Instructional

Natalie Amore (Spanish)
Mrs. Amore earned a B.A. and M.A. in Spanish Language and Literature from the University of South Florida, where she was granted the opportunity to teach virtual Beginning and Intermediate Spanish. Since this Tampa native relocated to Orlando, she's been working with the Orange County Public Schools teaching primary general education and Spanish. With her diverse teaching background, she appreciates the innovative education provided by a virtual classroom to the students of tomorrow! Mrs. Amore enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family and dog.

 Lacey Anderson (Language Arts)
Mrs. Anderson attended the University of Central Florida where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in English Education and Stetson University where she earned a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership. She has been with OCPS for 15 years, working as a Language Arts teacher and ESOL CT at Chain of Lakes Middle, an Administrator in Instructional Design at the district office, and now as an English teacher at OCVS, where she absolutely loves the virtual environment. Mrs. Anderson and her husband have two amazing children, Weston and Reese. Mrs. Anderson likes to spend as much time as she can with family, playing outside, shopping, swimming and going to the parks.

Jessica Ayuso
 (Language Arts)
Mrs. Ayuso holds a B.S. degree from the University of Central Florida in English Language Arts Education. She started teaching for Orange County Public Schools in 2015 and joined the OCVS team in 2017. Mrs. Ayuso is married and is the proud mother of a crazy Jack Russell Terrier named Trooper. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, running, reading, writing, and traveling with her husband. 

Jennifer Badeaux 
(HOPE)
Ms. Badeaux has been an educator for the last 10 years and has taught all grades from Pre-K to High School. Her roles have included everything from being a classroom teacher, virtual teacher and ESE specialist over the course of those years. She first received her B.A. in Sociology/ Communications from Georgia State University before continuing on to complete her Master’s in Education from Grand Canyon University. Ms. Badeaux loves to be outside exploring and active with her family and can be found at many band events for her daughter or doing Adventure Runs with her family.

Kristina Belgram
(Math)
Mrs. Belgram earned a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education from Florida Atlantic University. She also has her certification in Mathematics grades 6-12. She helped open up Bridgewater Middle School and taught 7th and 8th grade Math there for four years. She then went into the virtual world and taught at FLVS for eight years teaching Algebra 1. She is excited to join the OCVS team! Mrs. Belgram and her husband have three adventurous little boys who always keep them on the go at Disney, Legoland, and the beach. 

Amy Berland
(HOPE)
Mrs. Berland graduated from UCF in 2008 with a B.A. in Physical Education and immediately began teaching. She began teaching HOPE at West Orange High School where she worked and coached softball for seven years. She earned two state titles while coaching softball at West Orange High School when the softball team won the state tournament two years in a row. She also worked for two years as a middle school PE teacher. Mrs. Berland is married and has two young children. In their free time, her family enjoys going to UCF football games during football season and taking their boat out on water with family and friends.

Jane Besuden 
(Elementary/Business)
Mrs. Besuden holds a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting and a Masters Degree in Elementary Education, both from UCF. She earned National Board certification in 2006 and was voted Teacher of the Year in 2007. Mrs. Besuden began in the education field in 1989 as a substitute teacher and has taught Kindergarten through adult education with OCPS. She holds teaching certifications in Elementary Education, ESOL, and Business Education. She has been an OCVS team member since 2012. She loves her farm and adores Star Trek. Live long and prosper!

Tim Besuden 
(Science)
Mr. Besuden holds a B.S. degree in Chemistry from UCF and is an award winning published author. After spending over 25 years in the industry, he returned to school to earn his teaching certification. Mr. Besuden is certified to teach all middle and high school science courses. Additionally, he is certified to teach 2 AP courses: Environmental Science and Biology. Through the years his students have earned over $40,000 in scholarships while participating in the Orange County Science Fair. Mr. Besuden has been an OCVS team member since 2011, and enjoys working in his vineyard and gardens in his free time.

Tammy Boisvert 
(Math)
Ms. Boisvert earned her MEd in Mathematics Education from the University of Central Florida. She began her teaching career in 2002 at her alma mater, Oak Ridge High School, and has been teaching secondary mathematics ever since. She loves playing tennis and is the Girls Varsity Tennis Coach at Lake Nona High School. In her free time, she enjoys relaxing by pools, beaches, on boats, spending time with her family, and laughing at her pet pig Hammy. 

Kevin Booker (Math)

Mr. Booker grew up in Columbus, Ohio and graduated from Wittenberg University in 1999, then later received a M. A. from Stetson University in 2011. He left Ohio for the warmer weather of Florida and started teaching for Orange County Public Schools in 2000. He taught at Pine Castle for two years, then moved on to Walker Middle School and eventually on to Dr. Phillips High School. Mr. Booker has been teaching virtual school for the last seven years and loves the virtual setting. He is married with two daughters and two dogs. When he can get away from the computer, Mr. Booker enjoys fishing and golf.

Acacia Brinson
 (Drivers Ed)
Mrs. Brinson is a graduate of Florida A&M University where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education. She will soon earn her Master’s degree in Athletic Training from Florida International University. She has been teaching for five years and currently teaches Driver Education and Traffic Safety with OCVS. Mrs. Brinson is married with two children and loves to travel and spend time with her family.

Emma Cadman (Instructional Coach)
Mrs. Cadman grew up in Worcester, England. After moving to Florida, she earned her English Education degree from UCF and, in 1996, began teaching in Orange County.  Several years later, she earned a Master’s degree in Instructional Technology and transitioned into an Instructional and Digital Coach position. Mrs. Cadman is passionate about her family – she is married, with two sons and two daughters. As an outdoor enthusiast, she loves to backpack, kayak, and paddle board and hopes to hike the 1000+ mile Mountains to Sea Trail.

Laura Caperton (Math)
Mrs. Caperton earned a B.A. degree in Elementary Education from UCF in 2004. Soon after graduation, she started teaching and has taught 2nd-4th grade for eight years at Apopka Elementary and Tangelo Park Elementary. She left the classroom to become a Math Coach with School Transformation Office in the district for three years. During this time, Mr.s Caperton worked to improve the highest needs schools in the district. She is married and has two children who attend Dream Lake Elementary. She enjoys spending time with church friends and her family

Mary Beth Chennault
(HOPE)
Ms. Chennault earned her B.S. in Health Promotion and her M.A.T. in Health and Physical Education and from Liberty University Online in Virginia. She has been a Florida resident now for 5 years and has taught all grade levels from K-12th. She is excited to begin this adventure as an Orange County Virtual School team member and instructor as virtual learning played a big role in her educational career. Ms. Chennault enjoys participating in the RunDisney races as well as spending time with her family and friends. 

Lindsey Carter (HOPE)
Mrs. Carter earned her B.A. degree in Physical Education in 2005 from Florida State University. She started her career at Dr. Phillips High School in the fall of 2005, teaching physical education and aerobics classes.  She then got certified in Health to begin teaching H.O.P.E. classes at the high school.  While at Dr. Phillips, Mrs. Carter was also the head girls’ varsity volleyball coach (2006-2015) and assistant weightlifting coach. She became a stay at home mom for a couple years in 2013 when she welcomed her second daughter to the family.  Mrs. Carter’s two daughters love to be outdoors at the beach or on the lake doing water sports with her and her husband, Richard.  They also love to watch sporting events like FSU football, Rays Baseball, and Orlando City Soccer.  Mrs. Carter has been with OCVS since 2015, teaching HOPE and Drivers Ed. 

Antoinette Cuomo-Yokel (Drivers Ed)
Mrs. Cuomo-Yokel earned her B.S in Elementary Education from SUNY Fredonia in 2003 and went on to complete her M.S in Education with a specialization in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment from Walden University in 2005. She has been teaching various grade levels and subject areas for the past 15 years. Since 2014 she has been working at OCVS full time and has been teaching Drivers Education and Traffic Safety. Mrs. Cuomo-Yokel is married, has one daughter, and three dogs who are full of lots of love and energy. She enjoys being out in the sun, staying active through CrossFit, and spending lots of quality time with her family and friends.

Melanie Curran (HOPE)
Mrs. Curran obtained her B.A. degree in Health Education along with her M.A. degree in Counseling and Psychology from Florida State University. She attended Nova University and obtained her ED. S. in Educational Leadership.  Mrs. Curran started teaching in Orange County Public Schools in 1995.  She has taught numerous courses, along with being a Guidance Counselor and Administrator. Mrs. Curran is married to Thomas Curran and has one adult son, Michael.  She enjoys kayaking, yoga, running, and spending time with her fur babies.  

Tom Curran (HOPE)

Mr. Curran started teaching with OCPS in 1995 as a Physical Education teacher and coach.  He has coached at the middle school level (basketball, soccer, track, and volleyball) and at the High school level (football and baseball).  He was also a High School Health teacher, SAFE coordinator, Dean andAthletic Director. Mr. Curran has worked for Orange County Virtual School for the last five years and teaches all Health and Physical Education courses along with Drivers Education.  He is married to wife Melanie of 23 years and has one son, Michael.  

Carolyn DiChiara
(Science)
Ms. DiChiara attended Boston University where she received a BS in Sports Medicine before moving to California where she received a MEd in Sports Leadership from California Baptist University.  Ms. DiChiara worked at the University level in California before moving to Florida where she has spent 16 years teaching Science at West Orange High School and Jones High School. She is very excited to be part of the OCVS family and all the different students she will be able to teach. Ms. DiChiara is a dedicated animal rescuer, having fostered over 100 dogs.  In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, gardening, and just spending time with family and her furchildren.

Devan Edgarton (Math)

Mr. Edgarton is a passionate mathematics teacher who is excited to see his students succeed, especially through the use of technology. He is a graduate of Liberty University of Lynchburg, Virginia. In his free time, he loves to be with his beautiful wife and three children. They especially love everything Disney.

Ashley Felton (HOPE)

Ms. Felton earned her B.S. degree in Physical Education from UCF in 1997. After graduation, she began her OCPS career, teaching Health/PE and coaching basketball for five years at Colonial High School. She then spent time at a few other OCPS schools but finally found her way back to Colonial, where she spent the last five years. Although she is now with OCVS, she will still be coaching Grenadier basketball, which is her passion. Ms. Felton has a daughter in high school and two sons, one in elementary school and one in middle school. When she is not working or coaching, Ms. Felton enjoys cooking, exercising, and traveling anywhere she can relax in the sun. 

Alexsis Ferguson (Science)
Mrs. Ferguson earned her B.S. in Biology and Secondary Education from the University of South Carolina.  She is has enjoyed various avenues of education from working in curriculum and teaching at the Orlando Science Center to the High School Classroom, and now virtual education. She currently is a part of the OCVS Science Club where students get a hands-on experience with science labs along with the virtual experience of their science classes. Mrs. Ferguson also loves a variety of outdoor events including being an avid horseback rider since the age of 3.

Lawrence Fisher (Science)

Mr. Fisher graduated from Winter Park HS, served a two-year church mission in South Korea, and received bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Botany with a minor in Chemistry from BYU. He worked as a biologist for several years before teaching Science courses at Valencia State College. He has been teaching various Science courses and coaching sports for OCPS since 1997. He and his wife Stacey raised three sons; his youngest is a senior studying Engineering at BYU. He enjoys playing sports, nature, music, gardening, reading, writing, hiking and playing with his granddaughter.

Dennys Flores 
(Spanish)
Mr. Flores earned a B.S. degree in Liberal Studies from the University of the State of New York in 1995. He started teaching in Orange County in 2006 and is certified in both Social Studies and Spanish. Mr. Flores has been teaching Spanish at the middle school level for more than 10 years. He is married and has four children. He enjoys bike riding, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Jennifer Fontaine
(Music and Business Ed)
Mrs. Fontaine earned a B.M. degree in Music Education from Butler University and an M.B.A. with a concentration in Marketing from the University of Phoenix.  After moving to the Orlando area four years ago, Mrs. Fontaine became the orchestra and guitar teacher at Blankner K-8.  Prior to moving to Florida, she was a professor at Grand Canyon University, taught in the public schools in Arizona, served as the Director of Marketing and Sales for an educational tour company, and worked in various roles in higher education, including experience with online and blended learning. Mrs. Fontaine is married with two children and two rescue dogs.  She enjoys tennis, golf, music, traveling, and spending time with her family.  

Stephanie Friedl 
(Spanish)
Mrs. Friedl graduated from UCF with a Bachelor's degree in Spanish and then worked in various areas of Wells Fargo (banking, mortgage, etc.) until her second child was born. After staying home with him for two years, she decided to go back to work. Her husband had worked in the elevator trade for about 10 years at that point, and she ended up in elevator sales in Dallas. When her family moved to Florida, Ms. Friedl continued in sales at a staffing company. She had always loved Spanish and learned it in a very unique way. When she decided that she wanted to do something with what she loved and could also make a difference, she knew that teaching virtual Spanish was the answer!

Theresa Gindlesperger 
(Language Arts)
Mrs. Gindlesperger grew up in New York and earned her B.S. degree in English Language Arts Education in 1999 and her M.Ed in Educational Leadership in 2002, both from the University of Central Florida. She started teaching in Orange County in 2001 and has served as an English teacher in all grade levels 6-12, an elementary school Media Specialist, a middle school Literacy Coach, and a district Curriculum Specialist. She was selected to serve on the committee to review and revise the Florida Teacher Certification Exam, she is a recipient of Florida's Best and Brightest Teacher Scholarship Award, and she has written and published several books. Mrs. Gindlesperger and her husband, also a teacher, are avid fitness and sports fans. Their favorite athlete is their daughter, Elle, who swims for Trinity Prep Aquatics, and they have three rescue cats - Pan, Grace, and Primrose.

Rene Guity
(Virtual Lab Specialist)
Mr. Guity is originally from Boston, Massachusetts. He earned a B.S in Sociology from Christopher Newport University and an MS. Ed in Counseling in 2007 from Old Dominion University. He began his counseling career in 2007 and has been a counselor in the elementary, middle, and high school settings. Mr. Guity married his high school sweetheart and they have two daughters who both play golf and have aspirations of making it to the LPGA. He is a huge Boston sports fan, loves to read, write, and play video games, but his most favorite thing to do is spend time with his family. In 2012, he started a children’s book series, The Adventures of Tink and Fishes (Our Daddy vol 1), which chronicles his relationship with his daughters. When he is not helping students, he is with his girls!

Monique Hall
 (Spanish)
Mrs. Hall is from Pittsburgh, PA and attended the University of Pittsburgh where she studied Spanish Language and Literature and Latin American Studies. After living in Coast Rica for a few years, she moved to Orlando to begin a career teaching Spanish. In the past 12 years that she has been with OPS, Mrs. Hall has had the privilege of teaching all levels, from beginning to Advanced Placement. When not inspiring future leaders, she enjoys spending time with her husband and the newest member of her family, a baby boy. Mrs. Hall also enjoys traveling and working out.

Krista Harry (Language Arts)
Ms. Harry earned her B.A. degree in Psychology and her M.S. degree in Criminal Justice with a certificate in Criminal Profiling, all from the University of Central Florida. She started teaching in Orange County in 2005. She taught at Apopka Middle School, Apopka High School, and has been an instructor at Orange County Virtual School since 2014. Ms. Harry enjoys reading, creating skincare products from scratch, sewing, attending craft fairs, relaxing at the beach, and spending time with her family and friends.

Chris Hinton (HOPE)
Mr. Hinton earned his B.S. degree in Physical Education and Exercise Science from the University of South Florida. He taught Physical Education at South Creek Middle School for three years. He is also an Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve veteran, still serving in the Army National Guard. Mr. Hinton is married and has one child, a two year old boy. He loves sports and the outdoors. Ice hockey is his favorite sport, followed by football, baseball, and lacrosse. He also enjoys surfing, skateboarding, art, camping, golf, and spending time with friends and family.

Danielle Houston
(HOPE)
Mrs. Houston earned her B.S. degree in Physical Education Teacher Education in 2011 from West Virginia University. She started teaching in Orange County in 2012 at Freedom High School, where she taught HOPE and weightlifting. She has also coached cheer, softball, and sponsored the hip-hop dance team, Internal Beatz. She spent most of the 2016-2017 school year teaching 7th-grade Physical Education at Hunter's Creek Middle before joining OCVS. Mrs. Houston is married and has two sons. She enjoys spending time with her family, going to Disney, attending sporting events, and anything outdoors.

Chad Houvouras
(Instructional Coach)
Mr. Houvouras earned a M.Ed. from the University of Florida in 2001. Mr. Houvouras has educated, supported, and advocated for students with a variety of special needs, including Autism Spectrum Disorder and AD/HD. He was the coordinator for Orange County’s Chapter of CHADD, Children and Adult’s with AD/HD for over 8 years. Mr. Houvouras is married with one son and two daughters. He is passionate about education and loves spending time with his family, surfing, playing guitar, and practicing MMA.

Lori Johnson (Math)
Mrs. Johnson earned her B.A. degree in Business Finance in 1994 from the University of South Florida. She started teaching in Orange County in 1998 and has been a Mathematics teacher at Apopka High School and Ocoee High School before joining OCVS. Mrs. Johnson is married and has three daughters and two sons, ages 19-29. She enjoys reading, cooking, gardening, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Kenneth Jones (Social Studies)

Mr. Jones is a certified and highly qualified Social Studies teacher. His passion is mentoring and helping students achieve their goals. He also enjoys attending a variety of high school sporting events (especially football, basketball, and track) and spending time with his family and friends.

Angela Kerins (Math)
Mrs. Kerins earned her B.S. and M.S. degree in Mathematics Education from Florida State University. She began her teaching career at her high school alma mater and has been teaching secondary mathematics since 2004. Mrs. Kerins is married, has two sons, one daughter, two cats, and one dog. In the fall, you will find her immersed in all things college football and outside of that, she loves to photograph her family enjoying life. Together, they enjoy visiting Disney as often as possible and going on adventures in Florida state parks. 

Brandy Kurn (HOPE)
Mrs. Kurn earned her B.S. degree in Health Sciences from the State University of New York-Cortland. She joined Orange County Schools in 2004. Aside from Orange County Virtual School, Mrs. Kurn has taught at Dr. Phillip’s High School and Apopka Middle School. Mrs. Kurn is married, and has two young daughters and a dog. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, health, learning new things, people, travel, and photography.

Renée Lohr (Blended Specialist)
Mrs. Lohr earned her B.S. degree in Business Administration with a major in Marketing from Ohio State University. She began teaching with Orange County Public Schools in 2002 and joined OCVS during its inaugural year in 2010 as a mathematics teacher. Currently, she is a Lead Teacher. She was voted Teacher of the Year in 2017. Mrs. Lohr is happily married with two children and enjoys being outside, anything sports related, traveling, and spending quality time with her family.

Amárilys López Piñeiro (Spanish)
Mrs. López Piñeiro is from Puerto Rico, a beautiful island in the Caribbean. She was a History and Spanish teacher for thirteen years with the Department of Education in Puerto Rico and an adjunct professor at Ana G. Mendez University. Mrs. López Piñeiro has a Master’s degree in Humanities and is currently working towards a Doctorate in Educational Leadership at UPR Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. She loves to spend time with my family and take trips. 

Michelle Lyon (Math)
Mrs. Lyon is a passionate educator with a Computer Science degree from Rollins and an MBA from UCF. Her teaching career began in 2009 at Windermere Prep before settling in with Orange County Public Schools. She taught at Edgewater HS from 2011-15 before joining Orange County Virtual School and has taught all levels of high school Math. Mrs. Lyon is married with a five-year-old son (Anderson) and a greyhound-beagle dog (Kona). She enjoys vacationing at sunny destinations with her family.  

Simone Maduro-Ferguson
(Language Arts)
Mrs. Maduro-Ferguson began her career in education in 2005 and has taught middle, high school, and college students.  She has a B.A. in English Literature and an M.S. in English Education from The Florida State University. She joined the OCVS team in 2018, and is passionate about education and excited to help students to meet and exceed their goals. Mrs. Maduro-Ferguson is married and has two wonderful children. She enjoys reading, cooking food from her native U.S. Virgin Islands, and supporting youth ministries at her church.

Spring Malone
(Business)
Ms. Malone earned a B.S. degree in Elementary Education from the University of Central Florida in 2002 and a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix in 2005. She has worked as an elementary ESOL teacher for 7 years and was a Program Supervisor for a company that provides Title I services in private schools for 9 years. She is in her 2nd year teaching Business Education and Technology courses for OCVS. Ms. Malone is a mom to two beautiful children-- a daughter and a son-- who both keep her very busy! She enjoys going to the beach, visiting her relatives in Wisconsin, watching Packers football games, reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.

James Mason (Science)
Mr. Mason earned his B.S. in Science Education at USF in 2014 and is dual certified in Biology and Chemistry.  He came into teaching after spending nine years in the US Army and three years managing a Scuba Diving shop.  Mr. Mason has worked as a high school Science teacher, JV head football coach, and Varsity running backs coach for three years in Pasco County before joining the OCVS team in March 2017. He enjoys all sports, video games, comic books (both Marvel and DC) and spending time with his daughter. 

Glenn Marsh (Drivers Ed)
Mr. Marsh earned his B.A. degree in Exceptional Student Education from the University of Central Florida in 1990 and began teaching the same year. He was a three Letterman for UCF’s football team from 1987-1989. He added his Driver’s Education and Traffic Safety endorsement in 1994. He began teaching in Orange County in 2003 and has taught ESE and Drivers Education throughout that time. He has three children that attend Elementary and Middle school in Orange County. He enjoys coaching his children in sports and going to the beach.

Vanessa Marshall (Blended Specialist)
Ms. Marshall earned her B.S. degree in Health Information Management from Florida A&M University in 1995 and her Master's degree in Educational Leadership in 2002 from Nova Southeastern University.  She began teaching part-time in 1997 where she found her calling to the field of education.  She did what she had to do to transition to teaching full-time.  In the early years of teaching, Ms. Marshall taught many courses which include Adult ESOL, Biology, Math and Middle School Science.  Ms. Marshall has a background in administration. She served as an Assistant Principal for 16 years.  In October 2016, she decided to step away from administration to focus on her family.  Ms. Marshall is the proud mother of two elite athletes that play travel basketball and volleyball. Their activities are the core of her enjoyment.  In addition to her family, Ms. Marshall enjoys the beach, traveling, learning new skills and loving life! 

Joel Martel (HOPE)
Mr. Martel earned a B.S. degree in Physical Education in 1992 from Springfield College and a M.A. degree in Education in 1999 from Trinity College of Vermont.  He has been teaching for the past 26 years and started in Orange County in 2002. He has been a Physical Education and Health teacher at Odyssey Middle, Lake Nona High and Lake Nona Middle School before joining OCVS. Mr. Martel is married and has one son, Maxwell (Max) and a dog. He enjoys attending a variety of sporting events (especially basketball and football), concerts, movies, traveling, and spending time with his family and friends.

Krystal Martel (HOPE)
Mrs. Martel earned a B.A. degree in Health Education from Florida State in 2008, and a M.A. degree in Special Education from the University of Central Florida in 2011. She started teaching in Orange County in 2009, and has been a Health teach at Winter Park High School and a Physical Education teacher at Lake Nona Middle School before joining OCVS. Mrs. Martel is married, and has one son, Maxwell (Max) and a dog. She enjoys attending a variety of sporting events (especially FSU and UCF football), working out, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.

Terri McCarthy
(Math)
The Walt Disney World College program brought Mrs. McCarthy from her hometown in upstate New York to the Central Florida area where she earned her B.S. degree from UCF in Business Administration, Management. In 2007, Mrs. McCarthy discovered a passion for teaching and made the transition to teach mathematics. In 2012, she returned to UCF to earn her Master’s degree in Teaching Mathematics. She taught eleven of twelve years in her Avalon Park community before hiring with Orange County Virtual School. Mrs. McCarthy and her husband have a son attending the University of Florida and a daughter who is a senior at Timber Creek High School. When she is not working, Mrs. McCarthy loves spending time with her family, watching movies, attending UF and UCF football games and other athletic events. She loves to travel and especially loves watching her daughter play club and high school volleyball.  

Gina McNeil (French)
Mrs. McNeil earned her B.A. degree in French from Louisiana State University and continued her postgraduate studies there in Education.  One of her semesters at LSU was spent abroad in Paris. In 2006, she earned her National Board Teaching Certification. Although she has taught in Louisiana and Oregon, most of her 20 years of teaching has been in Orange County where she was honored as Teacher of the Year at both West Orange High School and Lakeview Middle School.  Mrs. McNeil is married with two daughters and a rescued Boxer named Hank. She loves watching her girls run track/play soccer, volunteering at her church and in the community, and relaxing at the beach.

Bethany Miller (Art)
Mrs. Miller earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Art Education from the University of Central Florida. She began teaching in Orange County Public Schools in 2005. She was the Art Teacher and Special Areas Team Leader at Waterford Elementary for a decade before joining OCVS. Mrs. Miller is married and has a daughter and son. She enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach, and being creative.

Celita Mitchell (Math)
Ms. Mitchell attended Florida A & M University in Tallahassee, FL where she was a dual major student earning a B.S. degree in both Mathematics Education as well as Accounting. She continued her education at Nova Southeastern University’s graduate school in the Educational Leadership Masters Program. She has taught math and business courses, at both the middle and high school level, for the past five years. She loves to see people reach their full potential and is fulfilled when she can assist them on that journey. She has two beautiful children, a daughter named Zuri and a son named Tahmare. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, swimming, spending time with family and friends, and traveling to new places. 

Raphael A. Mizzell (Art)
Dr. Mizzell has worked in the educational realm for the past 17 years after playing Division IA collegiate football at East Carolina University and Semi-Pro football in Tallahassee. He earned his undergraduate degree in fine arts at Florida A & M University (1997) and a Master in Fine Arts at Florida State University (2000). Dr. Mizzell started teaching in Orange County Public Schools in 2000 as an Art teacher at Robinswood Middle School. He then pursued his Doctorate degree in Education at Nova Southeastern University and completed in 2006. Dr. Mizzell’s professional career outside of academia includes, not limited to inventing, writing books, painting as well as a considerable career in freelance art.

Nichole Nickson (HOPE)
Ms. Nickson earned her B.S. from the University of Central Florida in Sport and Exercise Science. She started teaching HOPE in Orange County in 2016 and previously taught PE in Lake County. Ms. Nickson works with Special Olympics in various sports throughout the county. She enjoys football, running and spending time with her family.

Rebecca Paige
(Spanish)
Mrs. Paige has been a teacher for 20 years.  She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and her Master’s degree from Nova Southeastern University.  She is originally from Puerto Rico, but moved to Orlando when she was eight years old.  In her spare time, Mrs. Paige enjoys art related activities and spending time with her husband and daughters.

Arelis Pantojas (Spanish)
Mrs. Pantojas is from San Juan, Puerto Rico which is located in the beautiful Caribbean Sea. She has been teaching in Florida for about eight years and is certified in World Languages-Spanish K-12, PreK-Primary (3rd Grade), and Family and Consumer Science. Mrs. Pantojas has an Undergraduate Degree from California State University in Spanish Language and Literature. In addition, she has a Masters in Ed in Early Childhood Education from Trident University and is currently working towards adding  Educational Leadership to her FL Professional Certification. On a personal level, Mrs. Pantajos enjoys spending time with her granddaughters. she also loves dancing and family game nights. 

Monique Parker (Social Studies)
Mrs. Parker earned her B.S. degree in Human Resource Management with a Psychology minor from Florida State University and an M.S. degree in Counseling & Psychology from Troy University. She holds three educational certificates in Social Sciences, Middle Grades, & Guidance. She has taught within the OCPS district since 2007 and with OCVS since 2010. She also is an author & ministry leader. She loves to spend time with her husband and their four children.

Brian Patterson (Social Studies)
Mr. Patterson earned a B.A. degree in Secondary Education/ Social Studies from Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, and a Masters of Arts degree in from Nova University. He started teaching in Orange County in 2000 at Robinswood Middle School, then spent 10 years at Jones High School as a Social Studies teacher in the AP and IB programs and later, the Social Studies instructional coach. Mr. Patterson has two daughters. He enjoys reading, exercising, and spending time with his family.

Susan Patterson (Language Arts)
Mrs. Patterson earned her B.A. degree in English and Communications from Syracuse University. She got her M.A. degree in School Counseling from the University of Central Florida. Mrs. Patterson started working for OCPS in 2007. She has worked with elementary, middle and high school students. Mrs. Patterson has been married for eight years to a fellow educator, which is great because they can share work woes and joys. They have two little girls who are just awesome (although she may be a tad biased about that). She loves swimming, taking walks, as well as having fun adventures with her family.

Renee Phillips (Blended Specialist)
Mrs. Phillips’ educational career commenced in 1994, after earning her B.S. degree in Math Education and Minor in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida. She taught in public schools for 12 years before serving as an online instructor and learning specialist at Florida Virtual School in 2006. Mrs. Phillips is married, has two beautiful children and two dogs.  She enjoys dancing, crafts, traveling, outdoor activities and spending quality time with her family.

Marcia Prewitt (Business Ed)
Ms. Prewitt earned her B.S. degree in Business Administration from Florida A& M University. After working in the industry, she returned to college to obtain her Education Certification. She started her Business Education teaching career in 1997 at Evans HS, then Timber Creek HS (2006 -2013), and Orange Technical College (2013 – 2016). She has been with Orange County Virtual School (OCVS) since 2013 as a part-time instructor. In 2016, she became a full-time instructor for OCVS. She currently holds the following certifications: Microsoft Office Specialist – Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Ms. Prewitt has two daughters and enjoys traveling, dancing, and spending time with family and friends.

Bryanna Rankin (Language Arts)
Mrs. Rankin graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in Language Arts.  Years later, she earned a Master’s degree in Athletic Administration. After 12 years of being a stay-at-home mom, Mrs. Rankin started teaching English and Journalism at Bishop Moore. She then went to Cypress Creek HS where she taught Gifted studies in the IB  Program. She has spent the past 20 years teaching senior English at Edgewater HS, where she continues to coach the girls’ tennis team.  Mrs. Rankin has two daughters who are married and four darling grandchildren. Her youngest daughter, Lindsey Carter, teaches HOPE/PE/Driver’s Ed for OCVS. Mrs. Rankin loves the beach and traveling abroad.

Jessica Rapp (Math)
Mrs. Rapp holds a B.A. degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Central Florida. She began her career as a statistician for the Space Shuttle program with United Space Alliance. Once the Space Shuttle was retired, she decided to become a teacher and utilize her experience to help inspire young mathematicians to pursue careers in STEM fields. She returned to school and earned an M.A. degree in Teaching, Secondary Mathematics from UCF. Prior to teaching for OCVS, Mrs. Rapp worked at Lake Nona High School for seven years. She is married with three children who keep her very busy with soccer, gymnastics, and all things Disney.

Holly Raymond (HOPE)
Mrs. Raymond joined OCVS in 2017, spending the last five years as a PE teacher and Athletic Director for the Diocese of Orlando.  She has a bachelor’s degree in Human Performance, emphasis on Athletic Training, and a minor in Dance from the University of Southern Mississippi.  She completed her master’s degree in Sports Management from the United States Sports Academy.  Mrs. Raymond has been teaching since 2001 in the subjects of PE, Dance, and Health to students ages three all the way through 12th graders.  She enjoys all aspects of fitness and spends much of her free time traveling with her husband to introduce their children to the wonders of the USA.  

Autumn Reyes-Sokolowsky
 (Social Studies)
Mrs. Reyes-Sokolowsky earned her B.A. in History from the University of Central Florida in 2011. She went on to obtain her Masters in Educational Leadership from Concordia University in 2014 and then her Masters in History from Southern New Hampshire University in 2016. Currently, she is pursuing her Doctorate in Education specializing in Teacher Leadership. She began working for OCPS in 2012 as a Social Studies teacher and is certified in Social Studies and Educational Leadership. Mrs. Reyes-Sokolowsky is married and has a son. In her free time, she likes to read and relax with her family. 

Katherine Flores Sabattini 
(Business Ed)
Ms. Sabattini earned her MBA in Business Management from Nova Southeastern University in FL and a BBA in International Marketing from Baruch College in NY. She is pursuing her second Master's Degree in Exceptional Student Education from the University of Central Florida. Prior to teaching, Ms. Sabattini worked in international marketing communications, real estate, and sales. In 2009, she began her teaching career as a Business Education teacher at Treasure HS in Port St. Lucie. Her family relocated to Orlando and she worked as a substitute teacher before teaching Spanish 2 at SunRidge Middle School in Winter Graden. Ms. Sabattini enjoys spending time with her two boys and family, traveling, and loves the beach.

Carmen Santiago (Spanish)
Mrs. Santiago studied at the University of Puerto Rico (B. A. degree in Secondary Education / Biology, 1983), University of Phoenix (M. A. degree in Administration and Supervision, 1987), and University of Maryland (Spanish teacher certification program, 1996). She has taught Science and Spanish since 1983 in Puerto Rico, NYC, Maryland, and Florida, as well as served in the U.S. Army (1987 – 1990). She has four grown children and eight grandchildren. She loves traveling, hiking, working out, and dancing.

Natalie Scevola
(Spanish)
Mrs. Scevola earned a degree in Education in Argentina, where she is originally from. After traveling to many countries around the world, she settled down in Orlando, FL with her husband and earned a B.S. degree in Business Management at UCF while working as a Substitute teacher in Orange County. She is very excited to be working as a Spanish teacher for OCVS because she appreciates innovation in education to stay up with current needs. She enjoys traveling with her husband and two children, and living sustainably.

Kyle Shelanskey
(Social Studies)
Mr. Shelanskey earned his B.A. degree in History and Secondary Education from Bradley University in 2012. He started teaching at Orange County Virtual School in 2014 as a high school History teacher. Originally from Chicago, he has lived in central Florida for four years. In his spare time, Mr. Shelanskey enjoys going to the beach and playing volleyball, reading, watching sports and movies.

Brandon Siefker (Drivers Ed)
Mr. Siefker attended college at the University of Nevada playing football and majoring in Social Studies. He began teaching for Orange County in 2006 at Dr. Phillips High School before moving on to Apopka High School. He started at Orange County Virtual School during its inaugural year as a part-time Social Studies teacher and currently teaches Drivers Ed. He is married, has four-year-old twins, and enjoys learning about Colonial American History, cooking, and watching football, baseball, and hockey - rooting for Boston teams!  

Angeles Silva-Johnson (Spanish)
Mrs. Silva-Johnson earned her B.A. degree in Spanish at Northeastern Illinois University and her M.A. degree in Educational Leadership at Nova Southeastern University. In addition, she has completed the English for Speaker of Other Languages Endorsement. She started teaching in OCPS in 1991 and has served in many different capacities, including Instructional Coach and Assistant Principal. She has been married for 25 years to Kevin Johnson who is also a teacher in OCPS. She has two lovely daughters & three dogs. Her hobbies include cooking, going to the movies, and trying to put a smile on people's faces!

Jennifer Silvers (Social Studies)
Mrs. Silvers earned a B.A. degree in Graphic Design from Ramapo College in 2001, then completed a graduate-level Elementary Education certification program at New Jersey City University in 2003. She is currently working towards an M.A. degree in Instructional Design & Technology from UCF. Mrs. Silvers was a Kindergarten teacher in New Jersey before moving to Florida in 2006 where she then taught various grade levels and subjects in both Seminole and Orange County schools. She also worked at both Huntington & Sylvan Learning Centers for 10 years, tutoring K-8 and high school SAT Prep (Verbal/Essay). Mrs. Silvers joined OCVS in 2010 during its first year and was voted Teacher of the Year in 2016. She is married and has a dog & two cats. Mrs. Silvers enjoys traveling the world, reading, art, singing, and Disney.

Kelli L. Smith
(Mathematics)
Mrs. Smith is a passionate educator with a B.S. degree in Mathematics Education from Florida A&M University.  She has been with OCPS for ten years, where she taught at Apopka High School before joining OCVS.  She is married and has two children. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and traveling the world.

Manal Sohel  (Elem Reading)

Mrs. Sohel is a UCF graduate. She earned her B.A. degree in Elementary Education and her M.A. in Educational Leadership. She has taught middle school Reading and was an Instructional Coach for Seminole County Public Schools. Her favorite sports are football and basketball. She enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends. 

Kanchan "Kay" Sujanani (Math)
Ms. Sujanani is certified in Mathematics 9-12, as well as Biology 9-12, but prefers Mathematics to be her focus. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a B.A. degree in Political Science; International Relations and a minor in Comparative Politics. She also received a B.S. degree in Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences; Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Public Health and Physics from the University of South Florida. She has her Master’s degree in Mathematics in Teaching; Applied Mathematics, and is now a PhD Fellow at Florida Southern College pursuing a Doctorate in Curriculum Development. She enjoys learning as much as creating fun ways for students to interact with their courses. Her passion is traveling in seeing all her students flourish from the beginning to end. 

Sandra Thuringer (Reading)
Mrs. Thuringer earned her B.S. degree in Human Resource Development from the UF in 1997, and her M.S. degree in Educational Leadership from GCU in 2011. She started teaching in Orange County in 2004 as a Kindergarten teacher. She moved to Texas for two years, where she taught First and Sixth grades. She came back to Orange County in 2008 and taught at an elementary school. She started with OCVS during its inception year in 2010 as a part-time Electives teacher. Mrs. Thuringer is certified in K-6 Elementary, Reading K-12, Business Electives 6-12, and ESOL. She is married with one daughter (LeeAnn) and one son (Jason). She enjoys attending her son’s soccer games and her daughter’s archery and volleyball games. She also enjoys volunteering in many different facets and spending time with her family and friends.

Marilyn Torres (Spanish)
Mrs. Torres earned her B.A. degree in Secondary Education, minor in English in 1992 from PUCPR, and her M.A. degree in Arts of Education, minor in Technology from Caribbean University in 2004. She continued towards a Doctorate degree in 2005 in Curriculum and Teaching, and Educational Leadership. She started teaching in 1991 in Puerto Rico. In 2012, Mrs. Torres came to the United States and worked as a high school English teacher and then as a lead teacher in Osceola County. In 2014, she joined OCVS as a Spanish teacher. Mrs. Torres is married and has one daughter. She enjoys attending a variety of sporting events (mostly soccer and karate) with her family, attending her daughter's violin concerts, and traveling to see family and friends.

Anne Walsh (Instructional Coach)

Mrs. Walsh is from the great state of Ohio, where she earned her A.A.S. in Computer Technology, B.S.B.A and M.B.A degrees. She began teaching at the college level, and then switched to public school to fit her family’s schedule. Having started her OCPS career in 1999, most of her teaching years were spent at West Orange HS. After working as a District Instructional Coach, Mrs. Walsh joined the OCVS family. She and her husband have three adult sons, and she enjoys family time at the beach, reading, crocheting, and long walks. Her favorite quote: Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right.

Deberoh Watkins (Testing Coordinator)
Mrs. Watkins attended UCF where she obtained a B.A. in Education when her last child started school. Three years later, she attended Nova Southeastern where she earned an M.A. in Reading. Five years later, she obtained an Ed.S in Educational Leadership. Mrs. Watkins has worked for OCPS for 15 years teaching K-8, coaching, serving as an Admin Dean, and now as the Testing Coordinator for OCVS. She has been married for 30 years and has four children. Her youngest son is also attending UCF to earn an Education degree. Mrs. Watkins loves to read, write, and run. She also loves to travel the country with her husband Bob, looking for fun running races and interesting Western art.

DeMetra Williams (Social Studies)
Dr. Williams earned her B.A. degree in History in 2001 and her B.S. degree in Secondary Education in 2002, both from the University of Cincinnati. She earned her MEd degree in Educational Leadership in 2009 from Troy University. She also earned an EDD degree in Educational Leadership in 2015 from Northcentral University. She started teaching in Orange County in 2002. She has worked in a variety of school settings over the past 15 years but has spent the last five years in a virtual setting. She was voted OCVS Teacher of the Year in 2019. Dr. Williams is married and has one son. She enjoys watching college sports, reading, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.

Erica Witt
(German/English)
Ms. Witt earned her B.A. from Florida State University where she majored in Multilingual/Multicultural Education (German) and in Psychology with a minor in English. She taught English at Jones High School for 16 years and then taught German at Freedom High School for 16 years. Though she has worked with other online students, this is her first year with OCVS. She enjoys reading, working on her “farm,” and taking care of her many pets, many of which are rescues. 

Carrie Ann Woods
(American Sign Language)
Ms. Woods is a National Board Certified Teacher who earned her Master’s degree in Deaf Education at Canisius College in New York in 2001; she is currently pursuing her doctoral studies at the University of Central Florida.  She has taught undergraduate coursework related to Deafness and Deaf Studies, including American Sign Language, at both UCF and Seminole State College. Ms. Woods enjoys reading, being active, traveling, and attending her son’s sporting events.

Bryan Wright (HOPE)
Mr. Wright holds a B.S. Degree in Sports and Fitness from the University of Central Florida (2009) and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Grand Canyon University (2012).  Right before graduating from UCF, he joined the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League as Assistant Equipment Manager for the Inaugural season in 2009 thru 2010 when the team moved.  Mr. Wright started teaching Physical Education in 2012 at Renaissance Charter K-8 in Orange County and was the Dean of Students from 2015 thru 2017.  His outside activities include spending time with family, volunteering with his son's scout pack, camping, hiking, and football