Our Team

Meet the Vesey Team

Each educator at Big and Tiny has outstanding experience, degrees in early childhood education, and a commitment to ongoing professional development. Above all, a passion for education and desire to make a difference in each child’s learning journey and life.

Lacie Newlin

Executive Director

Lacie Newlin is the Educational Director here at Big and Tiny NYC. Originally from Indiana, Lacie received her B.S. from Purdue University before moving to Chicago to pursue her Masters Degree in Child Development at Erikson Institute. She has been privileged to work in Early Childhood Education for twenty years and continues to be fascinated by young children’s genuine curiosity. She originally joined the Big and Tiny 10th Street team in Los Angeles and embraced the opportunity to join our East Coast school.

Sarah Willis

Co-Education Director

Sarah Willis has over 23 years of early childhood general and special education experience. With experience in private practice, she provides operational and programmatic design support, teacher training, compliance and licensing guidance/planning as well as parent training and special education planning and implementation. In addition to private practice, Willis serves as a graduate school advisor at Bank Street College, where she provides onsite student observation and coaching as well as whole group reflective supervision. She is excited to support Big and Tiny as Director.

Jen Calcano

Assistant Director

Jen is a long time educator. She holds a bachelor degree in psychology from College of Staten Island and a certificate as a RIE educator. She has over ten years of teaching experience all the way from infancy to kindergarten. She is passionate about child-led education and advocates for programs that allow children to develop at their own pace and develop curriculums inspired by children's interests. She is a community builder with a strong commitment in child-centered practice and respect for children.

Natalie Bean

Educator - Infants

Natalie brings a decade of nurturing, thoughtful, and joyous early childhood experience to Big and Tiny. She is currently pursuing her Childhood Development Associate certification and holds a Bachelor’s degree in History from the College of Wooster. Natalie is passionate about emergent literacy, fostering primary care connections and incorporating nature and music into daily learning. She appreciates cultivating strong relationships with children and their families, expanding beyond their time within her classroom.

Andrea Martinez

Educator - Infants

Andrea brings over eight years of experience as an early childhood educator, working with a wide range of age groups and developing extensive expertise in the Reggio Emilia approach. Her teaching practice centers on creating nurturing, engaging environments that honor each child’s voice while supporting their social, emotional, and developmental growth. Originally from Colombia, Andrea moved to the United States as a teenager and is grateful to be part of a diverse and vibrant community. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys reading, exploring new places, and spending quality time with her family.

Michelle Britton

Educator - Infants

Michelle has been an infant educator for over ten years. She earned an associate’s degree in early childhood education and has consistently worked with infants and toddlers throughout her career. She looks forward to the vast rewards that come from working with little ones. During her free time, she enjoys being with her family. Some of her hobbies include dancing, listening to music, and watching movies.

Stephanie Marques

Assistant Educator - Infants

Ms. Stephanie is originally from Rhode Island but moved to Jersey City, NJ 2 years ago. She is returning to school soon with a major in Family and Human Development. Working with children has always been a passion of hers and she loves watching them develop their personalities and complete milestones. In her free time, Stephanie likes to dance, travel, and spend time with her family. She is honored to be part of every child’s learning journey!

Jessica Zapata

Educator - Toddlers

Ms. Jessica holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. She is fluent in both English and Spanish. As an educator, Ms. Jessica is passionate about creating a welcoming and engaging learning environment where children feel excited to come to school each day. She believes in making learning joyful and meaningful and looks forward to building strong relationships with children and their families.

Kendra Slack

Educator - Toddlers

Kendra is thrilled to be a member of the Big and Tiny team. She has been working with children of all ages for 14 years, but has focused primarily on early childhood from 18 months to 2 years. She is also a mom to an amazing 15-year old boy. She received her bachelor's degree in psychology and is currently a graduate student working towards her master's in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). Working with children is her passion because she believes we can learn more from them than they can from us, and they show us every day what it means to truly live.

Tara Pittaluga

Educator - Toddlers

Tara was born and raised in south Jersey and moved to this wonderful city about ten years ago. She has been working with children since she was in high school and has been working in the field of childhood education for about sixteen years. Her goal in the classroom is to create a space where each child isn’t just physically safe but emotionally safe. Building self-esteem is one of her biggest priorities in the classroom. One of her biggest passions is theatre arts and uses these tools in the classroom. Such as listening, being a safe space for others, bringing laughs and playing make believe.

Megan Brown

Educator - Preschool

A graduate of Pace University with a bachelor's degree in psychology and theatre arts, Megan is pursuing a master’s in Early Childhood Education and Mental Health Counseling. Growing up in a large Southern family, she developed a deep passion for caring for children and supporting others from a young age. With over a decade of experience working with children of all ages, from infancy to grade 12, Megan has held various roles including assistant teacher and counselor, focusing on behavioral and developmental needs.

Ashley Cattaneo

Educator - Preschool

Ashley is a dedicated early childhood educator and developmental specialist. She brings over a decade of experience supporting children and families across infant, toddler, and school-aged settings throughout New York City. Ashley holds dual certification in Early Childhood General and Special Education and earned her Master’s degree from Bank Street College of Education. Her teaching philosophy is grounded in play, movement, and experiential learning, with an emphasis on meaningful, responsive interactions that support holistic child development. Ashley values strong partnerships with families and is committed to creating thoughtful learning environments tailored to each child’s developmental stage and individual needs.

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Shadae King

Educator - Preschool

Shadae brings a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and over 15 years of experience working with children from infancy through five years old. Throughout her career, she has held a wide range of classroom roles and has also served as a professional development specialist, supporting and mentoring more than 150 educators. In addition to her work at Big & Tiny, Shadae is pursuing certification to become a Reiki Master. She deeply values the opportunity to support fellow educators while also building meaningful relationships with children and their families.

Guadalupe Gutierrez

Floater

Guadalupe brings ten years of experience working in a home-based childcare setting, with expertise supporting children from infancy through five years old. She is passionate about being part of a warm and welcoming school community and enjoys sharing her native language with the children. Outside of the classroom, Guadalupe values spending quality time with her family and is happy to be a member of the Big & Tiny community.

Maya Moreno

Floater

Maya has five years of experience working with young children and is currently pursuing an associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education at BMCC, where she continues to deepen her knowledge of child development and teaching strategies. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys cooking, singing, and spending time in the water, with swimming being one of her greatest passions.

Mia Neibert

Music Teacher

Mia is a versatile vocalist and early childhood music teacher. She holds a degree in Professional music, concentrating in vocal performance and songwriting from Berklee College of Music. In 2007, Mia Became certified to teach early childhood education music and since then, she has been sharing the gift of music with young children, bringing warmth, fun and creativity to her classes. Outside class, Mia loves working with essential oils and making aromatherapy blends.