Our Staff

Nicole Istre

Owner

A proud 1989 graduate of Katy High school, Nicole Istre has worked in the early care and education field for over 30 years as a teacher, director, training and childcare consultant, and owner. Nicole is a mother of three plus three bonus children and is a proud Nonnie to four grandchildren. You will find Nicole on campus most days. Her focus is training and educating the ECEC staff to help them grow as educators and provide the best quality care to their students.

Administrative Staff

Sandy Fernandez

Director

Sandy has been with ECEC since opening day in 2002! Although she began her career in education working with in after-school program, Sandy is known as the toddler whisper and has taught toddlers and two-year-olds for over 15 years! Sandy now serves our staff and families as ECEC Director. She is the mother of four boys and is the proud grandmother of five, three boys and two girls! You will find Sandy bouncing throughout the halls of ECEC visiting with staff, children and families. Her positive attitude, smile and laugh are contagious! She loves what she does and has a gift and passion for working with families of children!

Lacy O’Malley

Director

Lacy began her career in early childhood education as a teacher working with 3- to 5-year-old children. She became a Director of ECEC in 2022. Lacy has been a resident of Katy since grade school and is a graduate of Katy High School. She is a mother to her amazing four-year-old twins who also attend Katy’s ECEC. Lacy has a passion for teaching and strives to make ECEC the best preschool experience possible for the staff, children, and families in her care.

Amanda Inman

Curriculum Coordinator

Originally from Florida, Amanda moved to Katy in 2014. She has worked in the early education field for the last 16 years as a 3-year-old teacher, Pre-K teacher and currently as the Curriculum Coordinator. Amanda married her high school sweetheart and has two little girls. Amanda’s goals as the Curriculum Coordinator are to support the implementation of the curriculum through training and to support the teachers through mentoring and developmentally age-appropriate resources.

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