Meet Our Team

Jessica Mulkins

Director of Education

Jessica joined the Sylvan team in July 2018, first as a tutor, later moving to Asst. Director of Education and then to Director of Education in March 2021. She holds a BA in special education from Columbia College. Jessica enjoys overseeing the educational integrity of our programs, as well as managing and training our team of tutors in NE Columbia. When Jessica isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her cooking, reading, and spending time with her family.

Latoshia Doggette

Director of Family Engagement

Latoshia Doggette is from from Concord, NC. She has worked in education since 2012. She loves to help children discover their love for learning.  She has been blessed with many great teachers/instructors throughout her life and it’s her hope that she can make an impact on the children and families that she helps here at Sylvan. She looks forward to helping students in the area to thrive and enjoy learning as much as they can!

Breitani has over 10 years of experience in education and has earned numerous degrees that include a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, a Master of Education in Divergent Learning, post Master’s Certification in Leadership and Accountability, and a Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction.  She enjoys working with the families at Sylvan and sharing those proud moments of success when parents learn about the progress their child has made in a program!  In her free time, she owns and operate a photography business with a focus on curating eye-catching portfolios for models and actors.

Jaleesha Ferguson

Part Time Director of Family Engagement

Jaleesha is a graduate of Benedict College.  She was a presidential scholar and was on the Dean’s list during her years there.  Jaleesha was also part of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and The Award-Winning Benedict College Gospel Choir.  She has had the pleasure of being a professional bgv singin with artists as Tasha Cobbs, Tye Tribbett, Jonathan Nelson, David Bratton, William Murphy, and Kabra Benford & Psalm 100, amongst others.  After graduating, she continued postgraduate studies at Columbia College where she is pursuing a Master of Education in Innovation and Divergen Learning.  Jaleesha has taught in Columbia, Charlotte, and Lexington as a Lead Teacher.  Jaleesha said, “It is truly an honor to be anointed and appointed to be a source of inspiration to each student that I encounter.”  Her hobbies are singing, writing, shopping, traveling, fashion, and spending time with those who she loves the most.  She truly believes that God is the source of all accomplishments she has.  Without him, it wouldn’t be possible and for that she will forever be grateful!

Graden Trenary

Tutor

Graden Trenary is one of our dedicated math tutors. Having joined the team in the fall of 2022, Graden uses his Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics to expand students’ horizons and weave a tapestry of logical connections. Graden is a kid at heart and sympathizes with his students, encouraging personal growth with both gentleness and fun. He spends his free time producing music, programming synthesizers, and writing science fiction.

Willie Simuel

Tutor

Willie is a tutor in North East Columbia, SC with a gift for analyzing and simplifying literature. She finds great joy in sharing her love of reading with others, especially young people. She studied at the University of South Carolina and recently completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a Writing Concentration. She also previously completed a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art. She joined the Sylvan team in March 2022. When Willie is not at Sylvan, she can be found spending time with family and friends; enjoying the outdoors; various arts and crafts; reading a good book, and writing.

Courtney Marra

Tutor

Courtney is a tutor at Sylvan of NE Columbia, SC who loves working with our little learning-to-read students! She joined our team in October 2021. Courtney studied at Midlands Technical College receiving an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education, as well certificates in Child Care and Early Care and Education. When Courtney isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her playing her guitar, reading, or spending time with her friends.

Melony Stokes

Tutor

Melony is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with degrees in English and Education. She is a “native” of Columbia and has lived her whole life here. She enjoys learning different languages and hanging out with her dog.

Jean Mulkins

Tutor

Jean loves teaching so much that after retiring from teaching, she came to Sylvan to continue impacting the lives of students. She previously taught at North Springs Elementary School for 25 years. During that time, she earned national certification as an elementary teacher. When not helping Sylvan students, she is enjoying time with her daughter and 3 grandchildren.

Jasmine Webber

Tutor

Jasmine is getting her Bachelors of Social Work at USC.  She enjoys skateboarding, playing guitar, baking, and art.  She is actually a studio art minot!  She loves making connections and interacting with the community.

Iman Harris

Tutor

Iman is from Atlanta, Georgia, but has been in South Carolina since 2022.  She has a Bachelor’s in Physical Education with a Minor in Exercise Science.  She has been in the firld of special education for 10+ years and plans to het a Masters in School Psychology.  She is excited to work at Sylvan to continue working with students at their level and meet their best potential.  In her spare time, she loves photography, cooking, and small city traveling.

Aliyah Wilson

Tutor

Born and raised in Columbia, Aliyah has earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of South Carolina, with a minor in Studio Arts.  Outside of her professional pursuits, Aliyah enjoys reading, writing, and spending quality time with friends and family.  Known for being social, she thrives in collaborative environments and values building strong connections with others.

Miya is from Orangeburg, SC.  She has a passion for math and numbers!  When she’s not at Sylvan, her favorite things to do is travel, shop, and work out!  She has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Charlestion Southern University and a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Johnson & Wales University.  She is currently finishing her Doctorate degree in Business Administration from Northcentral University.

Melissa Deloach

SAT/ACT - College Prep LIVE, Online Professor

Director

Melissa Deloach joined the Sylvan team in May 2019. By day she’s the Director of the Scholar’s Academy for Spartanburg County, but in the evenings and on Sundays, she manages our college prep program, including SAT/ACT prep and College Reading Strategies. Melissa holds degrees from Clemson University and Converse College. When she isn’t helping teens prepare for college either here or at the Scholar’s Academy, she enjoys reading and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.

Dr. Jeff French

SAT/ACT - College Prep LIVE, Online Professor

Dr. Jeff, as his Sylvan students call him, graduated from Furman University in 1995. He then held a variety of college-level roles as graduate student, program coordinator, and instructor for the University of South Carolina and Midlands Technical College while also serving as a zookeeper at the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia. With a focus on genetics and ecology, Dr. French finished his graduate work in biology and currently serves as Chair of Biology and Assistant Dean of Science and Math at North Greenville University. In his “free time”, he enjoys preparing students for the SAT and ACT as a LIVE, online instructor for Sylvan.

Tracy Levi

SAT/ACT - College Prep LIVE, Online Instructor

Tracy Levi holds a bachelor’s degree in zoology and a master’s degree In civil engineering. For eleven years she served as a civil engineer in Florida, working primarily with storm water management and water quality programs. Since moving to Asheville, she has enjoyed teaching Hebrew and Judaica to religious school students and teaching reading and math at Sylvan. She also teaches SAT/ACT math through our LIVE, online classes. In her spare time, Tracy enjoys the company of her two daughters and outdoor activities like hiking and kayaking. She also has a passion for music and plays keyboard in a local band.