Babeth Esterly grew up in a twelfth century château in the Loire Valley where her father worked as the gardener and on-site manager. She has lived and worked in Paris, Israel, New York, Belize, Guatemala, and Key West, all before moving to San Diego in 1999. Seeking the best education for her daughter at that time, she enrolled her at San Diego French-American School. Babeth soon began volunteering at the school herself, and eventually transitioned to a full-time position. For the past 22 years, Babeth has been a driving force in the growth of the school and a tireless advocate for young students. In recognition of her dedication to early childhood education, Babeth was inducted into the Ordre des Palmes Académiques in 2018 by the French Ministry of Education for services rendered to French national education. Babeth finds joy each day in ensuring that every child has a happy, safe and healthy learning environment, and that all children respected for who they are.