We want to take a moment to thank everyone who submitted a nomination for Au Pair of the Year. Each nomination showcased the impact au pairs and host families have on one another and shared the unique stories of so many global families!
While it was a difficult decision (in fact, so difficult that we selected 16 finalists), the time has come to announce our finalists for Au Pair of the Year! We invite you to read more about our finalists and cast your vote for our 2022 Au Pair of the Year. Congratulations to our finalists and to all of our Au Pair of the Year nominees!
Alejandra, au pair from Mexico
“Alejandra has made our family stronger and happier in her time with us! In possibly the most difficult time in history for arranging childcare, we have had as low-stress of a situation as possible! She is a true member of the family and we have been so blessed to have her!” – Nominated by the Toth family
Aurora, au pair from Spain
“Aurora goes above and beyond what the expectations of an au pair might be and has become an integral part of our family. She plans crafts, outings, Spanish lessons, and days full of activities for purposeful time spent with our son each day. She shows him more love than I could have ever imagined and I always know he is in the best hands when we are working. In her spare time, she is using her experience and expertise to help guide others who are considering or new to the au pair process via an Instagram account.” – Nominated by the Duimstra family
Brenda, au pair from Mexico
“I couldn’t think of a more deserving person to be nominated au pair of the year than Brenda. When she enrolled in this program she wasn’t only thinking about the cultural experience but about how she could use her profession as a physical therapist to help a child while enrolled in the program. Since she met our son who has Down Syndrome, she made it a goal he would be walking before the end of her program. Every day she dedicates time to my son’s exercises and in the four months she has been with our family he’s started crawling and is coming to stand on his own. Not only has she helped our son but has won the heart of my two girls. She loves to teach them Spanish and to share her culture by making special Mexican meals and sharing family stories. Brenda has a special heart to serve others and we feel blessed she has become a member of our family.” – Nominated by the Rodriguez family
Camila, au pair from Colombia
“Since 2012, we have hosted eight wonderful au pairs and the most exceptional has been Camila who joined our family in March 2021 after a year wait due to COVID. Camila, a loving, genuine, and fun person, not only nurtured and instructed our 7-year-old boys, but she has also made a special connection with our older teenage kids and our extended family and friends. This year has been so much fun, teaching Cami-la English and tennis, while she has been teaching us Spanish, as well as sharing her skills with gardening and photography.” – Nominated by the Lock family
Camilla, au pair from Denmark
“Camilla is a true example of the perfect au pair. She is kind and caring, funny and easy-going. She is the perfect playmate and best friend to our littlest little (Thomas) and a confidant and mentor to our oldest two (Olivia and Ivy). She cares for them with the perfect balance of fun and discipline. We are so lucky that she chose to join our family and she will forever be a part of it.” – Nominated by the Jones family
Chiara, au pair from Italy
“Chiara is nothing but nurturing, trustworthy, and reliable when caring for our children during her scheduled hours, but she always surprises us by her motivation to go above and beyond. As a concert violinist, Chiara has helped reinforce the love of music in our home. Our four children have all been playing violin or cello since the age of 4, and she assists them with their daily practices, weekly lessons, and preparation for school concerts and auditions, not to mention treating us to impromptu concerts together.” – Nominated by the Lo family
Ellie, au pair from Argentina
“Ellie is every host family’s dream! She puts family first and is dedicated to both her job and her dreams. She is funny, responsible, and takes initiative. She always finds a way to make our day better or easier—often in the form of a delicious meal or a game of cards! We are so proud to say that our daughter is brave, bilingual, kind, and confident just like her best friend Ellie.” – Nominated by the Suarez family
Eva, au pair from China
“Eva is a kind, outgoing, trustworthy, and responsible au pair who has really become part of the family in the last 6 months. Initially, it was an adjustment for all of us living with a new person in your home, but fortunately, with communication and a mutual understanding, we paved a way for a beautiful relationship. We have been very pleased to have Eva with us for the last half-year, and are excited for the months with her ahead. She is a talented artist and is fantastic at engaging with our 9 and 11 year old children. She is fluent in Mandarin and English. She majored in teaching English as a foreign language and has been a teacher for five years. She is intelligent, witty, and has a gregarious personality. No task for her is too big and she mastered driving in America in just a few weeks. She loves taking LONG walks and is pensive. She has been a tremendously positive addition to our family and we can only hope she chooses to extend!” – Nominated by the Parikh family
Felix, au pair from Germany
“Felix truly embodies the heart of this program! His engagement with the kids is magical, and he has found a special relationship with each of our three kids. Felix also has made his presence in the community, making his network far outside of the au pair program. And lastly, Felix is very present in the kids’ schools. Anytime I go to the school, I will inevitably hear, “your Felix’s host mom, wow he is an amazing conversationalist…and your kids adore him.” – Nominated by the Verzal family
Giuliana, au pair from Argentina
“Giuliana is our family, and she brings so much love, honesty, trust, and enrichment to our lives. To Daisy, she is a person she admires, is a comforting force, a carefree and fun buddy, and someone she learns from.” – Nominated by the House family
Julia, au pair from Switzerland
“Our kids love Julia! She is the center of their world and it melts my heart to see their bond and love for one another. She has a calm and patient approach no matter how chaotic the day can be, even if nothing seems to go as planned Julia has a plan B and C to keep things interesting and positive. I’ve seen so many magic moments when she is able to calm the children down, distract them with imaginative play, captivate them with a story. She chooses books from the library specifically tailored to what the kids like, construction for my son and princess for my daughter, or tied to a theme like Christmas or Halloween. She looks for opportunities to educate them and often reflects on examples from past experiences good or bad as learning tools. The kids are all-around better people and are more thoughtful because of Julia and her positive influence. Our family life feels more balanced and peaceful with Julia- we are so lucky to have her!” – Nominated by the Ghadimi family
Klaudia, au pair from Poland
“Klaudia is such a deserving au pair for this award —in every way! She represents the best of what the au pair program has to offer; she provides stability, anticipates our needs, and embodies the cultural exchange that makes the program so rewarding. My husband and I are able to give our all each day at our jobs knowing that our children are not only supervised, but nurtured and adored by a creative, responsible young woman who they—and we—cherish as part of our family.” – Nominated by the Hood family
Laurene, au pair from France
“Laurene was a big sister that our daughter looked up to, a loving caregiver for our two-year-old, and will not only remain a part of our family – but a part of our larger community. With our daughter’s French immersion school remote for the year – Laurene was a frequent presence at the pod school we hosted daily at our home. She read stories in French with the children, helping with vocabulary lessons. She shared her culture as well, cooking French treats like pomme d’amour for Valentine’s Day and Gateau de Rois for Epiphany and teaching the children games like un, deux, trois, soleil.” – Nominated by the Gelber family
Mariana, au pair from Brazil
“Mari is an exceptional role model for our entire family! She truly wakes up every day with energy and a positive attitude toward life. She gives her all to our family and strives to improve herself and our community. She has taken advantage of all the au pair experience can offer!” – Nominated by the Poitevent family
Nontu, au pair from South Africa
“When we were interviewing possible au pairs, Nontu stood out in particular for sharing that she was excited to bring ‘ubuntu’ to her host family. This simple expression of her deep care for others and ‘the spirit of humanity’ resonated strongly with us and our family values. Since joining our family, Nontu has been kind, creative, and committed to bettering our young daughter and family, generous in sharing about her customs and experiences from South Africa, and a willing and excited participant in our family’s traditions and culture in America. We’re thrilled to know and nominate this “citizen of the world” who has been such a great part of our family and our 2021.” – Nominated by the McAndrews family
Zsofia, au pair from Hungary
“Zsofi is a superstar au pair. She is kind, thoughtful, fun, intelligent, and takes initiative. She has beautifully melded herself into our family and works hard to connect with each family member individually. Being around her makes all of us smile and our home feels more complete with her in it.” – Nominated by the Novetsky family
</ br> </ br>
