Katie Sauter worked in a domestic violence shelter until 2013. In 2013, Katie pursued her passion of working in education. She received her Master’s of Science in Early Childhood Education and Educational Studies from John Hopkins University in 2015. She also holds a BA from the University of Michigan. Katie taught pre-kindergarten at a Head Start in Tulsa, Oklahoma from 2013-2015. In 2015 Katie relocated to Seattle, WA where she currently resides.  From 2015-16 Katie worked for Zeno, a nonprofit organization, as their Early Learning Program Manager. While at Zeno, Katie developed an early learning math curriculum that focused on racial equity and family engagement. In 2016, Katie moved to Dublin, Ireland and worked as an Early Childhood Consultant supporting preschool programs in Ireland and the United States. As a consultant, Katie focused on designing and facilitating family engagement professional learning sessions for educators. In 2018, Katie returned to Seattle and re-joined Zeno, where she worked as their Programs Director until 2021. Since 2021, Katie has been working with the Department of Education and Early Learning at the City of Seattle supporting the Seattle Preschool Program as the Supervisor of Preschool Enrollment. Katie has been a National Presenter with Learning Without Tears since 2021. When she is not working, Katie enjoys spending time with her two children and husband. She loves to cook, read, and travel.

*Receives a speaking fee from Learning Without Tears and receives a salary from the City of Seattle where she is an employee*

Nina Isaac has been at Learning Without Tears (LWT) since 2009.  She started on the LWT Product Ideation Team and then moved to the Customer Success Team for Keyboarding Without Tears when the product was launched in 2014.  Nina has been an integral part of the implementation of Keyboarding Without Tears, focusing on strategic customers in school districts around the country. With over 11 years of experience working with educators and learners, combined with her passion for technology in education, Nina consistently strives for customer satisfaction and product evolution.   In her newest role as Lead Curriculum Implementation Manager on the Professional Services Team at Learning Without Tears, Nina is able to share her subject matter expertise and enthusiasm around the Learning Without Tears digital products.

*Receives a salary from Learning Without Tears where she is an employee*

Sam Deffes has worked in education for over 20 years. She began as a classroom teacher at Smart Pope Livingston Elementary in Duval County, FL where she was given the privilege of teaching grades K-4. She has also served as a reading coach, district literacy specialist, professional development facilitator and designer as well as a curriculum developer. Sam has a passion and experience working with Title 1 schools and has spent most of her career working in lowest performing schools. She is a proud graduate of the University of Florida where she obtained her master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Reading. Sam was thrilled to join Learning Without Tears as a Professional Learning Literacy Advisor in May 2022 to continue sharing her passion of literacy, coaching and supporting educators and to help ensure that all students receive the educational experience they deserve.
 

Sam is happily married to her best friend and together they have two kids and a dog named Jimmy Bananas. Sam currently lives in Middleburg, FL. She enjoys quilting, playing with her kids, and party planning!

*Receives a salary from Learning Without Tears where she is an employee*
Address: Florida, United States

Mariela Ingledew is an EC-12 Certified Reading Specialist. She currently works for Katy ISD Elementary Curriculum and Instruction Department in the capacity of Reading Academy Leader. She holds a B.A. in Bilingual Education/Interdisciplinary Studies from Houston Baptist University and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Literacy from the University of Texas at Arlington. She also has a graduate certificate in Spanish Translation and Interpretation. Mariela’s certifications include Reading Specialist EC-12, Core Subjects EC-6, Bilingual education EC-4 and LOTE Spanish EC-12. She has almost 20 years of experience in teaching and leadership. Mariela worked with PK-5th students as a teacher and reading interventionist. She has also worked with PK-5th teachers in a facilitator role. She has been involved in coaching, curriculum writing and professional development. Mariela also led the development of cross-linguistic connections for English and Spanish Phonics instruction. She is very passionate about translanguaging and using research-based strategies to create a language rich classroom. Mariela was born and raised in Argentina where she attended a private bilingual school since a young age. She moved to the United States where she obtained her B.A and M.A. She loves to travel, exercise and stay abreast of research. Mariela has utilized LWT programs since 2015. She has been a Bilingual National Presenter for LWT since 2022.

*Receives a salary from Learning Without Tears where she is an employee*

Dr. Christina Bretz is an Occupational Therapist from Lexington, Ky. She has extensive pediatric experience providing services to children in school settings, early intervention, home health care and private tutoring. Christina established an annual summer handwriting camp utilizing the Handwriting Without Tears® program. Christina began working for Learning Without Tears in 2002 and currently works as the Senior Internal Learning and Presenter Manager and is also a National Presenter. Additionally, she balances her time with tutoring children who are experiencing difficulties with handwriting and spending time with her family.

*Receives a salary from Learning Without Tears where she is an employee*

Address: Kentucky, United States

Emily Hayes is a kindergarten teacher at a small private school in Durham, North Carolina, with a deep love for early childhood learning and the whole child behind it. She earned her Master’s degree in Education and Inclusion from the University of Rochester and has spent her career working alongside children with a wide range of physical abilities and neurodiverse learning styles. For more than ten years, Emily has led Kinder Crew™ classrooms, where play, connection, and confidence-building are just as important as academic growth. Along the way, she discovered a passion for teaching handwriting and supporting foundational skills in a way that feels joyful, accessible, and meaningful for young learners. When she’s not teaching or working with families, Emily enjoys reorganizing furniture, painting and gemming sneakers, and making parodies of songs. She also loves traveling and finding playful ways to bring creativity into everyday life. Emily lives in Cary, North Carolina, with her husband and two children, and believes deeply that every child deserves to feel seen, capable, and excited to learn.

*Receives a speaking fee from Learning Without Tears*