Preschool Staff

Ms. Amber has been at Norkenzie since 2014 and became our Preschool Director in 2017. She has a Bachelor's Degree from Western Oregon University. Amber enjoys reading & sewing. She's also our in-house Cricut expert! If you look around our building -- it's hard to find an area that doesn't have a bit of her work on display. She describes her family (which includes her husband, two boys, three dogs, three cats, and a hamster) as a wild zoo! For those who know her, it's no surprise that she has a house full of rescue animals-- Amber has a huge heart! She is passionate about kids and wants Norkenzie Christian Preschool to be a light to our families and community. We are blessed to have Amber leading our team!

Ms. Colleen grew up about four blocks away from Norkenzie Christian Preschool and began working here while in high school. She describes herself as "goofy, fun loving, friendly, and helpful," but after more than thirty years on staff, we know she is also loyal and dedicated to the preschool ministry. You will not find pet snakes or rodents in Ms. Colleen’s classroom (she’s not a fan - don't even think about it), you will find a teacher who is passionate about helping little ones and their families along the journey of learning and loving Jesus.

Ms. Dorothy grew up in Oregon alongside TEN siblings. Helping with the care of TWENTY plus nieces and nephews gave Dorothy the opportunity to develop her gift for teaching and provided the springboard for her THIRTY year career. One of Dorothy’s favorite quotes, “No matter where you go, there you are,” became popular around the time Ms. Dorothy was approaching FORTY. She has been married for FIFTY years, has two sons, and five grandchildren. As Ms. Dorothy prepares students for more difficult things (like counting by tens), her goal is for each child to know God and to desire to do His will.

Ms. Ronda joined our team in 2022. She has an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education and over twenty years of teaching experience. Ronda aspires to encourage a love of learning, build confidence, and help support kind, thoughtful, loving kids. In memory of her brother, Ronda started a nonprofit for gambling awareness and worked with the state of Oregon to establish Problem Gamblers Awareness Day. Ronda's efforts laid the groundwork for our nation's Problem Gamblers Awareness Week. Just as the Bible teaches in Ephesians 3:20-21 (Ronda's favorite verse), the Lord truly does immeasurably more than one can ask or imagine! We are thankful for Ronda's gift of making others feel heard, seen, and cared about.