Meet Our Team

Dino Papadopoulos, M.Ed.

Executive Director & Owner

Dino moved to Savannah in 2009 after working as a classroom teacher in Atlanta and in New York City. While in Atlanta, Dino earned a Master’s Degree in secondary education and soon went on to create his own tutoring and educational consulting business. In New York, Dino worked in an after school setting with the Boys and Girls Club of America, the Princeton Review and the Harlem Children’s Zone. Dino has been with Savannah Sylvan since 2010 and is excited to assist Savannah’s children in reaching their full academic potential.

Matt Haddad

Assessment Proctor

Matt is a graduate of the University of South Carolina where he earned his Master’s Degree in English Literature.  Originally from Washington D.C., Matt has taught Remedial English at South University and served as a substitute teacher and tutor in Chatham County Public Schools. Matt enjoys the constant flow of new students he meets through Sylvan Learning of Savannah, as well as reading and freelance writing.

Karen Pye

Tutor

Karen was born in Flint, Michigan. She graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor with an A.B. in mathematics, and with a K-12 teaching certificate. She worked as a teacher in that state before moving to Georgia in 1981, where she taught for several years in the Savannah Chatham County Public School System. Karen became certified to teach AP calculus at Oglethorpe University, in Atlanta. She began working here at Sylvan Learning of Savannah, as a math tutor, in December of 2013.

Gwendolyn Miller-Smith

Tutor

Gwen relocated here from the Atlanta area in 2013. She has worked in the field of education for over 43 years, both as a teacher and administrator.  Gwen joined the team at Sylvan Learning of Savannah in February of 2015 as a Math and English tutor and loves watching her students learn and grow in confidence as thy recognize their potential.

Kim Hefner

Tutor

Kim was born and raised in savannah.  She earned her B.S. and Master’s Degree at Armstrong University.  Kim is certified in Early Elementary Education and has taught in the Savannah-Chatham County School System for 24 years. She has worked as a math and reading teacher at Sylvan Learning of savannah for over 13 years.  Kim is an integral part of the Sylvan team and also helps out by working the front desk on weekends.

Teresa Watson

Tutor

Teresa is a math teacher who has worked in both public and private schools for the last 18 years. After leaving Windsor Forest High School, she worked at the Corporate Academy, a dropout prevention program because of her desire to serve children who could benefit from her expertise the most.  Kim worked for Sylvan from 1994 – 2004 before leaving to work full-time at St. Vincent’s Academy.  She returned to the Sylvan team in 2014 and continues her passion for instilling in students a love of learning and being a constant source of encouragement in each of  their educational journeys.

Ken Lai

Tutor

Ken moved to savannah in 1976 after earning a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C.  He retired in 2009 after working for 33 years as a mechanical engineer for a local manufacturing company.  Ken subsequently earned a teaching certificate in grades 6 – 10 mathematics from Armstrong University.  Before joining Sylvan as a math tutor, he taught for 3 years in both public and private schools.