Meet Our Team

Anthea Rose

Director of Admissions

Anthea graduated from the University of Iowa with degrees in Education Studies & Human Relations, Creative Writing/English, and a certificate in Resilience & Trauma-Informed Perspectives. She is currently pursuing a masters in School Counseling from Western Carolina University. At Sylvan, she enjoys making a fun and adaptive learning environment for all students. In her free time, she enjoys painting and playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Frankie Gazaway

Director of Education

Frankie has 25 years of experience in education including public & private schooling as well as homeschooling. Her degree is in Early Childhood Education from Bob Jones University. Her greatest interest is her family- she has five sons, the oldest of whom is a Marine. She is a huge advocate of teaching the whole child and ensuring the best education for all students. In her spare time, she is an avid reader and loves to cook and try new recipes.

Gretchen Kanupp

Lead Teacher

Gretchen graduated from Mars Hill College in 1992, and has taught grades first through third in Buncombe County. She has over thirty years of teaching experience. She joined our teachers at Sylvan in June of 2024, and enjoys traveling in her free time.

Kristy Neff

Tutor

Kristy is a teacher in Hendersonville, NC with a gift for working with kids. While Kristy has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in tutoring English Language and Literature. She studied at Winthrop University. When Kristy isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her exercising, reading, and spending time with her husband and her dog.

Sam Werner

Instructor

Sam holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Belmont University and specializes in math instruction. He joined our team of teachers at Sylvan in January of 2025. Sam plays several instruments and loves to read. In his free time, he enjoys wildlife photography, hiking, and birding.  

Myla Garren

Instructor

Myla has a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from UNCA. She has taught as an ESL instructor and has experience teaching within the homeschool setting. She has also taught Spanish and tutored in English, math, and history. Currently she teaches swimming at the YMCA in addition to tutoring at Sylvan.  

Izzy Hardin

Instructor

Izzy received a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from Sarah Lawrence College, and completed her master’s degree in History from the University of Oxford in 2025 with a focus in Women’s Studies. Her interests in teaching at Sylvan are in Academic Reading and Early Literacy. In her free time Izzy loves playing Dungeons & Dragons, reading, and listening to music. 

Ann Wechter

Instructor

Ann completed her four-year degree at the University of Buffalo. She began teaching in Manhattan and took additional teacher training after moving to Miami. With more than 20 years of teaching experience in large classrooms and a variety of subjects, Ann’s particular interest is in teaching grades K-5. Her favorite subject to teach is English/Language Arts. Outside of teaching Ann enjoys arts & crafts, playing mahjong, Scrabble, and other word games. 

Tracy Levi

SAT/ACT - College Prep LIVE, Online Instructor

Tracy Levi holds a bachelor’s degree in zoology and a master’s degree In civil engineering. For eleven years she served as a civil engineer in Florida, working primarily with storm water management and water quality programs. Since moving to Asheville, she has enjoyed teaching Hebrew and Judaica to religious school students and teaching reading and math at Sylvan. She also teaches SAT/ACT math through our LIVE, online classes. In her spare time, Tracy enjoys the company of her two daughters and outdoor activities like hiking and kayaking. She also has a passion for music and plays keyboard in a local band.

Melissa Deloach

SAT/ACT - College Prep LIVE, Online Director/Professor

Melissa Deloach joined the Sylvan team in May 2019. By day she’s the Director of the Scholar’s Academy for Spartanburg County, but in the evenings and on Sundays, she manages our college prep program, including SAT/ACT prep and College Reading Strategies. Melissa holds degrees from Clemson University and Converse College. When she isn’t helping teens prepare for college either here or at the Scholar’s Academy, she enjoys reading and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.

Dr. Jeff French

SAT/ACT - College Prep LIVE, Online Professor

Dr. Jeff, as his Sylvan students call him, graduated from Furman University in 1995. He then held a variety of college-level roles as graduate student, program coordinator, and instructor for the University of South Carolina and Midlands Technical College while also serving as a zookeeper at the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia. With a focus on genetics and ecology, Dr. French finished his graduate work in biology and currently serves as Chair of Biology and Assistant Dean of Science and Math at North Greenville University. In his “free time”, he enjoys preparing students for the SAT and ACT as a LIVE, online instructor for Sylvan.