From social work to social impact: Tiesha Nieves Sinouthasy ’09 empowers families and caregivers

By student writer Leah Spengler

When Tiesha Nieves Sinouthasy ’09 arrived at Salve Regina University in 2005, she knew right away that her calling was social work. “I feel passionately about the fact that so many have paved the way for me, and it’s really my duty to help pave the way for others,” said Sinouthasy, who was drawn to Salve’s mercy mission and its goal of giving back to the community. Despite facing challenges relating to academic obstacles and her identity as a BIPOC woman on a predominantly white campus, Sinouthasy credits her college experience with helping her develop a passion for civic engagement and awareness of the importance of advocacy.

Upon graduating, Sinouthasy decided to join AmeriCorps, where she spent time assisting with a nonprofit organization based in Providence, Rhode Island. After this service work, she took on roles as a mentoring coordinator at the YMCA and an outreach and recruitment coordinator at Year Up, both organizations that focused on developing youth leadership.

Sinouthasy then spent two years as the community partnerships manager at the Swearer Center at Brown University. Throughout all of these experiences, she remained involved in various babysitting and nannying roles, always maintaining that working with kids fuels her and brings her joy. When she began to hear moms talking about their struggles finding adequate childcare, she endeavored to address this issue using her own expertise.

In January of 2020, Sinouthasy founded Peace of Mind Nannies, a babysitting and nanny placement agency that provides care for children and young adults, including those on the autism spectrum or with other intellectual and developmental disabilities. Currently, Peace of Mind Nannies is the only agency in R.I. and Massachusetts that specializes in the care of those with special needs. “Our goal is to help families find high quality, professional, reliable caregivers,” said Sinouthasy, who has now connected over 140 families to services through her company. When considering the obstacles impacting the childcare industry, she credits a lack of oversight with creating challenges for nannies themselves, in addition to families searching for reliable care. To ensure that guidelines regarding wages and pay are successful in treating domestic workers fairly, Sinouthasy hopes to see legislation like the Massachusetts Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights expanded into other states, especially R.I.

Tiesha Nieves Sinouthasy ’09 (right) receiving her Alumni Achievement Award in 2024 from President Dr. Kelli J. Armstrong.

Sinouthasy’s deep care for the nannies and babysitters on her team is evident in her advocacy for them and other workers in the industry to be offered fair working conditions. “I take my role as the founder of Peace of Mind Nannies as one that is a mentorship to the nannies to ensure that they grow into their best professional selves, but also personally, that they feel fulfilled and valued in their line of work,” said Sinouthasy, who’s mentorship travels far beyond her business. Sinouthasy also served on the Center for Women and Enterprise Rhode Island Advisory Board and currently serves on the East Providence Affirmative Action Committee, both roles where her guidance and advocacy have shone through.

As Sinouthasy looks towards the future, there is one factor that she is not afraid to face: failure. “I see failure as an opportunity to grow, and I love when I am faced with a challenge that I have never dealt with before,” she said. Embracing this mission of personal growth, Sinouthasy hopes to obtain a master’s degree by the time she is 40 and would like to focus her studies on a social work and business administration dual program. Additionally, she aims for Peace of Mind Nannies to become a vendor through health insurance companies so she can support more families in the New England area.

In addition to her mentorship and advocacy, Sinouthasy enjoys spending time connecting with her community and derives her joy and laughter from her wife, chosen family and the kids that she continues to nanny. As she works to further the expansion of reliable childcare and create a more inclusive and just world, her spirit and optimism will continue to guide the way.