Meet Our Team
Great Teachers Inspire
Our tutors and staff in Durham & Chapel Hill consist of passionate educators who love inspiring children to succeed. Warm, caring and great at relating to kids, our tutors in Durham & Chapel Hill 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 Durham & Chapel Hill!
Michelle Blackmon
Director
As Director, Michelle leads the staff in providing leadership and an exceptional educational experience. As a former educator in the Public School System and the Community College System, Michelle chose a career at Sylvan because she understands the mission of Sylvan and the importance of community building to bring families together to support the goals of their child. Michelle received her B.A. in Sociology and K-6 certification from Meredith College and her M.ED in Education and Instructional Technology from American InterContinental University. When she’s not at Sylvan, Michelle enjoys spending time with family and friends, trips to the beach, and training her dog.
Allison Fortkamp
Program Manager
Allison has a decade of experience as an educator, having worked for Lincoln Public Schools in Nebraska, tutoring reading and writing from 2012 to 2020. Shortly after moving to North Carolina, Allison joined the Sylvan team and is enjoying teaching a wide variety of subjects, as well as making sure all of the Durham students are on track to meet their learning goals. Outside of Sylvan, Allison enjoys playing video games, making crafts, and spending time with friends.
Martin Rothman
Regional Director
As Regional Director, Martin oversees our centers in Cary, Durham, High Point, Holly Springs & Fayetteville. A former district manager for High Touch High Tech, Martin chose a career at Sylvan for the opportunity to help kids & their families realize that they can achieve their educational goals. He believes our Sylvan team truly is a “family” with each of us working to make a difference in the lives of the students we work with and to see the joy in their faces when they achieve something they may not have thought possible. When he’s not at Sylvan, Martin enjoys exercising, going to the gym, participating in fun activities with his 2 girls, and he really enjoys cooking!
Cindy Presnell
Admissions Director
Cindy has been an integral part of our Sylvan team since 2004. As our Admissions Director, Cindy introduces parents to Sylvan, and we don’t know what we would do without her! When Cindy isn’t at Sylvan, she is training her dog, spending time with her family and friends, and looking forward to trips to the beach.
Start your child on the path to academic success today
Give us a call at (919) 439-0515 or fill out the form to discuss your child’s learning goals.
