Adrien grew up in Seattle and holds a Bachelor's in Studio Art from Whitman College. She navigated the 2e educational experience as a student with undiagnosed ADHD, homeschooled her own 2e child, and has been on both sides of the IEP process as a parent and professional educator within Seattle Public Schools. In the classroom, Adrien focuses on developing reading and writing skills in gifted students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, and autism, and she provides thought leadership to Trillium’s 2e curriculum development. Her 2e child is now thriving as a high school student at Trillium.

Alexander holds a Bachelor’s in Mathematics and a Master’s in Teaching with a focus on mathematics. Working in Seattle-area public schools for 12 years, they taught math and robotics, co-taught inclusion classes with modified instruction for students with IEPs, and served as an instructional coach. At The How Skills, they provided expertise and coaching in neurodiversity and inclusive best practices in the workplace, interviewer training for neurodiversity hiring programs, and executive function strategies and tools for individuals.

Born and raised in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, Ashley grew up in the Seattle area, where her love for the performing arts began. She studied musical theater at a conservatory in New York City, Circle in the Square Theater School. While she was in New York, she worked as a teaching artist for local public schools. Ashley has taught all over the country, bringing theater to different communities while working with Missoula Children’s Theater.

Balazs holds a Bachelor’s in the Comparative History of Ideas from the University of Washington and a Master’s in Comparative Literature from Indiana University in Bloomington. In addition to his degrees, Balazs studied project-based learning with PBLWorks and design thinking with IDEO. He has taught literature, language arts, and social studies at a number of institutions, including Quest Academy, a school for gifted children in Illinois, and has designed maker spaces and school gardens at several schools. He leads our maker program with a focus on project-based learning.

Char has a background in twice-exceptional education as a student, teacher, counselor, and camp instructor. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, he has a passion for learning and writing about local history, exploring the natural wonders that our region has to offer, and working to build connections between communities of twice-exceptional learners.

Christopher DiLorenzo holds a Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies from Chapman University. Before moving to Seattle, he spent 10 years working with kids in physical education as a YMCA lead teacher and teaching PE in Southern California. He developed and runs the Physical Education program at Trillium Academy. His passion lies in teaching kids the fundamentals of sports and watching students develop their athletic skills. 

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Daniel is a licensed mental health counselor in private practice. Before private practice, Daniel worked for ReStart, a local inpatient and outpatient video gaming addiction center, and Turning Point Centers, where he provided trauma-informed individual, group, and family therapy. He has direct experience serving twice-exceptional clients, and he regularly collaborates with colleagues who specialize in the care of gifted and twice-exceptional children and families.

Before joining Trillium Academy, Destinee worked for two years as a Student Advisor for Rainier Scholars, a program from which she graduated. In this position, Destinee provided administrative support and worked with recruits and their parents during the summers, utilizing her skills in communication, collaboration, problem solving, organization, and documentation. Trillium’s mission to celebrate the incredible capabilities of students resonates with Destinee’s personal values of inclusivity, creativity, and fostering individual strengths.

Emma joins Trillium with experience as a Humanities and English Language Arts classroom teacher and a tutor to 2e students. She holds a Bachelor’s in Religion and Culture, Pre-law, and Creative Writing, and a Master of Teaching with English Content Endorsement. Emma’s teaching philosophy is rooted in relationship-building, inclusivity, and creativity. She focuses her curriculum on Universal Design for Learning, building student voice, and promoting student autonomy through project-based learning. She particularly enjoys implementing individualized, inquiry-driven learning opportunities.

Born in Alaska, Garrison holds a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from the University of Anchorage. As a 2e individual, Garrison’s experience overcoming his learning differences helps him better understand, relate, and guide his students. He creates a learning environment where students feel empowered, supported, and understood. Leading summer camps and after school clubs, Garrison facilitates peer connection through a shared love of tabletop and video games, Dungeons & Dragons, and outdoor adventure. 

Gen holds a Bachelor’s in English and Psychology and a JD with a focus on social justice. She has completed additional graduate coursework in literacy, adolescent behavior, family and school collaboration, and special education. Gen worked at Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences (SAAS) for over 10 years, including in the Options Program where she taught humanities, psychology, environmental science, biology, physical education, and study skills to neurodiverse students. In the classroom, she utilized creativity when navigating conflict resolution and managing classroom dynamics, and coaches Trillium students with empathy and without judgment.

George is a visual artist and graphic designer with experience in painting, drawing, illustration, creative direction, graffiti art, and mural art. He has worked with a number of clients on commissioned projects, including multiple skate companies, Artist of Color Collective, Social Justice Law Journal, and Starbucks. George has also volunteered with Lyle School District in Oregon and is excited to bring his experience transitioning from physical to digital art and helping students grow in their own digital art journey.

JoeAnna McDonald holds a Master of Arts in Mathematics from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. During her graduate studies, JoeAnna instructed several sections of Math for Elementary School Teachers, where she provided future educators with tools to facilitate student comprehension. In the classroom, JoeAnna enjoys guiding students on their mathematical journey as they improve problem-solving skills, deepen their logical reasoning, and gain confidence in themselves and their abilities. 

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Justin holds a Bachelor’s in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from The Evergreen State College and a Master’s in Teaching from Western Washington University. He taught middle school English and Social Studies and served as Curriculum Coach at an independent school in San Francisco, California, before moving back to Washington to join Trillium. He also taught students in grades 5 through 12 overseas for several years. He particularly loves integrating discovery, hands-on creating, executive functioning, independence, and proactive problem-solving into his everyday lessons.

Kate holds a Bachelor of Science in Middle School Science Education from the University of Missouri. While there, she published a curriculum model and was selected as a National Science Foundation (NSF) Undergraduate Fellow. She has a background working with students with disabilities and autism as a teacher and a paraprofessional. Before joining Trillium, she led inclusive science camps in addition to teaching middle school science in private schools.

A native New Yorker, Leslie Larkin moved to Seattle in 1995 to pursue her Master’s in Music from the University of Washington. Leslie taught elementary music for over 20 years and holds a Master’s in Curriculum Instruction and Arts Integration from Lesley University. At Trillium, she enjoys incorporating the arts into the general curriculum. She is also a parent of a middle school student at Trillium Academy.

Lorelei has been a teaching artist for over 20 years. Working with a range of ages and materials, she enjoys helping people unlock their creativity and discover the power they have to feed their minds and spirits. She has experience developing integrated arts curriculum and working with a neurodivergent population. Lorelei is a freelance artist and also owns 1403 ArtSpace—an art studio that also offers online and in-person classes and workshops.

Before coming to Trillium Academy, Mary Kate worked as a Study Skills Teacher at Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences (SAAS) for five years. During that time, she completed a Professional Certificate in Learning Differences and Neurodiversity from Landmark College in Vermont with a specialization in Executive Functioning. Mary Kate’s Capstone research paper, “Developing Intrinsic Motivation in Students with ADHD,” led her to create and lead several teacher professional development sessions based on her findings. In addition to working for Trillium Academy, Mary Kate is pursuing her Educational Specialist degree (EdS) and PhD in School Psychology at the University of Washington.

Before joining Trillium, Matthew taught mathematics in grades 6 through 12 at a small public school in southern Washington. He was responsible for developing, implementing, and refining the secondary math curriculum to differentiate instruction for a diverse student body. Before becoming a classroom teacher, Matthew ran a successful tutoring business specializing in mathematics. He is originally from Seattle and holds a Bachelor’s in Economics and a Master’s in Teaching. His educational philosophy is that all students are capable of engaging meaningfully with mathematics if they have the right support and structure.

Megan joined Trillium Academy after serving for several years as a counselor for the Lyle School District in southern Washington. In this role, she worked with 2e students and implemented a classroom curriculum focused on social-emotional learning, developed tailored student support plans, and supported students, teachers, and families in multifaceted ways. She holds a Bachelor’s in Health Education and has long worked in the areas of public, mental, and sexual health.

Noe holds a Bachelor’s in Mathematics and is currently working towards her Master's in Teaching in Math Education at the Secondary Level. Before her work at Trillium, she tutored ESL students at top private schools in Hawaii and was a learning assistant for Algebra and Calculus courses. Noe was also a Team Leader for the Hawaii State Math Challenge, where she facilitated activities intended to demonstrate how mathematics impacts daily living. In addition to her teaching background, Noe has experience as an analyst in banking.

Before joining Trillium Academy, Ryan taught courses in algebra, geometry, biology, physics, and chemistry to students grade 6 through12 at Brightmont Academy. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering and worked in the field of mechanical engineering with Blue Origin, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and SpaceX before becoming a teacher.

Sofia joined Trillium Academy as a Teaching Assistant, and has taught creative writing and culinary arts courses in addition to Spanish language classes. Before moving to Seattle in 2023, Sofia worked for almost a decade as a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher and team lead in Seffner, Florida. She’s developed adaptive and tailored instructional plans and taught competencies in culinary arts while integrating English, Language Arts, mathematics, and critical thinking skills. She also taught Reading/ELA at various proficiency levels, including intensive, intermediate, and honors courses.