Contact Information
| New Students: | (877) 431-5826 |
| Current Families: | (253) 854-7111 |
| Fax: | (253) 854-5095 |
| Monday: | 10:00 AM - 7:30 PM |
| Tuesday: | 10:00 AM - 7:30 PM |
| Wednesday: | 10:00 AM - 7:30 PM |
| Thursday: | 10:00 AM - 7:30 PM |
| Friday: | By Appointment |
| Saturday: | 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM |
| Sunday: | Closed |
Meet the Tutors
Our Sylvan trained and certified tutors are dedicated to your child’s success. Working together with you, we will:
- Pinpoint your child’s learning needs using the Sylvan Skills Assessment®
- Develop a personalized learning plan based on your child’s goals
- Offer unique insights about what will work for your child
- Teach each lesson the way your child learns best
- Build a relationship with your child to provide learning that’s fun, engaging and rewarding
Kassy Cranefield
Director of Education
My name is Kassy Cranefield. I’ve lived in Kent for 9 years with my husband and two boys. I started at Sylvan after my first child was born because I wanted to maintain part-time work as a teacher. I am a certified teacher from the state of Idaho in the areas of social studies and English education. I worked as a Sylvan instructor for 8 years, and then took on the responsibilities of Director of Education. Outside of work, I enjoy home-improvement projects, hiking, camping, and movies.
Gwen Holtz
Director of Education
Gwen graduated for Central Washington University in 2008 with a BA in Elementary Education and a minor in Elementary Science. Gwen has been a part for the Sylvan team since 2008. She has also been a guest teacher in surrounding schools districts and has volunteered with Jr. Achievement teaching 3rd and 5th graders economics. Through Jr. Achievement she found her passion to work with kids and enjoys see the look on students faces when they learn and understand something new. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends and is an avid Harry Potter and a Series of Unfortunate Events reader.
Natasha Gingrich
teacher
Natasha graduated from City University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in Special Education. She knew she wanted to be a teacher since she was a young child. She began as a sign language interpreter/tutor for Spanaway school district while she pursued her teaching certificate. Currently, Natasha teaches for the Federal Way School District in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program. She has been working as tutor at Sylvan since October 2010. When Natasha is not teaching she enjoys spending time with her husband and three daughters.
Laura Brady
teacher
Laura has been teaching professionally since graduating from the University of Southern Indiana where she obtained her BS in Elementary Education/Special Education in December 2007. She has been a private tutor since 2001 and has been with Sylvan since February 2010. At Sylvan she teaches Beginning Reading, Academic Reading, and Math Essentials. What she like most about working at Sylvan is, YOU! The people here, students and teachers alike, are incredible! When not at Sylvan she can be found subbing for the Tahoma School District, hiking one of Washington's beautiful parks with her camera in tow, at a local venue watching live music, or on an adventurous road trip. She admires creativity, selflessness, and those who lend their voice to the voiceless victims throughout our world.
Mary Moser
teacher
Mary is a certified math teacher, with degrees from Western Washington University and Linfield College. She has worked with the Fife, Federal Way, and Kent School Districts. She has enjoyed teaching at Sylvan for over a year, where she loves helping students of all ages in any subject, however, she really lights up when she gets to work with Algebra, Geometry or SAT prep students. When not teaching Mary can often be found participating in theater, even if it is just as an audience member.
Brooke Carlyle
teacher
Brooke has been a teacher at Sylvan since December 2009. She graduated from Washington State University with a B.A. in Education. Brooke has always enjoyed working with children of every age. She has been a staff member at the Boys and Girls Club, taught English in Seoul, South Korea, and is currently guest teaching in the Kent School District. Her hobbies include spending time with family and friends, reading, and Mariners Baseball. Brooke moved to the Seattle area from Clarkston, WA in December 2009 and loves everything about her new home, especially working at Sylvan!
Jennifer Harding
teacher
Jennifer graduated from Seattle University with a BA in Teaching in 2009 and received her Master’s in Education and teaching certificate from Pepperdine University in 2010. She then taught at Sylvan in California while also working as an Intervention Specialist, teaching third and fifth graders who were at least one grade level behind in reading. In 2011, Jennifer and her husband moved back to their home state of Washington and she is thrilled to continue to teach at Sylvan. Outside of teaching, Jennifer has many hobbies including: hiking, camping, snowboarding, reading, swimming, kayaking, dancing, and scrapbooking.
Alicia George
teacher
Alicia graduated from Central Washington University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Mathematics Education. She has known she wanted to be a teacher since she was in elementary school and focused on that goal all through school. She has been teaching high school math since 2004. Outside of school, Alicia enjoys reading, cooking, and white water rafting. She also enjoys spending time caring for her two Chihuahua mixes, Taco and Jesse. Alicia believes every child can be successful and wants to help your child reach their goals.
Eileen Ethridge
teacher
Once an accountant, I discovered my passion for teaching while volunteering in the classroom in my sons’ Expeditionary Outward Bound™ school. I passed on a more lucrative job offer in finance to take on the role of part-time uncertified teacher until I was sure the needs of my children were being met. It wasn’t long before I discovered my niche. The community of teachers helped me realize I had been pursuing the wrong profession. I have spent 17 years working with children, and over 13 in the classroom. I believe the most important reasons I teach and will tell anyone who will listen they are; that what I do will have an impact in 50 years, students do appreciate when a person cares about their success, and that working for another’s success is far more gratifying than crunching numbers to cash it in. Another bonus to teaching is that teamwork and community is critical to meeting the needs of children. Who doesn’t want to be a part of team and be accepted in a close knit community?
Mike Senzer
teacher
Mike graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BA in Government and a BBA in Business Management. Before he became a teacher, Mike served in the Navy and worked as a computer analyst. He moved to Washington in 2007 from Los Angeles where he taught third and fifth grade classes and middle school science. Since moving here he has worked as a guest teacher and has been an AVID Tutor in the Kent high schools the past three years. A passionate supporter of student excellence he judged California’s State Academic Decathlon and has continued in a similar role as a judge for the regional and state levels of Washington’s National History Day competition. Mike is a voracious reader and occasional poetry writer – and lifelong baseball fan. “A teacher’s role is to instill the desire to learn and provide the student with the skills to learn effectively.” At Sylvan he teaches Academic Reading, Math Essentials, Writing and Algebra.
Gina Lindberg
teacher
Gina graduated from the University of Puget Sound with a Bachelor Degree in Music in 2005. She immediately attended the Masters in the Art of Teaching program at UPS and graduated with her masters degree, a teaching certificate, teaching endorsments in both music and general education and an unwavering mind determined on teaching. She has, since then, been teaching general music to grades 1-5 at Ilalko Elementary in the Auburn School District. As an interest to use her general education endorsment, Gina sought out Sylvan to teach the subjects she doesn't normally get to teach! In the spring of 2008, Gina joined the Kent Sylvan team where she teaches math, reading and writing.
To keep her music profession alive outside of her classroom, Gina plays the flute in the Renton City Concert Band and the Highline Flute Ensemble. She rehearses with these groups for a total of about 4 hours per week and performs with these groups multiple times throughout the year.
Minh Gavino
teacher
Minh graduated from the University of Washington in 2006 with a BA in Sociology. She then went on to get her MA in Elementary Education and Reading in 2008. She has taught Kindergarten and Second grade and has found her passion with the younger Kindergarteners. She has been with Sylvan since 2010 and loves working with beginning readers. Her hobbies include spending time with friends and family, playing with her two puppies outside, and watching Seahawks games with her husband.
Kristin Buiten
teacher
Kristin graduated from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in Education. She taught 5th and 6th grade for two years at Imlay City Christian School before getting married in August 2011. After her wedding she moved to Washington to be with her husband, Tim, who is from Kent. She enjoys scrapbooking, playing sports, watching movies, and reading. Kristin is excited to be teaching the two subjects she loves at the Sylvan Learning Center - math and reading. She can't wait to share her joy of learning with your child, while encouraging them to do their best!
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