Meet the Rella’s Spielhaus Team!

Barbara Rellstab, Founder/Program Director, Preschool Group Teacher

Barbara was born and raised in Zurich, Switzerland. Growing up in a family of theater professionals, musicians and writers (mother Ursula a journalist for NZZ and, Ludwig Rellstab a great-great uncle) her interest for the performing arts was sparked early on. After the Matura B (Latin & English major) she went to the Schauspiel Akademie Zürich (today’s ZHDK.ch) which at the time was under the direction of her late father, Felix Rellstab. After winning several performance grants and graduating as the Valedictorian, Barbara performed 5 years at German and Swiss “Stadttheater”.

Since 1997 when Barbara came to New York, she performed extensively Off-Broadway (ie lead role(s) in “The Donkey Show” Dir. Diane Paulus), founded the International Department at the International Fringe Theater Festival, and taught voice and Gyrotonic. Barbara also spent 7 years as a Manhattan Real Estate Broker and eager to use the six languages she speaks, traveled the world as a producer for Bugatti International for 3 years.

When her son Oliver was born in 2009, Barbara sensed the need for a “Mommy and Me” Story Time format in German. And in 2011 “Lieder & Geschichten” (now “Kinderklassen”) was created, first as picnic in Central Park, then at the Central Harlem Library and soon in various studios from Brooklyn to White Plains with a total of 16 classes per week. As Barbara got more familiar with the German Language Families of New York, she decided to open the Harlem “Rella’s Spielhaus”, the first German Language Daycare in Manhattan which ran for 9 years. She also went on to Columbia’s Teachers College to pursue her MA in Bi-lingual and Bi-cultural Childhood Education.

Today, with the newly renovated Upper West Side Rella’s Spielhaus open und running, Barbara is as committed as ever to serve the German Language community through various educational offerings: In person in Manhattan and online and in the Tristate Area and along the East Coast.

Olivia Maldonado, Educational Director

Olivia Maldonado was raised in Long Island, New York. She earned her BA in Early Childhood Education from Manhattanville College, where she was a member of Kappa Delta Pi, the Honor Society in Education. Olivia went on to earn her MS in Literacy Education from State University of New York at New Paltz. Olivia holds teaching certifications in both Early Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 2) and Literacy Education (Birth-Grade 6).

Olivia has a strong passion for working with children and has a great deal of professional experience with Toddlers, Preschool, and Pre-K students. Olivia believes that literacy and language development are at the heart of a quality Early Childhood Education Program. Although she is not a German speaker, Olivia has extensive experience working in a Dual Language Pre-K setting.

She has seven years of experience as an Educational Director of a Community-Based Organization with Pre-K and 3K For All Programs in Bayside, Queens. Olivia has also previously served as an Educational Director in a private preschool on the Upper West Side in Manhattan, New York.

Before becoming an Educational Director, Olivia served as a Pre-K teacher, as well as an Academic Intervention Services Teacher. She believes that children learn best through developmentally appropriate, play-based activities that consider their cultures and unique funds of knowledge. Olivia is excited to join the Rella’s Spielhaus family as Education Director and connect with the center’s families, providing a safe, engaging learning environment for the students of Rella’s Spielhaus.