Our Staff: Administrative

Kelsey McCarthy

Hi, my name is Kelsey and I have been working in early childhood education for the last five years. I have taught in New Hampshire, Vermont, and now Massachusetts. I have had the pleasure of working my way through positions as an Assistant, and then Lead Teacher in a Toddler room, followed by two years as a Preschool Lead Teacher. I am now the Assistant Director at Artisan and am fortunate to continue teaching among my other responsibilities. I have a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and am working towards my master’s degree in Early Childhood with a focus in Curriculum and Instruction. It brings me great joy and pride to see children make new connections between themselves and the world around them. I enjoy teaching through exploration by bringing nature into the classroom, encouraging dramatic play, and reading stories. Their expressions of excitement and wonder are contagious. I love coming to work every day knowing that I can teach them something new and most likely learn something new myself.

Nicole Catalano

Hello! I am Nicole Catalano, the Director at Artisan Childcare Center in Newton. I joined the Artisan team in 2015 as a part time teacher. I realized my love for this school and its philosophy, and became a full time Toddler Teacher within a few short weeks of starting my journey here. In 2016 I became the Assistant Director and as of 2019, I am thrilled to be the Center Director! I have been gaining early childhood experience since October of 2008, and have been fortunate enough to have taught in all age groups.

I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology, and want to ensure a diverse and inclusive environment for all families. I feel grateful to work at Artisan with such a wonderful staff of kind and caring teachers. Each age group has so many wonderful and exciting milestones, I can't wait to be a part of them with you and your child. In my spare time, I love watching sports and going to as many games as possible. My favorite team is the Boston Bruins. Let’s go B’s!!

Liz Mansfield

Hi, I'm Liz, the Director of Operations at Artisan.   I have a bachelor's degree in fine arts from Saint Anselm College where I specialized in photography and ceramics. While at Saint Anselm, I also completed many undergraduate education courses, including American Education, Growth & Development, Special Education and Philosophy of Education.   After leaving college, I gained business management experience in both financial and corporate settings.  I have also worked in the Peabody public school system with English Language Learners.  

Here at Artisan, my role includes managing enrollment, accounting, HR and many other administrative duties. I also enjoy a small role in the classrooms, helping out here or there when I can. Every day, I look forward to seeing the creativity and growth of the children at Artisan.  Their inquisitiveness and excitement for learning is contagious!  Overseeing a small business means wearing many hats, an element of my job that I love! Some days you can find me changing a light bulb, other days, I’ll be digging in the garden, while still others, I’ll be giving a tour for prospective parents. Tours are one of my favorite roles at Artisan, as they allow me to proudly show off all we have to offer!

In my spare time I enjoy cooking, traveling and gardening. In fact, I’m considered the “Resident Gardener” at Artisan’s Woburn location, where I plant, tend and harvest our home-grown veggies with the kiddos. We have a great time exploring — and eating— nature together!