At Beyond BookSmart, all of our coaches have master’s degrees (or equivalent) or higher and have rich and varied backgrounds. Most are current or former special education teachers, speech and language pathologists, classroom teachers, or school psychologists. All have experience working one-to-one with students.
For over 15 years, Karl has served as an educator, counselor, and administrator in the education and youth development fields.
Karl was born in Australia and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Curtin University of Technology in 2008, and his Master of Science in Education degree from the City University of New York Brooklyn College in 2012. Karl is an expert in building relationships with students who have given up hope and helping them discover their potential. He has expertise in supporting individuals with diverse executive function challenges and a deep understanding of the evidence-based methodology of behavior change. Karl has experience working with students with ADHD, anxiety, depression, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), working memory deficits, conduct disorders, and a variety of other learning needs. He believes that the greatest social justice act he can perform is providing opportunities for people to learn and develop skills to achieve long-term success and transform their lives.
With a Master of Fine Arts degree from Kent State University, Vin specializes in writing skills and self-advocacy.
Vin Kachurik is an Executive Function Coach and Coaching Specialist at Beyond BookSmart. They work with coaches, clients, and their caregivers, as well as our Success Team, to proactively problem-solve and seek solutions to challenges or concerns. It is their mission to support both coaches and clients to improve the quality and success of the coaching experience for both. Vin has experience teaching creative and academic writing at the college level, as well as advising, tutoring, and professional editing. Vin lives in Northeast Ohio with their spouse and greyhound, and in their spare time enjoys running, baking, and playing games with their friends. In addition to working with students on their writing skills, Vin has expertise in helping young adults gain self-understanding as they navigate the various transitions of young adulthood.
Christine has taught in public schools and mentored at-risk youth, as well as led Learning & Development teams in the corporate world
Christine Kellar, M.S.Ed., brings an insightful and empathetic approach to learners of all ages. She specializes in helping individuals to discover and leverage their strengths and to acquire and hone the executive function skills they need to enhance productivity, autonomy, and achievement. Prior to her graduate studies at Hofstra University, Christine earned a BS in Communications from Ithaca College; she also holds a Graduate Certificate in Computer and Web-Based Instruction from the University of Maryland. Christine’s experience as an educator has included classroom teaching in the public school setting, training and coaching teams and individuals in the workplace, leading Learning & Development teams in the corporate world, and mentoring at-risk youth. Outside her work at Beyond BookSmart, Christine enjoys songwriting and musical performance and is active in the Long Island, NY acoustic music community. Christine particularly enjoys helping young-adult and adult clients navigate their collegiate and professional careers - as well as their personal lives and endeavors - with greater success and well-being.
As an Executive Function Consultant and Coach, she works with clients and coaches of all ages, giving them the support they need.
Mariam Mahmoud has been working with students of all ages since 2010. She has taught both in the elementary and college classroom settings, as well as on many different online platforms. Her passion lies in Early Childhood Education and setting all students up for success. As an Executive Function Consultant and Coach, she works with clients and coaches of all ages, giving them the support they need. She currently teaches college success, helping first-year college students transition to college life. Mariam graduated from East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania with a degree in Sociology. She later received her certification for teaching in the state of Arizona from Rio De Salado College. Mariam has also earned her MA in Early Childhood Education at the American College of Education. Mariam loves to travel, experience new things, and spend time with her family.
Amy McDuffie joins our team of Executive Function Consultants as a Coaching Specialist and also serves as a Coach and Hiring Team Assistant. She has expertise in supporting clients with ADHD, ASD, learning disabilities, and anxiety. Amy is a former Behavior Specialist and Special Education Teacher and started her career teaching in a residential treatment center. She has been fortunate to work with students with diverse learning needs from K-12th grade in public schools and charter schools. Amy earned a Master’s of Education with a concentration in Behavior and Learning Disabilities from Georgia State University. She also has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Studio Art.
Lisa brings years of experience teaching, supervising, and evaluating in public, private, online, and homeschool settings to her role.
Lisa Wickenheiser serves as an Executive Function Consultant, Coaching Specialist, and Coach with years of experience in various settings. Lisa is passionate about Executive Function skill development and its role in successfully navigating school, home life, careers, and beyond. Lisa specializes in working with K-8 students, both neurotypical and neurodivergent. Lisa’s success and that of her clients is rooted in warmth and ease of building authentic relationships that pave the way for collaborative perseverance. A native of Pennsylvania, Lisa earned a Master’s Degree in Special Education, a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, a Minor in Psychology, and a Concentration in Gerontology from Shippensburg University. Lisa is inspired by her husband of 40 years and their five children. She values family and devotes herself to living purposefully, supporting dreams, and making memories.
Our coaches understand the importance of trust when working with children and teens. Prior to being hired, all coaches undergo extensive background checks, multiple interviews, and a written assessment.
Our coaches are trained experts in Executive Functioning and how to best meet the unique needs of students with ADHD, as well as students with a variety of different learning styles and challenges.
After our highly selective hiring process, coaches complete rigorous proprietary training in our Reach, Teach, Reflect, and Release model, as well as exams on our material. They gain extensive knowledge of Executive Functioning and access to our growing database of over 375 of the most effective apps, tools and strategies. These resources are indexed according to specific Executive Function skills and can be applied to a variety of academic tasks.
Our coaches also engage in ongoing professional development, during which they fine tune their academic coaching strategies and their knowledge of the newest tools available to them.
Finally, our coaches are trained in an evidence-based model of behavior change whereby the coaches learn to identify a student’s mindset. Once a coach understands a student’s mindset, the coach is better able to apply those tools and techniques that are tailored specifically to the individual's identified needs and that are geared toward the person's long-term success and independence.
Junerose Juan, M.A., CCC-SLP, is a coach and Speech-Language Pathologist with experience working with students to improve functional skills for everyday life. She specializes in facilitating these achievements by helping students understand how planning and organization affect daily tasks, reflecting on what life balance means for them, and gaining insight into their strengths and challenges. After graduating with a degree in Speech-Language Pathology, Junerose went on to complete a clinical research fellowship at the Madison VA Geriatric Research, Educational, and Clinical Center where she applied her therapeutic executive function skill set to her team as they submitted proposals, worked in the clinic and prepared manuscripts. This validated her belief that executive function skills are critical all throughout one’s lifespan and that students building these skills are at the start of that lifelong success. This, combined with the vast repertoire of tools and strategies provided through our training and ongoing professional development within Beyond BookSmart equips Junerose to successfully coach students with a variety of learning needs.
Kaman Hung, D.HSc. Ed.S., M.Ed. M.S. is a coach and certified teacher with over a decade of teaching and coaching experience in both academic and non-academic settings. Dr. Hung specializes in helping individuals achieve their goals by developing their growth mindsets, organizational and study habits, and will work to prioritize goals and systematically target gaps in productivity, and foster an environment that will help his clients succeed. He is guided by the belief that positive habits cannot be learned until negative habits are unlearned. Kaman holds a Doctorate in Health Science (D.HSc) in Leadership and a Master of Science (M.S.) in Exercise Science from California University of Pennsylvania; a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Technology from Lamar University; a Specialist in Education (Ed.S.) from Arkansas State University; a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Experiential Learning; and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) with a dual major in Education and Communication from Kean University. Kaman has expertise in supporting individuals with diverse executive function challenges, as well as a deep understanding of the evidence-based methodology of behavior change.
Brittany Peterson is a college writing instructor, certified writing tutor, and senior executive function coach at Beyond BookSmart. She began her career in education at Quinnipiac University earning a Bachelor of Arts in English and Masters degree in Secondary Education. Brittany earned a second Masters degree in Composition and Rhetoric at the University of Massachusetts Boston. After graduating, she became a full-time lecturer at UMass Boston where she currently serves as the Assistant Director of Composition and teaches first-year composition to a diverse classroom culture including English Language Learners and nontraditional students from a variety of academic backgrounds. Brittany's experience with adult learners, diverse cultures, and a range of learning abilities has enabled her to become a flexible educator who is sensitive to individual learning needs and intrinsically invested in their educational success.
The ability to work 1:1 with your child is an essential element of coaching, so we make sure that our coaches have the interpersonal skills necessary to be successful with your child. By working with your child online, coaches are able to meet virtually and safely with students in their own workspace where they work most comfortably, and engage with them effectively.
Unlike parents and teachers, our coaches don’t assign grades or consequences based on a student’s behavior. Students value this unique relationship which allows them to connect with their coaches, who remain supportive and empathetic to the child’s mindset and circumstances. We provide this support online for flexibility in scheduling.
Executive function coaching for students online throughout the U.S. and internationally.
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