Contact Us

Instructors

Chetara Murphy (Swim Instruction) has taught many different levels of swimming through the years, specializing in teaching swimming fundamentals to children. Certified through the American Red Cross since 2006 in Water Safety, Lifeguard, First Aid, CPR and AED. Ms. Murphy has also served as a head lifeguard at LIU Brooklyn.

Felicia Reynolds (Baby+Me) is an American Red Cross certified Water Safety instructor and Lifeguard, has been a lifeguard for five years and a swimming instructor at LIU Brooklyn for the past year. Felicia has taught all levels of swimming in both group and private settings and particularly enjoys classes involving toddlers. Before becoming an American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor, Felicia spent her summers as a swim instructor at summer camps and at local pools in her native New Jersey.

Noelia Brito (Spanish) holds a Bachelor’s degree in education as well as a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education. She has extensive experience as a teacher in public and private schools in Tenerife, Spain. Additionally, she has developed programs in children’s nutrition. Recently, Noelia has been learning English at LIU Brooklyn with the goal of returning to Spain to teach English to children.

Eli Brandwein (Comics and ‘Zines) is a Brooklyn-based illustrator and comic author. Recently graduated from Pratt Institute (Class of 2012), he is currently freelancing and working on his self-published comic Claws.

Tabitha Boulding (Hip Hop) is from North Carolina where she got her BFA in Dance from East Carolina University. Since leaving to NYC, she has performed for such artist as Chaka Khan and Weird Al Yankovic. She has also choreographed numerous shows and a few include Cats, High Society and The Happenings at Sogmush River. Tabitha currently teaches at Beyond Dance in Englewood, NJ and Dance Connection of Hillsbourgh, NJ.

Hector Garcia (Karate) is an internationally licensed Black Belt Shotokan Karate instructor trained by Dr. Milorad Stricevic and Thomas Casale. Hector has been a licensed JSKA-USA Karate instructor since 2008 and has also competed in over 20 Shotokan Karate Competitions including two JSKA World Championships.

Yauri S Kelly Dalencour (Creative Movement) is a dancer/choreographer, ethnodanceologist and writer who received her dance training from the Reston Institute for the Arts and Alvin Ailey American Dance School, holds a BFA in Dance from Adelphi and a MA in Dance and Dance Education from New York University. Ms. Dalencour is earning a PhD in Dance, is a trained cultural anthropologist and is founder and director of Yauri Dalencour Dance/EthnodanceologyCreative.

Kyle De Ocero is from Brooklyn by way of San Francisco by way of Philippines. He is a MFA candidate at Long Island University pursuing creative writing.

Zilvinas Jonusas is true renaissance man of the performing arts, Zilvinas graduated from Vilnius University in his native Lithuania with a B.F.A. in Theater and Philology, received his M.A. in Media Arts from Long Island University (Brooklyn Campus) in 2007 and is currently working on a thesis project for an M.F.A. in New Media Arts and Performance, also at L.I.U. While in Lithuania, Zilvinas co-founded the renowned Pop-off Show Theater and performed as an actor and dancer in shows for both children and adults with the Russian Drama Theater of Lithuania and the Old Town Theater of Vilnius. In addition to his extensive theater work, Zilvinas is a screenwriter, filmmaker (of both live action and animated shorts) a film composer and graphic designer.

Leah Kreger R.A. is an independent educator, Registered Architect, writer and parent. She has 10 years’ experience engaging people of all ages in design workshops and lectures based on her architectural research into the relationship of memory to creativity. She does this using block-building play, and the tools of drawing, model building or diorama construction and personal narrative storytelling presentation.

Olga Pinheiro is a 500-hour certified Yoga Instructor, has been active in Yoga community for over 7 years. A graduate from Yoga Sutra, one of New York City's top Yoga schools, Olga has taught classes in groups, in partners and individually. Fluent in Portuguese, Olga has taught classes in both English and Spanish and is in the process of completing a specializing course in Yoga for Children that will qualify her to teach kids from 2-14 years of age.

Andriana Alefhi (American Sign Language) is an Assistant Professor at LIU in the Communication Science Disorders and Education Departments where she teaches American Sign Language (ASL) level 1 and 2. She has also taught a children's afterschool program at the 14th St Y helping them launch their ASL Program. Ms. Alefhi also has a Masters in Early Childhood Special Education.

Hannah Huang (Mandarin) was born in the south of China and emigrated to the United States in her teens. Attending Long Island University, Hannah graduated with honors in 2007 with a degree in Molecular Biology. She is currently working on a doctorate in Pharmaceutics, which she hopes to receive in 2012. Hannah is an expert translator in both Mandarin and Cantonese to English, having worked extensively in both USCIS and Public school system. Hannah has worked as a Teaching Assistant and at the Dean’s Office of Pharmacy School at LIU. Her hobbies include the creation of professional-quality fine jewelry, drawing and painting. She is also an accomplished skater and enthusiastic ping-pong player.

Jake Menichino (Graphic Design) is an Italian-American graphic designer/illustrator and art & design educator, born in Brooklyn, New York. Attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and Manhattan, and currently teaches art in New York.

Michah Saperstein (Chess) started teaching 13 years ago as an undergraduate student who spent several years traveling, living and studying abroad in Asia.  When he returned home to NYC, he continued to teach English as a second language and found teaching to be a rewarding career.  As a chess expert and lifelong enthusiast, he found many analogies between chess and language as well as learning the fluency of a language and learning the fluency of chess.  Michah now runs his own teaching business, Gotham City Chess, where he works with students, schools and camps all over New York City.  He is really great at making chess fun, interesting and engaging.

Reynaldo Vargas (Video Game Design) is a game designer and educator who is interested in teaching children systems thinking and game design. He is a senior at New York University studying philosophy, critical theory, games studies and game design. His sport, Staccato, is an 2012 IndieCade finalist and his video game Super Atomico 1990 was recently released on Facebook. His personal website/portfolio can be seen at: naldogames.wordpress.com.