— MEET OUR TEAM —

PASSION (for what we do) + DRIVE (to do better) + COMMITMENT (to you)

ANNA GOLDA YU (Founder of Work & Tot + Mom)

The idea for WORK & TOT a community Co-Working & Play-Care Space came out of sheer necessity experienced by Anna over the span of almost 3 years, as she worked during a blur of night and nap times, the only times when she had an uninterrupted block of time to focus on work and to meet deadlines. After numerous revisions and as a concept took shape Anna saw an opportunity to not only build a sustainable business model but above all else provide much needed service to help her community and fellow parents connect and succeed.

More than just a space, Work & Tot became a much needed resource where parents from different walks of life and stages in their careers, or non careers, can discover promising connections and network opportunities. We will work to connect parents to numerous resources, we will help them discover a passion project or means to turn a passion into a career, and we will provide support to switch careers in order to reclaim that elusive work/life balance.

By relying on her background in advertising and branding, as well as, her expertise gained while running an appointment only, client centered event and sales based business in Moscow, Russia and later growing NYC based not for profit that helped improve the quality of life and care for terminally ill children in Eastern Europe, Anna is ready to turn Work & Tot into a true community hub that will grow and evolve to meet the needs of our members big and small alike.

As parents we need a village to balance life’s many demands, and we at Work & Tot look forward to being a part of your village.

POLINA SHKADRON (OWNER OF PLAY TO LEARN SLP) // ADVISER

Polina is a frequent collaborator and adviser to Work & Tot, helping to develop play strategies to help kids learn and tackle challenges along the way. Polina is the owner of Play to Learn SLP, a thriving practice in Forest Hills servicing children and families.

Her specialties include:

• autism spectrum disorders and social skills intervention

• behavior management through play

• feeding therapy and nutrition education

• language challenges and executive function deficits

• parent coaching and empowerment

Polina is a Certified Family Trauma Professional (CFTP) through the International Association of Trauma Professionals, which has significantly guided her practice to include aspects from the field of mental health. She has researched and formed intricate connections between adverse childhood experiences, ramifications of toxic stressors, and the ways in which detrimental relationships are created with food. With her Master’s of Science in Nutrition Education, she attends to the enhancement of the mealtime environment for children and families through nutrition counseling, parental empowerment, and self-efficacy.

Polina is deeply passionate in helping parents/caregivers connect and reconnect with their kids. Her overall goal is to educate families on the major impact that foundational attitudes have on building lifelong skills.

Michal-Anne Jones (owner of MAJ CONSULTING) // ADVISER

Michal-Anne is a former teacher, director of recruitment and school principal. She is a mom/stepmom of four. She works with families to support informed decision-making about their children’s development and learning. She offers parents coaching in order to be best equipped to advocate for their kids’ success.

Michal-Anne is a frequent collaborator and adviser to Work & Tot, together we created workshops on school selection from 3k-K, application process and helping parents figure out which path to academic success is better suited to their child.