To contact mentors, please email through SIS.
You want your student to connect with the best educators. Because we’re online, we are not
limited to a geographic area to find excellent mentors who inspire your student to unleash
their potential. At Williamsburg, your student will form a deep connection with many of their
mentors — and a few may change their life.
To contact mentors, please email through SIS.
Abby Alley
Humanities Mentor
As a parent, you want your student to have mentors whose enthusiasm for their field and for teaching itself draws students into an exciting, magical new world that doesn’t even feel like school. That’s Abby. As she says, “I love, love, love Humanities! It’s like storytime every day, with all the blood, guts, and glory of great peoples and cultures. I love getting to know my students and thinking of new ways to teach and reach them.” Abby aims to make each class excellent and looks forward to getting to play a role in your student’s life.
Abby holds a B.A. in History from Brigham Young University and has taught and built curricula for an International Baccalaureate school. She met her husband while studying abroad in London, England, and they later relocated to the Washington, D.C. area where they now live with their daughter, Alice. Abby loves to travel, see movies, and explore and play with friends and family.
Tanner Bowman
Electives Mentor
As a parent, you want the best for your student’s education, and to surround them with mentors who go above and beyond the status quo. Tanner is that kind of mentor. He is passionate about education reform and believes in a future where all students have access to the learning options that best fit their needs. As a student himself, Tanner always learned best in a problem-solving and project-based environment, and he loves creating similar experiences for others. With all this in mind, Tanner is very excited to have the chance to mentor your student.
Tanner has a Bachelor’s degree in Technology and Engineering Education, a Master’s degree in Instructional Design, and is currently in a doctoral program for Educational Leadership and Technology.
Cissily Braten
Having a dedicated mentor is crucial to a student’s success, and there is no doubt that Cissily fills that role.
She discovered her passion for mentorship while pursuing a medical degree and quickly switched her path.
Cissily then completed her bachelor’s in Biology from Western Governors University and received an endorsement from the state of Utah in Biology and Middle School Sciences. She has taught in nearly every school setting, whether brick and mortar, online, charter, public, or private. She discovered across the board that students learn best when parents, students, and mentors work together to create transformational learning experiences. In addition to teaching, Cissily enjoys running, reading, and spending time with her husband and two children.
Tiahna Burbank
Language Arts & Leadership Mentor
A mentor should be able to identify and appreciate the unique abilities of their students so they can flourish in the classroom. Tiahna is such a mentor.
Tiahna is passionate about helping each student reach their full potential. Her favorite aspect of teaching is witnessing how students can improve, progress, and meet their goals. Tiahna received a bachelor’s degree in English and Physical Education from Utah State University. Additionally, she has coached cross country and track for five years. Tiahna loves that Williamsburg Learning provides students with a chance to try new things, reach outside of their comfort zones, and improve themselves individually.
She is a self-proclaimed “literature geek,” and she loves to explore all types of stories from multiple formats. Tiahna also tries to enjoy the great outdoors as much as possible, especially with her two daughters and husband. As a family, they enjoy hiking, climbing, and fishing.
Camille Christensen
Director of Academics
As Director of Academics, Camille understands the value of transformational learning. Her years of experience as a math mentor has cemented her passion for teaching and education. Math was always her favorite subject. In her own words, “I remember begging my mom in third grade to take me to school early so I could try getting faster times on my multiplication tables!” Over time, she realized that her real passion for math came from her amazing high school teachers and that she wanted to “be that teacher for someone else.” Today, she’s excited to serve as that teacher for your student and as Assistant Director of Academics.
Camille studied Math Education at Utah State University. She and her husband are parents to two amazing kids and two cute dogs. Along with math and spending time with her family, Camille loves to train as a Ninja Warrior!
Rachael Colman
Math and Science Mentor
At Williamsburg, our mentors are truly passionate about what they teach and understand the positive impact transformational education can have in your student’s life. Rachael is such a mentor.
Rachael lives in Anchorage, AK, and is passionate about math and science. At 14 years old, Rachael visited NASA headquarters in Houston, TX, and quickly realized that she wanted to be an engineer. She earned her degree in Mechanical Engineering from BYU, and then worked at Boeing doing stress analysis of payloads. Over time, Rachael realized that she had another passion – teaching. She earned her masters degree in Math Secondary Education from Hawaii Pacific, and then pursued a career in teaching.
Rachael has taught at multiple schools, including BYU-Idaho. She also has experience teaching online, and she particularly enjoys how online learning can connect people from all around the world. She’s taught students from all continents (except Antarctica), and she loves how learning math and science directly empowers people to make good, informed decisions in their lives.
Cara Dansie
Second Language Mentor
As you know, it’s hard for your student to get excited about learning something (especially a second language) unless the person teaching them is excited, too. That’s where Cara comes in: Her passion for learning and teaching languages has been a guiding force throughout her entire life. She learned to speak Spanish, German, and Russian all before she finished college, and later had opportunities to practice each by traveling throughout California, Germany, and Russia. Cara loves working with youth and looks forward to mentoring your student.
Cara holds a bachelor’s degree from Utah State University and has taught second languages at both the high school and college level, both online and in-person. She is the proud mother of ten kids (five of whom joined the family “the biological way” and five through adoption).
Kathryn Garland
Math Mentor
For your student, having a mentor who genuinely cares about what they’re teaching is always a good thing—especially when it comes to math. Kathryn is passionate about helping students learn math, and she has tutored and taught online for several years. In her own words, “I love teaching math, and think it’s the best subject out there! I believe all students can ‘get’ math with enough effort. I love helping students make those connections.” With this in mind, Kathryn couldn’t be more excited to help your student take their math skills to the next level.
Kathryn holds a B.S. in Math Education from Brigham Young University. She grew up in Arizona, has lived in Finland, and is proficient in both Finnish and Spanish. She currently lives in Illinois with her husband, and they both love being outdoors, hiking, riding roller coasters, and playing board games with friends.
Ross Gilbert
Leadership Mentor
As a parent, you want your student’s education to be more than just studying—you want it to be an exciting and invigorating journey. Ross lives at the intersection of learning and adventure. He has traveled and taught English to students in Syria and Japan, spent years working with youth as both a high school teacher and volunteer mentor, trained employees in a variety of corporate settings, and traveled to more than 30 countries with his wife and five kids. Ross is thrilled to have the chance to make a difference in your student’s life as a mentor.
Ross holds a Bachelor of Business & Economics and Japanese Language & Asian Studies from Monash University in Australia (he is the first “Aussie” mentor on the Williamsburg team!). He continues traveling and world schooling with his family while teaching at Williamsburg. Students often experience the journey with him through classes as he shares stories from where he’s living during the school year. Ross also loves playing basketball (and most other sports) and singing and playing guitar with his kids.
Emily Gutierrez
Humanities & Writing Mentor
You want your student to be around mentors for whom teaching is more than a job—a talented professional who would rather be working with your student than anything else. Emily is such a mentor. She truly loves teaching and, as a result, has found herself in a wide range of educational roles, including teaching writing for homeschool students, reading for a child with dyslexia, and English, keyboarding, and Spanish for students in public school. Emily brings her enthusiasm for creating learning experiences to the classroom every day.
Emily studied English Education at Utah Valley University where she developed “a deep fondness for the Rocky Mountains, sagebrush, and sunshine of the West.” After living for six years now in Central New York, she also feels at home “amidst the woods, waterfalls, and rich history of the East.” Emily, her husband, and their three children regularly burst into impromptu dance parties.
Karlie Hardman
Fine Arts Mentor
You want a mentor for your student who has extensive experience helping students succeed in their field, as well as professional experience applying it in the real world. When it comes to fine arts, that’s Karlie. She’s spent years teaching arts and overseeing faculty at the college level and finds joy in providing the highest level of arts instruction available in an online setting. Karlie has also worked as a graphic designer for a variety of projects in the corporate world. She looks forward to sharing her passion for fine arts with your student.
Karlie holds an Associate’s degree in Art and Visual Communication from Utah Valley State College and a B.S. in Secondary Art Education from Utah Valley University. She lives in sunny St. George, Utah near the gorgeous red rocks, where she enjoys swimming, hiking, and camping with her family. She also loves working on art projects with her two daughters.
Stephanie Knighton
Math Mentor & Program Leader
As a parent, you want a mentor who loves helping students apply their subject in the real world. Stephanie knows the value of using math every day and encouraging students to do the same. As she says, “I love that math takes the basic concepts from elementary school and puts them together in new ways to build new concepts. It’s like taking all the ingredients and putting them together to make the best Pi ever! The question of ‘When am I ever going to use this?’ is very easy to answer in math because we use it everywhere—shopping, baking, construction, designing, art, sports, you name it!” Stephanie can’t wait to work with your student.
Stephanie holds a degree in Math Education from Brigham Young University. In her free time, she loves reading, taking long walks, painting, and building puzzles.
Mary Martinez
Science Mentor
As a parent, you know there is nothing better than a mentor who can make a potentially intimidating subject fun for your student—and Mary Martinez is an expert at just that. She says, “Trying new things (even if they sometimes blow up) is one of the things I enjoy the most about teaching chemistry. I love helping students see that chemistry can be fun, interesting and meaningful in their everyday lives. From the chemicals used on the potato farm where I grew up to the chocolate chip cookies in my oven, chemistry is all around us.”
After earning an M.S. in chemistry from the University of Utah, Mary worked in a biochemistry lab for a few years before becoming a teacher. Mary currently lives in southeastern Idaho with her husband and children. She enjoys the outdoors, being with family, cooking, and reading. Some of her favorite authors are C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein, and J. Budziszewski.
Will Miller
Leadership & PE Mentor
Transformational learning happens when your student not only learns something new but puts it into action. You want them to experience this (especially when it comes to health), and so does Will. As he says, “I strongly believe that students need to experience a healthy lifestyle rather than merely reading about it—that’s why I do what I do.” Will is passionate about fitness education and well-versed in using digital learning platforms to help students make healthy living an ongoing lifestyle. He’s thrilled to have the chance to do this work with your student.
Will holds a B.A. in Physical Education from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and an M.A. in Instructional Technology from North Carolina State University. He lives in Wendell, N.C. with his wife, two daughters (Lorelei & Vivienne), and their beloved dog, Hawkins. Will is an avid marathon runner and enjoys almost all other sports, playing guitar, and volunteering in and around his community.
Kelli Oka
Humanities Mentor
Kelli believes that education is the key to improving our lives and the lives of those around us. She is a life-long learner and enjoys mentoring others who are also hungry to learn. In addition, Kelli is passionate about the power of language, and she believes that understanding the rules that govern the English language allows for great self-expression. One of her favorite experiences when teaching is witnessing others have a “lightbulb moment.”
Kelli earned her bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Brigham Young University, where she also completed post-baccalaureate courses in Spanish Education. She has professional experience teaching in Mexico City and Washington D.C., as well as at the Missionary Training Center. Kelli is passionate about Language Arts and studying other cultures.
Kelli is a mom of three boys, and in her free time, she loves to cook, run, and learn about other cultures. She loves to shop and run a website where she posts bargain finds everyday. Kelli is also a dedicated sports fan and loves cheering on her favorite team!
Kent Schwager
Leadership, Science & STEM Mentor
As a parent, you know the best kind of schoolwork for your student is the kind that doesn’t feel like work. You want your student to feel so excited by their projects that time flies by—and Kent’s here to help. Ever since he was a kid, Kent has loved learning and anything to do with designing and building things. These passions, combined with a personality that is “never satisfied with short answers or textbook explanations,” have made the scientific method a way of life for Kent. In his words, “The more you understand, the less you actually know… it’s addicting!”
Before joining Williamsburg, Kent taught middle school science for five years at George Washington Academy in St. George, Utah, where he was voted Teacher of the Year twice in a row. Kent holds a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Western Governors University, where he majored in elementary education.
Brian Shetka
Language Arts Mentor & Social Studies/Humanities Program Leader
At Williamsburg Learning, we strive to provide each student with mentors who profoundly value transformational learning. Brian is such a mentor. Brian has extensive work experience, including construction, warehouse work, technical support, management, and now mentoring at Williamsburg. He loves bringing the various skills and knowledge learned from these different backgrounds to his role as a mentor. In his own words, “I love finding ways to help students discover and learn on their own terms, allowing each student, with their unique backgrounds, to find their own way to reach their greatest potential.” Brian has always loved to learn and is excited to share this love with your student.
Brian holds two bachelor’s degrees from Utah State University, one in History and the other in Political Science. Additionally, he has an associate’s degree in Business Management. Brian loves to travel and is currently on the road exploring the wonders of North America with his family. He is also passionate about reading and loves to tell “Dad Jokes.”
Annie Spiel
Personal and Social Leadership Mentor
Transformational learning can happen both inside and outside of the classroom, and Annie’s love for empowering students is the perfect catalyst. With a degree in Physical Education, homeschool teaching experience, and extensive coaching experience, Annie possesses the compassion and dedication necessary to help your student thrive throughout their educational experience. In her own words, “My favorite thing about mentoring is seeing a kid accomplish a goal they previously couldn’t even dream was possible. I love being side by side with a kid in the hard space of a hike or mile ten of their first half marathon.” Annie is passionate about helping students positively transform their perspectives of themselves and achieve their goals.
After traveling to 30 plus countries and 49 U.S. states over the last ten years, Annie and her family have settled in North Carolina. She is interested in tiny houses, barbering, reading non-fiction, and learning about and documenting the plants around her new home.
Bethany Stevenson
Social Studies Mentor
Your student deserves a mentor who is passionate about learning and life itself—and Bethany is that mentor. She grew up teaching outdoor survival and backpacking skills and spending summers in the mountains of New Mexico. Later, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Studies Education and a master’s degree in History. For the past ten years, Bethany has loved bringing her rich life experience to the classroom as a social studies teacher. She can’t wait to work with your student.
Bethany is married to her best friend. Together they have two adult children, a daughter-in-law, and one grandson. Bethany loves to wakeboard, wake surf, garden, cook, travel, and play music. For her, “Nothing says ‘It’s a beautiful day’ like going to the lake with friends, the sun and spray on your face, and Jimmy Buffet on the speakers.”
Stan Szczesny
Language Arts, Writing & Fine Arts Mentor
As you know, dedicated mentors make for dedicated students. You want mentors who are so excited about what they teach that your student can’t help but follow suit. Enter Stan. As he says, “I have twin loves: classical literature and the guitar. I consider guitar to be a spiritual practice by which one may commune with The Beautiful… I also love watching people’s souls expand when studying Lao Tzu, Voltaire, and other great thinkers.” Stan has taught professionally in both areas for several years, and can’t wait to share his enthusiasm with your student.
Stan studied jazz at Cornish College of the Arts and music at Southern Utah University. He holds a B.A. in statesmanship from George Wythe University, an M.A. in Eastern Classics from St. John’s College, and a Ph.D. in literature from the University of Dallas. He currently lives in Cedar City, Utah with his wife and five children, where he loves reading and hiking (at the same time) and playing in a local rock and roll band.
Colleen Tucker
Leadership Mentor
You want your student’s mentors to have deep empathy for their life experiences and aspirations, so they can guide your student where they want to go. Colleen is such a mentor. As she says, “I am passionate about people and helping them find their way.” Colleen has spent years working and volunteering with youth to help them overcome challenges and find new opportunities, as well as recruiting and training employees for a wide range of industries. She is thrilled to have the chance to use her experience and passion to make a positive impact on your student’s life.
Colleen holds an Associate’s degree in Interpersonal Communication from Ricks College and a B.S. in Organizational Communication from Brigham Young University-Idaho. In her free time, she loves hiking, yoga, playing guitar, reading, and singing and spending time with her family. She also likes long walks and making birthday cards from random scraps and doo-dads.
Karen Tyler
Earth Science Mentor & Science Program Leader
Your student was born with a natural sense of curiosity and wonder about the world around them, and you want them to hang onto that as they grow up. Karen is here to help. In her words, “I have a passion for learning anything, but science is my favorite because I can learn about it while I am outdoors doing what I love. I think it is amazing that you can learn from any situation if you take time to stop and think about it.” Karen is excited to not only help your student learn science but become more aware of the incredible science around them every day.
Karen holds a degree in Biology Education from Utah State University. She currently lives in Alaska, where she loves being outdoors hiking, running, four-wheeling, or just sitting and soaking up the sun rays. Some of her favorite things that do not occur outdoors include mint-chocolate-chip ice cream, hanging out with her family, and cinnamon toast.
Karin Williams
Language Arts Mentor & Program Leader
For your student, you want mentors whose passion for their field extends beyond the classroom and into their everyday lives. Karin is that kind of mentor. As she says, “I write—it’s what I do and what I love. Learning about writing, sharing my writing, and helping others foster their creative voice is my passion.” Karin has been writing fiction for many years and has competed in the National Novel Writing Month since 2010. She loves reading students’ work and watching the “aha!” moments that happen when they cover a topic that fascinates them. Karin holds a B.A. in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University and is currently exploring options for her Master’s degree.
Karin lives with her family in a little town just outside Las Vegas, Nevada. They love to travel, and Karin also enjoys practicing yoga, reading, knitting, and putting together jigsaw puzzles.
Toni Winder
Language Arts Mentor
The best mentor for your student is the one with a contagious passion for what they teach, and Toni is that mentor. Toni has loved reading since she was three years old. As she says, “I love working with students to help them find the right book and catch the reading bug.” Some of Toni’s favorite authors include Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Dickens, and Dostoyevsky. She’s excited to share her love of literature with your student.
Toni has worked as both a classroom teacher and school librarian, as well as a music teacher (she plays the violin). She holds a degree in German Literature and Music from Brigham Young University. Besides reading and music, Toni loves traveling and spending time outside with her family in beautiful St. George, Utah.
Andy Young
Science & STEM Mentor
It’s one thing to find a mentor for your student who has an encyclopedic knowledge of their field, but it’s quite another to find one who can easily translate science into layman’s terms and make it truly fun. Enter Andy. In his words, “I love seeing a student’s view of life expand into one of amazement as they explore the biological awesomeness in themselves and throughout the universe.” For Andy, the scientific method is a way of life—he’s continuously fascinated with the unfolding of the natural world and can’t wait to share this enthusiasm with your student.
Andy holds a B.S. in Biology and an M.S. in Education from Utah Valley University. He currently lives with his wife and four kids in St. George, Utah (they lived in Hawaii for most of 2018). Besides science, Andy is passionate about ballroom dance (he’s competed in eight different countries and directed high school dance teams for years) and any outdoor activity.