Our Staff
Meet the faces behind the Kid Works magic

Dinuka Ranasinghe
Born in England, raised in Hong Kong and Sri Lanka, lived in London, Washington D.C and New York, Dinuka eventually found her home in Long Beach, California with her husband. Having graduated with an LL.B (Hons) from the University of Sussex, England, she was then admitted to the New York Bar. In 2008 she decided to follow her heart working…

Amy Chiu
Once an aspiring academic, Amy found her true passion as an early childhood educator after becoming a mother. During the time that she stayed at home to raise her babies, she went back to school to earn her certificate in Early Childhood Education and then a Master’s of Science in Education. Prior to joining Kid Works, she worked as a…

Lisa Escobar
Lisa has been caring for children for over twenty years. She has three children, two of whom are Kid Works alumni. Lisa continues to further her knowledge of children through workshops and seminars. Her love for emergent literacy and creative art are evident. “We are all growing here at Kid Works. It has been such an honor and privilege to…

Dana Ferrarelli
Dana is a third generation Californian and a Long Beach native with over 30 years of experience working with children. Married in 1980, she graduated from Long Beach City College in 1982 with a degree in Child Development. She continued in Early Childhood Education studies and was certified in 1984. She began teaching in 1983 and accepted the opportunity of…

Rachael Cabos
Please forgive us, greatness cannot be rushed and we’re in the works on Rachael’s bio, check back soon for more information.

Jennifer Scharnikow
Jennifer was raised in Burbank and grew up knowing she wanted to be a teacher. She moved to Long Beach in 1994 to attend CSULB , then transferred to Orange Coast to begin her Early Childhood education. She volunteered at Kid Works in 1998 after which she was hired to be a teacher. During her years here she has worked…

Cary Saltsgaver
I teach mindfulness, meditation, and yoga. I plant seeds of peace, love, and happiness in everyone I meet. I reach out with compassionate understanding to lift the spirit of everyone I touch. These practices bring transformation to people of all ages in ways that words cannot fully describe.

Samantha Ortiz

Sara Hernandez
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