Staff Biographies

Donyu Catino s the director and lead teacher at Heart and Hands. Donyu is also a second-generation childcare provider. She believes that the greatest asset of her youth was being surrounded by the many generations of her family. Donyu began working with children through the Girl Scouts, first in troop meetings, and then for several years as a camp counselor. In 1975 she encountered Waldorf education and began her study and work in that field. She worked in both the entertainment industry and the corporate world before returning to her first love, working with children.

Donyu is a certified Waldorf teacher and has also completed requirements for the California state standards as a Master Teacher. She teaches workshops for new providers at the 4Cs, and has been a featured guest lecturer in local community college early childhood education classes. Donyu is a mentor for teachers new to the field, as well as a parent educator. Her work has been published in the Waldorf Kindergarten Newsletter, Childhood Magazine and The Mother’s Journal. She is included in the book The Essence of the Waldorf Kindergarten. With her free time she knits, quilts, and enjoys time with her family. Heart and Hands is the fulfillment of her dreams.

Ezra Catino worked in children’s theatre while in college after completing his national service. He and Donyu met and began their lifelong commitment in 1979. Ezra began his Waldorf training in 1987 at Rudolf Steiner College. Ezra works as a support teacher and offers overall staff support. His greatest gift to Heart and Hands is his talent for creating imaginative and inviting play spaces. The ingenuity of his environmental design has created a children’s wonderland of indoor and outdoor landscapes that flow into one another gracefully and at the same time provide quiet and restful personal corners.

Rebecca LaTerza is a long time friend of Ada’s who joined Heart and Hands in 2005. She is a certified medical assistant but discovered, after spending some time in the field, that her true calling was working as a care-giver. She subsequently quit her job as a medical assistant and began working fulltime for Heart and Hands. She is currently attending Santa Rosa Junior College, steadily working toward her teaching credential. She enjoys: ballroom dancing, riding motorcycles and boxing.

Lisa Bianchi lives on a Dairy Ranch in Petaluma. She has been married for 17 years and is a full time mom of three –a 14 year old boy, a 13 year old girl and a 5 year old girl. After being a stay at home mom for the last 8 years, she decided to go back to school and re-enter the workforce. Lisa came to us as a practicum student, fitting so perfectly into Heart & Hands that she stayed on as an employee, joining us in 2009.

Hannah Powell is a Petaluma Native. Currently, she is enrolled at the Santa Rosa Junior College and works both as an EMT and a volunteer Fire Fighter with Wilmar. She enjoys: riding motorcycles, boxing and spending time with her family. Hannah joined us in 2003.

Nitza Catino has stepped into her role as a third-generation childcare provider gracefully. She attends college part time, lending her talents to us part time. For enjoyment she: reads, enjoys the attention of numerous pets and loves the moments of solitude she carves out of the day for herself.

Kira Wehe-Moody is a student at San Francisco State University finishing her B.A. with a Major in Communication Studies and a Minor in Theater Arts. She has spent the majority of her life as a caregiver –watching her three younger sisters as a child, acting in leadership positions in the Camp Fire Boys & Girls program as a teenager, and performing conflict resolution as an adult with The Common Language Program (a theatrical education company based out of Santa Cruz.) She enjoys: dancing, puppets, singing and participating in art. Introduced to Heart and Hands through her friendship to Ada, she is our newest employee.

Ada Catino is a third-generation childcare provider. She completed her first Early Childhood Education (ECE) class at the age of 13 at Santa Rosa Junior College (with an A grade). Ada is a crewmember on the SS Jeremiah O’Brien, a Liberty Ship docked in San Francisco. She also loves ballroom dancing, engineering and travel. Ada is mostly away at college but when she is around she is a helping hand.

Kari Littlebear was searching for both employment and care for her son Benen when she found Heart and Hands. After working as a nanny in Michigan Kari moved to California and joined us in 2003. She is no longer part of our daily staff, but often rejoins us in summer

Hannah Powell is a native Petaluman. Currently she is enrolled at the Santa Rosa Junior College. She enjoys art, cooking, reading and spending time with her family. Hannah joined us in 2003.

Nitza Catino has stepped into her role as a third-generation childcare provider gracefully. She is in school part time, and lends her talents to us part time. For enjoyment she reads, has numerous pets, and loves the moments of solitude she carves out.

Pets

Simcha (Dog) came to us as a puppy born the second day of Passover 2000. He is a mix of lab and border collie.

India (Cat) was a kitten living in the animal shelter before she came home in 1996. She comes in each morning to get love and is often found lounging about.

Pakistan (Cat) is the only one of our (foster) bottle babies that was not adopted back in 1999, so we brought her back home. She has her own view of the world.

Fish in a tank, birds both wild and caged round out our family.