About Us
We help parents make the most of every day
(even the messy ones)
Meet The Founders
Dear parents
Welcome to the Joy Parenting Club! We are thrilled to have you as a part of the Joy family. Joy is founded by three entrepreneurs and parents (7 children between us!), who more than anything, get it.
What does that mean? We get how new parenthood is both the most beautiful gift and the most enduring challenge all at once. We get how hard it is to find trusted information, personalized for your family. And we get that in the same day (or the same hour?) you may laugh, cry, worry, swoon, scream, and more. Parenthood is a wild ride.
This is why Joy exists. We are here, 24/7 to answer questions, provide expert advice, or just be there to listen. We hope we can support your whole family for years to come, and we can’t wait to get to know you.
Enjoy the journey,
Joy Founders
Guided by Our values
We provide only information, recommendations, and advice that we would also use as parents with our own children. Everything we share is verified by Experts and has been endorsed by real families.
From our families to yours
Parenthood evolves, and so do we. We’re committed to staying up-to-date with the latest best practices, ensuring that our advice is always based on the most current research and expert insights.
Current & credible insights
We know that parenthood is a rollercoaster (to put it lightly). We embrace the mess, validate all the feelings, but will also highlight the opportunities to infuse joy into even the hard parts.
Rooted in joy
Meet our experts
With Joy On Call our parent coaches and team of experts are only a text away
CEO
Alan Chan
About Alan +
Alan is a proud father of two girls and a passionate golfer. Alan has a rich entrepreneurial background and is driven by a profound belief in building the most important company to support parents and families during the critical stages of their lives.
His mission is to create innovative solutions that empower families with the resources and information they need, fostering stronger and more resilient communities.
CPO
Charlie Carpenter
About Charlie +
Charlie is a husband and father to three beautiful children. Born and raised in Hertfordshire, UK, he has over 20 years of experience in the tech industry creating beautifully designed mobile apps and innovative technology services for some of the world’s leading brands.
Driven by his passion for supporting parents, Charlie is now focused on leveraging technology to make parenting easier and more informed, helping families thrive in today’s fast-paced world.
Head of Parenting
Emily Greenberg
About Emily +
Emily holds a Masters Degree in Education from New York University and has built family products for some of the most influential education and technology organizations including AltSchool, Wonderschool, and Higher Ground Education. Before Joy, Emily led the parenting content and expert teams at Lovevery. Nothing excites her more than helping new families find confidence in their parenting. Emily is a mom of two (5 and 3) and lives in Westfield New Jersey.
Feeding Expert
Olena Dobczansky
About Olena +
Olena currently serves as the Clinical Program Manager at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City where she has developed a robust breastfeeding program and sees patients in a clinical capacity. Olena earned a BS in Psychology from Northeastern and a Masters of Science in Nursing from Seton Hall University specializing in clinical nurse leadership. Her nursing career has been exclusively with the maternal child health population. Certifications include Masters of Science in Nursing, RN-MNN, IBCLC, C-ONQS, and LCCE
Sleep Expert
Heidi Brooks
About Heidi +
Heidi holds her PhD in Psychology with a focus in Infant and Child Development from Capella University. A seasoned Pediatric Sleep Consultant certified through the Family Sleep Institute, her role encompasses comprehensive assistance in the postnatal and newborn stages. She is Fertility Doula, a Certified Lactation Counselor through the Healthy Children’s Project, and a Child Sleep and Behavioral Consultant. She is also certified in Maternal Mental Health through the Seleni Institute and is an Adjunct Professor at Pace University.
Feeding Expert
Marisa Rhein
About Marisa +
Marisa is a postpartum registered nurse and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She has been working as a lactation support professional for over seven years and has helped over 3000 families along their journeys. Her professional passion is helping parents with pumping and milk expression products. In addition to her work with Joy, Marisa is employed by Atlantic Health System as a lactation consultant and postpartum telehealth registered nurse.
Sleep Expert
Sandra Ochoa
About Sandra +
Sandra Ochoa is a Bilingual Holistic Baby Sleep Consultant and Postpartum Support Specialist certified through the International Parenting and Health Institute. Sandra is on a mission to help babies sleep and new parents thrive. Her passion was ignited when she experienced the challenges of sleep deprivation herself after the arrival of her twins in 2016. Since then, Sandra has supported hundreds of tired families, helping them successfully achieve their sleep goals through her dynamic workshops and personalized sleep programs.
Parent Coach
Jessica Maier
About Jessica +
Jessica is a seasoned lawyer, having graduated from Seton Hall University School of Law. As a mother of two young daughters herself, ages 3 and 5, Jessica understands the challenges and joys of parenthood firsthand. Currently employed at one of the largest insurance and financial services companies globally, Jessica utilizes her legal background and personal experiences to empower parents offering practical advice and support tailored to each family's unique needs. As a mom, she swears by the Hatch! Feel free to chat about it with her!
Parent Coach
Maddie Ross
About Maddie +
Maddie is the single mother of two little girls who challenge and inspire her daily. And by inspire, she means inspired to help other moms because it ain't easy, friends! Her journey to motherhood was long and complicated, and she feels lucky to be in a position to help other parents through the new parenthood experience. She has volunteered at multiple Boston hospitals as a new parent mentor and is currently studying to become a doula. She lives outside of Boston with her kids, their dog, and soon, her parents too (hit her up for tips on managing boundaries with grandma and grandpa!).
Parent Coach
Katie Beneke
About Katie +
Katie Beneke grew up in Connecticut and now lives in Vermont with her husband and two children. Katie currently works as a paralegal in the General Counsel’s office at the University of Vermont. Katie has worked in the legal field for over ten years in a variety of different capacities and practice areas ranging from real estate to family law. She believes in being open and honest about the struggles that come with being a parent. Through Joy on Call, she hopes to make new parents feel less alone and be able to provide the support she so desperately needed after having her first child. In between juggling the demands of work and motherhood (and everything in between), Katie enjoys being in nature, swimming, and cooking. She looks forward to hearing from you!
Feeding Expert
Marianna Moreno
About Marianna +
Marianna is an experienced and passionate Early Childhood, Parent Educator and Lactation Educator Counselor. Marianna is a Lactation Educator Counselor with a certificate from UCSD. Since 2019, she has been providing virtual lactation support to families through Cleo, as well as lactation support and parenting support to hundreds of other families.
Parenting and Content Expert
Jenna Wawrzyniec
About Jenna +
Jenna is a mom of three and communications pro with a B.S. in Journalism, specialty in sociology, and Montessori in the Home certification. In recent years, she fell into a niche of “reporting” on all things parenthood, play, early education, and child development. Her expertise lies in translating expert knowledge in a way that empowers – and minimizes overwhelm – for parents. At Joy, she is a writer, editor and content producer behind our articles and toolkits.
In addition to Joy, she works with Montessori school teams and educators and also mentors families on early education, authoritative parenting, and independent play over @holdingspacemontessori.
Director of Child Development
Gabby Felman
About Gabby +
For over 19 years, Gabrielle has worked as an Early Childhood Development Specialist. A passionate supporter of young children and their families, she specializes in early childhood development, pediatric mental health, play therapy, special education, and parent-child & family relationships. She earned her MS.Ed in early childhood special and general education from Bank Street College of Education and her LCSW from Columbia University. She is the mom of three girls ages 9, 6 & 4 months.
Early Childhood Expert
Sarah Piel
About Sarah +
For more than 15 years, Sarah’s work has focused on the early development of social, emotional, and cognitive growth in very young children and the pivotal role of their primary caregivers within that process. She recognizes both the joy and vulnerability that come with being a new parent, whether you are welcoming your first child or your third! Sarah, who earned an MSEd from Bank Street College, has a private practice in New York City and has worked extensively in infant and early childhood development, special education, and family support.
Parent Coach
Suzie Carpenter
About Suzie +
Suzie is a mom of three—one daughter and two sons—with a wealth of experience as a deputy headteacher and childcare educator. A keen sportsperson and coach, she’s passionate about staying active and helping others achieve balance. Suzie also runs a successful app-based business, combining her entrepreneurial skills with her drive to create some fun for families. Having raised her children with her husband without family support nearby, Suzie understands the challenges parents face and is dedicated to helping them stay sane, balanced, and confident.
Sleep Expert
Ashley Sousa
About Ashley +
Ashley Sousa, RN, IBCLC, is the founder of Mothers Haven and a pediatric sleep consultant specializing in infant feeding and sleep. With over 15 years of nursing experience, including a decade in labor, delivery, and postpartum care, Ashley is dedicated to supporting families as they navigate early parenthood. A mother of two, she combines her professional expertise with personal experience to provide compassionate, evidence-based care to families in Rhode Island and beyond.
Parent Coach
Madelyn Pennings
About Madelyn +
Madelyn is a CLC, CPST, Paramedic, and AHA Instructor. She resides in Minnesota and is a mom of two boys. She has a passion to advocate for working parents and those suffering with postpartum mood disorders. The best piece of parenting advice she ever received was "you are raising children, not houses" and that has stuck with her ever since. She wants parents to feel supported and educated to reach their goals. When she is not working with parents, she loves doing anything outside with her very rowdy young boys
Parent Coach
Alison Baker
About Alison +
Ali is thrilled to be a parent coach after having benefitted so greatly from Joy as a new mom herself! She lives in the Philadelphia-area with her husband, toddler son, and dog. They have a baby girl coming soon! With a background in theatre and a long career in Learning and Human Resources for a fortune 500 company, Ali is so fulfilled by the opportunity to connect with other parents and offer support during such a vulnerable, overwhelming, and absolutely incredible season of life.
Parent Coach
Destinie Pate
About Destinie +
Destinie is a former early childhood educator, with her masters from NC State University. She studied both early childhood development & youth, family, and community studies. She grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, but currently lives outside of Charleston, SC with her 4 year old daughter, husband, and 2 dogs. She loves encouraging and supporting other parents because she believes this parenting journey shouldn’t be done alone. Reach out to her for tips on raising a kiddo without family near by!
