Hi, I’m Talisa! 👋 I’ve spent over 15 years working in the field of Early Childhood Education, helping families, teachers, and caregivers support the growth of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. I’m a RIE® Associate, which means I bring the RIE® Educaring® Approach into the programs and classes I facilitate, helping parents and caregivers develop respectful, mindful, and confident relationships with their children.

I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Applied Developmental Psychology at UCLA in 2012, and went on to earn my Master’s in Early Childhood Education from Loyola Marymount University in 2014. I began working professionally in early childhood in 2010, and since then I’ve held roles as a student intern, infant/toddler and preschool teacher, site supervisor, and curriculum coordinator. I’ve also had the privilege of guest lecturing and teaching at the college and graduate level, sharing insights from my years in the field.

Parenting and child development are my passions, and I love sharing practical, research-based strategies in a way that feels approachable and empowering. I’ve trained and supervised hundreds of teachers and caregivers, and I’ve worked directly with thousands of children and families. Every day, I see how small, thoughtful actions can make a big difference in a child’s development—and in the parent-child relationship.

Writing Parenting Compass for Navigating the Early Childhood Years was a special journey for me. It began in the summer of 2020, when I was furloughed and found a silver lining during pandemic shut-downs as I dove into bringing this book to life. I continued writing even while working full-time, recorded the audiobook myself, and after collaborating with an editor, I self-published in December 2021 (shoutout to my husband, David Tuman, who designed the beautiful cover and layout!). Parenting Compass is designed as a practical “toolkit” for parents, packed with insights from my professional experience and grounded in scientifically-based research, helping families navigate the joys and challenges of early childhood with confidence and care.

My own upbringing has shaped who I am today as a professional and as a person. Born to teenage parents, I spent my early childhood on college campuses as my parents worked to earn their degrees while raising a growing family. I was born in Ketchikan, Alaska, and my childhood included living in Alaska, Oregon, China, and California. My heritage and diverse—my father is white American with English, Irish, and Swiss roots, and my mother is Tlingit (Alaskan Native), Japanese, Filipino, Puerto Rican, and Austrian, to list a few. My parents divorced when I was a preteen, and my immediate family extended to include Korean-Chinese and African-American stepparents. Growing up as the oldest of six children, I often acted as a “second mother,” helping care for my siblings from a very young age. These experiences, combined with my professional background, gave me insights into child development I could not have gained in any other way.

I am no stranger to cycles of family trauma. My work in early childhood education has provided tools that not only help me professionally, but have also allowed me to heal personally and prevent these cycles from continuing. It is this deep understanding and lived experience that fuels my dedication to sharing what I’ve learned with other families.

As a Bahá’í, I devote my life to the service of humanity, and this commitment informs my approach to parenting and education. One of my goals is to make the RIE® Educaring® Approach accessible to more families, including bringing RIE® to Alaska, where I hope to support parents and caregivers in connecting, learning, and growing alongside their children.

When I’m not working with families, you might find me exploring aerial arts, planning events for my Cirque Party business, cuddling with my 3 kitties and/or hubby, or finding small ways to bring creativity and play into everyday life. I believe that curiosity, empathy, and a touch of playfulness are essential not just for children, but for all of us.