Meet Our Tutors!
Leadership Team
LORI SPENCER
Owner and director
Special Education Teacher
Tutors Grades:
Grades K-6
Subjects:
Math
Tutoring Locations:
Grayson, Dacula and Hamiltion Mill. In Lori Spencer's Home.
Peggy Engleman
IEP Advocacy Chair
Special Education Teacher
Tutors Grades:
Grades K-6
Subjects:
Reading and Writing. Special Education Advocate.
Tutoring Locations:
Dacula, Hamilton Mill, Alpharetta, Buford, and Cumming Georgia.
Alpharetta, Roswell, Milton, Peachtree Corners, Johns Creek and Suwanee, Georgia
Pamela Koehler
CERTIFIED TEACHER
Tutors Grades:
K-5
Subjects:
Reading, Language Arts, Math, Orton Gillingham, Wilson, LETRS, SRA,
Collins Writing, and DIBELS
Alpharetta Office
Ward Striggles
CERTIFIED TEACHER
Tutors Grades:
6-12 grades
Subjects:
Math & Science
IEP, ACT/SAT Prep
In-home in the Milton, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, areas
KIM MARIE HEDGES
CERTIFIED TEACHER
Tutors Grades:
Pre-K through high school students
Subjects:
Reading/English/Language Arts/ SAT Instructor
In-home Alpharetta, Johns Creek, and Peachtree Corners areas. Also tutors online
Cumming, Milton and Alpharetta, Georgia
Courtney Toribio
Certified Teacher
Tutors Grades:
Pre-K-Middle School
Subjects:
Special Education, Reading, Writing, Math, Orton Gillingham Trained
In-home tutoring in Cumming & Online
ELIZABETH BUSH
CERTIFIED TEACHER
Tutors Grades:
3rd - 12th grades
Subjects:
Language Arts 3-12; Math & Science Elementary School
In our Alpharetta Office, Online, and In-home tutoring in Cumming, Alpharetta, and Johns Creek.
Tommy Hipp
Tutors Grades:
4th - 12th
Subjects:
Math 4th-8th grades
Science 4th - 12th
IEP Advocate
In-home in Sugar Hill and Cumming Online Tutoring
Elizabeth Bush
Hello! My name is Elizabeth Bush, and I am in my fifth year of teaching. I graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s in special education and I am certified to teach Reading, ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies to students in grades K-8. I also have my English Language Arts certification to teach ELA to students in grades 9-12. I have taught in both middle school and high school, primarily teaching ELA to students with mild learning disabilities. I also have experience as a co-teacher, pushing into other classrooms and working with students with a wide range of abilities.
I have been tutoring since I was in high school. Through different mentoring and tutoring programs, I have had the chance to work with many different students, all focusing on different skills and academic goals. I love being able to work one-on-one with a student, connecting with them and helping them feel successful in all aspects of their lives!
-Tutors' Online & In-home in Cumming, Johns Creek, and Alpharetta areas.
From our Owner: LORI SPENCER
I started this company in 2017 after almost 19 years in public education working with students with special needs. As a special education teacher, I never felt like I was truly helping children in the way they deserved. There were just too many obstacles in the way. Some of these obstacles were large class sizes, paperwork limiting the time with my students, and limited staff. It was frustrating and I became unhappy. I had a dream to be able to work with a student one-on-one, focusing on his/her individualized needs, tailoring a plan exactly right for the student. There is nothing like seeing that aha moment in a child's eye!
Teachers as Tutors has grown, and we have many wonderful new teachers that have joined our staff. These teachers share my dream of helping the individual learner. It is an honor to work among so many talented teachers! We now tutor students in special and regular education, in all subjects and grades! We tutor in your home or online offering one-on-one assistance that is convenient for your family. I cannot say enough how proud I am of this company! Did I say we have also become advocates that can go into IEP meetings with you to make sure your child receives the best plan available? I have teachers that specialize in high school academics, and they can help students prep for SAT or ACT Prep!
- Tutors online or in-home in Dacula, Hamilton Mill, Grayson, or Loganville areas. I can also tutor in my Dacula home.
SUE HOLDER
Sue graduated with a master’s in business administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University, and then received certification from the University of Georgia in Special Education P-12.
In addition to Special Education, Sue is Certified in General Education Math and Reading 4 -12 and has taught in public schools for 17 years. Sue's teaching experience is middle school and high school, and she recently retired from high school teaching, primarily Algebra. Sue takes pride in helping students understand what they find difficult and to work with both students and parents to help children realize their capabilities and gain confidence.
-Tutors Online
Ward Striggles
I earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Emory University. Both as an undergraduate student and as a graduate student, I enjoyed being able to help fellow students in mathematics and statistics.
I spent the first part of my career working in finance, engineering, and information technology. Working in information technology as a consultant in various roles, I spent time developing and delivering training on newly implemented technology. This time was very rewarding.
In search of further rewards and with a desire to help younger learners develop, I enrolled in a Transition to Teaching Program at Indiana Wesleyan University. I became a certified and licensed teacher of mathematics for middle/junior high/high school. As a teacher, I was fortunate to be able to work in a standard classroom setting and in an alternative education setting. The alternative education setting provided students with individualized instruction to accommodate their learning styles.
I am now looking forward to helping more learners develop and succeed.
-Tutors In-home in Milton, Alpharetta, and Johns Creek.
Kim Marie
Originally an English and Communication major graduating from Canisius College of Buffalo, New York, Kim Marie became a certified teacher to share her love of English/Language Arts with children of all ages. She has taught in the elementary and middle grades classrooms for over 15 years, implementing and facilitating a creative literature and grammar curriculum for her classes in both public and private school systems in Georgia, Florida, and Texas. She has also tutored with over 20 years of experience.
Kim Marie tutors Pre-K through high school students, specializing in reading comprehension, grammar, writing, and literary analysis.
Tutors- Online and In-home in the Alpharetta, Johns Creek, and Peachtree Corners areas.
Kelly Deason
Kelly is the Intake Line Manager at Teachers As Tutors. She is a former Montessori School Teacher and understands what it is like to run a classroom. She is responsible for handling client inquiries and scheduling at TAT. Kelly is a mom of two adult children and a grandparent to two school age boys. Kelly is enthusiastic about our mission statement, that each child needs an individualized approach to tutoring. She will listen to your needs and find the perfect tutor for your student.
Courtney Toribio
As an educator and tutor, I have over 18 years of experience working with children with special needs and elementary/middle school students. I am highly skilled in teaching struggling readers, and I am certified in Elementary and Special Education, as well as Orton Gillingham trained. I am experienced with developing and implementing goals to enhance student achievement. I can collaborate with teachers, child study teams, and parents for students with autism, learning disabilities, developmental delays, and behavioral issues. I consider myself a kindhearted and empathetic professional who develops hands-on lessons and differentiates instruction to meet the needs of each individual child.
-Tutors Online and In-home in Cumming, Georgia
Peggy Engleman
Peggy has taught special education in public schools for 31 years. During her tenure, Peggy received Teacher of the Year 3 separate times! Her experience ranges from teaching children from kindergarten age through grade 6 as well as teaching high school equivalency classes. She is certified at the bachelor’s level in Regular Education K-6 and teaching of students with Mild/Moderate Intellectual Disabilities. She is certified in teaching students identified with Learning Disabilities and Behavior Disorders, at the master’s level. She also has a Specialist Degree in Leadership and Reading instruction. Additionally, she has taught in private settings for five years. Within those years, she taught General Education for two years, but the majority of her experience was in working with special needs students.
She just retired from the Gwinnett County School System in June of 2021, Osborne Middle School in Hoschton, GA. She is excited for a new teaching chapter that continues to allow her to instruct children who need improvement in their reading and written expression skills, but also allows her more time to spend with her family. She greatly looks forward to this new experience and with doing her best to assist the children under her care.
-Tutors In the Alpharetta Office, Online, and In-home in the Alpharetta, Cumming, Sugar Hill, Buford, and Dacula/Hamilton Mills areas.
Tommy Hipp
I received my Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia Southwestern State University and my master’s from Kaplan University. I am certified in health, science, special education and gifted.
I taught middle school and high school for 32 years. For the last 19 years, I taught at South Forsyth High School. I have taught Earth Science, Environmental Science, Physical Science and Biology.
I retired from classroom teaching at the end of the 2023-2024 school year. I am now ready to start a new career in tutoring.
- Tutors Online, and In-home in the Sugar Hill, Buford, and Cumming areas.
Pamela Koehler
Pam’s compassion and devotion to teaching and serving diverse learners includes a vast array of experiences throughout her 28 years in both the public and private school sectors. She is especially skilled at knowing how to inspire, engage, and motivate students to find success in their studies and reach their full learning potential. Pam’s professional credentials include a valid GA teaching certificate- level 5, a Master of Education and Learning Differences degree from the University of Lynchburg, and uses a variety of instructional methods, strategies, and assessments including but not limited to Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, LETRS, SRA, Collins Writing, and DIBELS. Her positive influence extends beyond the classroom when necessary to collaborate with teachers, parents, administrators, and other specialists as needed in order to embrace the whole child’s success team.
Marina Belinskaya
In 2003, I earned a master's degree in Linguistics with Honors and have more than 10 years of experience in teaching and tutoring students from K-12th grade to college-age. Initially, I worked as an interpreter and written translator in major international businesses. However, as a mother of two, I discovered my passion for teaching and decided to join a special educational program focused on all aspects of the English language, including reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
Working with diverse children required special training, which I received at my current job. Presently, I utilize a cutting-edge learning methodology to enhance students' sensory-cognitive functions, enabling them to improve reading, spelling, and overall material comprehension. I specialize in working with students exhibiting specific symptoms such as dyslexia, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and learning and behavioral disorders. Additionally, I teach math and academic subjects while also possessing extensive expertise in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL).
My approach involves personalized one-on-one learning to enhance school performance and elevate student achievements. I consider myself to be a trustworthy, collaborative, patient, and creative professional who can guide students to their next level of education while maintaining their competitive edge.
Alpharetta, Cumming, or Johns Creek
