Vance Caruso

Vance Caruso is currently an infant educarer at the UCSB Orfalea Family Children's Center. Originally from Murrieta, CA, Vance moved to Santa Barbara in 2019 to attend University at UCSB. Vance graduated with a BS in Psychological and Brain Sciences with a minor in Applied Psychology in 2023. He began working with children in the ABA therapy practice in early 2023 before getting recruited to become a teacher at the Orfalea Family Children's Center.

Currently, Vance is working on finishing his MA in Early Childhood Studies at California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI) and is expected to graduate this Spring. Vance's work with children has inspired him to approach early childhood with a responsive, relationships based pedagogy that emphasizes respect and empowering children to feel comfortable exploring and learning from the world around them. This is part of the reason why Vance decided to become a board member of SALSA in 2026. Vance hopes to continue to give back to the field of Early Childhood Education by contributing to current research that advances the field and makes quality care and education more accessible to all.

When he is not working, Vance enjoys exercising, reading, and spending time with his partner and close friends/family.