Our Staff

Sara Garner

Director

Sara is a proud Ithaca native with deep roots in the local community. She attended Cayuga Heights Elementary, Boynton Middle School, and Ithaca High School before graduating from Cornell University, where she studied Human Development and Early Childhood. Prior to becoming Director of CNS in 2023, Sara spent over a decade teaching in New York City, followed by a brief time in San Francisco. When she manages to find a little free time (not often!), she enjoys being with her husband and two daughters—both proud CNS alumni—exercising, cooking vegan meals, hiking Ithaca’s beautiful gorges, sipping iced coffee, decluttering her home, and having meaningful conversations with others. Sara is deeply grateful to lead this incredible community—there’s truly no place she’d rather be!

Emily Babin

Co-Lead Nest Teacher

Ms. Emily has continued to work in childcare throughout getting her bachelor’s degree in theatre, specifically working with children’s theatres! The lovely international community at CNS reminds her of her time in international schools when she was young. It feels just like home! When she’s not in the Nest, working with our youngest students, she’s working with students at Circus Culture! There you can usually find her in a handstand.

Eve Hadley

Co-Lead Nest Teacher

Ms. Eve is excited to be joining CNS as co-lead teacher in the nest this year! With a background in speech-language pathology, Eve has years of experience working in early intervention and loves working with young children. She is passionate about play-based learning; as Mr. Rogers said, "Play is the work of childhood." Outside of work, Eve enjoys anything that gets her outside - hiking, running, boating, gardening, you name it. She is a cat lover and will enthusiastically show you pictures of her two kitties, Doug and Nugget, if you ask.

Luciana Andrade

Nest Teacher

Ms. Luciana is originally from Brazil, where she majored in biology and education as an undergrad before getting her Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology studying dolphin sounds. As part of her studies in Brazil, she created and presented educational projects about dolphins and whales to school children in Rio de Janeiro. Luciana really enjoyed serving as a parent helper at her son’s nursery school this past year, with her enthusiasm for working with kids leading to a substitute teacher position there. She is eager to join the CNS team and continue learning on the Early Childhood Education path! Luciana enjoys traveling and biking with her husband and son, gardening, watching the sunset, playing chess, and reading a good book.

Tessa Masi-Perkins

Co-Lead Nook Teacher

Ms. Tessa has been a part of the CNS community for over 6 years, as a caregiver, substitute, and recently as a student teacher. She received her degree in Early Childhood Education and is excited to begin teaching in a formal setting. Tessa has over 12 years of childcare experience and loves to guide children as they grow and develop into their unique selves. She moved to the Fingerlakes from New Jersey 7 years ago, met her husband, and has settled down in Freeville. Tessa has a deep love and appreciation of nature, enjoys baking for everyone, and expressing her creativity through arts and crafts.

Kya Schadewald

Co-Lead Nook Teacher

Ms. Kya is new to the world of Early Childhood Education. After moving to Ithaca when she was a teenager, she started as a substitute at CNS and has moved to a full time teaching position after 2 years of falling in love with the school. She is working towards her degree to become an early childhood educator during her time with us. Outside of the preschool, she can be found enjoying all forms of creativity, including painting and drawing, gardening, and sewing. She is very excited to learn and grow with the children in the 3-4 year old classroom, teaching and learning together.

Kaitlyn Smith

Teacher

Ms. Kaitlyn is a graduate of Lansing High School and Ithaca College, where she earned her Master's degree in Occupational Therapy. A lifelong gymnast and experienced coach, she brings a deep passion for working with young children. Kaitlyn especially enjoys reading, playing, and observing children’s interactions as they learn and grow. While she has been with CNS for one year, she has worked with CNS families—and many other children throughout the Ithaca community—for over a decade!

Uniit Carruyo

Lead Roost Teacher

Ms. Uniit is a mama, artist, author and Montessori educator. She develops unique and playful professional development tools for adults through FLAMiNG iMAGiNATiON to assist teachers in transforming into more conscious educators. Uniit has taught at various preschools in the Ithaca area since 1997, including her own sweet home day care. She has an MS Ed in Leadership, a BS Psychology, and is AMS  Infant Toddler credentialed. You can usually find her making encaustic art in her treehouse art studio, making music, tending to her honeybees, or gardening in her permaculture food forest.

Stephanie Sackett

Roost Teacher

Ms. Stephanie is thrilled to be part of the Roost teaching team this year! She recently moved back to the Ithaca area with her family and is eager to connect with the CNS community. Stephanie holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees in History and Social Studies Education from SUNY Cortland and has had the privilege of teaching at the middle and high school levels.
She also brings valuable experience from serving on a nursery school board and participating in various children-focused groups. Stephanie delights in painting, reading, tending to her houseplants, and setting up creative learning experiences for her three young children. Her youngest daughter, Lily, will be joining her in the Roost this year. Outside of the classroom, Stephanie enjoys visiting the local swim club, spending time with her family, and enthusiastically cheering on the Buffalo Bills.

Fernanda Medina

Extended Day Teacher

Ms. Fernanda is originally from Argentina. She studied Fine Arts and after graduating, moved to Ithaca with her husband in 2004. Her three children are former CNS students, and she loves this preschool so much that when her middle son was here, she worked as a teacher in the Nest and the Nook for a few years. And now she’s happy to be back as a teacher for the extended day program!

When she’s not at CNS, she spends lots of hours painting in her art studio, working on pet portrait commissions, doing yoga, walking her (extremely adorable) dog, and spending time with her family.

Christina Williams

Guest Teacher

Having studied textile design in the UK, Ms. Christina moved to Ithaca with her husband and two daughters in 2005. After her youngest daughter started Kindergarten, Christina began working at St. Paul’s Nursery School in downtown Ithaca. She spent ten happy years at the school and gained experience teaching across a broad developmental spectrum. Christina worked fulltime at CNS for 7 years before becoming a substitute teacher. Christina proudly became an American citizen in 2016!

Sue Downes

Guest Teacher

Ms. Sue became a part of the CNS last year when her grandson started in the Nest and se started subbing in February 2024. She comes from the Homer community where she worked for 20 years as an administrative assistant to the Principal of a PK-2 building.   Prior to that she owned and operated her own ice cream stand in Homer which featured homemade hard ice cream and all the fixings. Ms. Sue has lived in the communities of Cortland, Dryden and now Lansing. In her free time, she is learning to quilt.  She also loves to spend time with her grandson and her family and is excited to be working with younger children again and meeting all their parents. She has missed the littles!

Chris L. Martin

Guest Teacher

Hello! My name is Chris and this is my second year at CNS as a Guest Teacher. I live in Lansing on a lovely farm with my intelligent, gorgeous wife and our five children (16F, 12M, 8M, 8F and 5F). I’m a FT Stay-at-Home Dad but our last baby, a CNS alumni, goes to Kindergarten this year which frees me up for more teaching, volunteering and projects! I believe deeply in two things: that all children benefit from having a male teacher and they are all actively growing into the best adult versions of themselves. I encourage this by engaging them in good conversations with a variety of sentence structures, asking their thoughts and opinions and encouraging independence. I look forward to getting to know you and your kids this year!

Walter Weiner

Bookkeeper

Walter is a dynamic professional with a passion for education, numbers, and the performing arts. His journey began at Hangar Theatre of Ithaca, propelling him into entertainment and to iconic Broadway productions like The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast, where he honed precision and timing. These skills extended to venues like Radio City Music Hall, as well as TV and film productions. He brings a wealth of experience to the preschool education realm, ensuring smooth operations for our nurturing environment.

Rooted in Ithaca as a fourth-generation local, he is married with two children who attended and loved their time at CNS. Beyond spreadsheets, he thrives outdoors, exploring Ithaca's scenic trails. Eager to contribute, he looks forward to collaborating and helping to optimize processes in this unique preschool setting.

Scroll to Top