We know that every child is unique and deserves a unique education. Our highly qualified teachers and staff guide the way for your child to become independent while making good choices. We strive to ensure that your children will be introduced to every aspect of learning in their formative years, so they're prepared for the future.
We are extremely proud of our excellent staff of teachers, directors and support staff. We require on-going training for our staff through a detailed onboarding orientation, teacher development classes, on-site training, and on-site seminars hosting various certified professionals in the education field. All of our staff are trained in First Aid and CPR. We take great pride and responsibility to keep our children safe while educating and nurturing the children in our care.
Hadas is married to Ilan and together they have four children, each having attended Tiny Tots. Hadas, having initially trained as an accountant and working at Deloitte, left the corporate world to pursue her true love - educating young bilingual children. Hadas has since taken many classes in Early Childhood Education, exceeding the State of Illinois qualifications for a Childcare Center Director and to be prepared to provide the best learning and developmental experiences for the children in her care. From her studies and over 15 years of hands-on, practical experience directing a home daycare program and childcare center of her own, Hadas knows that young children learn best through play and hands-on learning.
Ilan, having worked in corporate finance for over 15 years, left the corporate world to obtain a Masters degree in Education. In addition to taking many courses in Early Childhood Education and exceeding the State of Illinois qualifications for a Childcare Center Director, Ilan has also worked for CPS and obtained his Professional Educator's License through the Illinois State Board of Education.
All of the Tiny Tots graduates have been well adjusted and well prepared for kindergarten with academic school readiness skills, exceptional social skills, and fluent language skills. We invite you to become part of the Tiny Tots family!
Brenden Hejmej brings over 10 years of professional experience working in Reggio-inspired preschools and has a great deal of experience and passion working with young children of all ages. As Assistant Director, Brenden is responsible for supporting the program’s classrooms and assisting with day-to-day management and teacher development. Brenden originally joined Tiny Tots Incorporated in 2020 in the Lead Preschool Teacher role.
Brenden relocated to Chicago from Southern California and embarked on his early childhood career while living in Los Angeles. Brenden earned an Associates degree in early childhood education from Santa Monica College and had the opportunity to gain valuable experience in a Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool classroom.
As an educator, Brenden’s personal philosophy is that every child deserves to learn in an enriched environment that is designed to fit each child's individual needs. His goal is to create a welcoming and supportive environment in which every child is free to explore individual interests while developing a lifelong love of learning. In his role as Assistant Director, Brenden strives to ensure that the program’s teachers have the support and guidance needed to be successful and to provide a warm, enriching, and nurturing classroom environment.
When not at Tiny Tots, you can find Brenden spending time with his family, watching soccer, playing golf and chasing his two children, Malcolm and Sloane!
Hannah Nelson is excited to have joined Tiny Tots as the Lead Preschool Teacher! Hannah has taught in various Early Childhood settings for the last 13 years. In college, Hannah worked on campus teaching children’s programming for families who had moved from overseas to live on campus. After college, she spent a summer teaching school-age children in Africa. She then worked at the YMCA for several years teaching preschool, after school programming, as well as summer camp. Hannah has been teaching in the early childhood setting for the last 6 years, mainly in the twos and preschool age groups. Hannah's favorite aspect about teaching is watching each child grow into their own individual personality, develop their own opinions and form their world view. Preschool is one of Hannah's favorite age groups because preschoolers ask so many questions and are always excited to learn and explore. Inside the classroom, you’ll usually find Hannah leading messy projects, fueling their silliness, and dramatically reading books. Hannah also holds a psychology degree and seeks to incorporate social emotional learning every chance she gets in order to set a foundation of emotional intelligence for the next generation. When she's not teaching, Hannah enjoys crafts, trying new dining establishments, going to concerts, and spending time with her nieces and nephews.
Erica Loose joined Tiny Tots Incorporated with several years of experience supporting young children in nurturing and engaging environments. Erica holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Strategic Communications from North Dakota State University, where she gained hands-on experience as an Assistant Teacher at her university's childcare center. Erica worked with infants all the way up to preK assisting lead teachers in planning creative activities that support early childhood development.
Erica brings dedication and a strong international and educational background to her role, having taught English to children in South Korea. Erica also gained experience as a Head Start Preschool Assistant Teacher and family advocate in Minnesota. She is passionate about creating a safe, positive environment where children feel confident, supported and excited to learn. When Erica is not teaching, she enjoys exploring Chicago and spending quality time with her family and friends!
Karen Caisaguano is thrilled to be part of the Tiny Tots Incorporated family as the Lead Twos Teacher. With a lifelong passion for working with children, Karen brings extensive hands-on experience in numerous childcare settings as well as by raising children of her own, which solidified her deep love for early childhood education.
Karen is a graduate of Alcott College Prep and attended Northeastern Illinois University. Being blessed with two twin boys strengthened her commitment in early childhood education. Karen continued her education at Wilbur Wright College and is working towards her CDA. As an educator, mother and aunt, Karen is dedicated to creating a safe, nurturing and joyful environment for her kiddos! She believes in guiding children through positive reinforcement and encouragement to help them reach and exceed their developmental milestones.
As a mother of two year old twin boys, Karen understands firsthand the challenges and joys of early childhood. She looks forward to being a trusted partner in your child's growth every step of the way. Karen is excited to connect with each family and looks forward to wonderful years of learning and growing together!
Outside of the classroom, Karen enjoys engaging in sensory rich activities with her children, nieces and nephews. She also enjoys cooking and is passionate about volunteering and supporting diverse communities whenever possible.
Anna Wiseley brings over 11 years of childcare experience in various settings! She has worked at other childcare centers as well as for her local grade school's afterschool program. Anna also has prior experience working with young families over the years. Having professional experience as a corporate recruiter in the education sector, Anna missed working hands-on with young children and is excited to be part of the Tiny Tots team!
Madison McSherry has joined the Tiny Tots Incorporated family and is delighted to be a part of such an excellent team. She graduated from The Pennsylvania State University in 2023 with a degree in Professional Photography. After graduating, she began working as a Teacher Assistant at The Stepping Stones Learning Institute in Trenton, NJ. Madison worked at her previous preschool for over 3 years, giving her great experience working with children of all ages. Since graduating, Madison has found an immense passion for not only photography, but also educating young children. Recently having moved to Chicago, Madison was drawn to Tiny Tots Incorporated "because of their amazing values, staff, and hospitable environment!" Madison strives to create a safe, welcoming classroom to ensure students feel seen, validated, and inspired. She loves guiding the children in expressing their creative freedom through arts and crafts, enjoying music, and exploring the outdoors. In her free time, Madison loves photographing, taking walks and watching movies. Madison is elated to have started her journey at Tiny Tots Incorporated and is thrilled to see what the future holds for her early childhood education endeavors!
Haley Campbell is excited to join Tiny Tots team as Assisant Teacher. Originally from Minnesota, Haley attended Northern Michigan University where she earned a Bachelors degree is Psychology. After graduation, Haley moved to Chicago where she took part in an Americorp program, tutoring young children in underserved communities. Haley brings a wealth of experience holding both Lead Teacher and Assistant Teacher roles at various private preschools before taking some time off to raise her own family and two incredible children.
Through the years, early childhood education has become a passion for Haley, believing that children learn best through play. She loves encouraging new skills and milestones while watching children learn naturally in a loving and supportive envronment.
Haley and her husband have two children, Liam and Caroline, and their dog Lola. She enjoys walking through the city and trying all of the amazing food along the way! Haley looks forward to getting to know your children and assist in fostering their growth!
Julia Emunah enjoys supporting the childrens development in a safe, nurturing and positive environment. She is patient, sensitive and calm believing that young children thrive when they feel secure, loved and encouraged.
Julia values kindness, consistency and clear routines while engaging with children through play, music and different educational activities. Julia's goal is to help each child feel confident, happy and supported as they grow, explore and reach important early milestones. Outside of the classroom, Julia enjoys plays the saxophone and has travelled the world going on various missions around the globe!
Emma O'Mahoney originally from Bloomington, Indiana moved to Chicago in the fall of 2023, shortly after graduating with a Bachelors Degree from Bradley University. Emma has enjoyed working with young children of all ages and in various capacities for the last 10 years!
After directing children's theatre, supporting diverse learners in elementary classrooms and substitute teaching for young children from infacy through adolescence, Emma found her way into an infant classroom and absolutely fell in love!
Emma feels honored to support the growth of her little ones during such a precious and formative time in their lives. She is dedicated to serving the unique needs of each infant, ensuring that her children meet their developmental milestones in a safe clean and nurturing classroom environment.
At the same time, Emma is a self-proclaimed "silly goose" who loves singing, playing and laughing with the little ones! Outside of the classroom, Emma loves working with nonprofit theatre companies and finding ways to contribute to mutal aid efforts in her local community. Emma is so grateful to be part of the Tiny Tots community and is always excited to care for such incredible children!
Cenna Young is originally from Rochester, NY and recently moved to Chicago after graduating from Miami University with a Bachelors degree in Social Work. Cenna's background in social work allows her the opportunity to approach teaching in a holistic and culterally sensitive manner which allows the children to explore the world with curiosity and confidence! She is overjoyed to work at Tiny Tots Incorporated in the infant classroom! Cenna has always known that she wanted to work with young children and believes that all children deserve to grow and develop in an enriching environment.
Sara Lapusan brings over 13 years of experience as an early childhood teacher! She has been trained and certified in concious discipline and has experience teaching in classrooms of all ages. Sara holds a degree in Early Childhood Education and has a vast amount of exerience teaching young children and helping support families in different types of communities, which has been her focus. Sara has helped model and train other teachers utilizing different strategies in social/emotional growth.
Outside of the classroom, Sara enjoys tutoring music and playing the flute. She likes to incorporate music in her classroom as well as books, visuals and textile/sensory materials. Helping form and shape young minds has been most rewarding for Sara and she takes great pride in being their guide, helper and friend.
Zipora Huss grew up in a Jewish community while living in Germany, having instilled in her the fundamentals of Jewish life from a very young age. Her journey of working with Jewish children commenced while she was still a child, working as a madricha for Chabad summer camps. After attending University in the Netherlands, Zipora found herself working fulltime in childcare in the heart of Chicago's Jewish community! Zipora is thrilled to be part of the Tiny Tots team and to carry the Jewish traditions, that shaped her as a person, onto the next generation!
Hadar Levinger is originally from Tel-Aviv, Israel and spent several years working as a flight attendant before relocating to the United States. Upon her arrival, she quickly channeled her passion for connecting with young children into the childcare field. Hagar adores working with young children and loves forming meaningful bonds with them while watching them learn!
Hagar joined the Tiny Tots team to help make Hebrew more accessible and engaging for young learners. Outside of work, she loves spending quality time with her family and playing with her three children.
Turner Powell is from Northern California and is a dedicated Assistant Teacher with a passion for supporting the growth and development of young learners. Turner obtained a degree in Family and Human Development from Arizone State University, providing her a strong academic foundation in child development and family dynamics. With over 10 years of experience working with children of all ages, Turner brings a wealth of knowledge and hands-on expertise to her role in the classroom.
Throughout her career, Turner has held many positions in the field of child development and education. Her experience spans from working as a teacher's aide at a preschool to working as a nanny to being a Registered Behavior Technician at an autism center. Her diverse background has equipped her with a unique ability to connect with children of varying needs and abilities! In her free time, Turner enjoys reading and exploring new restaurants. She is so excited to be a part of the Tiny Tots team!
Olivia Field is so excited to be part of the Tiny Tots team and has spent many years working with children in various capacities including after school programs, babbysitting, and even through hosting Build-a-bear workshops! Olivia recently graduated from Hofstra University with a Fine Arts degree and loves to incorporate art into all aspects of her life, especially with young children! She loves to paint and draw in her free time and when she's not making art, Olivia can be found reading or hanging out with friends. She is also very passionate about animals, particularly dogs and fish!
Olivia plans to obtain a Masters degree in Early Childhood or Elementary Education. There is nothing she loves more than helping others and she is fascinated with the developmental stages of young children. What draws Olivia to childcare is helping young children grasp new skills and information while watching them learn and grow!
Let us help your child experience the love of learning the natural way.
