Our Staff and Board of Directors
Krista K. Gauthier - Founder, Executive Director/President
Krista first conceived of SDSquared when, as a parent of a dyslexic child, she noticed that the access she was able to provide her daughter in both remediation and STEM enrichment was denied to so many for a variety of reasons.
Krista has over 10 years of experience in education, both as a teacher and as a researcher in educational theory and curriculum. Most recently, she gained valuable nonprofit development experience as a development director at a Northern Virginia private school. Krista has taken those two professional experiences and used them to found and build this one of kind program for children with dyslexia.
Carly Swanson - Curriculum Lead
Carly joined the Dyslexic Edge family as a volunteer in the summer of 2018. She was drawn to the program because she is dyslexic and has ADHD. After she graduated from Stetson University with a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education, she became a first grade teacher and Dyslexic Edge tutor. She has completed the Comprehensive Virtual IMSE Orton-Gillingham Training, IMSE’s Phonological Awareness Training, and Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) Training. Carly joined the Dyslexic Edge family as a volunteer in the summer of 2018. Now she is working on her Masters from George Mason University in Literacy Leadership for Diverse Schools: K-12 Reading Specialist Concentration. As a child, Carly struggled in school. With the help of teachers, tutors, and her wonderful parents she was able to develop coping strategies and use accommodations to be successful. Since the, she has been deeply interested in how people learn literacy skills and best practices for instruction. She has a passion for helping all dyslexics find success and grow to love their wonderful dyslexic brains.
Barbara Dalmut - Secretary, Board Of Directors
Barbara comes from a family dedicated to education and community service. Her career in education spans 21 years. She taught elementary and middle school for 8 years and served as Principal of St. Ambrose Catholic School (Annandale, VA) and St. Bernadette Catholic School (Springfield, VA) for a combined 12 years. She was also an Adjunct Professor in the Catholic School Leadership Graduate Program at Marymount University in Arlington, VA for five years. Schools can be a vibrant places that shape young hearts and minds, but they can’t do everything for everyone. Families who are challenged with their children’s special learning needs deserve our support. She is proud to be a part of this innovative program. It is her hope that Sliding Doors will provide the opportunity for these brilliant young people to thrive.