Meet Our Passionate Team of Credentialed Educators!
Our team at I Can Academy is driven by a shared commitment to your child’s success and growth. With passion and expertise, we strive to provide a nurturing and supportive environment where every student can thrive academically and personally.
Dedicated Experts Committed to Your Child’s Success
Welcome to our inspiring team page at I Can Academy! Here, you’ll meet our exceptional and credentialed educators, each passionate about nurturing your child’s learning journey. Get to know the dedicated experts who are wholeheartedly committed to empowering your student’s success and providing a supportive environment for their growth.
Lisa Paisley
Dr. Lisa Paisley has been an educator for 24 years and is loving every minute of it. She has served as a teacher in public school grades TK-12 and is currently serving as an administrator. Dr. Paisley is also a U.C. Writing Project Fellow, something that taught her about the joy of writing that comes with resiliency and fluency. She has a deep belief that everyone can write and have fun doing it.
B.A. in Psychology from U.C. Berkeley
M.A. in Teaching from Mary Baldwin
Ed.D in Organizational Leadership from Chapman
Wendy Marcot
Mrs. Marcot received her bachelor’s degree in Human Services and her
Multiple Subject teaching credential at California State University Fullerton, and her Master’s in Education at Hope International University. She comes to us with over twenty years of teaching experience ranging from Pre- Kindergarten to Adult Education. She has worked with students from around the globe with multiple learning styles and teaches to her students’ individual needs. Mrs. Marcot enjoys working with her students to increase their academic skills and strives to foster a love of learning.
Annie Lawrence
Annie Lawrence was born and raised in Irvine, California. After graduating from Northwood High School in 2002, she attended UC Santa Cruz and studied literature. Early in college, Annie read Jonathon Kozol’s Savage Inequalities, and her passion for public education ignited. Annie received her Masters in Education from UC Santa Cruz, and at age of 23, she began teaching at a comprehensive high school in Soquel, California. During her two years at this school, Annie taught within the accelerated program the Humanities Academy, she helped at-risk seniors meet their writing requirements to graduate, and she collaborated with peers to restructure the course offerings so that they were more equitable to all students.
In 2009, Annie moved to Orange County and was hired to teach at Early College High School in Costa Mesa, CA. For the last 15 years, Annie has been a proud teacher at ECHS, teaching primarily sophomore and senior English. Annie has served as a mentor for new teachers in the BTSA program, she was the staff Common Core Coach when the standards were first introduced, and she was teacher of the year for the 2012-2013 school year. She coordinates the Senior Project, a year-long exit project that helps students identify their future goals, learn from a mentor, and present a final project to a panel of community members. As an AVID Senior Seminar teacher, Annie helps college-bound seniors identify majors and colleges that meet their needs. Annie has over a decade of experience helping students respond to college entrance prompts, especially the UC Personal Insight Questions. Over the years, she has learned from admissions officers from schools such as UC Berkeley and UC Irvine, and she applies all that she learns to her lessons.
Annie’s greatest joy is helping students plan for life after high school. She believes that students are most successful when their future plans relate to their interests and passions, but she believes that students need the resources, prompts, and support to plan a future that’s right for them. She’s also a big believer in hard work, the writing process, and a well-timed punchline.
“One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.”
– Malala Yousafzai
McKenna Elo
Meet McKenna and read her “WHY”:
“I strongly believe that every student has the power to do great things as learners, as leaders, and as world changers. I feel fortunate to have the privilege of working with so much amazing potential each and everyday in the classroom!”
Laura Trammel
Laura will be tutoring our 4th-8th grade students in Reading, Writing, and Math. She is incredible and passionate about helping students succeed.
Laura’s Why:
“Teaching is truly my passion! My goals are to instill confidence, encourage personal growth and help students overcome challenges – both in and out of the classroom. And of course, have fun along the way!”
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
– Helen Keller
April Sonnenberg
April Sonnenberg is a certified educator who obtained a multi-subject bilingual teaching credential from Chapman University, California, in 2002.
Her teaching experience includes instructing 1st and 2nd-grade students within the Santa Ana Unified School District. Additionally, she served as a bilingual substitute teacher within the Spanish Immersion program for Capistrano Unified School District.
Over the course of nine years, she provided academic support to independent study students TK-12th grade while working in the public charter school system.
April is enthusiastic about facilitating engaging learning experiences.
Sofie Mullen
Sofie Mullen is a GATE certified educator who earned her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and her Masters in Education at CSUF. She is also in the process of earning her Foundational Level Mathematics Credential.
She worked as an intervention support teacher before teaching 1st, 4th, and 5th grades. This will be her 8th year in education.
Cecile Vu
Ms. Vu received her Bachelor’s Degree and Masters Degree in Administration from Cal State Fullerton and comes to I Can Academy with over 12 years of teaching experience.
Her journey in education is guided by a simple but powerful belief: every child has the potential to shine, and as a teacher, her mission is to help them realize their unique brilliance. She is driven by the incredible opportunity to empower students, giving them the tools, knowledge, and ownership of their learning journey.
Haylee Embree
“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.” -Phil Collins
Haylee’s Why:
Becoming a teacher was driven by my strong commitment to igniting a passion for learning in students and my unwavering belief in the life-changing potential of education. My primary motivation as an educator is to inspire and enable students to realize their fullest capabilities.
Denise Olson
Denise Olson is a seasoned educator with a distinguished 35-year tenure within the Irvine Unified School District. She specializes in primary grade instruction. Her expertise as a reading specialist makes her an asset in promoting literacy development.
Denise’s educational journey includes the acquisition of a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts and Psychology, as well as a multiple subject teaching credential from California State University,Long Beach.
Following her retirement from IUSD, Denise transitioned into the role of a dedicated tutor. With a wealth of experience and a passion for fostering academic success, she continues to inspire and empower students on their educational journey.
Amanda Ralph
Amanda Ralph is a certified educator who obtained a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and Masters in Teaching from UC Irvine. She has worked as a classroom teacher and an intervention teacher.
She is passionate about fostering engaging and meaningful learning experiences and believes every student is capable of success!
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