Meet Our Staff
Founder & Owner of Kids at Work
Julie Averill, a mom herself, has been working with babies and young children through age 5 for the last fourteen years.
Working with young children and their families is Julie’s passion – from witnessing a baby’s first steps to seeing a toddler’s eyes light up at the sight of a new discovery, to helping a young child conquer separation anxiety.
You will see Julie in the classroom on the floor with children in our Toddle Around, Mess it Up, and Gentle Separation classes. All new clients are sure to receive a personal email from her welcoming them to Kids at Work!
Julie’s formal education includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the University of Hartford. In addition to her hands-on experience with babies and young children, she has also completed The RIE I: Theory and Observation course in infant and toddler development and care.
Julie works to curate an amazingly compassionate and mature team of early childhood professionals to work with the children at Kids at Work. Julie also holds a masters in orchestral flute from Manhattan School of Music.
Julie and her husband Dmitry have two sons born in 2011 and 2014, and live on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
General Manager
Lydia holds a Masters of Library and Information Sciences from the University of Illinois and a Bachelor's degree from Butler University. Lydia is interested in early childhood development and literacy. She has experience as a Family Literacy coordinator and Children's Librarian and brings her love of reading, singing, and playing to Kids at Work. Lydia has been a team member at Kids at Work since May 2024.
Front Desk and Party Planner
Lead Teacher, Dance
Lyric is a Performer, Teaching Artist, and Choreographer originally from Seattle Washington. She holds a bachelor's degree in Dance education K-12 from Brigham Young University. With more than 5 years of professional experience teaching children, Lyric is excited to be a part of the Kids at Work team here in NYC. She is passionate about sharing her love of creativity and play with youth and the world! Lyric has been a team member at Kids at Work since September 2023.
Preschool Prep Separation, Co-Lead Teacher
Nicole holds a Masters Degree from NYU School of Global Health where she completed courses in child development and multi faceted approaches to supporting family health She also holds a BA from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She loves art, books, museums, traveling, being outdoors and exploring the city. Nicole is a mom of a middle schooler and navigating the teenage years with an open heart and excitement. She is also CPR/AED and first aid certified for infants and adults. Nicole has been a team member at Kids at Work since May 2022.
Preschool Prep Separation, Co-Lead Teacher
Shadae is an experienced early childhood educator with a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education from Walden University and a passion for play-based learning. Drawing inspiration from working in spaces that incorporate Reggio Emilia and R.I.E. philosophies, she fosters learning environments rooted in respect, compassion, and curiosity. Shadae is committed to nurturing children's growth through hands-on activities and meaningful connections with families. She creates warm, engaging spaces that support each child's development and well-being in every classroom she enters. Shadae has been a Kids at Work team member since October 2024.
Preschool Prep Separation, Assistant Teacher
Summer Camp, Assistant Teacher
Sandra holds a certification as an Assistant Teacher and worked for over 20 years as a private teacher and caregiver. She is currently continuing her education in Criminal Justice. Sandra is also a fluent Spanish speaker. Sandra has three children and an infant grandson, she lives in NYC with her husband and two teens. She is a member of the Parent Teacher Association at her children's school. Sandra also holds certifications in CPR Pro and First Aid: Responding to Emergencies. Sandra is an Assistant Teacher in Preschool Prep Separation and KAW Summer Camp. She has been a part of the Kids at Work team since June 2023.
Lead Teacher and Facilities Manager
Kevin is a NYC native and has been with KAW for over 5 years. Kevin holds an Associate degree in Digital Arts and came to KAW with creativity in arts. His passion of working with children evolved from his mother who’s now a retired middle school teacher. Kevin’s interests are arts, sports, music, traveling, and cooking. Kevin is also knowledgeable about the Kids At Work facility. His friendly, talkative, calm and confident demeanor are a wonderful addition to the workplace. Kevin has been a team member at Kids at Work since June 2019.
Lead Teacher, Music and Dance
Sophie DeLeo is an actor, singer, and songwriter with a BFA in Musical Theatre from The Hartt School. Since 2015, she has been teaching music, drama, and songwriting to kids of all ages and she’s so excited to join the team at Kids at Work! You can check out Sophie's "grown-up" music here!
Visit www.sophiadeleo.com to learn more about her and see where you might be able to catch her performing next. Sophia has worked extensively with infants and toddlers at Musibambino on Manhattan's Upper West Side. She has been a team member at Kids at Work since April 2022.
Lead Teacher, Music
Marlena Ospina is a singer and composer living in Brooklyn. She worked professionally as a theatre artist and musician in New York City for six years. She is currently an active member of the NYC Sacred Harp community and in the choir of St. Brigid's Roman Catholic Church in Bushwick. She has also worked in education and visitor engagement for the Wildlife Conservation Society at the Central Park and Prospect Park Zoos. She performs and writes in English and Spanish, and (some of) her original music can be found at marlenaospina.bandcamp.com Marlena has been a team member at Kids at Work since August 2022.
Lead Teacher, Music
Evan Nachimson has spent the last decade working for every kids music program you've already heard of in NYC. From Songs for Seeds at Appleseeds to Ramblin' Dan's Freewheelin' Band, to right here at Kids at Work! He's played birthday parties for past U.S. President's Grandchildren, mannyed for A-List celebrities, and co-founded his own kids yoga program. As a Berklee College of Music Graduate, he's gone on to work with Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award Winners. He is the founder of Kids at Work's newest class, Mindful Music, where the mission is to emotionally validate children through music, and build long-lasting, meaningful relationships with every student.
Lead Teacher, Cooking
Eliza is originally from Westchester, New York and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from the University of Denver. With extensive experience engaging with children in various capacities, she is passionate about nurturing young minds through cooking. Eliza is excited to bring her enthusiasm for culinary exploration to KAW, where she looks forward to inspiring children to discover the joys of cooking. In her free time, she enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, taking her rescue dog for walks, and catching live music performances. Eliza has been a Kids at Work Team Member since July 2024
Lead Teacher, Music
Sydney is a performer and teaching artist from Fort Worth, Texas and received her Bachelor's of Music from The University of Central Oklahoma. She has been working with and teaching children for the last five years and has taught everything from gymnastics, music, theatre, and dance! Sydney is so excited to be a part of the Kids at Work team in NYC and continuing sharing her love of music. Sydney has been a team member at Kids at Work since May 2024.
Lead Teacher, Ballet
A dance and theater lover from day one, Kaya performed with community arts organizations throughout her childhood, including the prestigious American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. Kaya started her dance training with The Madison City Ballet Company, studying classical ballet technique. She continued her ballet training at The Petaluma Ballet. After moving to Los Angeles, Millenium and The Edge became Kaya's stomping grounds where she studied multiple dance styles including: ballet, hip hop, jazz, and tap. She has been teaching dance, starting with children as young as 16 months, for the past 7 years and loves working with young dancers to help them develop and find their own love for movement. Kaya has been a team member at Kids at Work since September 2019.
Facilities/Assistant Teacher and Party Manager
Kelcie Crino has worked extensively with a variety of ages over the years, with children and families from all backgrounds. She has worked with the founder's personal family for over 5 years. She is extremely passionate about her job, and acknowledges and cherishes the impact she can have on a child, and the joy that they can create together. Kelcie is energetic, patient, and a constant source of encouragement for all the children she has the pleasure of working with. Kelcie has been a team member at Kids at Work since January 2024.
Facilities and Assistant Teacher
Nico is a career Illustrator with a Bachelors Degree in Game Art from Southern New Hampshire University. He is currently beginning a Masters in Art Education at the School Of Visual Arts. He has prior experience as an after-school Art Teacher for early childhood students. His goal is to inspire children to express themselves via their creativity and foster any talents they want to pursue. Nico has been a Team Member at Kids at Work since June 2024.
Lead Teacher, Summer Camp
Daniela has two children and two fur babies. They love to travel, find new adventures and laugh along the way. The summer before Daniela started college, she got a part time job in a preschool, fell in love with the teaching profession, changed her major to Education and never looked back. Daniela has a Bachelors in Childhood Education, a Masters in TESOL and a Masters in School Building Leadership. She believes we are all life long learners. Daniela loves teaching and watching children develop independence and learn from new experiences. Over the last 19 years, she has worked in South Carolina as a Curriculum Coach, and for the NYC school system as a literacy specialist, instructional lead and a curriculum and professional learning coach. During this time Daniela always maintained a role as a teacher and maintained a connection with the children as well as curriculum needs. She is excited to be part of the Kids at Work Summer Camp team and spend time learning from the children. Daniela has been a team member at Kids at Work since 2024.