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The Formator Institute

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Shaping the Future of Private Childcare

Where families, childcare professionals, and agencies work in alignment.

The Formator Institute provides education, management, and strategic advisory services for private household childcare. We partner with families navigating complex care needs and childcare professionals building specialized careers—designing systems, delivering training, and providing strategic support to ensure consistent, high-quality care across properties, teams, and transitions.

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Why The Formator Institute Was Created

Private childcare doesn’t fail because people don’t care. It fails because systems don’t exist.

Modern families rely on multiple caregivers, household staff, educators, and specialists. Childcare professionals carry responsibility without shared frameworks. Agencies place talent into homes without unified standards. The Formator Institute was created to align the adults shaping a child’s life, so care compounds instead of fragments.

Our Philosophy

  • Core Principle: Children thrive when the adults around them are aligned.

  • The Foundation: Coordinated care is the essential driver for healthy child development.

  • The Approach: We move away from rigid, one-size-fits-all models to focus on what truly changes outcomes: professional respect and tailored solutions.

Our Methodology

  • Operational Stability: We create structure to ensure both emotional and operational stability within the home.

  • The Bridge: Our methodology seamlessly combines evidence-based child development with real-world private household operations.

  • Scalable Systems: We implement management systems designed to work across multiple properties, diverse teams, and evolving life stages.

Core Principle: Children thrive when the adults around them are aligned.

The Foundation: Coordinated care is the essential driver for healthy child development.

The Approach: We move away from rigid, one-size-fits-all models to focus on what truly changes outcomes: professional respect and tailored solutions.

Explore Family Services

Operational Stability: We create structure to ensure both emotional and operational stability within the home.

The Bridge: Our methodology seamlessly combines evidence-based child development with real-world private household operations.

Scalable Systems: We implement management systems designed to work across multiple properties, diverse teams, and evolving life stages.

Explore Family Services
Dr. Ginny

Meet the Founder

Dr. Ginny Schwager

Dr. Ginny Schwager brings over 15 years of hands-on experience working inside complex private family environments. Her work spans child development, professional training, and the design of operational systems for households with multiple caregivers and residences. Formator Institute was founded to translate this lived experience into scalable frameworks that support families, childcare professionals, and agencies.

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Meet Our Team

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Clara Akwarandu

Consultant & Neurodivergent Care Specialist

Clara Akwarandu is a behavior therapist and special needs nanny specializing in neurodivergent and autism-informed care.

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Connor Eckhardt

Director of Marketing & Media

Connor Eckhardt is Vice President of Digital Marketing at Focused Image and serves as Marketing and Media Director for The Formator

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Angela Canny

Parent & Nanny Coach

Angie Canny is a Parent and Nanny Coach specializing in emotional intelligence development and family-caregiver partnership building.

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Noah Abramowitz

Director of Technology

Noah Abramowitz is Founder, CEO of Echelon and serves as Director of Technology for The Formator Institute.

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Jenna Winocur

AI and Social Impact Consultant

Jenna Winocur is a social entrepreneur and serves as AI and Social Impact Consultant for The Formator Institute.

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Who We Support

Families

Families

Families

Concierge-level childcare training and management for families with complex household structures, multiple caregivers/residences, or evolving developmental needs
Childcare

Childcare Professionals

Childcare Professionals

Professional development, certification, and career support for experienced nannies and private childcare professionals seeking clarity, confidence, and advancement.
agencies

Agencies

Agencies

Strategic partnerships built on shared standards, clear communication, and long-term placement success.

Families

Families

Concierge-level Nanny Training and childcare management for families with complex household structures, multiple caregivers or residences, and evolving developmental needs.

Explore Family Services
Childcare

Childcare Professionals

Professional Nanny Training, certification, and career support for experienced nannies and private childcare professionals seeking clarity, confidence, and advancement.

Advance Your Career
agencies

Agencies

Strategic partnerships in Nanny Training built on shared standards, clear communication, and long-term placement success.

Partner With Us

What is The Unvarnished Room?

Candid, unscripted conversations with industry leaders exploring the real dynamics between families, nannies, and agencies in private childcare.

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EPISODE 1
Shenandoah Davis1
Owner & CEO of Adventure Nannies.

Candid, unscripted conversations with industry leaders exploring the real dynamics between families, nannies, and agencies in private childcare.

EPISODE 2
Christa D. Nader
GTM Payroll Services

Expert in household tax and payroll with 30 years of experience. We'll tackle payroll structures, injury protection, and avoiding costly tax mistakes for families and caregivers.

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Your weekly dose of Unvarnished Room starts here. Drop your email and we'll alert you the moment the mic goes live.

Meet Marti, Your Guide Through the Formator Approach

Our Pine Marten mascot embodies the qualities of exceptional childcare professionals: curious and intelligent, adaptable across environments, devoted nurturers, and skilled problem-solvers. Like the Pine Marten navigating forest canopies, Formators help children reach new heights.

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About the Formator Institute

View All FAQs
Why was the Formator Institute created?

The Formator Institute was created to address gaps in professional standards, communication, and coordination in private childcare.

Nanny agencies focus on hiring, while the Formator Institute focuses on training, systems, and long-term professional development.

Yes. Programs are grounded in child development research and professional best practices.

Yes. The Institute supports families, professionals, and agencies globally, primarily through virtual services.

Yes. Many engagements involve working with both families and their childcare teams.

Dr. Ginny
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Dr. Ginny Schwager

Holds a doctorate in Counseling Psychology and specializes in family operations management and childcare systems design for high-net-worth households. With over 14 years of hands-on experience working directly with private families, Dr. Schwager founded The Formator Institute to provide professional development for experienced nannies and strategic management support for families with complex needs. Her approach integrates child development expertise with operational excellence, creating seamless care systems that align nannies, therapists, educators, and family members around consistent, evidence-based care practices. Dr. Schwager leads a growing team of consultants who serve families across the country, while also maintaining a limited direct practice.

Academic Credentials:

  • Psy.D. in Counseling Psychology, Springfield College
  • M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology, Springfield College
  • B.A. in Psychology, University of Connecticut.

Professional Certifications:

  • Leadership Principles, Harvard Business School 
  • Performance Coach, Heroic PBC Certificate 
  • Parent Facilitator, Circle of Security 
  • Life Coach, Optimize Certificate 
  • Adoption Competency, C.A.S.E 
  • Maternal Mental Health, Seleni Institute 
  • Fertility Counseling, Covington 

A thought leader and speaker for the private service industry, she has been featured on the Easemakers Podcast discussing strategies for reducing turnover and building support systems in high-net-worth households, and has presented on “The Evolution of Childcare Operations in Private Homes” for the childcare professional community.

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Clara Akwarandu

Is a highly trained special needs nanny and behavior therapist specializing in autism-informed care. Passionate about elevating childcare standards, Clara serves as a Consultant with the Formator Institute, where she equips private families and caregivers through professional training, concierge services, and curriculum development to ensure sustainable placements. Her expertise combines applied behavior analysis with early childhood education to deliver individualized support for both neurotypical and neurodivergent children. Clara also serves on the Community Advisory Committee for Adventure Nannies, contributing to high-level projects and caregiver support initiatives.

Academic Credentials:

  • B.S. Public Health, San Antonio College 
  • A.A.S. Early Childhood Education, UT San Antonio

Professional Credentials:

  • Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
  • Certified Professional Nanny, US Nanny Association
  • INA Credentialed Nanny
  • Positive Discipline Trained through Sproutable & PDA Certifications

Clara will then pursue an MA in Human Development and Family Science with an additional graduate certificate focused on Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis.

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Connor Eckhardt

Connor Eckhardt is Vice President of Digital Marketing at Focused Image and serves as Marketing and Media Director for The Formator Institute. With nearly a decade leading marketing initiatives from emerging tech companies to global brands, Connor brings expertise in digital strategy, content creation, and multi-channel campaign development across search, social, and programmatic platforms. 

As a strategic partner to The Formator Institute, Connor oversees marketing strategy across digital and traditional channels. His expertise in audience development and brand positioning drives the Institute’s visibility within the private childcare industry.

Academic Credentials:

  • B.S. in Business and Marketing, George Mason University

Professional Certifications:

  • LinkedIn Marketing Certification
  • Google Marketing Certification

Connor’s insights into digital marketing trends and commitment to data-driven campaigns make him invaluable in expanding The Formator Institute’s reach across the childcare professional community.

Link: https://www.focusedimage.com/

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Angela Canny

is a Parent and Nanny Coach specializing in emotional intelligence development and family-caregiver partnership building. With over 20 years of hands-on experience as a professional nanny in private households, Angela brings deep expertise in supporting families through the formative stages of early childhood while fostering strong, trust-based relationships between parents and caregivers. Her approach centers on emotional attunement, clear communication, and creating cohesive care teams where everyone—parents, nannies, and children—feels supported and understood.

As a consultant with The Formator Institute, Angela coaches nannies in emotional intelligence frameworks and helps families build effective partnerships with their care teams. Her work emphasizes translating child development psychology into practical, relationship-centered care practices that honor both children’s developmental needs and the dynamics of private household environments.

Academic Credentials:

  • M.A. in Psychology, University of Phoenix
  • B.A. in Psychology, University of Phoenix

Professional Certifications:

  • Certified Emotional Intelligence Coach, Symbiosis Coaching

Angela’s deep commitment to children’s emotional development and her natural ability to build lasting, trust-based relationships make her uniquely positioned to support both childcare professionals seeking to deepen their relational skills and families looking to strengthen partnerships with their care teams.

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Dr. Ginny Schwager

Noah Abramowitz is Founder, CEO of Echelon and serves as Director of Technology for The Formator Institute. Noah leads the strategic vision and directs a diverse team of digital specialists driving the execution of the Institute’s digital ecosystem, ensuring that technology, data, and user experience work seamlessly together to support education, certification, and community engagement.

As a technology partner to The Formator Institute, Noah and the Echelon team architected and built the Institute’s full digital infrastructure—from brand-aligned website architecture, a scalable learning management system powering the Certified Formator™ program, and a CRM foundation that supports family consulting and agency partnerships. This integrated and collaborative approach enables a streamlined experience for families, childcare professionals, and agencies accessing the Institute’s resources and services.

Academic Credentials:

  • B.S. in Information Communication Technology, Florida State University
  • Double Minor: Business Analytics & Entrepreneurship

Noah brings a practical, systems-first mindset to every build—ensuring technology remains intuitive, scalable, and aligned with the Institute’s long-term mission to serve families seeking strategic childcare management, professionals advancing their careers, and agencies elevating their placements.

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Clara Akwarandu

Jenna Winocur is a social entrepreneur and serves as AI and Social Impact Consultant for The Formator Institute. Working at the intersection of education, women’s empowerment, and responsible technology, Jenna brings a systems-change lens to designing programs that expand access to high-quality learning and opportunity.

As a consultant to The Formator Institute, Jenna collaborates on initiatives like Pyxie that leverage technology to advance childcare professional development while maintaining ethical standards and human-centered design. She brings insights from MIT’s social innovation ecosystem and Harvard’s education leadership programs to support the professionalization of private family childcare.

Academic Credentials:

  • M.Ed. in Education Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship, Harvard Graduate School of Education
  • B.A. in Social Innovation, Cornell University

Professional Experience:

  • Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Fellow, MIT PKG Center for Social Impact
  • Former Analyst, Graham & Walker (women-led startup investing)

Jenna’s commitment to responsible innovation and experience building systems that empower caregivers make her an invaluable partner in advancing The Formator Institute’s mission through ethical, human-centered technology integration.

Link: https://www.mypyxie.com/