Welcome to ELS, conveniently located wherever you are.
We aim to educate our students about who they are as learners and how to utilize their strengths to compensate for their learning struggles. Our coaches guide students in fine tuning their day-to-day habits and developing strategies to help them become independent learners and realize their true potential. Our parents are educated in every strategy taught to their children as well.
Our team is made up of caring, collaborative professionals that believe in supporting the whole child, recognizing that without physical, emotional, and psychological health, education is less likely to take place. In addition, all of our tutors are either active or retired teachers with either a background in special education or extensive experience working with the special education population.
Each member of our ever-growing team of tutors have either a background in special education and/or significant experience working successfully with struggling learners. in their endeavor to be independent learners who enjoy learning.
Elyse Dworin - Founder, Tutor, Parent Coach
Originally from New York, Elyse moved to the Washington, DC area in 2000 to begin her teaching career. After five years teaching in Montgomery County Public Schools she moved to The McLean School in Potomac where she taught middle school math and used innovative accommodations to help her students realize their true potential. She started Elevated Learning Solutions in 2018, where she now focuses all of her teaching energy. In addition to building-in content-specific tips and tricks, Elyse teaches metacognition and integrates executive functioning and study skills into all lessons. Through her own journey learning to manage her ADHD, anxiety, and health, she has grown increasingly aware of the interconnectivity of the various parts of the body, the brain, what we do, what we eat, and the various types of stimuli we encounter. This awareness guides her teaching and her business practices. Elyse currently lives in Germantown with her husband and two young children.
Elyse holds a dual BA in Elementary and Special Education from the University of Delaware and a Masters degree from Johns Hopkins University in Special Education: Exceptional Learners. She is trained in Mindfulness in the Classroom and Mind Brain Education practices.
Dr. Jodi King- Tutor, IEP Advocate, Educational Diagnostic Testing
Jodi joins the team at ELS with 43 years of education experience. She is retired from Cecil County Public Schools where she held teaching and administrative positions. Jodi spent 6 years at the Maryland State Dept. of Education as Chief of the Nonpublic Schools Section. She moved on to be the Deputy Director of the Benedictine School on the Eastern Shore to assist with a new administration. Most recently, Jodi was a diagnostician for the State of Delaware providing services to the New Castle County Detention Center, the Ferris School for Boys and the Terry Children’s Psychiatric Center. On October 1, 2021 she retired from the State to take a 3 day a week contract with Brandywine School District to provide mentoring and support to special ed. Coordinators. Jodi is also an Associate Professor in the School of Education at Notre Dame University of Maryland. She teaches graduate level special education courses in the areas of transition, assessment and instructional strategies.
Jodi holds a Doctor of Education in Leadership and Innovation from Wilmington University, a Certificate of Administration from Loyola University, a M.A. in Psychology from Washington College, and a B.S. in Special Education from Mansfield University.
Holly Zanville, Ph.D. – Psychologist
Dr. Zanville has been a licensed clinical psychologist since 2011, providing both individual therapy and psychoeducational assessment services in the DC area. Dr. Zanville has expertise in helping clients to manage their anxiety and is trained in cognitive behavioral therapy. She has significant training in assessing for learning disabilities as well as ADHD. Originally from Atlanta, GA, Dr. Zanville moved to Northern Virginia to pursue her Ph.D. in clinical psychology.
Dr. Zanville has a B.A. in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from George Mason University.
Nadia Petrovic- Tutor, Intensive Interaction Support Professional, Yoga Instructor
Nadia earned her Master’s Degree in Education in 2007 in her home country Slovakia, and has been working in education supporting children of all ages and abilities since then. Soon after her graduation she moved to England where she spent the following 13 years of her life. Her first position as a bilingual support teacher and cultural advisor in Cardiff, Wales, created an opportunity to expand her skill base in two directions: one within education, where she continued to grow her experience and expertise in learning disabilities and behaviour management and one within public services where she eventually landed a position as a police and court interpreter. In 2018, Nadia successfully completed her 500-hour yoga teacher training and earned her Diploma in Hatha Yoga. Nadia, her husband, who serves in the US Navy, and their children relocated to the USA in 2020 following her husband’s deployment to the National Defence University, Washington, DC. Soon after her arrival, Nadia joined the ELS team where she continues to support local children academically, helping them to reach their full learning potential.
Deborah Kelly - Tutor
Deborah has more than 15 years of experience in elementary education. She started teaching in 2007, taught first and second grade and then became a reading instructional specialist. Deborah has extensive experience in teaching struggling readers with advanced training in early childhood reading readiness and literacy collaborative methods. Deborah earned her Master's in Education from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.
Over the last few years Deborah has also become certified as a life coach and works teaching executive functioning skills to both adults and children as well as many other skills such as time management, stress management, and prioritization. Deborah has a passion for children and is excited to work with our youngest learners.
Alice Dessauer - Tutor
Alice Dessauer has more than fifteen years' experience teaching and tutoring: schools abroad, special education schools in Maryland, Montgomery College, and teaching privately through tutoring agencies. As an adjunct professor at Montgomery College for thirteen years, she is experienced working in the classroom as well as with individuals in their homes. From adolescents to young adults preparing for college, Alice has mentored and encouraged students to perform at their highest levels of achievement. She holds a MA in Education from the University of Virginia, an associate degree from the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance from London, UK, and a CHES (Certified Health Education Specialist).
Alice considers the overall wellness of her students a top priority. Her strategy is to embolden the individual allowing them to develop their own formula for success in coping with not only academic challenges, but also, many others in life. To this end, she feels we cannot underestimate the importance of collaborating with schoolteachers, counselors, sports coaches, and parents and family. She shares the holistic philosophy of Elyse Dworin of Elevated Learning Solutions and is happy to be part of the ELS team.
Kat Stafford - Tutor
Kat Stafford received her teaching certificate (K-12th) and M.Ed. in Second Language Instruction and Acquisition from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2016. As a teacher for MCPS, she works with a wide array of students representing various cultural backgrounds and learning abilities. Kat enjoys making creative and multi-modal lessons that support individual learners’ needs.
Brittani London- Tutor
Brittani was born and raised in Potomac, Maryland. Growing up with a learning disability herself, Brittani made her goal as an educator to be able to connect with and provide support to students who also struggle with learning differences. Her teaching philosophy is that learning should be fun, stress free, and presented through a multi-sensory approach. Student's learn in so many different ways and it's our job as educators to make sure we have the tools in our toolbox to help target their individual needs.
Brittani earned her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Hofstra University in Long Island, NY, and a Master's Degree in Special Education: Learning Disabilities from American University. During graduate school, she did her internship at the Lab School of Washington where she continued on as a teacher after graduation. In 2014 Brittani transferred to the McLean School of Maryland, in Potomac where she taught third and fourth grades for 10 years. Brittani is certified in the Orton-Gillingham Reading approach, Sarah Ward's Executive Functioning curriculum, Step-Up to Writing curriculum, and has experience with The Writing Revolution.
