Meet Our Team
Great Teachers Inspire
Our tutors and staff in Gilbert & Queen Creek consist of passionate educators who love inspiring children to succeed. Warm, caring and great at relating to kids, our tutors in Gilbert & Queen Creek 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 Gilbert & Queen Creek!
Jaci Najarian
Center Director
Jaci has been a director for six years but has been around the center and involved in Sylvan for her entire life. Jaci has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education as well as certifications in Applied Behavioral Analysis to work with special needs students. Her favorite aspect of working at Sylvan is building relationships with students, parents, and teachers and following each student’s academic growth. Watching them bring in improved report cards/tests eager to show them off is the best feeling! When she is not at Sylvan she can be found at home with her daughter Mariana!
Amy Ivy
Teacher
Amy is a high school English teacher at a charter school in Gilbert, AZ with a gift for working with kids. Amy has many tutoring talents, and she enjoys teaching all of our subjects and grade levels. She studied at Virginia Wesleyan University and earned her Bachelor of Arts. When Amy isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her reading, playing games, or doing arts and crafts.
Christin Van Ess
Teacher
Christin graduated from Washington State University with a Bachelor’s in Science and a Masters in Education. She has worked at Sylvan Learning Center for nine years. Her favorite part of being a tutor is the connections she makes with the students and that it keeps her teaching skills current at different levels. You can often find Christin going on fun and exciting adventures with her family.
Takumi Hawa
Teacher
Takumi has a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering. He works with students in Algebra (I&2), Geometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, and Chemistry. In his free time, Takumi enjoys playing baseball and hiking. His favorite part of working at Sylvan is determining weak areas in Math for his students and helping them thrive!
Allison Procyk
Teacher
Allison is a lead teacher in Gilbert, Arizona with a gift for working with kids. While Allison has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in tutoring. She studied at Arizona State University.
Tyler Conley
Teacher
Tyler Conley is a special education teacher in Gilbert, Arizona with a gift for working with kids. While Tyler has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in math tutoring. She studied at Bowling Green State University. When Tyler isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her hanging out with her dog, Leonard.
Laura Hendrickson
Teacher
Laura is a program mentor at Western Governors University which is based out of Salt Lake City, Utah where she mentor students getting their degrees in Elementary education. Prior to that she taught Kindergarten, first and second grade, was a reading specialist and a librarian in the Kyrene school District right here in Arizona. She has a gift for working with kids and misses her time spent in the classroom. She finds the greatest joy tutoring students in reading. She studied at Arizona State University as well as Northern Arizona University. When not at Sylvan she likes to read, and do home renovations projects with her husband.
Nicole Cullen
Teacher
Nicole is a certified high school social studies teacher in Chandler, AZ. While Nicole has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in tutoring in the areas of Social Studies, French, and Reading. She studied at both ASU and NAU in earning a Masters degree in Secondary Education. When Nicole is not at Sylvan, you’ll find her spending time with family, working out, or just relaxing.
Guy Wade
Teacher
Guy is an Engineer for Dunn Edwards. While Guy has many tutoring talents, he finds the greatest joy in Mathematics and Physical Sciences . He studied at The University Of Maryland and John’s Hopkins University and has a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a MS in Explosives Engineering. Guy has been affiliated with Sylvan Learning for over 20 years, both in AZ and MD. When he isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find him watching his favorite New England sports teams, spending time with his children, playing music, and attending concerts and festivals.
Start your child on the path to academic success today
Give us a call at (480) 676-4727 or fill out the form to discuss your child’s learning goals.