Dr. Judy Johnson

Regional Director of Education

Dr. Johnson has been with Sylvan in Tampa for over 23 years. She has masters degrees in both Education and Counseling as well as her Ph.D. in Special Education. Her primary role is advisory for several local Sylvan centers. A strong advocate of school reform, Dr. Johnson is passionate about Sylvan's approach to meeting each individual student's needs.

Crystal Schaberg

Center Director

Crystal attended the University of South Florida for her Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration. She has been with the Sylvan Learning Centers of Hillsborough/Pasco since March of 1999. She has experience as a Test Administrator, Classroom Manager, Community Liaison, Assistant Director and Director of Supplemental Educational Services.

Crystal's favorite thing about working at Sylvan is witnessing the life changing motivation that develops during each student's Sylvan Program.

Charles Rosenbaum

Director of Education

Charles obtained his degree in mathematics and a minor in mathematical education from the University of Texas at Brownsville. Charles is one of Sylvan's most multi-faceted instructors, teaching Math Essentials, Academic Reading, Homework Support, Study Skills, SAT Prep, and Beginning Reading. Charles is a math homework helper extraordinaire. He is a highly requested teacher for homework help and truly is an asset to our center.

Allison Bradley

Assistant Director

Allison is a native Floridian who graduated from Sickles High School in June of 2008. She is attending St. Petersburg College in pursuit of a degree in Aeronautical Engineering in hopes of one day working for NASA.

Allison considers herself a simple girl who is very easy going. Although a country girl at heart, she enjoys listening to all genres of music. Some of her favorite artists include, Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban and Brad Paisley. Allison appreciates cinema as well. In her opinion some of the best pictures to hit the big screen were movies such as Forrest Gump, Monsters Inc. and The Green Mile. She also enjoys hanging out with friends and going to the beach. After 11 years of study, Allison has attained the prestigious title of a Second Degree Black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and she dabbles in all types of martial arts.

Allison's favorite quote is from Forrest Gump. "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." She believes everybody gets dealt different situations in life, but how they deal with them makes all the difference.

Todd Nichols

Instructor

Todd earned his degree in Secondary Education from Penn State University. He is also certified in ESE and Middle School Math. He has been teaching for six years for grades seven through twelve, and has been with Sylvan since July of 2005.

Sally Perez

Instructor

Sally received her Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Social Science Education from the University of South Florida. She completed her internship at Meadowlawn Middle School teaching geography and history. She currently teaches reading and dance at Berkley Charter Elementary, and she is working towards her Reading Endorsement.

Frances Degnan

Instructor

Fran received her Bachelor of Science Degree from City College in New York. She taught for 25 years in the intermediate grades as well as special education. She was the Team Leader for grades four and five. She was also the Teacher of the Year at Bayshore Elementary in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Fran joined the Sylvan team in the fall of 2006. She teaches Academic Reading, Beginning Reading, Academic Writing and Math Essentials.

Jeff Swindell

Instructor

Jeff graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature with a Minor in Exercise Science from Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee in December of 1999. He also obtained a Master of Arts Degree in Teaching with an emphasis on English and Literature from Belmont University in December of 2006. In 2005, Jeff was honored to receive the Praxis Award of Excellence for English/Literature Content Knowledge.

Jeff actively participates in many sports such as running, football and tennis. Ultimate Frisbee, however, is definitely his favorite organized sport. In the rest of his spare time, Jeff reads novels for fun. Some of his favorite books include 'Crime and Punishment' by Fyodor Dostoevsky and 'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card.

Jeff enjoys working at Sylvan because he likes helping students and seeing results, but his favorite aspect of Sylvan is having so much quality interaction with the students.

Jeff's favorite quote is from the character Bean (from the Orson Card Scott novel 'Shadow of the Hegemon') "Know. Think. Chose. Do." He feels it's just a great way to approach life.

Michael Patterson

Instructor

Michael has obtained an Honours Degree in Physical Education Movement from Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario. In May of 2005, he received a Master's Degree in Science in Education from Niagara University in New York. He is certified to teach in Ontario, New York and Florida. Michael currently teaches for Hillsborough County Schools at Cleveland Elementary. He enjoys providing his fifth grade class with a comforting environment, where his students are able to flourish. Upon providing this relaxed atmosphere, Michael's class is able to maximize their capabilities and potential. He has previous experience teaching all grades from kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Michael enjoys reading for fun. Some of his favorite books include 'Shadow of the Wind' by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, 'Nineteen Minutes' by Jodi Picoult and 'Living a Year Biblically' by A.J. Jacobs. He would consider himself a sports fanatic and actively participates in baseball, swimming and street hockey. Working at Sylvan allows Michael the opportunity to sharpen his teaching skills, and he truly cherishes the relationships he has developed with the students and staff.

Michael's favorite quote is from John Wooden. "Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do"

Jean Strasen

Instructor