Our Staff
Erin Lyon, Director of Education
Little Green Tree House’s Director of Education, Erin Lyon, is committed to making the child care center a place for growing and learning in a warm, safe and healthy environment with an emphasis on earth-friendly living and positive socialization. Ms. Lyon brings great energy and expertise to the job. Her experience includes a Directorship at the prestigious Tutor Time Childcare/Learning Center in New York City. She holds a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Sacred Heart University.
Ms. Lyon trains all staff to teach a hybrid curriculum developed specifically for Little Green Tree House. The curriculum is based largely on the Creative Curriculum, which is commonly used in most pre-school and kindergarten classes, but also includes some components of a theme-based curriculum. Says Lyon, “My main goal is for our teachers to be hands on and to provide a curriculum that can be easily adapted to different ability levels. The research of Jean Piaget, Erik Erikson and Lev Vygotsky, as well as Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences all impact this custom curriculum. We are especially excited to be working towards EDGE (Early Development through Global Education) licensure (www.theedgeeducation.com) which will help us make eco-friendly practices a fully integrated part of our curriculum."
Sarah Stiltner, Assistant Director of Education
Little Green Tree House's Assistant Director of Education, Sarah Stiltner is originally from Michigan, and moved to Chicago last summer to become a part of the Little Green Tree House. She attended college at Western Michigan University, which today, is ranked as one on the nation's top schools by the Princeton Review and also US today and World Report. While Sarah attended Western Michigan University, she earned two separate degrees. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education and Leadership and another degree in Elementary Education. Sarah also earned three minors while at Western Michigan University, which include Mathematical Instruction for Children, Science Instruction for Children, and also Integrated Creative Arts (Dance, Music, Visual, and Theatre). Sarah continued her education by becoming a licensed teacher through the Board of Education in the state of Michigan, and also earned her ZA endorsement which qualifies her as an Early Childhood Specialist. Sarah's previous teaching experiences include teaching pre-school and pre-kindergarten for the well known Head Start program. She has also taught first grade in the public school system. Outside of teaching, Sarah has mentored several children ranging in ages 5-13 and worked as a program and curriculum facilitator for the Kalamazoo Public Schools, in Michigan. She brings a great insight and direction into the educational experience our children have each day.
Elizabeth Geldhof, Director of Business Operations
The Director of Business Operations for Children’s Academies of America, Elizabeth Geldhof expects Little Green Tree House to become the standard for private child care in Chicago. Geldhof, formerly of New York City, has spent her career in professional business management and in producing and conceptualizing events for numerous Fortune 500 companies. She believes in providing customers with only the very best in service excellence. She is also a proponent of a total green, yet practical lifestyle experience. “If Chicago is to be our nation’s greenest city, we have to start by investing in our children and raising them in the healthiest possible manner. We will have the highest quality teaching staff, the safest standards both in equipment and operations and a daily commitment to providing an energetic earth-centered learning environment for infants, children and their families.” Geldhof remarks.
Manda Aufochs Gillespie, Eco-Friendly Operations Consultant
Consulting on the eco-friendly operation of Little Green Treehouse is Manda Aufochs Gillespie. Ms. Gillespie has been an expert on green lifestyles and sustainable development for years: writing, consulting, and managing green projects. She is recognized in Chicago as the source of information for green parenting. She has been profiled in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, and Chicago Parent among other publications. She has written for such publications as Conscious Choice, Alternet, F News, and the EcoCity Cleveland Journal. She teaches Green Parenting classes at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, the Chicago Public Libraries, and private businesses across Chicago-land. She currently hosts a green parenting blog on the Peggy Notebart Nature Museum website: www.lgpshow.org, and is a regular guest on the Little Green People podcasts.