Board of Directors

Steve Mayo
President

Steven Mayo is the owner/director of NewBridge School, a K-8 program for children with language-based learning differences, including dyslexia. Steven holds an Education Specialist Credential and completed his master’s degree program at San Diego State University. He has extensive training in methodology, including advanced training in Slingerland, and experience with Orton-Gillingham. He has directed private schools for children with learning differences since 1989, and helped hundreds of young adults transition into successful academic careers at high schools and universities across the country.

Julie Seki Sulzmaier
Vice President

Julie Seki Sulzmaier is an Education Specialist at High Tech High International. Through the Hawaii Branch of IDA’s Odyssey Project, she has tutored individuals utilizing multisensory methodologies, including the Orton-Gillingham methodology. Prior to moving to San Diego in 2013, Julie served as the K-8 Assistant Principal of Assets School, which supports gifted and/or Dyslexic children in Honolulu, Hawaii. While completing her master’s degree, she taught and counseled students in grades 2 through 8 at Assets School. Julie graduated with a BA in Psychology from Boston University. She received an MS in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in School Counseling from Chaminade University in Honolulu, Hawaii. Julie is passionate about continuing to support the social, emotional and academic growth of individuals with diverse learning profiles here in Southern California.

Dana Gordon, M.A.
Secretary

Dana Gordon is the founder and director of Lotus Learning. She holds a B.A. from UCSD, a certificate in Educational Therapy, TESL certificate, and a Masters in Leadership Studies from USD. For over a decade, she also taught Family Literacy and ESL courses through San Diego Community College. Dana’s specialty is working with students with learning disabilities and attentional issues by helping them embrace their unique talents in order build confidence and competence. Dana is deeply committed to providing a holistic approach to each student’s social, emotional, and academic success. In her spare time, Dana enjoys practicing yoga, gardening and has traveled extensively to countries including: India, Italy, England, Costa Rica, Mexico, Guatemala, Guinea (West Africa), and Morocco. Dana is a certified yoga instructor who loves to share her dedication to healthy living and life balance. She also volunteers with a local charity to teach yoga and nutrition to at-risk children and adolescents within the community.

Dana is interested in becoming more active in the local chapter of IDA in order to be an integral part of its growth and development. As an educational therapist, she sees on a daily basis how learning differences, especially dyslexia, greatly impact students and their academic, social and emotional progress. Dana feels, that being a member of the board of directors is a great opportunity to work closely with parents and professionals to promote outreach, support, and education to the San Diego community. Also, that participating on the board will encourage her to continue to expand her knowledge base of dyslexia and other reading disabilities.  In addition to her personal and professional interest in IDA, Dana truly believes that awareness is key to educate the community about dyslexia and to provide individuals (parents, teachers, etc.) with the necessary resources to help support our struggling students.

Bailey Quon
Treasurer

Bailey Quon is an Education Specialist and Assistant Director at NewBridge School, serving students with learning disabilities, including dyslexia, in grades kindergarten through eighth. Bailey graduated with her B.A. in Communicative Disorders from the University of New Mexico.  She received her B.A. in Education from The College of Santa Fe with an endorsement in TESOL and spent 5 years as a teacher in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  She helped pilot a Wilson Fundations program in her 1st grade class and during this time she became interested in supporting children with learning differences.  She moved west to San Diego in 2007 and now holds a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential with a Cross-cultural, Language and Academic Development (CLAD) Certificate. She received her Level II Education Specialist Instruction Credential from Chapman University and also has training in Orton-Gillingham, a multi-sensory approach.  Bailey continues to seek new ways to teach each student ‘how’ to learn using strategy-based methods to elicit efficient and effective acquisition and use information.

Amy Spitler
Director

Amy Spitler is an Education Specialist at San Diego Cooperative Charter School. She has a degree in Comparative Literature from UC San Diego and completed her Multiple Subject and Education Specialist Credentials through CSU San Marcos. She continues to support new educators as a master teacher for students completing credentials through CSU San Marcos, National University and Azusa Pacific University. She has worked with students with learning differences since 1998 in a variety of subjects from elementary art to high school physics. In addition, she has been trained in Lindamood-Bell’s language processing programs and provided additional support for students with dyslexia as the reconstructive language teacher. She recently completed tenure as the head of the Math Department and is currently teaching 9th and 10th grade English at The Winston School.  Her goal is to support both the academic and personal growth of her students and to cultivate and nurture passions for learning.

Alexis Archambault, M. Ed.
Director

Alexis Archambault, M.Ed., graduated from UC Santa Barbara with her B.A. in Economics and Communications. She then received her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and M.Ed. from UC San Diego. Alexis spent four years working with an intensive reading intervention program in both San Diego and Orange County where she enjoyed learning specific sensory cognitive techniques to teach students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. She loves spending time with parents and professionals in the community helping those students who don’t fit into the traditional school setting.

Katie Larew
Director

Katie Larew, M.Ed, CDP, ATP, is a CERI certified Orton-Gillingham Dyslexia Practitioner and RESNA certified Assistive Technology Professional. With 12 years experience in Special Education, Katie brings a wealth of knowledge about the AT tools and strategies available to help students access their curriculum. As an Assistive Technology Specialist, she provides consultations, trainings, and staff development workshops.

Erin Sensibaugh
Director

Erin Sensibaugh is originally from Fairfax, Virginia, but moved to San Diego in August, 2017. She graduated from The University of South Carolina with a bachelors degree in Elementary Education and went on to receive her Masters from the University of Scranton in Curriculum and Instruction a few years later. Erin holds a teaching license for preK through 6th grade and is trained in many specialized learning programs such as Orton-Gillingham, Responsive Classroom, Adaptive Classroom, and Step Up To Writing. While in Virginia, Erin taught 1st grade for three years and 4th grade for four years in all subject areas. She has experience working with English Language Learners, along with students with special needs in many areas including autism spectrum disorder, specific learning disabilities, ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, anxiety, depression, and visual and auditory processing disorder.