Liz Carlis

Liz grew up just north of New York City in a small town on the Hudson River. She studied Early Childhood Education and received her teaching license for PreK-Grade 3 at the University of Vermont and later earned a Master’s Degree in Curriculum & Instruction from Portland State University. Over the years, Liz has worked as a preschool teacher, an artist, a consultant, a teacher for ETSY (ask her about her bicycle gear clocks!) and as adjunct faculty. She currently teaches early childhood courses on Reggio Emilia, Italy and Classroom Environment Design for Portland State University.

Liz found co-op shortly after moving to Seattle in 2016 with her then toddler age child. Like many people, she heard about co-op from other parents and decided to enroll. She was immediately drawn to the emphasis on building community and the parent support that sets co-op apart from other early childhood and preschool programs. Her two children attended co-op and in 2022 she jumped at the opportunity to combine her work supporting teachers and families and became a Parent Educator. When she’s not immersed in parenting you can find her adventuring with her family around the Northwest, practicing yoga, and rearranging her living spaces.