Our Staff
Administrators | South Teachers | North Teachers | Teacher Assistants
Administrators
Dr. Kelly Van SandeOwner/CEO
Dr. Kelly Van Sande is a lifelong educator with a passion for children. She married her high school sweetheart and they have two school age children. She is a certified teacher, principal, and school superintendent, and has served in all of those roles, including teaching at the elementary, middle and high school levels. She has more than 15 years of school leadership experience. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music education (B.S.), a master’s in teaching and curriculum leadership (M.Ed.), a master’s in business administration (MBA), and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Administration (Ed.D). Dr. Van Sande is also the founder of Ignite Learning Academy, a private online school.
She believes school culture is at the heart of a school and must be the top priority in order for students to thrive. For, if we do not first address the needs of our students, they cannot effectively learn. Only when a leader commits to promoting and supporting excellence in her staff through open dialogue, professional development, deeply valuing everyone on the team, and celebrating their success, will the school’s team function as a cohesive unit with all goals centered solely around the mission and vision of the school. From there, our focus shifts directly to students so we can provide individualized attention and support which goes beyond academics and entails truly getting to know the whole child. Dr. Van Sande is so passionate about this topic that it became the focus of her doctoral dissertation.
As a parent and educator, she observed the traditional school system often did not meet the needs of all students and she believed there had to be a way to make education come alive for students at all ability levels, from various backgrounds, and to allow students to learn in their own, meaningful way. She develops schools that remove barriers to learning, allow for individualized instruction, maintain very small class sizes, and focus primarily on teacher-student relationships in order to foster a school community and culture driven by student success.
She looks forward to working alongside parents, students, teachers, and staff every day so we can build a thriving school community of students prepared for today, tomorrow, and the future ahead!
Lesley Taylor, M.Ed.Head of Admissions
Lesley received her bachelor’s degree at Furman University and her master’s degree in special education at Converse College. She served as a resource teacher for three years in the public schools in Spartanburg, South Carolina then began teaching our high school students at Ignite Achievement Academy in 2001. From 2005 to 2012, she served as our lead teacher, and from 2013-2024 she served as Head of School of the south campus, before being promoted to Head of Admissions.
Lesley enjoys gardening, cooking, hiking and socializing with family and friends. She is an avid animal lover and has an unusually strong need to complete tasks. If something is left undone at the end of the school day, she applies more Chapstick® and starts eating cheese.
Dr. Allison WalkerHead of School, North Campus
Dr. Allison R. Walker is an educator and leader with a deep knowledge of special education across a variety of environments. She holds a bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. in the area of special education. She started her career as a transition support teacher in Germantown, Maryland, where she provided transition services to both the high and low-incidence population of students with disabilities. In addition, she worked as a transition specialist for George Mason T/TAC, providing transition services for Region 4 in Virginia. She has also worked with the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) (formally known as the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center) where she helped to develop the Indicator 13 Checklist to ensure that transition plans for students with disabilities ages 16 and older are in compliance with federal guidelines. These and other experiences helped to establish her expertise in transitioning students with high-incidence disabilities into employment, postsecondary education, and independent living with a concentration on diversity in transition, specifically the self-advocacy skills of students with disabilities from minority backgrounds.
She also honed her leadership skills as a professor at Temple and Towson University, later gained tenure as an associate professor, and served as the program coordinator for the special education undergraduate program at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She has taught a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses related to special education, transition, and effective instructional practices and has conducted numerous presentations at international, state, and local special education conferences across the country. Dr. Walker also served as the Director of Special Education and Related Services for a school district in Wilmington, NC serving approximately 3,200 students with disabilities per school year. Most recently, she worked as an educational consultant, specifically serving as an expert witness in a special education federal court case.
She is the mother of 3, 7-year-old twins and 9-year-old, and enjoys furniture flipping, attending music concerts, and spending time with her kids.
Allison Osborn, M.S.Head of School, South Campus
Alli received a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, a master’s degree in applied educational psychology and a certificate of advanced graduate study in school psychology from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Alli worked as a school psychologist in an elementary and middle school in Fayetteville, New York before relocating to Charlotte in 2005. She also received her school administration certificate and license and completed a principal internship in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System. Alli began working at Ignite Achievement Academy in 2011 as a teacher and served as Head of Instruction through the 2023/24 school year, after which she was promoted to Head of School.
Alli has a passion for working with students of all ages. In her spare time, she enjoys being with her family, running, hiking, playing soccer and eating Mexican food. She used to sing lullabies to her children; however, as soon as they could talk, they suggested she talk instead. Apparently, her singing off-key was affecting their brain development.
Sarah Brewer, M.S.Administrative Assistant
Sarah graduated from Clemson University with a degree in psychology. She has worked as a pharmaceutical sales representative and stay-at-home mom. While raising her two children, Sarah, who enjoys helping the Charlotte community, volunteered her time and resources to her church. Activities included coordinating events and fundraisers for the church’s preschool, working at the preschool and serving as a leader in the church. Fortunately for us, Sarah is now part of the team at Ignite Achievement Academy.
In her free time, Sarah loves to cook, play board games and watch the Clemson Tigers play football. On Fridays, you can expect to see her in orange in preparation of the Clemson Tigers’ sure win the next day.
Chief Information Officer
Mike Van Sande
Chief Information Officer
With over 20 years of experience in the Information Technology industry, Mike Van Sande is a seasoned executive and strategic leader known for driving technological innovation and operational excellence. Throughout his career, Mike has held various key positions, progressively advancing to the role of Chief Information Officer. He possesses a deep expertise in IT strategy, infrastructure management, cybersecurity, and digital transformation.
Mike has roughly a decade of education experience in both brick and mortar and online schools, including large school districts and small private schools. He enjoys finding new ways to leverage and integrate technology into the learning experience.
Mike holds a bachelor’s degree in network and communication management from DeVry University and has completed various advanced certifications in IT management, cybersecurity and networking.
Oakley, Head of Canine DevelopmentRead More
Oakley, our school therapy dog, is a fun-loving German shepherd and is pleased to be a member of the Ignite Achievement Academy staff. Oakley loves to play catch with tennis balls and eat sardines with peanut butter.
As Head of Canine Development at Ignite Achievement Academy, Oakley’s duties include following the teachers’ and students’ directions, such as “sit,” “stay,” and “no barking during class.” Her duties also include spending personal time with individual students and listening to them with unconditional love and acceptance. One day, she hopes to develop a dog sensitivity program for the staff and catch Frisbees®.
Teachers, IAA South
Katie ArevaloIn 2015, Katie received a bachelor’s degree in physical education at Winthrop University. Having a long-held passion for helping students achieve their goals, Katie has taught swimming and served as a camp counselor and long-term substitute in various grades and subjects.
Before joining us at Ignite Achievement Academy, Katie taught physical education in both North and South Carolina for four years.
In her free time, Katie enjoys spending time with her son, hiking, being outdoors and watching sports. When she’s not watching her son play baseball, she’s watching the Gamecocks playing football.
Carter BollnMr. Bolln hails from Marblehead, Massachusetts, a small sailing town with deep roots in American culture. He enjoys calling Charlotte his home and has lived in the state of North Carolina for 20 years.
He lives with his partner Amanda and their two Golden Retrievers. Lizzy (8) is Millie’s (4) Mom and they were excited to add Lizzy to the family, adopting her 2 years ago.
His brother’s family lives close by and he enjoys spending time with his two nephews playing sports, completing art projects, biking, and out at the Whitewater Center.
When not at school, Mr. Bolln enjoys spending time outside and can be found working in the garden or making adjustments to landscape projects. He likes to grow and cook with food he produced, loves to make pesto with basil, and is usually listening to music when doing so. He’s a huge Patriots fan and looks forward to their return to greatness.
Talking about science and plants are a passion, submit a question in his box and he will have information to share with you shortly!
Diana Durbiano, M.A.View Bio
Mrs. Durbiano joined the Ignite Family in 2023 as our K-2 Teacher. She went to the State University of New York at Cortland for her undergraduate studies and Touro College in New York for her graduate studies. She holds a B.S. in Elementary Education, M.A. in Elementary Education and M.A. in Special Education.
Prior to joining our team, Mrs. D has worked in education for 5 years in a variety of settings, such as self-contained (K-5), resource and inclusion. For the past 3 years, she’s taught first grade. Her passion is working with K-3 students.
Mrs. D enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband, son and their dog, Max. She loves swimming, hiking and traveling. She loves singing opera. She even got a scholarship to SUNY Cortland with “Talent Admissions” after sending them a CD of her singing opera. Mrs. D still enjoys singing opera to this very day, but in a more private setting, like the car.
Jillian Guthrie, MSWIn 2011, Jillian graduated from Presbyterian College with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of South Carolina in 2013. Before joining Ignite Achievement Academy in 2016, she saw children in various capacities as a social worker.
Jillian is a South Carolina native and, having grown up a few minutes from Clemson University, a true Clemson Tigers fan. She loves reading and spending time outdoors, especially hiking with her husband, daughter and their dog, Zoey. Jillian has a strange and uncommon ability: she can lick her elbow. Her dog, Zoey, tried it on himself and keeled over.
Sabrina JenkinsMs. Jenkins is originally from Flushing, Queens New York, also known as the "Big Apple", and has resided in Charlotte, NC., for 24 years. She graduated from Belmont Abbey College with a bachelor's degree in educational studies in 2016. She is also an Alumni and graduate of the Teachers Program from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, also known as UNCC. She is also a proud Military Veteran that has served in the United States Army National Guard.
In her spare time, she loves to strum on her guitar, spend time with her family, and have fun. She has a dog named Tyler, "Doodles", and a big cat that looks like a loaf, named "Mittens Garfunkel". Bubbles, Mitten's sister, is our other family pet and looks like a loaf as well. Bubbles did move in December of 2023; however, our family still enjoys seeing Bubbles on FaceTime during our family chats.
Carmen JudgeMs. Judge joined the Ignite Achievement Academy family in 2022. She received her bachelor’s degree in biology from UNC-Chapel Hill. She is a Charlotte native, but she moved all around the southeastern United States once she married an active-duty Air Force pilot. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her three children, reading and occasionally playing Pokemon Go. Her sons both chose to attend UNC-Chapel Hill for college, so they enjoy cheering on the Tar Heels together.
Joseph McColley, M.S.Joseph joined Ignite Achievement Academy in December 2014. He received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Villanova University and his master’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown University in 2012. He has been teaching students of all ages for many years, mainly in his hometown of Boston, Massachusetts, Washington, DC, Japan and Charlotte.
A Boston native, Joseph is a dues-paying member of the Boston Red Sox, or, as he says, the Red Sox Nation. He is an avid traveler and has fond memories of hitchhiking to Mount Everest. Joseph is rather laid back, but when he gets his mind to it, he does things like cycle across the country, or walk 750 miles on an island in Japan.
Joseph lived in Japan for seven years, which is where he met his wife. Now that he is married, he likes to sip green tea, go bird watching, hike and read – and dream of cycling to Chile.
Ms. Saylor joined the Ignite Family in 2022. She is a proud graduate of the University of South Carolina and has a B.A. in Psychology. When she was in college, she worked as a preschool teacher. When she graduated, she became a behavior therapist before joining our team that fall.
Ms. Saylor’s claim to fame is that she was on the Gamecock’s Track & Field team during her years at the University of South Carolina. We’re fortunate that she “runs” our running club. In her free time, she likes to run, walk and listen to music.
When Ms. Saylor was in high school, her shoe fell off during a 2-mile race on the track. And it was raining. She had to finish the race without a shoe and a very soggy sock. Which was super uncomfortable. This says a lot about Ms. Saylor’s determination to finish the race at all costs. Way to go Ms. Saylor!
Madelyn Schiek Mrs. Schiek is originally from Texas, but she and her husband moved to North Carolina in the summer of 2023. She graduated in 2022 with a bachelor's in early childhood education from Midwestern State University. She has previously taught in a public school for 2 years.
In her free time, she loves reading and spending as much time as she can with her family! Mrs. Schiek and her husband also love exploring new places in North Carolina.
Jasmine StephenJasmine Stephen is a dedicated educator currently in her second year of teaching. With six years of experience working with children, Jasmine has discovered a deep passion and sense of purpose in her field. Originally from Virginia Beach, she moved to Charlotte about a year ago and has embraced her new community here at IAA with enthusiasm. Jasmine's journey in education follows a noteworthy athletic career; she was awarded a full scholarship to play basketball at Wingate University and study Sports Broadcasting . Outside the classroom, she enjoys fitness, dancing, coaching, and indulging in delicious food.
Jess WhiteIn 1996, Jess received her bachelor’s degree in wildlife and fisheries science from Pennsylvania State University. While in college, she worked for the United States Department of Agriculture. She then worked for Pennsylvania State University on their wetland restoration program for military bases.
Originally from upstate New York, Jess and her family moved to Charlotte in 2001. For over thirty years, during her time in both New York and North Carolina, Jess has served in various positions at the YMCA. These positions included serving as the aquatics and risk management director, teaching children and adults how to swim, be safe in the water and achieve their fitness goals and overseeing family services and front-desk and fitness operations.
We first met Jess when she certified some of our staff in CPR and first aid a few years ago. Fortunately for us, she is now our physical education instructor and one of our teachers. She is excited to bring her love of fitness to the students.
In her free time, Jess spins on a stationary bike, runs, lifts weights and swims. She and her family have three big dogs, one rabbit and a fish. (We’re betting she makes her pets exercise too.) Besides animals and exercise, she loves . . . safety equipment . . . ice packs, gauze and bandages.
Dori received her bachelor’s degree of science from Drexel University in 1992 and her master’s degree in social work from Temple University in 1997. Dori has had extensive experience serving children and their families in the New York City foster care system and at Green Chimneys Therapeutic Day School in Brewster, New York. As a licensed clinical social worker, Dori provided social skills training, coping strategies and anger management tools to children and adolescents in both individual and group settings. Dori joined us in August of 2011 and is now fulfilling her dream of teaching.
In her free time, Dori enjoys activities with her family, traveling, creating pottery, practicing yoga and training for the triathlon. In Dori’s athletic training group, she is referred to as the “billy goat” because she prefers cycling uphill. This meshes well with her life philosophy: the challenge of the uphill is more exciting than the ease of the downhill. (We’re impressed; we’ll toss you a water bottle on our way down.)
Jennifer WizaMrs. Wiza joined the Ignite Family in 2023 as our floater teacher. She graduated from Florida Southwestern State College with a B.S. in Elementary Education in 2019. She’s worked with many age groups from infancy to 12th Grade, all with a wide variety of barriers. Additionally, she’s held many titles, such as coach, zoo educator, and mentor of an All-Girl’s Club. She is now the Cookie Mom & Co-Leader of a Girl Scout Troop.
In Mrs. Wiza’s free time you can find her in one of two places, TJ Maxx or Marshall’s usually hunting for home decor. When she isn’t updating her new home, she’s watching the Packers, reading or working on her digital art. She and her husband enjoy going on road trips with their American Bulldog, Mobie.
Mrs. Wiza loves cooking and assisting in our cooking class, but the one food she strongly dislikes is mushrooms. The texture creeps her out because it reminds her of slugs.
Ms. Woodson joined the Ignite Family in 2023. She holds a B.A. in Art Education and a B.F.A. in Fine Arts from Western Carolina University. Prior to joining our team, she’s held many positions in the education field, such as art teacher, teaching assistant and tennis coach.
In Ms. Woodson’s free time, she enjoys the outdoors, walking her dog, making art and hiking. Ms. Woodson’s favorite snack is pickles and peanut butter.
Teacher Assistants, IAA South
(for one-to-one and small-group instruction)
Evelyn Cardoso
Shannon Ferguson, M.A.Shannon received a bachelor’s degree at San Jose State University in California then a master’s degree in multi-cultural education at the same university. After college, Shannon taught third then first graders in San Jose before working as a physical education teacher in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. In 2013, she joined our staff at Ignite Achievement Academy as a physical education teacher and is now our teacher assistant.
Shannon loves running, hiking, animals and being with her husband and two children. She also loves to garden but won’t garden in Charlotte because she is afraid of snakes. (She saw a copperhead once.)
Anita Flo, M.A.Anita received her bachelor’s degree in psychology with minors in organizational sociology and German from UC Davis in California. She also holds a master’s degree in applied psychology, which she obtained from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, California. Anita has over thirteen years of early childhood development experience, most recently as a teaching assistant for the Ballantyne Preschool of the Arts in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In her free time Anita enjoys reading, traveling, meditating…, which often turns into napping, and daily attempts to master the mindless yet habit-forming game “Candy Crush.” She hopes to reach the last level within this century. (We wish you luck with that.)
Jeannine HoskingJeannine is a native Floridian who recently made the move to Charlotte. Jeannine graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and later went on to receive her master’s degree in social work from Florida International University.
When Jeannine became aware that her son had special needs, she became interested in and pursued training and certification to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Jeannine has worked with children with special needs for over 15 years.
In her free time, Jeannine enjoys spending time with her family, exploring Charlotte, playing with her dog and researching all the nearby mountains for future trips.
Maya Johnson, B.A.Maya, who joined the Ignite Achievement family in 2013, provides unique music and movement classes each week. She is also delighted to be on staff as a teaching assistant. Originally from New York, Maya was raised with a love for music. In fact, at just sixteen months of age, she named her first doll “Do-Re.”
Maya studied violin and cello and earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Iowa, where she majored in music education and psychology. She moved to North Carolina and taught orchestra in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System, and while raising her three daughters, became licensed as a Kindermusik instructor, joyfully teaching classes for many years.
While homeschooling her three daughters, Maya provided private violin and cello instruction and taught exploratory music classes at several preschool programs. She also began leading the Hand in Hand Orchestra, an afterschool program offered through The Vine UMC. Throughout her career, Maya has sought ways to make musical experiences intergenerational and has involved her students at many senior and memory care facilities. She now works with several senior clients privately and never underestimates the mindful and emotional connections that music generates in people from birth to 100 years young.
As a life-long learner, Maya is always motivated by her family, her students and even her rambunctious trio of “American Hybrid” rescue dogs. She enjoys solving ridiculously challenging sudoku puzzles, reading about nutrition and dog training, learning German, and going on family hiking, camping and kayaking expeditions.
Chantel Lowe
Carolyn WhittView Bio
Mrs. Whitt joined our Ignite Family in 2022. She holds a B.S. in Communication Disorders from the University of Rhode Island. She holds an M.A. in Education specializing in Special Education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Prior to joining our team, Mrs. Whitt worked for Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. She held many titles within CMS, such as a resource teacher and Title I tutor. She has also worked as a special education teacher in private school settings and online as an English as a Second Language (ESOL) teacher.
In her free time, Mrs. Whitt likes to work out, shop, read and watch movies. She is a big animal lover and is also starting to have a serious houseplant addiction.
IAA North Staff
Olivia Bell, MS, Speech Language PathologistOlivia received a bachelor's degree from Indiana State University and a master's at Baylor University in the field of speech-language pathology. She worked as a preschool teacher all through school, having a special interest in the Montessori Method and child-directed learning. Olivia is passionate about neurodiversity affirming practices and strives to make therapy (fun)ctional! In her free time, Olivia enjoys thrifting, rock climbing with her husband, caring for her plants, and loving on her orange cat Opie. There is a very good chance she will show you a picture of her cat whether you asked or not. Olivia looks forward to building relationships with the IAA-North students and families!
Theresa Flatts, Teacher AssistantView Bio
Theresa Flatts brings more than 20 years of experience working with children in a variety of educational settings. Her journey began in New York City where she worked as a paraprofessional with the NYC Board of Education. During that time, she developed a deep passion for supporting students' growth and success, especially those with special needs.
As a proud mother of an adult child with special needs, she has personal understanding of the importance of individualized support and the positive impact it can have on a child's life. Her personal experiences fueled her dedication to this field.
After relocating with her family to Virginia, she continued her career with Henrico County Public Schools as a special education instructional assistant. It was during that time that she received her certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorder for Paraprofessionals from Virginia Commonwealth University.
In 2017, she moved to Charlotte, NC where she had the opportunity to work for CS schools as a special education teacher assistant and later as a substitute teacher. All of these experiences enriched her understanding of the diverse needs of students and the strategies that she can use to help them thrive.
She is particularly passionate about working with children because she believes in their potential to succeed when given the right support and encouragement. Her goal at Ignite Achievement Academy is to contribute to creating an inclusive and nurturing environment where every student feels valued and empowered to achieve their best.
Amy Lambert, MS, TeacherAmy Lambert is an experienced educator with 11 years of teaching expertise, holding both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education from Radford University. Hailing from a small mountain town in Virginia, she has a deep passion for instilling a love of reading in her students and takes pride in fostering strong classroom communities. Amy is dedicated to building meaningful relationships with her students and collaborates closely with parents to support and enhance each child's educational journey. Her commitment to nurturing a positive learning environment underscores her belief in the power of education to transform lives.
Megan Skinner, TeacherMegan joined Ignite Achievement Academy North Campus in 2024, bringing with her a diverse background in education and youth support. She graduated from Aquinas College in 2017 with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Nonprofit Leadership. Megan’s passion for teaching began early—she fondly recalls bossing around her little sister while playing “teacher” in the 3rd grade.
With 15 years of experience working with children in various settings, Megan has honed her skills in youth mental health, ABA therapy as a registered behavior technician, and special education as a resource room teacher. Her dedication to creating a trauma-informed classroom environment ensures that all students feel safe and supported, allowing them to thrive academically and emotionally.
Having lived in six different states, including Idaho, Megan has a unique perspective on education and community. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys outdoor activities such as biking and hiking. A true animal lover, she will eagerly ask to pet any dog she encounters.
Dana Usry, MAT, TeacherDana Usry is a dedicated and innovative educator with a strong background in music therapy and special education. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy from Georgia College, followed by a Master of Arts in Teaching with a focus on Special Education from Liberty University. Now in her fifth year of teaching, Dana is committed to fostering an authentic and supportive classroom environment where students are empowered to discover and reach their full potential. Her passion for integrating creative approaches and individualized strategies enhances her effectiveness as an educator, making a meaningful impact on the academic and personal growth of her students.
India Green attended High Point University and completed her Bachelor of Art’s degree with high distinction at Ashford University in Sociology in January of 2011. She also completed a Master of Arts in Education with a specialization in Family & Community in June of 2013 from Ashford University school of Education.
Ms. Green moved from Winston-Salem, NC after 20 years and relocated to Charlotte, NC in 2019. She began working for Cabarrus County Schools as a Teacher Assistant and an Adaptive Curriculum EC Teacher.
She is extremely passionate about special education and has over 20 years of experience of advocating for children, youth and families with disability related concerns, education, and community advocacy. She has experience working for community organizations including Easter Seals, Abound Health, and Horizen's Residential Facilities for Special needs Children. She has held positions as a K-5 special education Teacher, Teacher Assistant, Volunteer Faculty Advisor and Title 1 Parental Involvement Coordinator.
Her goal as an Ignite teacher is to foster positive relationships and communication with families and encourage success and growth of the students. As a teacher, she will provide a warm, accepting environment that promotes learning through all instructional developmental areas.
In her spare time, she loves to travel to the mountains and the beach. She loves to read, spend time with her grandchildren, and quality time with her family hosting dinners.
Hannah Bayne, Teacher