Manager, Learning Designer & Researcher
Carolina Thistle is a child development expert and learning designer with over 20 years of experience shaping how children learn through play, research-backed curriculum, and meaningful family experiences.
As a Learning Expert at Begin, Carolina leads research and learning design across curriculum development, product strategy, and company vision, ensuring every experience is grounded in developmental science and real family needs. She also helped develop and launch a Social-Emotional Learning curriculum in partnership with Sesame Workshop.
Before Begin, Carolina spent 10 years at Mattel in roles spanning strategy, M&A, global consumer insights, and child development. She was instrumental in the strategy and content development behind two play-based learning centers in Shanghai, and served as an internal consultant across Mattel’s brand portfolio, advising on developmental appropriateness and keeping the voice of families at the center of product decisions.
Earlier in her career, Carolina was an award-winning assistant coach for the men’s and women’s water polo teams at Loyola Marymount University, coaching athletes to seven Division I conference titles. She also directed summer camps for children ages 5–12 and volunteered at elementary schools throughout Los Angeles.
Carolina holds a Master’s in Education with an emphasis in Child Development and a Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies (Elementary Education) with a minor in Kinesiology & Physiology, both from Loyola Marymount University.
