Meet Our Team
Great Teachers Inspire
Our tutors and staff in Nanaimo consist of passionate educators who love inspiring children to succeed. Warm, caring and great at relating to kids, our tutors in Nanaimo know how to engage and motivate each child in a personal way—building confidence and smiles, as well as skills and better scores. We selectively choose tutors who know local curriculum and can link Sylvan lessons to what’s being taught in school.
Get to know our tutors and staff in Nanaimo!
PALAK BHATIA
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Palak Bhatia has been with Sylvan since September 2022. As an Executive Director, Palak oversees end to end business operations at three Sylvan locations – Victoria, Westshore, and Nanaimo. Palak values education and believes it to be the most powerful tool for creating a better future. She has a passion to work with young kids and help them achieve academic success. This is why, after graduating from Simon Fraser University with a master’s degree in business, Palak decided to pursue her passion, and use her knowledge and expertise in leading Sylvan. In her leisure, Palak enjoys painting, stargazing, and learning new recipes.
Carly Kerr
Teacher
Carly Kerr has been with Sylvan since September of 2023, and has become a reliable, friendly face for the students and their families. Carly fosters dynamic learning environments, motivating students to tackle challenges with confidence. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Education at Vancouver Island University, and working as a student teacher in the Nanaimo school district. She specializes in Math and Contemporary Literature. Before joining Sylvan, Carly worked as a tutor at VIU’s Math Learning Center where she tutored students in university-level math courses such as calculus, number theory and statistics. Carly’s passion for education extends beyond the classroom, as she also serves as a head sailing coach for youth summer camps. Her belief in every student’s potential and commitment to their success makes her a valuable asset to our team.
Shafaq Verani
Teacher
As a registered Early Childhood Educator (ECE) in BC, Shafaq Verani has dedicated most of her learning towards nurturing diverse learners and early readers. Shaf’s passion has led her to earn an MPhil in early childhood studies from Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway. She is currently pursuing her second Masters in Special Education from Vancouver Island University. At Sylvan, Shaf fosters a spirit of equality amongst all kids and empowers them to develop their unique abilities and educational competence. Shaf finds happiness in promoting children’s innate curiosity and their capacity to observe and express joy in the world.
Harpal Malhotra
Teacher
Harpal Malhotra has been enriching students’ experiences at Sylvan for over a decade now. With a goal driven approach, Harpal strives to build self esteem and confidence in kids by driving academic success. She takes personal pride in each individual’s performance and wants her students to be enthusiastic learners. Harpal has a Bachelor of Education degree and a Masters in English Literature. Outside of Sylvan, she devotes her time volunteering at Altrusa Club and Haven Society. She loves travelling the world and spending her leisure time outdoors.
Start your child on the path to academic success today
Give us a call at (778) 744-0415 or fill out the form to discuss your child’s learning goals.
