About

STEPHANIE FELZENBERG

Stephanie Felzenberg has worked as a professional Nanny, Family Assistant, and Cook for private families since 1993. Stephanie volunteered as the Editor of the International Nanny Association newsletter for four years and edited the Child Care Textbook in 2007. She has been the Advice Columnist for Nanny Magazine since 2013. She is currently the Newsletter Editor for the US Nanny Association. Stephanie earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Rider University and successfully completed Newborn Care Specialist training from Newborn Care Solutions and earned the US Nanny Association Newborn and Infant Care Credential (NICP) and the US Nanny Association Nanny and Childcare Provider Certificate. Stephanie has also been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and in US News and World Report.

SOME OF OUR CONTRIBUTORS:

JILL ALLREAD

Jill Allread was appointed to the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, a citizens’ board responsible for the state’s 300 nature preserves, by Illinois Governor Ryan in 2000. She shares with our readers information about conservation, teaching children to love the environment, and celebrating Earth Day. Just some of Jill’s civic involvements include executive committee member and former board chair of A Sporting Chance Foundation, the Advisory Board member for Cabrini Connections tutoring program, and she earned her Accredited in Public Relations accreditation from the Universal Board in February 2000. She has counseled clients with strategic conservation/education programs including the John G. Shedd Aquarium, Morton Arboretum, Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums, American Zoo and Aquarium Association, Chicago Zoological Society, Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Virginia Marine Science Museum, and SOS Rhino.

KAREN BAGNALL

Karen Bagnall is an experienced dog handler for Cascade Dogs a part of the Wind River Search and Rescue in Lewis County, Washington which was founded in 1987. Karen shares great information with our readers about protecting the children we care for while hiking and enjoying the outdoors.

LORA BRAWLEY

Lora Brawley is the Founder of National Nanny Training Day and Co-Founder of Nannypalooza. For those seeking expert assistance in the screening and retention of quality in-home caregivers and the creation of successful nanny/family relationships, Lora offers a wealth of experience and expertise. During her 18-years in the nanny industry, she’s earned a reputation for providing a unique blend of common-sense strategies and intuitive guidance to the nannies and parents she works with. You can learn more about her services at Nanny Biz Reviews and www.AllAboutNannyCare.com.

TOM BREEDLOVE

Tom Breedlove is the Director of Breedlove & Associates and provides payroll, tax, and labor law services for families with a household employee. Visit www.breedlove.com to learn more.

MARY CAGNETTA AND KAREN CARUSO

Mary Cagnetta and Karen Caruso founded Mind Your Business, Inc. a Consumer Reporting Agency specializing in preemployment and background screenings for corporate entities, child care services, and individual families, since 1996. Karen was an executive in the Retail Loss Prevention Field and has written policy and directed screening efforts while working in her field. Mary served as a Special Investigator for The Home Insurance Company. She currently holds a private investigators license and has made presentations to the New Jersey State Legislature and Catholic Mutual Group as to the importance of background investigations.

PAT CASCIO

Pat Cascio has been active in the nanny placement industry since 1983. She was the President of the International Nanny Association, (INA), from 2001 until 2008. She was also the owner of the nanny placement agency Morningside Nannies in Houston, Texas. She Co-Chaired the INA Membership Committee from 1998 to 2000. Pat served as the INA 1st Vice President from 2000 – 2001.

DR. RHONDA CLEMENTS

Dr. Rhonda Clements was the President and is currently a Board Member of the American Association for the Child’s Right to Play (IPA/USA). The purpose of IPA/USA is to protect, preserve, and promote play as a fundamental right for all humans. She is currently the program Director of the Program of Education at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York.

PATRICIA A. CRAWFORD, Ph.D.

Patricia A. Crawford, Ph.D. is associate professor in the Department of Teaching & Learning Principles at the University of Central Florida, in Orlando. A former teacher of young children, she now works with undergraduate and graduate students in language and literacy education. She has written extensively in journals related to teaching and learning.

BETTY DAVIS

Betty Davis has been the Owner of In Search of Nanny Inc., in Beverly, MA since 1987. She not only offers a referral service for parents searching for childcare but a consulting service for parents who have found their potential caregiver through a freind or Internet site.

SUE DOWNEY

Sue Downey has worked as a nanny since 1993. She has worked in a variety of nanny positions including: adopted children, multiples, work-at-home mothers, and larger families. She was a Co-Founder of Philly Nannies, which was a local Philadelphia area nanny support group and a founding Board Member of the National Association for Nanny Care which has since folded. Sue is a Co-Founder of Nannypalooza and has worked for many years to provide accessible, affordable training, and support for all nannies. Sue attended Bowling Green State University. Currently she is working for a fabulous family in suburban Philadelphia.

ARTHUR ELLIS

Arthur Ellis is the Co-Founder and President of The Nanny Tax Company. He The Nanny Tax Company is widely recognized as a nanny tax expert and has been quoted in The New York Times, Crain’s Chicago Business, the Chicago Sun-Times, and MOMents. He has spoken about nanny taxes to Bank One, the Chicago Bar Association, the Tax Subcommittee of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, Winston & Strawn, and the Chicago Latin School. Mr. Ellis earned his JD from Boston University, and his MA and BA from the University of Chicago.

KATHY FAGGELLA

Kathy Faggella is an early education specialist and artist, has a BS degree from Southern Connecticut State University and a MA from Farfield University. She is an author and publisher for Ideas ‘R’ Popping, a publishing company that specializes in developing educational materials to satisfy a variety of community needs in Westport, Connecticut.

ANDREA FLAGG

Andrea Flagg is the Research Editor and Monthly Poll Editor for Be the Best Nanny Newsletter. Andrea has been a professional career nanny in Northern New Jersey since 1999. She specializes in the care, development, and education of toddlers and preschoolers. She was the Co-Founder and Moderator of the Nanny Alliance of New York and New Jersey, which was a nanny support group in the Metro New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut area.

ANNE MERCHANT GEISSLER

Anne Merchant Geissler is the author of The Nanny Textbook and The Child Care Textbook 2007, staples in nanny training programs. She also founded the Professional Nanny Training Program in 1981 and developed the first Weekend Associate Degree Program for nannies in conjunction with Wheelock College in Boston, Massachusetts. She also developed the first distance training program and in-service program which offers free online nanny training courses at ProfessionalNanny.com. She was the Ask Nanny Annie Advice Columnist for Be the Best Nanny Newsletter.

ELIZABETH HAWKSWORTH

Elizabeth Hawksworth developed our Nanny Confessions column featured on Tuesdays on How to Be the Best Nanny Blog. She is a freelance writer and web content and social media administrator at Abbott Collection and the author of Break for Beauty.

LINDSAY HILSENBECK

Lindsay Hilsenbeck is a Professional Organizer and Coach who works together with clients to reduce stress and wasted time. She co-creates personalized systems, self management strategies, and puts structure into lives to improve overall quality. She develops executive management skills to enable clients to better focus, organize, prioritize, and manage their time, projects, and space. Once clients have mastered these skills they are able to teach the skills to their children. For a complementary consultation email lindsay@professional-organizing.com.

DONNA RICE HUGHES

Donna Rice Hughes was one of 15 Commissioners of the U.S. Child Online Protection Commission which was a congressionally appointed panel which was mandated by the Child Protection Act. The purpose of the Commission was to identify methods to reduce access by minors to material that is harmful on the Internet. She is also the author of Kids Online: Protecting Your Children in Cyberspace and founder of the Internet safety web site at www.protectkids.com.

CLAUDIA KAHN

Claudia Kahn is the Owner of The Help Company. The Help Company was the first nanny agency in Los Angeles 30-years ago. She places nannies, personal assistants, chefs, butlers, concierge services, and more in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York.

MICHELLE LAROWE

Michelle LaRowe is the Executive Director of Morningside Nannies and Editor-in-Chief of Longhorn Leads. Michelle has authored Nanny to the Rescue!  and Working Mom’s 411. Michelle has also served as the Executive Director of the International Nanny Association and is the President of The Cape Cod Baby Planner.

TIM LORDAN

Tim Lordan is the Executive Director of the Internet Education Foundation, a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, dedicated to educating the public and policy makers about the potential of a decentralized global Internet to promote democracy, communications, and commerce. In 1999, Lordan helped develop and launch the GetNetWise parental empowerment resource and has since launched the “State of the Net” project designed to measure the success of the Internet — in cultural, socio-political and economic terms.

GUY MADDALONE

Since 1991, Guy Maddalone has been the president of GTM Household Employment Experts. He is the author of How to Hire & Retain Your Household Help. He has appeared on CBS and ABC television networks and on several radio broadcasts, is widely quoted in newspapers, and also has been featured in the International Nanny Association quarterly newsletter.

LORRIE MARRERO

Lorie Marrero is the Chief Executive Organizer and creator of The Clutter Diet, an innovative new program to help busy people get organized online. She and her team are leaders in the organizing industry, with their products sold in the Container Store and numerous national television and print media features including HGTV and Woman’s Day.

ANASTASIA MAROULIS

Anastasia Maroulis became an elementary school teacher in 1991. She worked as the assistant principal of an elementary school in Rockland County New York while she was the President of the New Jersey Reading Association, see www.njreading.org. She was the principal of Thiells Elementary School in New York. She is currently the principal of Hillside School in Allendale, New Jersey and shares wonderful advice on making reading activities fun for children and how nannies should communicate with both teachers and parents.

SHEILA MCGOVERN, MD
Dr. McGovern has been a busy and well respected pediatrician in San Diego, California since 1987. She provides her knowledge on all health issues important to the care of children. She edits the medical advice included in our publication for current accuracy.

JUDI MERLIN

Judi Merlin founded A Friend of the Family Home Services in Atlanta, Georgia in 1984. She was a member of the International Nanny Association since 1986 and was a founding Co-President of the Association of Professional Nanny Agencies in 1994. Her nanny placement agency A Friend of the Family Home Services was a two-time winner of the Agency of the Year Award from APNA winning in 1999 for Caregiver Support and in 2004 for Professional Business Practices. Judi passed away on February 27, 2018.

KEN MEYERS

Ken Meyers is the Founder and President of Longhorn Leads which owns many nanny web sites including eNannySource.com, Nannypro,com, Nannies.com, and more. He is also the President and CEO of Morningside Nannies in Houston, Texas.

BRENDA NIXON

Brenda Nixon is a gifted speaker and writer on child behavior and guidance. Her wit, wisdom, and common sense approach enchants audiences at schools, seminars, conferences, and parent groups around the country. Her book Parenting Power in the Early Years
is a top resource on raising young children and she’s a contributing author to 12 books including the best-selling Chicken Soup series.

ELIZABETH PANTLEY

Mrs. Elizabeth Pantley is a very well-known, well-respected, and popular speaker on issues important to raising children and the author of the books Perfect Parenting,Kid Cooperation,The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night and others.  She is also the president of Better Beginnings, Inc.

JEFF PEIFLY

Jeff Peifly has been a Certified Financial Planner since 1991. He recommends and advises our readers about retirement plans and investments that both married and single childcare providers should look into.

LYNN PETERSON

Lynn Peterson is a public records specialist and founder of PFC Information Services Inc., (PFC), which has been providing advanced research and information since 1989. Lynn is a member of Association of Independent Information Professionals, Public Records Research Network, and a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners.

GLENDA PROPST

Glenda Propst has been a professional nanny since 1985. She was a Co-Founder and Co-President of the National Association of Nannies, a founding member of the International Nanny Association, and was the 1991 INA Nanny of the Year. Glenda is a graduate of the St. Louis Child Day Care Association’s Nanny Training Program. She also has nine years experience as the director of a child care center. Glenda has hosted a Chat for Nannies on AOL and moderated several boards online for nannies including nannynetwork.com. She is also a co-owner of www.careernanny.com and co-founder of regardingnannies.com.

WENDY SACHS

Wendy Sachs is President and founder of The Philadelphia Nanny Network, Inc.  She is also a founding member and past four-term President of the International Nanny Association, an organization she has also served as Secretary, Treasurer, and board member. She is a nationally recognized expert on the nanny profession and has given more than 500 interviews to network television, national magazines, and leading newspapers during her career. She has appeared on national newscasts from NBC, CNBC, and CNN, including the Today Show and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Sachs earned her undergraduate degree from Simmons College and her MBA from the University of Miami.

CRYSTAL SADA CD, CCE, CPD

Crystal Sada was the Director of Postpartum and Public Relations Chair of the Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association, (CAPPA), which is a non-profit international organization that was founded in 1998 to offer the highest level of professional membership and training to childbirth educators, lactation educators, labor doulas, antepartum doulas, and postpartum doulas. She is still a CAPPA trainer and also provides a listing for nannies and baby nurses.

MELANIE SCHLIMM

Melanie Schlimm has been a full-time nanny since she graduated from college in 1999 with a B.A. in Social Work. She minored in Christian Ministries and Children. She is fluent in Spanish and speak in Spanish to her current charges. She has a son and has been married to her college sweetheart.

DR. HARRY STECKMAN Ed.D

The late Dr. Harry Steckman and his late wife were the founders of the first not-for-profit music studio, Steckman Studio of Music, in Oak Park, Illinois. The Steckman Studio of Music has outreach programs in over 20 different institutions making music instruction accessible to students who are under-served due to socioeconomic reasons or because they are physically challenged.

GINGER SWIFT

Ginger Swift is the President of ABC Nannies Inc.® in Denver, Colorado and the President of the Association of Premier Nanny Agencies (APNA). Ginger started ABC Nannies Inc.® in 1994. ABC Nannies Inc.® was the recipient of the 2001 APNA Agency of the Year Award. She has also served on the Board of the International Nanny Association. She discusses privacy issues for nannies, children, parents, and nanny placement agencies.

WHITNEY TANG

Whitney Tang is a freelance writer, nanny, and is our weekly columnist for Wednesdays with Whitney. Whitney runs her own nanny-centered web site, The Naptime Nook and was the Co-Founder and Editor of Nanny Magazine.

ELIZABETH THOMAN

Elizabeth Thoman is the founder of the Center for Media Literacy, (CML). The CML is a not-for-profit organization to inspire independent thinking and foster critical analysis of the powerful influence of the media. With more than 20 years in the field, Thoman adds depth and dimension to current media debates.

SUSAN TOKAYER

Susan Tokayer, is the Owner and President of Family Helpers, Inc. in Dobbs Ferry, NY since 1995. She has served as the Co-President of the International Nanny Association, the nonprofit organization that serves as the umbrella association for the in-home child care industry, for five-years. She shares her advice about nannies and the economy, the INA nanny credential exams, cell phone usage on the nanny job, and more on our blog.

KATHLEEN WEBB

Kathleen Webb Co-Founded HomeWork Solutions in 1993 to provide simplified nanny tax compliance services to today’s busy families. HomeWork Solutions provides nanny payroll and tax preparation services to thousands of families nationwide. HomeWork Solutions’ web site, 4nannytaxes.com, features an informative FAQ as well as a news room that has many in-depth articles on topics of concern to nanny employers. A nationally recognized expert on nanny payroll, tax, and employment issues, Ms. Webb is a magna cum laude graduate of Boston College. She also shares tons of free advice for nannies and parents on our  Facebook page.

CYNTHIA WILKINSON

Cynthia Wilkinson is a musician, teacher, and career nanny. All children love her compact discs which include: Jumpin’ Up to the Moon and Jumpin’ on Down the Road. In 2009, she began her Jumpin’ With Cindy Music Blog for parents, teachers, and nannies with the latest trends and information on arts education for children. She also earned the 1998 International Nanny Association’s Nanny of the Year Award.

DEBBIE WILLIAMS

Debbie Williams is an author and organizing strategist who offers tools and training to help you put your life in order. Learn more practical tips like these in her new book, Organized Kidz: EZ Solutions for Clutter-Free Living. Or visit her web site at BlueSuitMom.com.

WENDY YOUNG

Wendy Young, LMSW, BCD, is an award winning child and family therapist and the founder of Kidlutions. Solutions for Kids…because kids have problems, too! Her mission is to help kids (and the big people who care about them) with little problems, before they get larger than life. She has three children. She maintains a private practice in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and consults to various programs. In addition to writing, Wendy is a sought after trainer for behavioral and mental health concerns of childhood. Her interests include behavior management, helping caregivers and teachers deal more effectively with challenging and difficult children, the impact of temperament on behavior, and infant and maternal mental health. Visit her web site at www.kidlutions.com.