Dr. Shannon Forshey

Newborn A Teacher

Dr. Shannon Forshey has been dedicated to pediatric care since graduating from medical school in 1996. With extensive experience in both clinic and hospital settings, she currently owns a small outpatient practice where she enjoys providing personalized care to families.

  • Additionally, Dr. Forshey serves as a pediatric hospitalist at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Shannon is enthusiastic about teaching the Newborn class. Although it has been some time since her own triplet daughters were at that stage, she is eager to connect with parents and explore their childrens joys and milestones.

Chelsea Smith

Newborn B Teacher

Chelsea Smith is a licensed occupational therapist with 10+ years of experience working with children and families. She is passionate about empowering parents to support their baby’s development in a grounded, holistic way—cutting through the noise and overwhelm of modern parenting advice. She helps your baby grow and thrive.

  • Chelsea is the founder of Growing Forward Therapy, where she provides in-home occupational therapy services for infants and young children throughout the valley.

    When she’s not working with families, Chelsea enjoys spending time with her husband, their two children, and the family dog.

Blaire Hinks

1A & Parenting Exceptional Kids Teacher

Blaire Hinks graduated from the University of Arizona in 2002 with a BS in Business Marketing. She spent 17 years at the Hubbard Swim School, where she managed staff training, led the special needs program, and taught numerous swim classes to babies and young children.

  • In 2018, after years of teaching new moms and raising her own six children, Blaire founded Lille Landsby Postpartum Village. Her business offers holistic in-home care for families, focusing on lactation support, postpartum recovery, and baby-wearing. Blaire teaches our infant/toddler class for children aged 6 to 12 months. Her goal is to provide practical guidance and support to parents, helping them navigate the challenges and joys of parenting while fostering their own growth and well-being.

Amy Stewart

1B Teacher

Amy holds a Master of Science in Nursing, is a Certified Pediatric Nurse, and serves as a college nursing professor. She has contributed to multiple published nursing books and is also a sought-after speaker, having presented at various parenting and nanny conferences.

  • Her scientific, research-based nursing background, combined with her experience as a mother of five, provides her with unique and relatable teaching insights. Amy is also the founder of Hope in Parenting, which offers parenting tools and resources for all caregivers. She teaches our infant/toddler class, covering topics such as discipline, napping, language development, and social skills, while preparing parents for the transitions inherent to this stage of development.

Michelle Zwerner

2A Teacher

Michelle is a wife, mother to two daughters, and a pediatric speech-language pathologist. Michelle received her undergraduate degree from Arizona State University and her Master’s degree from The George Washington University in Washington, DC. Since 2009 she has been a practicing SLP, in a variety of pediatric settings to include: public and private schools, private practice and early intervention.

  • Throughout her career, Michelle has loved working with children, but found that she loves the “parent coaching” aspect of her job almost as much. As a self-proclaimed “child development nerd,” Michelle finds great joy in sharing the knowledge she has acquired over the years - from both self-study during her own parenting journey, and her experience working in the field of early child development.

    Michelle is looking forward to creating an NCPG environment that is both informative and comforting. She feels that it is an honor bring her experience and knowledge to the classroom. She hopes to provide parents with the information and confidence they need to handle the challenges (and JOYS) of the toddler phase.

Kristin Klecka

2B Teacher

Kristin Klecka is an experienced educator who has been working with children since the early 2000s. With a background in Elementary Education, she spent six years teaching second and fourth grades and has also substitute taught across K-6, including leading gifted and honors classes.

  • Kristin is well-versed in critical early childhood teaching methods, such as Core Knowledge. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Family Studies from the University of Arizona and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles, CA.

    At NCPG, Kristin helps parents navigate the major transitions of toddlerhood and early childhood, including preparing for preschool, potty training, transitioning from crib to bed, behavioral changes, and social interactions. However, her greatest accomplishment is being a wife and full-time mom to three teenage children, who have taught her more about love and life than anything else.

Chelsea Kunde

3A & Parenting Exceptional Kids Teacher

Chelsea holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Arizona and a Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego. She has extensive experience working with children, families, and couples, specializing in parenting skills and training.

  • Her roles have included behavior interventionist, parent trainer, therapist, and sleep consultant.

    Chelsea is the founder of Building Blocks Family (BBF), where she provides consultation services on sleep, discipline, and potty training for families with children aged 0-6 years. BBF was created to offer loving, practical solutions that help families create safe, predictable, and happy environments for both parents and children to thrive.

    Chelsea’s expertise and education make her a valued NCPG teacher. Her class focuses on offering practical tips and strategies to navigate the toddler years, creating an open and supportive space for parents to discuss challenges and learn effective parenting techniques while respecting their child's need for independence.

Barb Grady

3B Teacher

Barb Grady has been teaching at NCPG since 1992. She is a nationally certified counselor, certified teacher, and parenting coach. In 1999, Barb founded her business, Parenting-Plus, where she offers individual consulting and coaching for both adults and children.

  • In addition to working directly with parents, Barb also trains teachers. She has experience teaching preschool, kindergarten, first and second grades, as well as high school and college students. Her counseling services extend to children, teens, and adults. Barb is a proud mother of two daughters and loves being an involved grandparent. Her passion is to educate, motivate, and inspire parents.

Emma Porter

4A Teacher

Emma earned her degree in Early Childhood Education from Arizona State University. Throughout her career, she has taught a range of ages, from preschool to fourth grade. In addition to her role at NCPG, she also teaches in the Play & Learn class and elementary levels at Christ Church School.

  • As both an educator and a parent, Emma believes it is crucial for adults to manage their own emotions when responding to children’s challenging behaviors.

    As an NCPG teacher, Emma focuses on children’s social development, addressing issues such as anger management, conflict resolution, and peer relationships. Her classes also cover topics like establishing family rules, building self-confidence and self-reliance, and encouraging cognitive and physical development. Emma is married and the mother of two young boys.

Annemarie Mansour

4B Teacher

Annemarie holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Child Development from Saint Mary’s College of California and a master’s degree in Psychology from Palo Alto University. As a Family Behavioral Specialist, she has helped families with young children manage behavior issues and prepare for kindergarten.

  • Currently, she serves as the Preschool Director at Saint Thomas the Apostle School. Annemarie is also a Love and Logic facilitator, trained in Conscious Discipline, and a certified Kidding Around Yoga instructor.

    Her professional experience and education make her an excellent NCPG teacher, focusing on children’s social development. She addresses issues such as anger management, conflict resolution, and peer relationships, while also covering topics like establishing family rules, building self-confidence, and encouraging cognitive and physical development. Annemarie and her husband have four children.

Lisa Ameis

Pre-K Teacher

Lisa attended Northern Arizona University and obtained her Early Childhood Certification from Central Arizona College. Her career in early childhood education began in 1984. In 2007, she started teaching Pre-K/JK at Christ Church School, later transitioning to Marketing and Curriculum Coordinator in 2021.

  • At NCPG, Lisa helps parents prepare their children for kindergarten, offering guidance on choosing the right school, reinforcing math and literacy skills, and fostering self-confidence and independence.

    In her free time, Lisa enjoys spending time with her children and traveling with her husband, Todd. She values the experiences she's gained as both a parent and teacher. Each year, she shares a message with her NCPG moms: "The days are long, but the years go fast, so don’t blink!"

Jennifer Blalock

Kindergarten Teacher

Jennifer began her teaching career in 1993 as a kindergarten teacher, bringing a wealth of experience to her role. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Grand Canyon University and furthered her expertise with a Master of Education in Early Childhood Development from Northern Arizona University.

  • Throughout her career, Jennifer has held leadership roles, mentored student teachers, and received extensive training in diverse learning styles, social media impact, and positive reinforcement techniques. She has supported children beyond the classroom through enrichment and remediation programs and facilitated classes for children experiencing divorce. Additionally, she has served on numerous curriculum, professional, and state-level committees.

    After retiring from Scottsdale Unified School District in 2023, Jennifer continues to volunteer in various classroom settings and provides individual tutoring to reinforce academic skills. She also speaks to parent groups on school readiness, with a particular focus on kindergarten-aged children. Jennifer cherishes time spent with her husband, two young adult children, extended family, and close friends.

Michelle Cox

Elementary Teacher

Michelle holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Northern Arizona University and has completed "The Choice in Coaching: Arbinger Mastery Training for Coaches." She is also a graduate of the Coachville School of Coaching and a PCC-certified coach with the International Coaching Federation.

  • As the founder of Build Family Connection, Michelle has coached and taught hundreds of parents over the past decade.

    Her extensive experience makes Michelle an exceptional NCPG teacher. She covers a range of topics, including partnering with your child’s teacher and school, bullying recognition and prevention, nutrition for learning, deepening your relationship with your child as they grow, parenting in the digital age, raising innovative children, and encouraging autonomy. Michelle is married and the mother of four children.