Courtney Wolf

Center Director

Courtney Wolf was the Director of Education for Sylvan Learning Center in Pikesville for almost four years and is now the Center Director. She graduated from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania with a BS in Elementary Education with a concentration in Early Childhood Education. She has experience working with children ranging from Pre-Kindergarten to High School age. Her education experience ensures that students academic needs and parent goals are met. Throughout her years working for Sylvan she has continued her education and is devoted to customer satisfaction and student success.

Amanda Boyle

Director of Education

Amanda went to school at the University of North Florida to receive her degree in Education. She enjoys teaching children and helping them achieve their goals. Amanda comes to us after relocating from Florida  where she was previously employed with Sylvan.

Mindi Becker

Program Manager

Mindi Becker is a 2010 graduate of Walden University with a Master’s degree in Elementary Reading and Literacy. She is also a 2004 graduate of the Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Kindergarten Education. She is in her fifth year of teaching. Her first 2 years, she taught 4th and 5th grades in Charles County, Maryland. Then after moving to the Baltimore area, she taught 5th grade at Dundalk Elementary for a year. Mindi now works at Chadwick Elementary in Baltimore County as a 5th grade teacher. Mindi has been with Sylvan for a little over three years and she is dedicated to her students and their academic success.

Kathleen Scrimger

Program Manager

Kathleen Scrimger received her undergraduate degree from Towson State College and her Masters in Education from Loyola College. She has taught for the Archdiocese of Baltimore for the past seven years. Prior to that, she worked for the state of Maryland as a supervisor of adolescent substance treatment services in Howard County. She also previously taught for 5 years in non-public schools.

She enjoys teaching at the elementary and middle school level. She loves language arts and reading. She is also able to assist students with elementary Spanish and French review.

Her free time activities include reading, traveling, and quiet moments with her family.

Shannon McAllister

Program Assistant

Shannon is a “Jack of all trades” at the Pikesville Center. She works one-on-one with the Center Director and Director of Education to provide general office support. In addition she works alongside the Instructors, assisting them with what ever it is that they might need to make their instructional sessions run smoothly. She interacts with the students during transition time doing fun activities and getting to know them personally. Shannon takes pride in building meaningful and lasting relationships with the students.

Jennifer Lara

Teacher/Administrator Assistant

Jennifer is currently attending UMBC and is pursuing a degree in Psychology. She hopes to become an occupational therapist for children with special needs. Jennifer is happy to be bart of the Sylvan family here in Pikesville.

Samantha Rice

Teacher/Administrator Assistant

Ja'Ara McCoy

Test Adminstrator

Ja'Ara is a senior at Western High School. She is a former Sylvan student of the Sylvan Writing program. After seeing what the program did for her as a student, she wanted to help other students succeed just like she did. Ja'Ara is thrilled to be back as part of what helped make her so successful.

Nancy Brantley

Instructor

Nancy Brantley is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and received a degree in Fashion Design/Art History. She then attended UMBC to earn a degree in Instructional System Design. She teaches reading, math, academic writing and study skills.

She has been married since 1969 and has two adult children and two geriatric cats. She spent four years as PTA treasurer and was a delegate to the County School Board Nominating Convention.

Regina Bullock

SAT Verbal Instructor

Ms. Bullock is a veteran teacher of the Baltimore City Public School. She has a B.A. in English received from Morgan State College and an M.S. in Curriculum from Western Maryland College. During her 38 year tenure with Baltimore City Public Schools she has also been an adjunct staff person at the University of MD and BCCC, teaching remedial reading and writing. She enjoys working with younger students who are faced with learning challenges daily. Seeing their success is very gratifying to her.

Anita Carstens

SAT Verbal Instructor

Anita has a Bachelors from the University of Maryland in Elementary Education and Special Education K-12. She has a Masters degree from Loyola College in Reading. Anita is currently chair of the Special Education Department at Liberty Elementary in Baltimore County. She has been working for Sylvan since 1998.

Kelly DeVinney

Instructor

Kelly was born and raised in Pikesville. She graduated from UMBC, and currently attends Towson University Graduate School. Kelly has taught Pre-K and Kindergarten in Maryland and Florida. She has a 15 year old son whom attends Pikesville High School.

Marlene Erdmann

Instructor

Marlene Erdmann has been with Sylvan for 3 years and was also in the Call Center for the start-up of this office. She began to see BR students a lot as our center grew rapidly. She enjoys young children and loves to read and complete reading skills and strategies.

She is also one of 15 mentors for the first and second year Special Educators on Baltimore City with The Teaching Residency Program. She has mentored 10 new teachers for a full year and now has 5. All of whom I see once a week according to the parameters of the Grant written by a former teacher in the city and funded by the state of MD Department of education.

She loves reading historical novels, eating dark chocolate, visiting her grandchildren and traveling.

Lauren Henry

Instructor

Lauren Henry grew up in North Carolina, where she earned a B.S. and M.Ed. in Special Education. She has taught students from preschool to university, in North Carolina, Florida, Illinois, China, and now Maryland. Among other tings, she has taught English, Italian, English as a Second Language, and Guitar.

Mike Huether

Math and Science Instructor

Mike graduated from Towson University earning a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics and Secondary Education. Mike currently is a high school teacher with the Baltimore County Public Schools and has taught for the past ten years. He has also taught with the Anne Arundel County Public Schools and the Department of Juvenile Services through the Maryland State Department of Education. Mike has been working for Sylvan for over 4 years.

Robyn Katz

Spanish Instructor

Robyn is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Maryland School of Law. After eight years of practicing law, she changed careers to become a Spanish teacher. She has taught Spanish at all grade levels and also worked as a translator. She has lived and studied in Spain.

Anita Linzy

Instructor

Anita has been a School Counselor for over 9 years. She is currently working at Grove Park Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore City. Before that, Anita was a classroom teacher for 8 years. She received a Bachelor’s Degree from Wilberforce University and a Masters in Education from Kent State University.

Jesse McKay

Instructor

Jesse received his Bachelor's Degree in Education from Coppin State College and taught in Baltimore City Public Schools for 18 years. He currently sells real estate and teaches reading, math, and writing at Sylvan.

Patrick Mitton

Sylvan SAT Math and Verbal Instructor

Patrick Mitton is a graduate of Clarion University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in Education and a concentration in English. He is a seventh grade Language Arts teacher at Harper’s Choice Middle School in Columbia.

Laura Reese

Instructor

Laura graduated from Goucher College with a Bachelor's degree in English Literature and certification in secondary education. Currently, She teaches at Crossroads Center in Baltimore County. Crossroads is an alternative Middle and High school program that provides an educational opportunity for students who have not been as successful as that are capable of in a traditional school setting. Crossroads' program heavily emphasizes, reading, math, social-emotional, and behavior skills. She teaches English to 10th grade students.

Alfred "Alfie" Siemon

Former Personalized College Prep Coordinator

Alfred Siemon was the College Prep Coordinator for the Pikesville Sylvan. In 1986, he came to Sylvan to energize the Algebra program and to create a College Prep Program. Students who worked with him were very successful in reaching their goals. Sadly, after 25 years of helping students reach their college prep goals, building relationships with Sylvan staff and truly touching the lives of those that were around him, he passed away on 12/5/2011.

We thank him for being a wonderful person, we salute him for his dedication to his job, Rest in peace dear friend, Thank you for you…being you.