Aliya holds an MA in performance studies and a BA in theater with a concentration in community-based performance and arts-education, both from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. From 2009 to 2013, Aliya lived and worked in Bolivia as an integral member of a collective of independent artists, organizing and participating in international theater and puppetry festivals, creating, performing, writing, and teaching. From 2013 to 2016, she worked as a public middle school language arts teacher in Miami. In 2016, she moved back to Bolivia and became the coordinator of Kids’ Books Bolivia, a bilingual and trilingual children's book project, that has published more than 40 books. She began working for Jam with Jamie at the beginning of 2020 as the Operations Manager. She continues to advise and consult on multiple arts-integrated curriculum projects in schools and organizations from early childhood through high school and was thrilled to be able to bring all of her experience, creativity and passion to designing the Jam with Jamie Homeschool program. Aliya believes that education is most effective when it "helps a child to open themself to life" (Maria Montessori), and has built the Homeschool program on this belief, creating a structure for a child to thrive, guided by their own spontaneity and creativity. Having watched her own children flourish the most in a safe and loving environment, with infinite possibilities for exploration, imagination, and play, we seek to bring this into your home with our experienced and caring teaching artists, and activities for learning and growth.

Jamie Kolnick is originally from Miami, Florida and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Theater and Dance. She moved to New York City In 2008 for the lights on Broadway and while auditioning for everything under the sun she took all of her experience working as a music teacher in preschools and started her children’s entertainment and education company, Jam with Jamie. Over the past twelve years, Jamie has created multiple educational curriculums while managing over 50 teaching artists across the country. It is her passion to create and serve the community and children especially during this critical time. Jamie lives on the Upper West Side of NYC with her husband Shaun and her two rambunctious boys who have been her best teachers to date, Zach, 4 years old and Evan, 2 years old.