Founder & CEO of LanguageBird

Dr. Karyn A. Koven, Founder and CEO of LanguageBird®, brings more than two decades of expertise in curriculum development, college counseling, teaching, and building partnerships with universities worldwide. As a former high school administrator, counselor, and teacher, Dr. Koven has guided thousands of students to successful admissions at top universities, having visited over 100 colleges both domestically and internationally.

Recognizing a lack of effective online world language options, Dr. Koven founded LanguageBird to provide live, personalized, one-on-one language instruction. She believes that real-time conversation and interaction with expert instructors are critical for true language mastery—far beyond passive learning methods of listening and repeating. LanguageBird was born from the concept of providing high-quality, standards-based, college-preparatory world language courses that students can access from anywhere, combining both quality and convenience.

Dr. Koven earned her undergraduate degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from UCLA.

Educational Therapist

Kara Scanlon, MEd, BCET, specializes in supporting students in math, science, executive functioning challenges in her virtual private practice. As an individual with dyslexia and ADHD, Kara has learned first-hand the value of hard work, grit, and self-advocacy. After graduating from college as a Physics and Math major, her love of math and science led her to educational therapy to share her joy of learning with her clients. Kara is the annual conference co-chair of AET and has co-facilitated teacher trainings in Narok County, Maasai Mara, Kenya and California. In her free time, she loves snuggles with her French bulldog and collecting Haworthia.

Licensed Educational Psychologist and Owner of EmpowerED Psychological Services

I have spent over 15 years in education, functioning in different capacities for school districts in Marin, Sonoma, and Contra Costa counties as well as in Newton, Massachusetts.

As a Marin County native, I graduated with honors from UC Davis, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Sociology, and continued on to earn a Master’s degree in School Psychology from St. Mary’s College of California. Having started my career in Sonoma County, I moved with my family to Boston and survived 7 long New England winters before happily returning to the Golden State. I live in San Rafael with my husband and twin daughters. In my free time, I enjoy taking advantage of all San Francisco, Marin, and California have to offer, including jogging, hiking, and cheering on my beloved Niners and Warriors.

Head of School at Young Scholars Academy

Sam Young, M.Ed., is the Head of School at Young Scholars Academy, a strength-based, virtual enrichment school that supports twice-exceptional, differently-wired, and gifted students.

Sam is a two-time Fulbright Scholar, a TEDx speaker, and a neurodivergent person himself who has committed his life to supporting differently-wired students to overcome the harmful deficit-based system and discover, develop, and lead their lives with their strengths, talents, and unique interests!

Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist (MD, PhD)

I'm a child psychiatrist turned parent educator and coach. My goal is to have a the greatest positive impact on teen mental health by leveraging the power of technology to connect with parents. I seek to help parents build deep connection and trust with their kids through the four pillars of empowered parenting - defining direction, emotional regulation, practicing gratitude, and embracing failure.

Learning Specialist & Coach

David is a learning specialist passionate about supporting neurodivergent people. Diagnosed with dyslexia at age six in 1985, he has endless compassion for the confusing and uncomfortable experiences neurodivergent folks can have at school, work, and in life. David's personal journey with neurodiversity has been further enriched by his experience of growing up with two older brothers who were diagnosed with Autism and ADHD as adults. With over 20 years of experience working with neurodivergent people, David has developed expertise in supporting folks with extraordinarily complex neurodiverse profiles.

David holds a master's degree in education and a certificate in educational therapy. He has helped countless students and adults improve their executive function and metacognitive skills. He has developed a methodology that helps clients understand and work with their challenges rather than fear them. With his calm and disarming demeanor, David quickly puts clients at ease and supports them in achieving their goals.

Neuropsychologist - The Neuro Scene

Shina specializes in comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, treatment, coordination of care, and therapy for children and adults who are experiencing cognitive, emotional, and academic challenges including learning disabilities, ADHD, testing accommodations, anxiety, stress, and life changes.

Parenting Coach at Joyful Parenting Coaching

When you want to raise happy, healthy and productive kids and teens that are prepared for whatever life throws at them, Elisabeth Stitt, founder of Joyful Parenting Coaching, is your “go to” parenting coach and expert.

With over 50,000 hours of working with kids and parents to support her in her work, award-winning parenting coach, Elisabeth can guide parents through any situation. Parenting is tough, but it’s a skill: It can be taught, learned and practiced.

Author of Parenting as a Second Language, long-time public school teacher Elisabeth brings 35+ years of working with kids of all ages to her work with parents. Through her talks, workshops and webinars, Elisabeth brings her warmth and wisdom to parents all over the world.

Elisabeth now lives in Monterey, CA with her husband and mother-in-law, enjoys visits from her adult children (and their dogs!).

Educational Consultant at Little, Molligan & Whitmore

Aaron is the son of two public school educators. He attended public high school in Concord, NH, then Colby College. During his time at Colby, he worked in the Admission Office, was elected captain of the football team, and spent a semester studying abroad at the University of New South Wales in Australia. He graduated from Colby with a B.A. in Human Development. Aaron has his M.A. in Educational Leadership from the Lynch School of Education at Boston College. After jobs in sales, marketing, and recruiting, Aaron found his home in education, working in the Admission Offices at Kent School and Milton Academy. Aaron moved to the Bay Area to lead the Admission and Financial Aid Office at Crystal Springs Uplands School, a 6-12 day school in Belmont and Hillsborough, California. While at Crystal, Aaron served on the Bay Area Admission Directors Steering Committee for more than ten years. Aaron has 21 years of admission experience at independent schools, including rural and suburban, day and boarding, and large and small schools. In those 21 years, Aaron has reviewed more than 7,000 applications! He loves to play pickup basketball, travel, and spend time outside with his family. Aaron is excited to help families navigate the PS-12 admission process while making it a happy, holistic process of exploration.

Founder of Winning Ivy Prep College Admissions

I’m a proud University of Pennsylvania alumna and ex-Google finance professional. Mentorship has played an integral role in each step of my life. Hence, our college admissions coaching programs at Winning Ivy Prep are mentorship focused. We are strategic in our approach to reverse engineer the Ivy League admissions process for our students while teaching teenagers critical life skills. We empower students to reflect, and audaciously pursue their passions through hands-on learning projects — key life skills that go far beyond college applications.

Author & College Admissions Counselor

Irena is a college admissions expert, author, and former Stanford admissions officer. She holds a BA in English and a PhD in comparative literature and taught humanities and composition at UCLA and Stanford before transitioning to college admissions and writing. Her memoir, The Golden Ticket: A Life in College Admissions Essays, was published in April of 2023; in it, she recounts her experiences as an admissions officer, an independent college counselor, and a mother to three children each of whom struggled to navigate the narrow metrics of success in their community.

Director of Admissions and Outreach at Athena Academy

Anne (she/her) has served as Athena Academy's Director of Admissions and Outreach since its founding academic year. As the mother of two twice-exceptional sons, Anne shares her passion for positively transforming the lives of children and their families while understanding the path they are walking.

Prior to her role at Athena, Anne served as a Residence Dean and Assistant Dean of Students at Stanford University. As an undergraduate, Anne attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and has master’s degrees in education administration and counseling, both from Santa Clara University. An avid traveler and student of world culture, Anne tries to travel as often as possible and has sailed twice as a staff member with Semester at Sea.

CEO of Executive Function Specialists

Sean G. McCormick is the founder of Executive Function Specialists, an online coaching business which guides middle, high school, and college students in overcoming procrastination, disorganization and anxiety by teaching time management, prioritization and communication skills so they feel motivated, prepared, and empowered.

He also founded the Executive Function Coaching Academy which trains special education teachers, school psychologists and other professionals to support students with ADHD and executive function challenges.

Sean is regularly featured across media channels for his expertise on executive function, ADHD and special education.

Founder and Executive Director at Open Mind School

Dr. Marina Vaserman is a Doctor of Social Work with a focus on social innovation to close the equity gap of access in schools and services. Her background is in the field of mental health, neuroscience, and educational advocacy. She specializes in working with foster youth, children identified as gifted learners, and children with learning differences. Marina is a foster parent who cared for dependency youth with diagnoses of ASD, T1D, 2E, RAD, AD(H)D, heart conditions, epilepsy, and more.

Marina is an experienced founder and board member working in the nonprofit sector with startups and social impact organizations. She consults and runs trainings in the school system including public, private, charter, and nonpublic schools on the topics of inclusion, neurodiversity, universal design for learning, and trauma-informed practices. Marina is a highly sought-after guest speaker for presentations, conferences, workshops, and trainings.

Educational Therapist

I founded my educational therapy private practice in 2015 after many years working in a school setting. I developed a highly connective approach to working with challenging students who struggle to connect with learning. I have just launched an online tutoring program based on these principles for kids elementary school age and up.

Academic Coach & Tutor

As a coach and tutor with ADHD, I relate to the hurdles many learners face. With key tools, students can achieve far beyond their expectations. Struggling learners turn D’s and F’s into A’s and B’s without working harder, unearth confidence, ace finals, nail college apps, and keep on track with academic and professional goals.

• Executive functioning support for all ages • Assignment completion • Academic skill growth • Final exam prep • Organizing systems • College search, application and essay coaching • Career exploration for struggling learners

I offer premium services for individuals who want to invest in the value of a long term solution. Semester coaching packages offer comprehensive support, including subject matter tutoring, organization and planning strategies, detailed session notes and recommendations, study methods, accountability tools, self advocacy guidance, college and career success mentorship, and coordination with parents, school staff, outside support, and members of a student's learning team.

Educational Consultant

Maura Shafer is an Educational Consultant with over 30 years of experience in special education as a teacher, interventionist, case manager, diagnostician, advocate, and parent. She founded Bursting Barriers in Education to provide parents/guardians of neurodiverse students the tools to navigate the education system and advocate for their children. There are limitations imposed on teachers by the education system, however, to meet everyone’s needs, there has to be flexibility. Bursting Barriers in Education aims to deliver options that create opportunities for improvement and growth. The focus is on positive problem-solving to move towards successful learning outcomes.

Executive Director of Campanile

PhD Special Education (UC Berkeley); Faculty, UC Berkeley Certificate Program in College Admissions and Career Counseling; Certified Travel Counselor (Travel Institute); IECA Professional Member; 22 years experience in college admissions; Prior experiences include faculty in Child and Adolescent Development at SJSU and SFSU; Former Research Psychologist at UCSF, Dept of Psychiatry; Visiting Scholar, Stanford University School of Education; Author: The Better College Essay: Fitting in and Standing Out (Wintergreen Orchard House), Co-Author: The Better College Essay: From Start to Finish (City Limits Publishing), Co-Author: Part of the Group (DawnSign Press)

Behavioral & Educational Consultant

I have been working with children and families since 1964. With a background in education, special education and psychology I help families solve behavior problems, identify and apply to best-fit schools and colleges.

College Admission Strategist

Global educational consultant, college guide author & founder of College Match U.S. Over the past 21 years, 95% of David’s students secured places at their first-choice college or university. David's students recently won merit scholarships averaging $87,000 over 4 years. Perhaps more importantly, David’s students are gainfully employed or in the appropriate graduate programs that lead to the careers that will help them achieve their life's goal. Termed a “new breed” of college admissions consultant by The Washington Post, David has contributed to news articles in The New York Times, U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges”, CBS Moneywatch, Forbes online, Newsweek/Daily Beast and appeared on TV and radio shows on CBS, Fox and CollegeWeekLive and given talks on college admission at Stanford and USC. David books, “Brand U: 4 Steps to the College of Your Dreams” and “Stand Out to Get In!” detail his unique method--also available in a six-part video course at Unifluence.com.

Educational Consultant

After working in schools for more than thirty years, as a teacher and administrator, I opened a consulting practice in the spring of 2021. My practice supports families through the admission process, with a focus on students searching for the right-fit high school or middle school.

Senior Vice President of Sales at Fusion Education Group

A lifelong educator and advocate for mental health, I'm dedicated to empowering young people and their families. Currently serving as the Senior Vice President of Sales at Fusion Education Group, I lead a dynamic team to transform the lives of teens through personalized learning. At Fusion, we are much more than 1:1 instruction and personalized learning. We are the school that changes everything. My journey from the classroom to executive leadership — including roles as a Head of School, District Vice President, and Executive Director of a private outpatient teen therapy practice — has fueled my passion for creating comprehensive and progressive solutions that address the unique needs of every student. Beyond my professional pursuits, I'm a registered yoga teacher, meditation practitioner, and advocate for mental wellness and self-care. I find deep meaning in connecting with others and amplifying those making a positive impact. When I'm not working, you can find me running, mountain biking, and dancing.

Realtor

The Marin Home Team is one of Marin's top real estate teams, consistently in the Top 10 realtors in Marin each year. In 2020 they had over $155m in sales with over 42 transactions. Sarah started in real estate in 2012 after nearly seven years in sales and marketing at Pandora Internet Radio, People magazine and People.com. Sarah was instrumental in building Pandora’s advertising support team, and was with the company through its initial public offering. Sarah graduated cum laude from UCLA, majoring in political science and communications, and is active with the UCLA Daily Bruin alumni network. She is on the board of the nonprofit Home for a Home, an organization of real estate professionals that funds the constructions of homes for people in need. Sarah was born and raised in Mill Valley, graduating from Tamalpais High School, and current lives there with her husband and two young sons. In their free time, they love exploring Marin and the Bay Area. However, they are always up for a good adventure elsewhere, having logged many frequent flyer miles over the years. License# 01911424

Licensed Educational Psychologist

I am a licensed educational psychologist specializing in evaluation of cognitive, neurodevelopmental, and mood disorders that impact learning and progress in school. I have a background in school psychology and public education administration. I am a certified ADHD professional and have a post-graduate certification in school neuropsychology. Mind by Design offers psycho-educational and school neuropsychological evaluation and we strive to provide useful reports that help students, families, and educators. We connect families to community providers so they can take actionable steps post assessment. We also provide consultation and guidance for families navigating the public education system so families feel more informed and knowledgable about the special education process. In addition, I have two coaches who provide executive function coaching and mindset/communication coaching for both students and parents.

College Consultant & College Essay Coach

Experienced College Admissions Consultant and College Essay Coach. Kate received her B.S. in Communications and a minor in Creative Writing at NYU. She continued on as a Princeton University teaching fellow in Asia. Kate transformed her passion for storytelling into actionable strategies for the the college admissions process, essays and the application as a whole. Her program coaches students to develop and strategize their most powerful narratives based on their individual ideas and achievements. Kate’s students have been accepted to Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Stanford, University of Chicago, NYU, Brown, Berkeley, UPenn, USC, UCLA, The New School, Northwestern, Duke, Emory, American University of Paris. Kate's hobbies include surfing, permaculture design, and wild food foraging.

Independant Educational Consultant

Jessica Chermak is an Independent College Counselor with over a decade of experience in academia and helping students navigate the college admissions process. She graduated from Chapman University with a BA in Psychology. She was also a founding member of the Honors Organizational Board of Students, and an active member in Mortarboard Honor Society and Hillel. Upon graduation, Jessica was awarded the SMART Scholarship (Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation) to attend the University of Denver for an MA in Forensic Psychology. She is a Certified Educational Planner (CEP), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and Professional Member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). Jessica is also a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the Rocky Mountain Association for college Admission Counseling (RMACAC), and serves on the board of the College Consultants of Colorado (CCC). Jessica also serves as a College & Career Counselor for Living Wisdom High School (based in Palo Alto, CA) and Windsor Charter Academy (based in Windsor, CO).

Transformation Coach + Education Innovation Specialist

Hope is a mother of two, world traveller and an avid networker and promoter of inspiring new models.

For the past 20 years, Hope has been an agent of innovation for organizations driven to make creative brand engagement a priority. As a recognized business coach, she zeros in on values, catalyzes culture, and supports the mindset of the teams she works work. She has been involved in numerous start ups ranging from running a restaurant in a village in Laos to founding companies and supporting brands around the world in food, education, mindfulness, and Agtech.

Outreach Manager

Cory has been an advocate for families for many years, and her role at Pacific Preparatory allows her to expand on her work experience to collaborate with our community partners. With a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Philosophy from Emory University and a Master's in Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin, Cory brings a unique perspective to her work. Her experience working in child protection and as a supervisor for a mentoring program for at-risk youth has given her a deep understanding of the challenges that families face. Prior to joining the Tutor Corps team, Cory founded a successful sleep consulting business to help families navigate the challenges of sleep and parenting issues with their children. In her current role, she enjoys collaborating with community partners to expand our student base and help more families access the benefits of 1:1 education. Cory lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband, three school-age children, and a pandemic rescue dog named Dwight.

Founder & Head of School

Jesse founded Tutor Corps and Pacific Preparatory School in 2002 and has led both organizations for the past 22 years. He is also the Executive Director of the Tutor Corps Foundation, a non-profit that provides tutoring to under-resourced students. Jesse serves on the Inclusive Schools Group Board of Trustees, the Cognia Advisory Council of California and the Marin Academy Alumni Board. He served on the Marin Waldorf School Board of Trustees from 2001-2007. Jesse graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University and holds a multiple subject teaching credential.

Chief Operating Officer

Melissa is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a B.A. in Secondary English Education and minor in political science. She knocked countless doors for Barack Obama’s Campaign for Change, taught middle school at St. HOPE Public Schools as part of Teach For America’s inaugural Sacramento ‘12 corps and at KIPP Bayview in San Francisco, and coached aspiring teachers as an instructional coach with Breakthrough Collaborative. Since 2015, Melissa has worked with Tutor Corps and Pacific Preparatory School, where she currently serves as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer. Melissa is also a Board Member of the Tutor Corps Foundation 501(c)(3).