Zerlina founded Studio ZNA, in 2006, and has over 30 years’ not only in the fields of architecture and design, but across theatre, opera and film. Early in her career, she worked as an assistant to film director Mike Leigh on ‘Naked’, ‘Career Girls’ and ‘Secrets and Lies’. Zerlina was also lighting design consultant in London for Warner Bros’ ‘Batman Begins’ . Her designs  for performance include projects at the National Theatre, in London’s West End, on New York Broadway and for The Sydney Opera House. In opera and dance, Zerlina has worked extensively across Europe – and particularly in France, Italy, Denmark and Sweden. 

She founded her studio in order to build a team of specialists who could offer a unique combination of technical, creative and cultural knowledge and design illumination. The practice is highly collaborative and values clarity and communication in its team-based approach, ensuring its high standards of creativity are seamlessly integrated alongside the work of architects, designers and artists. The studio uses light as a narrative tool to illuminate the journey of a space or building in both a sensory and practical luminous rendering .The studio’s creativity is backed by technical rigour and a willingness to be hands-on and flexible; a pragmatic grounding honed by Zerlina from working with the ever-changing needs of live art. 

The studio has excelled delivering award winning lighting schemes across the cultural sector nationally and internationally.  Be this the most renowned exhibitions such as the sell out  Gabrille Chanel, Fashion Manifesto or Schiaperlli: Fashion Becomes Art at the V&A, to sensitive historical refurbishments reimagining famed institutions such as the Courtauld  Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, the National Gallery and British Museum,  to bespoke new build museums and galleries such as new V&A East  Museum, David Bowie Centre at V&A Storehouse, Brooke Dockyard Museum in Malaysia and the immersive Hans Christan Anderson Museum in Denmark to name a selection 

Zerlina speaks regularly on best practice in lighting, featured at  Futurebuild , Light ’23, as well as for the DARC Talks programme, Women in Lighting, the Museums Association and at the London School of Economics in previous years. In 2024, Zerlina was a mentor on the Silhouette Awards Mentorship Scheme, as well as representing the industry as part of an initiative by The South London Careers Hub, to empower young people aspiring to work in the creative sector. She has spoken and is a supporter Women in Lighting (WIL) as well as being a professional member of IALD. 

The studio continues to develop and excel in their lighting craft. In 2026 Zerlina and her talented team are working on esteemed projects in Jordan, Netherlands, Malaysia, Norway, USA and India, as well as the reimagining of the Wallace Collection, Courtauld Institute, V&A fashion Gallery and Korea Gallery  in London  and the new Fashion Museum Bath. Zerlina is also lighting the sell out production, Lear with Sir Ian McKellen at the new Yard Theatre and Ordinary Courage, dance piece at Saddlers Wells East.