Meet Our Team

Karyn Hodges, BA, BEd

Centre Director

Karyn holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education from UBCO in Kelowna, BC. Karyn grew up on the rainy west coast of British Columbia and has lived in Calgary for over 10 years. She has worked with Sylvan Learning for 17 years, starting as a part-time teacher while working as a teacher in the Central Okanagan School Board, before becoming the Director of Education, and then moving to Calgary to become the Centre Director of the Calgary SW Sylvan. In her spare time, she likes to read and spend time with her friends and family, especially her cat, Monkey.

Mackenzie Lloyd

Assistant Director

Mackenzie is an Assistant Director and tutor in Calgary, AB, and has been working at Sylvan since the summer of 2021, and, while she has many tutoring talents, Mackenzie also oversees the day-to-day operations. Mackenzie chose a career in the tutoring business because, as a child, she struggled throughout school and needed extra support. Mackenzie graduated from Bow Valley College in 2023. When she isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her cuddled up in a cozy blanket with her cat Max, watching Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, or Harry Potter. She is very passionate about helping little individuals reach their educational goals in a fun, supportive environment.

Eve Hebert

Administrator/Tutor

Eve quickly immersed herself in the Sylvan environment since joining us in 2020. She strives to create a positive and engaging learning environment for each student at Sylvan and loves seeing students reap the rewards of their hard work. Eve holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Calgary and is currently working as an Education Assistant for special education and kindergarten. In her spare time, she practices nature photography and enjoys spending time with her pets.

Kirsten Hewitt

Lead Teacher

Kirsten has been with Sylvan since 2020. She was an elementary teacher for seven years with the Calgary Board of Education. She has always known she wanted to be a teacher and enjoys working with the students at Sylvan. She loves teaching a variety of subjects, but her favourites are reading and social studies. She has a B.Ed and B.A. in History from the University of Lethbridge. When Kirsten isn’t at Sylvan, you can find her lounging on the couch with her lab Taber and a good book or out hiking around the mountains.

Rebecca Carrol

Senior Teacher

Rebecca is a fun and energetic teacher who has been with Sylvan for over 10 years. She has a diploma in Early Childhood Education and a Bachelor of Professional Arts in Human Services degree from Athabasca University. Currently, Rebecca is a mental health and guidance counsellor with the Rocky View school district and has over 5 years working in various roles in the Alberta education system. Rebecca loves to work with children of all ages and she particularly loves working at Sylvan because she gets to see students grow, learn, and build knowledge on new concepts. When Rebecca is not working at Sylvan, you can find her in the Rocky Mountains hiking and exploring nature with her dog Hazel.

Franz Martinez

Tutor

Franz has been a major piece of the Sylvan SW team since 2022! With a PhD in Chemistry and a wealth of experience at the university level, Franz primarily works with the high school students for math and all of the sciences but he also enjoys interacting with and helping the younger students learn! When he’s not at Sylvan, Franz is often found in the lab, researching something new, or out for one of the many long walks he enjoys taking each day!

Anya Tyan

Tutor

Anna has been a valued member of the Sylvan SW team since early 2023 and enjoys working with all students to help them develop new perspectives towards learning. She brings with her a degree in Engineering and previous experience as a private and university-level tutor. As a lover of learning, Anna is completing an accounting degree to pair with her engineering one and enjoys crafts and digital arts in her spare time. She may even show you her latest crochet project!

Ruchika Sharma

Teacher

Ruchika is a dedicated educator with over 4 years of teaching experience. Holding a Master’s degree in Mathematics, she is passionate about nurturing young minds and fostering a love for learning. Ruchika is an Alberta certified teacher, known for her commitment to excellence in education and her ability to inspire students to excel in the field of mathematics. In her spare time, she enjoys listening to music, volunteering and exploring new teaching methodologies.

Rebecca Boamah Quaijah

Tutor

Rebecca joined the Sylvan SW team at the end of 2023. She brings with her a Masters Degree in Statistics and a love of teaching both math and the occasional reading student. When Rebecca is not at Sylvan you can find her busy studying and attending classes.

Christian Emond

Teacher

Christian joined the Sylvan SW team late in 2023. With a Bachelors in Molecular Biology, a love of poetry and completing his Bachelors in Elementary Education, Christian is a well-rounded teacher who enjoys making a positive difference in all of his students’ lives! Christian enjoys playing all kinds of games and checking out various multimedia in his off time.

Angel Ortiz

Teacher

Angel started working for Sylvan SW in early 2024. He brings with him over 8 years of teaching in Florida and he is currently an EA in a school for students with special needs, working primarily with students on the Autism spectrum. When he is not at Sylvan, he enjoys playing video games and spending time with his newborn baby.

Sarah West

Teacher

Sarah joined the Sylvan SW team in early 2024 and has brought with her 6 years of experience as an elementary teacher. Sarah is currently working on her masters in psychology. She loves connecting with students of all ages and seeing that ‘light bulb’ moment happen! In her spare time, Sarah enjoys baking, playing board games, studying for her masters degree and sports.

Nathaniel Sudario

Tutor

Nathaniel began working at Sylvan SW in early 2024. He is currently a fourth-year student at the University of Calgary, studying to get his BSc in Natural Sciences combined with a Bachelor of Education. Nathaniel’s eventual goal is to teach high school biology. Until then, he brings his passion for teaching and learning to students of all ages here at Sylvan. When not working here at Sylvan, or in class studying hard, Nathaniel can be found in a library, working out at the gym, or playing guitar on stage!

Mirza joined Sylvan SW in early 2024. He brings with him a Bachelor of Business Administration and 3 years of experience teaching at an international school. He enjoys using his experience to help students gain a deeper understanding of mathematics and various science disciplines. When he is not at Sylvan, he enjoys volunteering for the community, or in the swimming pool, either swimming himself or helping instruct others how to swim.

Alessa Polito

Tutor

Alessa joined the Sylvan SW team in mid-2024. He is currently also a sessional faculty member at Ambrose University, and brings previous experience as a research assistant and teaching assistant. Alessa has a Bachelor of Theology and a Master of Divinity, and enjoys working with students on their writing and reading needs. When he is not at Sylvan, he enjoys reading, writing, and playing games.

Katherine joined the Sylvan SW team in mid-2024 after moving to Calgary from the east coast. She has a Masters in Global Development Studies and has experience as a university-level writing tutor and a French immersion tutor. When Katherine is not at Sylvan, she enjoys journaling, scrapbooking, collecting things like stamps and coins, or going for runs.

Lauren McManus

Teacher

Lauren joined Sylvan SW in mid-2024 and brought with her a Bachelor’s of Education, years of experience in the classroom, and even a stint as a previous Sylvan tutor. Now that she has retired from classroom teaching, Lauren enjoys employing her experience on elementary reading and math students here at Sylvan. Though she does still enjoy spending her other time golfing, going for walks, and being with her friends and family.

Matthew Salvatore

Tutor

Matthew became a part of the Sylvan SW team in mid-2024. He is currently pursing his Bachelor’s of Education. While at university, Matthew has acted as a guest lecturer for university level astronomy and been a mentor to first year students. He is excited to be starting his teaching journey here at Sylvan!

Bhoomi

Tutor

Bhoomi is a fairly new addition to the Sylvan SW team. She brings with her experience with younger children from a previous job as a Child and Youth Care Worker. She is currently also a university student, so when she is not at Sylvan, she is either busy in class or studying and working on assignments for class.

Chris Kreuger

Tutor

Chris is another new face to the Sylvan SW team. He is currently working on an after degree in Education and has some volunteer experience with students in kindergarten through grade 9. When he is not at Sylvan he can be found watching movies with his partner and two cats. In a previous life, Chris worked as a 3D animator and has an undergrad degree in Psychology.

Tasia Selimos

Teacher

Tasia is another new addition to the Sylvan SW team. She has a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Fine Arts and is currently a substitute teacher in Calgary. When not busy in a classroom or at Sylvan, Tasia enjoys hiking and creating art.