Meet the Team
Jared Stout
At Educational Resources, Jared works with students in Math and Science courses while also helping them prepare for important exams such as the ACT and SAT. He is passionate about helping students build confidence in subjects that can often feel challenging and showing them that success is possible with the right support and approach.
His educational background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Middle Grades Education (5–9 Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies) from Spalding University, a Master’s Degree in High School Mathematics from the University of the Cumberlands, and a Rank 1 Degree in Advanced Mathematics from Campbellsville University.
For the past 13 years, he has taught high school Mathematics in JCPS, working with students in grades 9–12. Throughout his career, he has taught a wide range of courses including Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, College Algebra, Pre-Calculus, Personal Finance, and Statistics/Probability. This experience has allowed him to work with students of all ability levels and learning styles.
One of the most rewarding parts of what he does is helping students achieve both their short-term and long-term goals. He especially enjoys helping students improve their ACT and SAT scores because stronger results can open doors to scholarships, college opportunities, and future success. Seeing students realize their potential and gain confidence in themselves is what motivates him every day.
He chose to become a teacher because he had educators growing up who encouraged him, believed in him, and made a lasting impact on his life. From an early age, he knew he wanted to provide that same encouragement and support to young people.
Outside of teaching and tutoring, he enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf, coaching travel baseball, and working on landscaping projects. A fun fact about him is that he played baseball at Spalding University and served as the baseball coach at Fern Creek High School from 2013–2024.
Dan Duane
Dan has been teaching for over 30 years and he loves it! Providing confidence is his most important endeavor and he wishes his students to feel they can succeed no matter the curriculum. The nurturing environment is key!
Dan spent 20 years in the Air Force, first as a dog trainer (he was in security forces) and then as a recruiter. His best memories surround the diversity of the military, as he met many people from all levels of society. He was able to travel extensively!
Dan's experience is mainly with students that experience learning difficulties. He wishes to instill in them a sense of confidence and to help them improve their focus and comprehension. He wants them to know they are valued as people and to help them become valuable contributors to our society.
I am married. Together, my wife and I have 5 grown sons and 5 grandchildren. Born and raised in Louisville, after he retired from the Air Force, he moved back to Louisville and taught with JCPS for two decades before retiring in 2018.
Todd Neutz
Todd is a retired Kentucky teacher that loves to teach students with learning difficulties, especially with reading. Todd's educational background is K-12 Learning Behavior Disorders and educational leadership totaling over 35 years experience. He loves to work with any level of disabilities. When he works with students he is patient, caring, and driven to help them exceed. He loves the success of teaching students a new concept and being a teacher overall. It is his purpose. This field he works in is driven by his passion and love to see his students be successful in the real world.
Todd is married with 3 children. A fun fact about him is that he loves to repair homes and do jobs around the house.
Sydney Palacio
Sydney Palacio teaches ACT prep, SAT prep, and high school math. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Master of Arts in teaching. Though math problems only have one answer, there are lots of different ways to get there; Sydney’s favorite part about tutoring is helping students find their way there. She really enjoys seeing the results of working with a student 1-on-1, whether it be a higher test score, or just increased confidence. Outside of work, Sydney loves hanging out with her husband and kiddos, reading a good book, and cooking or baking sourdough bread.
Sarah Petrey
With eight years of teaching experience, Sarah Petrey has worked extensively in both Spanish and English as a Second Language instruction. In addition to classroom teaching, she has tutored students in a variety of subjects, with specialties in Spanish, SAT Verbal preparation, and ACT Reading and English. She is passionate about working one-on-one with students and enjoys helping them build confidence, strengthen their skills, and achieve their academic goals.
RyAnn Schoenbaechler
RyAnn works with students to build confidence and strengthen academic skills in reading, spelling, writing, and math. She provides individualized support based on each student’s unique needs and learning style. She also works with high school students to prepare for the English and Reading sections of the ACT and SAT, helping them reach their potential and achieve strong scores.
She has a background in elementary education, along with specialized training in literacy instruction and intervention. With eight years of teaching experience, she has worked with students in a variety of educational settings and with diverse learning needs. She specializes in supporting K–12 students who need extra help with phonics, decoding, grammar, punctuation, and reading comprehension skills such as drawing inferences, identifying the main idea, and determining theme.
Her approach is patient, encouraging, and results-driven. She focuses on building strong relationships with students so they feel supported while developing confidence, perseverance, and independence. What she enjoys most is seeing students grow in confidence and achieve goals they once thought were out of reach. Outside of work, she enjoys singing, gardening, hiking, playing with her cat, and spending time with friends and family.
Becky Donahoe
Ms. Becky is a recently retired educator with 27 years of experience teaching high school English and more than 20 years of tutoring students in reading, English Language Arts, homework support, and test preparation. She holds a B.A. in English and Communication, an M.A.T. in Secondary English, an M.Ed. in Reading Education with a Reading/Writing Specialist endorsement, and an EdS in Educational Administration and Instructional Supervision. She is certified in English (7–12), Reading/Writing (K–12), and ESL (K–12).
She specializes in helping students who need extra support and understanding. Her instruction is data-driven and focused on making learning relevant, engaging, and accessible. Having taught students at every grade level, including college, she brings a broad perspective and the ability to tailor her approach to each learner’s unique needs. One of the most rewarding aspects of her work is seeing students experience those meaningful “aha” moments when concepts finally click.
Teaching has been her passion since childhood and continues to be the career that best reflects who she is. Outside of education, she enjoys reading, exploring genealogy, and spending time with her amazing 26-year-old daughter and her two beloved fur babies.
Trish Howard
Trish Howard is a graduate of the University of Louisville and earned her Master’s degree from Georgetown College. With more than half of her life spent in the field of education, teaching has become a defining part of who she is.
Her specialty is working with students in kindergarten through second grade, though she also has experience teaching children through middle school. Trish is known for her patience and her ability to identify and support the individual needs of each child. She hopes her students will always remember her as “a teacher who cared.”
Mary Ann Tackett
With more than 25 years of experience in education, Mary Ann Tackett, has worked in both private and public school settings. She spent 9 years teaching middle school math and currently serves as a high school counselor. While enjoying the counseling profession, Mary Ann has always had a passion for teaching math and working directly with students. Tutoring is her way of staying connected to the classroom. Mary Ann tutors students in math through Algebra 1, with middle school math being a particular favorite. Describing herself as an “old school” math teacher, Mary Ann believes that mastering basic math facts is essential for long-term success. She emphasizes showing work, developing strong problem-solving skills, checking answers carefully, and learning from mistakes. In her approach, the process of solving a problem is just as important as arriving at the correct answer.
Through tutoring, Mary Ann strives to help students build confidence, strengthen foundational math skills, and develop a deeper understanding of mathematics in a supportive and encouraging environment.
Margie Seely
Ms. Margie, a retired middle school French and Spanish teacher, tutors students in all levels of French and Spanish, and tutors in reading comprehension as well. She also prepares students for the HSPT. She earned a BA in International Affairs and an MA in Slavic Studies. Ms. Margie taught for 36 years in various places including Kentucky, Maine, England, and Venezuela. She has also studied in France, Spain, and Sweden.
She has been tutoring at Educational Resources for at least 12 years. Ms. Margie enjoys getting to know her students and tries to make the sessions relevant to the student's life. She is patient and often finds humor effective in reaching students. She especially enjoys when students get that "AHA!" moment. Teaching and tutoring are ways for her to share her love of languages and reading. In her spare time, she loves to hike, read, travel, and cook.
Linda Greenwell
Linda Greenwell loves teaching! She actually decided in first grade that that was her calling. In fact, she never thought of becoming anything else. She accredits much of that on a fabulous first grade teacher, parents who always stressed the importance of education and a family who took regular trips together to the public library. She was taught from an early age that both learning and teaching are worthy of respect and appreciation.
Linda holds a Master of Arts Degree in Education from Spalding University. When she retired from the classroom after 20 years of teaching, she knew she wanted to continue teaching in some capacity. After working as Director of Elementary Education for a non-profit for several years, she began private tutoring and eventually began work at Educational Resources where she loves teaching reading and math and helping students with their homework.
She enjoys getting to know each of her students and watching them progress as they discover their strengths and meet their goals. She believes that learning can be fun and every session should include a little laughter and a bit of silliness, a perfect way to cut through the stress and anxiety often felt by students when faced with material they may be struggling to understand.
In her free time, Linda enjoys attending yoga classes, reading, working in the garden, volunteering with a local animal welfare organization, spending time with her grandchildren and just hanging out on the porch with her spoiled dog, Buddy.
Lauren Siegel
Lauren brings 13 years of experience in education and a deep passion for helping students grow academically, socially, and emotionally. She began her teaching career in Cleveland, Ohio as a corps member with Teach For America, where she taught 1st grade and developed a strong foundation in early literacy and student-centered instruction.
After returning to her hometown in Kentucky, Lauren spent nine years teaching 1st and 2nd grade students, earning a district-wide Teacher of the Year honor for her dedication and impact in the classroom. She later transitioned into a district leadership role as a behavior systems consultant, where she specializes in supporting student behavior, social-emotional development, and positive learning environments that help all students thrive.
Lauren is passionate about building confidence in children and creating meaningful learning experiences tailored to each student’s individual needs. Outside of education, she enjoys spending time with her nieces and nephews, practicing Lagree, reading, cooking, and baking.
Heather Borntraeger
Heather Borntraeger, MS Ed., is dedicated to multi-faceted teaching for the benefit of students who need help in achieving educational goals. Her experience and skills are founded on extensive preparation in the educational field and over three decades of concern for students, either as a homeschool mother teaching K-12th grades, a classroom teacher of 2nd-9th grade Math students, or a private tutor of Reading, Spelling, Writing, or Handwriting for all ages. She enjoys the pursuit of knowledge and wants all her students to achieve their personal best.
Kristi Spayd
Kristi Spayd brings more than 25 years of teaching experience and a deep passion for helping students grow as confident learners and communicators. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, along with Master of Arts in Teaching degrees in both Elementary Education and Middle/High School English Language Arts.
Ms. Spayd has taught across multiple grade levels, including five years at the elementary level and five years at the high school level, though the majority of her career has been dedicated to middle school education. Her classroom is built on structure, consistency, and engagement, creating an environment where students feel supported, challenged, and motivated to succeed.
Through her thoughtful and student-centered approach, Ms. Spayd strives to inspire a lifelong love of learning while helping each student reach their full potential.
Dr. Claudia Knott
Dr. Claudia Knott is a veteran educator on both the secondary and collegiate levels. Her 40 years of experience in the classroom have taught her that reciprocity is the heart of the learning experience, because a good teacher is also a good student. She requires her students to be fully engaged with themselves, with the course material, and with her. Her approach of "we're in this together" creates common ground upon which mutual trust is built, and that trust leads to students' academic success.
Dr. Knott sets high standards for herself and her students. She always includes a generous amount of creativity and humor in her instruction. Her greatest satisfaction is in helping students take command of their own learning experience and witnessing their pride in their increased self-confidence and their academic success.
Debi Sanning
Debi is a science teacher for our Day School. She started with us in 2001 after retiring from JCPS. She loves to build relationships with her students in order to tailor learning to their needs. She enjoys bringing science to the classroom and making it relevant to her students. One of her favorite aspects of Educational Resources is the small class sizes and the ability to truly affect student growth. She also loves field trips!
Outside of teaching, Debi enjoys spending time with her husband and two grown daughters. She
loves camping, hiking, boating, reading, and volunteering. One fun fact about Debi is that she is a living kidney donor!
Debbie Holladay
Debbie Holladay is a retired primary classroom teacher who graduated from the University of Kentucky and received a master’s in education from Union College. She was a speech pathologist in Fleming County, KY for three years, and after receiving her education degree she taught first or second grade for 20 years in Corbin, Henderson, and in Louisville at Zachary Taylor Elementary. She has worked part time for Educational Resources for 19 years. She loves seeing a transformation in students who are struggling in any area, and sees her role as a teacher and an encourager.
Outside of work, she loves to travel to new places, work in the garden, and read historical fiction and Christian classics.
Charlotte Hubrich
Charlotte Hammett Hubrich spent most of her teaching career working with college students.
She retired from teaching college as an Associate Professor of Communication, where she taught Public Speaking, Persuasion, Theater, and Interpersonal Communication for three decades.
Charlotte has tutored students at Educational Resources for three years.
She enjoys working with the Wilson Reading and Spelling Program, Visualizing and Verbalizing Reding Comprehension Program, and vocabulary work. She really enjoying working with elementary and middle school students one on one.
In addition to teaching, Charlotte is a public speaker, facilitator, and an occasional actor. She and her husband enjoy spending time with family, travel, and gardening.
Cathe Pearson
Ms. Cathe Pearson holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon, with a minor in Social Science and History, and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. Throughout her educational career, she has taught sixth grade in Salem and Lebanon, Oregon; fourth grade in Cairo, Egypt; middle school art in Cairo, Egypt; and seventh-grade Language Arts in Panama City, Panama. She has also served as a substitute teacher in Vancouver, Washington; Evansville, Indiana; and Louisville, Kentucky. An avid traveler, Ms. Pearson has visited five continents, bringing a broad global perspective to her work in education.
Brian Franklin
Brian is thrilled to be part of the Educational Resources team, primarily helping students with academic math subjects as well as the math sections of both the SAT and ACT. Brian has tutored many subjects over the last 20 years, including almost all standardized tests, math thru Pre-Calculus, and essay writing. Brian’s approach to education is to treat each student as a true individual, adjusting to each individual’s unique learning style. Brian chose this career path simply based on the desire to HELP kids. The joy of seeing them succeed.
Brian’s educational background is a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Florida State University (with a focus on Psychology of Learning). Go Noles!
When Brian isn’t tutoring he enjoys spending his free time with his family, fishing (too much fishing!) and following his beloved Miami Dolphins (so much pain).
Allison Hooker
Allison helps students at Educational Resources with all areas related to English. She specializes in test preparation for the verbal sections of the SAT, ACT, and PSAT, while also supporting students with writing, reading comprehension, homework help, and credit recovery. In addition to her tutoring work, she has taught middle school and high school English at the Day School.
Born and raised in Louisville, Allison graduated from duPont Manual High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing from Miami University (Ohio). She later received a Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary English from Bellarmine University and completed an additional 35 graduate hours in English literature and creative writing at the University of Louisville.
Outside of teaching, Allison has been riding and showing horses for more than 30 years. She loves animals, nature, and baking for family and friends. In a plot twist, she is also a fan of horror, anime, video games, and sports, describing herself as someone with many interests and a big appreciation for all things nerdy!
Jennifer Barz
Jennifer Barz has 28 years of teaching experience at all grade levels, with an educational background in both English and Spanish, she has taught in K-8 and 9-12 schools. Her best work is when she is working with students to support their reading and writing skills. Mrs. Barz enjoys approaching things creatively and will use results to drive her instruction. She enjoys working with students who choose to excel and who want to learn, and she believes most students do want to learn. Like most tutors, she wants to provide support for her students, and allow for tutoring sessions to be student-centered. Mrs. Barz loves helping students reach their ACT and SAT goals, so that they can go to college for free. When she is not working, she loves to spend time reading, running, working out, and relaxing with her family.
Shane Arnold
With more than 28 years of dedicated tutoring experience, Mr. Arnold has established himself as a highly effective educator and mentor in the fields of mathematics and the physical sciences. For almost three decades, he has guided countless students through challenging coursework in Calculus, Pre-Calculus, Physics, and Chemistry, while also specializing in comprehensive ACT and SAT test preparation. He is known for his patient and insightful approach, encouraging students while teaching them, and thus creating learning environments where students can grow. While he happily works with any age or skill level, his favorite task is moving a B-level student into A-level results. His commitment to individualized instruction has consistently helped learners not only master complex concepts but also develop the confidence and critical thinking skills essential for academic and personal success.
Kim Horn
Kim Horn manages client communication, scheduling, invoicing, and marketing, bringing more than 30 years of administrative experience to her role. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Louisville and works with clients of all types. Known for her detail-oriented and process-driven approach, Kim excels at keeping operations organized and ensuring clients receive exceptional support throughout their experience.
A former tutor herself, Kim was drawn to the field because she loved both the people and the business model. She enjoys the challenge of helping students succeed and takes particular satisfaction in finding ways to make difficult situations easier and more manageable. Her focused mindset, strong attention to detail, and commitment to excellence make her an invaluable resource for both clients and colleagues.
Outside of work, Kim enjoys traveling and hiking with her husband of 30 years, Scott, and their two German Shepherds, Heidi and Aldo. A kidney transplant recipient as of November 2023, she brings resilience and gratitude to both her personal and professional life. As an added fun fact, Kim has an almost photographic memory—almost.
Karen Wild
Karen serves as Assistant Director, where she trains and supports reading teachers, works in the Day School program, and teaches reading, writing, and math through Algebra I. She holds a B.S. in Education with additional certification in Reading Recovery, as well as an M.Ed. in Behavioral and Learning Disabilities.
With 35 years of teaching experience in both public and Catholic schools, Karen has successfully worked with students of all ages and learning needs. She is known for being patient, results-driven, and deeply committed to helping students become confident learners. Karen especially enjoys teaching reading because she personally struggled with reading as a child and understands the importance of encouragement, effective instruction, and building confidence in students.
One of Karen’s greatest joys is seeing the excitement students feel when they accomplish a difficult task or reach a new milestone in learning. Outside of education, she enjoys genealogy research and reading.