RIE® Associates
The RIE® Alliance of Associates are dedicated infant/toddler specialists offering RIE certified classes in various locations worldwide. Please read about our RIE Associates below to find out if there is a class near you!
United States
Arizona | California | Colorado | District of Columbia | Florida | Indiana | Ohio | Oregon | Massachusetts | Minnesota | Missouri | New Jersey | New York | South Carolina | Washington
Around the World
Canada | China | Israel | Korea | Singapore | New Zealand
ARIZONA
Kimberley Lewis (Tucson, Arizona) became a RIE® Associate in 2010. She has an MEd in Early Childhood Education from Antioch University New England. Kimberley has taught parent/child, nursery, preschool and kindergarten classes in Waldorf settings since 2007. She’s also an avid student of Emmi Pikler. She is passionate about integrating RIE, Pikler, Waldorf and other studies in embryology, neuroscience and embodiment towards educating others on the foundational first three years of life. Kimberley is currently retired from teaching to make time to research and write a book entitled “Conception to I-Consciousness.” kimberleylewis.com kimberley.lewis@gmail.com
CALIFORNIA
Rebecca Bowler (San Rafael, California) has been a RIE® Associate since 1994 and a member of the RIE® Alliance since 2008. A former RIE® nanny, Rebecca is fortunate to have trained with Magda. Rebecca has been practicing Esalen Massage® since 1994 and is the former Managing Editor at Underwood Books. Presently, she is an Independent Sales Rep for Spa, Resort, Hotel and Wellness. Blessed with a young daughter, Rebecca is passionate about RIE® parenting and community, Waldorf education, gardening, theater, and anything orange. She plans to offer RIE® Parent-Infant Guidance™ and RIE® Before Baby™ classes in Marin in the future. Rebecca@rbhealingarts.com
Deborah Carlisle Solomon (Los Angeles, California) is the author of Baby Knows Best: Raising a Confident and Resourceful Child, the RIE® Way. She served as RIE® Executive Director for eight years and now has an international teaching, speaking and consulting practice. Deborah is a RIE® Mentor who teaches RIE® Foundations™, Parent-Infant Guidance™, and Nurturing Nanny™ courses. She has spoken at various national and international conferences and studied at the Pikler Institute in Budapest, Hungary. http://www.deborahcarlislesolomon.com • deborah@deborahcarlislesolomon.com


Valorie Cole (Santa Barbara, California) has been a student and advocate of RIE® and the Educaring® Approach since 1989, when she attended her first RIE® course. This led to in-depth studies in infant and toddler care and development, including attending PITC and traveling to Budapest to see and experience Loczy. She was a part of the planning and implementation of Cottage Hospital’s RIE® Accreditation in 1991 and later worked with teen parents at two local high schools, teaching parenting skills and caring for their infants and toddlers. Valorie was then hired by Discoveries Learning Center to open and direct Early Discoveries Toddler Center, and later became the Director of both programs. Her current goals are to conduct Parent-Infant Guidance™ classes, to mentor RIE® students on their own journeys, and to spend lots of quality time with her 11 grandchildren. valoriejean@yahoo.com
Melissa Coyńe (Los Angeles) RIE®’s Program Director, is an Early Childhood Educator who has 28 years of experience building relationships with children and parents. In addition to holding a Master’s degree in Child Development, she is a RIE® Associate and a certified PITC (Program for Infant/Toddler Care) trainer. Melissa was first introduced to the Educaring® Approach at the early childhood program where she worked for 22 years and cultivated her commitment to philosophical integrity. She facilitates RIE® courses in the Los Angeles area and has presented workshops on how to respectfully parent tweens and teens. Melissa is the mother of two teenage daughters who continually challenge her to look at herself and learn about the rewards of relationships built on connection and collaboration that begin in infancy. She is passionate about inspiring adults and children to be critical thinkers in areas of anti-racism, equity and self-awareness. Melissa is a firm believer that parenting is an ongoing process, not a product, to be handled with intention, deep reflection and great care.
Catriona Davies (Santa Monica, California) attended RIE® Parent-Infant Guidance™ classes with her two young children. In 2001, she began her RIE® Professional Development training. Catriona has been teaching Parent-Infant Guidance™ classes at Hari’s RIE® studio in Santa Monica since 2005. She also co-facilitates parent workshops. catriona-davies@verizon.com
Jennifer Doebler (Berkeley, California) had her life change in 2006 with the birth of her first child and a friend’s gift of Your Self-Confident Baby. Inspired by Magda Gerber’s wisdom and compassion, she attended Parent-Infant Guidance™ classes in NYC with her two daughters and experienced for herself how the Educaring® Approach enhanced her understanding, confidence and relationship with her infants. After nearly two decades of corporate brand management and entrepreneurial experience, in the US and Asia, Jennifer followed her new passion and began RIE training in 2014. An Associate since 2017, Jennifer has also completed Introductory and Advanced-Level Pikler Training with Anna Tardos & Agnes Szanto. Jennifer holds an MA in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College, specializing in Early Childhood Development, an MBA in Marketing and Management from Columbia University, and a BA in International Politics and Economics from Middlebury College. Jennifer is a RIE Practicum mentor, member of the Board of Directors, and Chair of the Marketing Committee. Jennifer facilitates RIE classes in San Francisco’s East Bay and consults with parents and professionals. She loves helping parents and carers do the world’s most important job. www.forbabyandme.com / jennifer@forbabyandme.com
Lee Fernandez (Redwood City, California) is inspired by the work of infant specialist Magda Gerber and physician-educator Maria Montessori. She currently conducts RIE® Parent-Infant Guidance™ classes in the San Francisco Bay Area. Lee has 45 years of experience in Early Childhood Education as a parent educator, preschool teacher, author, and administrator of university, military and private programs. Lee has a MA in Human Development, specializing in Infants and Toddlers from Pacific Oaks College, Pasadena, CA where she trained directly with Magda Gerber, and a Montessori Teaching Certificate from Spring Hill College, Mobile, AL and St. Nicholas Montessori in London, England. www.discoveryourbaby.org
Marcela Giannini(Newport Beach, California), RIE® Associate, RIE® Board of Directors, was introduced to RIE® over 20 years ago, mentored by Magda Gerber and studied under her tutelage. Marcela also served as Magda Gerber’s personal assistant. She has recently begun facilitating RIE® Parent-Infant Guidance™ Classes in Orange County. meg.giannini@sbcglobal.net
Lisa Sunbury Gerber (Santa Cruz, California) www.regardingbaby.org and https://respectfrombirth.mn.co/ Lisa has dedicated her life to caring for, supporting, and advocating for infants and toddlers and their families, and enjoys introducing future early childhood professionals to respectful caregiving practices through her role as an adjunct professor of ECE at Cabrillo College in Aptos, CA. Lisa holds a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Lesley University and was introduced to Magda Gerber’s RIE philosophy during a conference for infant teachers held in Boston in 1998. This eye-opening experience led to Lisa relocating to Los Angeles to become an intern and study with Magda Gerber at the original home of RIE in Silverlake, California, where she also served as RIE’s Office Manager for four years, and on RIE’s Board of Directors for two years. For more than 20 years Lisa has shared her knowledge and love of RIE through her varied roles in the field of early care and education including as a professional nanny, as an infant/toddler teacher and program administrator, via conference presentations, and by facilitating Parent-Infant Guidance classes and workshops for parents and professionals. She’s proud to have collaborated with Janet Lansbury to introduce RIE to a global audience through social media. Today, Lisa homeschools her seven-year-old daughter, as well as offering Parent-Infant Guidance classes, consulting with families by phone, and offering an on-line support and discussion group via Mighty Networks. Contact her at lisa@regardingbaby.org.

Ruth Anne Hammond (Los Angeles, California), author of Respecting Babies: A Guide to Educaring for Parents and Professionals (2019, 2009), is a RIE Mentor, having studied under its founder, Magda Gerber and served on the board for many years. She was RIE’s President from 2005 to 2011. She speaks and teaches RIE courses across the globe and offers Parent-Infant classes in Pasadena. She taught in the Human Development Department at Pacific Oaks College and led its Infant/Toddler-Parent Program for 17 years. She is PITC certified and has trained at the Pikler Institute. Ms. Hammond is currently on the board of directors of Families Forward Learning Center in Pasadena, a multi-generational education and support agency for low income families. She has been a participant in Dr. Allan N. Schore’s interpersonal neurobiology study group for over a decade. A former professional dancer, she continues to express her love of movement in her work with infants and their families. ruthannehammond@gmail.com • ruthannehammond.com

While Children’s Corner closed from March until September, 2020 Linda re-opened with 1/3 the number of children in order to continue to carry the RIE message to families and to serve her community during the pandemic.


Melani Ladygo (San Fernando Valley, California) has a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development from California State University, Los Angeles. She has been teaching Parent-Infant Guidance™ classes for almost a decade and is currently teaching in Sherman Oaks. She also teaches other RIE® training courses, including a course for caregivers (Nurturing Nanny™), a course for expectant parents (Before Baby™), and the professional development course, RIE® Foundations™. She has presented workshops on Magda Gerber’s Educaring® Approach in a variety of conference settings and was the Program and Office Manager at the RIE® Center in Hollywood for 9 years. She fell in love with the Approach in a child care center where she worked as an Infant/Toddler Master Lead Teacher for many years. Melani feels strongly that this Approach strengthens bonds between parents and children, and fosters the development of competent, capable, and creative children. melani@melaniladygo.com • www.melaniladygo.com

Jill Getto Lee (Studio City, California) is a 0-3 consultant with a special interest in the development of twins and triplets. Her passion is to advocate for children’s physical, and mental health rights. She holds a Masters Degree from Pacific Oaks College in Human Development Specializing in Early Childhood Development, and a Bachelors of Science Degree in Psychology from Central Michigan University. She currently teaches several classes at the Los Angeles and Pasadena RIE® Centers; the RIE® Foundations™ Theory and Observation Course, Before Baby™ , and Nurturing Nanny™ Courses, as well as RIE Certified Parent-Infant Guidance™ Classes. She also teaches and consults in her own private practice at BINI Birth Center in Sherman Oaks and in West LA. She is an participant in a study group on Right Brain Psychotherapy with Dr. Allan N. Schore of the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine as well as a participant in a study group on Clinical Intuition with Dr. Terry Marks-Tarlow. She serves on the RIE Board of Directors and is the Program Chairperson for RIE. Jill is a registered Consultant for the Los Angeles County office of Childcare and serves as a community member on Los Angeles Unified School District’s IPM team. jgettolee@aol.com • jillrieclass@gmail.com • www.jillgettolee.com • 818-370-2596




Larissa Neilson (Los Angeles, CA)Larissa is a former lawyer who fell in love with RIE® twenty years ago and decided to change careers. She is the author of “The L.A. Nanny Book” and founder at Riesers Inc. Larissa has been an advocate of the RIE and the Educaring Approach since 2001. She has nineteen years of experience helping families with their newborn babies until the age of three. She is also a Pikler Pedagogue candidate and has studied at the Pikler House in Budapest, Hungary. Larissa is a speaker and has conducted workshops guiding and inspiring caregivers and educators of young children within the US, China, Mexico, and Peru. It is her passion to help parents see their infants in a new way, showing them what their infants are capable of by modeling a way of being with them. www.larissaneilson.com (818) 472-6343
Ida Reid (Los Angeles, CA) Ida is a former Preschool teacher, Los Angeles native, current Postpartum Doula and president of the Doulas Association of Southern California. Ida took her first Foundations ™ Course in 2010 at the RIE® center in Los Angeles and became a RIE® Associate in 2018. Ida has served over 100 families in the Los Angeles Area supporting them in a non-invasive, respectful approach. Ida is committed to helping facilitate the relationship that is possible between parent and child when a child is approached as an independent, capable and vital member of a community. ida.doula@gmail.com





Karen Ziskin (Rancho Santa Fe, California) began her studies with Magda Gerber in 1994 and became a RIE® Associate in 1999. She was an infant and toddler caregiver from 1994 to 1998 at The South Bay Infant Center, the first RIE® Demonstration Infant Toddler Care Center, founded by Ruth Money. Karen facilitated RIE® Parent-Infant Guidance™ Classes in Manhattan Beach from 1999 until 2012. She was also a member of the RIE® Board of Directors from 2000 to 2006. Karen is a certified postpartum doula offering private consultation and caregiving based on the Educaring® Approach. Karenziskin@yahoo.com
COLORADO
Eileen Henry (Boulder, Colorado) is a RIE® Associate and is a pioneer in creating the once non-industry of what is now commonly referred to as “Child Sleep Consultant.” She is the author of The Compassionate Sleep Solution: Calming the cry. Her program is unique and not only transforms sleep but the entire parenting experience. Eileen works with families all over the world. • “My goal is to co-create the best emotional and physical environment for sleep success for your entire family.” www.compassionatesleepsolutions.com
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Allison Manuel (Washington, DC) is a an Infant/Toddler Montessori (AMI) teacher in Washington, DC and has a Masters in Education in Birth-3. She fell in love with RIE® after the birth of her first child and is looking forward to integrating the Educaring® principles into life with her soon-to-be second child. She teaches parent-infant classes in Washington, DC, provides home consultations on the Educaring® and Montessori Approaches and is a yoga teacher. She is grateful to her mentors Ruth Anne Hammond and Beverly Kovach for helping her to bring more of the RIE® world to the East Coast. She is most passionate about helping parents find the balance between nurture and independence for the youngest children, adopting the motto from Ruth Anne Hammond, that “independence should never be a burden,” but only a pleasure. lee.allison1983@gmail.com
FLORIDA



INDIANA

Kelly Scott (Fort Wayne, Indiana) has worked with families with small children for more than 15 years. She began her career working with autistic young children while attending the University of Minnesota. After moving to Los Angeles, Kelly discovered the work of Magda Gerber and the Educaring® Approach. She incorporated this into her continued work as a nanny, newborn infant care provider, and nursery school teacher. Kelly passionately believes play is a fundamental right of childhood and works to provide families and young children opportunities to do so. Currently, Kelly is reveling in the joys of homeschooling her school-age daughter. She is continually delighted by how the RIE Principles continue to guide her way in being with children.
OHIO
Simone Stave Demarzi (Yellow Springs, Ohio) became acquainted with RIE® in the summer of 2002 on Whidby Island with Polly Elam. Simone has been working in the field of Early Childhood since 1981, has a BS in El. Ed., Waldorf Teacher Training, LifeWays certification, all her ECE units, and completed the PITC training. She is one of the original four members of the CORE 4 in Sacramento, bringing RIE®to Northern California. Simone ran an Infant Program in her home combining RIE® with her Waldorf background for 5 years. Simone has been teaching Parent Child Classes now for 7 years and currently teaches at the Davis Waldorf School. sdemarzi@gmail.com
OREGON
Alexandra Curtis (Eugene, Oregon) has presented nationally and internationally on a variety of “birth to two” topics. Author of Simple Toys Make Active Babies, a book about play spaces for infants and toddlers, Alexandra earned her Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education and Bachelor’s Degree in General Studies with a Public Health focus at the University of South Florida. Mother to three lovely daughters, Alex was a founding Board Member of the Pikler/Loczy USA Fund and the Hillsborough County Breastfeeding Taskforce. She is an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) and works at Lane Community College’s Family Connections program, providing training to child care providers. mealex37@earthlink.net
Mary Louise Brennan (Portland, Oregon) studied with Magda Gerber both at Pacific Oaks College and at the Los Angeles RIE® Center and has been a RIE® Associate since 1989. She is an Infant Toddler Program Consultant and RIE® Foundations™ Instructor, currently working with infants and toddlers in a child development center in downtown Portland. Mary Louise has presented at national and international seminars and workshops. She is a passionate professional with over 35 years experience working and learning with the very youngest children, their parents and their teachers. marylouisebrennan@yahoo.com
MASSACHUSETTS

MINNESOTA
Beth Middleton is a career caregiver in private family and group care environments. After attending the 2013 Los Angeles Winter Foundations(TM) course Beth continued her studies, becoming a RIE(R) Associate in early 2021. Beth speaks and consults with individuals and families, as well as in group care, community and conference settings. She enjoys spending time with family in South Dakota on the land of the Ihanktowan Nation (Yankton Sioux Reservation) and in Minnesota, observing her daughter and grandchildren flourish with the roots provided in the RIE(R) principles, and sharing the life and relationship enriching benefits of our approach.
Carolyn Paetzel (Minneapolis, Minnesota) is a licensed educator and parent, with 25+ years working with parents, infants, and students to help deepen their understanding of each infant’s unique and innate abilities. She has presented at numerous workshops, including the MNAEYC State Conference, and served as a consultant for local child development programs. Inspired by Magda Gerber and an innate desire to connect and share the Educaring® Approach with others, she created the Friends of RIE® Minnesota (FORM) Network, a community-based forum of parents, educators, students, and administrators, who gather monthly to engage in topics relating to early childhood education. FORM members can now be found across the globe. Theformnetwork@gmail.com
MISSOURI
Shannon Carr (St. Louis, MO) became a RIE® Associate in 2020, but has been in awe of the Educaring® Approach since 2002 after reading Your Self-Confident Baby and seeing such positive outcomes in infant classrooms and with her own children. She began her RIE® training in 2013 and became a RIE® Associate in 2020. She has worked with families and early childhood professionals in some capacity since 1994 as a teacher, director, parent educator, advocate for children in foster care, and trainer. She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and Bachelor of Science in Child and Family Development. Inspired by Magda Gerber’s Educaring® Approach and the desire to share her work with others, she created Friends of RIE® Midwest and in 2017 founded RISE, where she provides workshops to parents and early childhood providers, facilitates parent-infant guidance classes, and consults privately with families and professionals. shannoncarr@risechild.com, www.risechild.com
NEW JERSEY
Angela R. Fisher, Ph.D. (South Orange/Maplewood, NJ), holds a Ph.D. in Infant-Toddler Developmental Psychology. She is an NJ-Infant Mental Health Mentor- IV [Policy], a Certified Infant Massage Educator, Childbirth Doula, and serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Early Childhood Graduate Department at City University in New York. She consults with parents, caregivers, and educators on developmentally appropriate and respectful practices with infants and toddlers nationally and internationally. She facilitates RIE® Certified Parent-Infant Guidance™ classes in the New York/New Jersey area. Angela’s scholarly research and parent-infant observation tool are uniquely influenced by Magda Gerber’s work. She is dedicated to supporting parent-infant relationships across cultures based on Magda Gerber’s Educaring® Approach. ababydr@gmail.com
NEW YORK
Christina Cohen (New York City, New York) is a Clinical Psychologist and Parent & Family Support Specialist who works with children, adolescents, adults and couples in her private practice in Manhattan. She began her RIE® Professional Development training in 2015 and is honored to share Magda Gerber’s Educaring® Approach with the parent and childcare community. Follow her online at christinacohen.com




Jude Keith Rose (Ithaca, New York) Jude has built a career around supporting and advocating for children, families and early care and education professionals. In addition to providing direct care for children birth to 6, her work has extended into managing community programs that provide medical care and prenatal education, parent education in the context of supervised visitation and safety for children who have experienced trauma. Jude is captivated by witnessing children learn to communicate and passionate about supporting positive, nonviolent communication in families. Jude became a RIE® Associate in 2001. She is also a published early childhood photographer whose images have appeared in early childhood books and journals including “Young Children” and “Montessori Life” and a self-published children’s book, Bite a Bagel. judekrose@gmail.com
SOUTH CAROLINA
Nicole Vigliotti (Charleston, South Carolina) began her Early Childhood profession as an Infant Caregiver after completing her RIE® Professional Development training with Magda Gerber and Carol Pinto in 1998. She went on to receive her Early Childhood Montessori 3-6 credentials and became a RIE® Associate in 2011. Nicole currently serves as Program Director for Little Learners Lodge and on the Pikler®USA Board. She recently completed the 3-hour video curriculum guide Being with Infants with Beverly Kovach and consults with centers interested in putting the theories of Dr. Emmi Pikler and the work of Magda Gerber into daily center base practice. nicvigliotti@yahoo.com • www.mmpschool.com
WASHINGTON
Debbie Bergstrom (Puyallup, Washington) studied with Magda Gerber starting in 1986. She studied at the Emmi Pikler Institute, Budapest Hungary in 2008. She is a WestEd PITC Graduate. She has worked in Child and Youth programs for over 39 years. Debbie has worked with a variety of infant/toddler programs and has conducted seminars and training in Italy, New Zealand, Australia, and throughout the United States. She is currently an ECE Consultant. bergsjd@aol.com
Polly Elam (Puyallup, WA) studied and worked with Magda Gerber for more that 20 years and served on the RIE® Board of Directors from 1986-2020. She served as President from 2011-2020. Polly first studied at the Pikler Institute in 1986 and returned on a regular basis until 2012. Shepresented at the Pikler International Conference in 2007. She is a WestEd PITC Graduate and has experience as a Regional Child Development Program Administrator and Community College Instructor. She was a contributing writer to Authentic Relationships In Group Care for Infants andToddlers, RIE® Principles Into Practice. As an ECE Consultant, Polly has worked with a variety of infant/toddler programs and has conducted seminars and training in Europe, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and throughout the United States. She and her husband, Joseph recently relocated to Puyallup, Washington. pollyelam@aol.com
Around the World!

Kristy Thomas (Edmonton, AB, Canada) has been engaged with families, educators and young children for more than 20 years and is the director of Mckernan Child Development Centre (since 2007). In addition to this role, Kristy also works as a contracted practicum supervisor for distance learning students in the Early Childhood Education Program at Lethbridge College. As a mom & Early childhood professional it is her passion to encourage parents and caregivers to embrace a respectful approach and find joy in their journeys. She shares her work online through a blog www.inspiredbyinfants.ca and in her local community. She is delighted to have recently become a RIE® Associate this year and is eager to continue sharing this work in Canada alongside her mentor and friend Anita Cooper Ebright. Kristy is an advocate for engaging in excellent care practices starting at birth and has been presenting at local conferences and sharing this message with parents and educators for many years. She looks forward to her future as a RIE® Associate with plans to teach RIE®️ Certified classes for fellow Canadians in the near future. @inspiredbyinfants • thomasgirlk@gmail.com
Jemina (Jea) Villanueva-Vallée(Hong Kong, China, France, Philippines) is an Australian early childhood educator who has spent more than 20 years nurturing young children and mentoring professionals around the world. A passionate educator, teacher trainer and international consultant, she regularly presents on the topics of early childhood education and parenting. Jemina founded an international nursery in Beijing prior to relocating to Hong Kong. She is presently Vice-President at Higher Ground Education Hong Kong overseeing Montessori program quality at Guidepost schools. Jemina organizes RIE® certification courses in Asia and Europe. Email: jemina.v@yahoo.com • WhatsApp: +852 9144 6963 • WeChat: jemina_v






Ania works at The Learning Centre™ in Auckland alongside the teachers and families, deepening her understanding of the approach in practice every day. Ania is a board member of the New Zealand Infant and Toddler consortium (NZITC). ania@nzitc.co.nz
