Our 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.
FOUNDER & CEO
FOUNDER AND CEO
Keltse Bilbao
Keltse is a serial entrepreneur who previously co-founded "Plomo Shoes" and "The Ritualist". She holds a Master’s degree in Education Entrepreneurship from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master’s degree in Management from FIT, NY and a bachelors in Economics from the University of the Basque Country, Spain. She has over 20 years of experience in management, business development, and operations. She is passionate about early childhood education and is committed to making a difference in the lives of every family at Big and Tiny. Keltse’s passion is to travel and meet new people and cultures around the world.
NEW YORK
NEW YORK STUDIO DIRECTOR
Lizelle Canque
Lizelle is a native New Yorker. She received her B.A. from CUNY’s Hunter College and completed her M.A. in Early Childhood Education and Special Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She recently completed her Montessori Training through the West Side Montessori School Teacher Education Program and received a Montessori Credential specializing in Early Childhood Education from the American Montessori Society. In her free time she loves discovering new things in the many museums New York has to offer and cooking at home. She became a teacher because she loves to learn alongside her students and wants to nurture a foundation for learning that is fueled by curiosity and excitement.
MASTER TEACHING ARTIST
Matt Steiner
Matt is an actor, clown, filmmaker and educator based in New York City. As an actor, Matt has been on two national tours, has performed Off-Broadway, and in film & television. As a clown, Matt trained with master clown teacher Pierre Byland in Ticino, Switzerland, with Jane Nichols and Chris Bayes in New York, and performs regularly with the clown troupe Logic Limited, Ltd. As an educator, Matt has 15+ years of experience designing arts-based curriculum and facilitating inquiry-based lessons at organizations such as Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Classic Stage Company, The Acting Company, Manhattan Youth, Marquis Studios, The Art Detectives, and more. Matt earned his BFA in Acting from California Institute of the Arts.
EDUCATOR - TODDLERS
Yaritza Perez
Yaritza is entering her 11th year of teaching, having worked in various school settings in toddler classrooms. She previously taught with the Blue School, Tribeca Community School, The International Preschools, Montclare Children's School, Tompkins School and Bank Street Head Start. She received a BA in Psychology with a minor in Early Childhood Education. In her free time, she loves to go to museums & art galleries, exercise and discover new books.
EDUCATOR - TODDLERS
Birch Halterman
After studying film and visual art at Sarah Lawrence College, Birch found their true passion as an early childhood educator. In their seven years of teaching in Reggio Emilia-inspired schools, Birch has strived to create a classroom environment where all children feel welcome, supported, and free to be their authentic selves. Birch finds joy in working side by side with children as they grow and learn through play, art, community, and exploration of the world around them. They are currently working on their MS in Early Childhood Special and General Education at Bank Street College of Education. Birch lives in Brooklyn with their two cats and spends their free time cycling, cooking vegan food, knitting, and collecting records.
LOS ANGELES
SANTA MONICA STUDIO DIRECTOR
Jessica Stromber
Jessica holds a Bachelor’s degree in early childhood development from CSULB and has been working with young children for over 15 years. She is passionate about early childhood education and has developed robust strategies to best foster children’s growth. She is committed to creating a safe and nurturing space for children as well as ensuring that all families in our community are taken care of.
EDUCATOR - INFANTS
Enjoli Littleton
With a Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from CSULA, Enjoli has over 9 years of experience working with children. She first discovered her passion for teaching while working for both a private school and Head Start program during her time in college. Enjoli is committed to making childcare education a lifelong career and looks forward to working toward a Master’s degree in this field in the near future. In her free time, she loves to participate in sports activities and events.
EDUCATOR - TODDLER
Alejandra García
Alejandra obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Child Development from Cerritos College and University of La Verne. She has been in early childhood education for over 10 years and has experience working with all ages from infants to preschool. Her passion for teaching stems from the impact her own early childhood teachers had on her. Alejandra makes every effort to foster a classroom where children feel safe, invited, heard, understood, and loved. As a bi-lingual teacher with a diverse background, she aims to allow every child the opportunity to explore, play, and learn in their own individual way.
