ABOUT US

We are a team of former private and public school teachers, speech-language pathologists, and clinical mental health professionals who saw the need for highly personalized academic intervention across grade levels and subjects. Each of our clients is unique and talented in his or her own way, and we believe it’s critical to begin each session by listening and connecting.

We know that our clients achieve the most success when given small, manageable chunks of new learning, where lessons build over time. Rather than subscribe to a single program, we pull from a variety of interventions in order to meet individual student needs.

Lauren Bajwa

Leadership Team

Academic Language Therapists

Educational Specialists

Speech Therapists

Clinical Services

Accounts

LAUREN BAJWA M.ED., CERTIFIED Positive Discipline Parent Coach

Lauren is founder and owner of Boutique Educational Services.  After getting her masters degree in special education from The University of Texas at Austin, Lauren taught Special Education in AISD, where she helped coordinate the work of teachers, paraprofessionals, and related personnel in order to meet the individual needs of Special Education students. During that time she designed and implemented Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and attended Academic Language Therapy training, a systematic dyslexia remediation program.  In addition to teaching, Lauren has experience consulting with program directors in private and independent schools, helping them develop best practice methods when identifying and accommodating students.  

Currently, Lauren specializes in helping families prioritize next steps when their child is struggling emotionally, academically, or behaviorally.  Lauren's practice focuses on school avoidant children, particularly those struggling with debilitating anxiety and other related mental health challenges. Lauren is humbled by her own three vivacious daughters, and has a deep appreciation for the parenting experience.  Lauren loves reading aloud to her girls, walking her dog, and cooking with her husband. She serves on the board at All Saints' Episcopal Day School and Generation SERVE and is a Certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator. Lauren also represents children's best interests in family law cases as a Guardian Ad Litem in Travis County.

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Leadership Team

Steve Hamman, Director of Parent Support Services, CERTIFIED Positive Discipline Parent Coach

Steve’s passion is working with families of students to ensure an appropriate and meaningful education for their children. He is known for his collaborative spirit in working with families, principals, campus staff and community agencies and has over forty years of experience in the field of Special Education. He received his B.S. in Special Education from Texas State University, then taught in Austin ISD for twelve years, where he served students with various, significant challenges.  Steve then earned both his Master’s degree in Special Education, and post-graduate certification in Mid-Management and Educational Leadership from the University of Texas.

Steve served as Assistant Principal and Principal of Rosedale School in Austin ISD. In that role, he helped develop the Family Support Cooperative, a collaborative designed to inform and support families of students with special needs. Later, as Assistant Director of Special Education for AISD, he led Special Education mediations, advocating that students with disabilities experience inclusion in meaningful educational and social environments. He also served as a member of the Children’s Partnership in Travis County, supporting parents and families of children with mental health challenges in securing quality intervention. After retiring from AISD, Steve became a Special Education Program Specialist and Consultant at Texas Education Agency.  For ten years, he helped districts create more inclusive settings for students with disabilities, and hence improve student outcomes.  

Steve and his wife Kathie have three adult children and four beautiful grandchildren.  Gracie, their youngest grandchild was born prematurely, and her neo-natal experience and subsequent progress has inspired Steve to once again work directly with children and families.

CARY FYFE, M.S.ED., EDUCATIONAL SPECIALIST, CERTIFIED Positive Discipline Parent Coach

Cary earned her M.S.Ed. from UCLA in Bilingual Early Childhood and Elementary Education, but she maintains that the richest part of her learning sprang from the unique educational experiences of her two sons, as each navigated his way through public, private and home school environments. The learning continues as each son enters young adulthood, and her work with children is highly inspired by a combination of her years of teaching in Early Childhood, her work as a Child Life Specialist, and the educational journey of each of her sons. She is passionate about supporting and nurturing the unique abilities of each student she encounters, and she delights in the gems of wisdom that each child brings her way.

Laura Byington, Director of Educational Specialists

Laura has worked in education since 2014, and loves the one-on-one interaction she gets working with students at BES.

As a former middle school science teacher with a biology degree from the University of Michigan, Laura’s academic background is STEM-focused, but she is passionate about helping students grow and learn in all subjects. She knows there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to education, and works hard to build a relationship and basis of trust with all of her students to better serve their needs. As the Director of Educational Specialists at BES, Laura has the opportunity to mentor and guide other specialists on the team, which has been exceptionally rewarding.

Samantha Bloom Friedman, Director of Operations and Technology, CERTIFIED Positive Discipline Parent Coach

Samantha is a passionate, certified Pre-K - 12 Special Education teacher. After completing her MAT in Chicago, Samantha taught in high-need communities and schools. Her students continue to inspire her every day.  She has taught in both General and Special Education settings, as well as has been Lead Case Manager in developing and implementing Individualized Education Plans. Samantha has worked with students with a wide range of behavioral/learning needs and styles. She excels at building relationships and creating a classroom community of caring, engaged, and globally-conscious citizens. Samantha has rich experience in managing and coaching teachers in the work of transforming the lives of students, and in striving for educational equity among student populations. She has also worked with Austin's Mental Health authority, Integral Care, and in the Diversity & Inclusion space across Austin's many technology companies.Samantha loves working with students to build their confidence, and she enjoys finding ways to make material fun and meaningful for each individual child. Having experienced the challenge of her own learning disability growing up, Samantha possesses an innate ability to connect with struggling learners. She delights in leading students towards growth in confidence and intrinsic motivation, and towards setting and following through with personal and academic goals. She strives to instill a love of learning for a lifetime! In her free time, Samantha works with Generation Serve, leading volunteer activities for families; and she works as a postpartum doula for families and babies. Her hobbies include training her (very energetic) puppy, hanging out at the library, hiking on the Greenbelt, visiting her family, and experimenting with new recipes in her kitchen.

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Academic Language Therapists

Anne Milligan, CERTIFIED ACADEMIC LANGUAGE THERAPIST, CERTIFIED Positive Discipline Parent Coach

Anne received her Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from Merrimack College, then after graduation, she spent several years in sales and management in the health and fitness industry. In 2003, her husband’s job relocated them overseas, and they spent six years in both Malaysia and Australia. Her two children were born during that time, and when they returned to the states, her son began kindergarten. Shortly after that, he was diagnosed with dyslexia, and with intervention from an Academic Language Therapist, he progressed significantly in his reading skills. 

Anne was then inspired to pursue her ALT certification through Rawson Saunders Institute, so that she would be equipped to help other children experience such important reading growth and progress. Anne has enjoyed teaching students with dyslexia for nine years now. She finds great joy in watching their growth, as well as witnessing their joy and pride as they, on their own, begin to utilize the tools to be successful readers, writers, and spellers. Anne is skilled in using humor to connect with students and make them feel comfortable in the learning environment. She believes that while her jokes are usually corny, she always manages to elicit a smile - or at least an eye roll.

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Educational Specialists

Caddie Wright, EDUCATIONAL specialist, CERTIFIED Positive Discipline Parent Coach

Caddie graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences.  She went on to teach in public school before realizing that she desired another outlook to the traditional approach to teaching.  She completed training to become an AMS Montessori Certified Instructor at the Primary Level. Caddie proceeded to teach in both Montessori and public school settings for several years, combining her education to create a hands on, whole-hearted approach to teaching students.  She believes that meeting all of a child’s needs - socially, emotionally, and physically, as well as academically - is a key to addressing the underlying frustration a child has to learning.  In the classroom, Caddie has enjoyed and thrived on the process of integrating project-based learning, STEM, Makers Space, cooperative learning, and the use of manipulatives into her instruction.  Caddie has had the opportunity to help students with issues such as ADD/ADHD, autism, dyslexia, sensory integration and emotional struggles work towards and achieve their goals, by creating the optimal learning environment for each child.  Creating this environment involves working hand-in-hand with the student, the student’s family, Speech, OT, PT and Special Education teachers. Caddie’s passion is to help every single child love learning. She has found that by creating individualized and exciting lessons, every child can meet the desired goals. For the past two years, Caddie has had the opportunity to privately tutor individuals, and loves the ability to spend one-on-one time on a lesson that is exactly what that child needs!  She finds it extremely rewarding to watch students completely fill in gaps that have kept them from being academically successful. Student success is what drives Caddie and is why she is drawn to Boutique Educational Services.  Caddie’s mission is to empower students with the ability to experience life-long enjoyment in learning.

MIKE DEMERATH, EDUCATIONAL SPECIALIST, CERTIFIED Positive Discipline Parent Coach

Mike’s interest in working with students with learning differences and special needs began in high school when he volunteered at a school which served this population of students. After graduating with his B.A. in Psychology from Dickinson College in 2000, Mike moved to Boston and taught at a therapeutic school for students with special emotional, behavioral, and academic needs. After several years of teaching in Boston, Mike moved to Australia to expand his global experience and to appease his love for traveling at the same time.  Upon returning to the States, Mike taught Language Arts to middle school students with special needs and learning differences, in St. Louis. While in this setting he also had the opportunity to coach boys’ and girls’ high school tennis. During these years, Mike earned his Masters of Special Education from the University of Missouri at St. Louis in 2007. After Mike and his wife moved to Austin, he began working at a school for students with dyslexia. Over those 13 years, where he specialized in teaching World Cultures and History, he gained invaluable experience teaching students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, auditory processing, executive functioning, and other learning challenges. Mike’s passions within education include helping students with a wide variety of learning differences reach their full potential, individualized writing instruction, and executive functioning coaching.  Mike’s own journey as a parent of school-aged children has only further validated his passion for working collaboratively with parents to help students feel more confident and successful.  

MARILYN CHRISTIAN, EDUCATIONAL SPECIALIST

Marilyn earned an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education, and a Masters in Special Education from Vanderbilt University.  She taught in AISD at Casis Elementary, both in Special Education and First Grade. She has a deep love for teaching reading, especially to struggling readers. Marilyn has worked with students who experienced a variety of learning challenges, and in every teaching experience, she provided an effective learning environment for each student by focusing on instruction that fit each child’s individual needs.  Marilyn ensured that her students were surrounded by a team of educators who supported success and encouraged a love of learning, and has spent many hours coordinating with Speech, OT and PT teachers; technology specialists and emotional support professionals. Marilyn is now delighted with the opportunity to work with students one-on-one, where she is able to provide individualized instruction to meet the needs of struggling students and ensure that they feel engaged and successful. She finds that her students are able to make great progress academically, socially and emotionally when the instruction is focused and streamlined.  Marilyn loves the bonds and relationships she can form with her students in this setting, and finds that creating a plan and setting goals with her students, their families and the schools is a win-win situation.

Melanie “Mo” Kowalik , Executive Functioning Specialist

Melanie “Mo” Kowalik is an award-winning educator with fifteen years of classroom experience and decades of working with children outside of the classroom. She holds a B.A. in English from the University of Texas at Austin and went on to complete her teaching certification in Early Childhood through sixth grade. She is trained in Orton-Gillingham reading instruction and has been implementing SOR (Science of Reading) for the last two years in her work with emerging readers. She was the 2017 inaugural recipient of the Connie Wootton Award for Excellence in Teaching through the Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools.

Her passion for research-based, data-driven best practices in the classroom, combined with her innate love and desire to see
children succeed, have enhanced her rich experience as an educator and helped her to cultivate deep and meaningful relationships with the students and families with whom she works. She has worked with children in general education classes as well as special needs student populations, including children with dysgraphia, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, Autism, ADHD and sensory processing disorder. She is passionate about multisensory learning, and she enjoys strengthening executive functioning skills for success in home and school environments.

DAVID TRULY, EDUCATIONAL SPECIALIST, PH.D

David spent the early part of his career as a touring musician, concert promoter and night club/restaurant owner in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. He returned to academia and received his Masters and PhD in Geography from the University of South Carolina. His previous experience in music and business gave him unique insights that he applied to his own teaching style. He taught at Central Connecticut State University, where he developed unique contextual courses that combined human geography and history with popular music and art. He became the head of the Tourism and Hospitality program which was interdisciplinary program between the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Business. He also became intimately involved with the Teaching Excellence Forum, which focused on theoretical and applied teaching skills that emphasized a learner-centered approach to teaching. He was involved with the First Year Experience program that helped first-year students transition to college through a series of classes designed to help students identify their own learning styles and learning obstacles.

In 2010, Dr. Truly and his wife moved the family to Mexico so that their children would become both bilingual and bicultural. While in Mexico, he taught at Universidad de Guadalajara so that he could further his research on the motivation and impacts of international retirement migration. He also taught in primary and secondary bilingual schools, and it was during this time that they discovered their kids had varying degrees of dyslexia and ADD. He moved his family to Austin when his children completed elementary school. As a father of two dyslexic children and as an undiagnosed ADHD kid himself, David has focused on teaching dyslexics and children with executive functioning issues.

Debra Lambert, EDUCATIONAL SPECIALIST

Debra graduated from University of Maryland-Baltimore County with a B.S. in Information Systems, with a focus on Systems Analysis and Design. Several years into her career in IT, when asked what she would do if she won one million dollars, she answered, “Spend time in the classroom with kids”. Those words ignited a pivotal moment for Debra, and soon thereafter, she pursued her Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of Maryland-Baltimore. Since that time, Debra has taken great joy in guiding students - from ages ten to over fifty - through the mysteries and wonders of mathematics.   

After teaching for eight years in urban and rural areas of Maryland, Debra took the opportunity to share her knowledge with teachers and worked as an instructional coach in Charles County Public Schools. In addition to mentoring teachers, Debra taught community college classes both in person and online.  Her experience at the community college led to her role as an evaluator of online classes in a variety of  disciplines. 

In 2013, Debra used a move to Texas to return to her first love of teaching in the classroom. This time she was sharing her love of teaching with 5th graders at KIPP Austin Vista Middle School. One year later, she got the call that led to the next eight years at Griffin School. She was a core faculty member at the college preparatory high school located in central Austin. In this space, her love of laughter in the classroom eased her students into taking risks with the all too often anxiety-producing concept of Algebra.  Through all of these varied experiences, Debra knows that if a student is willing to work for it, they can achieve their own success.  She derives incredible joy from the “aha” moments of her time with students.  Parents and students alike appreciate her calming encouragement and patience.    

Debra recently moved to the East Coast to be closer to her extended family, and she is excited that she is able to continue to support BES students through math challenges via Zoom! 

Jill Moeller, EDUCATIONAL SPECIALIST, EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SPECIALIST, OTL, ADHD-RSP, CERTIFIED Positive Discipline Parent Coach

Jill knew she wanted to be a pediatric occupational therapist from the time she was 14 and assisted a summer school program in a special education class in Denton ISD.  After graduating from Texas Woman's University with a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy, she made her way to Austin to be near family as her older brothers are longtime Austin musicians.  Jill started her career in pediatrics in 1999 and has practiced in both school-based and clinic-based settings and is passionate about helping families navigate Autism, ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder.  Jill understands this journey as a therapist but also as a mom, as she is walking a shared ASD/ADHD path in her family, as well.

She is a Certified ADHD-Rehabilitation Services Provider, holds Level One Certification through the Handwriting Without Tears Program and is certified to administer and interpret the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests.  This includes planning and implementation of appropriate treatment of Sensory Processing Disorder.   She has received training in Stanley Greenspan’s Floor Time, Interactive Metronome, Musgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration and has instructed and led hundreds of educators and students on ‘Motor Labs’ following the Ready Bodies, Learning Minds program. 

In her spare time she enjoys cooking, hiking, puzzles, volunteering in the community, laughing with her family and loves listening to music and floating in water be it lake, ocean or pool.  Jill is the mom of two energetic and funny boys and a very tenacious (aka strong-willed) newfypoo named Mabel.  She enjoys all things music, dogs, family and friends!

Jennifer Sherwood, Educational Specialist

Jennifer earned her B.A. in psychology from Colgate University and an M.A. in elementary inclusive education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She spent a decade teaching elementary school in the New York City Department of Education before relocating to Austin with her family. During her tenure with the NYC DOE, Jennifer had the opportunity to work with diverse populations of learners and cultivated a skillset to meet the individual needs of students of all abilities. She fostered a classroom environment characterized by an emphasis on social and emotional learning, inquiry-based and student-centered learning experiences, and multi-modal instruction and assessment.  After moving to Austin, Jennifer spent several years as a field supervisor in the Elementary Inclusive Education program at Teachers College, working directly with student teachers and helping them meet their early career goals. In this position, she supported preservice teachers with all aspects of their practice, including how to meet the wide range of social, emotional, behavioral, and academic needs of their students. 

Throughout her professional roles, developing productive and collaborative relationships with students, parents, and colleagues has been at the heart of Jennifer's work. She finds it incredibly rewarding to apply her skills and expertise to one-on-one work with students at BES. Jennifer loves discovering how to motivate and engage each unique child, helping them meet their goals in the classroom and beyond.

When not working, Jennifer enjoys exploring Austin, traveling, and spending time outdoors with her husband and three young children.

John Hewitt, EDUCATIONAL SPECIALIST

John has served as an educator for over twenty five years, most recently at Russell Lee Elementary School, where he served as principal for eight years. His career began at The Harbor School in Annapolis, Maryland where he put his degrees from Gettysburg College into practice as he empowered students with special needs by fostering both academic and social successes. In 2002, John embarked on his tenure with the Austin Independent School District at Hill Elementary, where he played a pivotal role in supporting students on the Autism spectrum, and those facing significant behavioral challenges. 

Following the completion of his Master’s program at Texas State University, he ascended to the position of assistant principal at Murchison Middle School. There, he chaired the special education department, spearheaded the design of a campus-wide advisory program, and offered strategic expertise and personalized guidance during the crucial adolescent Years.

In 2012, John returned to Hill Elementary School in a new role and fulfilled a long held dream of taking his daughter to school with him each day. After two amazing years, he accepted the principalship at Russell Lee Elementary School and the two of them made the transition together. Since then, he was fortunate to take all three of his kids to work with him and continue his growing focus on whole child education. Under his leadership, Russell Lee Elementary was recognized as an arts rich school environment, a model campus for Social Emotional Learning and the site of several innovative outdoor learning initiatives.

In 2022, John and his wife Allie departed for a trip across the globe with their three children that would last more than a year, as they visited fifty-five incredible countries. Since returning to Austin, John has maintained his commitment to the education of students across all grade levels by working on significant projects focused on outdoor learning and the crucial aspects of social-emotional education. When he is not collaborating on educational initiatives, John can be found working on a book chronicling their Great World Adventure.

Barbara Porter, EDUCATIONAL SPECIALIST

Barbara Porter joins BES after retiring from a long career as the founding Head of St. Francis School, here in Austin. Her vision of education and attention to a child’s individual developmental needs was the passion which guided her throughout her long career. She was particularly sensitive to the issues around students and families who were experiencing various challenges, and she skillfully provided individualized support for each situation.

Barbara was born, raised and educated in the north of England near the Yorkshire/Lancashire border. After graduating from the Victoria School of Education at Manchester University, she taught in London for a short time before taking a teaching position in the United States. Prior to moving to Austin, Barbara taught in private schools in Indianapolis, Indiana and Sacramento, California. She also spent three years teaching English as a Second Language in Zaragoza, Spain. Throughout her career, Barbara has taught every grade from preschool through high school.

Barbara spent many years volunteering for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and Hospice Austin. She was also a member of both “Town and Gown” and the Rotary Club of Austin. Currently, Barbara serves on the St. David’s Foundation Community Fund Board as well as that of TAAPS (Texas Association of Accredited Private Schools), where she is active in accrediting and re-accrediting member schools. She is a graduate of the Leadership Austin Class of 2000.

Having grown up as an ardent soccer, cricket and tennis fan, Barbara enjoys watching most sports. With her partner Robin, who is an environmentalist and former professor at the University of Texas, she has opportunity to travel to the interesting places where he is called upon to speak. When she is not working or traveling, Barbara enjoys reading, dining out, cooking and spending time with her greatly adored rescue English Bulldog, Gordie.

Amanda Rook-Gonzalez, educational specialist

After Amanda earned her BS in Psychology at Henderson State University in Arkansas, she began working at a children’s home continuum in Little Rock as a Behavioral Instructor. She was moved by this work and wanted to gain a better understanding of the psychological side of things, so she began working at a behavioral hospital in Arkansa. After five years in this work, she moved back toTexas to pursue another dream as a singer-songwriter and dipped her toes into the music scene in Austin. She worked the open mic scene while also serving as an aide/tutor/advocate for several special needs children. 

While she worked with a student with autism, the school the student attended approached Amanda about working with other students as a Learning Specialist. She gained important experience as the Director of this Student Support Program. Over the years she met and married her husband and now is mother to two young children. She is happy to be able to support her students at BES!

Lee Anne Carpenter, Educational Specialist

Lee Anne received her Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Texas at Austin and has taught special education in Austin for over 25 years. While teaching, Lee Anne collaborated closely with a colleague who was a language therapist, and she was thrilled with the impressive gains that the students were making. This inspired her to seek training to be a Certified Academic Language Therapist. Lee Anne has a passion for teaching foundational literacy skills to struggling readers. She has a wealth of experience working successfully with students who have a variety of differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, autism, ADD/ADHD, and specific learning disabilities.

Lee Anne’s aim is to identify the individual needs of each child and create a healthy, supportive, and inspiring learning environment. She enjoys establishing a relationship with students and watching both their confidence and skills blossom.

Nycki Voyce, Educational Specialist

Nycki started out her educational journey as an au pair in Dusseldorf, Germany. Many years later, having served in the British Territorial Army and working for the British Government, she married an American and moved to Wichita, Kansas. 

While there, she earned a BA in Education with an emphasis in Communicative Disorders and Sciences. The USAF then took Nycki and her family around the world. They first lived in Japan, where she taught English as a second language for four years to both children and adults; and then moved to the UK. She finally ended up in Texas, earning her certification in Early Childhood - Grade 6 with an additional English as a Second Language certification from Texas State University. 

She is also certified to teach Early Childhood through Grade 12 in Special Education, and she especially enjoys focusing on executive functioning support and written expression skills with middle school age students. Nycki has taught in Special Education and Grades K-3 at Steiner Ranch Elementary School. While she enjoys all aspects of education, Nycki’s specialty is teaching language arts; she is a strong proponent of the Science of Reading research and how that can help students in all aspects of the curriculum. In her bid to become more knowledgeable in these areas, she pursued various courses at Rawson Saunders and the Saul Zaentz Early Education Initiative at Harvard.

Nycki especially loves forming relationships with students in order to help them bridge any gaps or to reteach concepts so that they may not only be successful, but find their academic passion. Her greatest delight is witnessing the growth in each child she supports. 

Monica Hernandez, Educational Specialist

Monica Hernandez has worked in the field of education for over eighteen years. She has held teaching, curriculum development, advisory, and management roles in middle and high school math and science, both in the United Kingdom and the United States. She holds a BS in Psychology from the University of Warwick and is certified to teach 1st through 12th grades in both the UK and California. She has also completed two graduate degrees: one in Data Science and Business Analytics and an MBA.

Driven by her passion for cultivating a love of learning in children, Monica provides each individual student with engaging and multi-sensory opportunities for learning by leveraging creativity, bolstering curiosity, and ensuring that each child feels successful. Her intervention strategies are also informed by her strong background in curriculum and assessment development. She skillfully focuses on the incorporation of literacy and numeracy, cultural competency, executive functioning skills, asset-based assessment and hands-on learning for students who experience learning challenges. 

Throughout her career, she has prioritized collaborating with families and specialists in support of each of her students. Monica takes pride in the meaningful relationships she develops with each of her students, their families and their support teams. She is delighted for the opportunity to support students individually, to help highlight their full potential and to ensure that every student feels empowered and confident - particularly in math and science! 

Amanda O'Daniel, Educational Specialist

Amanda has worked in public education for over twenty-five years as a teacher, instructional coach, and administrator. Most recently, she has supported both elementary and middle school students in Eanes ISD as an assistant principal and campus coordinator of special services, including intervention, dyslexia instruction, Section 504, and special education. She has extensive training and experience in supporting students in learning Executive Functioning skills, with particular expertise in attention challenges and social skills development. Amanda has a deep passion for working with both elementary and middle schoolers, understanding their unique needs, and helping them thrive both academically and socially. She has assisted students, parents, and staff with the evaluation process, the development of intervention plans, and the implementation of services.

Her experiences in education have led her to embrace and embody a powerful philosophy: that all children are capable of high levels of personal and academic success. As an educator, she collaborates with parents and staff to honor each child as an individual, and she is dedicated to helping students develop the academic, social, and emotional competencies they need to be productive and happy both in school and their daily lives within the community.

Amanda is passionate about literacy instruction. After completing a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction and attending the National Writing Project Summer Institute at the University of Texas, she facilitated professional learning in reading and writing instruction for teachers in multiple districts across the state for over twenty years. In Eanes ISD, she designed and facilitated year-long institutes for teachers in writer’s workshops, helped to write English Language Arts curriculum, and coached teachers in implementing reading and writing workshops to meet the needs of each of their students.

When she is not working, Amanda enjoys spending time with her husband, Mike, their son Tanner, their dog Dallas, and their two cats, Garfield and Woody. They love traveling, watching movies, and having family game nights. Amanda is excited to work with the students and families at BES!

Angela Mestemaker, Educational Specialist

Angela was born and raised in a rural farming town in Michigan and spent her childhood days climbing through hay lofts and in dance class.  At the age of fifteen, she joined a ballet company and spent the next decade as a performer for cruise lines and shows on the Las Vegas Strip, while she also worked her way through school. 

She graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 1998 with a BS in Elementary Education and transitioned into a teaching career.  Over the past 25+ years, Angela earned her Masters of Education in Technology from Lesley College in Cambridge, a certification in ESL, and a certification as an Academic Language Practitioner, while holding a variety of positions in grades K-3; as well as Technology Facilitator and most recently, Reading Specialist.

Angela spent the past twenty-three years in the Leander Independent School District, working with students and collaborating with families and staff in the area of providing essential foundations for reading. She loves witnessing when students realize they don’t have to guess, but that instead there is a way to solve, read, and understand words!  Her greatest joy of my life (outside of teaching) is her son, Drew. She spends the majority of her free time traveling back and forth to his football games.  Go Mean Green!

Josh Albert,  Educational Specialist

Josh began his sixteen-year career in education as an English as a Second Language teacher in South Korea. He later moved to Austin, he served as the 5th-grade Vietnamese bilingual math and science teacher at Wells Branch Elementary in Round Rock ISD. After transitioning to charter schools, Josh became an integral part of KIPP Austin Beacon Prep Middle School, where he held various roles, including 5th-grade math teacher, intervention coordinator, grade level leader, and the district's 5th-grade math curriculum leader.

In pursuit of new learning opportunities, Josh transitioned to private schools and began teaching at Rawson Saunders School for students with Dyslexia. He taught math to both students of all ages, and science to sixth graders. In 2021, Josh brought his expertise to a non-traditional high school. Josh enjoyed this opportunity to provide close collaboration with and individualized intervention for each student. Josh then went on to work closely with the school’s fifth and sixth-grade team, offering guidance and support to enhance student learning outcomes and school culture. Most recently, as the fifth-grade math teacher at St. Francis School, he provided whole group instruction and one-on-one academic and executive functioning coaching to students. He is excited about being able to offer this meaningful support on an individualized basis as a specialist at BES.

Jonathan Smart, Educational Specialist

The firm belief that all students can succeed with the right support has driven Jonathan throughout his 15+-year teaching career. Jonathan holds a B.A. in English from Central Michigan University and began teaching in 2009 at the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León in Monterrey, Mexico. He has taught math, science, reading, and writing since returning to the United States in 2012. As a middle school teacher, Jonathan supported and advocated for students with IEPs and 504 plans which covered learning challenges such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADHD, and autism. His skill in ensuring that each student gained the tools for success earned him recognition from the Texas Education Agency’s Teacher Incentive Allotment program. While he has taught a range of subjects, Jonathan’s main focus is on math and executive functioning coaching.

When he is not working, Jonathan enjoys spending time with his family, reading, and being outside hiking, backpacking, and mountaineering.

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