Meet our Glendale Tutoring Staff

Jennifer comes to us with 30+ years of customer service experience. Jennifer is usually the first person you will talk to on the phone and when you make schedule changes.  She is a native of Arizona and has 2 children. Jennifer enjoys serving others and helping them meet their goals.

Marianne Taylor, our Director of Education, is starting her 16th year with Sylvan, and has seen many wonderful Sylvan successes! She graduated from Eastern Illinois University and earned her Master’s degree from NAU. Marianne retired from the public school system after 30 years, and now enjoys her time with Sylvan students and their educational programs. She is lucky enough to guide the educational programs, yet is still able to teach at a table occasionally! Marianne has taught ages 5 to 55 at Sylvan. In her spare time, she tries to keep up with her husband, David, and sons Lee and Hunter. 

Victoria has been with Sylvan since 1993. She loves meeting new families and helping them find solutions to their academic challenges. 

Erin's true colors of kindness and support shine when she works with children.  Although Erin has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in tutoring reading. When she isn't teaching, Erin enjoys crocheting, reading, doing, and making word puzzles. 

Kalyn oversees the educational integrity of our programs, managing and training our team of tutors at our Glendale, Arizona Sylvan.  As a former high school English teacher and soccer coach, Kalyn brings a wealth of knowledge to Sylvan with her ability to understand and relate to students looking to advance their education. 

Becka is a long time Sylvan NW Phoenix teacher. She's been with Sylvan in Arizona for 10 years. Prior to that she worked at an Ohio Sylvan for a year and a half. She has a B.S in Individual and Family Development, a B.S. in Sociology, and M.A. in Community Health Education. She worked as a mental health counselor and social work for 20+ years. She has worked in the Glendale, Peoria, and Surprise school districts; and currently works for Grand Canyon University. She is the proud mother of a 24 year old son.

Jesse DePoy, known to fans of his art and comedy as “Kid Ever”, holds three bachelor’s degrees from the University of North Texas, where he was student body president, among other positions. After winning a Top 10 Speaker of the Year award, he was offered a teaching and research assistantship in the Department of Political Science as a graduate student. As an undergraduate, he was named an outstanding tutor and was a supplemental instructor for College Algebra. Jesse joined in 2019 as a math and college prep instructor at Sylvan.

Annette graduated from Arizona State with a Bachelor’s in Education. In elementary and high school, she received many awards for having excellent grades and was a member of the National Honor Society. She enjoys cooking and baking, and loves to spend time with her nieces and nephews.  

Heather Caraway graduated Summa Cum Laude from Arizona State University-West. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. Heather has taught fifth grade, third grade, and currently teaches preschool. Heather has 2 kids—her daughter, Emarose, is 12. Heather also has a 9 year old son named Jerom. Heather enjoys reading books with her kids. Heather often plays board games and card games with Emarose and Jerom.

Nia Lewis was born in New Jersey and obtained an Elementary Education certification at William Paterson University. In 2016, she moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where she taught 2nd grade for 3 years. In July 2019, Nia moved here to Phoenix, AZ, where she is currently teaching 3rd grade. During her spare time, she enjoys dancing, singing, and attending church.

Vasu Pandya talks to all students with respect and a positive attitude. Students always like his methods of teaching basic math up to geometry. Vasu previously worked as a Hospital-Nuclear Technician. His dependability has always been good. 

Cheryl Benere is a simplistic teacher who wants to make a difference in the world of Education. She is open to new ideas and is always looking to inspire young minds. Aside from teaching, she loves to read , write, spend time with family—son, daughter, and dog Bella.

Emily Black comes to us with a background in science and education. She earned her bachelor degrees in Earth Science and Biology, with honors, from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She then pursued her master’s in Botany from North Carolina State University. After that, she worked as a naturalist and Park Ranger in North Carolina and Arizona. After teaching and educating the public informally, she decided to learn more about formal education, so she earned a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Grand Canyon University. Since then, she has enjoyed teaching at Sylvan Learning Center. In her spare time, she enjoys time with her husband, 3 chihuahuas, and 7 cats.