Amanda Vogel
Founder, Director, & History Teacher

Amanda is the founder and director of Vine Academy.  During her ten years as the vice president of Nurturing Wisdom Tutoring, Amanda was fortunate to be supported and encouraged to fulfill her dream of opening a school. Prior to working for Nurturing Wisdom, Amanda earned a master’s degree in special education from Truman State University and taught 5th through 8th grade special education classes for four years. Her teaching experience made her an expert in differentiating and creating curriculum for a diverse set of learners.  At Nurturing Wisdom, Amanda has written curriculum for all types of tutoring: executive functioning, academic programs, and test preparation.  At Vine Academy, Amanda uses this expertise to ensure that the Academy’s curriculum is fully customized for students of all ability levels, including those who are gifted or have learning differences.

April Behnke
Head of School and Reading Skills Teacher

She graduated from Truman State University with a major in English and a minor in psychology.  Her skills set in these areas make her invaluable as an assistant to staff as needed in implementing educational programming.  After graduation, April honed her managerial and organizational skills by initially managing a daycare and later moving on to office management.  These positions allowed April to become the essential team member she is today. April also is an Orton-Gilligham trained reading teacher.   April is invaluable at Vine for her ability to connect with and care for kids who are suffering from anxiety.

Claire Benz
Elementary Projected Learning & Primary Fine Motor Teacher

Claire joined the Vine Academy team in 2023 and is excited to be part of this exceptional school. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Speech & Rhetoric at Hillsdale College in 2016, then worked as an instructional assistant at a school in Hinsdale while obtaining her Illinois Teaching License & Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from National Louis University. She grew up in La Grange, now lives in Westmont, and is engaged to be married next summer! She enjoys reading and puzzles in her spare time and is so excited to be working as the Projected Learning teacher for our elementary students as well as teaching our primary students fine motor skills through lots of fun activities and projects! 

Harley Chapman
Middle School Literature Teacher

Harley graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelor's in English Studies and a secondary focus on Women and Gender Studies. She was awarded an assistantship to Columbia College Chicago, where she received her MFA in poetry. She’s spent several years working in different positions involving the language arts: as a senior editor at Columbia Poetry Review, an assistant teacher for Creative Writing: Dream and Myth, an instructor of Writing and Rhetoric, and an afterschool enrichment teacher. She has also trained with the Institute of Reading Development to increase reader fluency and comprehension, and her primary goals are to get students thinking more deeply about literature and nurture a lifelong love of reading.

Amy Burns
Elementary Literature Teacher

Amy received her Masters degree in Teaching and Bachelors degree in Psychology from Northern Illinois University. After some time working in the mental health field with children, Amy realized that individualized teaching and working with children was her passion. Since then, she has worked as a preschool teacher, third grade teacher, special education assistant, reading tutor, e-learning teacher and now a literature teacher.

Amy has a huge love for books and enjoys sharing her favorite childhood books with her class. As a teacher, her main goal is to spread a love for reading and create lifelong readers. Outside of the classroom, Amy spends her time traveling with family, hiking with her dog, playing board games and curling up with a new book.

Asmaa Elshareif
Math Skills Teacher

Asmaa earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago in applied statistics, and then went on to complete a master's degree in management. Asmaa has always been passionate about making math approachable and enjoyable for students of all ages. She has nine years of experience as both a private and professional tutor in math.

When Asmaa is not teaching/tutoring math, you can find her immersed in her floral business. She and her husband also enjoy traveling, spending time with family, and cooking.

Corin Gresham
Middle School Math Teacher

Corin joined our team of math teachers in 2018. She earned her Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering at Auburn University and a Masters in Education at Florida State University. Corin is passionate about teaching her students the mathematical concepts that lay the foundation for future education. Having lived in Florida, Indiana, Michigan, and now Illinois, she and her husband reside in Naperville and have three daughters. Corin loves road trips with her family to fun destinations (the world’s largest… anything!), college football games, and hanging out with her three girls.

Kim Laniosz
Primary Literacy and Writing Teacher

From a young age, Kim has always wanted to be a teacher. She loves and enjoys spending her days with children.  She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Trinity Christian College with minors in English, Biology, and Special Education.  The majority of Kim’s 18 years of teaching experience has been in private education inspiring students to listen, question, read and explore. In Kim’s classroom, creativity, curiosity, and a passion for learning is nurtured through individualized and effective instruction.  She strives to provide a respectful and encouraging environment where students can learn and grow.

Kevin Meek
High School Projects Teacher

A lifelong learner, former associate writing professor, and former collegiate head soccer coach, Kevin has an extensive background in youth development. Some past positions have included an America’s Promise Fellowship working on projects with incarcerated youth, director for an international exchange program, ESL instructor throughout Southeast Asia, and third-grade teacher’s assistant. He has an MFA from UMASS Amherst and is working towards a PhD in Education Psychology.

Kevin and his wife, Amy, have two sons, a cat, and a bearded dragon at home. In his free time, you’ll find him at their sporting or theater events enjoying camping and anything outdoors, or traveling as much as possible. 

Jacki Lane
Art Teacher

Jacki attended Wheaton college where she spent four years attaining her studio art degree before completing her second Bachelor in Art Education at the University of Illinois in Chicago. She has always had a passion for the role of visual arts in self-expression and emotional regulation. She strives to make her classroom a place of calm and joy where the student is centered as the creative expert of their own work.

Outside of teaching, Jacki's interests include graphic design, crochet, video games, and all things science fiction.

Nikita Roe
Intermediate and Middle School Projected Learning Teacher

Nikita May comes to Vine Academy from Boston, MA. She was given her first opportunity to work within education following graduating from Clark Atlanta University with a B.A. in Psychology in 2008. Since working at her first school in Alexandria, VA almost eight years ago, she has gained the knowledge, experience, and skill set to not only work with students from primary school through high school, but also to serve students with learning disabilities and other special needs. Nikita has a passion for projects and history and aims to always motivate her students to be in control of their learning. She is very warm and humble person who helps children feel listened to and respected.

Michael McIntyre
Intermediate, Middle School, and High School Science Teacher

Michael McIntyre is Vine Academy’s intermediate through high school science teacher.  Michael graduated from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana in 2005 with a major in molecular and cellular biology; he also has a Masters in Education from Quincy University.  Before coming to Vine Academy, he worked as a residential counselor at the Illinois Math and Science Academy.  His passion for science and teaching makes him a perfect match for teaching not only our small group science classes, but working with individual students on personalized curriculum. 

His enthusiasm for outside-the-box thinking has led Michael to teach chess and run our Board Games and Broad Minds & Rube Goldberg clubs after school.  Michael worked previously as a highly requested tutor for Nurturing Wisdom, and his enthusiasm and rapport with students has made him a school-wide favorite. Students thoroughly enjoy and seek out time with Mr. Michael, in particular his creative and detailed science labs.  His hands-on approach truly helps students to organize their thinking as future scientists and brings a concrete approach to a multitude of scientific concepts.

Serena Fritz
Middle School Writing Teacher

As a writer herself, Serena’s goal as a teacher is to foster a healthy relationship with writing at a young age. Serena received her bachelor’s degree in English Literature with a minor in Cinematic Arts from the University of Southern California. Between 2018 and 2022, she tutored in elementary after-school literacy programs, taught elementary summer-school literacy classes, taught high school English and reading standardized test preparation, and led high school narrative writing workshops. Now, she hopes to continue encouraging her students so that they may excel in higher education as well as in confidently articulating themselves in everyday life. 

Serena loves a good Agatha Christie mystery novel, but her all-time favorite author is Toni Morrison. Aside from reading and writing, her hobbies include playing board games with her husband and watching movies with her sister.

Courtney Ouimet
Elementary Writing Teacher

Courtney graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Educational Studies of Elementary Education from Western Governors University to inspire the next generation of writers and thinkers. She has held many roles in school systems, from paraprofessional to preschool teacher's aide, each reflecting her love of children and their development. She strives to create a nurturing environment where students feel empowered to express themselves through the written word.

You'll likely find her soaking up quality moments with her loving husband and two incredible sons when she's not in the classroom. Family time is precious, and she cherishes every moment they spend together – exploring new places, cheering at her sons' baseball games, or just enjoying a cozy movie night at home. One of her favorite pastimes is birdwatching.

Jodie Riordan
Intermediate Writing Teacher

Since Jodie was very young, she has enjoyed reading and discussing stories. During her college years, she greatly admired her literature professors and discovered her own path: teaching English. In 2004, she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Elmhurst College and began the Master of Arts in Education program at Benedictine University. Jodie’s teaching career has taken many twists and turns since she obtained teacher certification in English and social science. In 2008, she began teaching in a small Catholic school where she taught not only English and social science but math and science as well. She spent nearly a decade teaching all academic subjects to mixed-age classrooms. Jodie attributes this experience to the versatility she now has as an educator. Even when Jodie is not teaching, her mind is constantly in motion. She can be found reading, researching, and doing logic puzzles most often.

Mary Reyes
Permanent Substitute

Mary comes to Vine Academy with a masters in arts in Secondary Education in Mathematics from Dominican University and a Bachelor’s of Science in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Her favorite pastimes include spending time with her grandson, traveling, and simply appreciating all that life has to offer!

Stephanie Saucedo
Spanish Teacher

Stephanie Saucedo joined the Vine Academy team in late 2014 fresh out of Loyola University, Chicago. Stephanie grew up in Mexico learning Spanish as her first language. After studying Spanish extensively in college and majoring in psychology, Stephanie joined Nurturing Wisdom Tutoring and taught Spanish, ACT, math, and reading comprehension. Stephanie soon found her true passion and home at Vine Academy and is currently teaching elementary through high school Spanish. Stephanie cares about each individual student’s learning needs and aims to instill the love of learning a new language.

She brings a fun, enthusiastic personality to the classroom, is passionate about expanding world views, and enjoys the challenge of creating a customized curriculum for each grade level. At home, Stephanie dedicates her free time to reading and playing tennis.

Ryan Smith
Music Teacher

From an early age, Ryan has known that music was a path worth following. Throughout his college career, he was provided with the opportunities to tour around the world, perform with musical legends, and study with intellectual greats. In 2016, he graduated from Elmhurst University with a degree in Music Theory and went on to earn a Master of Music in Theory and Composition from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.

Ryan’s teaching career began in 2015 through Sprito! Singers where he specialized in teaching advanced musical concepts. His interests focus on musicality and advanced cognitive function in musical ability.

Jessica Staum
HS Program Director & English Literature Teacher

It is almost impossible to find Jessica without a book in her hand! After earning an English degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completing a certification program in secondary English Language Arts, Jessica worked in many facets of education: as a classroom assistant, a tutor for English language learners, a university registrar, and a testing specialist. She's been teaching either middle school or high school English at Vine Academy since it opened its doors in 2012 and endeavors every day to help her students grow into lifelong learners. Jessica’s greatest passion is helping students achieve their full potential as writers, readers, and thinkers.

Orla Stokes
Fitness Teacher

Whether she was riding and caring for horses as a girl, or founding a holistic fitness center as a working mom, Orla has been practicing and sharing her passion for athletics most of her life.  At LSB College in Dublin, Ireland, she studied French and marketing and started her first fitness club. 

With more than fifteen years of exercise training and experience under her belt, she counts Cross Fit, strength training, team sports, coaching, calisthenics and movement practice among her areas of expertise. 

Jim Vogel
Intermediate Math Teacher & Bookkeeper

Jim joined Vine Academy in 2018. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Accounting from Truman State University. Jim encourages his math students to do their best because he believes that no one is bad at math. We all use math every day, even if we don't realize it! In addition to teaching math, Jim handles Vine’s bookkeeping including paying bills and collecting tuition.

Jim enjoys board games of all kinds. His greatest passion is playing role-playing games (Dungeons & Dragons, for example) and he loves sharing this interest with students.

Leslie Whitehead
Primary and Elementary Science Teacher

Leslie believes that all human beings are born with an aptitude to learn and grow.  She looks for these qualities in her students and focuses on their unique abilities to enhance their educational experience. Leslie has a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education as well as a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction.  Leslie has enjoyed many avenues of education over the years: Director of Children's Ministries, Youth Services Librarian, Elementary Educator and more.  She is also a certified Yoga Instructor strives to help others find their potential through yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. Along with her husband and their two college-age children, Leslie also keeps busy fostering kittens, and has helped over 20 cats find their forever homes.

Yuka Wong
Elementary Math Teacher

With over ten years of experience, Yuka is passionate about teaching math to our elementary and middle school level students. After earning her Master’s degree in elementary education, she took the role of director and teacher at an after school learning center, a place that helped her gain the experience of teaching as well as gave her the opportunity to explore different curriculums and standards across various school districts. She loves showing students how interesting the patterns and relationships of numbers can be. She places strong emphasis on critical thinking and logical reasoning in math, and she hopes to guide students to become excellent problem solvers in all areas through her love of teaching!

Carol Behnke
School Nurse

Carol Behnke holds both an RN license and a Bachelor's Degree in Healthcare Administration.  Carol worked for over two decades as a home health care nurse, taking care of medically fragile, technology dependent children.  After that, she realized her dream of obtaining an advanced degree in healthcare administration and has spent two decades managing Health Care Agencies.  She brings to Vine a love of children, an extensive knowledge of caring for their needs, an attention to detail for keeping our school running, and an expertise in managing a dynamic organization.

Erin Byers
Aftercare

Erin started at Vine in Spring 2023 after having spent many years in the culinary industry. She left the culinary world seeking something new and brings with her a love of learning, leadership skills, and her passion for all things creative. When she isn’t spending time with her friends and family, Erin enjoys baking and trying new recipes, teaching herself new hobbies (she’s getting back into paper crafting and Origami), and curling up under a blanket to watch documentaries.

Taylor DeShazer
School & Aftercare Coordinator

Taylor joined the Vine team in the Fall of 2021. She has worked in various childcare roles including a special education teacher, autism classroom teacher, and recreation supervisor. Taylor's previous experiences have helped her develop a passion for personalized learning as well as how to incorporate it. She strives to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone entering the building!

When she is not working, Taylor is busy Cricut crafting, traveling with her husband, and visiting family!

Amy Tripple
Head of Admissions

Amy Tripple arrived at Vine searching for a place to bring out the best in her children.  When she fell in love with the education being offered here, she decided to join Vine full-time as the Head of Admissions.  She brings with her years of teaching experiences across a wide variety of formats.  She has previously taught not only second graders but also photographers from novice to professional.  Vine is very fortunate to have her as she brings her experience and talent in art, photography, entrepreneurship, and teaching to our students and classrooms. 

Darci Vogel
Vine Archivist

Darci is a Vine graduate and a full-time college student at Lake Forest University.  She is passionate about literature, teaching, spending time with children, and photography.  As the daughter of our school's founder, Darci grew up at Vine and is passionate about the education we provide here.  She is now furthering her education so that she can return as a professional educator.  In the meantime, Darci works as our archivist, preserving and organizing our proprietary curriculum.

Toby
Front Office Greeter

Rescued as a puppy, Toby joined the Vogel family in November of 2019 and has worked very hard on training to be Vine Academy’s Front Office Greeter. His gentle spirit and playful personality bring a smile to office visitors, and his presence can dry up tears caused by a skinned knee or aching tummy faster than any box of Kleenex. Toby’s accomplishments include knowing how to sit, lay down, stay, come, wag his tail enthusiastically, and chew on his favorite bone. In his free time, you can find him snuggling up in the sunshine, snoozing the day away.