Our Team
Get to Know Our Safety Experts
Safe Start is parent-owned and operated.
We are skilled baby proofing experts who understand the challenges faced by modern parents. We design thoughtful and functional safety solutions to improve everyday life.
Alisa Bishop
CEO & Founder
Alisa is a nationally respected safety expert with over a decade of experience in professional baby proofing. She has worked in thousands of homes, identifying hazards and designing solutions that improve the everyday lives of families. She is revolutionizing the child proofing industry with a modern approach that combines deep safety knowledge with developmental science, visual design, product usability and long-term functionality.
Alisa lives in the Washington DC area with her husband, Russell Smith, chef-owner of Alfreda, a nationally recognized pizzeria. Together with their two daughters, Lily and Aerin, and their dog, Marley, they enjoy listening to Taylor Swift, and taking vacations at the beach.
Her ideal day includes doing crossword puzzles, taking on yet another home improvement and organizing project, and date night in a new outfit.
Alisa is proficient with power tools, not afraid to climb onto a roof, and can install baby gates in her sleep.
Holly Theis
Lead Child Safety Expert - DC
Holly got her International Association for Child Safety (IAFCS) certification with a 100% score in 12 minutes of the hour allotted, a detail that tells you almost everything you need to know about how she approaches her work. She is an exceptionally skilled safety expert and a master of interior design.
Most importantly, families immediately trust Holly’s calm, capable presence and ability to translate safety needs into solutions that actually make sense for their home and lifestyle. Before joining Safe Start, Holly spent much of her career in interior design and professional home staging. As a result, she’s developed an in-depth understanding of space, flow, and how thoughtful details shape the way a home feels. Today, she brings that expertise to child safety – making sure homes are safe but still beautiful.
When she’s not working, Holly is busy at home with her husband, John, showering love on her two babies, JoJo and Penelope.
Tulio Villeda
Lead Safety Technician - DC
Tulio is one of Safe Start's most practiced safety technicians – and proof that excellence in child safety comes from skill, discipline, and judgment, not just parenthood.
With many years of hands-on residential construction experience, Tulio brings true craftsmanship to every installation. He has an expert-level understanding of structure and materials, knowledge that directly translates into safer, stronger, longer-lasting child proofing solutions. He understands the nuance behind Safe Start’s more in-depth approach to home safety and executes it with precision and confidence.
When he’s not working, Tulio spends time with his extended family, helps his dad run his family’s contracting business, and goes to concerts.
Matt Nachtsheim
Director of Custom Child Proofing - Atlanta
Matt came to professional baby proofing after the birth of son, Westley (named, correctly after The Princess Bride). Like many parents, he quickly saw what lacking in the child proofing industry: inconsistent quality, surface-level solutions, and a lack of real care for how families actually live. Rather than accept that, he decided to build something better – for his family and for others.
Before joining Safe Start, Matt spent 20 years in restaurant management, an experience that shaped his passion for excellent customer service. When he’s not designing custom safety solutions, Matt spends time with his family or building custom furniture from reclaimed barn wood.
