Julie Marske, M.ED.

I opened Creativo! Academy because I believe children have a right to a beautiful childhood while experiencing a hands-on curriculum that honors their ideas while gaining critical life skills. I have over thirty years of experience in early childhood education in corporate, private, and non-profit settings, and I’m very passionate about nature education; one of the accomplishments I’m most proud of is creating the first Nature Explore Outdoor Classroom certified by the Arbor Day Foundation in Chicago.

Natalie zaya

I am currently a sophomore at Oakton Community College completing an associates degree in early childhood education and planning on transferring to a university. After my associates degree, my educational aspirations consist of completing a bachelor’s degree majoring in education and minoring in Spanish or fine arts. I decided to attain a career as an educator since my passion has always been to help and guide others. Therefore, I believe that pursuing such a career would grant me the opportunity to help children all while doing something I love. My downtime is mostly spent reading and drawing. Art and the humanities have always played a huge part in my life, so I will always value and encourage creativity. My choice of career has stemmed from my very own favorite memories in school and relationships with my teachers, so I am committed to fulfilling my goals in order to create a positive and opportunistic environment for future generations.

Karen frantz

I’m a lifelong resident of Chicago, a mother and grandmother! I was blessed to work as  the head makeup artist at NBC-WMAQ TV NEWS for the past two decades supporting  my family and putting my son through college. In 2016, I went back to school to pursue my passion in Early Childhood Education. At that time one of my training observations  was at Creativo Academy and I was so impressed with the high quality of the learning  experiences, I’ve never forgotten. Today…here I am!  

I believe each and every child is a unique individual that deserves an education to  develop their own interests, skills and strengths especially at this critical early stage in  their lives. My goal is to help establish a strong foundation for learning within each  child. I hope to leave them with a smile every day!

Maddie Guerrero

Hi! My name is Maddie Guerrero and in the fall, I will be a senior at Marquette University. I’m studying Elementary Education & English, so my goal is to become an elementary teacher in Chicago when I graduate. I enjoy bike riding, walking my dog, and spending time with friends and family. I’ve wanted to work with children ever since I was young, as I strongly believe they are the key to our future and can make a huge impact on the world. Every child is unique; I value all children equally and support them in all aspects. I am fulfilled everyday working with children, as there is no better feeling than seeing a child’s face light up when you see them!

Mira xenos

I have been teaching yoga to children for over 4 years. When I was training for my teacher certification, the teachers at my boys’ preschool offered me to teach the children there and that’s how it all started. Kids make amazing yoga students, they are very intuitive and spontaneous. I have two boys, 9 and 6. I love summers as we get to travel to Greece and Bulgaria to visit family. I also love hiking and reading.

Lyndsay murphree

Lyndsay is a freelance teaching artist, working with students from preschool age to adult. She is affiliated with numerous organizations in the Chicago area, such as North Branch Arts, Evanston Art Center, North Shore Art League and Marwen. She holds a bachelors degree from Columbia College, and a masters from the University of Chicago. In teaching art, Lyndsay believes in the philosophy of process over product. She focuses on giving children an understanding of tools, techniques and history so they have a foundation to explore their own ideas.