Personnel Summary
2025-2026
The Bilgrav School
For Dyslexic Students
307 Evernia St. 2nd Floor
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
www.bilgravschool.org
(561) 619-8838
Heather Coryer - Teacher/Tutor
We are pleased to announce that Heather Coryer will be joining our team as a faculty member in August 2025. She comes to us with a BS in Human Ecology and Child Development from The Ohio State University and an MS in Teaching Early Childhood Education from The University of Charleston.
Heather has more than 20 years of educational experience as a teacher and tutor of elementary and middle school students. She was serving as a teacher at The Cottage School in Roswell Georgia for students with learning differences prior to joining our team and school community.
Heather is certified in the Orton Gillingham (OG) approach to teaching literacy skills to students with learning differences. She also is certified in TouchMath, a multi-sensory approach to teaching math to dyslexic learners. As a new teacher, she also received the New Teacher of the Year award while serving as a Kindergarten teacher at the Mashburn Elementary School in Georgia.
Heather will be a great addition for our students and their parents. She is very student focused and loves to nurture and teach dyslexic learners. She is excited about serving as a faculty member and tutor at The Bilgrav School.
Elissa Gonzalez - Teacher/Tutor
Ms. Elissa Gonzalez is a committed elementary educator, with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. She is currently working on her Master's in Education, at Western Governer’s University. She was trained by the Orton-Gillingham Academy in reading instruction for students with language-based learning differences in 2025, with her practicum to follow 2026. Elissa cultivates a supportive and dynamic classroom environment that fosters social, emotional, and academic growth. Ms. Gonzalez champions the significance of experiential learning and employs a diverse array of organic, innovative teaching strategies to ignite curiosity and a love of learning in her students. Beyond the classroom, she enjoys exploring the great outdoors, tending to her garden, and embarking on enriching travel experiences."
Carla Huertas - Operations Manager
Carla graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a B.S. in Psychology. She also has associates of Science in Medical Sonography, specializing in Echocardiography & General U/S from Cambridge Medical Insitute & Technology located in Delray Beach, FL.
Carla is a dedicated professional who is available to help in all areas of The Bilgrav School. She oversees human resources, operations and serves as the scholarship coordinator. If you have any questions about the school, she will find the answer or direct you to the appropriate person.
Pamela O’Brien - Teacher
Pam will teach math and upper school science classes. She comes to us with more than 20 years of Teaching experience. She has a Florida Professional Certificate in Exceptional Student Education with a Reading Endorsement from the State or Florida, Wilson level 1 & 2 certifications, a Master of Special Education degree, a Bachelor of Arts degree as well as specialization with Math. Pam has worked as a writer for American Psychological Association writing abstracts for books and APA periodicals. After studying for a Master's Degree in Special Education and later reading, Pam worked as an ESE Coordinator for York County Public Schools before being promoted to an itinerant Wilson teacher for 7 years for the York County Public Schools servicing students in elementary, middle, and High School. In Florida she worked as an ESE teacher and was then promoted to a Response to Intervention Specialist for grades 1-5 raising students reading levels to grade level. She also worked as an interventionist for a Charter school where she taught reading in small groups, progress monitored students, attended meetings and raised reading levels. She also taught students math (K-8th) in small groups and provided after school tutoring in math for students who needed extra help.
Pam also worked as an interventionist, literacy & math coach supporting teachers in the elementary school classroom. She is fluent in Spanish.
Pam will be a great addition to our faculty and school community. Pam is excited to be working with all of you and your children as a faculty member at The Bilgrav School.
Dr. Leo Orsino (Dr. O) - Academic Dean/President
Dr. Leo Orsino was appointed by the school board to serve as President of the Bilgrav School in June 2023. During his nearly four decades in education, he has served as a teacher, professor, counselor, consultant, coach, mentor, administrator, Headmaster, Vice President and President.
Leo earned his Ph.D. in education, counseling, psychology and human resource management from The Ohio State University in 1984. He has taught courses in education, counseling, addiction, student behavior, human development, psychology, sociology, marriage and family, leadership and human resource management.
Leo and Cyndi have been married for 44 years and live in Deerfield Beach. They have three married children and six grandchildren. They enjoy spending time with their growing family, especially their six grandchildren.
As a parent, grandparent and leader, Leo is passionate about educating and equipping students to succeed in all areas of their learning. He looks forward to meeting you and your children at The Bilgrav School.
Marcy Reed - Teacher/Tutor
Marcy Reed has a Master of Arts in English, and she is certified Dyslexia Practitioner 1, by the International Multisensory Structured Language Educator Council (IMSLEC).
Marcy trained in dyslexia interventions to give other children the same advantage her dyslexic son received when he was tutored. She arrived at The Bilgrav School from Chicago, where she taught students ages 4-22, most recently in a private school for students with learning disabilities.
Prior to entering the education field, Marcy worked in publishing and public relations. In her free time, she enjoys writing and spending time with her three college-aged children.
Julia Siegel - Afterschool Enrichment Coordinator
Julia graduated from The University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Advertising and a minor in Psychology in 2019; and hopes to pursue a master's degree in education in the near future. She also earned her Cambridge diploma and was in the top 10% of her class. She is a
first-grade teacher at a title one school with 22 students. She loves spending time with children and has years of experience being both a camp counselor and a dance teacher. In her free time, she likes to spend time with family and friends, and doing outdoor activities like bike riding, roller skating, and jogging. Her main duties here will be assisting during after-school activities, administrative duties, and helping around the school with anything that anyone may need. She is very excited to continue the path in childcare/education at the Bilgrav School.
Kelly Timms - Teacher’s Assistant
Kelly Timms was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. Kelly studied Business Management and Human Resource Management at Ohio State University. Recently, Kelly has worked with the Palm Beach Community Schools, teaching a STEM program called “Mind Games.” She taught this program to elementary students. Kelly currently has more than ten (10) years of experience in elementary education. She has a passion for educating and motivating students to learn, grow and push towards their potential. She is patient, kind, encouraging and inspirational in her approach to educating students in all subject areas.
Kelly is excited to serve our dyslexic learners as an assistant teacher at The Bilgrav School.
Pam Weldon – Tutor
We are also excited to announce that Pam Weldon will return to our school to serve as our Structured literacy dyslexia Director, and she will also tutor several of our students. She has more than 25 years of experience in OG and Wilson methodologies. She will add great value for our students’ learning, and our tutoring program.
Off Campus Academic Consultants
The experts below serve as our academic supportive team:
Kathleen Cashette
Katie was first trained in Orton-Gillingham by Orton Academy Fellow, Diana Hanbury King in 1997. She taught and tutored at one of the America’s first OG based schools for dyslexic students, The Kildonan School in New York. After two years there, she earned a Master's in Cognitive Science in Education from Columbia University-Teachers College.
In 2007, she was founding faculty at Joyce Bilgrav’s third OG-based school, the Liberty School in Durango, CO, where she tutored and helped design the interdisciplinary curricular program for twice-exceptional students, the Film program, and the Outdoor Pursuits program. Katie will continue to work with our faculty and tutors as a consultant.
Hunter Patterson
Hunter comes to us with more than 10 years of extensive experience in dyslexic education. He was a founding teacher and board member at The Chandler School for dyslexic students in Greenville, SC and a founding teacher, Co-Director, and current board member at The Bilgrav School. He is an expert at teaching subject matter classes to dyslexic learners. We are
very fortunate to have him counseling and overseeing our teachers.
Hunter will serve as our Academic Consultant for our faculty, tutors and staff. He will have a weekly zoom conference with teachers on Thursdays after school for training in dyslexic teaching methodology and curriculum. He will also be available during the week for questions about teaching, classroom management and curriculum.
Hunter has experience with strategic planning, staff development, and program leadership with a deep commitment to creating engaging, inclusive, and empowering learning spaces. He also has experience in educational leadership and instruction, playing a pivotal role in shaping innovative learning environments.
Hunter will be a great addition to our academic and curriculum support team. He is excited to be a member of our school community again.
Candi Sellers
Candi Sellers comes to us as an Academic Language Therapist-Qualified Instructor, Orton-Gillingham Accredited Training Fellow and a North Carolina licensed teacher and she holds several certifications as a dyslexia specialist. Candi also has a Bachelor's Degree in Education and a Master's Degree in Special Education.