meet the team
We are a group of individuals with unique strengths who are all passionate about helping students.
Scroll on through to get to know us a little better!
Caroline Sumners
Founder & president
Meet Caroline (she/her/hers), a former teacher who enjoys helping students discover and pursue their passions, learn how to advocate for themselves, and navigate big transitions, like the first year of high school or college. She especially loves helping neurodivergent students find learning strategies that feel right for their unique & powerful brains. She created our EAC community that touched the lives of so many families.
Caroline (she/her) is a member of the LGBTQ+ community and the neurodivergent community (specifically for sensory processing differences which, although they can be challenging at times, are also what helps Caroline really connect to her students and sense what they're going through). We asked Caroline what she is passionate about, and we loved her answer: “Learning is my favorite thing to do. Anyone who knows me knows my most frequently used phrases are "I read an article about..." or "I was listening to this podcast..." I always want to know more about how people learn & grow. I also love learning about the world around us -- especially whales & sloths.” When she isn’t hard at work, you’ll catch Caroline riding bikes with her wife, taking their dogs hiking or to the beach, traveling, going to improv or comedy performances, dancing to 80s music, and drinking coffee & reading on the porch.
When we asked Caroline her favorite part about being an academic coach, her response was simple: “Getting to help kids achieve their dreams. It is beyond rewarding to start working with a 9th grade student who wants to do well in school but doesn't know how - and see them transform into a confident 12th grader opening up their acceptance letter to a college that's an awesome fit for them and for who they want to be!”
Jess Forte-Paul
Academic coach & Client Enrollment Specialist
Meet Jess (she/her/hers), a former teacher who enjoys helping students with building confidence, becoming a strong self-advocate, and accountability towards achieving their goals.
Jess identifies as a lesbian, black/mixed woman who is most passionate about helping kids--particularly, bringing educational opportunity to those in marginalized communities. When she’s not helping her students, you can find Jess spending time with her family, playing sports with her son, watching sports or Marvel movies, and lightening the mood with a good dance party.
Here’s Jess talking about her favorite part of being an academic coach: “My favorite part about being a coach is hands down building connections, learning about a student’s story and crafting a plan to help them gain confidence. The most rewarding part is seeing a student’s smile when they have achieved one of their goals (whether small or large).”
Megan Buck
ACADemic coach & ADHD Specialist
Meet Megan (she/her/hers), a former teacher who enjoys helping students with personalized study strategies, studying languages, and finding their peace.
Megan is a queer, white, cis-woman who is passionate about teaching people things, Spanish-speaking cultures (especially the food!), and learning every day. In her spare time, you can catch Megan walking her dog, reading all about witches, vampires, or other sci-fi characters, watching YA fantasy dramas & superhero movies, learning about the planets and space (aka... astrology), baking, and looking at pictures of cute animals.
When we asked Megan her favorite thing about being an academic coach, this is what she shared: “I love the "ah-ha!" moment. When you're guiding students towards their final destination and after one question you see the lightbulb go off and the last idea clicks into place. From then on they feel a bit more confident and gain a little bit more independence.”
Brittany Hudson-Weeks
Academic coach
Meet Brittany (she/her/hers), a former teacher who loves helping students discover the joys of literacy, the pull of curiosity, and the pursuit of interest.
Brittany is African American and a member of the LGBTQ+ community. She is passionate about helping disempowered youth become empowered through the evolution of their voice, identity, and goals. In her spare time, Brittany can be found reading, painting with her wife, listening to music, playing with her dog (Lily), baking, or catching up on some of her favorite Netflix shows.
When we asked Brittany her favorite thing about being an academic coach, she beamed: “As a teacher, I taught my students to become advocates for themselves. Now, as an academic coach, I can help students grow outside of the classroom and apply those same skills to their real everyday life.”
Kate Wilson
Academic coach & Logistics Coordinator
Meet Kate (she/her/hers), a former teacher who enjoys helping students with connecting to the “why” behind school, learning to express themselves, and finding study strategies that work for them, especially in world languages and math.
Kate (she/her) is a neurodivergent woman with Japanese roots who is passionate about providing learning experiences that teach empathy and understanding, making sure people feel seen and heard, eating and cooking good food, and dogs. In her spare time, you can catch Kate tending to her tiny garden, playing with her pup in the backyard, crafting, and finding cute miniature things on the internet!
Here’s Kate talking about her favorite part of being an academic coach: “For me, the most meaningful part about this job is creating a space where students feel they can be fully themselves and share their experiences—positive and negative—in a safe and true way. While academic support and learning are, of course, a priority, I’ve found that helping students feel free to be themselves far outweighs the rest. My hope is that they’ll carry that feeling out into the world; it’s a superpower to be authentically oneself."