Our Team

Our team is a colourful mix: from young to old, from job starters to experienced professionals, from practitioners to graduates. This mixture is what makes us special and what is reflected in our work every day.
Everything and everyone keeps moving, we benefit from each other and complement each other. With all our bundled competences and together with you, we can support and accompany your child in its development.
The flag serves as a symbolic identification of our English-speaking employees. It does not indicate the origin of the respective team members.

Monika Muscher
Kindergarten Manager

I have been a state-approved educator for 15 years and in January 2020 I completed the additional training as social manager. Afterwards I took over the management of Villa Luna Grafenberg in June 2020. The motto of Villa Luna “A good start lasts a lifetime” and the bilingual concept fit together very well and give the children a good foundation for their later life. I am very happy to be a part of Villa Luna and to accompany the educational everyday life of the children and families together with the team.

Sarah Fleischer
Kindergarten Manager

The “common thread” in my life is characterised by “being with children”. I have been the manager at Villa Luna since 2016 and see myself as a companion, co-discoverer and listener. As a management duo, I meet the children, staff and parents at eye level and always strive for an open dialogue. Courage, curiosity, not being right and humour are values that accompany me in my daily work at Villa Luna.

Silvia Feeber
Pedagogical staff
Emilia von Finckh
Pedagogical staff

I grew up bilingual myself, my first mother tongue is German and the second is English. Here at Villa Luna I am completing the practical part of my dual studies in social work.

Irene Villanueva Collado
Pedagogical staff

I come from the Basque Country, Northern Spain. After my studies in Madrid, I spent 9 months in Australia to improve my English. Why Villa Luna? For me it is very important to learn languages from a young age and to accompany the children in their development.

Mareike Pahl
Pedagogical staff

I am a germanist and linguist with a focus on psycho- and neurolinguistics. In addition to my Master’s degree, I have already worked for several years in the field of child and youth development and adult education. Since it has always been my wish to work with children, to impart knowledge to them and to support and encourage them in their individual development in the best possible way, I am very happy and proud to be part of the Villa Luna team.

Karine V. Gomide César
English-speaking staff

Hello everyone, my name is Karine and I’m working at Villa Luna since September 2021. I’m so happy be part of Villa Luna because it’s an incredible team that inspires me and makes me come to work every day with a smile. Working with kids is one of my passions, I love to be part of their magical world and my goal is to guide them to become the best version of themselves. One quote that I bring to work with me is “Early childhood education is the key to the betterment of society.” – Maria Montessori

Maria Schbankov
Pedagogical staff

I have been a part of Villa Luna since August, 2019. At first as “Anerkennungspraktikantin” in the blue group. After my graduation in 2020 as a state-approved educator I work in the yellow group. Every day I discover something new with the children and always have an open ear for their wishes and interests.

Rebecca Oberföll
English-speaking pedagogical staff

I am a Norland Nursery Nurse and since November 2009 part of the Villa Luna Team in Grafenberg. It is a great pleasure for me to introduce my mother tongue to the children. As an English-speaking staff member, I am the “Mary Poppins” of the Blue Group and accompany the everyday life of the children with the English language. I like to work according to the Montessori approach and after more than 2 years, in January 2016, I enhanced my CPD (Continuous Professional Development) with the National Montessori Diploma. In the spirit of Marie Montessori – “Help me to do it myself …” – I accompany and support the children to enable them to independently discover and explore their environment.

Alexa Kirsten
Pedagogical staff

I am a state-certified educator. I completed my training in 2016 and in 2017 I successfully completed my further training as an inclusion specialist. Since June 2019 I have been working at Villa Luna in the blue group. Since I am open to all cultures myself, I find it very nice to come into contact with so many different cultures in my work. In addition, the bilingualism and the age-differentiated working environment made me decide to start at Villa Luna. Working with the children is a lot of fun for me, because it never gets boring, because you can do different things every day. And every day anew I am fascinated by the developmental steps the children take every day.

M. S.
Pedagogical staff

I have been working for Villa Luna since 2016 and am a specialist in health and movement promotion. I am currently studying Psychology B.Sc. and have been working in the U3 area since June 2021. Before that, I worked in a mixed-age group. My work is characterized by communication at eye level with the children as well as a cooperative approach. Movement in the indoor and outdoor area is particularly significant for me.

Iva Dekovic
Pedagogical staff

I have a degree in dance/music pedagogy, and have meanwhile completed my studies in music/dance pedagogy. I work as a lecturer for dance/ movement pedagogy seminars for adult education, as well as dance courses “Creative Children Dance” on behalf of the cultural office or with us at Villa Luna.

Xiao Luo
Chinese-speaking staff

I am happy to be able to use my mother tongue here and to accompany the children on a journey of discovery for a new language that is very different from German and English. I am currently in my 2nd degree course “Pedagogy of Childhood and Family Education” and am a lecturer at the DRK in Düsseldorf for ElBa courses (Parent-Child Course). I think it is important to accompany and support children in their early development. Villa Luna offers an ideal basis for this.

Selina Wolf
Pedagogical trainee

I am a state-approved child care worker and am currently completing the practice-integrated training as a nursery teacher. I am looking forward to the time at Villa Luna with your children and the great team. I am looking forward to the new experiences I will have in the daily group routine.

M.O.
Pedagogical staff

I am a trained social pedagogue and was mainly active in children and youth work. In 2016, I moved to Hong Kong and worked at a language school for several years. During this time, I discovered my passion for working with younger children in a multilingual environment, which I am fortunate to be able to pursue now – back in Düsseldorf – at Villa Luna.

Annabel Krenz 
English-speaking staff

My belief in the importance of multilingual capability has been one of the reasons for joining Villa Luna. I enjoy working with children of all ages especially the young ones. Being around them and partaking in their development gives me joy, fun and fulfillment. I am happy to be part of the Villa Luna team and for the opportunity to support the growth of your children.

Jessica Rominski
Pedagogical staff

In April 2013 I completed my training as an educational assistant and since August 2020 I have been a trainee as a state-approved educator. I have also been working in the colorful group since 2013. It is important to me to support and encourage each child individually according to their needs and to accompany them on their way.

I. F.
Pedagogical staff

I have been working at Villa Luna since April 2009. Since September 2016 I am looking forward to accompany the children in the red group in the future. I am happy to be able to work here at Villa Luna and wish you and the children a wonderful and unforgettable time in kindergarten. My motto: “Give the children as much love as you would like to have yourself!”.

T. E. 
English-speaking pedagogical staff

English native speaker with a B.A. (Education) and Higher Education Diploma in Pre Primary.

I am a born and bred South African of Greek origin. For me, teaching English to kindergarten-children as a second or even third language is a great challenge and experience.

C. Z.
Pedagogical staff

I have been working at Vila Luna Grafenberg since 2017. In 2021, I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in social work. I chose this career field because I love working with people. The way children look at the world makes me very happy because it is unique. I chose Villa Luna because of the diversity of people and the bilingualism.

Wiebke Brinkmann
Pedagogical staff

“If we are to raise children, we must become children with them.” Martin Luther
To meet children at eye level is particularly important to me as a teacher. I attach great importance to giving children a sense of security and safety in a protected environment.

T. M.
Pedagogical staff

In 2015 I completed my training as a state-approved educator. “To stimulate life – and then to let it develop freely – this is the first task of the educator”. In my opinion, this is a beautiful freely translated quote from Maria Montessori. To accompany and support the children in their research and exploration of their environment and themselves is an important part of my work.

M. P.
Pedagogical staff

I completed my training as a state-certified educator in 2019. In the meantime I have started many internships here in the institution with pleasure. I am very happy to be a part of the Villa Luna team afterwards as I enjoy working with the children and find the concept of bilingual care very appealing.

Christine Mölders
Pedagogical staff

Hello, I am a trained educator with a focus on music. I have been working at Villa Luna since 2007 and am now a mother of a daughter myself. I enjoy working at Villa Luna very much, I always put my heart and soul into my work, with a song on my lips and a guitar in my hand.

Oliver Runkel
Cook

I completed my apprenticeship at the Four Star Dom-Business Hotel in Düsseldorf Grafenberg. After some stations in Germany (Bergisches Land, Rhein-Sieg Kreis and Brandenburg) I landed again in Düsseldorf, where I am part of the Villa Luna team since the beginning of 2014. To my delight the children regularly visit me in the kitchen and contribute to the amusement of my work. I am happy to be part of the permanent staff at the Villa.

Vanessa Klostermann
Housekeeping
Vera Sternkicker
Dipl. chemist, science for kids

My name is Vera Sternkicker and as a graduate chemist I take care of the concept and implementation of the science courses for children from 3 years of age at Villa Luna.

Christiane Augustin-Malysz
Dipl. social pedagogue & supervisor of our atelier inspired by Arno Stern

Lots of paint, lots of brushes, lots of kids. A lot of energy, concentration, trust, freedom. Many pictures, colourful and special. Have fun with this work.

Marek Majer
Music teacher

I’m Marek Majer, guitar teacher, music school teacher. With my music studies I turned my passion into my profession and have been teaching for many years now, among others at Villa Luna. I take great pleasure in introducing children to music through dance, singing and rhythmics and lay the first foundations for further musical education.

Melanie Bußmann (currently absent)
Kindergarten manager

I am an educator with the Montessori diploma and have been working at Villa Luna since 2009. I started in the group work with a mixture of Montessori work and the situation-oriented approach. Now I am looking forward to accompanying and supporting you and your children from the Villa Luna management office.