Meet Our Team

Belle Wood

Director

Belle Wood has been with Sylvan since 2021 and leads the Maple Valley team with more than a decade of experience in education. She is committed to creating a safe, supportive learning environment that inspires growth and builds confidence. Belle is passionate about helping students discover that learning can be empowering—and even more importantly; fun! She is married to her husband, Trevor, and is a proud mom to her son, Atlas. When she’s not at the center, you would most likely find her in the kitchen testing out new recipes and improving on family favorites.

Mackenzie Skaggs

Director of Education

As the Director of Education at Sylvan, Mackenzie brings a lifelong connection to education and a passion for helping students discover how they learn best. Both of her parents are teachers, so she has been surrounded by educators and the world of learning for as long as she can remember. Mackenzie has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and has worked as a paraeducator in the Tahoma School District since 2020, experiences that have shaped her understanding of the many different ways students learn.

Mackenzie loves discovering what makes each learner unique and finding the strategies that help them succeed. She believes there is always more to learn and enjoys both sharing what she knows and learning from the people around her.

Outside of Sylvan, Mackenzie enjoys watching movies, reading and collecting books—proudly calling herself a “book dragon”—playing board and video games, and riding roller coasters. She has watched more than 2,000 movies and is always happy to discover a new favorite. Her curiosity, love of learning, and genuine enthusiasm for helping others grow make education more than just a career—it is something she has loved her entire life.

Isaac Parks

Teacher

Isaac loves math, but even more than that, he likes helping students feel less intimidated by it. His background in business management and substitute teaching gives him a practical, patient approach to working with students of all ages.

When a concept feels overwhelming, Isaac enjoys breaking it into smaller pieces that are easier to tackle. The best moment is when a student begins to see that the problem is manageable—and that they are capable of more than they expected.

Outside of Sylvan, Isaac stays active with pickleball, basketball, and trips to the gym. He also plays guitar and enjoys gardening.

Rachel Vance

Teacher

Rachel has spent more than 12 years teaching grades 2–5 and another two years tutoring students from Pre-K through 12th grade. She holds a master’s degree and is a National Board Certified Teacher.

She is drawn to the problem-solving side of teaching: noticing where a student is stuck, trying a different explanation or example, and finding the approach that makes sense to that particular learner. The variety is part of what she loves, and she enjoys working across subjects, ages, and learning styles.

Outside the center, Rachel can usually be found reading, hiking, walking her dog, or heading to the beach.

Patrick Gamit

Teacher

Patrick’s background spans special education, language arts, and high school math. He spent four years as a paraeducator and six years as a special education teacher and has taught ELA, Algebra I, and Geometry. He holds a master’s degree in education and a Bachelor of Arts.

For Patrick, teaching starts with connection. He enjoys getting to know his students and seeing what happens when they encounter a new idea, work through it, and begin to understand it for themselves.

When he is not teaching, Patrick reads manga, watches anime, goes to the gym, and spends time with his family—often at a museum, zoo, or aquarium. He also has two dogs.

Rachel Ohi

Teacher

Rachel’s experience with children began in early childhood development and as a teacher assistant, followed by three years of teaching. She enjoys working with every age group, though first graders and math hold a special place for her.

What Rachel loves most is getting to witness progress unfold over time. She appreciates the small steps along the way—and especially the “aha!” moment when everything comes together for a student.

When she is not at Sylvan, Rachel enjoys spending time with her family, watching football, reading, and working in her garden.