Meet Our Team

Michelle Wilson

Owner/Teacher, Sylvan Certified Teacher

Mrs. Wilson is an owner/teacher in Oak Harbor with a passion for working with kids of all ages. While she enjoys tutoring many subjects, and had the opportunity to teach many when she homeschooled her sons from kindergarten through junior high school, she finds the most joy in talking about Chemistry! She tremendously enjoyed teaching college and high school chemistry, as well as Household Physics and Household Chemistry, geared toward elementary students. Her family is her greatest treasure and favorite hobby, and she is thankful to call Oak Harbor her forever home!

Stephanie Erikson

Certified Teacher, Sylvan Certified Teacher, Proctor

Stephanie enjoys working with students as a tutor in Oak Harbor and working at a local elementary school. She is completing her Master’s degree in Elementary Education. Stephanie loves tutoring and finds the greatest joy in reading. When she isn’t at Sylvan you will find her with her family or at home crafting.

Lenita Graves

Certified Teacher, Sylvan Certified Teacher

Lenita is a gifted tutor! She finds the greatest joy in tutoring reading and writing,  because she loves to see students gain confidence and empowerment through the power of language. Lenita studied at the University of Alaska and the University of Washington. When Lenita isn’t at Sylvan, she likes to write, read, sing, walk her Japanese Spitz, and do needlecrafts.

Chris Ley

Sylvan Certified Teacher

Chris is a native Whidbey Islander! He has loved math since an early age and even began helping students with their math in the 5th grade! While he did take a brief tenure working in IT, his love of teaching brought him back! Chris loves seeing that look in a student’s eyes when it finally “clicks” into place, and they get that boost of self-confidence!

Jedidiah Wilson

Sylvan Certified Teacher

Jedidiah works full-time for the City of Oak Harbor in Human Resources. When he isn’t working there, he is teaching at the Sylvan Learning Center of Oak Harbor! Jedidiah studied at Seattle Pacific University for most of his collegiate years, then came back to Oak Harbor to work and finish his schooling online. He loves to spend time outside of the center being with his friends or studying small-batch mixology art.

Melissa Shamis

Sylvan Teacher/ Certificated Teacher

Melissa appreciates the difference Sylvan makes – she is a Sylvan alum! As a former struggling student, Melissa loves helping students overcome their learning challenges, build confidence, and achieve their goals! She has a special love for Math, too. “I love math; it is used everywhere – everyday – and found all over the universe in various patterns”. You can also catch Melissa shopping for vinyl records and playing video games with her husband including Elden Ring and Kingdom Come: Deliverance!

Rachel Larkin

Sylvan Certified Teacher

Rachel Larkin (She/Her)Rachel  graduated from Southern Oregon University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatrical Performance as well as minor in Shakespeare Studies. She has worked with kids ages 2-18 of all backgrounds, and loved every second of it. Language arts has always been her favorite subject, and she aims to pass on her love of it to as many people as possible!

Elisabeth Enriquez

Proctor/Certificated Teacher

Although fairly new to Oak Harbor, Elisabeth grew up in western Washington and raised two daughters here. She left for 11 years to teach in South Carolina and has just returned. She is so happy to be back home just in time to welcome her first grandchild into this world!

Working as a teacher and administrator for the past thirty years, Elisabeth has always enjoyed being part of a community that supports the learning process with students of all ages.

Her free time is spent walking on the beautiful, rugged beaches looking for opportunities to take photos and collect rocks and other beach treasures. She also enjoys the outdoors through kayaking and bicycle adventures.

Kristy Clarno

Certificated Teacher/Sylvan Certified Teacher

Having taught elementary school for 14 years before moving to Oak Harbor, Kristy has a strong educational background. She currently works with high school students supporting their employment dreams and coaching them in employment services. She is excited to help students reach their fullest potential in and out of the classroom. Teaching is an essential part of her character, and she is so excited to be a part of the Sylvan Team. When she isn’t teaching, you can find her spending time with friends and family. She also loves the outdoors and the beauty nature has to offer.

Jennifer McFarland

Teacher

Jenn’s dad was a colonel in the Army, so she was raised an “army brat,” born in Kentucky and moving every three years of her young life. She has lived in Washington, DC; Stuttgart, Deutschland; Ft. Leavenworth, KS; San Antonio, TX; and Las Cruces, NM.

Jenn has three amazing adult children, Cydney, Kaden, and Ellysen and she tries to keep up with what they are doing in their busy lives. She has done research in Metal Vapor Synthesis and has studied Cataclysmic Variable Stars. She was also docent at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, AZ.

Teaching is her passion. Jenn has a master’s degree from Northern Arizona University in Teaching Physical Science and has been teaching since 1988. After many years as a high school math and science teacher, she began teaching chemistry, math, physics, nutrition and astronomy at Skagit Valley College. She is excited to be on the Team at Sylan Learning, inspiring young people to be gritty, stellar learners.

When she’s not teaching, she is outside enjoying the beautiful northwest on foot, on bike or on a paddleboard. She loves cooking, reading and traveling.