Stephanie Shevitz is the founder of Red Panda Art Studio. Stephanie is a former Teach for America corps member and DC public school teacher, with a Masters in Early Childhood Education. She has over 15 years of experience working with children, and has taught art to kids ages two to twelve in a variety of settings.
Becoming a parent increased Stephanie's understanding of the need for high-quality young children's programming. She was inspired to develop classes and camps where children can channel their inner artists to explore and create freely, work with others, and learn about art and artists.
Stephanie lives in Friendship Heights with her children, Leila and Jonah, and her husband Michael.
Sandra Rodrich has been an instructor at Red Panda Art Studio since its foundation. She has several years of experience teaching and developing fun art projects for our little artists. She is also our Birthday Party Coordinator.
Sandra was born and raised in Lima-Peru. She studied interior design in Barcelona, where she learned about color theory and color mixing. She landed in the DC area with her husband Sam more than a decade ago. They now live in Silver Spring with her 3 daughters; Ellah, Luna, and Camila, who constantly inspire her to keep creating art.
Rachel Abe is an instructor at Red Panda Art Studio. Rachel developed an early love for the arts whether it was scrapbooking and sewing with her grandmas or painting for hours in her room. After graduating with a fine arts degree from the University of Maryland, she began designing and making rugs for her business, Ray Ray Rugs.
Before she began working at Red Panda in the fall of 2023, she was a nanny in D.C. and a travel nanny in Svalbard and the Bahamas. Wherever she is, she is most likely surrounded by kids and probably has paint stains on her clothes.
When not making or teaching art, Rachel can be found at the climbing gym with friends or relaxing with her cat Kiko.
Isabel Barr is an instructor at Red Panda Art Studio. A former preschool teacher with over 10 years of experience working with children, Isabel has a Bachelors in Studio Art and a Masters in Early Childhood Education.
To Isabel, art is one of the most important building blocks of childhood development. She loves to see young artists grow, take risks, and get messy in her classes!
Isabel lives in Cathedral Heights with her partner Paige and their four cats.
Elizabeth Harris is an instructor at Red Panda Art Studio. As a girl, having been told by an art teacher that what she’d painted was “wrong” Elizabeth thought she could never be an artist. But making things is what she loved to do, and she did indeed become a working artist as a grown-up. She loves helping children find their own way to do things and believes that there is no wrong way to do anything in art!
Elizabeth has studied and practiced art in New York City; Florence, Italy; Oxford, UK; Dessau, Germany; and Delhi, India. She currently lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Chava’ Mack is a studio assistant at Red Panda Art Studio. Chava’ was born and raised In Washington, D.C. alongside her grandmother. After graduating from high school in 2022, Chava volunteered at a daycare and a summer camp in her community. She started working as an assistant at Red Panda in 2022.
Her joy in working with children stems from witnessing their growth, creativity, and happiness. She delights in fostering an environment where kids can have fun while flourishing and expressing their creativity.
In her spare time, she enjoys painting, drawing, cooking, and many more creative things. She also enjoys spending time with her loved ones. Chava’ loves seeing people grow and prosper and making sure everyone around her is smiling and having a great day.
Emilia Majersik is an instructor at Red Panda Art Studio. Emilia is a D.C. native who has lived in Maine, New Hampshire, and Spain. Emilia has worked previously as an Outdoor Education instructor and as an ESL teaching assistant. She has been with Red Panda since 2022.
Emilia is passionate about nature-inspired art, the environment, and creative exploration.
Outside of the studio, Emilia enjoys riding around on her bike, cooking, making collages, and practicing yoga.
Arlene Ng is a studio assistant at Red Panda Art Studio. She has over 30 years of teaching experience ranging from preschool to college. She graduated with a BA in English and went to Law School.
She started her teaching career as a middle school teacher in Saipan, CNMI. After 6 years, she became the academic head of STI College in the Philippines. Her first job as a teacher in the US was at TOTS Developmental School, where she taught reading. She also currently teaches at All Saints Preschool in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
She enjoys sharing her passion for art and helping students grow as artists and creative thinkers. Arlene believes it’s not about how well she can draw or paint but instead how she relates to children.
Emily Owen is an instructor at Red Panda Art Studio. Emily is a former corporate consultant, small business owner, and education-based nonprofit manager. She has always had a passion working with kids and using arts and crafts as her own creative and therapeutic outlet.
Emily loves guiding and empowering children to use their self-confidence and unique abilities and ideas to enjoy the process of creating art!
Emily lives in Chevy Chase with her husband Ethan, sweet rescue dog, and crazy rescue cat.
Megan Pena-Ariet is an instructor at Red Panda Art Studio and local artist. Megan was born and raised in Spring Spring, Maryland and has lived in Spain, Baltimore, and New York City. She studied Art and has her BFA in Painting with a special interest in Women in Art History. Megan also studied Spanish and loves all things Spain!
Megan loves teaching and previously was a high school teacher in Washington, DC and Baltimore Maryland, where she shared her love of art with "big kids".
When she's not at Red Panda, Megan is most likely painting at her studio in Kensington, Maryland or giggling with her two kids and husband, spending time in nature, telling jokes to her friends, reading, or traveling the world.
Ruth Portillo is a studio assistant at Red Panda Art Studio. Born in El Salvador and raised in Silver Spring, Maryland, Ruth loved art from a young age. She enjoys instilling this love of art in young students and seeing their creative visions come to life. Her favorite part of teaching is guiding kids to work with new mediums.
In her free time, Ruth loves hiking, exploring new places, and spending time with her family. She lives in Silver Spring with her family.
Emma Sorkin is an assistant studio manager and art instructor at Red Panda Art Studio. Emma recently graduated from Bowdoin College with a degree in history and Hispanic studies. After graduation, Emma moved to Spain to teach English in elementary schools. She has several years of classroom teaching, art teaching, and mentoring experience and has been with Red Panda since 2019.
Emma is passionate about art and using creativity as a mode of self-expression both with kids and in her own work.
In her free time, Emma loves painting, collaging, running, swimming, and being outside.
Julie Steenberge is an instructor at Red Panda Art Studio. Julie has a background in early childhood education and a passion for art! Julie’s teaching style focuses on encouragement, process over product, risk-taking, imagination, and creativity. She believes in the experience of art for children as a means of self-expression and loves to see the joy in childrens’ eyes when they are proud and amazed by what they have accomplished. Inspired by Mary Poppins and Mr. Rogers, Julie loves spending time with children and helping them find the spark of magic in all that they uniquely create. Julie enjoys the beach, traveling, the vibrance of Lilly Pulitzer patterns, the color periwinkle, the works of Van Gogh, and eating cotton candy.
Julie lives in Kensington, MD with her family, and adorable puppy.
Daisy Suralta is a studio assistant at Red Panda Art Studio. Daisy’s academic background informs her approach to incorporating safety and skill-building metrics into all her endeavors.
Her experience using art to nourish emotional well-being, creativity, understanding, and growth includes work with groups and individuals, from toddlers to elderly people.
Before joining Red Panda she taught art for pre-schoolers at St Paul’s in D.C. Daisy, who is originally from the Philippines, cherishes a cross-cultural approach to art, crafts, and learning.
Abby Tarello is a studio assistant at Red Panda Art Studio. Originally from Manila, Philippines, she started her teaching career at age 21 after graduating with a degree in Elementary Education. After migrating to the US, she taught preschool at Tots Developmental School and was a lead teacher in the Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool classes at a few Child Development Centers in the DC area.
Abby began working at Red Panda in March of 2023. She loves doing messy, creative art projects with her students. She believes that as much as her students learn from her, she can learn from them.
Abby currently lives in the DC area with her husband and two sons. She likes spending her free time at the park with family, taking a nap, or watching movies. She also loves shopping and cooking Filipino dishes.
Rashawn Williams is a studio assistant at Red Panda Art Studio. Rashawn graduated with an Associate of Arts and Sciences degree from Montgomery College. She is currently a student at the University of Maryland working toward her Bachelor of Arts degree in Secondary Art Education.
Rashawn has seven years of experience working with kids. She infuses art into her teaching style and loves seeing what her students create.
In her free time, she enjoys playing Sims and thinking of unconventional ways to make mixed media art.
Kyle Wronsky is the Studio Manager at Red Panda Art Studio. He started his career by working in pastry for a decade. He eventually became head chef at Dog Tag Bakery. After his time in the food industry, he moved to the corporate world, where things didn't quite fit. Red Panda became the perfect mix of art and organization for him. He’s been at Red Panda since May of 2023.
Kyle enjoys teaching all mediums, and loves to keep things neat and organized.
When not at Red Panda, Kyle enjoys baking, cooking, video games, board games, and other creative outlets.