Meet The Messy Manatees Team

Messy Manatees was dreamed up by two sisters on a mission to make playtime bigger, bolder, and a whole lot messier! With nearly three decades of combined experience in early childhood education and business management, we realized that the best kind of learning happens when kids are free to explore with all their senses. Together, we created a safe, joyful space where sensory exploration, community connections, and creative freedom come first.

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Pale pink stylized starfish silhouette on a black background

Jenan Elcheikhali

Co-Founder & Managing Director

Jenan blends a deep passion for early childhood development with strong operational expertise to bring the vision of Messy Manatees to life. Holding a BS in Business Administration alongside 18 years of childcare experience, she handles all business operations, company growth, and management to ensure our community runs seamlessly.

Music and creative expression have always been at the heart of Jenan’s journey. As a vocal major alumna of New York’s prestigious Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, her time there profoundly shaped her vision for the company and curriculum. This creative foundation was further fueled by her experience teaching for Music for Aardvarks in NYC—the legendary, Nick Jr.-featured program celebrated for its indie-rock spirit and interactive musical jam sessions.

Jenan weaves that same high-energy rhythm, movement, and musical storytelling into the core of our programming, building a vibrant community for families while ensuring every class runs flawlessly.

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Pale pink starfish silhouette on a black background

Nadine Elcheikhali

Co-Founder & Director of Early Childhood Experience/Lead Instructor

Nadine brings an energetic, holistic, and deeply nurturing approach to the Messy Manatees team. With 10 years of childcare experience, Nadine has nannied for children of all ages—from newborns to school-aged kids. This deep background gives her an intuitive understanding of childhood milestones and the diverse needs of growing families. Above all, safety is her priority, and she is fully CPR certified.

Dedicated to deepening her expertise in child-led learning, she is currently pursuing her professional certification in Montessori education. Her teaching philosophy blends the independent, hands-on exploration of the Montessori method with active physical wellness. As a Certified Personal Trainer, Nadine intentionally designs class movements that help children build gross motor skills, core strength, and healthy spatial awareness in a playful environment.

Through her vibrant energy and versatile expertise, Nadine creates a warm, safe, and active space where children feel empowered to move, explore, and grow at their own pace.

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Pale pink stylized starfish silhouette on a black background

Nikki Laugier

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Curriculum Collaborator & Advisory Expert

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Nikki Laugier brings a powerful blend of academic expertise, real-world classroom experience, and a deep commitment to equity to the Messy Manatees team. As our Curriculum Collaborator, Nikki ensures that our sensory, music, and movement programs are grounded in world-class educational foundational practices.

Nikki earned her Bachelor's degree in Film and Media from Hunter College, followed by both her Master’s degree in Education and her Master’s degree in Dual Language Education from Brooklyn College. Her pioneering academic work includes developing social justice curricula rooted in abolitionist teaching and translanguaging—practices that honor and leverage the diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds of all children.

Her day-to-day work is deeply connected to early childhood development. She currently teaches Dual Language Pre-K within the New York City public school system and serves as an Adjunct Lecturer of Bilingual and Multi-Cultural Education at Brooklyn College.

A respected voice in her field, Nikki has published works, including a manuscript in the ECEA Journal: Perspectives and Provocations, and frequently shares her research with the broader educational community, recently serving as a featured speaker at the 2026 National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Annual Convention.

Fun fact about Nikki- she is the older sister of our co-founders! As an elite early childhood educator, Nikki’s pioneering work in equity, language, and inclusive teaching has been a lifelong inspiration to both of her sisters. Through her collaboration with Messy Manatees, Nikki helps us create inclusive, intentional, and joyful learning spaces where every child can thrive.