Growing up in the communist era of former Czechoslovakia, Adriana Costanzo realized at a young age that language could be the key to unlocking freedom and opportunity. In addition to Czech and Slovak, she learned Russian, French, Italian and English. She left her country at 18 to be an au pair in England for a year, setting her on a path that would eventually lead to Pennsylvania, where she helps families in need of child care and supports au pairs following the same dream she once pursued. 

Costanzo is a Local Childcare Consultant (LCC) for Cultural Care Au Pair, the largest au pair agency in the United States. She serves as a liaison between the au pair program and its participants, a local representative dedicated to supporting host families and au pairs throughout their journey. Costanzo helps navigate cultural gaps, miscommunications and travel complexities, providing a steady third-party perspective grounded in years of experience. 

After her au pair year in England, Costanzo returned home and worked as a translator and administrative assistant. At 26, she chose to leave and work as an au pair again—this time in the United States. She is still in touch with her U.S. host family today; their children even served as flower girl and ring bearer at her wedding in the Czech Republic. 

Costanzo remembers navigating cultural differences herself as an au pair and credits those experiences with helping her become a stronger, more confident and more independent person. She draws on her firsthand experience as an au pair in her work as an LCC. 

“Families appreciate my experience and input and trust me with helping them find an au pair that is a great fit for them,” says Costanzo. 

After her wedding, Costanzo and her husband moved to Pennsylvania, where they started a family. After many years as a stay-at-home mom applying the childcare expertise she gained as an au pair, she saw an opportunity to become an LCC and applied in 2023. She started with six families in her group and now has 15 to 20. In the past three years, she has guided more than 30 families in the area through the au pair program. 

In addition to working one-on-one with families, she hosts monthly au pair events and organizes two to three large host family gatherings each year. These are designed to build community, strengthen connections and celebrate cultural diversity. 

Costanzo became an LCC to give back to the program that changed her life and to help others experience the same transformative effects. A community-oriented person, she has volunteered at her children’s elementary school and started her own business cooking for busy local families. This work empowers her to nurture a community of people brought together through child care and cultural exchange. 

“The most rewarding thing about being an LCC is watching host families and au pairs form beautiful relationships and have great cultural experiences together,” says Costanzo. 

For more information about the au pair program, call Costanzo at 267-455-8202 or visit CulturalCare.com/lcc/acostanzo.