Meet Our Team

Great Teachers Inspire
Our tutors and staff in Omaha consist of passionate educators who love inspiring children to succeed. Warm, caring and great at relating to kids, our tutors in Omaha 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 Omaha!

Sophie Harvat
Center Director
Director
As the Center Director, Sophie manages the students’ programs, meets with families to discuss progress, administer assessments and Oversees all center needs. Sophie was born and raised in Omaha, and studied at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. With a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and a minor in Child, Youth, and Family Studies, Sophie has discovered her passion for working with children and families, and finds it very rewarding to take part in the educational journey of a student. Sophie also loves to travel and spend time with her friends and family!

Ashley Meyer
Executive Director
As Executive Director, Ashley plays a key role in ensuring the smooth operation of all our Nebraska Centers and fostering strong community relationships. With a background as a preschool teacher and youth behavioral specialist, Ashley transitioned to the tutoring field because of her passion for helping students reach their full academic potential. Outside of Sylvan, she enjoys crocheting, exploring farmer’s markets, and relaxing with her two cats. Ashley is a proud graduate of Doane University, where she also played collegiate softball.

Jordan Winquest
Tutor & Admin Assistant
Jordan is a tutor and administrative assistant with a gift for working with kids. While Jordan has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in tutoring reading in all ages. She recently graduated with her Elementary Education degree at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. When Jordan isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her playing her guitar or playing board games with her family.

Rose Fitch
Tutor
Rose is one of our fantastic tutors at Sylvan of Omaha, NE with a love for teaching and working with kids. Rose loves working with students of all ages, and truly enjoys Sylvan’s Academic Reading program. When Rose isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her gardening, biking or reading her favorite book!

Malia Johnson
Tutor
When she was younger, Malia wanted to be a doctor, but we’re sure glad she became a math teacher! Malia loves fostering a love of learning in her students by helping them see the “why” in what they’re studying. She would love to visit Greece with her family and enjoys snuggling with her cat at the end of a long day.

Shay Halligan
Tutor
Shay Andersen is a Special Education Teacher in Omaha, NE, who graduated from Doane. As a tutor, she loves teaching reading to all ages and meeting students where they are at. Shay believes in the importance cultivating students learning by instilling a love for learning in each student. When Shay is not in the classroom or tutoring, she can be found spending time with her fiance and their dog Cooper, reading, or being outdoors.

Hope Diaz
Tutor
Meet Hope! Hope is a 3rd grade teacher, with previous classroom experience in Pre-K. Before coming to Sylvan of Omaha, Miss. Hope spent about a year at our Sylvan of Bellevue location. She loves working at Sylvan because there are so many kids trying to work hard and grow their brains! She loves to bring the laughter and fun in to learning. When she’s not teaching, Hope enjoys hiking, walking her dog, or curling up with a good book.

Amanda Scardina
Tutor
Amanda is a Preschool teacher in Gretna, with previous experience teaching Kindergarten. She loves finding that spark that helps ignite the love of learning in her students. She was a tutor here from 2019-2022, and recently decided to come back because she loves being able to help children reach their full potential. When Amanda is not at Sylvan, she is taking her lab, Lucy on walks, watching a reality tv show, or hanging out with her husband Zach.

Jacob Gruber
Tutor
Jacob has been a tutor for various subjects throughout his life, but especially loves all things math. After obtaining his master’s degree in mathematics from UNO, he currently teaches statistics. When not teaching, he loves to cook and experiment with new foods, read fantasy books with his cat Abaddon, and cheer on the Union Omaha soccer team.
Start your child on the path to academic success today
Give us a call at (402) 800-1104 or fill out the form to discuss your child’s learning goals.