Marie is an Educational Diagnostician specializing in learning disabilities and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. She has been an educator for 40 years and has 25 years experience in evaluating for learning disabilities. In addition to starting and running the Sinkinson Dyslexia Foundation, Marie is the founder and owner/operator of Tidewater Learning Center in Virginia Beach. Since 1996 she has been on staff at Tidewater Community College as the Educational Diagnostician for the Office of Educational Accessibility Services. Marie and her family moved to Virginia Beach in 1996. She is the proud wife of a retired Navy Commander, mother of 4, and grandmother of 5 angels.
Barbara is an enthusiastic supporter of SDF and its work in unlocking the world of reading for people with dyslexia. She is excited to join the Board and bring her experiences with non-profit work, strategic planning, and operations management.
She completed the Board of Academy offered by the Center for Non-Profit Excellence and hopes to bring energy and ideas about how to advance the important mission and work of SDF!
Barbara has a passion for teaching to empower learners and has taught at the University of Virginia (UVA) for the UVA Launchpad and UVA Advance programs and at Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC). Most recently, she worked as a Senior Consultant for Workforce Planning in Human Resources at UVA. She has leadership experience in managing teams for efficient operations, financial management, customer service, and global strategy. Her education includes a Certificate of Professional Development in Global Strategy and Leadership from The Wharton School and a Master's of Business Administration (MBA) from Babson College
Born and raised in Virginia Beach, Kyle grew up in a family of accountants, with him, his father, mother, and brother all working in the profession. He graduated from James Madison University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Business Administration, majoring in accounting and finance. He started his own tax practice in 2024. He supports SDF's mission to improve awareness, resources, and opportunities for individuals with dyslexia and other learning differences.
Christina is a licensed secondary English teacher with a passion for helping students grow through literacy. Since 2019, she has taught English and tutored students of all ages, with a focus on ESL, remedial reading and writing, and literacy development. Christina has been on SDF's board since 2025 and is passionate about spreading awareness of dyslexia and SDF's mission. She lives in Chesapeake with her family.
Lisa earned a BA in Psychology from Kalamazoo College and an MA in Education from the University of Michigan, with endorsements in teaching students with emotional impairments and learning disabilities. She was a special education teacher at elementary schools in Michigan and Virginia for ten years. She dedicated the next several years to raising her two children, but volunteered as an English teacher for adult immigrants in a church-based program. Upon moving to Virginia Beach with her husband in 2016, Lisa learned about the Sinkinson Dyslexia Foundation's mission and decided to put her teaching skills to good use as a volunteer tutor. She has helped two students graduate from the program so far and is excited to see progress in her current student's reading and writing skills. Lisa is honored to serve on the SDF Board, where dreams about reaching and teaching more struggling readers are turned into inspiring realities. She has been spreading the word about the joys of working with children and their wonderful families, and has successfully recruited friends to join the tutor brigade!
Jake is a founding board member of Sinkinson Dyslexia Foundation. He served on the board for 11 years. Jake is a singer,
a songwriter that recently released his third album, "Eyes on the Horizon". He is best known for playing the saxophone with
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band since 2012. Jake has over 11 years of volunteer work in mentoring and leadership
development for Young Life and Christian Surfer organizations. He holds a degree from the Governor's School for the Arts.
We are continuing to work towards making a greater impact within our community. However, due to the recent pandemic, fundraising has become more difficult than ever. With the cancellation of many of our events we are seeking support from individuals like you.
