Meet the Bend team

As a Director of the Bend offices, Sydney is passionate about creating meaningful, genuine relationships with families. She enjoys finding new ways to improve efficiency, strengthen programs, and make a positive impact on the students and families we serve. In prior roles, Sydney has taught STEM education to students from kindergarten through sixth grade as well as a few years teaching in elementary classrooms. Outside of work, she spends most of her free time with her two young boys, exploring the outdoors and enjoying family adventures. Of course, they love building with Legos and reading their way through all the latest picture books from the library.

Raised on the shores of the Finger Lakes in New York, Anna earned a Bachelor of Science from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Ithaca College. After additional coursework at Cornell University, she became certified in both Biology and Agriculture Education. Anna taught science in grades 7–12 for five years before transitioning to tutoring students in grades K–12 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her favorite moments when working with students are when they ask weird questions. This curiosity shows they are thinking creatively and are engaged with their learning. She strives to create an environment where students feel comfortable asking clever questions. When she’s not supporting students, Anna enjoys birdwatching, baking bread, and exploring the high desert with her family. Since moving to Bend in 2025, they are excited to call Central Oregon home.

James loves working with kids. He mostly works with upper-level math students. He has a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and a master's degree in computer science. In his free time, he likes spending time outside with his dog.

Ann is a licensed teacher with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a Master of Education degree in Secondary Education. She has taught students in preschool through high school in a variety of settings. Ann loves celebrating her students’ small successes and efforts. In her free time, Ann enjoys hiking and camping with her family and friends.

Ben teaches students, K-12, and specializes in upper-level math and STEM. With a Bachelor's in Sports Medicine and a Master's in Computer Science, he is a wealth of info and fun! He has prior Sylvan experience in Arizona but is a native Central Oregonian.

Alex earned his Psychology degree from Rockhurst College in Kansas City, MO, and his Master of Arts in Teaching from OSU Cascades in Bend, OR. He is currently pursuing his Educational Therapy Certification through the University of California, Riverside. What he loves most about working with students is learning right alongside them — watching them build confidence and tackle hard things. He finds joy in supporting students through every stage of the learning process. When he's not at Sylvan, you'll find him out on the trails enjoying mountain biking and gravel touring.

Raised in California’s San Joaquin Valley, farm country, Vincent has taught English in Central and Southern California High Schools. He has been a Sylvan instructor for eighteen years, in California, Oregon, and now he currently works remotely from North Central Washington, supporting Sylvan of Bend's virtual/Zoom students. Vincent studied at CSU Fresno with inspiring teachers, including Pulitzer Prize winner and U.S. Poet Laureate Philip Levine. Vincent enjoys teaching Writing, Algebra, SAT/ACT Prep, and preparing students for college and work. His poems, essays, and fiction have appeared in U.S. and U.K. literary journals and anthologies. Vincent’s book, The Replicant Archetype: Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner and the Persistence of Images is available from McFarland & Co Publishing. Vincent has had wacky jobs over the years: in mailrooms, warehouses, telemarketing, and Christmas‑tree sales lots. He has managed convenience stores and large used and new bookstores. When not teaching, Vincent enjoys reading, hiking, collecting books, and sipping coffee with his librarian fiancée.

Kara grew up in Massachusetts and received her BA in English and History from Simmons College. She received her masters from the University of Massachusetts for History and Archives and subsequently was a foreign policy archivist at the John F. Kennedy Library. She is an avid reader/writer and loves to help students of all levels realize the magic of words. When not helping students she is outside as a ski instructor at Mt. Bachelor, hiking or paddle boarding.

Beth has taught many grade levels from K-12 and a variety of subjects in our school system. At Sylvan, she teaches math, reading, writing, study skills, homework support, and more! Her specialty is reading: she has taught a reading intervention class for the past 9 years! When she is not at Sylvan you will find her working hard with her yearbook students or on the basketball court! When she is not working, she enjoys adventuring around Central Oregon with her husband and dogs!

Cathy is a valuable teacher to our Sylvan Team! She teaches students K-6 in math, reading, and writing. She is supportive, patient, and helps keep learning FUN! In her free time, you might find Cathy enjoying all Bend has to offer, following her grown-up kids lives, or playing with her cute dogs!