Meet The Parenting Educators
Co-Founder and Executive Director, Betsy Kane-Hartnett, oversees all aspects of Forty Carrots Family Center. Betsy, B.S. in Human Development & Family Studies and a M.A. in Curriculum Design, is an early childhood specialist.
Parenting Program Director: Christina Rodrigues, M.S. in Education with specialization in Early Literacy, has been part of Forty Carrots since 1998. She initially worked with the agency as an Early Childhood Educator in the NAEYC accredited Preschool, and as a Parenting Educator working at Cyesis in Sarasota. After a couple years, her primary focus became working with at-risk families. She helped initiate parenting classes at Janie Poe Sarasota Housing Project, Children First, and Cyesis at North Port High School. Today, as a Parenting Program Director, she continues showing her passion for her work, supporting families and a talented group of Parenting Educators. The Parent Program offers various classes in eight Sarasota County Libraries, three community agencies and several discussion and play based classes at the Forty Carrots location.
Jennifer Abbott, B.A., has been at Forty Carrots since 2008. Jennifer brings a love of reading and a degree in literature to her role as a Parenting Educator at Partners and Play classes and at Fruitville Library. Jennifer and her husband were both born and raised in Sarasota and have returned to raise their two young children close to family.
Alison Butler, B.A., Parenting Educator, has been at Forty Carrots since 1998. Alison leads Studio 40 and On Wheels classes in many library locations. Alison has a post graduate certificate in education and has taught elementary school in the U.K. She is married and has two children.
Elizabeth Finch came to Forty Carrots with a Degree in Fine Arts and a background in elementary and middle school education. Elizabeth is a parenting educator at First Step, Cyesis and North Port High School. She is blessed to be a hometown girl and raise her family in Sarasota.
Kathleen L. Heard, B.S., Communications, University of South Florida. A Forty Carrots parenting educator sincce 1995. Kat currently facilitates Partners In Play classes and leasd on-demand classes through out the community. Kat has served on the Board of Directors of Forty Carrots, is married and has a son.
Rebecca Lockwood, M.A., has been a parenting educator since 2006. Rebecca is completeting her PhD in Clinical Psyshology with a child/family concentration. She facilitates Studio 40 and classes at Cyesis. When not working, Rebecca enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 daughters.
Wendy Norman, M.S. PreK/Primary Education. Wendy began working at Forty Carrots in 2008. She leads classes at Cyesis, North Port High School and First Step. Prior to her work at Forty Carrots, she taught both preschool and kidergarten in Sarasota. Wendy is married and has two boys.
