Meet Our Team

Darcy Webb

Director of Education

Director

Darcy has worked for Sylvan since 1991, becoming the owner of the Federal Way center in 2000. What does she love most about working at Sylvan? The chance to give families hope and to change the trajectory of a child’s life, one family at a time. She has a B.A. in Communication Arts and an M.A. in Education from Austin College in Sherman, TX. She taught 4th and 6th grade in Texas before returning to her native Washington.  When Darcy isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her: hiking, mountain climbing, reading, fostering cats, and hanging out with her family and friends.

Mia Braithwaite

Teacher

Director

Mia Braithwaite was an elementary and middle school teacher for 20 years when she joined Sylvan as a Director in 2023. She taught grades 3-8, all subjects, in two different states, but her favorite age group and subject was middle school math. When Mia isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her outside, running, hiking, camping, and backpacking. Her favorite part of working at Sylvan? Being able to work with teachers AND students, helping both to grow in their learning.

April Devies

Administrative Assistant

April was born in Oahu, Hawaii! She loves reading comic books and scary books, as well as listening to music, and playing and watching football. South Africa is her favorite place to visit; she loved the interaction with people and eating all of the food. She met so many nice people and saw amazing animals! She loves working with the kids here at Sylvan– their enthusiasm and eagerness to learn are encouraging! She loves to see the kids work to improve and it makes her want to progress and do her best every day!

Ashleigh Schneider

Administrative Assistant

Ashleigh is an Auburn, WA native who loves drawing and reading. She enjoys true crime novels and loved visiting Hawai’i for the culture and the food. Ashleigh loves working at Sylvan because of the friendly environment.

Pat Farmer

Teacher

Pat is a retired elementary teacher in Federal Way, WA with a gift for working with kids. While Pat has many tutoring talents, she finds the greatest joy in reading tutoring. She studied Elementary Education at Bowling Green University in Ohio. What she enjoys most about teaching at Sylvan is seeing students developing their problem-solving skills, their confidence, and their success in meeting their own goals.  When Pat isn’t at Sylvan, you’ll find her reading, going to the theater, rooting for her favorite Duke basketball team, playing Jeopardy and board games, and spending lots of time with her granddaughter, Hannah.

Hans grew up in Graham, WA, and of all the places he’s visited, the top of Mt. Rainier is his favorite. He has an eclectic mix of hobbies, including architectural drawing, organic fruit growing, thrifting, and American cars. Hans enjoys working at Sylvan because of the structure, sequential learning, and the ability to work with a variety of students with different ages and personalities.

Sheila Breindel

Teacher

Sheila is a Bronx, NY native who lived in several other states before settling in Washington. She most recently got to travel to Germany and loved it. He favorite hobbies are reading mystery, horror, and historical fiction novels, as well as biographies. Sheila says, “I love working for Sylvan! I’ve been an SLP and a teacher since 1970 and when I retired, I was sorry not to be with children. Sylvan fit me perfectly!”

Melizza Cuizon

Teacher

Melizza grew up in San Diego, CA, and loves traveling to Hawai’i because it reminds her of home. She loves working with students but has been out of the classroom for awhile, which is why she so enjoys teaching at Sylvan. “I love seeing the look on students’ faces when they understand a concept or skill they were having trouble with. When I see their confidence grow, I feel like I’ve done my job.”

Patrick Gamit

Teacher

Patrick is a local high school English-Language Arts teacher. He likes to travel (Japan was his favorite) and rock climb. According to Patrick, the best part about being a teacher is interacting with students and watching students interact with each other in a way that fosters and supports their learning. He says, “It’s fun to get reactions from students when they realize and understand something. It’s even better when they make connections between what they learn to something else.”

Chris Reyes

Teacher

Chris is a native of SeaTac, WA, and graduated from the University of Washington. Chris loves camping, traveling, drawing, and reading. His favorite place to travel is Yellowstone because of the beautiful forest with lots of wildlife. What he likes best about Sylvan is watching the problem solving process of each learner.

Glen Lutz

Teacher

Glen is a Seattle, WA native who has traveled to Paris and loves visiting museums. His favorite hobbies are baseball, golf, and traveling, and he loves reading mystery novels and the newspaper. The thing Glen likes best about working at Sylvan is personalizing the educational journey for his students, and seeing his students achieve, succeed, and become more confident learners and people.

Brittany Barber

Teacher

Brittany is a Philadelphia native who received her bachelor’s degree from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, and her teaching certificate from the University of Washington. Her teaching enjoyments encompass assisting students reach their full academic potential and tackling new challenges. She enjoys yoga, watching, and/or listening to baseball games. Brittany also enjoys reading, exploring The Great Northwest, traveling across the country, and spending time with friends. She is a big sports fan, supporting the Eagles and the Nationals…that’s ok we don’t hold it again her!

Tami Zeitier

Teacher

Tami is our home-grown teacher and she has been teaching at the Federal Way Sylvan since 2016. She possesses a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a minor in Science Education. Swimming and reading just about everything is her hobby. Right now, she is captivated by science fiction and fantasy books. With its beautiful country scenery and great people, one of her favorite places to visit in Costa Rica. Her love and joy for teaching come from helping students build their skills and their confidence.

Joslyn Pocock has been a Sylvan math teacher for years. Currently, she teaches only virtually, but we’d welcome her back to the center heartily. Of all the places she has visited, she likes South Africa and India. South Africa has beautiful animals, and she was impressed by the beautiful countryside in India, as well as the Taj Mahal. Her hobbies include photography and reading – especially reading Historical Sagas, such as those written by John Jakes.

Lyd Thompson

STEM Coordinator

Lyd was born and raised in Federal Way, and is hoping for a degree in biomedical science. Lyd enjoys rollerblading and loves doing tricks on their blades. Their favorite reading material is mystery novels and science fiction. Lyd loves teaching STEM at Sylvan because it’s been an interest of theirs since the age of 10. Lyd loves teaching kids the world of robotics and coding. “The amazement on their faces when a program works will never not bring me joy.”