Sarah Belden

Sarah received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Michigan with a major in Chemistry and minor in Biology. She has shared her love for teaching as a substitute teacher for Allegan Public Schools. While homeschooling her three girls Sarah has taught various science courses from K-12 at co-ops in the area. She began her journey with KAT teaching High School Biology and added Advanced Biology in 2018. Her goal is to inspire a love for learning in her students and nurture their minds!

Diane Bowman

Diane is a homeschool mom of 32 years. She enjoys learning about history and loves to make it come alive for her students. Diane holds a degree from Aquinas College, grades K-12 supervision. Her hope is students will learn to see the hand of God in History and how we can learn from what He has done in the past. She is a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and wife to Brian from 36 years.

Josh Caton

Josh has a sincere desire to equip the upcoming generation to be prepared to enter the current world and culture. Josh is a homeschool graduate currently on staff at EAP Church in Lawrence as Youth/Worship Pastor. He holds a B.A. Degree of Religion from Liberty University in Virginia.

Sedona Dobson

Sedona is a self-taught photographer with an associate degree in business from KVCC and will soon graduate from WMU with a degree in Advertising. Her love for photography and the visual arts inspired her to open her own photography business in 2016. Sedona taught Intro to Digital Photography in the 2019-2020 school year here at KAT and can’t wait for the upcoming year!

Jennifer Heeres

Jennifer is a Nationally Certified Sign Language Interpreter. She has been signing for 18 years, interpreting for 13, and nationally certified for 7. Jennifer has a bachelor’s degree in Special Education (Deaf and Hard of Hearing) from Illinois State University and an additional certificate in Sign Language Interpreting from Harper Community College. She is currently working on her master’s degree in Healthcare Interpretation from Rochester Institute of Technology. In addition, she is a homeschool mother of four children and an active member of her church.

Lisa Hyma

Lisa has been teaching at KAT since 2015. Prior, she taught 3rd and 4th grade a total of three years. She has a B.A. from Grand Valley State University majoring in English with a minor in Elementary Education. She also received her Master's of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on educational differentiation from GVSU. Lisa has experience working with students from various age ranges and reading levels and strives to meet each student where they are to nurture their love of reading.

Dale Keiser

Mr. Keiser is a veteran tutor with KAT who has a passion for Physics and the Word of God. Science and God's word go hand in hand. Text used is Apologia's Exploring Creation with Physics, 2nd edition.

Karen Kiser

Karen brings over 20 years of experience to KAT! She been with us since 2007 and what a joy it has been! Karen holds a B.S. in Secondary Education. Previously she taught for 12 years at Southside Christian School in SC. She herself homeschooled three of her eight children. Karen ignites a love for learning in her students!

Sue MacQuarrie

Ms. Sue is a 24-year homeschool veteran and WMU graduate. She studied art from childhood through college at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts. She teaches at the Young Rembrandts after school program and is a teaching artist at Painting with a Twist. Her passion for teaching art is known throughout the Portage area. Ms. Sue also has taught dance in Michigan for 21 years.

Richard Mayer

Mr. Mayer is first and foremost a follower of Jesus Christ. He brings over 32 years’ experience teaching in grades K-12 in the public schools with a focus in high school and has been a beloved KAT tutor since 2010. Rich has a Bachelor of Science and Masters in Teaching of Science from WMU. His major is Earth Science with minors in Math, Biology, Chemistry, and Elementary Science.

Justin McCoy

Justin is the Next Generation Pastor at Calvary Bible Church in Kalamazoo where he has been ministering to students since 2011. He received his undergraduate degree from Cedarville University in Pre-Seminary Bible in 2008. Since then he has earned a Master of Arts degree in Theological Studies, a Master of Religious Education degree and a Master of Divinity degree from Liberty Theological Seminary. His passion is to teach the next generation what it means to follow Christ!

Bethel McGrew

Bethel loves teaching and working with students of all ages and abilities. She was homeschooled through high school and went on to receive a double Bachelor of Science degree in philosophy and mathematics from Western Michigan University in 2015. Upon graduation, she was granted a teaching fellowship in the pure math doctoral program at WMU teaching various college math classes from Algebra II to applied and engineering calculus. She earned her master’s degree in 2017 and is almost finished with her Ph.D. Bethel has also tutored foreign K-12 students in English as a second language. My many other interests include writing, music, and chess, and a love for the Lord!

Nancy Micklatcher

Nancy graduated from Plymouth State College in New Hampshire with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in music. For 15 years I taught in elementary classrooms throughout New England. I received my Master’s degree in Literacy Education from the University of Southern Maine in 1994. Over the years I have taught writing to hundreds of students.

Karen Newlon

Karen received a B.A. in Psychology/Sociology from Anderson University with a minor in Marriage/Family. She also holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from WMU. She worked in the mental health field for five years, homeschooled for 16 years – and loved it! Karen has tutored at the Gospel Mission and taught a various co-op. Her passion for learning is contagious!

Cheryl O'Donnell

Cheryl has taught in the public school system, earned a Master’s Degree in education, and continues to be involved in the current curriculum standards through private tutoring and maintaining relationships with families and professionals in the public/private sectors and in the homeschooling community. Cheryl has completed additional courses in higher education with a focus on writing and problem solving skills to be the most effective in teaching young students.

Sarah Ohland

“I love teaching math” is Mrs. Ohland’s mantra! Sue began tutoring at KAT in 2013. She has a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with a major in Mathematics and a minor in Physics from WMU. From 1992-1995 Sue taught at Schoolcraft High School and taught part-time at WMU until 2000. She homeschools her children but has shared her “LOVE” for math each Monday at KAT since 2013.

Kristen Olson

Kristen is a homeschool mom of six children and has been homeschooling for eighteen years. She holds a B.A. and M.A. in elementary education. Kristen’s loves to share her love of teaching with others and has been an essential part of the tutoring team at KAT for over eight years.

Jamie Ross

Jamie graduated from New Mexico State University with a bachelor’s degree of Social Work and an Associate’s Degree in Social Services. She has taught various classes including Public Speaking and Communications. Jamie graduated from the Crawlspace Eviction Improv program and started in Improv group called Blab Rates. Her goal is for students to use the skills they learn to be a light in the world.

Natalia Saba

Natalia is from Venezuela. She graduated from the Universidad Rafael Urdaneta with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Currently, Natalia is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Spanish from WMU. She has taught students in K-3, upper elementary, middle school, high school and adults Spanish for over 10 years.

Kristen Scranton

Kristen Scranton has taught at KAT since 2006. Prior to that, she worked as an eighth grade language arts teacher at Mattawan Middle School for three years before having her son and choosing to stay home. She earned her Bachelor’s of Science degree with a major in Elementary Education and minors in English, Math, and Science from WMU. She earned her Masters degree in the Art of Teaching from Marygrove College. Kristen has served on various English/Language Arts committees at Mattawan Schools that integrated curriculums between grades six through twelve. She has worked with over 1,000 public school and homeschooled students who have had a variety of needs, from special education, dyslexic, emotionally impaired, and autistic students to those honor students who needed challenging to keep them interested.

Dawn Thompson

Dawn has been an educator in the Kalamazoo area for over 20 years. She has a Master’s in Educational Leadership and a Bachelor’s Degree in Education (music). Dawn also has an extensive background in teaching piano, voice, and guitar along with serving as a elementary school music instructor, church choir director and organist.

Corey Thompson

Corey has a background in instrumental music instruction. He has a Bachelor’s of Music (Educational Emphasis). Corey served as Director of Bands at West Branch/Rose City Schools, Kalamazoo Schools, and Kalamazoo County Day. He is the owner of Thompson Tutoring, LLC and has been providing private lessons in the greater Kalamazoo area for over 20 years.

Kim Winblad

Kim majored and minored in various foreign languages and graduated from Western Michigan University in 1981. She studied in France, Belgium, and also at the Freie Universitat Berlin. Kim taught French for over 30 years at Kalamazoo area private schools, KAT, and privately for preschool through high school students.

Sofie Yang

Sofie has a background in teaching violin and is one of the instructors with Thompson Tutoring. She is currently a violinist for the Muskegon Symphony Orchestra. Sofie has a Bachelor’s Degree in Violin Performance. Her nurturing and positive approach to instruction is well-loved by students.

Katie Zeilenga

Katie holds a Bacehlor’s of Music Education (K-12 Supervision) with a major in Voice and minor in Piano from Aquinas College. She taught in the public and private school settings in Grand Rapids, South Haven and Kalamazoo before homeschooling her four children (with two graduated). Her love for the Lord is apparent in all that she does.