Meet the Team

Dr. Kelly Van Sande is a lifelong educator with a passion for children. She married her high school sweetheart and they have two teenage children. She is a certified teacher, principal, and school superintendent, and has served in all of those roles, including teaching at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. She has more than 20 years of school leadership experience. She holds a bachelor's degree in education (B.S.), a master's in teaching and curriculum leadership (M.Ed.), a master's in business administration (MBA), and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Administration (Ed.D). She is also a trained Registered Behavioral Therapist and holds additional graduate certificates. Dr. Van Sande is also the founder of Ignite Achievement Academy – private schools in Charlotte, NC dedicated to serving students with special needs.

Dr. Van Sande has been recognized as a Top-50 Trailblazing Educator  and has been invited to speak on topics related to educational choice, including at the Harvard Kennedy School Program on Educational Policy & Governance.

As a parent and educator, she observed the traditional school system often did not meet the needs of all students and she believed there had to be a way to make education come alive for students at all ability levels, from various backgrounds, and to allow students to learn in their own, meaningful way. She develops schools that remove barriers to learning, allow for individualized instruction, maintain very small class sizes, and focus primarily on teacher-student relationships in order to foster a school community and culture driven by student success.

She looks forward to working alongside parents, students, teachers, and staff every day so we can build a thriving school community of students prepared for today, tomorrow, and the future ahead!

Sheri Behn graduated with her B.S. in Elementary Education in 1997 and went on to earn her M. Ed in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University in 2002. Sheri has an English as a Second Language endorsement along with eleven years of teaching experience with students in grades kindergarten to fifth grade. In addition, she has over ten years of online leadership experience serving as a lead master teacher, assistant principal, and most recently a principal for six years.

Sheri lives in Pinetop, Arizona with her husband Chad, daughter Natalie, son Zander and two spoiled dogs, Winnie, and Bella. She's a small-town girl at heart and enjoys living in the mountains. Fall is her favorite time of year. Sheri's favorite things are spending time with her family and traveling.

Nichole Peterson lives in Mesa, Arizona with her husband, 2 boys and their pug. She graduated with her B.B.A in Management Information Systems from University of New Mexico in 2005. Nichole then went on to complete her Master's degree from University of Phoenix in Business Administration with a Human Resources concentration. She has held many different positions in brick and mortar charter schools as well as online schools over the last 18 years.

A fun fact about Nichole Peterson is that she loves to be outdoors with her family! Her favorite activities include camping, hiking, swimming, and kayaking and they often take their pug along for most of these activities.

With over 20 years of experience in the Information Technology industry, Mike Van Sande is a seasoned executive and strategic leader known for driving technological innovation and operational excellence. Throughout his career, Mike has held various key positions, progressively advancing to the role of Chief Information Officer. He possesses a deep expertise in IT strategy, infrastructure management, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. Mike has roughly a decade of education experience in both brick and mortar and online schools, including large school districts and small private schools. He enjoys finding new ways to leverage and integrate technology into the learning experience. Mike holds a bachelor's degree in network and communication management from DeVry University and has completed various advanced certifications in IT management, cybersecurity and networking.

Ann Herbener has 36 years of experience as an educator, with 20 years as a school counselor, specializing in academic and college counseling. Ann was awarded Teacher of the Year in Bellevue Public Schools, Nebraska State High School Counselor of the Year in 2021, and the Distinguished Service Award by Great Plains ACAC. Ann's passion is inspiring her students to achieve not only in high school but in their post-secondary careers. Ann has three children, two grandchildren, and two Corgis. She enjoys sewing and spending time with family and friends in her spare time

Anna Moore lives in Arizona with her husband and two cats, Luna and Opie. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree from Benedictine University Mesa in 2023 and her Associate of Arts in Psychology from Mesa Community College in 2021. Anna participated in Mesa Community College's Honors Program and is a Phi Theta Kappa National Honors Society member. She previously worked in student services in higher education for four years. She completed an internship with the University of Arizona's Early Academic Outreach Team, where she presented college readiness information at different middle and high schools across Arizona. Anna strongly believes everyone deserves an education and works hard to support students and families in achieving their academic goals.

Brittany Balog has been a teacher in Arizona for nearly 20 years. After moving from Montana to Arizona, she began her teaching career in 6th grade teaching language arts & social studies. Studying ancient civilizations was a highlight for her! She taught 6th grade for two years, then moved to a self-contained 4th grade classroom, where she taught for four years, and was a gifted cluster teacher for two of those years. Around this time, Brittany was selected to be part of the district-wide curriculum team for history/social studies that helped to adopt the best (social studies) program for all K-8 students. After discovering her passion for gifted education, she accepted her next teaching position as a gifted self-contained teacher for highly/profoundly gifted students in a mixed 3rd/4th grade classroom, then only 3rd grade as numbers increased. Eventually, she moved closer to home to teach social studies and reading as a 5th grade gifted cluster teacher at a charter school. With her background in gifted education, she became a gifted specialist in the Deer Valley Unified School District, which is one of the largest districts in the Phoenix-metro area. She had the opportunity to bring all her knowledge and expertise together as the Gifted Lead Teacher in DVUSD and then as a gifted teacher at ILA. As a gifted educator, she integrated social studies concepts into all nonfiction reading and projects that she could! Her true dreams came true when she was asked to teach social studies for ILA! She is married to a fellow teacher, who teaches STEM, and she is a mom of two sons along with a dog and a desert tortoise. She enjoys the unique perspective she can bring to teaching social studies with her diverse background and true love for history! On that note, when taking the Renzulli Profiler, history ended up being #1 for her top interests. For fun, Brittany enjoys watching documentaries, hiking, traveling, and most importantly, spending time with her family.

Fun Fact: Brittany loves spoilers! She'll read the last chapter of a book first BEOFRE she reads the whole thing.

Degrees and Certifications: Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education Master of Arts in Education - Curriculum & Instruction Certifications: Elementary K-8, Gifted PreK-12, Reading Specialist K-12, SEI Endorsement K-12

Ms. Beck is an artist and educator from Rhode Island. She graduated from Wheaton College in Massachusetts with degrees in Studio Art and Business. Ms. Beck worked as a screen printer, wilderness trip leader, and outdoor education teacher before receiving her M.A.T. in Art Education. She has taught Art at the middle and high school levels in Rhode Island and for the past several years coordinated Art Camp at the Orme School in Arizona. Ms. Beck loves art history, contemporary art, and helping students make connections to art and culture. In her free time, Ms. Beck enjoys being in nature, making art, managing her screen-printing business, and playing with her dog.

Mrs. Blumeyer lives in Colorado with her husband and 4 children. She enjoys traveling to new places, trying new foods, loves the beach, camping (in an R.V.), and playing games with family and friends.

Mrs. Blumeyer earned an Associate degree in interpreting for the deaf, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at Arizona State University, and a Master of Arts in School Counseling and Guidance with an emphasis in deafness at Gallaudet University.

In over 20 years, she has enjoyed working in different educational roles; an assistant at a deaf school, an interpreter for deaf students, a counselor for deaf students, a substitute teacher, and an American Sign Language teacher.

Charmayne Bodkin is a proud Arizona native and lifelong Sun Devil with over a decade of teaching experience. Inspired by her son with autism, she embarked on a career dedicated to fostering inclusive and engaging learning environments for all students. When she's not in the classroom, you can find her exploring new destinations, getting lost in historical fiction, or spending time with her two kids and her wise old senior cat. Passionate about education and lifelong learning, she brings enthusiasm, creativity, and a deep commitment to student success every day.

Mrs. Kiley Cohoon has been an educator for 22 years. During that time, she has taught K-8 music and spent time as an elementary teacher. She later went on to complete additional graduate-level courses in order to obtain her early childhood and elementary education teaching certificates. She also holds endorsements in Read to Succeed, Online Teaching, and Gifted/Talented.

She lives in South Carolina with her husband, two sons, and dog. She enjoys hiking and camping with her family, and enjoys playing the piano.

She holds a BA in Music Education from Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC and a master's degree in music education/music therapy from the University of Georgia. She is also a National Board-Certified Teacher in Elementary and Middle Childhood Music. She later went on to complete additional graduate-level courses in order to obtain her elementary education teaching certificate. She also holds Read to Succeed and Online Teaching endorsements.

Fun fact: She has completed a 35-mile bike ride with her family through the Virginia mountains!

Mrs. Curtis attended the University of Utah and graduated with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a minor in English. Before long, she decided teaching was her true passion, so returned to "the U" to get a teaching certificate. She has been teaching math since 1999 and loves it. She's taught in both Middle and High Schools, in Utah, Texas, and Arizona, both in-person (9 years) and online (17 years) - but always math. Her favorite part about teaching math is helping it fit together like a puzzle and to help each topic fit together and make sense as a part of a larger picture. Her teaching philosophy is that anyone can learn math, when the desire to learn it is present. Mrs. Curtis has lived in over 20 different States and 5 different countries. She grew up in a military family and moved over 30 times before graduating High School! A fan of teaching and learning online, she thinks online schooling would have helped her with some continuity in spite of moving around so much as a child. Mrs. Curtis completed High School in Mesa, Arizona and therefore considers Arizona "Home". She is very interested in different cultures and languages and speaks three different languages (English, Albanian and German). Mrs. Curtis currently lives in Gilbert Arizona with her husband, two daughters, and one dog (Mylah - a German Sheperd/Siberian Huskie mix). She has been vegan (plant-based) since January of 2020 and enjoys cooking regular cuisines and comfort foods "vegan style". In the Fall, she can be found most weekends yelling at the television while watching her Utah Utes playing football. Living in Arizona, she has also adopted ASU as her second favorite University.

Mr. Warner D'Cunha is a servant-leader and steward with more than 20 years of professional Information Technology (IT) experience in financial services and risk management. As a servant first, Mr. D'Cunha's overarching objective is to always enable the growth of individuals and to create environments in which students can excel. As a steward, he holds himself responsible for what has been entrusted to his care, as well as accountable for what he administers on behalf of the true "owners" of the experience i.e. the students, parents, and families.

Mr. D'Cunha graduated from Goa University in Goa, India with a Bachelor's in Computer Science ... so long ago his children refer to it as the "dark ages". Since then he has worked at IBM, American Express, and USAA, spanning the globe in locations like India, Norway, and the USA. Eight years ago, he began teaching part-time in a school-setting that has continued to the present day. During this time, his wife and he started their own STEM education business using LEGO and Python. He also sits on the board of the Southwest Maricopa Region of First Things First — an Arizona voter-initiated, statewide organization that funds early education and health programs to prepare young children to succeed in kindergarten and beyond.

Mr. D'Cunha lives in Litchfield Park, AZ with his wife, their three children, the children's grandmother, two dogs, two turtles, and - come Christmas - a partridge in a pear tree.

The D'Cunha family's perspective on education is summed thusly. "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. Our children have the potential to do great and wonderful things. To become anything, they wish to be. They need to be helped, guided, and nurtured. Not in providing them opportunities – but in equipping them to create their own opportunities. Not in clearing paths – but in teaching them how to build their own roads. Not by mapping out a journey – but by empowering them to create their own destiny! And where these roads take them will pleasantly surprise them … and us. Truly, it has been said that it takes a village to raise a child - and we are that village."

Fun fact about Mr. D'Cunha: Mr. D'Cunha has had the great fortune to visit all the inhabited continents* on the globe, except Africa. On his punch-list is to visit Uganda, where his mother comes from, as well as to visit Portugal, from where his father shares a cultural inheritance. *Antarctica doesn't count as "inhabited", it just has tourists.

Mr. Mike Finneseth is a veteran science teacher of 35 years. He has taught in Phoenix, AZ, the Twin Cities in Minnesota and most recently in Fargo, ND. His wife, Sheila and their two dogs, Pal and Gretchen, currently are living in Detroit Lakes, MN enjoying life at the lake.

Mr. Finneseth graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1987 and obtained a Masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Minnesota State University in Moorhead.

Throughout his years of working with students in both public and private schools, Mr. Finneseth has worked hard to get students to critically think about topics in biology, chemistry, forensics, anatomy & physiology and physical science. He has taught college level biology and anatomy and his students have achieved a qualifying score in AP biology at a rate of 70% over the last 7 years.

Mr. Finneseth has 30 years of coaching experience in basketball both as a head coach and an assistant and has sold hundreds of his landscape photographs taken around the country, had his work featured on the cover of magazines and had his own calendar published by North Dakota Horizons in 2006.

Ms. Freer graduated from Seton Hall University with a Bachelor's Degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences and a minor in Social Work. She received her Master's Degree from Seton Hall in Special Education. She is also a yoga instructor, soccer coach and strength and conditioning trainer.

She believes in the mind-body connection and that education and athletics gives us the opportunity to build confidence, independence and community.

Ms. Freer loves to learn and be active! She enjoys reading, writing, hiking, yoga, running, skiing ... just to name a few! Ms. Freer's favorite memories are either at the beach or in the mountains, with her family, friends, and dog!

Mrs. Amy Garretson has been an educator for over two decades, with most of her experience focused on early elementary education. She has taught kindergarten through third grade and has a strong passion for helping young learners build a solid foundation in reading. In addition to classroom teaching, she has worked as a K–5 reading interventionist and literacy coach, supporting both students and fellow educators in developing effective, research-based reading practices. Mrs. Garretson is passionate about helping every child discover their potential as a reader and finds great joy in watching their confidence grow. Originally from Oklahoma, she now lives in Anthem, Arizona with her husband and their sweet pup, Daisy. When she's not teaching, you'll find her spending time with family, hiking in the desert, or teaching private piano lessons to students of all ages. Mrs. Garretson holds a bachelor's degree in education from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and has completed additional coursework and certifications in structured literacy, early reading instruction, and intervention strategies. She is certified through the Arizona Department of Education and holds a Structured English Immersion endorsement. Fun facts: Mrs. Garretson has run three marathons, loves to bake, and is currently trying her hand at herb gardening!

With over 20 years of experience in education, Ms. G, as she is known to her students, brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her role. Throughout her career, she has taught in a variety of settings, both in-person and online, and has worked across general education as well as special education. Ms. G has also held multiple leadership positions, where she has contributed to shaping educational practices. She believes all students are capable of success. A few fun facts about Ms. G: She loves all things outdoors including hiking, kayaking, and feeding her backyard birds. She has a yearly goal of reading 100 books. She is 100% hooked on pickleball!

Kelsey Kaufman holds a BA in Sports Science from Colorado State University, a BA in Special Education from Western Governors University, and an MA in Educational Psychology from The University of Northern Colorado, specializing in teaching strategies for non-typical students, specifically students with autism spectrum disorders. She is dual licensed in both Special Education and Elementary Education and believes that every person deserves access to high-quality education. With over 15 years of experience working with and teaching kids from all walks of life in various settings, including center-based, resource, fully inclusive, and non-traditional programs. Kelsey is excited to be a part of Ignite Learning and bring high-quality education to students who may not have access to these programs otherwise due to location, medical diagnoses, or family structure. Kelsey is a typical Colorado gal when she is not at school, enjoying running, hiking, camping, and gardening. She has a huge heart for animals and has 3 dogs, 3 cats, and a bearded dragon. Finally, the most important part of her life is her family, including a loving and supportive husband and smarty-pants 5-year-old dino-maniac son.

Sarah received her B.A in elementary education from Arizona Christian University and her master's degree in special education from Grand Canyon University. She has 20 years of teaching experience at various grade levels. Sarah is married and has three children. Two of her children have special needs so advocating for and teaching students with special needs is a passion for Sarah. A few of Sarah's favorite things: reading, Disneyland, cycling class, anything chocolate and coffee!

With nearly 20 years of experience in both public and online education, Kristina is an English Teacher at Ignite Learning Academy, where she teaches students in grades 8, 10, 11, and 12. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education and is passionate about helping students strengthen their communication skills and develop a lasting appreciation for literature. Her teaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that all students have the ability to learn when provided with the right tools and a supportive learning environment. She is committed to fostering academic growth through engaging instruction, high expectations, and meaningful student connections.

Ms. Mitchell graduated from Eastern Michigan University, where she majored in both Spanish and English Language, Literature and Writing. In 2021, she received her M.Ed. in Teaching English Learners from the American College of Education. Ms. Mitchell holds certifications in English (6-12), Spanish (K-12) and ESL (K-12), and she has been teaching since 2017.

Outside of the classroom, you can find Ms. Mitchell on walks with her dog, reading, traveling, or spending time with her loved ones.

Mrs. Becky Moore graduated from Western Colorado University in Gunnison, CO with a B.A. in American History and Elementary Education. She received her Masters of Science in Instructional Technology from Grand Canyon University in Arizona. Becky has taught Kindergarten through 6th grade in general education and gifted students. Her passion is STEM education where she loves to work with students and challenge them to critically think while engineering projects that help to solve real world problems. Becky's educational philosophy is that every child is a genius at something. Becky truly believes her job is to help every child find their "genius" and then encourage them to develop and shape it.

Mrs. Becky Moore has been married to her husband for 25 years, and they have two adult children along with 2 spoiled French Bulldogs and a cat who believes she is in charge of the entire house. Becky and her husband live in Florida.

Dr. Cristina Obae is originally from Romania but considers herself a citizen of the world as she travels together with her husband and son throughout the entire globe having visited more than 34 countries.

She finished her first PhD in French didactics and linguistics at the University of Bordeaux, in France. Then followed the courses of a second masters and started in August 2023 on her second PhD in education, in Finland. Dr. Obae is a lifelong learner and that's what she tries to instill in her students too.

She has been teaching French both face-to-face and online at University, Middle and High School level in Europe since 2004. She is adept of Finnish pedagogy, PBL and embedding new technologies into teaching. She lead teachers training workshops and designed specially for ILA a VR-based French curriculum in order to efficientize language teaching in the online learning environment and ensure active involvement of students pursuing her classes.

Alyssa Rinehart is a dedicated educator with a passion for supporting student growth through engaging, individualized instruction. She graduated from Texas Tech University and brings several years of experience in both general and special education, with a strong background in English Language Arts and student services. Her teaching philosophy centers around building strong relationships, fostering confidence, and creating accessible learning experiences for all students. Mrs. Rinehart is excited to join the Ignite Learning Academy's team and is committed to helping students thrive in a virtual learning environment.

Mrs. R, as her students call her, has been happily teaching elementary school in-person and online for over 20 years. She graduated with her B.A. in Elementary Education in 2004 from Ottawa University and her M.S. in Psychology in 2012 from Grand Canyon University. She takes a holistic approach to teaching by focusing on academics, as well as character development. Mrs. R knows that every student has a light to shine in the world, and she is excited to be a part of their journey.

She is a proud Arizona native and loves to spend time off-roading in the desert with her family, although she really hates the Phoenix heat. She has been married to her high school sweetheart, Scott, for over 24 years and they have two amazing sons, Kyle (23) and Luke (18). They keep her busy and she loves family game nights and weekend camping trips in the RV.

Fun facts about Mrs. R:

1. She is a huge fan of Marvel, Star Wars, and Transformers. She has seen all the movies in each franchise about a million times.
2. Bug-eyed dogs are her favorite, and she has a sweet senior Boxer who sometimes likes to attend class. She has always had Boxers and Boston Terriers, and her retirement plan is to open a senior dog rescue someday.
3. She is a major Arizona sports fanatic! Go Diamondbacks, Suns, and Cardinals!

Mrs. Swezey earned her bachelor's degree in early childhood education and special education from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania in 2016. Since then she has enjoyed several years of developing her skills as an educator, both in general education and special education settings throughout the east coast. Her passion for teaching has followed her throughout her entire life, and she dedicates herself to developing a lifelong love of learning in all of her students.

Currently, Mrs. Swezey lives in Baltimore, Maryland with her husband and her cat. When she isn't teaching, Mrs. Swezey enjoys crocheting, playing video games, and volunteering in her community's garden space.

Fun Fact: Mrs. Swezey grew up in western New York, and returns there every summer to go camping with her parents and older sister.

Mrs. Swezey earned her bachelor's degree in early childhood education and special education from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania in 2016. Since then she has enjoyed several years of developing her skills as an educator, both in general education and special education settings throughout the east coast. Her passion for teaching has followed her throughout her entire life, and she dedicates herself to developing a lifelong love of learning in all of her students.

Currently, Mrs. Swezey lives in Baltimore, Maryland with her husband and her cat. When she isn't teaching, Mrs. Swezey enjoys crocheting, playing video games, and volunteering in her community's garden space.

Fun Fact: Mrs. Swezey grew up in western New York, and returns there every summer to go camping with her parents and older sister.

Shelia lives in Ocean Springs, MS, on the coastline of Mississippi. Her sweet family consists of her husband and their two sugar cookies (kids). Shelia graduated from Tougaloo College with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Bachelor of Arts in Special Education. She furthered her education at William Carey University and received a Master of Secondary Education in Mathematics. This is her 8th year teaching middle school math and her 10th year in education. In her free time, she loves spending time with family, going to the beach, and sewing. She is so excited to be a part of the ILA team and meeting you, her students! Go Bulldogs.

Ms. Vicary believes every child deserves to feel valued, capable, and celebrated for who they are. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Special Education, as well as a Master's degree in Developmental Disabilities and Early Childhood, which ground her work in both strong academics and a deep understanding of diverse learners. With a background in behavior support, resource teaching, and virtual instruction, she brings patience, creativity, and joy to her teaching. Named Rookie Teacher of the Year in Charleston County, Ms. Vicary is known for her ability to connect with families and create classrooms where learning feels safe, engaging, and full of possibility. She strives to meet children where they are, build on their strengths, and cheer them on every step of the way.

Mrs. Wilch is our Middle School Science and Technology teacher. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Child & Adolescent Development, with a Minor in Natural Science, from California State University, Fullerton, and a Foundational Science credential from the same institution. Additionally, she recently earned her Computer Science K-12 authorization from California State University, Channel Islands. With nearly four years of teaching experience in California, Mrs. Wilch has taught both in-person and online middle school science. She is passionate about creating engaging, student-centered science curriculum that meets the diverse needs of her students. Mrs. Wilch believes that education is all about serving students, and she is dedicated to providing the best learning experience for each one. Originally from Southern California, Mrs. Wilch and her husband recently relocated to Fargo, North Dakota, where he is completing his residency in orthotics and prosthetics. Although she's trading sunny SoCal for snowy landscapes, Mrs. Wilch enjoys exploring the outdoors, watching Disney movies, and listening to country music in her free time.

Mrs. Williams graduated from Columbia College (SC) with a B.A. in Elementary Education with an Early Childhood Endorsement in 2004. She received her Masters of Science in Integrating Technology into Curriculum and a Masters of Science in Online Education. Mrs. Williams also has a Gifted Education endorsement. She has taught Elementary and Middle School general education and gifted students. She has also served as a teacher trainer and instructional coach.

Mrs. Williams lives in Chicopee, Massachusetts. She has two sons who also attend ILA and a handsome German Shepherd! She loves spending time with her family going on trips, camping, reading, and crafting.

Here are some fun facts about Mrs. Williams: She has been in online education longer than she taught in a traditional school setting. She grew up as a military brat and attended kindergarten in Germany. When she was little, she used to teach her stuffed animals.

Mrs. Wright graduated with a B.A in psychology and a master's degree in special education after attending the University of Georgia and Georgia College and State University. After being a Georgia girl, she now lives in the sunny state of FLA with her husband. She has taught special education for over 13 years at the elementary level and more recently k-12 online. She was also a reading intervention teacher for 2 years. Mrs. Wright has 4 children and 2 grandbabies with one more on the way. Being a grandma is her favorite thing to do, as well as spending time with her ever growing family. Some hobbies she enjoys are traveling, spending time on any beach and growing and arranging flowers.

Ashley Zeiher has a strong background in supporting students with diverse needs across academic and behavioral settings. She began her career working abroad as a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant, where she gained valuable experience supporting communication development. For the past five years, she has led self-contained classrooms, running both behavioral and academic programs with a focus on students with developmental disabilities and autism. Ashley holds a bachelor's degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences and a master's degree in Special Education, both with the highest distinction from Arizona State University. She is passionate about creating supportive, structured, and engaging learning environments that empower every student to reach their fullest potential.

Grace Adeyemi is a course developer with a background in instructional design and digital learning. At Ignite Learning Academy, she creates engaging, accessible online courses using Rise 360, Storyline, and Canvas LMS. Grace holds a Master's degree in Learning Technologies from the University of Texas at Austin and a BSE in Elementary Education. When she's not building online learning experiences, she enjoys sewing, storytelling, and exploring new ways to blend creativity with education.

Amy Flanders began her career in education where she dedicated 16 years to teaching middle school students in grades 6th-8th and provided tutoring for K-12 learners for the next six years. These experiences have deepened her understanding of diverse student needs and effective instructional strategies. Her academic credentials include a Master of Arts degree in General Education K-12 and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Maryville College in Childhood Development and Learning with teacher licensure. In addition to tutoring, Amy also worked in curriculum development for eight years by planning and developing a wide array of materials, including lessons, videos, teacher resources, presentations, passages, test items, and digital products for edtech companies. She has contributed to the creation of over 110 curriculum products, both written and digital spanning K-12 education. For over two years, Amy has shifted to working in AI or artificial intelligence. During this time, she trained models for a client using her writing and editing skills. Also, she learned to become a trainer and trained new hires for the projects in her department. When Amy is not educating the world, creating materials, or working with AI, she can be found playing with her 13-year-old dog, watching sports, or flipping furniture.

Alana Kirtley received her Bachelor's of Science in Mathematics from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and her Masters of Education in Secondary Mathematics from the University of West Georgia. She has over twenty years of teaching experience in the classroom and online. She currently lives in Georgia with her husband, son, her dog Phoebe and her two cats, Badger and Lolly.

With over 20 years of instructional experience and a Master of Education in Instructional Design, Carrie applies deep expertise to enhance education across diverse student populations. Carrie is passionate about designing engaging, effective, and adaptive learning solutions that drive student performance and improve student confidence.

Amber Parker lives in Kentucky with her husband. She is an experienced educator and curriculum developer who brings over 15 years of teaching and content creation expertise to our team. She holds a B.B.A from the University of Houston and a Master's of Education from the University of the People. Amber has taught grades 1–10 in both the United States and internationally. In addition to her classroom experience, Amber has designed and developed engaging K–12 curriculum and online courses. She is passionate about creating meaningful learning experiences that support student success. A fun fact about Amber Parker is that she loves traveling with her husband. They have traveled to over 35 countries together! In addition, she loves trying new foods and living an active lifestyle. Her favorite activities include exploring new places, cooking up new dishes, and spending time outdoors.

Hailing from Kentucky, Billy brings over 20 years of experience in education to Ignite. He holds a BA in History from the University of Kentucky and earned his MAT from Marshall University. Throughout his career, he has been dedicated to helping students make meaningful, real-world connections to what they learn, especially in the field of social studies. His teaching journey has taken him across the globe, with international classroom experience in multiple countries. These experiences have shaped his global perspective and continue to inspire the engaging, relevant content he develops for educators and students alike. When he's not writing or collaborating with the team, Billy enjoys traveling the world with his wife, drawing inspiration from different cultures and communities. He's also a huge college basketball fan, an avid reader, and makes sure to get in a daily walk.

Mrs. Powell (she/her/hers) has taught every level of secondary English over her career, and she now creates curriculum for high school English. She holds two bachelor's degrees (English and German) from Arizona State University and a master's degree (English literature) from Northern Arizona University. Her master's thesis focused on using graphic novels in the Gothic literature classroom. A proud southpaw, she loves hiking with her bloodhound, fiber arts, and making marshmallows. When she's not working, Mrs. Powell can be found cheering for her daughter, a competitive swimmer, on the pool deck. Like our ILA students, Mrs. Powell is an online student, pursuing her doctorate in educational policy; her dissertation field is school attendance policy.

Fun Fact: Mrs. Powell collects vintage Bobbsey Twins books and two patterns of china.

Dr. Malabika Sarker is a dedicated educator, researcher, and lifelong learner with a passion for creating engaging, student-centered science education. She holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Granada, Spain, and brings more than a decade of experience in teaching, curriculum design, and scientific research. Over her career, she has taught in U.S. public schools, private IB schools, online platforms, and universities, as well as developed curriculum for undergraduate and high school science courses. Dr. Sarker previously worked at Ignite Learning Academy from August 2020 to June 2021 as an online instructor for Math, Science, and Spanish, where she implemented dynamic virtual lessons, led science clubs, and fostered strong student engagement. She is now thrilled to return to the Ignite Education Group family as a Subject Matter Expert for Science at ILA, bringing her deep expertise in curriculum development to inspire and support both teachers and students. Her background includes authoring 16 peer-reviewed journal articles and two book chapters, securing research funding from GATES and STTR, and contributing to pioneering bioinformatics projects such as the Plasma Proteome Database and the Human Protein Reference Database. She is also a Certified Associate in Project Management and holds certifications in Chemistry and Biology for grades 7–12, as well as virtual teaching. She believes that high-quality curriculum is at the heart of student success, and that science education should ignite curiosity, foster critical thinking, and connect learning to real-world applications. As both an educator and parent, she has seen how personalized instruction, small learning communities, and strong teacher-student relationships can transform learning outcomes. At ILA, she is excited to collaborate with colleagues, students, and families to develop innovative science curricula that prepare students not just for exams, but for life in a rapidly evolving world.

Sara Sikora has been teaching for the past eighteen years, first as a preschool teacher in the Madison School District and then as a fourth and fifth grade teacher in the Tolleson Elementary School District in Arizona. She also taught kindergarten and 4th grade online and was an assistant principal for seven years. She is early childhood endorsed and has received her Master's in Reading and Instruction from Grand Canyon University. Sara has two children, Abby and Cooper and has been married to her awesome husband, Chris for twenty-two years.