Meet Our Team

Sarah

Chief Operating Officer/ Owner

As Chief Operating Officer & Owner, Sarah oversees eleven centers in Indiana (Mishawaka, Elkhart, Merrillville, Schererville, Valparaiso, Fishers, Carmel, Plainfield, Greenwood, Fort Wayne North, & Fort Wayne South), four Florida centers (Clermont, Ocoee, Dr. Phillips & Kissimmee), and five centers in Maryland (Bel Air, Crofton, Catonsville, Timonium, & Columbia). She thoroughly enjoys working with all of the students and their families. Sarah studied at Cedarville University.  When Sarah isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her spending time with her husband and her two beautiful daughters.

Kent

Owner

Welcome to Sylvan Learning Center! My name is Kent Kolbow, and I am the owner and one of the directors. I received my college education in Fort Wayne, Indiana. During my educational experience, I completed a Bachelor’s degree in Math with a strong background in Physics, Chemistry, and Psychology. I also earned an endorsement in Education. Throughout college, I taught at Sylvan Learning centers in Fort Wayne, and within a few years, became the director. In 1997, I decided to purchase the Sylvan centers in Elkhart and Mishawaka. I have since had the opportunity to purchase nine additional centers in Indiana, four in Florida, and five in Maryland. My goal through working with Sylvan is “Success with every student.”

Gina

Director

As Center Director, Gina is passionate about meeting new people. She spends the majority of her day in conferences with parents or on the instructional floor with the students. She is also passionate about Sylvan as she was a Sylvan student in high school! Gina is from the Chicago area and relocated to Indianapolis in 2009 after she graduated with a degree in Elementary Education from Olivet Nazarene University. When she isn’t at Sylvan, Gina enjoys spending time with her family, playing board games, and loves to be active at her daughter’s school.

Jared

Center Director

Jared is a Center Director at Sylvan of Carmel. He studied History at Stephen F. Austin State University. Jared has many talents but really loves analyzing data and improving processes. When Jared isn’t at Sylvan, he is spending time with his wife, Jennessa, and their three boys, or he can be found in a local game store playing Magic: The Gathering or Dungeons and Dragons.

Liz

Training and Educational Coaching Coordinator

As a Training and Educational Coaching Coordinator, Liz oversees educational opportunities, professional development, program management, instruction, and assists with daily center operations across many centers. Liz has a passion for  education and working with students of all ages. She received her bachelor’s in Education and a Concentration in the Arts at Appalachian State University, and had many opportunities teaching abroad. Liz enjoys spending time with her husband and two boys as well as traveling.

Lakin

Director of Education

Lakin is an Education Director at both Sylvan of Carmel and Sylvan of Fishers. She studied Elementary Education and Special Education at Indiana University. While Lakin has many talents, she finds the greatest joy in teaching elementary reading and math. When she’s not at Sylvan, you’ll find her spending time with her husband, Ty, and their dog, Ellie, reading a book, or playing a board game!

Meg C.

Tutor

Meg taught school on Battle Creek, Michigan after receiving a Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University in Elementary Education and Child Development. She moved into the world of business after obtaining her MBA from the University of Michigan. She is retired from Eli Lilly and Company where she spent her career in Information Technology and Regulatory. Meg has also been a Toastmaster since 1993, winning several speech contests and being the District Governor for Indiana and the northwestern part of Kentucky. Besides doting on her grandchildren, Meg keeps busy knitting prayer shawls for her church. She enjoys working with children and being a part of the Sylvan staff.

Tricia

Tutor

Tricia is a retired teacher living in Carmel, Indiana. She has 32 years of teaching experience at the elementary level. She loves to tutor in reading, especially readers. She studied at Indiana University and Indiana Wesleyan. When Tricia isn’t tutoring, you’ll find her volunteering and fostering with the Indiana House Rabbit Society. She also loves to travel and craft.

Dee

Tutor

Dee is a third-grade teacher in Indianapolis, IN with a gift for working with kids. While Dee has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in language arts and mathematics tutoring. She studied at Purdue University. When Dee isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her traveling, visiting museums, and spending time with her family.

Clair

High-level Math Tutor

Clair attended Ball State where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. She has been teaching for 9 years and has been with Sylvan for almost 5 years. While Clair has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in Algebra tutoring. When Clair isn’t at Sylvan, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and completing puzzles.

Gus

High-level Math Tutor

Gus attended Purdue where he obtained his masters in Math and Statistics. A former statistician and data scientist, Gus choose a career is tutoring because he enjoys mentoring students and wants to help them better understand difficult math content. When Gus isn’t at Sylvan, you will find him playing the guitar, reading, and running.

Fiona

Tutor

Fiona is a math and reading tutor at Sylvan of Carmel with a gift for working with kids. While Fiona has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in reading development tutoring. She studied at Keene State College. When Fiona isn’t tutoring, you will find her spending time with her three little kids and her husband, Ryan.

Lydia

Tutor

Lydia is a math and reading tutor at Sylvan of Carmel with a gift for working with kids. While Lydia has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in elementary mathematics! She studied at Ball State University. When Lydia isn’t tutoring, you will find her working as an Instructional Assistant, finding something creative to do, shopping, or watching TV shows.