Abby Lai is a seasoned homeschooler, wife, and mother of two outstanding young men.  She founded Home School Coaches in 2012 to provide her children with the best possible homeschool education. Home School Coaches offers over 100 highly qualified instructors that are passionate about what they teach plus share a love for teaching. In 2020, Abby co-founded Advanced Life Education, the parent company of AdLife Academy, to further her mission of supporting homeschooling parents in achieving their educational goals for their children. Abby has a degree in Business Administration from Cal Poly Pomona and a Masters in Public Health degree from the University of Southern California. When at rest, Abby enjoys spending quality time with her loved ones, frequenting coffee shops, and gardening.

With twenty years of experience supervising successful community programs, Lupe Valerio offers her organizational, leadership and management skills to support the families and students of AdLife Academy. Lupe has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology along with a Masters in Leadership and Organizational Studies from Azusa Pacific University.  Lupe is passionate about supporting the positive development of young people by creating safe environments that foster positive communication, opportunities for leadership, and a vast array of educational experiences.  In her spare time, Lupe enjoys creating unforgettable memories with with her nine beloved grandkids,  sharing her faith through leading Bible studies, and exploring new places with close friends.

Christine Monroe is a devoted mother of five amazing children and a passionate educator with over 26 years of experience. Throughout her career, she has been deeply committed to nurturing young minds and fostering environments where students can grow academically, and creatively.

Alongside her late husband, Mark Monroe, Christine co-founded a private Christian school, Refuge Co-Op School of Arts & Innovation, at their home church. Christine managed the school’s operations as Chief Financial Officer while Mark served as Principal, and together, they built a vibrant learning community that emphasized both academic excellence and spiritual formation. Christine’s life is a beautiful reflection of resilience, purpose, and the steadfast belief that every child has a divine destiny waiting to unfold.

Eric Lin, a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), obtained a Bachelor of Science in Physics. During his time at UCLA, Eric's passion for physics was evident not only in his academic pursuits but also in his engagement in various teaching internships and opportunities that primarily focused on STEM education. He quickly learned that he had a passion for teaching and for the last few years, Eric has been teaching highly engaging robotics classes for kinder to twelfth grade that incorporate programming, 3D design, and circuitry. Eric's ultimate goal is to share his vision of building a supportive educational community, fostering experimentation in science, and empowering others.

Judy, a devoted mother and seasoned professional with over 13 years of experience nurturing young minds, seamlessly blends creativity, community engagement, and education advocacy. Her journey began at 17, teaching children’s church. With a graphic design and business background, she led ‘Paint N’ Play Art Studio,' organizing events and empowering local artists. Notably, Judy serves on the Duarte Unified School District District Advisory Committee, contributing to education initiatives. Today, she actively participates on her church board, teaching children’s church and youth programs. Judy’s commitment extends to organizing clothing drives, supporting food banks, and spearheading school initiatives - providing crucial support to those in need. Her multifaceted roles reflect a rich blend of experience, creativity, and unwavering commitment to both education and community service.

Mark Eaton is a passionate author, artist, and educator with a love for all creative ventures. He graduated from Providence Christian College with a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and Education and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with concentrations in Education and Writing. Mark has a rich background in teaching, fine arts, media production, and academic coaching. He has taught in elementary classrooms, led theater workshops, and provided one-on-one academic support to students of all ages. As both a writer and visual artist, Mark loves to create original stories, commissioned artworks, and multimedia projects that reflect his deep appreciation for creativity as a means of learning and connection. At the heart of his work is a passion for nurturing curiosity, encouraging imagination, and equipping students to thrive academically and personally.

Amber Manzo has been married for over 23 years and has 4 children. She is a dedicated and passionate homeschool educator with over 10 years of experience. She has a heart for inspiring curiosity and a love of learning by creating classes that incorporate visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles while tailoring each subject to the individual child’s unique strengths and interests. She believes in holistic education and teaching the whole child. She has led and taught co-ops with classes in every subject ranging from Pre-school to IEW writing to American History to the Great Books. She is an avid reader, a lifelong learner, and loves to travel. In her spare time you can usually find her at the baseball field or hockey rink watching her twins play.

N/A

Demetrius has over 10 years experience in tutoring students of all ages and levels. He earned a scholarship out of high school to attend Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, majoring in Mathematics for Mechanical Engineering. He gravitated toward teaching, regularly hosting groups where classmates came to get educational support. Although his tutoring experience began with his younger brothers, growing up in Memphis, Demetrius' real passion for igniting the confidence in others was illuminated here. He went on to work for years, in Memphis, Atlanta, and Los Angeles, as an academic tutor. Demetrius's philosophy is that connection, kindness, and a good attitude while teaching make up the recipe for a great learning environment.

Kristin has been an educator for many years and taught in a variety of learning environments - from community college to homeschool co-ops and learning centers. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Truman State University and a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Baylor College of Medicine. Her experience as a homeschool parent and as an educator in the homeschool community has helped deepen her appreciation that each learner is unique - with their own passions and interests, their own level of attention and patience, and their own natural curiosities about the world around them. Kristin works to meet learners where they are and to foster their curiosities and educational growth. 

Originally from Boston, Pat Carey headed west to attend Stanford University, receiving his BA in English. After graduating, he spent several years in San Francisco working in youth education by day, and performing stand-up comedy at night. Recently, he moved to Los Angeles to attend the UCLA MFA program in Screenwriting, where he won awards like the Oliver Prize for Family Screenwriting and the Jack Nicholson Award. He specializes in family content, and his most prize winning screenplay so far was co-written by his 5 year old son, based on his fantasy world. Pat now creates TV and film scripts for companies like Disney and Mattel, but he continues to work with youth throughout the Los Angeles area, and is especially fond of teaching writing skills to kids.

Rachel earned her B.A. in Modern Literary Studies at UC Santa Cruz and her J.D. at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. She homeschooled both of her girls, one until 7th and the other through 10th grade. She also has ADHD. When she is practicing law part-time, Rachel would rather be tutoring young people in reading, math, and handwriting because it brings her so much joy. Rachel is experienced in helping children with a wide range of abilities and levels of confidence. She knows every child learns differently, so she always keeps a few tricks up her sleeve for when kids feel stuck. She is familiar with several reading and math curricula and their learning methods and styles. When she is not working or tutoring, she can be found walking her two dogs, gardening, crocheting or playing games.

As someone who was homeschooled for over two years during high school, I bring both personal understanding and professional experience to my work with families and students. With over five years of experience in education and advocacy, I specialize in working with students in small groups and one-on-one settings, where I can tailor each lesson to their individual needs and learning styles. I am a strong believer in lifelong learning and am currently continuing my own educational journey. My teaching approach is flexible and responsive, with an emphasis on real-world applications and student-led exploration. I’m especially drawn to the HighScope philosophy, which empowers students to take initiative and apply their knowledge in meaningful ways. In addition to academics, I help students develop confidence in public speaking and personal storytelling.

My main source of inspiration and the philosophy I used was Charlotte Mason. It was her teachings that drove my approach to homeschooling. We used real literature, no text books, we immersed ourselves in the subjects and went deep. Grades and tests were not a big part of our practice, we focused on application and understanding. My kids learned to love learning, they are creative and now have a good work ethic. During the homeschooling years, I taught several classes at the co-op school, WISH. I learned a lot by watching other parents, incorporating my Charlotte Mason techniques, and developed my own curriculum and classes. My students enjoyed my classes and I enjoyed teaching them. I want to make learning fun for students, help them understand the material, not just for getting a good grade, but to appreciate it and use it in the future. 

Gina coaches students of all ages who want to master writing skills, excel in essay competitions and state-level exams, or achieve their dream of writing and publishing their own story. An award-winning author and ACE Certified Star Educator with over 30 years of experience, Gina brings a unique, hands-on approach to writing. As the author of Release the Novel in You—named one of the Top 100 Best Fiction Writing Books of All Time by BookAuthority—she makes grammar, storytelling, and essays both accessible and enjoyable for all learners. Her expertise is particularly effective for neurodiverse students and those with various learning styles, transforming writing from a chore into a skill they love. Her learners have succeeded in essay competitions, novel-writing challenges, and state-level exams. As the creator of the signature P.A.I.N.T. with Words method, her approach helps writers worldwide bring their stories to life.

After 50 years of teaching math with children aged 6 -13, I have become an expert at elevating struggling students using objects like blocks and beans to teach math. This allows children to have success and FUN while developing age-appropriate understanding of mathematical concepts and arithmetic operations instead of trying to memorize black and white procedures they do not understand. This approach is a life saver for students who are struggling in math and a huge boon to gifted students who are ill served by memorizing formulas. From 1975 to 1987, I taught at UC Irvine in a laboratory school doing research on how children learn math. My team wrote 27 math booklets for teachers and parents to teach math with with models instead of drilled in formulas. I founded one of the first homeschool charter schools in 1993 and taught at that school for 20 years. I homeschooled my two girls within that community. I now do 1:1 math tutoring in-person, in Northern CA and online anywhere.

Hannah is a tutor based in Los Angeles, CA. Over the years, Hannah has taught tennis camps, math camps, tutored writing, history, and Bible studies, led theater workshops, and directed children’s plays. She believes in making learning fun and engaging, using games, exercise and interesting new techniques. She will tutor your child with passion, knowledge and impart them with a true love for learning! Hannah has years of experience nannying, tutoring, and editing essays for children of all ages. She studied the classics of theater and literature and graduated with a double major in Classical Theater and Spanish in 2016. She is also an accomplished short film director, writing, directing and producing two award winning short films in the past two years.

Amanda is passionate about writing, good communication, and helping people learn. Before she received her state teaching certification, she spent four years training and mentoring college students at an international youth organization on business concepts, leadership effectiveness, communication, and time management. She has taught language arts in Washington public schools to 12th, 7th, and 8th graders, and have been a substitute teacher for students in all subjects for the past six years. Amanda is not a stranger to the homeschooling experience - she homeschooled her stepdaughter for two years, and has been a writing teacher on the online platform OutSchool to many homeschooled students of all ages.

My name is Joseph, I'm a senior at Providence Christian College studying Psychology and Philosophy. I grew up in Orlando Florida, I’m the oldest of four children, and I graduated through the Classical Conversations homeschool program, completing all three levels: Foundations, Essentials, and Challenge A-IV. My favorite subject in high school was Latin, and I briefly tutored it as an 11th grader. If I had to capture my philosophy of education, it would be defined by the Roman educator Marcus Quintillian who believed that the character of the student was as equally critical to the student’s success as the intellectual process. By cultivating the mind as much as the heart, students grow as a whole person.