BE WITH ME PLAYSEUM
1-888-5PLAYSEUM
BETHESDA, MARYLAND

HOURS:
M-SAT 9:30AM-6PM

ADMISSION:
$5 PER PERSON

Meet Ms.Gina

I am a mother of four amazing children; Nisha-13, Ianna-10, Ashlen-8 and Andrew-5. As the founder and Director of the Be with Me Playseum I have to say thank you to God, my wonderful husband and my kids for seeing this dream come to reality. I began my career back in 1995 as the Director of Student Services for a Computer Graphic Arts School in Minneapolis, MN. Prior to being the Children’s Director of Frontline for Kids in McLean, VA, I owned and operated my own wholesale/retail creative arts business called ‘Leave it to Gina’.

In 2003, I began RIOTKIDS.org out of our home which gave me experience leading after school clubs and daycamps. My experience teaching in China and living abroad and visiting over 22 nations has given me insight into the mind and heart of the international and has also caused the Playseum on-hands activities to be diverse in nature yet sensitive in spirit and rich in experience. We reside right here in Bethesda/Chevy Chase.

Meet Ms.Janie

Janie is a mom to a three year old girl named Katie.

Janie’s most recent career, prior to holding the position of “MOMMY”, was the Local Sales Manager of Washington’s only all news station, WTOP. She has extensive experience in marketing, fund raising, advertising, business development and sales coaching.

Ms. Janie became a full-time mom because she wanted to be the primary care-giver and nurturer to her daughter. She feels that motherhood is the most important role that God has given her and time to spend with Katie, her most precious gift. Janie loves that The Playseum fosters quality time for parent and child and allows a child to use their imagination and pretend. She and her husband, Anthony, in Kensington, MD with Katie and their nine year old Golden Retriever, Mickey. Janie is working as a head Marketing and PR Director of the Playseum.

Meet Ms.Pepper

Pepper is a stay-at-home mom for her three darling children: Journey-6, Dillan4, and Brody-2. She is responsible for creating all of our graphics, marketing materials, and website.

After 5 wonderful years of active duty with the USCG, she decided that she should go back to school and pursue a career that wouldn't take so much time away from her kids, and yet provide a hobby and outlet to showcase her talents. It was a wonderful decision. Everyday is a blessing being able to spend so much time watching her children learn and grow. They make her smile and are a constant reminder to live everyday to the fullest. Ms. Pepper's love for kids as well as her education in Business, Graphic Design, and Web Design/Development, has been a huge asset in getting the Playseum off the ground.

Meet Ms.Asiatu

Greetings, my name is Asiatu (Ah-see-ah-two) Lawoyin and I am a native Marylander that has recently moved back to the area from Atlanta, Georgia where I graduated from Spelman College in 2001. I inherited my love of children from my mother who is a pediatrician in Washington DC. I have been working with children in different capacities for over a decade. I have been a nanny to three different sets of twins, taught preschool inclusive of two cooperatives, as well as worked with autistic children. My other passions include holistic health, animals and art in all its manifestations. I am currently in the process of enrolling in a massage therapy program.

The diversity of my passions as well as people has lead me to the Playseum. It is a rarity that so many aspects of what you enjoy are encompassed within one job. I am thankful and appreciative of the opportunity to work at a place that fosters diversity of cultures, people and my passions. I myself am a culmination of cultures inclusive of Nigerian, African-American, Native-American and Caucasian. I do not identify myself as any one religion and embrace the belief that love conquers all. Consequently, I feel right at home at the Playseum where all faiths and cultures are acknowledged and celebrated and there is an abundance of love.

Meet Ms.Jessica

Jessica is a recent graduate of the University of Virginia. She grew up in Bethesda Maryland and attended the Academy of the Holy Cross. Jessica is fluent in Spanish and travels to visit her family in Peru and Chile frequently. She studied abroad in Valencia, Spain and majored in Psychology and Cognitive Science while at UVA. Jessica greatly enjoys working with children and has years of experience working as a nanny and volunteering with the Big Siblings program while throughout college. Professionally, she has experience in marketing, and has applied this knowledge to her work at the Playseum where she also helps with public relations. Jessica especially loves painting and helping children be creative in the art room. If you need to book a field trip or need an auction basket for your school then I am your gal.

Meet Ms.AnnKatherine

Hi, my name is AnnKatherine. I am a student at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. I'm fluent in both German and English and am currently learning Spanish. Though I was born in Germany, I have lived in Bethesda the majority of my life. My hobbies include playing soccer, skiing and babysitting. I love working at the Playseum because I love to be around children! My favorite areas in Playseum are the Bella Beauty salon, making all kinds of cool "spa products" and painting little nails! I also love the art room because I just love helping the kids make cool things that they can take home. I hope you come and visit us soon! :)

Meet Mr. Wendall

I was born and raised near Minneapolis, MN, but I grew up with two unique cultural perspectives, as my parents are from Trinidad & Tobago. When I was 16 years, my family moved to Georgia, where I graduated from high school. After graduating I moved to Virginia to complete his B.A. in psychology at Liberty University. During this time, I had my first taste of Washington, DC, in which Georgetown became a favorite spot of mine. Thereafter, I traveled and lived throughout the country, including Colorado, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. I have traveled abroad to Trinidad, Guatemala, France and India. I also have had the privilege of visiting first-hand the children in India that the Playseum supports. I came to the Playseum in January 2010, specifically to coordinate events and birthday parties. I have enjoyed the challenges thus far and hope to continue helping kids create as parents relate.

Meet Ms. Eloma

I am from Sri Lanka. I was a Science high-school teacher and a girls basketball coach in my country for over 29 years. Now I reside in Gaithersburg, MD with my husband and children who live close by. I have been teaching preschool for the past nine years and am now a grandmother of two beautiful children as well. Working at the Playseum has been an awesome ride for me. As the director of the art studio and the science nook, I have seen a culmination of all my loves and my past experiences as well as my cultural background come into play. I love children and this Playseum is a kid’s dream place to create, learn new skills and have fun.

Meet Ms. Rachel

Hi! My name is Ms. Rachel, and I am so happy to be working at the Playseum! I grew up in suburban Washington DC area and attended the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School. I took a gap year between high school and college to study, volunteer and travel in Israel. I am fluent in Hebrew and had a great time in Israel learning about the Israeli culture and traditions. My experience working with children includes teaching a ballet class, teaching at a Hebrew school, working in the drama and archeology department at Summer at Norwood day camp, and volunteering with The Friendship Circle. I am really passionate about volunteering and doing community service, and I am always looking for ways to get involved in my community. My favorite volunteer experience was when I was a medical in Israel. I got to dress up in a clown costume and visit hospitals in Jerusalem cheering up the patients with dance, magic tricks, and balloons. I have two favorite rooms at the Playseum, is the Bella Salon, and the Cakes by Leslie Bakery. I love bonding with the kids as we make lotion, candy lip gloss, and bubble bath. The bakery is a great place to be creative and enjoy yummy treats! I hope to see you soon at the Playseum!

Meet Ms. Chelsea

I am a recent college graduate. I came to Bethesda from Flagstaff, Arizona where I earned my degree in Theatre, and Sociology at Northern Arizona University. Originally, I am from New England, but grew up in an Air Force family so I have moved around all my life. A few of my favorite places to live have been the Azores, Portugal, Okinawa, Japan, and Tucson, Arizona. I graduated with the hope of working to help enrich children’s' lives through education and entertainment. Luckily, I found the perfect place to work within the Playseum. I have been on the Playseum staff since January 2010. I love meeting so many families, and introducing children to all the wonderful pets in the Pet Shop!

Meet Ms. Mimi

I am from the Congo and this place has been a blessing to me for I am able to speak French with many customers and on some days my little son is able to come with me and play with other children. Keeping the Playseum warm and welcoming for the customers is my goal. Gina said, “she hired me for my smile”, but I know that since I met her family years ago when she used to come in and have coffee where I worked she would say, “someday when I have my own business I want you to work for me cause you make my children feel so special when they come in here”. And look where I am now. The Playseum is fantastic!

Meet Ms. Jemima

I am from Ghana and I have known about the playseum since it was just a dream of Gina’s. I love the playseum and am so excited that it is now a working reality. Gina has been significant in my life reminding me as a woman that anything can come to pass if you believe, dream, and work hard. I am in between jobs and the mother of three boys; one in College, one in High School and one in Middle School. Having worked at Barnes and Noble for the past three years I have been able to help out at the Playseum as a volunteer with the organizing of the books, pricing and cleaning of them.