ABOUT US
MEET OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM
Cherie Donato
Chief Executive Officer/Founder
With over three decades of experience in the childcare sector, and a being well respected business leader Cherie brings extensive knowledge in child development, education and leadership to her role.
She began her journey toward entrepreneurship by earning an Early Childhood Education Diploma from Fanshawe College. Cherie opened her first licensed childcare centre in 2007 and continues to provide strategic oversight across all Koala T Care locations.
In addition to her leadership at Koala T Care, she has served as a Professor of Early Childhood Education at Fanshawe College, further extending her influence on the profession.
Cherie maintains strong, collaborative relationships with local post-secondary institutions, including Fanshawe College and Mohawk College. As a former professor and placement facilitator, she understands the importance of experiential learning and proudly welcomes Early Childhood Education students into her centres for practicum placements, where they work alongside experienced lead ECEs across a variety of programs. Cherie also sponsors and presents a unique Koala T Care Daycare Award: a graduating Early Childhood Education student who made a difference in the community while demonstrating exemplary performance, professional promise, compassion, and empathy for others during placement. She attends the graduation ceremony annually to present this award to the recipient.
Highly engaged in her community, Cherie has served on many committees and actively participates in town meetings and local focus groups, offering valuable insight into small business needs while advocating for family- and child-centred initiatives. She generously donates her time and resources to numerous community events, including memorial baseball tournaments, local festivals and parades, child-minding programs, and youth sports. She also proudly sponsors teams within Haldimand Youth Soccer and the Ilderton and District Soccer Club. An award-winning innovator and leader, Cherie has received multiple accolades recognizing her professional excellence and community impact, including the Innovation Award, Community Access Award, Business of the Year, and nominations for the RBC Woman Entrepreneur Award for her leadership, advocacy, and dedication to the childcare sector. Most recently, in 2025, she was honoured with the Sustained Success Excellence Award by Empowering Women in Business across Canada.
Brandi Montague
Program Coordinator
Brandi achieved her Master of Education with a Teaching, Learning and Development specialization from Brock University. She also completed her BA in Psychology with a Minor in Family and Child Studies from the University of Guelph. Brandi has been with Koala since 2009 where her extensive schooling and experience in the childcare field has earned her the role of Program Coordinator at Koala T Care Daycare.
In her role as Program Coordinator Brandi remains current in all the newest Pedagogical Teaching Methods/Approaches and provides in house training to all the new educators, as well as mentoring/coaching to our existing educators. Brandi participates in staff compliance monitoring and performance reviews after which she also coordinates Professional Development workshops/courses and provides valuable resources relevant to the success of each staff.
Amongst many of Brandi’s other duties, she creates and implements the Centre policies & procedures and makes sure these comply with the Ministry of Educations regulations As part of the management team Brandi also partakes in the interview and hiring process giving feedback and recommendations.
Brandi also coordinates and works collectively with the Lead Educators in each program to design and setup stimulating and enriched environments in the classrooms. She is the manager of ordering classroom supplies, toys and equipment making sure that the items promote development for children in a variety of areas of development, enhancing the overall high-quality program.
Brandi enjoys photography, documentation, and continuous learning. Brandi is passionate about positive work culture, and quality care and education.
Caitlin Place
Program Director
Caitlin is our Program Director for Koala T Care’s Ilderton sites, bringing with her a diverse background in education, leadership, and child development.
Caitlin has her Bachelor of Education from Nipissing University, as well as an Honours Bachelor of Arts from Wilfrid Laurier University. Her passion for early learning led her to return to school in 2023 to complete her Early Childhood Education diploma at Fanshawe College, and she is now a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE). With over 15 years of experience working alongside children, families, and educators, Caitlin is a strong advocate for creating nurturing, inclusive environments where every child can grow and thrive. Her professional focus includes a commitment to supporting emotional regulation in young children, and she firmly believes that all children can succeed when they feel safe, loved, and empowered.
As Program Director, Caitlin plays a key role in mentoring and coaching educators, enhancing curriculum and programming, and supporting the overall quality of care. She works closely with our educators to create inspiring environments that promote curiosity, confidence, and connection.
Caitlin’s leadership is rooted in compassion, collaboration, and confidence in the potential of every child. Her approach helps shape a positive environment across our Ilderton sites and ensures that Koala T remains a place where children, families, and staff always feel supported and valued.
Lisa McCleary
Financial Manager
Lisa received her Office Administration Diploma from Mohawk College, and has over 20 years of work experience related to office administration, payroll, data entry and finances. Lisa works closely with our CEO to oversee the financial cashflow of the business, in addition to preparing financial forecasts, financial reports, monitoring daily account activity, and provides feedback to upper management regarding the current budget.
Lisa has been with the company since 2015 and is very familiar with the funding guidelines and application processes to assist the CEO in planning for financial assistance programs such as fee subsidies for families, wage subsidies for employees, and grants that allow for the purchasing of new toys and equipment for each site.
She is the direct contact for invoicing for all families, and for accounts receivable and payables for both the Hagersville and Ilderton locations.
Janelle Montague
I.T Technician/Office Administrator
Janelle is our skilled office administrator and information technology specialist. She uses her fifteen years of childcare experience to adapt our technology and software to be efficient and effective for childcare specific requirements. Janelle maintains excellent communication with current and prospective families.
She is highly knowledgeable and experienced in the information technology field, providing support to the Ilderton and Hagersville centers.
In her role at Koala T. Care Daycare, Janelle develops our website and curates our social media content and marketing. Janelle is also a professionally certified digital and practical sfx artist and uses her education in this field to support the planning and implementation of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematic programming at our centers.
Janelle has an intermediate level fluency in American Sign Language and Japanese which aids in our ability to provide inclusive and language rich programs. Janelle considers herself a lifelong learner and is currently completing her BA in Sociology and Marketing Diploma at McMaster University during her career at Koala T Care Daycare.
Joanne Carey
Sanitation and Maintenance Manager
Joanne has worked for Koala T Care Daycare since its founding in 2007. With several years of Janitorial and cleaning experience in childcare, residential and industrial divisions, Joanne advanced to Manager and now oversees all sanitation and maintenance at all of our locations. She is responsible for ensuring the centre cleanliness protocols are being adhered to, as well as making sure the centres have adequate amounts of supplies, including relevant PPE equipment and cleaning products.
Joanne does daily regular maintenance checks to ensure that the building is in good repair and safe for all the staff and children. She does small repairs and recommends appropriate trades contractors to the CEO when required.
Joanne is also a member of our Joint Health and Safety team.
ABOUT US
MEET OUR SUPERVISOR TEAM
Joanne Woods
Hagersville Location Supervisor
Joanne is a passionate and knowledgeable early childhood educator who brings over two decades of experience to Koala T Care Daycare. She is a graduate of the Early Childhood Education program at Conestoga College in 1999, and she has been a valued member of the Koala team since 2012. Over the years, she has taken on multiple roles including: Program Director, Lead RECE in both the toddler and preschool programs, and since 2021, she has been the Hagersville Site Supervisor.
Joanne is deeply committed to professional growth and ongoing learning. She actively participates in workshops, conferences, and e-learning opportunities to stay current with evolving trends and best practices in early childhood education. As a pedagogical leader, she masters the How Does Learning Happen? framework and is dedicated to fostering reflective, child-centered programming.
Joanne mentors both new and experienced educators, to create a collaborative and professional environment. She also liaises with the Ministry of Education and Public Health departments to ensure that her site maintains full compliance with regulatory standards and upholds the highest quality of care.
As a member of the College of Early Childhood Educators (CECE) since 2011, Joanne also acts as a peer advisor and has been recognized with awards for her leadership and professionalism. Her integrity, experience, and commitment make her an invaluable part of the Koala team.
Nichole Howard
Ilderton Main Site Supervisor
Nichole brings warmth, leadership, and over 15 years of experience to our Ilderton location. Originally from Listowel, Ontario, she moved to London in 2011 to pursue her passion for early childhood education. Two years later, in 2013, she graduated from the Early Childhood Education program at Fanshawe College.
Nichole has dedicated her career to nurturing young minds and fostering supportive, enriching environments where children can thrive. She has spent the past 5 years in supervisory roles, where she continues to guide both children and fellow educators with her compassion, knowledge, and professionalism.
Nichole believes that early childhood educators help build the foundation for lifelong learning, confidence, and curiosity. She is passionate about creating meaningful connections with each child, embracing every moment of wonder, discovery, and growth.
Carol Janke
Ilderton B-Site Supervisor
Carol Janke is a dedicated Supervisor at our Koala T Care Daycare - Ilderton Site B location. She brings a strong passion for Early Childhood Education, along with many years of hands-on experience supporting young children, families, and educators. Carol is deeply committed to creating a safe, nurturing, and engaging environment where children can learn, grow, and thrive.
Carol is a certified member of the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario (AECEO), having earned her certification in April 2012. She also completed the Master Educator Program with London Bridge Childcare Services in December 2009, further strengthening her leadership skills and knowledge of emergent curriculum.
As a supervisor, Carol values collaboration, professionalism, and continuous learning. She takes great pride in supporting her team of educators while ensuring high-quality care and positive experiences for every child and family within the Koala T community.