Mountain House Teaching Team

Mrs. Ashwini Hiremath, currently serving as Principal of Namma Kannada Kalike Kaaryakrama, is a passionate educator, community volunteer, and supporter of Kannada language and culture. As a teacher in the program, she is dedicated to nurturing young learners while preserving and promoting Kannada heritage for future generations.
Since 2020, she has volunteered as a teacher for Grades 1–3, creating engaging, child-centered learning experiences that support both academic growth and strong cultural values. As Principal, she is committed to making Kannada learning meaningful, enjoyable, and accessible for children growing up away from their native roots, and ensuring every child receives the support needed to succeed.
She holds certifications in Early Childhood Education and School-Age Childcare from De Anza and Foothill Colleges, along with a Diploma in Computer Science from TMAES, Karnataka. With over eight years of PTA involvement and active participation in Kannada cultural events, she is deeply committed to community volunteering and keeping Kannada language and traditions alive.
She has also successfully managed a home-based daycare business since 2019. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys arts and crafts, music, sewing, travel, cooking, and stage decoration. Contact: ashwini.hiremath@nammakannada.

Mrs. Tejaswini Krishnamurthy, Vice Principal and Kannada Teacher, holds a Master's degree in Information Technology from IIIT Bangalore. As a native Kannada speaker she has undergone formal Kannada language education, and has been teaching Kannada at various grade levels with Namma Kannada Kalike Kaaryakrama, since 2020. Tejaswini is passionate about fostering love for Kannada by making learning both fun and accessible. Outside the classroom, she enjoys music and sports. Her daughter enrolled in the program in 2020.
tejaswini.krishnamurthy@nammakannada.org

Mrs. Shailaja Raju is currently serving as the Vice-Principal and High School Program Lead of Namma Kannada Kalike Kaaryakrama. She holds a Master's degree in Computer Science & Engineering from California State University, East Bay, California, and a Bachelor's Degree in Science from the University of Bangalore, India. She has CBEST teaching certification to her credit. Shailaja has extensive experience spanning over two decades teaching children in a wide variety of subjects like Computer Science Programming, Mathematics, and Kannada Language. She has been part of the Namma Kannada Program since 2021 teaching students at various grade levels.
Her twin boys have been enrolled in the Namma Kannada program since 2021 and working towards earning their high school credits for Kannada as world language. Shailaja loves interacting with young minds and believes in fostering a love of learning through logical reasoning and critical thinking practice using the latest applications & tools to enrich virtual learning.
Outside of the classroom, Shailaja enjoys spending time with her family, doing indoor plant gardening, playing musical instrument (Veena), spending time with her pet dog (Archie) and cooking. She has successfully owned and run an MPM Math Franchise in East Bay, California for 7+ years.
shailaja.raju@nammakannada.org

Mrs. Deepika Gajjar Deepika comes with a unique blend of HR & Education, with an MBA in Human Resources and prior experience as an HR Coordinator. She brings organizational insight, empathy and conflict-resolution skills to education-enhancing student development. She is a passionate Educator experienced in fostering academic growth and a lifelong love of learning in students, since 2020. She firmly believe's in unlocking every child's potential through dynamic, student-centered approach. She strive's to improve learning outcomes through engaging instruction, personalized support, behavior management, and collaborative learning environments. Skilled in lesson planning, adaptive teaching strategies, and building strong parent-teacher partnerships. Her goal is to nurture confidence, curiosity, and creative expression by making learning joyful and empowering.
deepika.gajjar@nammakannada.org

Mrs. Pooja Sthavarmath a native Kannada speaker is a senior teacher at Namma Kannada Kalike Kaaryakrama since 2020. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Acounting from the University of Gulbarga in Karnataka. Pooja works as a substitute teacher at Lammersville Unified School Disyrict, and volunteers year round very actively in multiple community organizations. Having undergone education in Kannada as a medium of instruction until 10th grade, she is passionate about Kannada language and is dedicated to passing it on to the next generation. She enjoys yoga, exercise, dance, and listening to music.

Mrs. Kusuma Gadagi is a gold-medal-winning Textile Engineering graduate (B.Tech from BIET, Davangere) with seven years of experience across the Textile and IT industries. Since 2021, she has shared her deep love for language as a volunteer teacher for Grades 1, 2, and 5 with Namma Kannada Kalike Kaaryakrama. Driven by her broader passion for foundational education, she also launched Concept Connect LLC in January 2026, an initiative dedicated to making mathematics intuitive and engaging for elementary and middle school students. Whether bridging language skills or math concepts, Kusuma is on a mission to transform learning into an engaging, fun, and joyful journey for young minds. Outside her educational ventures, she enjoys solving word/math puzzles, reading books and listening to music, and the library remains her absolute favorite place to go!

Mrs. Pavithra Veerappa has been serving Namma Kannada Kalike Kaaryakrama as a dedicated Kannada teacher since 2022. With a passion for preserving and promoting Kannada literature and culture, she has employed smart teaching methods to make language learning engaging for students. She holds a master's degree in Science with a major in Botany (Plant Science) from Mysore University and has previously worked as a research scholar in Plant Tissue Culture, that shows her analytical and research-oriented mindset. Her background in Kannada, and love for the language led her to teaching, where she is good at simplifying complex concepts, connect lessons with real-life contexts and enhancing conversational skills. She works full time as an Accounting Assistant at Rainbow Corporation. Whether in classroom or beyond, Pavithra remains committed to empowering learners in and fostering a deeper appreciation for Kannada language.

Mrs. Swetha Jois, a native Kannada speaker, holds M.Sc. and M.Phil degrees in Chemistry from the University of Mysore. She has two years of experience teaching college-level chemistry and has been volunteering as a teacher for various grades with Namma Kannada Kalike Kaaryakrama since 2022. Her stories and poems have been featured in Indian newspapers and magazines. Swetha is passionate about fostering a love for the Kannada language and dedicates herself to teaching Kannada within the community. In addition to her teaching endeavors, she has a deep love for music and fine arts, and has successfully trained children in songs, skits, recitations, and storytelling performances for community events prticipated by Namma Kannada Kalike Kaaryakrama.

Mrs. Sowmya BV has been a teacher at Namma Kannada Kalike Kaaryakrama since 2023. She holds a degree in Computer Science and Technology and has worked in the tech industry. Inspired by her grandfather, who served as the headmaster of a government school, she embarked on teaching as a career with great passion and dedication. Additionally, she has volunteered for 2-3 years in an elementary school and has homeschooled her son for two years. Looking ahead, she plans to make teaching her core profession. Outside of her professional interests, she enjoys working out to stay fit and healthy.

Mrs. Shilpa Manohar holds a Bachelor's degree in Engineering and brings 10 years of experience as a Test Analyst at Infosys. A native Kannada speaker, she has always been deeply passionate about teaching the language and is an active member of the SJKS Entertainment Team. Her journey as a Kannada teacher began in 2025 after relocating to Lathrop, CA, where she had the privilege of teaching first-grade students. Beyond teaching, Mrs. Shilpa enjoys singing, dancing, and playing various sports, which keep her creatively and physically engaged.

Mrs. Sowmya B R Sowmya B R is a dedicated professional with a strong academic background, holding a Bachelor's degree in Sociology, Public Administration, and Kannada, as well as an MBA in Human Resource Management. She resides in Lathrop, California, with her husband and two young sons. Sowmya honed her communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills as an HR professional through eight years of service with Indian Railways (2012-2020). Passion for early childhood development and to further her goal of creating nurturing learning environments that foster confidence, growth, and holistic development in children made her she pursue Early Childhood Studies at Ohlone College. She started teaching with this program in 2025. During her free time, Sowmya enjoys reading novels, gardening, and cooking, which keep her creatively engaged.

Mrs. Ganga Wali holds a Bachelor's degree in Engineering with a specialization in Industrial Production and has approximately 10 years of experience as a SAP functional consultant across various organizations. As a native speaker of Kannada and with over twelve years of formal language education, she offers a distinctive approach to teaching Kannada that is deeply rooted in its cultural context. Her journey as a Kannada instructor commenced in 2021 when her daughter joined this Kannada program. Currently, Ganga teaches first graders. Her achievements are largely due to the steadfast support from her students, family, and fellow educators. In addition to her teaching role, Mrs. Ganga has a passion for movies and music.