Ilka started Tivoli Rainbow Garden Preschool in 2008. Her vision was to create a platform for German speaking families to sustain their heritage within the next generation by teaching their children the German language and culture in a playful environment. Her passion is to guide and support children and parents in finding and trusting their way in being a family.
Ilka is certified by the Waldorf Institute of Southern California as a Waldorf teacher and has studied early childhood education at Santa Monica college. In addition she is a UCLA certified Lactation Specialist and Dona International certified Postpartum Doula as well as a certified Sports, Gymnastic and Movement Expression Teacher. In 2021 she was certified as an Inside Meditation Facilitator.
She has been teaching infant and toddler programs as well as educational parenting groups for the past 40 years in Europe and the USA and most currently through the YWCA, in Santa Monica.
Ilka has participated in many compassionate communication and conflict resolution workshops and trainings.
Ilka Sternberger has been involved in the CAAEYC (California Association for the Education of Young Children) Southern California chapter, as a Co Chair for the FFC (Family Childcare Committee) and a member of the Play Matters Committee. Where she is teaching at conferences and to many Early Childhood Education college students.
Member of WECAN, NACEY, CAAEYC, DONA International.
Pia Rothlaender, Head-Teacher
Pia is a German native and has been living in the US since 2015. She is a mother of 2 children. Pia obtained a master’s degree in Rehabilitation education from the Humboldt University in Berlin in 2011 and she worked in a Kindergarten in Berlin from 2011-2015 as a Rehabilitations educator and assistant director. Pia is studying now Psychology (B. Sc.), at Fern Universität in Hagen, Germany. She is very happy to have found Tivoli and enjoys working with the children.
Chrys Massey-Rhodes, In-House Consultant
Chrys Massey- Rhodes is a Child Development Specialist with a professional and philosophical focus in Humanistic Education. She studied Child Development and Psychology at California State University, Northridge and has had the privilege of working in private and public settings, such as Play Mountain Place, The Nurtury Preschool, Hill an’ Dale Preschool and the Los Angeles Unified School District as well as The Foundation for the Junior Blind. Chrys also studied RIE/Resources in Infant Educaring with Magda Gerber and received a certification in Childbirth Education.
Chrys consults and supports our staff and also holds parenting workshops for all Tivoli families, guiding them through the early childhood years.
Lucia Noel, Yoga Teacher 
Motherhood brought me to teach yoga.
After completing my certification and teaching yoga to adults, I recognized the benefits of yoga for my children. So I continued to study with Austrian kids’ yoga expert Sibylle Schöppel.
Malte Hagemeister, Music Teacher
German transplant in Venice Beach, California. Dad of five. Musician, composer, Grammy nominated producer. Scores international TV campaigns. Guitarist of his Indie band. Veteran mashup artist. 20+ years of music experience. A couple million records sold. Music is a superpower, he believes firmly, and teaching German Folks songs to the children at Tivoli is one of his personal highlights.
Pascal Sprang, Games and Sports Teacher
Was born and raised in Berlin, Germany, living in the USA since 2015.