About Us

                                                                  

                                                                                   Education isn't "one size fits all"

   Our team gives students the best possible support by understanding that everyone has their own unique learning style.  Our tutors are experienced educators/credentialed teachers who are driven by a shared commitment to your child's success and growth.  We teach with positivity, while building confidence and self-esteem for long-term success.  Meet our team! 

​

​

Christi Maloney, Owner/Tutor

 

   Christi brings over 25 years of educational experience to her position as both owner and tutor at Expressive Learning.  Her interest in childhood education began when her daughters entered elementary school.  She began working at Vine Hill Elementary in Scotts Valley in 1998 as a teaching assistant, spending the majority of her years as a kindergarten aide.  Her passion for teaching and understanding that every student has their own way of learning led her to pursue 1:1 tutoring.

​   While working at Vine Hill, Christi joined Expressive Learning in 2009.  In 2018, she took ownership of the business with an entrepreneurial drive and commitment to supporting the academic needs of students.  Christi has cultivated a team of top-notch tutors, who provide students with exceptional individualized tutoring.  As a local resident raised in Scotts Valley, she prioritizes relationship-building with both students and their families.  Her enthusiasm for teaching and positive approach is reflected in her student's desire to learn. Christi takes pride in creating a warm and inclusive environment at Expressive Learning, ensuring that students thrive and feel confident both inside and outside the classroom.   

​

 

  Anna Mee, Tutor

​

   Anna has been an elementary school teacher since 1999.  She began her teaching career in the Moreland School District for a brief 5 years.  After a short time away to enjoy being a new mom, she returned to teaching at Daves Avenue Elementary School in Los Gatos.  Most of her teaching experience has been with 2nd and 3rd graders.  Anna left teaching to spend more time with her two daughters, where they reside in Scotts Valley. 

​   Anna loves working with kids, which was a driving reason for her decision to join the Expressive Learning team.  As a credentialed teacher, she has embraced a wide variety of teaching practices over the years and has worked with many different types of learners.  She has a firm belief in teaching students how to learn in a way that works best for them and gives them strategies to become life-long learners. Often times, she adds special elements to her sessions which include mindfulness and calming strategies.  Anna has been with Expressive Learning since 2019 and is a wonderful part of our tutoring team.  Her nurturing personality and is an attribute that makes a positive difference in her students' educational experience.   

​

​

Anne Powers-Penilla, Tutor

​

   Anne began her teaching career in 1998 as a second grade teacher in Los Altos School District.  She has since taught several classes of second and third graders, and has tutored students from pre-K to 8th grade in both group and one-on-one settings.  Prior to finding her true passion in teaching and tutoring, Anne earned her bachelor’s degree in Economics from UCLA and her MBA from Cal State Long Beach, which was followed by stints working as a Human Resources representative for a few companies in the Bay Area.  Anne is passionate about helping students grow to feel successful and confident in their learning abilities, while recognizing that we all have areas of strengths and difficulties in our journeys.  Anne has been with Expressive Learning since 2022.  She is an amazing educator who helps students feel confident and understand that although they have struggles, they also have incredible strengths.   

​

​​​

​

Cristine Smith, Tutor

 

    Cristine's educational work began 8 years ago, when she began working as an instructional aide in both general and special education settings at Scotts Valley Middle School.  From that position, Cristine learned to love coming alongside students in small group and one-on-one settings to help students work through obstacles and toward their personal bests.  She has become well-versed in the SVMS curriculum and the developmental realities of 10-14 year-olds, and this knowledge makes her a compassionate and effective tutor.  She has also received training as a reading specialist, working one-on-one with students with reading challenges.

    Cristine is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley (GO BEARS!) and the University of San Diego School of Law.  Before "retiring" to raise her children, Cristine's spent ten years in criminal prosecution as a deputy district attorney.

    Cristine has lived in Scotts Valley for 16 years.  She has been married to her husband, David, for 30 years. They have three adult sons and one crazy dog named Scooby.  On the weekends, David, Cristine and Scooby can be found collecting sea glass on our local beaches or hiking through the woods before retiring to watch college football games on tv (in-season).

 

 

 

 

 

Bonnie Scherer, Tutor

 

Bonnie's bio coming soon!

​

​

Chelsea Huynh, Tutor 

​

Chelsea's bio coming soon!

​​​

​

 

Kelly Norman, Tutor

​

Kelly's bio coming soon! 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

​

​