Chee Nguyen, Education Specialist

Mrs. Nguyen is a credentialed educator and former Irvine Unified School District teacher with extensive experience supporting students with a wide range of learning needs. She has taught in general education, special education, and inclusive co-taught classrooms, working with students from kindergarten through elementary school, including students with IEPs and gifted learners.

With a strong background in early literacy, Mrs. Nguyen received extensive training in the Early Intervention Reading Model and spent six years using structured phonemic awareness and phonics instruction to help young readers build strong foundational skills. Her experience also includes teaching in a Special Day Class, co-teaching in inclusive kindergarten classrooms, and working with first- and second-grade homeschool students in a small-group setting.

Mrs. Nguyen graduated magna cum laude from Boston University, where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, and completed her Education Specialist credential and graduate coursework in Special Education at California State University, Fullerton.

She brings warmth, experience, and a deep understanding of individual learning differences to her work. Mrs. Nguyen loves building meaningful relationships with students and providing individualized instruction that helps children grow in both their skills and confidence as learners.

Ilissa Landsman, M.S. Early Childhood Education

Ilissa is an experienced educator with a Master of Science in Early Childhood Education from CUNY Hunter College in New York. She has taught in both public and private school settings across the country, bringing a strong background in literacy instruction and supporting students with diverse learning needs.

Ilissa has extensive training and experience in reading and writing instruction through Columbia University Teachers College and loves using high-quality children’s literature and nonfiction texts to build students’ reading comprehension, writing skills, and engagement with learning.

Outside of teaching, Ilissa enjoys cheering on her children at their sporting events and going on birding adventures with her son.

Abby, B.A. Ed

Abby is a credentialed teacher with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and an endorsement in Middle School Mathematics. She has classroom experience across the elementary and middle school levels, where she has designed and delivered instruction across core academic areas and frequently implemented differentiated, small-group instruction to provide targeted support based on individual student needs.

Through her work with Galileo Growth, Abby has supported students ranging from elementary through middle and high school with a wide range of strengths, exceptionalities, and learning differences, including Autism (AUT), dyslexia, ADHD, and other processing and intellectual differences. She has experience providing individualized literacy and math intervention as well as executive functioning coaching. Abby has demonstrated success in helping students strengthen foundational literacy skills and advance their reading levels through explicit, systematic structured literacy instruction. Her work with older students also includes supporting organization, planning, time management, task initiation, study skills, and other executive functioning skills that promote greater independence and academic success.

Abby believes in meeting students where they are and using a variety of evidence-based teaching methods to build skills, confidence, and engagement. Her warm, encouraging approach, combined with her ability to differentiate instruction, allows her to develop strong relationships with students while providing meaningful academic support.

In addition to her classroom and intervention experience, Abby coaches JV girls’ soccer at San Juan Hills High School, bringing her experience motivating and mentoring young people into both academic and athletic settings.

Kristine B.A. Ed.

Kristine is a dedicated educator with classroom experience teaching both first and fifth grade, where she has developed a strong foundation in supporting the diverse academic and social-emotional needs of her students. She is trained in the Science of Reading and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and is committed to using evidence-based, research-backed instructional practices to help students become confident, capable, and successful learners.

Throughout her teaching career, Kristine has provided targeted small-group and individualized instruction for a wide range of learners, including general education students, English language learners, and students with IEPs and 504 plans. She has extensive experience implementing structured literacy instruction to support students with diverse learning profiles, including those with dyslexia, processing disabilities, ADHD, and autism. Through her individualized, systematic approach, Kristine has demonstrated success in strengthening foundational literacy skills, closing learning gaps, and helping students build confidence as readers and writers. At Galileo Growth, she brings an exceptional ability to differentiate instruction, thoughtfully tailoring lessons to each child's unique strengths, needs, and learning style.

Kristine believes that every child can thrive with the right combination of individualized support, encouragement, and high-quality instruction. She is passionate about building strong relationships with students and families and creating a positive, supportive learning environment where children feel empowered to take risks, celebrate growth, and develop lasting confidence. She is excited to partner with families to strengthen literacy skills, foster academic success, and inspire a lifelong love of learning.

Katie Park

Hi! I’m an elementary educator with 25 years of experience working with students from Kindergarten through 6th grade. I truly believe that learning should be fun, encouraging, and a place where students feel comfortable being themselves.

One of my favorite parts of teaching is helping students build confidence. When kids believe in themselves and realize they’re capable of more than they thought, amazing things happen! I love celebrating those “aha!” moments and watching students grow both academically and personally.

When I’m not teaching, you’ll usually find me working out, curled up with a good book, enjoying a great meal with friends, or traveling and exploring somewhere new. I bring that same curiosity, energy, and enthusiasm into my teaching every day!

Izzy, B.S. Psychology

Izzy earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Boise State University, with a minor in Linguistics and a certificate in Elementary American Sign Language (ASL). She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, with a passion for supporting children and families.

As a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT), Izzy provided individualized, one-on-one support to elementary-aged students with a wide range of learning and developmental needs, including Autism, ADHD, Down syndrome, and developmental delays. She has experience supporting students with academic skills, executive functioning, organization, task initiation, attention, self-regulation, and independence. Izzy also collaborated closely with teachers, BCBAs, and families to support individualized goals and implement IEP and behavior-plan strategies.

Izzy brings a patient, encouraging, and relationship-based approach to her work with students. She strives to create a positive learning environment where children feel understood and supported while building the skills, confidence, and independence they need to be successful learners.

Galileo Growth has an extensive network of other educators and specialists to connect her clients with for additional services, support, and assessments. This includes:

• Mental Health Services

• Speech and Language Services

• OT & PT

• Content Specific Expertise & Support

• Transitional Planning Services