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Our Teachers
Emily Masters, Riverchase
Emily is a former teacher, turned stay at home mom. She grew up in Birmingham and attended Samford University, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish with teaching certification. She currently resides in Riverchase with her husband and four young kiddos. She is passionate about providing creative, fun, hands-on learning experiences to children which is what drew her to Itty Bitty Bakers! When Emily has downtime, she enjoys party planning, fostering puppies for a local animal rescue, learning to play tennis, and listening to audiobooks.
Brittany Dollar, Meadowbrook
Brittany's love for baking started at an early age while baking with her mom and grandma. Christmas was her favorite time of year as they always baked dozens of different kinds of cookies together.
As her love for baking grew, she decided to attend culinary school and became a Certified Working Pastry Chef. She worked in multiple resorts in Pennsylvania and Florida before having her first daughter in 2018.
While on maternity leave she started her own business called Dollar Pastry. She went on to work at Dreamcakes Bakery in Homewood, Alabama as a cake decorator. Now as a stay-at-home mom of two, she teaches classes for Itty Bitty Bakers in her free time. Her specialities include advanced cake decorating skills, macarons, and her grandma's favorite recipe of nut streudel.
As her love for baking grew, she decided to attend culinary school and became a Certified Working Pastry Chef. She worked in multiple resorts in Pennsylvania and Florida before having her first daughter in 2018.
While on maternity leave she started her own business called Dollar Pastry. She went on to work at Dreamcakes Bakery in Homewood, Alabama as a cake decorator. Now as a stay-at-home mom of two, she teaches classes for Itty Bitty Bakers in her free time. Her specialities include advanced cake decorating skills, macarons, and her grandma's favorite recipe of nut streudel.
Jeni Warram, Riverchase
Jeni began teaching baking classes in 2019 and since then has taught the most! That's surprising given that she is also a pediatric nurse and busy mom of three! Her daughter Sarah is one of our Youth Helpers. Together, they love baking and trying new recipes! Mrs. Jeni has a very easy-going, laid-back personality and kids LOVE baking with her.
Celeste Ward, Trussville
Some of Celeste's best memories from childhood were made in the kitchen, alongside her mom and grandmother. Now, she adores baking with her own little sous chef, her daughter Caroline. Celeste feels that the kitchen can be such a great source of cherish memories, and she is thrilled to have the opportunity to share her love of baking with Itty Bitty Bakers students.
Celeste is a UAB graduate and works in the relocation industry. Her internships with Southern Living magazine while at UAB fueled her love of baking and led her to start her own food blog, Sugar & Spice by Celeste.
When not in the kitchen, Celeste loves hiking, traveling, and gardening. She lives in Trussville, AL with her husband, daughter, and springer spaniel, Ava.
Celeste is a UAB graduate and works in the relocation industry. Her internships with Southern Living magazine while at UAB fueled her love of baking and led her to start her own food blog, Sugar & Spice by Celeste.
When not in the kitchen, Celeste loves hiking, traveling, and gardening. She lives in Trussville, AL with her husband, daughter, and springer spaniel, Ava.
Hillary Ryan, Inverness
Hillary is a stay-at-home mom of four residing in Inverness with her husband Andrew. She is a graduate of Birmingham-Southern College with a degree in English and Creative Writing. Hillary is passionate about early childhood development and loves to create memories in the kitchen with her children. Her love of cooking stems from a passion for entertaining others and creating a welcoming atmosphere in her home.
Candice Butterfield, Hoover
Candice is an Art Director and Graphic Designer who has worked in the advertising industry for over a decade. She is a University of Alabama graduate, wife, and mom of two itty bitty bakers. Candice has a passion for making celebrations and holidays truly special, whether with adorable cupcakes or cute party favors. In 2019, she started Celebration Day Studio, an online space and baking blog where she shares party and holiday ideas, sweets, recipes, crafts, invitations, printables, and more!
She has been baking her entire life and comes from a long line of southern home bakers and cake decorators. She grew up learning to bake and decorate cakes from watching her mother, who had a home cake business, and taught her the art.
Candice loves baking with her two daughters and views baking with little ones as an excellent learning tool that stimulates and encourages sensory development, increases curiosity, and enhances cognitive skills! She is a firm believer in making memories, keeping traditions, and celebrating life to the fullest!
She has been baking her entire life and comes from a long line of southern home bakers and cake decorators. She grew up learning to bake and decorate cakes from watching her mother, who had a home cake business, and taught her the art.
Candice loves baking with her two daughters and views baking with little ones as an excellent learning tool that stimulates and encourages sensory development, increases curiosity, and enhances cognitive skills! She is a firm believer in making memories, keeping traditions, and celebrating life to the fullest!
Brooke Rierson, Oak Mountain
Hi, I'm Brooke Rierson! I'm currently a senior
at Oak Mountain High School. I'm a varsity
cheerleader and a member of the SGA. I love to cook and bake. I'm planning to attend
Auburn University and enter their culinary
science program. I would love to open my
own small bakery in the future!
at Oak Mountain High School. I'm a varsity
cheerleader and a member of the SGA. I love to cook and bake. I'm planning to attend
Auburn University and enter their culinary
science program. I would love to open my
own small bakery in the future!
Ally Castaldo, Irondale
Ally is a stay-at-home mom of two girls and part time podcast editor for an independent publishing company. Ally has a background in psychology and counseling and has worked with youth and college ministries over the last decade. Some of her favorite memories from childhood are cooking and baking, figuring out new recipes, and learning to make new recipes with friends in college. She has been letting her daughters help in the kitchen since they were old enough to learn to stir.
Sarah Cooley, Mt. Laurel
Sarah is a graduate of Samford University and first grade teacher at Chelsea Park Elementary. She was named Shelby County Teacher of the Year 2023.
She has three kids and a mischievous pug named Poppy, who is very popular with Itty Bitty Bakers campers!
Her love for baking began when her daughter Emma started Itty Bitty Bakers classes and wanted to bake more at home. Seeing children develop their own individual talents and gifts, such as baking, brings her so much joy!
In her spare time, Sarah enjoys traveling with family, party planning, and writing. She is author of the children’s book, Celebrating Christmas.
She has three kids and a mischievous pug named Poppy, who is very popular with Itty Bitty Bakers campers!
Her love for baking began when her daughter Emma started Itty Bitty Bakers classes and wanted to bake more at home. Seeing children develop their own individual talents and gifts, such as baking, brings her so much joy!
In her spare time, Sarah enjoys traveling with family, party planning, and writing. She is author of the children’s book, Celebrating Christmas.
Jamie Russell, Greystone
Sarah Eubanks, Rocky Ridge
Sarah graduated from Samford University in 2021 and is currently a special education teacher. She taught first grade last year and her greatest passion is working with children! She got married in September of 2022 and lives off of Rocky Ridge with her husband, Austin, and their puppy, Gus. While working with children is Sarah’s greatest passion, baking is her favorite hobby. Itty Bitty Bakers is the perfect match for everything she loves!
Maryjayne Herring, Eagle Point
Maryjayne is our newest teacher! She has lived in Birmingham over 18 years and has raised her four children, three boys and one girl. Maryjane has a business degree from Huntingdon College and an MBA from Auburn University at Montgomery. She loves cooking and baking and believes it is an important skill to pass onto the next generation. Her family enjoys cooking together on family night and some of their favorite things to make are build-your-own pizza and make-your-own pasta from scratch. She is looking forward to her new role as an Itty Bitty Bakers teacher!
Amanda Knight, Ross Bridge
We are so excited to add to our teaching team Amanda Knight, Alabama's Elementary Art Educator of the Year 2022! Amanda inspires her elementary school students every day to reach their full potential in creative expression using art in various forms. She believes food and the culinary arts offer students not only a way to express their creativity but also develop skills that will serve themselves and those around them throughout their lives. Amanda lives in Ross Bridge with her husband and two budding artists and bakers, Avery and Audrey. Her free time is spent on the go, traveling and taking in all the wonderful local opportunities Birmingham has to offer!
Laura Huddleston, Auburn
Hey there! My name is Laura Huddleston! My family and I moved to Auburn, Alabama in July of 2022. I recently got married to my husband, Matt and we share a daughter together, Piper Mae who is 10 and in the 4th grade. We have two fur babies named Stanley and Tallulah. I am a full time nurse in the Emergency Room at East Alabama and my husband is a flight nurse on the local life flight team. My daughter, Piper, loves to bake and having no options to do so locally, we decided to start our own Itty Bitty Bakers group!
Stephanie Rothoff, Pell City
Stephanie is a Homewood native now living on the lake. She drives into the city every day to be a full time Speech-Language Pathologist at Greystone Elementary where she has worked since 1999! In her free time, she enjoys gardening, traveling, trying out new restaurants, and watching Auburn sports. As a child, Stephanie always baked with her grandmothers and is looking forward to imparting her baking knowledge to the next generation. She and her husband and their fur babies have the perfect home to welcome children in to bake!
Heather Farmer, Boston
Heather is a middle school home economics teacher and resides in Abington, MA. She grew up on a farm in upstate NY and moved to Boston in 2009 to begin her teaching career.
Her love of baking prompted her to start her food blog, Bostongirlbakes.com where she loves sharing her from scratch dessert recipes. Since the start of her blog, she has become a published author (3 times!).
When she isn’t in the kitchen baking up a storm, and teaching she loves spending time with her dog,husband, and new baby boy!
Her love of baking prompted her to start her food blog, Bostongirlbakes.com where she loves sharing her from scratch dessert recipes. Since the start of her blog, she has become a published author (3 times!).
When she isn’t in the kitchen baking up a storm, and teaching she loves spending time with her dog,husband, and new baby boy!
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