About Us
L’Atelier, Learning For Success
Tamara Makaryan
Managing Director and Founder
Learning Atelier was born from a deep love for children and a strong belief that the earliest years of life are foundational to a child’s future. We believe that transforming society begins with early education—raising confident, curious, and joyful children who grow into compassionate, capable adults.
Tamara Makaryan, Founder and Managing Director, holds advanced degrees in Neuropsychology, Speech & Language Therapy, and an Executive MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology (USA). Her 15-year international career includes executive leadership roles across Africa, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
In 2016, after the birth of her son Adam, Tamara set out to create the place she couldn’t find—a warm, science-based environment that nurtures each child’s potential through personalized, child-centered programs that go beyond traditional schooling.
This vision became Learning Atelier—a center for early speech, language, and brain development. Combining neuroscience with heart, Learning Atelier is a Happy Family space where children are seen, supported, and empowered to thrive.
Royston Chia
Director of Operations and Co-Founder
Royston Chia brings a powerful combination of technical expertise, strategic leadership, and a passion for early childhood education. He holds an MBA from Imperial College London where he was named to the Dean’s List, and a Graduate Diploma in Child Psychology. Royston firmly believes that the future of society depends on the foundation built in a child's earliest years.
He has worked alongside Tamara for over 10 years. Their partnership is grounded in a shared culture of continuous learning, excellence, and trust.
With over 15 years of professional experience, Royston brings depth in business development, finance, management, and digital innovation.
Known for his composed and thoughtful decision-making, Royston ensures that Learning Atelier operates with cutting-edge infrastructure, efficient management systems, and the highest standards of quality control. His strategic leadership supports LA’s mission to deliver the most impactful, innovative, and future-ready programs to children and families.
Julia Khalatyan Director of Education and Skills, Co-Founder
Julia Khalatyan, Co-Founder and Director of Education and Skills at Learning Atelier, is a professional educator and child psychologist with over 21 years of hands-on experience working directly with children. Her expertise spans early childhood development, neurodiverse learning needs, and therapeutic approaches tailored to support each child's unique path.
Julia's journey began with a Master’s degree in Child Pedagogy and Psychology, followed by a second degree in English Language Teaching. She continually upgrades her qualifications to stay at the forefront of educational innovation.
As a mother of two and the founder of her own school in Russia, Julia deeply understands both the challenges parents face and the responsibility educators carry. Her philosophy is simple yet profound: a teacher’s role is not to stand above a child, but beside them—guiding with empathy, igniting curiosity, and nurturing a lifelong love of learning.
Julia leads Learning Atelier’s operations in Russia and plays a central role in the development and implementation of our teaching methodology. She believes that every child is born with natural talents, and it is our duty to help them flourish through respect, positive reinforcement, and individualized support.
Xinying Director of Bilingual Curriculum
Xinying is a native speaker of both English and Chinese that turned her passion for languages and literature into her career. With her professional degrees in Business Administration and Translation and Interpretation (Chinese-English) from the leading Singapore Institute of Management (SIM University), Xinying has been tutoring foreign languages for more than a decade now. Her solid background and extensive practical experience allow her to create an engaging learning environment that nurtures a long-term interest in languages.
China is the world's second-largest economy, and it produces 9.3 per cent of the global GDP. Speaking the Chinese language is a necessity and an undisputed advantage for everyone nowadays. However, Chinese is often called the hardest language to learn due to the complexity of characters, vocabulary, and tone pronunciation. The truth is, whether Chinese is easy or hard depends to a great extent on the professionalism of the tutor. Xinying is a highly experienced tutor that makes the learning journey not only useful but also joyful. Her custom-made programs are tailored to the needs of learners of all ages and their individual study plans. Xinying teaches children in a fun and energetic manner, and she follows the Singapore curriculum and guidelines. The classes cover all aspects of the language: comprehension, grammar, speaking, and listening
Natalie Stepanova
Director of Arts & Craft
Nature and planet Earth with its abundant resources has always intrigued Our Director of Arts & Craft, Natalie. She has followed her passion and graduated with a Masters in Geology and Natural Science. Almost 10 years ago, Natalie and her family moved to Myanmar where she found her true home. If you ever met Natalie at Network's art and craft classes, children's birthday parties that she arranges or ordered one of her beautiful hand-made Pinata, you certainly know that love and beauty are invested in everything she does. The beauty of the nature and opportunity to make children happier through their self-expression and creativity inspire Natalie in her work. With her beautiful daughters Liza and Kate, Natalie has secret arts and crafts room at home, where they innovate and create their magic together.
Art and Craft develop imagination and creativity, out-of-the-box thinking and aesthetic taste. Arts education has historically been reserved for "elites" and not taught in schools. Thanks to Natalie, quality Art and Craft activities are now available to everyone at L'Atelier.