About This Little Piggy Academy

Samantha Orlando is the proud Owner of both This Little Piggy Academy and This Little Piggy Academy Infant Center, where she currently serves as the day-to-day Director of the Infant Center. With a deep passion for early childhood development and a strong commitment to quality care, Samantha brings both leadership and love into everything she does.

Before opening her first center in 2016, Samantha worked as a Child Care Licensing Abuse/Neglect Investigator for the State of Texas, gaining valuable insight into what high-quality early childhood programs should look like. That experience, combined with her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Tarleton State University, helped shape the foundation of her centers' structure, safety, and educational focus.

As a mother of five children, including a 19-year-old stepson with autism, Samantha personally understands the importance of recognizing and supporting each child’s unique developmental journey. Her own experiences as a parent deeply influence her approach to creating nurturing, inclusive, and enriching environments for both children and families.

Under her leadership, This Little Piggy Academy has earned the trust of the Waco community and received multiple Locals Love Us awards in the Child Care, Preschool, and Learning Center categories for five consecutive years. Samantha is proud of the amazing staff she leads, and she is hands-on in offering support, guidance, and training to ensure that every child receives the very best care.

At the Infant Center, Samantha brings her energy and expertise to the youngest members of the Piggy family, helping set the tone for a loving, safe, and developmentally focused start to early learning.

We are so grateful to have Megan Brewer as part of our dedicated team at This Little Piggy Academy Infant Center. Megan first joined the Piggy family at This Little Piggy Academy Too, where she worked as an Infant 2 Teacher. In the summer of 2024, she transitioned to the Infant 1 classroom at our original location and then moved to the Infant Center when it opened in November 2024.

With multiple years of experience in early childhood education, Megan brings a deep understanding of infant care, strong classroom skills, and a nurturing spirit to her work each day. Her gentle approach and attentiveness create a calm, loving environment where our youngest learners feel safe and supported.

Megan is also a loving wife and proud mother of three beautiful children. One of her children was diagnosed with SCN8A, a rare form of epilepsy. Her personal journey as a parent has given her special expertise in recognizing and responding to infant seizures and other medical needs. This unique insight strengthens her ability to provide attentive, informed care to every child in her classroom.

Megan’s compassion, experience, and strength make her an incredible asset to our Infant Center team, and we are so lucky to have her caring for our little ones.

We are excited to welcome Dessa Sleeper to our team at This Little Piggy Academy Infant Center! Dessa joined us in March 2025 as an Infant Teacher, bringing with her a calm, caring presence and a genuine passion for working with little ones.

Before joining the Piggy family, Dessa worked in the pharmacy industry as a pharmacy technician. While she enjoyed her previous role, her heart has always been drawn to caring for and nurturing children. 

That love for early childhood development inspired her to make a career change—and we’re so glad it brought her to us!

Dessa’s gentle approach, patience, and natural connection with infants are evident in everything she does. She brings warmth and attentiveness to her classroom every day, creating a safe and loving environment for our littlest learners.

She is also a proud mom of two wonderful children, and her experience as a parent adds an extra layer of understanding and care to her role.

We’re so happy to have Dessa as part of our Piggy family and can’t wait to see the impact she continues to make in the lives of the children she teaches.