Janet Swenson

Director

Janet Swenson is the director of First Step Preschool. She has been with First Step since 2009, and previously she worked with different age groups. Janet has a BA in Computer Science as well as her Child Development Associate Credential (CDA), a nationally recognized credential in the field of Early Childhood Education. She lives in Norwalk with husband Scott and their two children Rachael and Erik. Janet attends Hope Church and has been very active in the children’s ministry program. She also enjoys spending time traveling with her family, reading, scrapbooking and various other crafts.

Marisa Parrotta

Twos Teacher

Marisa joined First Step Preschool in September 2021 as the 2s assistant teacher. She previously taught a variety of subjects in several states and grade levels. She is a graduate of St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY, with a B.A. in English/Writing. She and her husband, Nick, are the proud parents of three children and several fur babies.

Marisa’s hobbies include travel, theatre, movies, music concerts, baseball, reading, summers on Cape Cod, and spending time with her family.

Marisa loves teaching the 2s and being a part of the First Step family!

Jennifer Knudsen

Twos Teacher and Enrichment Teacher

Jen officially joined the staff of First Step in 2022 but has been substitute teaching since 2019. She received her BS in Economics from the University of Central Florida and worked in Banking and Insurance before becoming a stay-at-home mother in 2008. She fell in love with volunteering at her boys’ preschool in Longwood, Florida in 2012 and began working there until they moved to Wilton, CT in 2018. When not working Jen enjoys managing her boys’ soccer teams, playing with their dog Penny, and doing nature & bird photography.

Kathy Totino

Threes Teacher

Kathy started at First Step in 2009. She says, “I love to teach because I genuinely adore children, especially our three-year-olds. I also enjoy being playful and silly while educating them in a way that makes learning enjoyable. It brings me joy to see them grow, respond with wide-eyed wonder, and have those ‘aha’ moments when they learn something new.”

Kathy lives in Stamford. She has three children and four grandchildren. She also has two “fur babies,” Ryder and Sawyer, who are Mini Australian Shepherds.

She has a passion for music and loves to sing. Disney World is her favorite place to visit, and she is an avid fan of all Disney movies. Kathy enjoys caring for the swan family, Sammy and Serena, who live on their pond. In her free time, she loves taking pictures, cooking, baking, and spending time with her family. She also enjoys escaping to her second home in Vermont.

Heather Dobson

Fours/Five Teacher

Heather Dobson joined First Step in September 2017. Before that, she taught kindergarten for seven years at Stanwich School in Greenwich. Heather holds a B.S. degree in Communication Sciences from the University of Connecticut and a Master’s degree in Elementary and Special Education from Manhattanville College.

She resides in Wilton with her husband and three children. Outside of teaching, Heather can often be found on the sidelines of soccer, lacrosse, and basketball games, cheering on her children and their teammates. She is also active in volunteering at the schools and enjoys exercising in her free time.

Jenna Custodio

Fours/Five Teacher

Jenna joined First Step in August 2024. She previously worked as a qualified chef in South Africa’s five-star hotels and catering businesses. After three years in the industry, Jenna found a passion for teaching children through babysitting. She became the head teacher for three-year-olds and later for five-year-olds in a school in South Africa.

In 2016, Jenna moved to the USA as an au pair and studied at Norwalk Community College, graduating with an associate degree in early childhood education.

Jenna loves arts and crafts, hiking, camping, playing video games, and pool. She attends Hope Church and volunteers with the children’s ministry, enjoying watching children learn about God and form friendships.

As a teacher at First Step, Jenna delights in witnessing children’s excitement as they learn and achieve new milestones. She is grateful to be a part of these special moments.

Cara Schwartz

Classroom Assistant

Cara began her journey at First Step as a substitute assistant teacher and officially joined the staff as a floater/assistant teacher in the fall of 2024.

She graduated from Truman State University in Kirksville, MO, with a BSN in nursing and became a Certified Pediatric Nurse. Cara worked in both the Pediatrics and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit floors in a St. Louis hospital before becoming a stay-at-home mom. She moved to Wilton, CT, in 2012 with her husband and their three children—twin girls and a son. Over the years, Cara has managed many of her children’s sports teams and volunteered in various capacities at their schools.

Joining First Step has allowed Cara to reconnect with her passion for working with children, helping them learn and grow. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, exercising, watching sports, reading, scrapbooking, and spending time with friends and family.

Bengchoo Erickson

Office Assistant