SCP STAFF
Leadership
KHAHTEE V. TURNER / FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of Studio Creative Play is a community leader, an educational visionary, and a humanitarian and advocate for the propagation of the arts, creative enrichment, and compassionate awareness practices and offerings in early childhood. For the last 22 years at Studio—alongside artists, musicians, and educators—Khahtee has led a unique, comprehensive, and transcendent community experience. Through its mission, Studio holistically nurtures the awakening and blooming of each individual’s voice and expressive capacity in the most sacred and salient time of formative development: early childhood.
Alongside Studio, from 2015 to 2024, Khahtee founded, directed, and co-directed The Roberts Field School, an arts and nature interdisciplinary approach to academic elementary education. Khahtee has also taken her program worldwide to share the foundations of nurturing creative consciousness and interconnectivity with our global neighbors. She has brought educational experiences and resources to remote and underdeveloped areas of Mexico and Nepal and has shared resources and global community workshops during her visits to Icelandic schools.
Khahtee continues to extend Studio’s mission and her work to offer peace, equity, and justice to many more art and learning centers throughout the world. She can also be found adventuring in joy with her beloved sixteen-year-old son and ten-year-old daughter.
JANINE FOELLER / STUDIO MANAGING DIRECTOR is a seasoned leader with over twenty years of experience in the contemporary art world, where she has been at the forefront of fostering creative communities and celebrating artistic voices.
As the founder and co-owner of Wallspace, a contemporary art gallery in NYC, Janine nurtured emerging talent, curated thought-provoking exhibitions, and created spaces that cultivated experimentation, creativity, and community. In addition to her work at Wallspace, Janine has been the director of both nonprofit and commercial arts organizations and looks forward to bringing her extensive management experience and collaborative leadership approach to Studio Creative Play.
Janine has been involved in the Studio Creative Play and Roberts Field communities for over a decade. Throughout her involvement—as a Studio Family/Parent, a member of the Family Advisory Board, Leadership Support to Studio and Roberts Field School, and Program Director for Safety and Operations—Janine has shown a deep commitment to supporting the growth and development of children in an environment that values care, creativity, and the arts. She is dedicated to fostering a nurturing, imaginative learning environment that celebrates each child’s unique gifts.
In her free time, Janine can be found walking her dog, Biscuit, in Fort Greene Park, visiting artists’ studios, or cheering from the bleachers at her son’s basketball games.
CAROLINE GUZMAN (she/her) / STUDIO CO-DIRECTOR AND ATELIERISTA is an artist, dancer, nature-lover, and educator who has dedicated the last 14 years of her career to strengthening the holistic vision and joyful community of Studio Creative Play. During her tenure, Caroline has taught children aged two through six, acted as a staff supervisor in the Venni early childhood program, and regularly mentored new educators in Studio’s philosophy and classroom approach.
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Caroline is passionate about interdisciplinary instruction and has spent over a decade designing and implementing creative curriculum in partnership with Khahtee. Among these projects, Caroline launched the Live Earth series in 2012 – a weekly movement lab that explored the body’s physical connection to nature and dispelled the notion that dance requires a formal practice space, or indeed, the presence of walls whatsoever. In 2020, Caroline helped SCP to pilot full-day outdoor learning in Prospect Park, guiding a blended k-1 class through field-based experiences that investigated everything from soundscape ecology to aquatic macroinvertebrates. She continued to collaborate with nature educators at the Roberts Field elementary through 2024, and worked to adapt the program for even younger children – what became Studio Creative Play’s Arboles forest day. For the past 9 years, Caroline has led the Studio Terra Fives classroom, developing and teaching a robust curriculum that centers on global environmental and cultural awareness. Together with math and literacy consultants, Caroline found authentic opportunities to weave foundational academics into the thematic units of study. Through this approach, students in SCP’s Terra classroom achieve benchmark kindergarten skills while benefitting from a daily experience that is uniquely artful, playful, and emotionally nurturing.
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Caroline began her transition to the Studio leadership team in 2024, acting as SCP’s Summer Director for Imaginarium and working closely with Janine as a Director In-Training – supporting daily operations during the 2024-25 school year. She is thrilled to assume the position of Co-Director this Fall and looks forward to becoming more involved with Studio’s wonderful families and their children’s discoveries.
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Outside of school, Caroline’s usually covered in papier-mâché, sculpting puppets and costumes, or playing with her six-year-old daughter and two-year-old son.
ANGUS DAVIDSON (he/him) / STUDIO MAESTRO has been part of the Studio Creative Play community since 2015, first as a teacher in the Venni Fours program and now as Studio’s Maestro. Over the years, Angus has co-taught in classrooms for threes and fours, contributed to the elementary program as a Music Ambassador, acted as an Assistant Director to Studio and The Roberts Field School, and developed and led an interdisciplinary arts curriculum for elementary students. He also launched Day in the Field, Studio’s flagship outdoor education initiative, and co-led Studio Arboles in Fall 2020, facilitating in-person learning in Prospect Park.
Angus holds a BA in music from Hampshire College, where he focused on piano performance and conducting. His diverse teaching experience spans ESL kindergarten and elementary classrooms, choral direction, music lessons, and outdoor education. Beyond Studio, he co-founded Spark Arts, a summer and after-school program celebrating nature and cultural traditions through the arts, mindfulness, and outdoor adventure.
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Currently pursuing his Master’s in Education at Bank Street Graduate School of Education, Angus is focusing on early childhood and elementary education. Beginning in Fall 2025, he will teach at nearby PS 321, continuing his commitment to creative, child-centered learning while remaining deeply connected to Studio Creative Play.
ROBIN PICKERING (she/they) / DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES has been an active leader for Studio Creative Play and The Roberts Field School in various capacities for the past seventeen years. Robin's administrative leadership roles have served a range of diverse needs from editing content for the Studio Creative Play website to helping produce educational videos, supervising staff, and managing daily operations and large developmental projects.
Robin’s current role as Director of Administrative Services continues to incorporate work with Khahtee and the leadership team to help expand the reach of our mission on a more global scale, as well as to manage the more daily administrative tasks.
Robin is a musician, writer, and a devoted student of Sanskrit. She can often be found wandering around Coney Island or in any of Brooklyn’s parks and green spaces.
Studio Teachers
LISA MEIJER VAN PUTTEN (she/her) / LEAD TEACHER – ORION TWOS is an early childhood educator from Belgium with a BA in Early Childhood Education. She brings a global perspective shaped by a decade of living and working in London, as well as her studies in Norway. It was in Norway that she discovered the country’s distinctive approach to outdoor learning, an experience that deeply influenced her belief in the
value of nature-based education.
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Lisa has worked with children ages 2–6 and, during her time in London, served on the leadership team, guiding curriculum development and supporting educators in their professional growth. She is passionate about blending creativity with the natural world, creating meaningful, hands-on experiences that nurture curiosity and exploration. Her love for puppet play and storytelling brings stories to life in the classroom, sparking imagination and wonder in young learners.
She is excited to join the Twos Program alongside Kaley and looks forward to starting her journey at Studio. In addition to the Twos classroom, Lisa will also be teaching in the Bambini Studio extended care program, giving her the opportunity to connect with children throughout
different parts of their day.
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Outside the classroom, Lisa enjoys discovering hidden gems in New York’s record shops for her growing vinyl collection, spending quiet afternoons in bookstores, and experimenting with new recipes. She shares her life with her partner and Pawpaw, her 15-year-old cat, both of whom have accompanied her on many travels around the world.
KALEY HONEYCUTT (she/her) / ASSISTANT TEACHER – ORION TWOS is an artist, educator, and musician who brings a playful and caring spirit to early childhood education. Originally from Florida, she grew up hiking, canoeing, and exploring nature. This love of the outdoors and adventure still inspires her work today.
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With four years of experience working in a holistic creative kindergarten arts program, Kaley has supported young children through music, visual art, movement, and imaginative play. She has guided many hands-on visual art projects including painting, sculpting, and mixed media. Her approach is rooted in the belief that learning should be joyful, meaningful, and full of wonder.
Kaley draws on her personal experience as a songwriter and touring musician, bringing a lifelong creative spirit to her work. Years of traveling across the country and collaborating with a wide range of artists and musicians have shaped her worldview and deepened her appreciation for different ways of creating and connecting.
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During her first year at Studio, Kaley aims to weave original music and rhythm into each day, using songs to support transitions, storytelling, and connection. Utilizing her experience with travel, nature, music, and visual art, Kaley always invites children to express themselves freely and follow their own creative paths. This year, Kaley is excited to co-teach with Lisa in the Orion Classroom, creating a warm and joyful space for two-year-olds to learn and grow. With her creativity and big heart, Kaley is dedicated to making sure every child feels safe, seen, and celebrated.
MAIA DOUGHTIE (she/they) / CO-TEACHER – CAPELLA THREES is thrilled to return for their second year at Studio Creative Play, bringing creativity, global experiences, and a love for nature to the classroom.
As the child of a Brazilian immigrant and TESOL teacher, Maia developed a passion for travel and teaching, beginning as an au pair in Barcelona and later teaching in Zaragoza, Spain, through the North American Language and Culture Assistants Program. A graduate of the University of Central Florida in Broadcast Journalism and Political Science, they went on to serve for three years as a Lead Teacher and Program Coordinator for Apax English in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, discovering that creativity, play, and exploration are universal foundations for children’s growth.
While continuing their travels, Maia spent several years working remotely in wildlife conservation as a Content & Media Strategist for Friends of Bonobos, an organization dedicated to protecting endangered bonobos and preserving their rainforest habitat in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Now based in Brooklyn, Maia blends a love for art, music, storytelling, and our natural world into their work as a teacher at Studio, and outside the classroom as an indie-folk musician as well as art director and set designer for local short films. These diverse experiences have strengthened Maia’s belief in the power of curiosity, compassion, and global awareness.
They look forward to inspiring wonder through art, music, and nature with
Capella class this year!
NATALIE REZEK (she/her) / ASSISTANT TEACHER – CAPELLA THREES joins Studio this year as a teacher for the Capella Threes, further expanding her passion for creative learning. Studio’s multidisciplinary approach resonates deeply with Natalie’s practice of music and art-making in her own life. As an artist, she thrives through teaching in environments filled with kinesthetic expression, and she brings the art and vibration of piano and guitar to these experiences, expanding the power of these learning mediums. She developed her love of teaching through her work at Children’s Aid, where she provided lessons that were focused on tactile engagement. Her work in the Health and Wellness Division assisted in the creation and implementation of Snap-Ed initiatives ranging from nutrition classes utilizing local and fresh produce, educational gardens, and community education initiatives such as the Go!Healthy FoodBox program throughout Children’s Aid sites in the Bronx, Harlem, and Washington Heights.
She graduated from Hampshire College in 2020 with a BA in Environmental Science. In her off hours she plays guitar, creates electronic music, and continues her decade-long practice of creating geometric paintings.
MAYSOUN BATLEY (she/her) / ASSISTANT TEACHER – CAPELLA THREES grew up in Beirut, Lebanon and came to the United States to pursue her education in 2018. She graduated from University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2024 with a degree in Sociology and Middle Eastern studies with Honors. She has been working with children of all ages for over five years- mainly in the context of Refugee Resettlement.
One of her favorite roles has been as a Youth Mentor for Soccer Without Borders where she coached soccer to New Americans of all backgrounds, languages and cultures. Her work and lived experience has led her to understand the profound impact that warmth, love, fun, and play have on the ability to shape young children’s minds in unimaginable ways.
This will be her second year working at Studio; she taught Bambini and Imaginarium in 2025. She also works as a Teaching Artist at Free Arts NYC. She is excited to combine her skills as an artist and her passion for youth development and enrichment to give Studio children the most magical experience possible.
Outside of Studio she enjoys painting, reading, experiencing New York with her friends and hanging out with her two cats Batata and Amir and her hedgehog King Tut.
KYLE MADER (he/him) / CO-TEACHER – VEGA FOURS is excited to return to Studio Creative Play for his second year. Growing up in a small town in the Pacific Northwest, Kyle developed a deep love for nature and the outdoors that continues to inspire his teaching approach and sense of personal wonder.
Kyle holds a master's degree in elementary teaching with an ESOL certification from Oregon State University. He has taught in various roles, including as a Lead Teacher for 3rd grade, an ESL Instructor for grades K through 2, and in other extracurricular programming like Skateboard Summer Camp for elementary students. Kyle particularly enjoys integrating visual art, music, and hands-on exploration into his teaching practice.
What Kyle values most about Studio is the close-knit community that allows him to draw from his personal passions, especially visual art and music, as vehicles for curricular content. As an Oregonian, he believes deeply in the importance of outdoor learning and play as foundational early experiences, and he loves that Studio prioritizes so much time in nature. Kyle finds great joy in following children's interests and adapting learning to match their individual backgrounds and curiosities.
Outside the classroom, Kyle likes to paint, record music, and go camping with his wife and Bernese Mountain dog, Francine. Kyle looks forward to bringing his love of nature to Studio for another joyful and imaginative year with the Fours class.
NOOSHIN ROSTAMI (they/them) / CO-TEACHER – VEGA FOURS is excited to join Studio Creative Play this year. Nooshin is a visual artist, educator, and community builder. They have over a decade of experience teaching a variety of age groups, from pre-kindergarten creative geniuses to ambitious university students in NYC public schools, after-school programs, universities, community colleges, and public workshops. Their mission in art-making is to craft curious and playful spaces that encourage new ways of seeing and perceiving the world, a mission they have carried out in their teaching practice across diverse age groups.
Nooshin holds a master's degree in Studio Arts from Brooklyn College. Their commitment to inclusive and culturally responsive art programming is unwavering. Their role as a teacher at The New American Academy involved leading interdisciplinary workshops that encouraged Pre-K, kindergarten, and elementary students to explore sculpture, drawing, painting, and mixed media through playful material discovery. They also worked with middle school students through the Urban Arts Partnership, integrating art into ESL and social studies curricula to support language learning, identity exploration, and storytelling.
Nooshin is a co-founder of Building New Bonds (B new B), an initiative dedicated to bringing the transformative and healing power of art-making into communities, a journey enriched by working with Studio’s young creative minds.
KYLE ANTHONY (she/her) / LEAD TEACHER – STUDIO TERRA has been part of the Studio Creative Play family for over a decade. She was a founding Terra teacher for several years and a first and second grade teacher for a decade. Her approach to education is one of integration, exploration, arts, and community.
In childhood, Kyle was lucky enough to grow up in a household full of art supplies, engrossing children’s books, and parents who understood that childhood could be (and should be) messy and that messes could be cleaned up. In education, Kyle earned her BA in art history and her MA in Art Therapy and this provides the bedrock of her classroom.
The walls in Kyle’s classroom quickly fill with art, individual and collaborative, with an emphasis on process. She has worked and run art-based summer camps and most recently worked in an ICT classroom. Science, social studies, and social-emotional learning are project and inquiry-based, play being central to initial exploration of topics. Students thrive in a nurturing and safe environment that inspires risk-taking and self-challenge, taking on rigorous tasks without feeling performative pressure.
In addition to being a teacher, Kyle is a parent to a curious toddler. They love coloring, exploring beaches, riding rides at Coney Island, and riding the subway everywhere. Kyle is an ardent explorer of the world, she and her partner have traveled many incredible places, most recently the Galapagos, where she got to swim with sea lions and splash around with penguins. Like her students, Kyle stays curious and knows that you’re never done learning or growing!
CHRISTINE JACOBS (she/they) / ASSISTANT TEACHER – STUDIO TERRA is an educator with over a decade of experience teaching ages 2 through 22 and is excited to dive into another year with Studio Creative Play. She can’t wait to return to spend time in nature each day with her students and to continue contributing to Studio’s intentional school culture rooted in creativity, mindfulness, and joy.
Christine has taught a wide variety of subjects, from robotics and chemistry to acting, art, and devising. She loves to find opportunities for cross-curricular experiences, and believes when students are given the opportunity to inquire, imagine, and create, there is no limit to the beautiful new worlds they will build. Christine began teaching in Virginia, where she is from, and where she held her pre-K-6 teaching license and taught in public schools. She also worked with Educational Theatre Company as a teaching artist and with Imagination Stage as an inclusion facilitator.
Christine holds a BA in Theatre and Elementary Education from the College of William and Mary, as well as an MFA in Drama from the University of Virginia. She is also an actor, singer, voice-over artist, and speech and dialect coach. When not teaching, Christine loves to knit, take dance classes, and go on long walks with her dog.
SIMONA RUBIN (she/her) CO-TEACHER VEGA FOURS is passionate about nurturing creativity and curiosity in children. She holds a Master of Arts in Child Development from Sarah Lawrence College and has had the joy of working with young children in childhood classrooms, summer programs, and hospitals– all rooted in a belief that creativity, exploration, and play are essential to learning. Simona has been a part of the Studio Creative Play community for years, as a proud aunt to three alumni, a teacher, and support staffer. This year, she is super excited to join the Vega classroom on Fridays, where she looks forward to cultivating a sense of wonder, meaningful learning, and joyful exploration!