ABOUT SHANNA
Shanna is recognized as a Professional Educational Therapist (ET/P) through the esteemed Association of Educational Therapists. She has undertaken extensive and rigorous training that emphasizes dyslexia and the principles of structured literacy development.
Her qualifications include specialized programs such as Orton-Gillingham, Barton, Lively Letters, Wilson Foundations, and Handwriting Without Tears. In addition to her literacy expertise, she possesses training in Singapore Math and the Zones of Regulation framework. Shanna holds a Master's degree in Educational Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Special Education and Psychology, both from Marist College. Furthermore, she has successfully earned her Educational Therapy Certification from the University of California, Riverside, along with a CLEAR credential from the California Commission of Teacher Credentialing for teaching grades K-6, and she is also CLAD certified.
With over two decades of dedicated experience as a classroom teacher, literacy coach, and private homeschool instructor, Shanna has developed a profound understanding of working with neuro-diverse children, particularly those with dyslexia and language-based disabilities. She actively participates as an Associate Member of the Association of Educational Therapists, serves on the board of the Los Angeles Dyslexia Association, and is affiliated with Child Nexus, showcasing her commitment to the field.
ABOUT SHANNA
SHANNA TROMBETTA
FOUNDER, ET/P
MEET THE TEAM
HALEY DE LA ROSA
Haley is a passionate educator with experience in teaching a diverse range of learners. She has completed various training programs such as Orton Gillingham based UFLI Structured Literacy, Peer Assisted Learning/Literacy Strategies, Fundamentals of SEL, and others, which have helped her develop a well-rounded approach to teaching. She also has training with Illustrative Math, CGI (Cognitively Guided Instruction), Illustrative, and Singapore Mathematics.
Haley firmly believes in the importance of social emotional learning and strives to create a positive and inclusive learning environment where students can thrive. She has a proven track record of working with students of different learning abilities and styles, making learning engaging and fun for everyone. Haley has a BA in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Health, Kinesiology, and Recreation and a Teaching Credential and Masters Degree in Education. She has worked as a First grade associate teacher at Grant Elementary in Santa Monica, a 3rd Grade Associate teacher at New Roads and will be the lead 1st grade teacher at New Roads School in the fall.
Haley’s teaching philosophy is centered around the idea of fostering a love for learning in her students. She believes that when students feel invested and engaged in their learning, they are more likely to succeed both academically and personally. Haley is a lifelong learner herself and is constantly seeking out new ways to improve her teaching methods and strategies. She loves working with children and is passionate about teaching children how to read and write. In her free time, Haley enjoys taking walks with her husband and puppy, and spending time with family and friends.
NICOLA MEYER
Educational Therapist, ET/A | Back to About
Nicola Meyer hails from South Africa but found her home in Los Angeles during her high school years. Growing up in a family of educators, Nicola's passion for teaching was nurtured early on, guiding her toward a career in education. She embarked on this path while studying at UCLA, where she simultaneously served as a teaching assistant while pursuing her Bachelor’s degree and Multiple Subject–Clear Credential. Furthering her academic journey, Nicola earned a Master's degree in Education from Pepperdine University.
With over two decades of experience teaching in both public and private settings, Nicola discovered her calling while working with intervention groups. This realization led her to pursue additional training, culminating in her attainment of an Educational Therapy Certificate from CSUN in 2018. Since then, Nicola has thrived as an Educational Therapist, dedicated to empowering her students.
Nicola's expertise encompasses various teaching methodologies, including the Orton-Gillingham Reading program, Wilson Reading, Singapore Math, Step-Up to Writing, and Handwriting Without Tears. As an Associate Member of the Association of Educational Therapists (ET/Associate), she remains committed to ongoing professional development and excellence in her field.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Nicola finds joy in spending quality time with her family, which includes her 16-year-old daughter, currently in 11th grade, and her 20-year-old son, who is in college. She also cherishes moments in the kitchen, indulging her passion for cooking, as well as immersing herself in literature and enjoying the company of her two beloved Labradors.
JOLENE SMITH
Kickstarter Kinder Teacher / Art Director | Back to About
Jolene Smith has been a teacher for over 25 years and began her teaching career at All Saints in Beverly Hills, which is now Evergreen in Santa Monica. She taught at First Pres of Santa Monica for over 20 years, working as a lead classroom teacher, as well as teaching woodworking and art. She has also taught the summer Arts Path program at Crossroads for over 10 years, refining her ability in working with multi-aged groups.
Jolene loves teaching art, exploring learning concepts and seeing children learn. She is inspired by the Reggio approach and working with children to support their cognitive, creative and social emotional development.
Jolene is a Certificate in Early Childhood, a BFA from UC Davis, and recently completed a certificate in Supervision and Administration in Early Childhood at UCLA last summer. When she is not working, she enjoys making art, creating things, swimming and reading. Jolene grew up in Hawaii and likes to go to the beach and picnics. She also has a cat named Carson and a new puppy named Moose.
CAT RAMOS
Learning Specialist | Back to About
For over 30 years, Catherine has been a highly skilled and dedicated progressive educator, art therapist, curriculum coordinator, DEI leader, organizational expert, parenting authority, and elementary school assistant head at Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences in Santa Monica. Her teaching expertise spans Wilson Reading Structured Literacy, Step-Up to Writing, Singapore Math, Words Their Way, Handwriting Without Tears, and Executive Function management.
Cat’s extensive experience as a lead teacher for second, fourth, fifth, and sixth grades, in both public and independent schools, has given her a deep understanding of how students learn to read, write, and apply mathematical knowledge. Her guiding principles include relationship-building, fostering the joy of teaching and learning, and encouraging students to take safe risks and learn from mistakes. These principles make her especially adept at working with children with a range of needs, including language processing disorders and ADHD.
After earning her MEd in Expressive Arts Therapies from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, Cat worked as an Educational Therapist in Boston and Michigan. She then moved to NYC to study Educational Technologies at New York University, where she also worked as a senior researcher, line producer, and executive producer for Children’s Television Workshop, using the Sesame Street characters in software development for children aged 2-5.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Cat is an accomplished weaver, juggler, and creator of educational read-aloud videos. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Ramon, a retired LAUSD elementary school teacher who teaches Shakespeare at LACC, her daughter, Arielle, and their rescue dog, Penny.
Our mission is to foster a love of learning for all children, so that they can regain confidence!
“A creative education has the power to catapult children into a lifetime of curiosity.”
