About me

I grew up in Illinois with my parents and older brother. I loved sports, music, and theatre (and I still do!). I went to college at North Central College, a small school in the suburbs of Chicago, and earned my bachelor's degree with a double major in Music Education and Theatre Performance. After that, I lived in Chicago for five years working as a nanny and a professional actress for most of that time. I moved to New York City to pursue my master's in Educational Theatre in 2017. After that, I worked as a special education teacher at an independent inclusion school for three years before embarking on a second master’s degree. I am currently in my second year of a graduate program in Mental Health Counseling.

In college and for two years after, I worked as a part-time nanny with two elementary school-age kids. My responsibilities included fixing snacks, transportation from school and to after-school activities, and homework help. After that, I worked as a full-time nanny with a child who was 11 weeks when I started and almost 2 years old when I left. My responsibilities included feeding him with both breast milk and formula, preparing solid foods, taking him to playgroups and classes, using cloth diapers, and light cleaning. This child had special needs, so I was also responsible for taking him to OT, PT, and speech. For several years after that, I worked as a date night babysitter for many families, working with children who ranged in age from 4 months to 15 years. After moving to New York, I worked as a behavioral one-to-one for a year and a half, and as a special education music teacher for two years. I have a lot of experience with behavior challenges and big feelings, and I believe in validation, compassion, and being firm but fair.

I love music, theatre, mental health, and education, and I find that these passions often intersect with my love for childcare. I often incorporate music, imaginative play, and social-emotional skills into my childcare approach. I believe that children benefit from structure while also having the freedom to play and express themselves. I love getting to know new children and discovering every child’s wonderful uniqueness!