Celebrating Great Kids Day With Cristina Nealon
 | | | | About the Author Michelle Miller is a Product Development Specialist at Great Kids. Prior to joining the Product Development team, Michelle worked for three years as a Great Kids trainer. Before that, she worked as a trainer supervisor and home visitor with a Healthy Families program in Middle Tennessee. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her three children and doing anything outdoors, especially kayaking. |
On October 10th, we pause to celebrate Great Kids® Day—a moment to reflect on where we began, how we’ve grown, and the heart that keeps us moving forward.
Who better to help us reflect than Cristina Nealon? As a beloved trainer and one of Great Kids’ earliest team members, Cristina has had a front-row seat to our evolution. From humble beginnings to our latest innovations, her story is woven into every chapter of who we are.
The Early Days: A Leap of Faith
Michelle: Cristina, thank you for doing this interview.
Cristina: What an invitation! My first love is my family—all my family, my friends, my neighbors. But my second love, at the same level, is my GK family. I give thanks for you all—still here, still keeping the flame alive.
Michelle: How long have you been with Great Kids?
Cristina: It’s going to be 26 years soon. It’s incredible to me. Twenty-six years of learning, growing, and being with the people who inspire me. My own kids and grandkids were raised with Great Kids. We still have videos of my older daughter doing the activities from our curriculum with my grandkids.
Before Great Kids® started, I worked at a medical center in Hawaii. My supervisor there had a vision—something more than just telling parents what to do. She wanted to empower families [to build strong, secure relationships]. When she asked me to join her in starting Great Kids, it was a big decision. There was a lot of uncertainty. But I talked to my husband and told him that I knew in my heart what I needed to do.
Our first office was small, our resources limited. The founders even put up their homes as collateral to get us started. And I think about that a lot and how their husbands were so incredible to say, “Yes, go ahead and do it.”
Becoming a Trainer: Heroes of the Field
Michelle: You’ve been a trainer for a long time now. What do you love most about it?
Cristina: My heroes are the home visitors. They get up every morning and step into the real and often challenging work of supporting families. And they get up and do it again. That is love in action. Even when I talk about it, I get goosebumps.
And when I’m training, I get to be part of that for a little while. I share what I know, but I also learn from them. At the end of every training, I always say to them, “Let me tell you what I learned from you this week.”
Staying Relevant: The Heart Never Changes
Michelle: What’s helped Great Kids grow and stay relevant over the years?
Cristina: We’ve never lost sight of our vision. From the very beginning, our approach was about listening, meeting families where they are, and adapting the curriculum to fit their culture. That hasn’t changed.
Instead of telling parents how to do something, we build on their strengths. We ask, “What do you see yourself doing now?” and say, “I can support you. I can walk with you. Obviously, I cannot do it for you, but I can walk with you in this parenting journey.”
What’s Next: Innovation With Heart
Michelle: What new things are you most excited about right now?
Cristina: There are so many things! Cultivate is amazing—it lets programs choose the topics that will help their team most. In 1-3 days, you can explore four to twelve concepts in depth.
I’m also excited about Empower, which will be a fantastic resource for supervisors, and ENGAGE, which helps strengthen curiosity and connection. And after so long away, being back in the training room in person—it is wonderful to me. I have done it for so many years that I feel at home.
A Message to the Field
Michelle: What else would you like to add, or what would you like people to know about you or the work we do at Great Kids®?
Cristina: I want them to know we are here to support you. Always. We listen to you. Any one of us at GK will listen, talk with you, share with you, and walk alongside you. We want you to feel comfortable, and we don’t just say it. We live it. That’s what makes this work so special. That’s what I want them to know—we are here.
Closing
What better way to celebrate Great Kids® Day than by hearing from someone who’s been shaping it since the start? Cristina reminds us that love, curiosity, and encouragement aren’t just nice ideas; they’re the foundation of everything we do.
“We walk the walk, and we talk the talk. We are for real. That’s what’s amazing.” – Cristina Nealon
