Our Staff
Brenna Abeyta-Watson - Executive Director
Brenna Abeyta-Watson accepted the position of Executive Director at Riverhouse Children’s Center in October 2011. Brenna graduated from Sonoma State University in California with a Bachelor Degree in Chicano and Latino Studies which was a multicultural major that was designed for elementary education teachers. Then she was accepted into Sonoma State University’s School of Education and the Department of Elementary Education. She began her work toward an Elementary Teaching Credential and completed a few education courses there, but then decided to move back to her home state and made her home here in beautiful Durango in 2007 with her husband, Rob and son, John to be closer to her parents.
Brenna’s education path and focus changed from elementary education to early childhood education when she accepted a position as a Preschool Aide in 2009 at none other than Riverhouse Children’s Center. Working with younger children proved to be her passion and she then was approached to help start up a new Christian based center in town, Kid’s Life Preschool and Childcare Center (a non-profit school) where she became the Director and was also one of the Preschool Teachers. This small school was a wonderful quality center and became successful within a year of operation. Unfortunately the school then had to close when the church decided to put the building up for sale. However, from this venture Brenna was able to gain a wealth of experience and knowledge in opening a center from the ground up and developing a quality, developmentally appropriate, fun and educational program for young children. At the same time, Brenna continued her education and took several early childhood education college courses. In August of 2010, Brenna became the Assistant Director at Mercy Employee Child Care Center (a non-profit school) where she had a chance to further develop and refine her leadership skills and she also worked in the classrooms with children birth to school age. Brenna completed the remaining early child care courses required by the state and received her large center Colorado Director’s Certificate in June of 2011. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 in her early education studies at Southwest Colorado Community College.
