Meet Our Team
Great Teachers Inspire
Our tutors and staff in Pines consist of passionate educators who love inspiring children to succeed. Warm, caring and great at relating to kids, our tutors in Pines know how to engage and motivate each child in a personal way—building confidence and smiles, as well as skills and better scores. We selectively choose tutors who know local curriculum and can link Sylvan lessons to what’s being taught in school.
Get to know our tutors and staff in Pines!
Steve Springer
Center Director
As Center Director, Steve leads the Center Operations at Sylvan of Pembroke Pines. A Sylvan long-timer, Steve chose a career in supplemental education because of his passion for kids achieving academic success. He studied at St.Joseph’s College, NY. When Steve isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find him watching Star Wars/Marvel & singing Broadway Show Tunes.
Margaret Melfi
Director of Education
Margaret oversees the educational integrity of our programs; as well as the managing and training of our Team of Tutors in Pembroke Pines. A former FL Certified Educator in Broward, Lee and Sarasota Counties; Margaret brings a wealth of knowledge to Sylvan Learning Center. She graduated from Nova Southeastern University with an MA and a BS. When Margaret isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her going to live music events and visiting arcades with her daughter.
Gene Cioffi
Teacher & Support Staff
Gene is a retired teacher and administrator in Davie, FL with a gift for working with kids. While Gene has many tutoring talents, he finds the greatest joy in reading tutoring. He studied Elementary & Secondary Education, as well as, Administration at both Bloomsburg University & The College of New Jersey. When Gene isn’t at Sylvan Pembroke Pines, you’ll find him reading, coin collecting, playing games, and doing volunteer activities.
Ellen Cioffi
Teacher
Ellen is a retired teacher in Davie, FL with a gift for working with kids. While Ellen has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in tutoring reading students. She studied at Elementary Education at both Bloomsburg University and The College of New Jersey . When Ellen isn’t at Sylvan Pembroke Pines, you’ll find her reading, swimming, playing games, and doing volunteer activities.
Phyllis Colgan
Teacher
Phyllis Colgan has worked at Sylvan Learning of Pembroke Pines since April 2011. She is a graduate of Florida International University, where she obtained an MS in Exceptional Student Education. Phyllis works as a Special Education teacher in Miami-Dade County and teaches children with learning disabilities. She enjoys tutoring a variety of subject areas, including Beginning Reading, Reading, Math, Writing, and Study Skills. In her free time, Phyllis enjoys spending time with family and friends, going to the movies, reading, and traveling.
Start your child on the path to academic success today
Give us a call at (754) 300-3300 or fill out the form to discuss your child’s learning goals.
