Our Faculty

Our multicultural and multilingual faculty is committed to making parents and children whose primary language is not English feel comfortable. Meet our staff...

Cleide Willik Capelozza

Director
[With Rainbow since September 1989]

I was born in Brazil and started teaching preschoolers there when I was 18 years old. I moved to New York in 1984, and my big challenge was to learn English. Taking a step at a time, I finished my Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education at Queens College in 1997. In 1989 I started at Rainbow as a Teacher and I have been its Director since September 1995.

I am married to a pastor, and we both have been serving at the Metro Baptist Brazilian Mission for more than 20 years. We have two grown daughters, a son in-law, and two grandsons. I enjoy cooking, shopping, and traveling.

Ingeborg M. Stochmal

Administrator
[With Rainbow since its inception in 1987]

As a member of St. Jacobus Evangelical Lutheran Church I was instrumental in the formation of Rainbow and I am currently in charge of its general and fiscal administration.

Our Teachers

Jeannette Camacho [With Rainbow since September 2005]

I was born in New York and raised in Puerto Rico. In 1994 I returned to New York and started to learn English while studying in college. I graduated from Long Island University with a B.A. degree in Psychology, and am currently working on a Master’s degree at Touro College.

I am happily married and have two wonderful sons, Angel and Yamil. I am very happy to be working at Rainbow. I know that God put me here for a purpose, and I will always try my best to provide every child with the best of me.

Raquel Willik Capelozza [With Rainbow since May 1991]

I am a Brazilian New Yorker and I speak Portuguese fluently. I am a Christian, and I love playing the piano and leading the music at my church. My favorite activities are spending time with my family and friends, cooking, talking, eating, watching TV, or going out for coffee. I also love traveling, and although I’ve been able to visit many exciting places, I’m always ready to visit new ones whenever I have the opportunity.

I hold a Master’s degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education, with a specialization in Integrated Technologies from Queens College.

I love kids, especially my two nephews and the kids here at Rainbow. They brighten up my day every day. I consider it a real blessing to be able to do what I love every day. God is great!

Vasiliki Kambas [With Rainbow since September 2006]

I was born and raised in New York. I speak Greek fluently and travel to Greece as often as possible. I enjoy spending time with friends and family and I love to travel.

I have a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Long Island University and am currently working on my Master’s degree at Touro College.

Sandra Pillajo [With Rainbow since October 2006]

I was born in Ecuador and came to the United States in 2004. I always loved teaching, and I earned a B.A. degree in Education (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). I am currently working on a Master’s degree at Touro College.

Working at Rainbow as a teacher has been a wonderful experience, because I learn more about children every day. I love to spend my time with little children, teaching and playing with them. I am happily married and have an adorable young son.

Lilly Smith [With Rainbow since January 2008]

I was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Royton and Jenny Smith, who are Jamaican natives. I have two older brothers and we all live in Jamaica, Queens. I love dancing, shopping, traveling, and going out to eat.

I received a Bachelor’s degree in American Studies in 2006 from SUNY Old Westbury and am currently enrolled at Touro College in their Master’s program for Early Childhood and Special Education.

I love working with kids. I love watching them grow and it feels good to know that I have helped them prepare for the future. Kids are a blessing and God has filled me with this passion to teach them.

Dolly Vitaliz [With Rainbow since September 1998]

I am from the Philippines, a beautiful country in the Far East. I finished all my schooling there. I received a Bachelor’s degree in Christian Education and a Master’s degree in Religious Education in Baguio City, the summer capital of the Philippines. I speak llocano, my native tongue, Filipino, our national language, and English. My husband and I came to the U.S. in 1993 as church-planting missionaries of Missions to the Americas. By God’s grace, we were able to plant one Filipino church in New Jersey and one multi-ethnic church in Queens.

I am very happy to be a part of the family-staff of Rainbow Christian Preschool, where I have been teaching children of various ages and ethnicities for about 12 years.