The oldest of seven children, I grew up in a rambunctious family in New York City's boroughs and suburbs. Starting from a young age, I provided caregiving for younger siblings, cousins, and neighbors. I also started developing a sense of what children need—physically, cognitively, and emotionally—and the kinds of supports parents and caregivers need as well.
I continued developing the skills of a highly effective caregiver and teacher as I grew older. While studying writing and public relations as a college student in Boston, I worked with several local families as a part-time nanny and volunteered with vulnerable and marginalized children and families in schools, libraries, and shelters.
Even after landing my first “grownup job” in nonprofit development and communications at Columbia University, I continued babysitting and volunteering with children. This culminated in a dramatic career change in 2016, when I left the nonprofit industry to turn my weekend babysitting job into a full-time nanny position. I threw myself into this work, continually learning and evolving my practice as well as developing relationships with other professionals. In 2018, I presented Sexuality Education for Early Childhood Professionals at the International Nanny Association Annual Conference. This presentation addressed sexual development in young children, including self-care, gender development, and children's questions and behavior—all with the goal of promoting bodily autonomy and agency and rejecting stigma and shame.
Since then, I have completed a master's degree in Infant and Family Development and Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special and General Education, earned dual certification in Students with Disabilities (Birth–Second Grade) and Early Childhood General Education, and worked with dozens more children and families—in homes, schools, and public spaces—with a variety of needs, identities, and cultures. A prominent component of my master’s program was antibias education and abolitionist teaching.
I have learned and grown in my profession more than I ever imagined possible. Some qualities that have consistently marked my work include:
Empathy
Humor
Respect
Curiosity
Kind but firm boundaries
Flexible and creative thinking
I am continuously working to see people for who they really are and to meet them where they are. I strive to be a decolonizer, collaborator, and resource for all families.
To learn more about my professional experiences and credentials, please visit my LinkedIn page. To learn about people and resources that inspire me and my work, please visit this Padlet centered on Abolitionist Teaching, or this Padlet with Parent and Caregiver Resources. If you would like a peak into my personal life, you can follow my public posts on Facebook.
