Preschool Staff

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Preschool Staff

Our Educators:

We Are Passionate About Learning and Playing!

The staff members at Christ Lutheran Church Preschool are caring and nurturing individuals who come to work every day to help your child grow in God’s love and grace.  We pride ourselves on providing a safe, play-based learning environment and developmentally-appropriate activities and curriculum to make the most out of the time that your child spends with us.  We follow the requirements of the State for hiring that include reference checks, criminal background checks with fingerprinting, and education credential verification.  All of our staff members participate in ongoing professional development, including:

  • Training in State and local child care requirements 
  • Training in Indiana's Early Learning Foundations and curriculum development
  • Training in First Aid/CPR/Universal Precautions
  • Training in Conscious Discipline (the social/emotional curriculum that we have adopted)
  • Training in other relevant early childhood practices

Profile image of Melissa Woldman

Melissa Woldman

Preschool Director

Office: 317-873-3232
E-Mail:

Melissa joined our staff in July 2021! She relocated to the area from Roanoke VA, with her (high school sweetheart) husband Scott and their 4 dogs.  She graduated from the University of Delaware after earning a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development and Education.  She began her teaching career directly after college for several years before starting a family.  She has two beautiful grown daughters who she had the pleasure of staying at home with for many years.  While at home raising our daughters, Melissa was able to help her husband grow their local business in Roanoke and had the pleasure of watching it grow for over 20 years.  Once her girls had grown into their teens, she quickly rejoined the work force as a director of a local childcare center in Roanoke, VA.  Melissa and her husband enjoy the outdoors and like to spend their free time kayaking, relaxing and just enjoying life together.  

Profile image of Maria Luciani

Maria Luciani

Toddler Class Teacher

Office: 317-873-3232 (Preschool Office)
E-Mail:

Profile image of Tasha Porter

Tasha Porter

Toddlers Class Teacher

Office: 317-873-3232 (Preschool Office)
E-Mail:

Tasha joined our staff in August 2021. She was born and raised in Sheridan and now lives in Whitestown. She graduated in 2015 from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Special Education and a minor in Visual Arts. She taught one on one at BACA, a local autism facility for 3.5 years before she became a stay at home mom. She also has experience in therapeutic horseback riding for children and young adults with special needs. Her husband's name is Aaron and he works for Dell Technologies. They have two kids Tessa (3) and Rhett (1). Tasha also runs her own business, Porter Craft Corner, out of her home.

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Cheryl Gardner

2/3s Class Teacher

Office: 317-873-3232 (Preschool Office)
E-Mail:

Cheryl originally joined our staff in 2012. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Tulane University in New Orleans and a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Texas. She worked as a therapist in both inpatient and outpatient settings with children, teens, and families for several years before having children.

Cheryl and her husband have three grown children: two sons and a daughter. The family moved to Indiana eleven years ago from New Hampshire and are still getting used to living without mountains and the ocean. In her spare time, Cheryl loves to hike, read, and travel.

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Erin Shafer

2/3s Class Teacher

Office: 317-873-3232 (Preschool Office)
E-Mail:

Erin joined our staff in June of 2019!  Erin has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Indiana University.  After college she moved to Chicago and began working with children with special needs and emotional disorders.  She then decided to become a preschool teacher and found that was her true passion.  An opportunity moved her and her husband to Los Angeles where they started their family and then over to Vermont before making their way back home to Indiana.  Erin lives in Zionsville with her husband, 3 children, and her dog, Ziggy.

In her spare time she loves to volunteer at her kid’s school, read, hike and go biking with her family. 

Profile image of Kara Richer-Carr

Kara Richer-Carr

3/4s Class Teacher

Office: 317-873-3232 (Preschool Office)
E-Mail:

Kara initially joined our staff in January of 2016 as a Toddler 1 class teacher and returned in August of 2018 after having a child as a 3/4s class teacher!  Kara has a Bachelor of Science in Communication from the University of Indianapolis, and many years of experience in child care.  While attending UIndy, she enjoyed taking courses in Child Psychology and Social Work.

Kara lives in Indianapolis with her husband, Neal, their three  children, and golden retriever.  In her free time, she enjoys visiting local farms and parks with her family.

Profile image of Desiree Woodruff

Desiree Woodruff

3/4s Class Teacher

Office: 317-873-3232 (Preschool Office)
E-Mail:

Desiree joined our staff in August of 2015!  She has a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Ohio State University and she also took Early Childhood classes at Quincy University..  She taught At Risk Pre-K in Illinois for 4 years before having children.   She has 4 children:  her oldest daughter, Carolyn, is an English as a Second Language teacher is Houston, Texas.  Her second daughter, Courtney, is a senior at Purdue University and is studying Biology/Genetics and Spanish.   Her third child, Corey,  is a Freshman at Indiana University and will be studying business, maybe?  And her youngest child, Curtis, is a freshman at Zionsville High School.  Her husband is Mark and he works at Corteva.

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Andrea Caniff

3/4s CLASS TEACHER

Office: 317-873-3232 (Preschool Office)
E-Mail:

Andrea joined our staff in August 2021. She attended Pike High School and college at Butler University where she studied psychology and business. She has been married to her husband, Christ, since 2000 and they have three children, Connor, Alexa, and Addyson. She was a stay-at-home mom for 19 years before getting back into the working world. Before kids she worked with developmentally disabled kids and adults in many capacities and her last job was in sales. She currently runs a soccer team at ZYSA soccer club for players with developmental disabilities and is a board member for ZYSA.

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Wendy Svenstrup

Pre-Kindergarten Class Teacher

Office: 317-873-3232 (Preschool Office)
E-Mail:

Wendy joined our staff in July of 2009!  She has a BS in Physical Education and Health (K-12) from Indiana State University.  She has taught in several preschools, including sixteen years at St. Mary’s Preschool in Lafayette, IN.  While at St. Mary’s, she introduced and taught the Zoophonics program, (for sound-recognition of letters leading to pre-reading).  She uses this curriculum, along with the Christ-centered curriculum here at CLC Preschool now.

Wendy and her husband, Mike, live in Brownsburg and have two grown sons and two granddaughters.  In her spare time, she enjoys reading, cooking, hanging out with her girlfriends, exercising, and looking for new and innovative ideas to share with students.

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Jamie Roehlk

Pre-Kindergarten Class Teacher

Office: 317-873-3232 (Preschool Office)
E-Mail:

Jamie joined our staff in July of 2017!  She has her Bachelors degree from Indiana State University.  She has two teenage children. (A boy and a girl).  She has been a stay at home mom since they were born, but has done volunteer work at their schools throughout their years.  She decided now that they are older to go back to work. 

Jamie recently moved to Zionsville from Pike township with her family and they really love it here.  Jamie and her husband are third degree black belts in karate and we are Senseis.  They teach karate to children and adults.  Their children are also black belts and national and state champions.  They enjoy studying karate together as a family.

Her hobbies include photography and writing.

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Beth Ganci

3/4S CLASS TEACHER

Office: 317-873-3232 (Preschool Office)
E-Mail:

Beth joined our staff in August of 2021.  She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Education (Special Education and Early Childhood Education) from Eastern Illinois University.  Before moving to Indiana, she taught middle and high school special education in Illinois and Ohio.  After relocating to Zionsville, she worked as a resource teacher with Head Start in Indianapolis until her son was born.  She has stayed home with her children since that time.  Now that her children are in school, she is excited to get back into the classroom also!

Beth lives in Whitestown with her husband and two children, ages 7 and 4.  In her spare time, she likes to read, cross stitch, and hike with her family.