Meet Our Team

Cathy Walsh

Center Director

Cathy is an award winning manager who has experience in Education, Retail Management, Sales and Fitness. As a former elementary school teacher and Art Docent Coordinator, she brings her love of learning to all families who support their children’s educational goals, and is often the first person new families contact when they join Sylvan. Cathy and her team have created a nurturing environment that challenges students to fulfill their academic potential with THE approach that learning is fun and every student is unique. While at the University of San Diego, she received her Bachelor of Arts and taught for the San Diego Unified School district. When she is not at Sylvan, you will find her spending quality time with her family or pursuing her other passions in fitness and art.

Michelle V.

Director of Education

Michelle is a passionate tutor who especially loves teaching reading because reading can take a person anywhere. She loves helping students see that learning is a lifelong joy and hopes they will always strive to keep wanting more knowledge. Michelle is a graduate of Cal State Northridge. When she’s not at Sylvan she enjoys going to the movies, reading, baking, going to Disneyland, and spending time with her husband and family.

Todd Crabtree

Executive Director

Todd is our Executive Director and has a life-long passion for helping kids achieve academic success.  Todd is the first to graduate from college in his family and served in the Marine Corp for twelve years.  He has been running learning centers since 1998 and he fully understands the impact a good education can have on a child’s life.  A native Southern California, Todd studied at Cal State Fullerton where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Theater Arts. When Todd isn’t working he’s a full-time husband and Dad, driving his son from one practice to the next.  He fully understands what every parent goes through, trying to help their child become the best he or she can be.

Evelyn M.

Lead Teacher

Evelyn is a passionate tutor who loves math, music, science, and animals. She loves math as there is usually always an answer to the question given. She hopes she can continue her journey and career alongside passionate educators. Evelyn is a CSUN alumni with a Bachelors of Science in Applied Mathematics. When she’s not at sylvan she likes spending time outside and listening to music.

Fabio Marquez

Regional Director

Fabio Marquez is the Regional Director for Sylvan and has been with the company for 7 years. In the Regional Director role, he oversees seven centers and is responsible for operations, sales, and ongoing training. Fabio attended UC Irvine where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics along with a Minor in Latin American Studies. He comes to Sylvan with over a decade of tutoring and directing experience. In 2018, he was nominated for the Center Director of the Year Award. This award spans all centers in North America. Fabio enjoys working with families in order to make an ongoing plan for success.

Joe F.

Tutor

Joe enjoys teaching all levels of math, but especially Algebra and SAT/ACT prep. He truly became excited about math when he was exposed to pre-algebra in the 7th grade. He loved trying to figure out complex number puzzles and appreciated the fact that math always has just one right answer. Joe graduated from Duke University with a Bachelors in Economics and a minor in Chemistry and Yale School of Management with an Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Leadership. In his free time, Joe enjoys cooking and discovering new recipes and styles of cooking. He is also writing a biography about Coach Willie Jeffries, the first African American head football coach in NCAA Division I-A.

Nazgol H.

Tutor

Nazgol is a passionate, patient tutor who strongly believes in motivation as a key element in tutoring. She has a Bachelor of Science in Physics from UC San Diego and has an excellent knowledge of Electrical Engineering. She is a former ESL tutor at LA Pierce College. Nazgol got her motivation for teaching math from her teacher in high school. She believes that great teachers can change a student’s life. She loves teaching math, especially Algebra, SAT, and Calculus. She believes math is an international language, and all people, regardless of background, can connect with the language of math. During her free time, she studies additional Math topics to enhance her educational path for her Master of Science in Mathematics.

Dennisse S.

Tutor

Dennisse is an enthusiastic tutor who delights in assisting learners to realize their best potential. She is currently completing her bachelor’s degree at CSUN and obtaining her teaching credential in order to work as an elementary school teacher. She likes to bake, go hiking, travel, and spend time with her friends and family in her free time.

Miriam P.

Tutor

Miriam is a 20-year educational veteran with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. She spent 13 years in the classroom as a Math and Science teacher and a tutor for English and Spanish. Miriam enjoys helping ESL students understand the basics of the English language, as English is her second language. She loves animals, especially her fur baby Teddy, a 12-year-old Maltipoo. She enjoys traveling, dancing, and learning different languages. Miriam is also an expert knitter who loves arts and crafts. When she is not at Sylvan, she attends Nursing School. This fall, Miriam will attend Johns Hopkins University-School of Nursing in Maryland, where she will get her Master’s degree.

Renata D.

Tutor

Renata has been a 3rd grade teacher’s assistant for 4 years at a private elementary school, and a tutor for elementary grades in reading and math since 2019. She has a Bachelors of Arts Degree from Loyola Marymount University in Communication Arts, and is certified as a substitute teacher through CSUN. Fun fact about Renata: Disney runs through her veins!! She looks forward to helping children be the best students they can be!

Taraneh Z.

Tutor

Taraneh is a former financial analyst who had started her career as an English tutor 20+ years ago and is happy to be back on this path, teaching ESL to adults and English/Math to her adorable Sylvan students. She has a BA in Linguistics from Brown University and an ESL/TEFL certificate from Oxford Seminars. She is fluent in French, Persian, and Spanish, and thrives in multicultural environments such as the Sylvan Center in Northridge.