OUR TEAM
Our rockstar educators provide personalized services that address the wholestudent. We collaborate with students, parents, and teachers to streamline communication and ensure we are developing and carrying out the most effective plan for each student’s success.
KATIE METTEE
Katie Mettee joined empowerED minds in 2021 with over ten years of classroom experience as a certified special educator. Katie has taught several core subjects at both the middle and high school levels in MCPS in addition to her work in the Learning for Independence Certificate Based Program (LFI) and the Learning and Academic Disabilities (LAD) Program. She earned her undergraduate degree in Special Education from Towson University and her master’s degree in Equity and Excellence in Education at McDaniel College. Her knowledge of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ensures that any family considering, or currently utilizing special education services, understands the process and that their child’s needs are being met. Above all else, what defines Katie is her ability to meet students at their level to help support comprehension and learning. She is a firm believer that all students have the capability to be successful and that we must address the needs of the whole child to foster a positive, productive relationship with school and learning.
ELIZABETH HOOKS
Elizabeth Hooks joined empowerED minds full time in 2022. Few educators marry subject matter expertise with teaching experience like Elizabeth Hooks. Her extensive and unique background as a scholar, tutor and classroom teacher, makes her a one-of-a-kind educator and invaluable asset to the families that rely on her support. After earning her undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Wake Forest University, Elizabeth spent twelve years working at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Lab, where she earned her master’s degree in Applied Mathematics. Prior to joining empowerED minds in 2022, Elizabeth spent over seven years leveraging her own knowledge of math and science to support students of all ages, both inside and outside the classroom. She not only has four years of experience supporting middle school, high school and college students with 1-on-1 academic support, but three years teaching both special education and honors math classes at Wheaton High School in MCPS. Since joining empowerED minds, Elizabeth has expanded her expertise to include writing and executive functioning, further enhancing her ability to address the diverse needs of her students. Most importantly, Elizabeth is a mother of three boys (one in high school, one in middle school, and one in elementary school), which empowers her to empathize with parents and teachers alike to drive outstanding outcomes for her students.
CAROLINE LAGOW
Caroline LaGow joined empowerED minds in 2022 with four years of dedicated special education and classroom experience. After receiving her dual-degree in Political Science and Communications from Tulane University, Caroline joined Teach for America and began teaching at the New Orleans Youth Empowerment Program. She worked closely with adolescents and adults of all academic backgrounds to earn their GRE certificate. Caroline then worked in the New Orleans Charter School System as a Special Educator for grades K-8 in a Title I School. In the classroom, Caroline implemented both the DIBELS and McGrawHill Corrective Reading and Decoding literacy programs to help students exceed their reading goals. As a leader in supporting students with learning challenges, she worked to implement a new curriculum in Science, Social Studies, ELA, and Math, for her students. Additionally, Caroline has expertise in advanced ELA writing and college admission essays. Caroline’s experience working 1-on-1 with students of all backgrounds enables her to take an individualized approach to each student to understand their unique needs and help them thrive.
EMILY RUBIN
Emily’s wealth of knowledge and experience in both elementary/middle and special education make her an invaluable resource to her students. For over ten years, Emily has taught sixth grade at the McLean School, where she supports students of every academic background and is Orton Gillingham trained. Emily proudly became the first McLean alumna to return to the school as a full-time educator and was even named McLean’s 2023 Teacher of the Year. Emily earned her dual-degree in Elementary and Special Education from Towson University, and later earned her master’s degree in Special Education from American University. As a student, Emily was impacted by her own learning challenges, which empowers her to empathize with her own students and meet them at their level. Her first-hand experience, and years of expertise, help her students build character and confidence as a means to mastering all aspects of any curriculum.
LESLIE KARBELING
As an MCPS School Counselor and Section 504 Case Manager, Leslie has a stellar track-record for helping students of all ages achieve social, emotional and academic success. Her wealth of experience advocating for students – and teaching them to advocate for themselves – is an asset to our team and every family we support. Prior to joining MCPS, Leslie earned her master’s degree in School Counseling for grades Pre K-12 from Johns Hopkins University, where she supported students at a youth development program focused on college readiness. As a certified yoga teacher, she incorporates wellness, mindfulness, and social-emotional learning into every student partnership
AMANDA PETERSEN
Amanda’s rare background teaching both remedial and honors-level courses empowers her to make a positive impact on students of all academic levels. After earning her undergraduate degree in mathematics and secondary teaching certificate from Messiah College, Amanda decided to share her passion for math and learning with students in the classroom. For the last three years, Amanda has taught at Wheaton High School, where she piloted the school’s remedial mathematics course and taught advanced-level courses. While teaching, Amanda continued her own education, earning a master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Governors University. Outside of the classroom, Amanda is a champion for athletics and extracurriculars, and coaches Varsity Girls’ Softball at Blake High School.
HANNAH KEENER
Hannah brings a lifelong passion for learning and teaching math to each and every session with her students both inside and outside of the classroom. After graduating from James Madison University with a bachelor’s in Math and master’s in Teaching, Hannah spent three years teaching algebra II and honors-level precalculus at Osborn Park High School in Prince William County, Virginia. At Osborn Park, she sponsored the Girl Up club to promote leadership development among high school girls, and even spent summers (you guessed it) promoting math education as Program Coordinator for AwesomeMath. More recently, Hannah moved to Wheaton High School in MCPS where she taught on-level precalculus and algebra I for special education students. This Fall, she will be teaching the 9th Grade magnet course, where she will be supporting exceptionally motivated and gifted students. Hannah’s wealth of experience working with students of all skill levels allows her to meet them wherever they are in their academic journey–breaking-down complex problems–and building students back up with a solid foundational understanding of the topic. She is dedicated to building trust with her students and relying on teamwork with students to achieve success.
JAMIE BARKIN
Jamie joins empowerED minds, guided by the belief that every child deserves a champion. As a Maryland native through and through, Jamie attended the Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart and graduated from the Washington Waldorf School. She then earned her bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature and a master’s degree in Secondary Education from the University of Maryland, College Park. With nearly a decade of experience, Jamie has been dedicated to teaching English and AP Literature in MCPS. Her journey is marked by a high school experience with an IEP for ADHD, executive functioning disorder, and dyslexia. Through the support of an academic coach, Jamie transformed from a freshman with a 2.5 GPA to a top graduate in her class. In the classroom, Jamie draws on her personal experience and places a strong emphasis on building meaningful connections with her students. She is committed to providing all of her students with equitable resources, differentiated instruction, and opportunities for diverse perspectives and experiences through “windows and mirrors” (as well as “sliding glass doors”). Additionally, Jamie has an impressive track record in supporting high school seniors with college essay writing, providing them with the guidance they need to succeed. Her dedication to her students is further reflected in her remarkable pass rate for the AP Literature exam, which stands at an impressive 93%—a notable 20% higher than the state average.
JULIE PARK
Julie’s immense experience as a board certified toxicologist - paired with her passion for sharing all she has learned with students of all ages - makes her an invaluable member to our team and partner to her students. Julie earned a B.S. in Biochemistry, B.A. in Chemistry, a minor in music, along with her master’s and Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology, from the University of Washington in Seattle, and served as both a guest lecturer and teaching assistant in undergraduate and graduate courses. In addition to her work with higher education students, Julie brings six years of experience tutoring K-12 math, science (including SAT subject tests), and music (flute and music theory). As a 1.5-generation Korean American immigrant, she not only brings advanced Korean language skills to our team, but a special ability to connect with fellow immigrant students and understand the unique challenges they face both inside and out of the classroom.
DAVID ADAMS
As a student impacted by learning challenges, David is well aware of the roadblocks students and families can face in accessing educational programs. Despite these challenges, David pursued his passion and earned his undergraduate degree in Mathematics from the College of Wooster and was an MCPS Math and Computer Science teacher for 10 years. During his time in the classroom, David had unique opportunities to work with students at both the Middle and High School level. This included facilitation of student wellness programs such as Sources of Strength, a mental wellness program David recruited students for and helped expand into multiple MCPS buildings. David’s greatest strength is coaching for growth, which he had an opportunity to apply to an Alternative Education program that resulted in all students graduating on time. In addition to his background in Education, David earned his MBA from the University of Maryland and has a wide variety of experiences coaching and empowering people to crush their goals. David is a sincere believer that you can do anything you set your mind to and has the tools to make you a believer as well.