Museum Summer Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays 9am - 2pm. Wednesday & Fridays 1pm - 5pm. Saturdays 12pm - 5pm
The Creating Kids Teachers are all experienced early childhood educators who are passionate about helping your children grow.
Learn more about them here!
Lorraine Rogers
Creating Kids Director
Lorraine (she/her) joined Creating Kids in April 2025, bringing with her over 19 years of experience in the field of early childhood education. Before joining the team, she dedicated 18 years to the Yale New Haven Hospital Daycare Center in New Haven, where she advanced from a casual-status Teacher Assistant to a managerial role over the years.
Lorraine began her professional journey by earning her Child Development Associate (CDA) credential through ACES in Hamden. Her commitment to learning led her to complete her Bachelor’s in Child Studies from Charter Oak State College.
Outside of work, Lorraine loves spending time with her family—her husband, their three daughters Jada, Janae, and Jordyn, and their yorkie, Jayce. A fan of children’s literature, her favorite books include Llama Llama Red Pajama, written and illustrated by Anna Dewdney, and Night Shift Daddy, written by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by Melissa Iwai. And of course, as a proud resident of the pizza capital, pizza is her go-to favorite food!
Lisette Castro Lopez
Infants/Younger Toddlers Teacher
Lissette (she/her) has been Creating Kids’ resident baby whisperer for the past 25 years. She treasures the opportunity to watch children in the Baby Room grow and develop on their own. Lissette understands the complexities of teaching our youngest learners. She has a deep understanding of developmental milestones while also understanding that children are unique and develop at different paces. Lissette loves to do art projects with the children; babies can do so much! Lissette graduated from All Our Kin’s Child Development Program, a New Haven-based child care training program, and she also holds an Infant Toddler Child Development Associate credential. Lissette grew up in Guatemala and is fluent in Spanish. She enjoys gardening and walking her dog. Her favorite children’s book is Sunshine on My Shoulders, by John Denver, and her favorite food is black beans with tortillas.
Adrian Drzewucki
Infants/Younger Toddlers Teacher
Adrian (he/they) joined Lisette in the Baby Room team in January 2025. They hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Arizona and are currently enrolled in the Sociology Master’s Program at Southern Connecticut State University where they study Crip Theory. Originally from Florida, Adrian served as a Camp Counselor at a Safari Day Camp where they taught children how to hold baby alligators, ride camels, and candle chicken eggs. Adrian’s favorite aspect of working in early childhood education is watching children develop their sense of creativity, adventure, and silliness. Outside of the Baby Room, they enjoy reading books paired with a nice cup of coffee and one of their cats on their lap, cooking various soups and curries, or tending to their (too) many plants. Adrian speaks both English and French. Their favorite children’s book is Le Petit Prince and their favorite food, while constantly changing, is currently Buldak Jjajang Ramen — which they eat every Friday for dinner without fail!
Barbara (Basia) Kabala
Mid Kids Teacher
Basia (she/her) is one of our wonderful Mid Kid teachers. She came to Creating Kids over 20
years ago through her Psychology and Child Development field work placement at Quinnipiac University, where she received her Bachelor’s degree. She also holds a Master’s degree in Psychology from Southern Connecticut State University. According to Basia, one of the joys of being a teacher is watching children’s language develop and listening to the funny things the kids say. Basia has a deep understanding of how children develop and encourages her children to solve problems. Outside of work, she enjoys playing with her kids, Maya and Leo, and caring for her betta fish. Basia’s go-to-food is macaroni and cheese and her favorite children's book is a classic – The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
Crystal Clark
Assistant Teacher, Floater
Crystal (she/her) joined Creating Kids in April 2025. She has a love and passion for art and educating children. Crystal went to Cooperative Arts High School, focused in Visual Arts, and quickly realized at a young age that she wanted to do something tied into sharing her love for creativity and how it can inspire learning in so many different ways. She received her Bachelor’s in Fine Arts in Illustration at Paier College of Art in Hamden, Ct. Crystal has worked as an after school art teacher at Conte West Hills Elementary with Kindergarteners as well as Assistant Teaching at Adae Fine Arts in New Haven, Ct. Crystal is originally from New Haven but has recently moved back from San Francisco where she learned about fashion and styling which helped expand her world of creative expression. During down time she enjoys working on art projects, reading, and cooking. She loves creating projects with the children and showing them that through art anything is possible. Education is very important to her and is so excited to be part of Creating Kids, teaching with kindness, compassion, and creativity. Her favorite children's book series are Winnie the Pooh, by A.A. Milne, and Madeline, by Ludwig Bemelmans, and her favorite food is sushi.
Fillomena (Filly) Zarra
Head Teacher and Big Kids Teacher
Filly (she/her) is the Head Teacher at Creating Kids and leads the Tree Frog group. With over 45 years of experience working with young children—and more than 30 of those spent at Creating Kids—she’s become a beloved cornerstone of our community, having welcomed two generations of the same families through our doors. A proud mom to Creating Kids alum Anna, Filly brings deep experience and a nurturing spirit to everything she does. With a lifelong passion for early childhood education, she loves guiding young children as they explore and grow in the world of Creating Kids. Filly holds a Master’s degree from Vermont College, where she did original observational research and writing on creativity and young children. Through her studies, she read seminal works of great philosophers and theoreticians, wrote about their understanding of creativity, and discovered Howard Gardner and the multiple intelligences, the template for the Creating Kids curriculum and the museum. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a concentration in daycare and child development from Quinnipiac University. Filly’s favorite children’s picture book is Charlie Needs a Cloak, by Tomie dePaola, and her favorite food is eggplant parmesan.
Pam Miller
Big Kids Teacher
Pam is part of the Big Kid team as the Spider Monkey teacher. She has taught preschool and worked with young children for over 50 years, and she is a frequent and very talented presenter in professional development sessions at the Early Childhood Resource Center. She treasures getting to know the families of the kids and earning the trust of the children. Pam holds a Master’s degree in American Studies/Education from Fairfield University and a Bachelor’s degree in the same field of study from Marymount College of Fordham University. She is a mom to twin girls and is a grandmother (“Gammie”) of Jack, a 9-year-old boy. She loves traveling and going to New York for Broadway shows. Her favorite children’s picture book is The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and her favorite food is strawberries.​
Tracy Vernon
Big Kids Teacher
Tracy (she/her) has led the Toucans table in the Big Kids room since 2023. She brings a wealth of early childhood teaching experience, most recently from Cradles to Crayons in Guilford—where she once co-taught alongside a former Creating Kids teacher! Tracy studied Early Childhood Education at Gateway Community College, holds Head Teacher certification from the State of Connecticut, and has been an active member of the Early Childhood Resource Center here at the Museum.
Tracy is known for her engaging presence in the classroom and her great sense of humor. Outside of school, Tracy enjoys traveling, reading, gardening, and scrapbooking. A favorite travel memory? Visiting Australia and holding not one, but three koalas—her favorite animal. At home, she shares her space with Zoey the dog and Nutter Butter the bunny. Her daughter lives in New Jersey with Millie, an Australian shepherd that Tracy affectionately calls her “grand pup.”
Tracy’s favorite children’s book is Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson and her favorite food is chocolate.
Djemima Duvernat
Summer Fellow
Djemima is a rising sophomore in the University of New Haven Honors Program, where she is pursuing a degree in Legal Studies with a concentration in Public Affairs, as well as a minor in Business Management and a Paralegal Certificate. Ultimately, Djemima plans on attending law school, with dreams of starting a nonprofit providing legal aid to underserved communities. Her work at Creating Kids is powered through the University of New Haven President’s Public Service Fellowship. Prior to the Center, she worked as a Teacher’s Assistant at Toquam Tiger Academy, providing after-school enrichment to elementary school students; she also spent two summers as a camp counselor. Additionally, Djemima interned at the Stamford Probate Court, putting her knowledge of Haitian Creole, French, and Spanish to use providing translation services for Haitian Creole speakers. This summer, she has been inspired by the overwhelming love, care, and understanding at Creating Kids, and looks forward to being a voice for children in and outside of the classroom. When she’s not working, tutoring, or volunteering, she enjoys cooking, writing autofiction for Horseshoe Magazine, and reading fantasy novels. She loves Haitian food, especially pink salad – a delicious, creamy combination of beets and potatoes. Her favorite children’s books are from a series of mystery-adventure novels by Haitian author Odette Roy Fombrun.