babies and kids. A daycare worker since 2011, she cherishes every opportunity to see them grow and thrive while also encouraging them to think freely, embrace creativity, and be themselves. Hard-working by nature, she studied child development and CNA at City College of San Francisco. When she isn’t busy taking care of children at Meaningful Beginnings, you can find her out and about with family and friends.
Lead Teacher
For Thereza Cerna, what started as a love for babysitting at a young age quickly evolved into a full-fledged passion for working with kids full-time. Now six years into her current role, she is thrilled to be teaching with the Meaningful Beginnings team and enjoys the daily satisfaction that comes with seeing children’s faces light up and smile as they arrive each day. For Theresa, being a part of their early development and milestones is what it’s really all about, and she embraces every opportunity to create a special bond with each of her students. Currently attending Skyline/Cañada College for early childhood education, she’s not only committed to the continual improvement of her skill set, but she’s also on a lifelong mission to help children uncover their own unique passions and interests. When she isn’t providing exceptional care in the classroom, she enjoys spending quality time with family or doing some crafts.
Teacher
Described by others as friendly, silly, and funny, Sadaf Shahid joined the Meaningful Beginnings team a year ago and has since made a lasting impression on her students and colleagues alike. For Sadaf, it’s not just the team she works with, it’s the vibrant environment that the daycare fosters and the smiles on her kids’ faces that make the entire experience so incredibly special and worthwhile. A Muslim immigrant originally from Pakistan and a self-described family person who now calls San Francisco home, she attended San Francisco City College as part of her training and is ecstatic to put all her years of experience to good use and the benefit of a growing group of knowledge-hungry students. Deeply passionate about expanding every child’s horizon, she makes it her daily mission to elevate the learning experience by encouraging endless discovery through interactive exploration.
Teacher’s Aide
Ana knew she wanted to work with kids when she started taking care of her sister’s 3-month-old daughter. This initial desire has since transformed into a rewarding career where she spends most of her time helping kids cultivate concentration, motivation, self-discipline, and a genuine love of learning. Hardworking, reliable, and caring, she makes it her personal responsibility to help instill critical thinking skills, resilience, and respect for others, giving children a strong foundation for learning that will stay with them throughout their lifetime. Embracing the Meaningful Beginnings approach, she cherishes every opportunity to prepare children for life in our ever-changing world and is proud to play a formative role in the lives of children as they learn, grow, and become well-rounded individuals.
Teacher’s Aide
Drawing inspiration from her parents, grandparents, and teachers, Shenna Cabrera sees her role as a daycare provider as an excellent opportunity to share what she knows with the young minds of tomorrow. Every time she goes to work, she looks forward to seeing how each kid’s day unfolds and hearing the stories they must share. She also appreciates those special moments when the children arrive at the center, show their big smiles, give hugs, and beam with excitement as they interact with their teachers and friends. A native of the Philippines, Shenna now resides here in California where she graduated from Our Lady of Fatima University with a bachelor’s degree in Nursing. She’s currently taking classes in Early Child Education at Skyline College. When she’s not working, she enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Infant Teacher
My name is Emily and I am an infant teacher. My aim with this position is to learn how children develop as unique individuals and learn how to support their holistic growth. I am currently a student at San Francisco
State University majoring in Child and Adolescent Development. With this experience, I am hoping to get a sense on whether I want to continue to work in the classroom or if I want to learn the administrative side of education. The experience of working directly with children is gratifying and I wish to create a safe space for children to explore with all of their senses as they develop their own personalities. I hope to be able to help build a strong foundation so that the children can have the confidence and ability to express themselves.