STAFF
“From Kindergarten through 3rd grade, a child learns to read, and thereafter, they read to learn.” -Ray Oglethorpe
Chairman of The Learning Alliance Board
Leadership
BARBARA HAMMOND
CEO and Co-Founder
Barbara Hammond is one of the three original founders of The Learning Alliance. She has a B.A. in Economics from Williams College and a Masters in Public and Private Management from Yale University. Barbara was a former consultant with Bain and Company in Boston and The Director of Strategic Planning for Shawmut Corporation in Boston. She now resides in Vero Beach, and is the mother of two boys. Prior to co-founding The Learning Alliance, she served as Chairman of the Board of the Mental Health Association in Vero Beach where she spent 10 years developing their strategic planning and fundraising activities.
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LIZ REMINGTON
Chief Academic Officer and Co-Founder
Elizabeth Remington, co-founder of The Learning Alliance (TLA) and Chief Academic Officer, holds a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Delaware and a Master's in Special Education from American University. She leads innovative literacy programs in Indian River County aimed at achieving a community goal of 90% proficient readers by third grade. With 15 years at TLA, she was previously a classroom teacher and learning specialist. Elizabeth continues to consult with parents on literacy needs and has served on the executive board of the International Dyslexic Association. Residing in Vero Beach, Florida, she is a mother of two boys with reading challenges and a former Dyslexic student herself, advocating for personalized education and community engagement in her respected educational career.
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LIZ BAHL
COO and Director of Program Implementation
Liz Bahl has over 25 years of experience in a broad array of industries including bank marketing, public relations, financial software, and retail management. She joined The Learning Alliance in 2014 and has established leadership in all aspects of the organization, including fundraising, volunteer management, program design and implementation, data and documentation, and is currently the Chief Operating Officer. She holds a BA in Communications from Loyola University, New Orleans.
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Staff
DEBBI ARSENEAUX
Arts Integration Specialist and Program Manager
Debbi Arseneaux is an Educational Consultant and Teaching Artist with The Learning Alliance. She has been a teacher in the District of Columbia Public Schools and worked as a professional Theatre Director, Stage Manager, Producer and freelance Teaching Artist in the DC area for over 15 years. Specializing in arts integration, she believes in the power of the arts to reach and teach students of all ages.
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RANDEE BOK
Early Learning Programs
Prevention Intervention Coach
Randee Bok began her professional career in her home state of Connecticut, supporting children with Developmental Delays in academic and recreational settings. She has an AA in Early Childhood Education, BS in Psychology, Sociology and Public Health, M in Educational Leadership. She joined The SDIRC team as an ESE PreK Teacher and moved onto TLA in 2021 as a Prevention Intervention Specialist. Currently supporting 25 SDIRC Early Learning Classrooms, coaching and modeling resiliency skill-sets to Teachers and Teacher Assistants. Randee has extensive training in Trauma informed care and Crisis Prevention. She resides in Vero Beach, with her college age daughter (Go Gators) and her 3 dachshunds.
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TRICIA BOYLE
Finance Administrator
Tricia Boyle joined The Learning Alliance as the Finance Administrator in November of 2015. Tricia has a B.S. in Finance from The University of Central Florida and is a Miami, Florida native who now resides in Vero Beach with her husband and three children.
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LESLIE CONNELLY
Educational Consultant & SDIRC Liaison
Leslie Connelly is a certified educator in Elementary Education K-6 with a Master's in Educational Leadership. A team member of The Learning Alliance, she serves as an Educational Consultant and Liaison with the Indian River County School District. She is trained in Conscious Discipline, Wilson, Fundations, Backward Design, and many other research-based strategies. She is excited to be a part of the journey to reach our Moonshot Moment Goal of 90% of third graders reading on grade level.
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SUE CURTIS
Educational Consultant
Sue Curtis began working with The Learning Alliance during her career with the School District of Indian River County.
Sue has a BS in Education from Edinboro University, and a BS in Administration from Florida Atlantic University. Her career includes 15 years as a classroom teacher, 10 in district support positions and 10 years as Director of Elementary Education. Sue has served TLA as an educational consultant since 2010. She is the mother of two and grandmother of five. Sue has served on the board of directors for United Way, Environmental Learning Center and American Cancer Society.
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ASHLEY DOWDELL
Program Implementation & Evaluation Manager
Ashley Dowdell is an experienced educator whose career spans more than two decades. Her diverse roles have deepened her expertise in strengthening instructional practices, designing impactful professional development, and using data to drive meaningful change. Ashley holds advanced degrees in Applied Learning and Instruction and Educational Leadership, equipping her to lead and innovate within educational systems. A proud product of the Indian River County public school system, she returned to Vero Beach to invest in the community that raised her. She resides there with her high school sweetheart and their two college-age children.
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TEXA GAYA
Director of Development
Texa joined The Learning Alliance as the Director of Development in June of 2024. Texa has a B.S. in International Relations from Florida International University. Originally from Mexico City, she began her career in hospitality in 2001 where she thrived in the luxury hospitality market. Thanks to her passion for connecting with people, she found her career in philanthropy and is now dedicated to the mission of The Learning Alliance. Texa and her husband live in Vero Beach with their two children and can usually be found at the beach enjoying the fishing and surfing.
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MEGAN HOOTS
Special Projects Coordinator
Megan has a BFA in Art History from the Savannah College of Art and Design and an MA in Art Education from the University of Florida. After living in New York and Los Angles, she moved to Vero Beach with her husband in 2012 to be closer to her grandmother. Formerly a 9-12th grade Art Educator in St Lucie County, Megan left public education to join The Learning Alliance in June of 2023 after recognizing a need for upstream early intervention in our students.
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JESSICA HUBER
Extended Learning Manager
Jessica Huber joined the Learning Alliance as an Extended Learning Manager in July 2023. She
has a B.A. in Elementary Education K-6. She has taught in the School District of Indian River County since 2014 and immediately began working with the Learning Alliance as an educator, coach, and coordinator in the afterschool Moonshot Academy Program. Jessica is thrilled to bring her expertise to the TLA Team in support of after school extended learning programs to reach the Moonshot Moment goal of 90% of 3rd graders reading on grade level.
YOMAIRA LAGOS
Family Connection Specialist
Yomaira Lagos comes to The Learning Alliance from the Health Department where she spent five years as a counselor for families in Indian River County. During this time, she helped to launch and facilitate many programs including a support initiative in the community. She enjoys counseling, educating, and empowering local families. She has four children and enjoys spending time in nature with her family as well as getting to know the local community and read, talk, play, sing, and create in both English and Spanish with Moonshot, who calls her “Tia Yomi.” Yomaira is based at the Fellsmere Connection Center.
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BRIDGET LYONS
Arts/Literacy Educator and Manager of the Moonshot Reading Rocket
Bridget Lyons has over 30 years of education experience, internationally and in the United States. She continues her teaching as an Arts/Literacy Educator and the Manager of the Moonshot Reading Rocket.
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JEAN MATHIEU
Behavior Technician
KRISTEN MATTEUCCI
Donor Relations Coordinator
Kristen Matteucci joined The Learning Alliance in August of 2019. She graduated from The University of Kansas with a B.A. in Psychology, and received her Master of Science degree in Learning and Cognition from Florida State University in 2021.
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Kristen joined her parents in Vero Beach after graduating college. She now resides with her husband, Andy, and cat, Tuukka (Go Bruins!). On her days off, Kristen can be found writing, attending Panthers (Go Panthers, too!) hockey games, or spending the day at Universal or Disney World.
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FRAN MCDONOUGH
Educational Consultant & SDIRC Liaison
Fran McDonough received her BS in Elementary Education from Florida Atlantic University and is a certified K-6 educator, with Clinical Educator training. She has a strong background in foundational literacy skills, and has received certification in many research-based programs. Having taught at the elementary level, her passion lies in providing rich integrated learning experiences for children and quality professional development for teachers.
Fran resides in Vero Beach with her husband of 21 years, and two children ages 19, and 16.
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MARIE O'BRIEN
Director of Marketing and Community Outreach
Marie O'Brien joined The Learning Alliance in 2011, having spent the previous 20 years in internet marketing, advertising, and project management. She has a B.S. in Business Administration from Duquesne University. She moved to Florida in 1991 and joined Redgate/America Online, where she managed large marketing projects such as the creation of the first online presences for Reebok's Olympic store and AAA. A veteran in the internet industry, Marie leads our new digital media projects and manages the Moonshot Moment Community Outreach Team.
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THERESA PICKETT
Family Connection Specialist
Theresa Pickett is a native of Indian River County and Vero Beach High School graduate. She returned to Indian River County from Virginia to be closer to family and to raise her two children. Theresa started working in early childhood education in both childcare and elementary schools, as well as becoming a track and field coach at VBHS. She loves sports and spending time with her family, especially her six grandchildren. Theresa, still known in the community as “Coach Pickett,” loves to be out and about getting to know families throughout Indian River County, and can be found at The Moonshot School Connection Center at Vero Beach Elementary.
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ERICKA REARDIN
Digital Media Specialist
Ericka Reardin is a creative storyteller with a focus in documentary-style filmmaking. She received her B.S. in Communications & Media Ministry from Southeastern University. In her free time, you can find Ericka with her husband Brandon, their dog Leia, and a good cup of coffee in hand!
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SHANTI SANCHEZ
Lullaby Project Manager
Shanti Sanchez began her education career as an early childhood educator. She then taught music and led community arts programs in Indian River County before serving as school and community programs manager for the Vero Beach Museum of Art. She has returned to her early childhood and music roots to develop and grow the Lullaby Project, a project of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, in which new and expecting parents work with local teaching artists to write and sing personal lullabies for their babies. Shanti holds a Master’s degree in education and likes to read, talk, play, sing, and create every day.
