TAMPA BAY HEAT HAS DEDICATED INSTRUCTORS TO HELP STUDENTS LEARN AND GROW.
Angela Adams
Bio
Angela Adams of Sew Fun Sew Cute! Angela graduated from UCF with a degree in communication. Homeschooling her four children for seven years, she has a passion for teaching this age group and has taught Geography, Kitchen Science, Entrepreneurship, and Sewing Classes.
Contact Infomation
sewfunsewcute@gmail.com
Pedro Arize
Bio
Graduated from the National University of Costa Rica in November 2011 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music with an emphasis on teaching and guitar performance.
Assigned to the Department of Public Education of Costa Rica in position: PETP MUSICA category VT-5 Music. He has been a member of the Ensemble of Guitars of the Conservatory of Fine Arts of Cali Colombia. He has performed as a soloist and performed in groups in different venues in Colombia, Puerto Rico, Florida (USA) and Costa Rica. As well as acting as a representative of Colombian music and Different genres of world music.
Contact Information
guitarizar@gmail.com
Pamela Armel
Bio
Pamela Armel is a gymnastics coach for HEAT. She has coached competitive gymnastics for 23 years. Last year, Pamela decided to stay home to homeschool her children. She enjoys encouraging and teaching kids the love of a sport that helps them build confidence. In her free time, she enjoys being active.
Contact Information
pamela.armel79@gmail.com
Erin Benik
Bio
Since before she can remember, Erin has had a love of photography. She has always loved looking at and producing photographs. Dreaming of owning her own photography business, Erin studied digital graphic arts in college and began her career at Sears Portrait Studio. Over the next few years, between starting a family, she had the opportunity to work in a darkroom and the retouching department of Bryn-Alan Studios. She is now the proud owner of Emagine Photography and specializes in fun, creative portrait photography. Erin’s favorite thing about her job is getting to capture the special moments of her client’s lives and helping to tell their story with the portraits she produces.
When she is not behind the camera, Erin likes to spend time with her family, go for a long run, or make a batch of homemade jam. She is a homeschooling mom, a Starbucks junkie, and really, really hates frogs. In her spare time, Erin enjoys sharing her passion for photography with others and helping them to take better pictures. She oversees the Tampa Bay HEAT’s Yearbook Club and teaches several classes.
Contact Information
emaginephotography@hotmail.com
Maria Bermudez
Bio
Maria A. Bermudez is a homeschool mom and has been teaching her kids to talk, write and read Spanish since preschool. Born in Venezuela, Spanish is her first language. She has been living in the US since 2003. Studied Journalism in Venezuela, which gave her more in-depth knowledge of grammar and language. Later, she earned a master’s Degree at Florida International University in Miami. During the last eight years, she has taught Spanish (private and group lessons) for elementary, middle, and high school homeschoolers.
Contact Information
mabm24@gmail.com
Stephanie Bridges
Bio
Stephanie Bridges coaches cheer for the Tampa Bay Heat. She is experienced in recreational cheer, cheer-nastics and has worked with girls trying out for competitive cheerleading. She has 13 years of experience and is certified in youth cheer safety. She is passionate about working with children and teaching the importance of teamwork and confidence. Before entering the homeschool world, she spent 20 years in the restaurant world. She was a pastry chef and she enjoys baking with her daughters during our downtime.
Contact Infomation
smparkman80@gmail.com
Ashley Bueno
Bio
Ashley Bueno is an Elementary Instructor for HEAT. She has three elementary-aged kids. Ashley grew up in Wisconsin, but has lived in many states from the East to West coast, and settled here in 2016. In 2018 her family started their homeschooling journey. Prior to becoming a parent, Ashley spent 13 years serving in the military in the United States and abroad. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from the University of Washington. She gained teaching and leadership skills in the military and in college through various clubs and internships. Ashley enjoys planning classes, events, and hangouts to enrich our homeschool lives. She strives to teach fun, hands-on learning experiences to encourage lifelong learning! In her spare time she enjoys hiking, exploring with her kids, and working in her garden.
Contact Information
bueno.home3@gmail.com
Taylor G. Cauley
Bio
Taylor G. Cauley is a homeschool mom and former high school math teacher. She taught high school math for two years in Beaufort, South Carolina. She is currently homeschooling her two young children. She attended the University of South Carolina Beaufort and received her B.S. in Secondary education of Mathematics. She went on to receive her teaching certificate in the State of South Carolina to teach 6-12th grade math. She loves and has a passion for not only teaching math but showing students how it is necessary and applicable in life beyond school.
Contact Information
dakineflower@gmail.com
Nicole Cohn
Bio
Nicole Cohn is an Instructor of Heat and is the Director of our Steam program. Nicole has one daughter, and they have been homeschooling for the last three years. Most of her career has been spent in the Veterinary, Phlebotomy, and Emergency Medicine field. Nicole also has a crafting, refinishing furniture, and apparel business, where she gets to show her creative/artsy side. Nicole loves hosting the Middle School Girls group at the HRC. She is excited to teach for Heat, and she makes our classes fun and educational.
Contact Information
nicolecohn78@gmail.com
Amy Crosby
Bio
Amy is the Piano and General Music instructor for the HEAT. Amy has been teaching private piano lessons for over 30 years. She attended Belmont University in Nashville, TN, to study Piano Pedagogy before transferring to the University of Florida, where she earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Elementary Education. In 2013, she began home-schooling her own children. Now her daughters are both out of high school and working through college. Amy’s philosophy about piano lessons is that they should be FUN. She strives to keep the atmosphere relaxed and encouraging. Students are rewarded for their personal achievements and encouraged to develop positive practice habits that will lead to a well-rounded music education.
Contact Information
amycrosby75@hotmail.com
Karen Frederick
Bio
Karen Frederick is our American Sign Language Instructor. ASL is a beautiful and expressive language that she hopes you will come to love as much as she does! After Bible School, her husband (of 48 years) and she served as missionaries for 17 years in Ciudad Juarez/El Paso, and with the Navajo in Farmington, NM. After which she went back to college and finished her teaching degree. Karen has taught deaf children for many years in NM, TX, and here in Florida at FSDB (Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine) and at Brandon High School. Karen has also taught ASL to many different groups, including First Responders. She earned her BA in Deaf/Elem Education at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD, and her MA in Secondary Education – Advanced Studies at UNF in Jacksonville. Karen currently helps to homeschool her six grandchildren, and they take classes here at HEAT as well!
Contact Information
markarenfl@yahoo.com
Mabel Fredman
Bio
Mabel is a History, Geography, and Health Instructor for HEAT. Mabel is a Jesus-loving, softball/baseball/football mother of four. She made the decision to homeschool her daughter (now sixteen) at the age of four after much research and prayer. Mabel has a bachelor’s degree in accounting but realized quickly that home is where she wanted to be. She has taught Classical Conversations as well as in several co-ops through the years. Mabel is excited to be teaching again (outside the home).
Contact Information
fredmanfamily6@gmail.com
Hal Granholm
Bio
Hal has been with H.E.A.T. since the beginning of 2010 as the drama Director. He has seen the program grow from a handful of students to 120+ students today. The talent he has seen go through the program is amazing. He brings everything he has learned in the local community theater (Village Players, Plant City Entertainment, The Frenzy, and Macbeth & Cheese) and shares them with the students here at Tampa Bay HEAT.
Contact Information
hmekdt@gmail.com
Rebecca HartleyWoods
Bio
Rebecca Hartley-Woods is an Instructor of HEAT for various classes. Rebecca is Jesus-loving, crazy plant and chicken lady, with five homeschooling wildlings who believe in learning by doing. She also believes reading books should be for fun and that you’re never too old to play dress up and pretend.
After returning to Florida from service in the US NAVY, Rebecca attended Liberty University’s distance learning program to major in Human Services while beginning a career in public health. As a Maternal Health Specialist and Mental Health Advocate Rebecca has spent years learning various teaching strategies for children and adults of all ages and stages. Rebecca enjoys making classes a fully immersive experience and encouraging students to “Take chances, make mistakes and get messy!”
Contact Information
rebeccajhartley@gmail.com
David Hirschfeld
Bio
David Hirschfeld relocated to Bradenton, Fl. from Memphis, TN. While in Memphis, he owned and operated Bits, Bytes & Bots Computer Adventures, the leading provider of technology classes for children and teens in the Memphis area. He teaches at various home school groups, after-school programs, and camps. When he is not sharing his love of technology with others, he can be found playing softball.
Contact Information
bits.bytes.bots.fl@gmail.com
Jen Holmstrom
Bio
Jen is a Drama and Choir Instructor as well as an Archery Coach for HEAT. Jen is a mother of three and has been unschooling for 10+ years. She has a lifelong background in musical theatre and performing arts as a singer, dancer, and actor. Jen has an Advanced Diploma in Theatre & Acting from Austin Peay State University. She has enjoyed participating in many choirs over the years and enjoys all types of music. Jen has experience as a director, choreographer, and film producer for Hollywood music videos, community stage productions, and short films. In other miscellaneous fields, Miss Jen has a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, three years experience as an insurance fraud investigator, 7+ years as a preschool/daycare teacher, and is skilled in computers and technology. She has a passion for learning about all subjects, but a special interest in the arts.”I believe performing arts are a gift from God and a powerful form of artistic expression. My hope is to inspire everyone to enjoy and develop their artistic abilities regardless of skill level.”
Contact Information
beachsidemama@gmail.com
Cyndi Davis Ivery
Bio
Cyndi Davis Ivery is a General Music Instructor for HEAT. Cyndi is a semi-retired music educator/music therapist. She worked in the fields of music education and therapy for over twenty years. Master’s prepared in both Piano Performance and Music Therapy, she served in several facilities including short and long term hospitals, medical facilities, and as Fine Arts Director of a Christian School in Rome, Georgia. Her love for teaching music with a Biblical Worldview began while teaching at Unity Christian School, an ACSI accredited school, in Northwest Georgia. Cyndi’s sons attended the school as well, and to this date, it is notable that their worldview was greatly impacted by the Truth integrated into each subject they studied at Unity. Cyndi looks forward to coming alongside homeschool families who desire to shape their children’s worldviews by integrating Biblical Truths into each aspect of their learning. Her desire, God willing, is to provide a Biblical foundation for each music lesson she offers. Preschool through elementary age, she offers general music, ukulele classes, and she hopes to create an elementary chorus! The curriculum she offers is unique, Biblically based, and easily adaptable depending on class size and situation.
Contact Information
MissCyndisMusicRoom@gmail.com
Sheila Jones
Bio
Sheila Jones has been teaching art to children for almost a decade in various venues, including a private school where she pioneered the elementary-high school art program for four years. She is a third-generation artist who has lived in the Brandon area for over 30 years. She illustrated her first children’s book, “Here’s the Deal… Moose Aren’t Real” in 2021. She loves to paint and travel to museums around the world with her husband of 20+ years. She has three children, one of which graduated from the HEAT and is in college for Graphic Design.
Contact Information
twinklejonez@gmail.com
Lori Leichssenring
Bio
Lori is a Writing Instructor for Heat. She is a former elementary classroom teacher, and she loves working with children of all ages. Lori is also an experienced tutor and tutored with Sylvan Learning Center, University of Central Florida, and privately. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of South Florida and a Master of Arts in Administrative Leadership from The University of Oklahoma. Her family is celebrating eight years of homeschooling.
Contact Information
leichsld@yahoo.com
Amy Loesch
Bio
Amy Loesch is an English 101, 201, Creative Writing, Public Speaking, World Religions, Old Testament, New Testament, and History Instructor for HEAT. Amy graduated in 2009 with a BA in Religious Education. She continued my MA in Teaching in Secondary English, but had to stop shy of a semester of student teaching due to deployment. Since then, she has been a substitute teacher at Providence Classical Christian Academy in St. Louis, MO. Amy has been homeschooling her four children since the winter of 2016, and has taught numerous classes with the HEAT program. Amy’s philosophy is that no student learns exactly the same as another and that learning should be hard work but FUN!
Contact Information
amynsloesch@gmail.com
Kelly Mamott
Bio
Kelly Mamott is a High School Math Instructor for HEAT. She is a Christian, and former homeschooling mom. Kelly graduated in 1988 from the University of Central Florida with a degree in Mathematics Education. She was certified in Florida for Mathematics Grade 6-12. She taught in a public Middle School until her first child was born in 1993. Her family began their homeschool journey in 2002. Kelly is homeschooling her four children. During these years, she also taught several homeschool classes, including Algebra, Geometry, and Chemistry, as well as a variety of co-op style classes. She has privately tutored students in various high school math classes. Kelly is thrilled to have the opportunity to teach high school level math courses with the Tampa Bay HEAT.
Contact Information
kjmamott@gmail.com
Rachel Melendez
Bio
Rachel Melendez is an Art, Sewing, and Elementary Spanish Instructor for HEAT. Rachel has been a Spanish interpreter and translator for more than 20 years. She still volunteers as an interpreter for conferences and events. She has translated books and legal documents from both Spanish to English. She is excited to teach her students a new way to communicate!
Contact Information
rachelnmelendez@gmail.com
Tanci Mishler
Bio
Tanci Mishler was a children’s librarian who worked in libraries from the age of thirteen. She worked for the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative for eight years. During that time, she taught classes for homeschoolers for six years on a variety of subjects, including history, science, public speaking, technology, and literature. Inspired by the wonderful families she met during her classes, she left the library a few years ago to teach her own children. She continues her work with libraries by providing thematic STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) programs and writing for the Collaborative Summer Learning Program, a national organization that provides summer reading programs and materials. Tanci teaches virtual classes, including Minecraft, Google Suites, Coding, and a travel class.
Contact Information
tancim@hotmail.com
Courtney Mitskewicz
Bio
Courtney Mitskewicz is a High School Science Instructor for HEAT. Courtney is a FL-certified teacher in Chemistry, Biology, and Physics. She has over 16 years of teaching experience teaching Chemistry, Biology, Physical Science, and Earth Science for Grades 9-12 at Bloomingdale High School. Courtney has always been rated as a Highly Effective teacher by the state and has been the recipient of numerous merit awards for her teaching. Courtney made the decision to resign from her full-time teaching job after the birth of her third child to focus on raising her three small children. Her son and two daughters, ages four-twelve, joined HEAT in 2020 after embarking on the homeschooling journey and have enjoyed the many programs, activities, and opportunities the HEAT has to offer. Courtney has a passion for teaching science and is known for making the intimidating sciences easy for anyone to understand and to have some fun along the way. Courtney is an Approved Step Up for Students Provider for Science.
Contact Information
courtney7483@gmail.com
Kelly Nelson
Bio
Kelly Nelson is an Lego and Robotics Instructor for HEAT. Kelly was born and raised in Riverview, Florida. Kelly has a B.A. in Elementary Education and an M.A. in Educational Leadership. Kelly has taught in Hillsborough County public schools for ten years and has currently been teaching Lego & Robotics classes for the Tampa Bay H.E.A.T for six years, as well as, Health & Nutrition for S.T.E.A.M.
Kelly’s teenage son has been virtual/home-schooled for the past seven years and is actively involved with high school sports for the H.E.A.T. Kelly is truly blessed to have the opportunity to work with children creating Lego masterpieces. Watching the joy in their eyes, at the accomplishments they have built is priceless. The pictures of their finished inventions are wonderful reminders of the fun the students have experienced and a testament to their tenacity and creativity! Kelly’s classes are very hands-on and range in ages from six to thirteen years of age. Each child is encouraged to bring a tablet and downloads appropriate for the class they have selected. They will be provided handouts throughout the class that they will utilize to help build/create models. They will also receive benchmark handouts for your records if applicable to the class. Kelly looks forward to working with your sons and daughters in the upcoming school year!
Contact Information
kelly16address@gmail.com
Rafael Ramirez
Bio
Dr. Rafael Ramirez, is a music educator and an active performer (Viola/Mandolin), and is the Founder of Music Educational Tools, he has created didactic materials to aid string performers to acquire the necessary skills to develop technique.
Ramirez born in Caracas Venezuela, where he began musical studies through El Sistema (famous Venezuelan music program) in 1992.
After immigrating to the United States, he studied at the New World School for the Arts/University of Florida where he earned his Bachelor degree with honors, following his studies afterwards, Ramirez now holds a Master Degree from Florida International University, an Artist Diploma and a Doctorate in Musical Arts from University of Miami. Rafael Ramirez is also the Artistic Director of Tampa Bach Society and principal violist at Imperial Symphony Orchestra.
Contact Information
rafaelramirezviola@gmail.com
Kylie Sikhakhane
Bio
Kylie is a Reading Instructor for HEAT. She has served in Elementary Education for 17 years. Ten of those years were spent as a Reading Coach and Intervention Specialist with the other seven years in the classroom. Kylie has been blessed with the opportunity to be highly trained in the area of reading. Her training has not only allowed her to learn the “why” it has also allowed her to put into practice the “how” to deliver the lessons. Kylie has homeschooled her children for the last 11 years. Being involved in both environments has provided her with a wealth of knowledge and experience.
Contact Information
myreadingresource@yahoo.com
Hannah Stevens
Bio
Hannah is an Elementary Instuctor for HEAT teaching the classes of Elem. Math, Kinder Jr. 2.0, and STEAM. Hannah is a wife, a mom, and a creative thinker. She graduated from NOVA Southeastern University with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. Hannah taught with the school district for four years, certified in all subjects for the K-6 age group. Hannah is ESOL certified and has taught the ESE cluster in the Elementary school as well. During her time with the district, her classes were blended with students ranging from gifted to varying learning/behavior exceptions or disabilities. Patience and teaching are in my blood, and I love seeing them reach their goals and achieve success!
Contact Information
hstevens068@gmail.com
Jon Touchton
Bio
Jon was a Tampa street cop for over 25 years and has taught martial arts and self-defense for 30. He is a 4th-degree black belt in American Karate and has black belts also in Krav Maga and jujitsu, and that training and the experience that came from a number of real fights while working as a police officer has given him a perhaps rare outlook on reality-based self-defense.
In college, he earned bachelor’s degrees in history and physics and a Master’s in history, and after graduation, he served with the CIA overseas in undercover capacities. Following that, he taught and tutored mathematics while also instructing karate. He then settled down for a career with the Tampa Police Dept. where he often dealt with dangerous criminals and thugs, from those encounters getting shot on duty in a gunfight and had staples in his head twice from two head injuries. Such experiences over the course of 2 ½ decades not only honed his personal skills but shaped his outlook on what other people would face in a perilous world, and those real-life lessons are inherent in the Paladin Karate curriculum.
Paladin Karate is an amalgam of styles, a mix of traditional taekwondo and karate (with forms or kata and board-breaking, e.g.) and modern reality-based self-defense (such as grappling and escapes). Everything in it, even the ‘old’ traditions, applies to real-life use. It is taught in an eclectic, fast-paced, and hopefully fun way and is good for everyone, for all ages, abilities, and for families. It is taught under an umbrella of Christian ethics and philosophy without any mysticism. Students will learn how to handle and escape from threatening or violent encounters of various degrees and how to fight effectively, if necessary while knowing that we are the good guys and don’t start fights but end them.
Contact Information
paladinkarate@gmail.com