Meet Our Team
Great Teachers Inspire
Our tutors and staff in Peoria consist of passionate educators who love inspiring children to succeed. Warm, caring and great at relating to kids, our tutors in Peoria 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 Peoria!
Shawna Stewart
CENTER DIRECTOR/OWNER
Director
Vanessa Ross
CENTER DIRECTOR/OWNER
As Center Director, Vanessa leads operations for Sylvan of Springfield. A Project Manager by trade, Vanessa chose a career in the tutoring business because she wanted to help families and kids build confidence and knowledge. Vanessa studied at Truman State University, and UIS-Springfield, earning her M.B.A. When Vanessa isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her spending time with her family, her husband Phil, and two kids, Flynn and Oliver Ross.
Phil Ross
CENTER DIRECTOR/OWNER
As an Owner, Phil leads operations for Sylvan of Springfield. An RF engineer by trade, Phil chose a career in the tutoring business because he wanted to help our families and kids in the community gain knowledge and confidence. He studied at The University of Missouri-Rolla, and UIS-Springfield, earning his M.B.A. When Phil isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find him spending time with his wife, Vanessa, and two kids, Flynn and Oliver Ross.
Jess Johnson
Tutor
Jess is a Sylvan tutor in Peoria, IL, with a gift for working with kids and adolescents. While Jess has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in reading/writing tutoring. She studied at Princeton University, and is currently in medical school at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. When Jess isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her in the hospital on clinical rotations, reading, running or cooking.
Katie Stewart
Tutor
Katie is an English teacher in Peoria, IL, with a gift for working with kids. While Katie has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in English tutoring. She studied at Grand Canyon University. When Katie isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find reading, writing, spending time with loved ones and/or crafting.
Micah Weidner
Tutor
Micah is is a tutor in Peoria, IL with a gift for working with kids. While Micah has many tutoring talents, he finds the greatest joy in math tutoring. He studied at Illinois Central College. When Micah isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find him reading, writing, or volunteering to raise awareness about CPR with the local ambulance service .
Lekiesha Sample
Tutor
Lekiesha is a tutor and social worker in Peoria, IL with a gift for working with kids. While Lekiesha has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in math and science tutoring. She studied at the University of Illinois at Chicago and has a degree in biological sciences. When Lekiesha isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her putting on her dance shoes for Zumba or outside enjoying nature.
Samantha Baumgartner
Tutor
Annie Hart
Tutor
Annie is a tutor in Peoria, IL with a gift for working with kids. While Annie has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in math and science tutoring. She studied Physical Chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis and Applied Mathematics at Saint Louis University. When Annie isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her creating science inspired art.
Start your child on the path to academic success today
Give us a call at (309) 423-3496 or fill out the form to discuss your child’s learning goals.
