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Pete Van Riper is a professional artist and art instructor. He has served as an Instructor of Art in drawing and design at Northern Virginia Community College since 2001. Pete is a member of the Capitol Hill Arts League and served on the board of directors at Art Enables, a gallery serving artists with disabilities, … Read more
Karen Shumway earned a Master’s Degree in Biochemistry from the University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. After graduation, she taught biology, chemistry, and scientific research and design (SRD) for two STEM magnet high schools in Montgomery County, Texas. She held Texas state teaching certifications in Life Science, General Science, and Gifted/Talented Education, and … Read more
Dr. Michele Forsythe is a veteran STEM educator. She was formerly an adjunct professor of Biology at Montgomery County Community College. Currently, she develops curriculum and teaches STEM courses and workshops through her educational program, Discover STEAM Inc. She is known in the homeschool community for her Young Scientists’ Workshops and also tutors students in … Read more
Ethan Hay works for Black Rocket, which has dozens of locations across the country. Founded in 2001, this program has taught technology and coding enrichment classes to more than 200,000 students. Black Rocket introduced cutting-edge, easy-to use technology. They work to support student creativity and self-empowerment through project-based learning. Black Rocket teaches enrichment courses about … Read more
Sandra “Sandy” Preaux is a scientist specializing in geophysics, remote sensing, data analysis, atmospheric chemistry, and astronomy. She also has experience teaching atmospheric science as a teaching assistant for Weather & Climate courses at the University of Maryland. Sandy has also contributed to a variety of science education and outreach efforts. She currently works with … Read more
Dr. Anne Taranto has taught literature and composition for more than 20 years including freshman English courses at Yale University, Georgetown University, Marymount University, and Northern Virginia Community College. Most recently she served as head of the English department and instructor for upper school British Literature and creative writing at Stone Ridge School of the … Read more
Melissa Schaaf is a Certified Instructor with the American Heart Association. She is a faculty member of LawsonTEC, the largest independent training facility for American Heart Association Instructors in Northern Virginia. She also works with Cardiac Science, one of the largest manufacturers of AEDs. Melissa estimates that she has instructed more than 4000 people on … Read more
Barbara Rosecrans is a Sales Representative and Educational Consultant with Usborne Books & More. She has hosted Compass’s annual Fall Book Fair since 2017. She is able to assist families in making book selections to supplement homeschool curricula; support an emerging or reluctant reader; promote reading comprehension; challenge gifted learners; accommodate different learning styles; and … Read more
Emily White is the Registration Specialist at Compass. She is a graduate of Brigham Young University- Idaho where she earned a Bachelor of Art degree in Art with a concentration in photography. Emily is responsible for assisting families in registering for classes and making changes to their schedules. Emily is also responsible for many logistical, … Read more
Danielle Mercadal is an experienced teacher/tutor of early elementary reading. She is available to work with students one-on-one or in small, private groups, cohorts, or pods at Compass. Danielle earned a Master of Arts Degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from New York University and a Bachelor of Arts in Art and Illustration from … Read more
