Meet Our Team

Cody

Assistant Director

Cody graduated from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Art Education. He was an English teacher in Shanghai and Beijing and taught Art in elementary, middle, and high schools within Detroit. In his free time, Cody enjoys playing harmonica, shaping clay, and spending time with Mable and Freya – his cat and dog.

Daneka

Center Director

Daneka is the Center Director at Sylvan Learning Centers of Alaska and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Microbiology and Genetics from Purdue University. She is an experienced educational professional that previously held the position of Special Education Resource Teacher in Florida. She is currently working towards her Master’s degree in Special Education but still takes the time to enjoy spending time with her son.

Jennifer

Executive Director

Jennifer has been a director with the Sylvan Learning Center since 2005. She has a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology from the Pennsylvania State University. After graduating college she attended the FlightSafety Academy in Vero Beach, Florida where she attained her commercial multi-engine instrument flight ratings. As a Certified Flight Instructor she trained pilots for the SwissAir Flight School and was a Check Airman, where she evaluated students on checkrides for issuance of flight licenses.

Suzie

Instructor

Suzie is retired from teaching for 21 years with ASD. She holds a bachelor’s in Developmental Psychology from the University of California and a Masters’s in Education from UAA. Suzie loves teaching and believes that every student should have the opportunity to realize their full potential in all aspects of life, particularly education. In addition, Suzie enjoys gardening and is a professional musician who plays piano, cello, and electric bass, and even sings. She has even performed in traveling bands for over thirty years!

Ric

Instructor

1. Ric spent over 25 years teaching in Anchorage, Alaska at Birchwood ABC Elementary. Before that, he worked as a Radio Announcer in Guam! Ric holds a Bachelor in Education from the University of Alaska Anchorage and loves both learning about and teaching History, Social Studies, and Science. In his free time, he enjoys woodworking, playing with his grandkids, and dreaming of having the power of flight.

Tonya

Instructor

Tonya has a degree in Education with a minor in English and History from University of Alaska Anchorage. She has a special talent teaching all subject areas, as she has homeschooled all 6 of her children. Once her youngest graduated from high school, she started teaching at Sylvan in Wasilla. She loves the moment the light bulb goes on for students and how happy that makes them feel!! Tonya is an avid reader and gardener…sometimes she combines the two when she listens to audio books as she gardens!