Meet our Directors:

Ms. Ilana is the Founder and Director of Lolly’s Early Learning Center. She takes great pride in Lolly’s and loves interacting with parents, teachers, and children daily.  In 2010, shortly after receiving a master’s degree in early childhood education, Ilana opened Lolly’s- one of the first childhood development centers in the LIC neighborhood.  She was overwhelmed by the love and support from the LIC community. She prioritizes celebrating the children and the teachers, who make Lolly’s such an amazing place. Grateful to the LIC community and her exceptional staff, Ilana continually strives to make Lolly’s the most rewarding environment for children, teachers, and families. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, including her three children, Mikey, Mila, and Matthew. Ilana looks forward to many more successful years in the community.

Ms. D (Stephanie) grew up in Orange County, NY, and has lived in NYC since 2010. She holds a master’s degree in education and has been working in the field for nearly two decades. Once she joined Lolly’s in 2011 (as the Head Teacher in our pre-K class) her passion for Early Childhood Education became very clear. In July 2022, she retired from her classroom duties to fully dedicate herself to a director role. Her love for Lolly’s, teaching, and the LIC community makes her role deeply fulfilling. Outside of Lolly’s, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her rescue dog, Frankie. She was honored with the 2017 Blackboard Award for Excellence in Education. Stephanie is a tremendous asset to Lolly's, the children, the teachers she guides, and the families she works alongside. Thank you, Stephanie, for well over a decade of hard work and commitment.