Our Staff
Sarah Hocutt
Biography of the Owner/Director
Sarah Estes Hocutt MSAT, ATR
Sarah has been using art therapy and creative learning techniques to help children, adolescents, and adults in the Charleston area for the past twelve years. She gained her Master’s degrees in Art Therapy and Education from Florida State University, and is nationally registered as an Art Therapist. Sarah has specialized in working with children ages six weeks to six years increasing their language, social skills, overall learning, behavior, and development as well as preparing them for elementary school. Prior to directing the Creative Learning program, Sarah spent several years working exclusively with developmentally challenged children. The challenges included autism, learning disorders, psychiatric disorders, and newborns struggling with prenatal alcohol and other drug addiction. Her work with these children has been extremely successful and shows her dedication to the current age group attending the Creative Learning Preschool Program. Sarah’s son, Graham, motivated her to create and begin the Creative Learning Program!
Bernadette Brogan
Bernadette has a B.A. in History from University of Massachusetts at Boston and a Masters in Education, specializing in Curriculum and Instruction, from Boston College. She has over 25 years of business and educational experience. Bernadette has spent the last twelve years as an entrepreneur developing and running several businesses. Her first company was a tutor matching business which she later sold to fund other start ups. She has since developed several successful online businesses. She has volunteered in many school settings and has worked with many different age groups.
Talia Cheron
Talia is a senior this year at The College of Charleston, and will be obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She is currently in the process of applying to graduate schools to get a Masters of Education in either special education, school counseling, or to be a reading specialist. She has worked with a variety of different grade levels as part of C of C’s student teaching, including second and fourth grade. She will be placed in a third grade classroom for this year and is really excited! She has also worked as a camp counselor, and has experience with toddlers from nannying a 2 and a 4 years old, babysitting, and coaching preschool gymnastics.
Mark Karsten
Mark obtained his Bachelors of Science in Early Childhood Education from University of Arkansas, Fort Smith. Mark has spent years working with Ronald McDonald House children which he finds very rewarding. He has also gained knowledge and experience teaching young children at First Lutheran School, Fairview Elementary School, Morrison Elementary School, and Trusty Elementary School all in Fort Smith. He recently moved to Charleston.
Megan Maciejewski
Megan obtained her degree from The College of William and Mary and has spent the last several years as the Assistant Director and Director of Curriculum at Starfish Academy in Mt Pleasant. Megan has also spent several years at The Williamsburg School in Williamsburg, VA where she found a passion for teaching children using creative techniques. Megan is accustomed to communicating with and managing over 100 families, 25 staff members, and 8 classrooms. She has primary experience creating curriculum kits for all classrooms and training/checking in on all staff to ensure that they are teaching to their full ability based on the curriculum she has created. Megan also puts much focus on ensuring that the children are progressing as they should based on educational guidelines. Megan has a passion for teaching children confidence skills and creativity while using cooking, animals, creative arts, and hands on activities.
Tiffany Matsumura
Tiffany has worked with children with ages ranging from 18 months to 5th grade. She worked at Camarillo Community Church Christian Child Care Center (Seven C’s) in California for three years until she followed her passion for missions overseas. While overseas, she worked with children in neighborhoods, preschools, and nutrition clinics in the slums of India. She hopes to go back to India and many other countries to work with young mothers and children in need. Tiffany completed her general education with a focus towards child development at Ventura College in California and hopes to eventually go back to college to obtain a Bachelors Degree. She recently moved to Charleston and loves it!
Heather Riley
Heather obtained her Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Education and Biblical Studies from Crown College in Powell, TN. She has taught in a variety of educational preschools enjoying all preschool ages but admits that her passion is caring for, nurturing, and educating babies and younger toddlers. Heather has increased her knowledge and experience over the years by working at Northside Christian School, Erin’s Kids, and Powell United Methodist Daycare.