FOUNDER / LEAD TEACHER

Jeannie Traback is honored to be the Director/Lead Teacher of Wellspring Preschool here in Pacific Grove. Jeannie earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies with an Education Minor from UC-Santa Cruz. She later went back to her alma mater and received her Masters in Education and California Teaching Credential. Throughout her many years working with children, education has been her passion. As a camp counselor, nanny, tutor, mentor, preschool teacher, Infant/Toddler Program coordinator, a substitute teacher, Elementary Librarian, and Children’s Ministry Director, her goal has always been the same. To help children feel welcomed and safe so that they can learn and grow to their full potential. For the last 20 years, she creatively nurtured students’ budding lives through her own creative pursuits and life experiences gained from world travels. Jeannie lives locally with her husband, Tony, their two children, and their pet Dalmatian/Labrador dog, Rainier.

Joy Langford

Joy Langford has been passionate about education all her life. The oldest of five children, Joy earned her Master of Arts in English and has taught at almost all levels of education from preschool to the University. She has also homeschooled three children on and off and will see her oldest graduate high school this year. Her favorite reminder about education is that “the question is not, -- how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education -- but how much does he care? and about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set? and, therefore, how full is the life he has before him?” (Charlotte Mason). Joy believes caring begins at preschool age, and she is delighted to learn alongside the children. Joy is a story lover - story-formed and story-curious, so she especially enjoys bringing books to life and imaginative play. She has always been drawn to the performing arts and creative learning environments.  

Mariana Meyer

Mariana Meyer was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and raised in Patagonia. More than 20 years ago, she moved to the Bay Area, where she met her husband, Eric, and discovered her passion for bilingual education while working at an English-Spanish school in Oakland. She holds an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education with Honors from Diablo Valley College. In 2023, Mariana and her family moved to Pacific Grove, where she joined the Wellspring Preschool community when her younger son enrolled as a student. As both an educator and a parent, she appreciates the joy, curiosity, and sense of belonging that help children thrive. Now that her two boys are in elementary school, Mariana is excited to return to the classroom and is grateful for the opportunity to support children and families as a member of the Wellspring Preschool team.

Heidi Ley

Heidi Ley is a nurse by trade with 15 years of experience in the Emergency Department and 8 years as a school nurse. She loves teaching and previously taught all didactic courses to new graduate nurses in the ED, as well as sexual health to middle school students. Her extensive healthcare background includes emergency triage, child safeguarding, and protocol development. Heidi graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, emphasizing family nurse practitioner studies. Her school nurse experience includes working at Stevenson School in Carmel and Geffen Academy at UCLA. Additionally, she served as an RN at Santa Monica UCLA Hospital and Huntington Memorial Hospital. On a personal note, Heidi has two boys who will be a high school senior and sophomore in the fall. She adores coffee, uses running as therapy, and never turns down chocolate