Meet Our Tutors!
Leadership Team
Courtney Toribio
Owner and director
Tutors Grades:
Pre-K-Middle School
Subjects:
Special Education, Reading, Writing, Math, Orton Gillingham Trained
Peggy Engleman
IEP Advocacy Chair
Special Education Teacher
Tutors Grades:
Grades K-6
Subjects:
Reading and Writing. Special Education Advocate.
Ward Striggles
CERTIFIED TEACHER
Tutors Grades:
6-12 grades
Subjects:
Math & Science
IEP, ACT/SAT Prep
KIM MARIE HEDGES
CERTIFIED TEACHER
Tutors Grades:
Pre-K through high school students
Subjects:
Reading/English/Language Arts/ SAT Instructor
Kitt Sechrist
CERTIFIED TEACHER
Tutors Grades:
Grades: 4-8
Subjects:
Math, PSAT/SAT/ACT Prep
DIANE HUGHS
CERTIFIED TEACHER
Tutors Grades:
Grades: 4-8
Subjects:
ELA -Reading and ESL English as a Second Language
ELIZABETH BUSH
CERTIFIED TEACHER
Tutors Grades:
3rd - 12th grades
Subjects:
Language Arts 3-12; Math & Science Elementary School
Vibhu
Certified Teacher
Anna
Certified Teacher
Anita
Certified Teacher
Robert
Certified Teacher
Courtney Toribio
Owner & Director | Teachers as Tutors LLC
With over 20 years of experience in education, Courtney Toribio brings extensive knowledge, compassion and dedication to her role as Owner and Director of Teachers as Tutors.
Courtney earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Special Education from East Stroudsburg University and spent nearly two decades teaching in New Jersey before relocating to Georgia.
Trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach, Courtney has a particular passion for helping struggling readers develop foundational literacy skills while building confidence in their abilities.
Throughout her career, she has worked closely with families, classroom teachers and educational support teams to develop individualized strategies that address each student’s academic and developmental needs.
As the owner of Teachers as Tutors, Courtney is dedicated to connecting families with experienced educators who provide personalized, engaging and effective instruction.
She believes that successful learning begins with understanding each child’s individual strengths, challenges and learning style.
Her commitment extends beyond academic achievement. Courtney strives to create an educational environment where students feel supported, encouraged and empowered to reach their fullest potential.
A MESSAGE FROM OUR OWNER
As an educator for over 20 years, I have had the privilege of working with children of all abilities, learning styles and backgrounds. One thing I have learned throughout my career is that no two children learn in exactly the same way.
I believe every child deserves the opportunity to feel confident, capable and successful.
My passion for education has always gone beyond teaching academic skills. It is about building relationships, recognizing each child’s strengths and helping students discover what they are truly capable of achieving.
As the owner of Teachers as Tutors, I take great pride in working with dedicated educators who share this philosophy. My goal is to provide families with more than just tutoring services. I want to create meaningful connections between students and educators while providing the individualized attention and encouragement every learner deserves.
I understand how important it is for parents to feel confident in the people supporting their children’s education. That is why I am committed to maintaining high standards, open communication and a genuine dedication to every student’s growth.
Thank you for trusting Teachers as Tutors to be part of your child’s educational journey.
Courtney Toribio Owner & Director Teachers as Tutors LLC
Elizabeth Bush
Certified Teacher | Special Education & English Language Arts
Elizabeth Bush is a dedicated certified educator with experience supporting students across a wide range of academic abilities and learning needs.
A graduate of the University of Georgia, Elizabeth earned her bachelor’s degree in Special Education. She holds teaching certifications in Reading, English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies for grades K–8, as well as English Language Arts for grades 9–12.Her professional experience includes teaching in middle and high school classrooms, with a primary focus on English Language Arts instruction for
students with mild learning disabilities.
She has also worked in collaborative teaching environments, providing individualized support to students with diverse educational needs.
Elizabeth’s passion for education began early, as she started tutoring while still in high school. Through tutoring and mentoring, she has developed a strong appreciation for the importance of building meaningful relationships with students and helping them reach their academic goals.
She particularly enjoys working one-on-one with students, identifying their individual strengths and providing encouragement that helps them develop confidence and independence.
Elizabeth believes academic success begins with a supportive learning environment where students feel understood, motivated and capable of achieving their goals.
Ward Striggles
Mathematics Tutor
Ward Striggles brings a unique combination of professional experience, academic knowledge and a passion for education to Teachers as Tutors.
He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University and a Master of Business Administration from Emory University. Before transitioning into education, Ward built a career in finance, engineering and information technology, where he developed and delivered professional training programs.
Inspired by his passion for helping others learn, Ward completed a Transition to Teaching program at Indiana Wesleyan University and became a certified and licensed mathematics educator for middle and high school students.
His teaching experience includes both traditional classrooms and alternative education settings, where he provided individualized instruction to accommodate different learning styles.
Ward is dedicated to helping students strengthen their mathematical understanding, develop confidence and become independent problem-solvers.
Kim Marie
Originally an English and Communication dual major graduating Summa Cum Laude from Canisius College of Buffalo, New York, Kim Marie became a certified teacher to share her love of English/Literature studies and 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. Kim Marie has tutored for over 30 years from Pre-K through high school students, specializing in reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, writing, and literary analysis.
Teaching good, old-fashioned English grammar allows students to understand parts of speech and punctuation, as well as sentence structure. Middle and High School students benefit from her teaching techniques in reading and writing strategies, as well as study skills and learning styles. Analyzing reading passages with students and writing college essays are included in Kim Marie’s teaching repertoire, as well as test-preparation for students getting ready to take the SSAT, SAT, and ACT official tests.
Tutors- Online and In-home in the Alpharetta, Johns Creek, and Peachtree Corners areas.
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.
DIANE T. HUGHS
ELA -Reading and ESL English as a Second Language
Diane's qualifications are extensive and impressive. She graduated with a BS from the University of Georgia, is a Birthing of Giants Alumni from MIT, and holds Teacher Certifications in Texas and Georgia. Her experience includes teaching ELA, Reading, and ESL (English as a second language) to grades 4-8, and she is also trained under Teach for America after a successful career in entrepreneurship.
Specializing in skills gained from both careers, Diane uses innovative and creative strategies to break down complex concepts to their simplest form for students and then build back up to the complex for greater comprehension.
Diane's teaching approach is student-centered, focusing on students' strengths and weaknesses. She helps students develop into confident, engaged learners by nurturing their strengths and addressing their weaknesses. This approach often brings joy to the student and Diane, as they experience the 'AHA' moments when a student grasps a concept for the first time.
-Tutors In the Alpharetta Office, In-Home or Libraries off GA 400 in the Alpharetta area.
Kitt Sechrist
Mathematics Educator | Advanced Mathematics & Test Preparation
Kitt Sechrist is an experienced mathematics educator with an extensive background in teaching advanced mathematics and preparing students for academic success.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, with a minor in Education, and her master’s degree in Secondary Education from Texas Christian University.
Kitt spent 11 years as a certified high school mathematics teacher in Texas, earning an exemplary designation based on student growth and instructional effectiveness.
Her teaching experience includes AP Calculus, Geometry, Precalculus and College Algebra. She has also tutored students across a wide range of high school mathematics courses and provided preparation for the PSAT,
SAT and ACT.
Her AP Calculus students consistently achieved examination averages above the global average during her time teaching the course.
In addition to classroom instruction, Kitt has worked as a consultant for mathematics textbook publishers and coauthored an AP Calculus examination review book.
Kitt specializes in helping students understand challenging mathematical concepts through multiple instructional approaches. She particularly enjoys helping students discover the strategies that make difficult concepts understandable.
Her goal is to help students develop mathematical confidence, strengthen problem-solving abilities and achieve lasting academic success.