Core Mentors & Co-Founders
Guided by a small, thoughtful team of educators, engineers, and community builders who believe care can be in your neighborhood spaces without all the hassle.
Tanaya V.S
Co-Founder
Tanaya is a mom and a computer engineer by background, deeply curious about network theories,
mathematics, and physics. She believes children’s open-ended play mirrors the dynamics of deep physics—where simple interactions give rise to complex, emergent patterns.
At Parents’ Nook, she bridges distributed systems and federated learning with
Waldorf, RIE, and Piaget’s play theories to create
neighborhood-based, trust-driven micro-communities. Each Nook learns locally, adapts naturally, and grows
through the rhythms of parents, facilitators, and shared spaces.
Samantha Infeld
Mentor (Since the Beginning)
A homeschooling mom, mentor, and NASA engineer, Samantha has been part of Parents’ Nook since its inception. She brings a systems-thinking lens to the way Nooks evolve—helping us understand how curiosity and rhythm can coexist in care. Her perspective continues to shape the distributed network we’re building.
Christina Assirati
Mentor (Since the Beginning)
A mom and educator rooted in RIE and Waldorf philosophies, Christina has guided Parents’ Nook from its earliest phase. Her mentorship established the foundation of observation, rhythm, and respect for each child’s unfolding. Influenced by Piaget’s constructivist theory, she reminds us that play is not separate from learning—it is learning.
Virginia Barker-Moreno
Program Director – South Bay Nooks
Virginia first joined Parents’ Nook as a parent, drawn to its gentle rhythms and community spirit.
She later facilitated several Santa Cruz Nooks, guiding children through music and open-ended exploration.
Today, she serves as Program Director for South Bay Nooks, overseeing Nooks across Cupertino,
San Jose and nearby areas. With a love for music and early childhood education, she creates environments rooted in trust,
creativity, and belonging.
Lead Play Facilitators at Most Recent Nooks
Our facilitators bring warmth, rhythm, and creativity into every Nook. Each draws from their own experience as educators and parents, creating spaces where care feels human and alive.
Alithea “Thea” Bohannon
Lead Play Facilitator – OMCA Nooks (Oakland Museum of California)
Thea is an experienced mother with a background in early childhood education, music, and arts. She is also training to be a postpartum doula and brings a calm, intuitive presence to the OMCA Nooks. Her sessions blend Waldorf, RIE, and nature-based play principles, offering children freedom to explore while nurturing a sense of trust and belonging among parents.
Sarah
Lead Play Facilitator – Randall Museum Nooks (San Francisco)
Sarah, a stay-at-home mom to her son Benedict, has a background in child development and speech pathology. She previously taught at Gymboree and served as a Reggio Emilia play facilitator at Golden Gate Art & Nature. At the Randall Museum, she creates nurturing spaces that encourage open-ended exploration and meaningful parent-child connection.
Virginia Barker-Moreno
Lead Teacher – Be Natural Music Studio (Cupertino)
Virginia leads the Nooks at Be Natural Music Studio in Cupertino. Her sessions bring together music, rhythm, and play to help parents and children grow within a shared, creative flow. Her work continues to inspire the expansion of neighborhood-based Nooks throughout the South Bay.
Together, we’re reimagining how care and community coexist — one Nook at a time.
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