President and Founder
In 2009, after 17 years as a successful software executive, I changed my career path to follow my passion for leadership development. I founded Positive Ally® Learning Center because I could not find quality afterschool programming for my three elementary school-aged boys. There was a glaring void in the after school industry: a well-rounded, learning environment that was safe, fun, and had loving teachers that challenged them in ways that public schools didn’t. Children are inquisitive by nature, and I wanted to create an interactive, learning environment as opposed to after-school babysitting. Theater, visual arts, science, sports, problem-solving activities, formal public speaking, critical thinking activities, and leadership training are an integral part of our exclusive, evolving, curriculum schedule. It has been a very rewarding journey to help working parents provide a well-rounded learning environment for their children.
Director Quality & Curriculum
I have been with Positive Ally® since 2010 and have over 20 years of teaching experience. I earned my B.A. and graduate credentials from California State University Chico where I specialized in Elementary and Special Education with an emphasis on cross-cultural language and development. I create Positive Ally’s exclusive teaching curriculum for all of our locations. The most fulfilling and rewarding aspect of being an educator is the lifelong connection between students and teachers. It has been a pleasure and rewarding to see my young students grow into responsible and successful adults.
Director-DMV, Virginia
For the last 15 years, I have been involved in multiple learning environments with children and adults. I enjoy teaching and helping students learn effective communication skills. I thrive when I am helping my students grow as public speakers, learning the mechanics of various sports, and mentoring them as they do their homework. I was offered the opportunity to expand Positive Ally® to the East Coast and we opened our Chantilly, VA location in Fall 2016. Running a business is an inherent trait of mine, but my true passion is when I am interacting with the children daily in a leadership role.
Program Director
I have been with Positive Ally® for 8 years. I earned my B.S. in Computer Science and a Masters in Computer Application from MS University. My career spans from being a college lecturer, teaching, raising my son, and finally, joining as the Program Director of Positive Ally’s flagship location in 2011. I am responsible for the coordination of daily operations of all Positive Ally® Centers in Washington. My true passion is teaching and I have built a trusting relationship with my students, parents, and am invested in the communities that Positive Ally serves.
Our Partners
Coerver
Coerver Coaching NW is a premier soccer skills training organization. It is a soccer skills teaching method suited for all ages but especially for players aged 5-16 years old of all abilities and their parents, coaches and teachers. This method focuses on individual skills development and small group play.
Stone Soup Theatre
Stone Soup’s Theatre educational programs focus on giving each young actor the tools they need to succeed on stage. All our student productions are actor-centered, our students are the true stars of our shows! We take focus away from the technical aspects of theatre and put it back in our young actor’s imaginations. We use suggestive costuming, sets and props to allow the students’ bodies, focus, reactions and facial expressions be what shows our audience the world and environment of the play.
Sammamish Baseball Academy
SBA has a strong curriculum that can benefit all age groups and skill levels from our popular mini-camps to our summer camps and fall ball programs. The experienced and professional staff at SBA will provide personal training to teach the correct baseball fundamentals necessary to succeed at the next level. SBA is open to teams and individuals of all ages.
Coding with Kids
We bring the knowledge of computer programming to elementary and middle school children! In just a few lessons, children start building their own programs and soon they can create their first games. Advanced kids learn deeper topics and build more sophisticated programs & games. Our lessons are fun and engaging, but also deliver structured computer science education.
Our team includes both professional programmers and educators, and we offer multi-year progressive curriculum that will take students from the beginning of coding to its mastership
Smart with Art
Smart with Art brings art education to students in Washington schools, foundations and businesses. They offer After School Art Enrichment Programs, In-School Daytime Programming, Art Parties, Corporate Events, Workshops and Summer Camps.
Eastside Basketball Club
We believe that athletic participation helps students in the formation of values and their development as mature individuals. EBC provides an intense training program in the development of the fundamental skills of basketball and to implant firmly in the children of the community the ideals of good sportsmanship, teamwork, self-confidence, pride, courage and respect for others.
MindAntix
MindAntix is a fun, collaborative platform to help children learn and build creative thinking skills. Creativity is rated as the most important skill to possess in the 21st century. Unfortunately, Creative thinking scores in the United States have been declining steadily since the 1990’s, unlike IQ scores that have been rising (Flynn Effect). Our goal at MindAntix is simple – we want to reverse this drop in creativity.The good news is that anyone can learn to be more creative. At MindAntix, we have designed fun, simple brainteasers that teach these higher order thinking skills (we like to call them Antix). You can do these brainteasers by yourself, or with your friends and family! And you can do them any time and any place – whenever and wherever you can think. Like at dinner time with your family or when you are in traffic and tired of playing Punch Buggy. So jump in, start exercising your mind and help us beat the declining creativity trend!
Slam City Management Group
Slam City Management Group offers basketball training and camps for children in elementary school through high school. We provide children with the opportunity to learn and develop their basketball skill in a structured, fast paced, and competitive environment. Our programs are constructed with the intent of making players play intelligent basketball, train efficiently and with purpose, to be an extension of the coach on the court, and to lead on and off of the court in every aspect of life.