Meet Our Staff
Below you will find a gallery of our dedicated staff.
Ms. Ashley Gonzalez
UPK 130
Ms. Crisol Tlatelpa
UPK 131
Ms. Tiana Salvatto
Playroom 1
For nearly ten years, Ms. Ashley has been a teacher at Belmont. She was inspired by her first-grade teacher, Mrs. Olsen, who taught her the value of compassion. Ms. Ashley encourages students to build confidence, overcome challenges, and reach their potential. Ms. Ashley earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Early Childhood Education. She is currently working toward a Master's degree in Special Education and Early Childhood Dual Certification. For Ms. Ashley, nothing is more rewarding than witnessing her students grow and sharing in their successes along the way. Outside the classroom, she enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with friends and family. Her favorite quote is "Never say I can't, always say I'll try".
Ms. Crisol is a Lead Teacher at Belmont, with 9 years of experience, 5 of which have been spent here. For Ms. Crisol, becoming a teacher was a childhood dream. Ever since she started school, she remembers rushing home to play "teacher" with her teddy bears, dolls, and sisters. She has wanted to be an educator since she was five years old. Ms. Crisol earned a Master's in Early Childhood Education with a Bilingual extension from Lehman College. Her proudest professional achievement is developing and leading a bilingual classroom that supports and affirms students' cultural identities. She believes it is vital for children to see their culture accepted in the classroom, their second home. Drawing on her experience as an English language learner, Ms. Crisol understands the challenges of starting school without knowing the language. She strives daily to make all students feel welcome, regardless of the language they speak. When she's not in the classroom, Ms. Crisol enjoys reading books, running, and traveling to discover new places, such as small bookshops and new coffee shops.
Ms. Tiana has spent her entire 6 year teaching career at Belmont. Following in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother, Ms. Tiana was inspired by their dedication to shaping young lives. Her mother taught for over 40 years and continues to hear from former students about the lasting impact she made in their lives. This has helped shape the educator Ms. Tiana has become. Ms. Tiana earned her Bachelor's degree in Women & Gender Studies and Dance from Hunter College and is currently pursuing her Master's in Early Childhood & Special Education. For Ms. Tiana, the proudest moments aren't singular events but daily victories such as watching a once hesitant child walk through the door with confidence, ready to learn and explore. Those moments remind her why she teaches. Outside school, she loves dancing, rescuing cats, and traveling. Always fascinated by sharks and the ocean, Ms. Tiana fulfilled a childhood dream by going shark cage diving in Hawaii, an experience she calls "equal parts terrifying and exhilarating" and would definitely like to do it again.
Mr. Nicholas DOran
Chef
Mr. Nicholas has been working at Belmont for a number of years. He originally went to Hunter College to study Psychology but then decided to change his career path to study the Culinary Arts, for which he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 2011. Before coming to Belmont all of his experience was in the restaurant setting. When asked why he likes working in the childcare setting he said, "Working in the Childcare setting makes it more appreciated and important. Knowing that many of the meals I am making are providing a meal to each child every day."
Ms. melody velasquez
Playroom 1
Ms. Melody has been an Assistant Teacher at Belmont for 1 year. She brings 4 years of teaching experience and her Teacher's Assistant Certification. Her passion for education began in childhood when she discovered her love for helping and inspiring young minds. One of Ms. Melody's proudest teaching moments came last year when she guided her students as they learned to write their names for the first time. Outside the classroom, she enjoys staying active by playing soccer and swimming. At home, she's kept busy by her three dogs, Coco, Stormy, and Latto. Ms. Melody is inspired by Albert Einstein's quote: "If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not people or things".
Ms. Marcela Bravo
housekeeping
Ms. Marcela has been been working at Belmont for the past 11 years. She studied in Mexico. Ms. Marcela is a mother and enjoys cooking when she is not working. When asked about how she likes working here she stated, "My job is probably not working with kids directly but I enjoy seeing that everything is in order for the convenience. This goes for the animals that we have at the daycare as well."
Ms. Esmeralda Reyes
upk 132
Ms. Esmeralda is an Assistant Teacher who has been at Belmont for three years. She was inspired to become an educator because she has "always wanted to work in helping others and providing an environment where others are comfortable and safe to be themselves". A graduate of Fordham High School for the Arts, Ms. Esmeralda is currently attending Lehman College and will be graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a minor in Early Childhood. Her most memorable moment at Belmont so far was the 2025 Moving Up Ceremony, where "Playroom 132 did an amazing job performing their song". Outside of teaching, she loves drawing, collecting trinkets, and being outdoors, whether hiking, going for nature walks, or going to the beach. She is inspired by the Frida Kahlo quote "At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can". Ms. Esmeralda loves Mexican and Asian foods and desserts. She has a pet cat named Coco and would love to travel to Spain and Portugal.
Ms. Charlotte devaney
upk 132
Ms. Charlotte joined Belmont in October 2021, bringing extensive experience from nearly two decades in education since earning her Master's degree in 2002. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Earth Science and Elementary Education and a Master of Science in Early Childhood Education. Inspired by her own love of learning, Ms. Charlotte’s favorite teaching moments are "when I see a spark in children's eyes especially when they connect with a story". She's inspired by the words of Rachel Carson: "If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it". Outside of school, Ms. Charlotte loves hiking, reading, cooking, sewing, and spending time with her family. She's a vegetarian who speaks English as her third language and is a big Doctor Who fan.
mr.michael adornetto upk 131
Mr. Michael has spent his entire 22 years in education teaching at Belmont. His inspiration to become an educator came from his own P.E. teacher at P.S. 205, Mr. Khane, who he describes as "calm, real with the children, and the coolest teacher I ever had." With a background in Health Education and Physical Education, Mr. Michael's proudest moment came at a Moving Up Ceremony when a student told him he "should be cloned." Outside of school, Mr. Michael loves playing and watching sports, traveling, and exploring new restaurants. He's visited Italy, Mexico, South Africa, Ecuador, Peru, Portugal, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and London. His favorite foods are Italian, Mexican, and BBQ, and some of his favorite movies are Coach Carter , Rocky , and The Sandlot.
ms nicole nater
upk 130
Ms. Nicole is an Assistant Teacher who has been with Belmont for almost a year. She has seven years of experience in various roles in education. Her inspiration comes from a lifelong desire to "help mentor and become someone important in children's lives". She has known she wanted to work with kids since she was a child. For Ms. Nicole, the proudest moments in teaching are "personally witnessing a child's personal growth and success and seeing a child persist in problem-solving using strategies they learned from you". She is inspired by her parents and their encouragement. "Ever since I was a kid they always told me 'I don't want you to become just like me, I want you to be better than me,'" she says. "As I've gotten older I understand what they mean by that and know that they really do mean that by the sacrifices and opportunities they have and continue to give me to be better". In her free time, Ms. Nicole likes to draw and paint. Her favorite color is purple, her favorite food is tacos, and she loves dogs (she has three). She also enjoys doing fun things with her family, like going out to eat and bowling.
ms ashley tlatelpa
playroom 2
ms. arely
alba
playroom 2
Ms. Ashley has been a Lead Teacher at Belmont for four years. She brings three additional years of experience from after-school programs. Teaching has been her dream since childhood. "Working with children reminds you of how raw, amazing, and exciting the world can be," she says. "It's an opportunity to help children grow into confident, self-sufficient learners". Ms. Ashley earned her Associate of Arts from Borough of Manhattan Community College and her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with a concentration in Creative Writing from Hunter College. She is currently pursuing her Master's in Early Childhood Education with a focus on special needs at Hunter College. Her proudest moment was completing her first year as a lead teacher, a year filled with ups and downs that taught her invaluable lessons about early education. "I still continue learning". Outside school, Ms. Ashley loves crocheting, taking walks, and traveling to new places, Costa Rica is her favorite. She's also devoted to her beloved "fur baby". She's inspired by the words of Roald Dahl: "Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog".
Ms. Arely has been an Assistant Teacher at Belmont for one year. She holds a high school diploma. Ms. Arely was inspired to become an educator by "the progress children are able to make in a short amount of time, let alone how their persona changes in a span of a couple of months". Her proudest teaching moment was "seeing a group of children all sitting together, while being attentive to another child reading a book". She is inspired by the Bob Ross quote, "We don't make mistakes, just happy little accidents." Ms Arely says, "when applied to children, it's the same concept," meaning nothing has to be perfect. In her free time, Ms. Arely likes to draw, get her nails done, and spend time with her pets: a bearded dragon, a bunny, and a guinea pig