Leadership Team

Kajal Khara is the Safari Kid Franchisor for Canada and has held this position since incorporation. Her portfolio includes curriculum management and quality control of all franchised and corporately owned locations. Despite coming from humble beginnings, Kay has never believed in the traditional mould of women nor the conventional gender roles. Prior to her involvement with Safari Kid, Kay was employed at Danier Leather as an Apparel Designer from June, 2009 to December, 2010. Drawing on this experience and past entrepreneurial experience in India, Kay decided to pursue her dream of educating children as an entrepreneur. She was trained by her mentor and the founder of Safari Kid USA, Shahdokth Mudakavi, in the year 2011 and has been engaged in this line of business since 2012.

Shahdokht Mudakavi, aka “Shy,” is the founder and CEO of Safari Kid Bringing over 20 years of experience in early childhood education, she demonstrates a profound commitment to fostering the healthy development of young minds. Shy’s leadership is marked by her hands-on approach to curriculum development, where she collaborates closely with her team to design engagements that stimulate children's cognitive, social, emotional, and physical growth. Her passion for providing a child-centric, engaging learning environment ensures that each Safari Kid center nurtures curiosity, creativity, and a lifelong love for learning.

Shy began her career as a teacher and has continuously advanced her knowledge through various early childhood development courses, earning CEUs in early childhood education from the University of Oklahoma. Her educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in law, a bachelor of commerce, and a certification in web and internet system engineering, internet security, and e-commerce engineering from the University of Santa Cruz. Fluent in six languages, Shy’s multifaceted expertise and dedication to professional development have solidified her reputation as a leader in early childhood education. Her unique blend of skills ensures that Safari Kid provides an engaging and inclusive learning environment, preparing children for lifelong success.

As Director of Marketing for Safari Kid, Candace Gatewood collaborates closely with the Chief Revenue Officer and Director of Enrollment to develop and implement strategies to attract and retain new families and franchise investors. She facilitates and supports both Safari Kid and its franchisees through strategic planning, brand management, digital marketing, community engagement, and key performance indicator analysis. Candace’s role is pivotal in ensuring cohesive and effective marketing efforts across the entire organization.

With more than eight years of marketing and sales experience in the education sector, Candace previously excelled as Regional Marketing Manager for Charter Schools USA, a for-profit education management organization operating 87 schools across seven states, including 61 charter schools in Florida. She oversaw marketing and enrollment initiatives, implementation, and training for more than 13 locations in North and South Carolina. Candace also brings entrepreneurial experience in the behavioral health and restaurant industries, showcasing her versatility and business acumen. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and a master's in business administration. Candace’s blend of marketing expertise and a deep understanding of early childhood education drives her dedication to promoting Safari Kid’s mission of providing exceptional educational experiences to young learners globally.

Piroja Montgomery brings 23 years of dedicated experience in the field of education and has led curriculum design at Safari Kid since 2016. She drives the continuous enhancement of Safari Kid’s programs through rigorous research and ongoing professional development. Her career began as a public elementary teacher after earning her master’s in education in 2001. In 2007, she developed curricula for a private school in Orange County, CA, and a charter school in Los Angeles, CA. By 2010, Piroja joined Scantron Corporation, where she created web-based educational content for elementary school districts nationwide.

Piroja’s extensive experience and dedication to educational excellence uniquely position her to lead Sarari Kid’s curriculum design efforts. Over the course of 8 years, she has been instrumental in transforming Safari Kid’s curriculum initiatives by integrating research-driven, cutting-edge educational strategies and techniques, ensuring Safari Kid’s programs remain at the forefront of early childhood education.

As the Learning and Development Program Manager at Safari Kid, Nima Kapoor plays a pivotal role in driving the organization's training, development, and system designing efforts. She collaborates closely with cross-functional teams to curate targeted initiatives to implement a comprehensive learning platform that supports the continuous growth and development of franchise owners, directors, and educators while upholding Safari Kid’s standards of excellence.

Nima holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Sales System Trainer certification from Ziglar Inc. Her past experiences as a Business Analyst at Wells Fargo Bank and Senior Learning Development Trainer at Hutchison 3 Global Services provided her with a solid foundation for her current responsibilities at Safari Kid. Dedicated to advancing best practices in early childhood education, Nima’s leadership and innovative strategies are integral to the ongoing success and growth of Safari Kid stakeholders, helping to maintain a well-trained, knowledgeable, and high-performing team across all learning centers.