Meet Our Team

Jackie Haymes

Center Director

As Center Director, Jackie leads her staff in  creating an educationally rich and welcoming environment for Sylvan of Dearborn. A former middle school teacher for 17 years, Jackie chose a career with Sylvan because she was ready to help educate students in a more personalized way.  She received her Bachelors of Education at Wayne State University, her Master’s Degree in Curriculum Development of U of M Ann Arbor (Go Blue!), and her Educational Leadership and Administrator’s Certificate from Wayne State.  When Jackie isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her leading her softball team to victory, reading a good book, or spending time with her husband, sons, friends, and two adorable husky puppies.

Amber Windhorst

Director of Education

Amber oversees the educational integrity of our programs and helps manage and train our team of tutors. A former Sylvan tutor, lead teacher, and Director for Sylvan Ann Arbor, Amber returned to Sylvan after 15 years of working in the finance field as a financial counselor, a loan officer, and a loss mitigation specialist. Amber graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education. When Amber isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her reading, listening to podcasts, or spending time with her husband, daughter, and pets.

Ebony Williams

Lead Teacher/Tutor

Ebony graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and has a Master’s of Science in Basic Medical Science from Wayne State.  She has a diverse educational background in teaching courses such as entrepreneurship, storytelling, and political development theory.  As an educator, Ebony’s focus is on advocacy, problem solving, and mentorship.  She is currently pursuing medical school acceptance.  When Ebony isn’t at the Center you can find her tending her urban farm, dancing, or simply enjoying nature.

Savannah Sivak

Tutor

Savannah is from East Jackson, MI. She attended Central Michigan University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Pure Mathematics and Spanish. At CMU she was a member of the Honors Program and the marching band. During her time at CMU, Savannah worked as a tutor in the Math Assistance Center for 4 years. When Savannah isn’t at the Center, she likes to play the piano and ukulele, play golf, do yoga, and go on walks with her puppy.

Sarah Schneider

Tutor

Sarah has a passion for educating and working with others, which led her to obtain her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from EMU.  Sarah previously worked as a First Grade and Pre-School Teacher in the Detroit Metropolitan Area.  She has also been an After School Child Care and Summer Child Care Instructor.  Sarah not only tutors at the Dearborn Center, she also teaches our ACE-It and Lego Robotics programs in our partner schools.  Sarah has a passion for animals.  When she isn’t at Sylvan Sarah can be found spending time with her husband or pursuing her love of animals.

Emilia Jonic

Tutor

Emilia is a 4th grade teacher in southwest Detroit. She graduated from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor in 2020 with a Bachelor’s of Arts in History and a minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. She previously worked as a literacy tutor in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. When she’s not teaching or tutoring, she enjoys bike riding, arts and crafts, and cooking.

Sean Crowley

Tutor

Sean graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelor’s Degree in math. He is a substitute teacher who works primarily for the Wayne-Westland school district.  He loves to try to balance learning and fun. When Sean is not at Sylvan you can find him playing basketball or throwing a football around with his nephew.

Erica Almore

Tutor

Erica is a tutor with a gift for working with young students. While Erica has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in working with K-2nd grade students. She studied at California State University and Grand Canyon University where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in English and Teaching and her Master’s Degree in Mild to Moderate Learning Disabilities respectively.  Erica earned the Spirit of Detroit Award 3 years in a row for her work as an America Vista Volunteer.  She has also published some works of poetry.

Lisa Murdock

Tutor

Lisa is a graduate of Wayne State University, Marygrove College and Concordia University. She holds multiple degrees in the areas of History and Education. She retired from Detroit Public Schools’ Community District. When Lisa isn’t tutoring, she enjoys going to the gym, walking the Riverwalk in downtown Detroit and cycling with her bike club. Lisa also belongs to a Mustang Car Club!