Meet Our Team

Daneka

Center Director

Daneka is the Center Director at Sylvan Learning Centers of Alaska and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Microbiology and Genetics from Purdue University. She is an experienced educational professional that previously held the position of Special Education Resource Teacher in Florida. She is currently working towards her Master’s degree in Special Education but still takes the time to enjoy spending time with her son.

Cody

Assistant Director

Cody graduated from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Art Education. He was an English teacher in Shanghai and Beijing and taught Art in elementary, middle, and high schools within Detroit. In his free time, Cody enjoys playing harmonica, shaping clay, and spending time with Mable and Freya – his cat and dog.

Jessica

Center Manager

Jessica, our Center Manager, has a long history of education, starting in her home country of Germany. She has an Einzelhandel/Bürokaufmann in Business, a high school diploma from the US, and a Medical Technician’s Certificate from Meditec in Austin, Texas. She’s traveled to many places around the world but admires Sweden most, for its fascinating history and monuments. Jessica is truly a positive impact in the center!

Jennifer

Executive Director

Jennifer has been a director with the Sylvan Learning Center since 2005. She has a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology from the Pennsylvania State University. After graduating college she attended the FlightSafety Academy in Vero Beach, Florida where she attained her commercial multi-engine instrument flight ratings. As a Certified Flight Instructor she trained pilots for the SwissAir Flight School and was a Check Airman, where she evaluated students on checkrides for issuance of flight licenses.

Anne

Instructor

Anne graduated from Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania with a B.S. in French. She received a Reading Specialist Certificate endorsement in K-12 from Pennsylvania State University. First she taught French and Reading for 7 ½ years in Pennsylvania, then 25 years for the Anchorage School District for Middle School French and Reading. She is currently a special education teacher’s aide for the Anchorage School District and has at been a tutor at Sylvan Learning Center of Anchorage since 2010 where she teaches several subjects including Math, Reading, Writing, Beginning Reading and Study Skills.

PaHoua

Instructor

PaHoua graduated from Beloit College in Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, then went on to earn a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin Madison. After her PhD she earned an Education Endorsement in Chemistry from Edgewood College. PaHoua started working for the Anchorage School District as a Chemistry teacher in 1999, she still works for ASD but now works in the ELL program at Bartlett High School. PaHoua has been a math and science tutor with Sylvan Learning Center of Anchorage since 1999.

Ric

Instructor

Ric spent over 25 years teaching in Anchorage, Alaska at Birchwood ABC Elementary. Before that, he worked as a Radio Announcer in Guam! Ric holds a Bachelor in Education from the University of Alaska Anchorage and loves both learning about and teaching History, Social Studies, and Science. In his free time, he enjoys woodworking, playing with his grandkids, and dreaming of having the power of flight.

Pat

Instructor

Pat has worked within McKinley Heights, Frontier Charter School, AKCH Program, Mirror Lake Elementary, Susitna Elementary, Chugach Optional, Kincaid Elementary, and Goldenview Elementary Schools. In addition, she has mentored students and teachers alike as an Academic Advisor and within ASD’s GETS program. She holds a Doctorate in Education from CA Coast University, a Masters’s in Counseling Psychology from UAA, and a Bachelors’s in Special Education (with a focus on the Emotionally Impaired) from Western Michigan University. Pat enjoys teaching, running, hiking, yoga, and going to the movies.

Sabine

Instructor

Sabine is an encouraging, supporting teacher with a gift for working with kids. While she has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in tutoring high school math and science. Sabine holds a Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality and Restaurant Management and Languages from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Aside from teaching, her long-term goal is to open a comfort food restaurant of her own!