Child Development & Resource Center
MEET OUR LEAD INFANT TEACHERS
Caitie Lawiin
Infant 1 Lead Teacher
Hello, I am Caitie Lawin and I am the Lead Teacher of Infant 1! I have worked at Cultivate since June of 2020. I have gained so much knowledge and experience through my time at Cultivate. I grew up in Welcome Minnesota, and yes, that is the real name. I have lived in Mankato since 2013. In my free time I enjoy winding down with Netflix, hanging out with friends, and spending time outdoors! Infants is where my heart resides! I love seeing how fast they learn and grow! Seeing them discover how the world works is so much fun! I also enjoy getting to know all of the families and fostering awesome relationships with everyone.
Tera Van Keulen
Infant 2 Lead Teacher
Hello! My name is Tera Van Keulen and I am the lead teacher in the infant 2 room. I grew up in St. Clair, MN. Currently, I live in Mankato with my husband, Doug and our 7 month old son, Logan. I have a degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. In the past few years, I have had the opportunity to teach in both a child care and school setting.
My favorite part about work with infants is getting to witness the development that the children go through in their first year. I am so blessed to get to help the infants learn and grow each day. I am so excited to bring my passion for teaching to the Cultivate team!
Olivia Kohls
Infant 4 Lead Teacher
Hi! My name is Olivia Kohls and I am a lead teacher in Infant 4. I have work at cultivate since October of 2019 and have worked in childcare for 5 years now. I currently am studying Elementary Education at Minnesota State University, Mankato. I have lived in Mankato for 5 years now with my boyfriend and 2 cats. I am originally from Apple Valley Minnesota. I love teaching and being able to watch the infants grow so much in our infant rooms. Creating relationships with the children and their families are so important to me. I am so lucky to be able to be apart of cultivate and watch the core values of Cultivate Mankato come to life.
Grace Rydeen
Infant 5 Lead Teacher
Hello! My name is Grace and I am a lead teacher in Infant Five. I have grown up just outside of the Mankato area my whole life and am now pursing a Social Work degree here at MSU - Mankato! I started at Cultivate in May of 2020, while I was a senior in high school. In my free time you can find me spending time with family or traveling the world as much as possible, enjoying the outdoors. I have worked in all of the programs at Cultivate, at least a little bit, but infants has always had a special place in my heart. Being apart of some of the babies “firsts” is truly one of the greatest experiences ever. Being able to work within the Cultivate community has been such a blessing and I am so grateful for the many relationships I have built with our children and families over the years.
Bailey Burnett
Infant Lead Teacher
Hi! My name is Bailey Burnett and I’m a teacher in one of the infant rooms. I grew up in Lake Crystal Minnesota and have lived in Mankato since graduating high school. In my free time, I enjoy snuggling my cat, spending time with family and friends, and working on crafty Pinterest finds. I graduated from rasmussen university and obtained my Bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education and Leadership. I have been working in the childcare industry for four years now. Throughout those years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with all of the different age groups, but I specialized in infants. I enjoy being able to help these children grow and develop new skills. I’m so grateful that Cultivate has given me the opportunity to do what I love on a daily basis.
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