Meet Our Team

Brooke Alaniz

Ealsey Director of Family Engagement

Brooke is an undergraduate from Augusta State University with a master’s degree from Georgia Southern University.  She has 1 dog and 6 (yes, that’s right, 6!!) cats. She loves to draw, paint, and just generally be creative.  Her favorite show to watch is “Mama’s Family” and “Ridiculousness”.  She taught elementary school for 20 years and loves to work with students to achieve that ‘light bulb moment’.

Jeremy Stewart

Lead Teacher

Jeremy started at Sylvan of Anderson in November of 2019.  He is a graduate of Southern Wesleyan University where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education.  Jeremy is currently a 2nd grade Virtual Learning Academy teacher at Mt. Lebanon Elementary School where he has been teaching for eight years.  He is also a licensed barber and cuts hair as a hobby on weekends.  He is a die hard Panther’s fan and loves to spend time with friends and family when he is not teaching.

Sandra Powell

Administrative Assistant and Tutor

Sandra was born in California and moved to South Carolina in 1998.  She began her career working in hospital administration, but moved on to a career in education after she had children.  She became passionate about teaching and obtained her teaching credentials.  She went on to teach elementary education, specifically 2nd-5th grade.  She missed teaching, so she returned to tutoring students at Sylvan Learning where she could continue her passion for teaching children.

Stephen Brattin

Instructor

Stephen has been with the Sylvan team since March of 2023. He has 10+ years of experience in teaching and youth work. Currently, Stephen works as the 6th grade teacher at Oakwood Christian School in Anderson. Stephen has a wife, Danielle, and 2 wonderful boys, Wally and RayRay. He grew up in Kentucky, so he loves his Wildcats! On a day off, you may find Stephen relaxing with his family, working on the piano or tending to his garden. Stephen loves to see his students succeed! He loves the quote from the great Vince Lombardi that “we will strive for perfection, knowing we will never attain it, but in so doing, we will achieve excellence”! This is his goal with each student, to challenge them to reach beyond what they thought possible and achieve excellence!

McKenzie Wilson

Instructor

McKenzie Wilson is originally from Aiken, South Carolina. She attended Anderson University and graduated in 2022 with a B.S. in Elementary Education. After graduating, she began my teaching career in Anderson 5 at Calhoun Academy of the Arts. She taught 5th grade for one year before transitioning to 3rd grade. In her free time, she enjoys shopping and eating Mexican food with her friends. She began working at Sylvan in 2023 and has really enjoyed extending her teaching to small groups of a wide variety of ages.

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.

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 stormwater management and water quality programs. Since moving to Asheville, she has enjoyed teaching Hebrew and Judaics 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 the keyboard in a local band.

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 a 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.

Amelia Eggert

Easley Instructor

Amelia Eggert is from Asheville, North Carolina, but relocated to Easley during high school. She graduated from the University of South Carolina in May of 2023 with her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, and she has been a part of Sylvan since! When she is not at Sylvan, you can find her teaching 6th grade ELA at Gettys Middle School. In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time with her friends and family, and cheering on the Gamecocks!

Tyson Owens

Instructor

Originally from Williamston, SC and former Palmetto Mustang, Tyson graduated from Clemson University with a B.A. degree in Elementary Education. As a dedicated member of the Call Me Mister program, he crafted his skills in teaching and mentorship. Tyson is also a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi, where he actively contributes to youth mentorship and development initiatives. Tyson brings a passion for nurturing young minds and fostering positive growth in the community.