Lucy Benayon B.A., D.I.D., Can Fit Pro Personal Trainer

Lucy, founder of Orange Dot, is a mother of four children (Benjamin 9 yrs., Liam 6 yrs., Hudson 4 yrs, and RamiAnne 2 year) who knows the importance of having a positive and rewarding pre and postnatal experience. Lucy opened Orange Dot 6 years ago after the birth of her second child. She found that there was not enough support and up-to-date education or information for pregnant women and new parents. She graduated with a  Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario and York University with honours in Psychology; studied Interior Design at the International Academy of Design; graduated from Randolph Academy of the Performing Arts (Triple Threat Program); and has become a Can Fit Pro Personal Trainer. She has choreographed and performed at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Performing Arts, The Rogers Centre, and extensively at Solar Stage Children's Theatre. Following her passion for dance and working with children, she opened a dance school that ran for over a decade. She encorporates her dance and personal training experience into her incredible post-natal work outs to make sure women look and feel the best they ever have!

Dr. David Kirsh, B.A., M.D., C.C.F.P

David is the Vice President of Orange Dot and thrilled to be able to offer his medical expertise to many of the programs offered. David graduated with a degree in Psychology from the University of Western Ontario. He completed his medical school training at the University of Toronto in 1999, graduating with honours. David completed his residency program at Scarborough General Hospital in Family Medicine. David operates busy medical practices in Scarborough and Richmond Hill, both with a large pediatric population. He is a medical advisor for Bayview Glen Day Camp and most importantly, the father of two wonderful boys and two amazing girls.

Elisa Benayon MSW

Elisa is a Social Worker and a mother of two, and is passionate about supporting mothers and their young children.  Elisa graduated from King’s College University with a Bachelor of Social Work degree and subsequently completed a Master’s of Social Work degree at York University.  As a Social Worker at both the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto and at Regent Park Community Health Centre, much of Elisa’s work has revolved around early child development, pre and postnatal mental health and parenting.  Elisa is currently enrolled in an Infant-Parent Psychotherapy program to further her understanding of children and mental illness, the impact of the parent-child dynamic on a child’s mental health and to further develop her skill set to better assess and treat young children (5 years old and under) and their parents. 

Jennifer Neales

Jennifer is a Toronto based actor specializing in Children's Theatre. She graduated from the University of Guelph with a Theatre Degree and loves being able to apply all that she's learned here at Orange Dot. 

Jennifer Neales has been acting, dancing and singing since age 4 and is now a member of the Ismailova Theatre of Dance company. Her selected theatre credits include: Tina in the Off-Broadway Musical “Ruthless”; Chava in “Fiddler on the Roof”; Sandy in “Fault Lines” {which awarded Jennifer the Sears Drama Festival Ann Watts Theatre Scholarship}; and Louise in “Marion Bridge”. While in Japan for four years, Jennifer acted as Jennie Malone in “Chapter Two”; and she played herself in a children's English language Music/Dance/Drama movie sold to language schools across Japan. Upon her return to Canada, Jennifer performed in “I am NOT a Dinner Mint” with Kinky Dinner Productions; as Roberta in the 2009 Fringe Festival’s “Love and Human Extinction” (earning one of the Best Actors in the Fringe Festival); Samantha in “Starting Over” with Bad Dog Theatre (winning the Top Three Short Play Award); Story-Teller in “Toronto Stories” at Theatre Passe Muraille; Druzilla in “Cinderella”; Jillian in “The Adventures of Jillian Jiggs”; Princess Margaret in “The Princess and the Pea”, and 4 years in “Marvelous Munsch” all with Solar Stage Children’s Theatre.  In the summer of 2011 Jennifer toured with Trey Anthony Productions in New York City, North Carolina (National Black Theatre Festival), and Toronto as Suzy in “’da Kink in My Hair”. Recently she was showcased in The New Ideas Festival, in "Islands" at The Great Hall, as Evelyn in "The Shape of Things" at the 2012 Toronto Fringe Festival (winning Best of Fringe) and performed at The Toronto Centre for the Arts. Beyond all of this-- story-telling, and creating and doing LIVE, INTERACTIVE Theatre here at The Dot is what makes her heart smile!  

Charissa Zoetmulder 

Born in Toronto, Charissa Zoetmulder started her dance training at the age of four. Her love for ballet led her to audition for
The National Ballet School of Canada's professional ballet/academic program and was accepted at the age of eleven. After
graduating from The National Ballet School with honors, she was awarded the Floyd S. Chalmers grant by the Canada Arts
council, given to promising Canadian artists and began her post-graduate training and work in ballet throughout Europe. In 2001,
she danced as a soloist with the Jeune Ballet de Cannes in Paquita at Le Festival de Danse de Cannes among principal guest
artists from the Paris Opera Ballet. 

Charissa has been teaching ballet (Royal Academy of Dance syllabus), Music and Movement, and Creative Movement for children since 2004, and is currently working toward her Early Childhood Education Diploma from Durham College's online program. Her love
of teaching young children has led her to develop dance and music programs for ages 8 months - 10 years at Orange Dot, Toronto private schools including Branksome Hall and The Bishop Strachan School, as well as several other locations across Toronto. She has also recently started Harmony School of Dance in partnership with Orange Dot as one of her locations. Charissa's classes always involve singing along with movement, incorporating creative imagery, children's nursery rhymes and stories, to encourage the use of imagination and expression through dance and music.

Silvana Eikilis

Silvana is an ECE teacher with more than 20 years experience working with children under 6 years of age, focusing on creative learning techniques. She also speaks and can translate Spanish, Hebrew and English.

Pat McCarthy

Pat McCarthy is a certified childbirth educator and has taught expectant couples for 28 years -- approximately 2500 couples -- for Orange Dot, Mount Sinai Hospital, Etobicoke General Hospital and privately. She is a Faculty Member for the Childbirth Educator Certification Program and teaches relaxation strategies to the general public (for stress management, illness and to athletes striving to improve performance). She and her husband took classes for the births of both of their sons. As a dog owner/trainer, she is also very interested in the transition involved with bringing a baby into a home with a pet(s) and taught puppy kindergarten for several years!

Elise Tzurkov

Elise has over 9 years experience in the fitness industry and enjoys motivating and inspiring women to be the best they can. She has a specialized honours degree in Kinesiology and Health Sciences and is a Can Fit Pro certified fitness instructor, personal trainer and pre and postnatal fitness specialist. She is also a proud mama to Leya and Nathan and believes that a happy fit mommy makes a happy fit family!

Lisa Weinberg, Registered Dietician

Lisa Weinberg is Registered Dietitian/ Nutritionist in private practice in Toronto. Lisa has been in practice for 14 years seeing 

children, teens and adults in her practice. Lisa is experienced in nutrition issues related to pediatrics, pregnancy, GI, allergy, intolerances, eating disorders, heart health, diabetes etc. In addition to seeing patients in her practice Lisa has also consulted for grocery stores, corporations & restaurants. Lisa lectures extensively on many nutrition related topics & wrote her own nutrition column in a national newspaper for 14 years. Lisa has been interviewed and quoted in numerous Canadian publications and has made numerous television & radio appearances on shows across Canada including City TV’s Cityline, CH Television, Shaw Television, Breakfast Television, City TV’s The Perfect Fit & The A channel, Rogers and City TV Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton & Vancouver. Lisa has acted as spokesperson for many products and is the team Dietitian at The Genesis Professional Group.

Lara Kelly
Sharmeen Feerasta
Sandy Cole

Tracey Ruiz
Anne-Marie Desjardins- Prenatal 101 Breast Feeding Consultant/Doula