Chloe Amore Kaplan is a fourth generation Washingtonian - a graduate of NCRC preschool, Horace Mann Elementary, and Sidwell Friends. With a Master’s Degree in Childhood Education from NYU and a Bachelor's in Child Development from Tufts University, Chloe is a former Kindergarten teacher with a background in launching enrichment programs. Chloe began to develop ideas for after school classes while attending high school at Sidwell and went on to become a University College of Citizenship and Public Service Scholar at Tufts University, creating longstanding education programs for students in the Boston area. Though she considers Amore HQ her second home, she currently lives in Georgetown with her husband, son, and dog.

Liz Rosenberg comes to Amore with over a decade of experience teaching in DC charter schools. She has a Masters in Early Childhood Teaching and is a Phi Beta Kappa member from her undergraduate experience at Oberlin College where she studied Sociology. Liz is fluent in Spanish and Italian, and continues her work as a polyglot studying French, Hebrew, and ASL. In her free time, you can find Liz deepening her yoga practice as a certified instructor or fiercely cheering on the Washington Nationals with her husband Mike and daughter Rose.

Meghan Bracewell, a native New Englander, has called Washington D.C. home for almost 20 years. A graduate from Amherst College, Meghan worked in state politics in Massachusetts before moving to DC to attend law school at Georgetown. Community involvement is very important to Meghan, and he has served as a Girls on the Run coach, on the Board of the DC Library Foundation, PTA President Horace Mann Elementary, Chair of the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) at Congressional, and lots more.

Valerie Westney was born in raised in the Washington D.C area. She graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a degree and Kinesiology and later earned a Masters in Public Health from George Washington University. Valerie has always had a passion for teaching and working with kids. Prior to getting her Masters, Valerie served as a volunteer teacher in early education for 3 years. Today, in her free time Valerie continues to volunteer with a local organizations to prepare high school students for college.

Anna DiGiovanni has been with the Amore team for several semesters as an academic tutor and creative writing, acting, yoga, and improv teacher at schools across DC. Anna is a classically trained actor born and raised in Oakland, California. She has an MFA in Classical Acting from George Washington University and The Shakespeare Theatre Company. Anna is passionate about sharing her love of learning and finding different ways we can all tell stories!

Courtney Wyatt is from Atlanta, Georgia and has a degree in Chemical Engineering and a minor in Mathematics from Howard University. Courtney is currently working toward a graduate degree in Public Health, and she will attend medical school in the fall. Her aspiration is to become a pediatric cardiologist. Courtney has always been passionate about teaching students, and encourages her students to learn through innovative and creative ideas.

Mostafa Darban has over ten years of experience as a teacher and educational consultant. Mostafa has lived in Iran, Malaysia, Singapore, the UK, and now the US for the past decade. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering and is fluent in Persian. Now he teaches K-9 math, science, English, and social studies, specializing in comprehension, retention, and test-taking. He also supports students with special needs such as dyslexia, ADHD, and ASD.

Khail Toi Bryant discovered her love for acting and the arts at age four, and is committed to inspiring a love of learning in kids at a young age. She has performed at both the White House and in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with the Alvin Ailey School and starred in over 50 national commercials––one of which she received an Emmy for at the age of 6. Bryant has also starred in films such as “The Perfect Holiday,” “Alex Strangelove,” and “See You Yesterday,” as well as The Lion King on Broadway for 3 years. Khail also graduated Magna Cum Laude from Brown University, and she now joins us as a Broadway teacher!

Ellen Walker, a native of Akron, OH, has lived and worked in the Washington, DC area for over 10 years. She received her Masters in Public Health, concentrating on Physical Activity in the Public Health Context and Epidemiology, from GWU in 2014. Ellen currently works as a mixed methods researcher who focuses on leveraging community voices for health equity and systems change. She conducts most of her research and evaluation in the areas of maternal and child health, health disparities, and reproductive health.

Juliette Fratto grew up in Washington, DC and is now based in New York City. Juliette studied graphic design at Paris College of Art, but completed her degree in Textiles and Costume History at Parsons School of Design in New York. During the pandemic she discovered an interest in knitting and fiber arts after spending time in the Pennsylvania countryside. Despite being new to teaching, Juliette is extremely excited to join the Amore team to run Fashion Design classes!

Emily (Emi) Erickson is an actor, teaching artist, voice coach, and multi-instrumentalist new to the Washington, DC area after nearly a decade in New York. She received her BFA in Drama and a BS in Mathematics from NYU before completing her MFA in Classical Acting at GWU. Emily has worked as a teacher and tutor with a variety of organizations specializing in standardized test preparation, theater arts, sports and athletics, music, and more. This fall, she can be seen performing in People, Places, & Things at Studio Theatre.

Fabiolla Da Silva is a professional theatre and film/tv actor with a Performing Arts BA from James Madison University. Born in Brazil, Fabiolla is passionate about using her multicultural skills to make every child feel welcome and celebrated in the classroom. She has a background in teaching PreK-12 as well as guiding adult workshops in the DMV area. In her spare time, she loves taking her dog to the park, going on hikes, and spending some good quality time in nature. Fabi is also fluent in Portuguese!

Lauren Messina was born and raised in the Westchester County, NY. She started working with children twenty years ago when her first child entered kindergarten. She is a certified Teaching Assistant registered with NYS Department of Education and works with kids from kindergarten through high school in all different capacities. She has also taught Arts & Crafts, Cheerleading, Fashion Club, Theatre & Movement, Woodworking, Building & Robotics, and more.

Sophia Jacobs grew up in the suburbs of Connecticut and is now at American University studying Elementary Education. She found her passion for education through her work with the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants (CIRI). She was awarded the Angela R. Anderson Award by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal for her work with CIRI and the creation of the club. Sophia strongly believes that education is power and allowing students to get excited about it is the first step to success!

Jill Levy is excited to be tutoring students in NYC! She completed her undergraduate degree at UT Austin, and two years ago she moved to New York to pursue a Masters in Childhood/Special Education at NYU. She currently teaches in Gramercy at Learning Spring School as a first grade teacher for students with autism. She is extremely passionate about teaching and strives to support her students' growth in academics and social emotional learning.

Bridget Lilly, originally from Connecticut, received a bachelor's in Elementary Education from Catholic University and master's in Special Education with certificates in The Autism Spectrum Disorders and Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Wellness from Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia. She has taught for seven years at Murch Elementary School (2 years in third grade and 5 years in first grade). We are excited to welcome Bridget to the Tutoring Plus team!

Kelly Paton has been teaching in DCPS since 2016, and has taught first grade, kindergarten, and preschool. Kelly’s dream to work with kids all began in kindergarten, where she was inspired by her joyful classroom and teacher! Kelly graduated from Pepperdine University with a degree in Elementary Education and received her Masters in Early Childhood from the Relay Graduate School of Education. Kelly is originally from San Francisco, California and loves traveling the world, going to workout classes, and being an auntie of twelve!

Leila Antakly is a native Washingtonian, and she graduated from Communications at A.U. before earning a Master's degree in Fashion & Luxury Management from Bocconi in Milan, Italy. Leila has produced editorial shoots for Italian Vogue Magazine, produced films for HBO and National Lampoon, and taught English at Aziza's Place, a grassroots organization in Cambodia. She has worked on fundraising and impact giving with several small nonprofits supporting children all over the world. Leila also speaks Spanish and has an extensive background in film production, for all you film buffs out there!

Marti Jo Jackson is delighted to join the Amore team supporting children and their families. With decades of experience working in education, including teacher and school based administration, Marti Jo is eager to continue working with students. Her work experiences include elementary, secondary and university level education. Marti Jo earned a Master’s in K-12 Special Education, as well as a Master’s in Education Leadership.

Tahirah Shider holds a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and more than a decade of teaching experience. Tahirah has served as a classroom teacher, Girls on the Run coach, and workshop leader, creating and facilitating workshops ranging from homework strategies to math engagement. In addition to teaching, Tahirah is a personal stylist. She loves to incorporate her passion for teaching into working with clients on how to express their individuality through color!

Starr Foster received her first tennis racket from the late great Arthur Ashe when she was four years old, and has had a passion for the game ever since. She teaches kids (and adults!) not only how to crush it on the courts, but also the importance of being a true "Starr Player" through a curriculum she has developed in honor of Ashe, which combines on-court tennis skills and drills with court-side journaling and conversation about bravery, sportsmanship, respect, and kindness.

Jakob Moberly was born and raised in the Chicagoland area and finished his education at the University of Kansas, studying music therapy and musicology. His population experience is vast, working with kids and adults of all ages and level of abilities. As a multi-instrumentalist, he focuses on the importance of studying the music elements and their impact on learning about sound, music, and the functional organization of music skills that cross over into other parts of life: teamwork, listening, cooperation, confidence, independence, and more. This focus has allowed him to establish a foundation for using music as a tool for a better quality of life. Jakob continues to pursue his career working as a music clinician and mentor, while also applying his skills in orchestral performances, compositional writing, and music research. Jakob joins us by way of Bumblebee Pediatric Therapy where he is also a music teacher!

Coach Michael Johnson is a DC native who received a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Science and Fitness Management from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and he has taught Physical Education in Washington, DC for 5 years. He has a tremendous passion for teaching children how to actively engage in learning different sporting activities, and for encouraging men of color to stay in the classroom. We could not be more excited to welcome him to the Amore Learning family as a soccer coach this spring!

Gia Bambocci is a rising junior at American University. She is majoring in Art History and Public Relations and Strategic Communication. Her hobbies include jewelry making, cheerleading, spending time in art museums, doing photoshoots with her friends, and petting cats. She is excited to be taking on the roll of social media intern and teaching students about art!