ENLIGHTIUM ACADEMY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- CFO & Director of Developments
Alex Jr. graduated from Whitworth University with a B.A. double major in accounting and marketing as a Cum Laude recipient. He is also a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and is currently working on obtaining his CPA certification. He is ACSI certified.
Alex Jr. worked in the education field since 2006 as a high school math teacher and assisted the head of school with administrative duties at a local private Christian school. He joined Enlightium Academy in 2013 and served in varying administrative positions.
Alex Jr. is a lifelong learner, passionate about helping others reach greater heights in all realms of life. A foundational principle of his is that each individual is made in the image of God, has intrinsic value, and God-given abilities, that to steward God's creation well, must be further developed and used for God's glory.
The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Human Resources Director & Business Operations
Andrey received his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a focus in Human Resources and Business Analytics from Eastern Washington University. Andrey has been with Enlightium since 2013 and is certified by ACSI.
He and his wife are enjoying the blessings and challenges of raising young children. In his free time, Andrey can be found learning new things and spending time outside with his family.
Courtney attended Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills Alberta where she studied Youth Ministry. She has a long history of customer service experience. Importantly, she has a heart for children and enjoyed serving kids in many capacities, including volunteering as a Youth Leader in her church and working as a Reading Intervention Specialist for the Reading Corps of America.
Courtney lives with her husband, their son Truett, and their three cats Toothless, MiraJane, and Milo. She loves spending time with her family reading, watching movies, and playing video games. She loves swimming and traveling when she gets the opportunity.
"For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made!"
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Executive Director
- Founder
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Meet Our Founder
Dr. Solodyankin has more than thirty (30) years of experience in the field of education. She founded an online Christian school in 2003, which is now Enlightium Academy. Since then, she has guided the development of seven brick and mortar private schools along the west coast within church communities.
Dr. Yelena V. Solodyankin has more than 30 years of experience in the field of education. She founded an online Christian school in 2003, which is now Enlightium Academy. Since then, she has guided the development of seven brick and mortar private schools along the west coast within church communities.
She holds her PhD in Philosophy in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University and her Master's degree in K-12 Guidance & Counseling from Whitworth University. Yelena is ACSI and Washington state-certified.
Throughout her career, she has been devoted to preparing the next generation of godly leaders by making a difference in their hearts and minds. She has spoken at numerous educational conferences about the need for personalized Christian education and how she applied it to raising her three biological and five adopted children.
Evelina Litoshik Records Lead: Incoming Records Evelina joined Enlightium Academy Admissions Department in 2018. She graduated from Eastern Washington University in 2018 and is currently continuing her study in business management and human resources with a minor in accounting. Mrs. Litoshik is ACSI certified. Outside of work and school, Evelina serves at a local church as a Sunday school teacher, sings in the youth choir, organizes events for youth service, and manages a coffee shop station to support her church youth ministry. Evelina recently was married and now enjoys serving the Lord together with her husband. "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Registrar
- Registrar 's Assistant
Grace joined Enlightium Academy in 2021 working as a High School Counseling Assistant and then transitioned into a Registrar Assistant role. Grace is detail-oriented and organized. She enjoys taking a part in serving the families at Enlightium.
Grace enjoys spending time with her fiancé, Evan, and her cat Talic. She loves trying new restaurants and exploring new areas. She also enjoys practicing fancy hand-lettering and trying new pens.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Spiritual Support Director
Kelsie Seo has a Biblical Studies degree with an Interdisciplinary in Counseling. She joined Enlightium Academy in 2016 as a counselor's assistant and then transitioned into the role of Registrar. Kelsie has a love of organization and taking detailed care of each student's academic history.
Outside of work, Kelsie enjoys spending time with her husband and church community. She loves embroidering, watching documentaries, and learning traditional Korean recipes.
"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things."
Kimmi has an Associate of Arts degree and is working on her animation certification with experience in graphic design. She enjoys learning and working with new computer programs.
Kimmi lives on a farm and enjoys all of the animals on it. She loves painting and working with any kind of art in her downtime. A big part of her life is spending time with family and helping out her folks.
"God says to ‘fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Melinda Ferguson joined Enlightium Academy in 2015 working as the registrar's assistant. While she doesn't always have direct interaction with the students and their families, she finds pleasure in being able to serve them in a practical way by coordinating with other schools to send records that are needed for registration. Melinda and her husband have three grown children and six delightful grandchildren, who they love spending time with.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you." I Peter 1:3-4
Job Titles:
- Registrar 's Assistant
- Registrar Assistant: Records Release
Miroslava Zobov joined Enlightium Academy in 2016 as a registrar's assistant. She is glad that she can serve students by taking a part in managing, maintaining, and filing academic records.
Outside of work, Miroslava is involved in a MOPS ministry at her church. She also likes crafting, decorating and event planning. She and her husband have three very active little boys, they enjoy going on walks together and spending time outdoors.
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Mrs. Thompson has a Masters of Divinity and a Masters of Business Administration. She has been a teacher since 1999. Mrs. Thompson is passionate about helping children succeed and believes that every child has a God-given talent. She sees beauty in the different skills and competencies that God gifted every human being. She enjoys building lasting relationships with students while serving families and assisting students in growing in their faith. She is ACSI certified.
Mrs. Thompson was born in Romania, and she is ethnic Hungarian. She and her husband love Hungarian and Romanian folk music and dancing. She enjoys swimming, walking in nature, and taking pictures of trees, flowers, and the sky. Mrs. Thompson is passionate about showing her children, Norman and Hanna, the beauty of her country, Romania, and the importance of faith in life.
Mrs. Whitaker graduated from Liberty University in 2021 with a Master's of Education in School Counseling. She earned a Bachelor's degree in 2017 from Guilford College, majoring in Criminal Justice and minoring in African American Studies. Mrs. Whitaker has always been committed to helping and guiding youth toward positive achievement. She started her career as a state licensed School Counselor in elementary and has also worked with high school students as an intern. She began her new career with Enlightium Academy serving high school students during the 2021-2022 school year. Mrs. Whitaker is ACSI certified.
Mrs. Whitaker is married with two daughters. She enjoys spending time with family telling stories, laughing, and playing games. She also loves cooking (feeding people) and going on vacation. She is passionate about encouraging students to be their best selves while gaining an education that can be carried through any life journey.
Mrs. Schneider has experience in both school and clinical counseling. She began working in the school setting in 2014 and fell in love with helping students to succeed spiritually, academically, and personally. She graduated with her Master's degree in 2015 from Olivet Nazarene University. She enjoys encouraging others and it brings her joy to see others succeed. Mrs. Schneider enjoys helping students to focus on what really matters in life and looking at the "big picture" goal of ultimately glorifying God in all that we do.
In her free time, Mrs. Schneider enjoys spending time with close friends and family, going to the beach, sitting by a campfire, swimming, visiting nature trails, reading, and playing games.
"Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything."
Job Titles:
- High School Counselor, Student Last Name
- Student Last Name
Mrs. Van Egdom graduated with a Master's of Education in School Counseling from Whitworth University in 2020. She obtained her bachelor's degree from the University of Washington; during her undergrad, she worked as an Academic Advisor for the college preparatory program TRIO Upward Bound. It was then when her passion for working with high school students grew. She began her career as a school counselor with Enlightium in 2018. She is both Washington State and ACSI Certified.
Mrs. Van Egdom now resides in Central New York. One of the hobbies she and her husband enjoy is exploring their new settings. The relocation to Central New York also allowed them to become fur-parents when rescuing their dog Rachel, a Shepherd-mix.
Ms. Blackburn graduated from Trinity Western University with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Human Services. After graduating university, she worked in all facets of youth ministry including as the Youth Center Director at Youth For Christ in Spokane, WA, as her church's Administrator of Ministries, and at a residential treatment center for struggling teens in Texas. She enjoys working with children of all ages.
Ms. Blackburn began her professional journey with Enlightium as the elementary and middle school assistant counselor in 2020. Starting in the 2021-2022 school year, she began serving grade 7 students and their families. She is ACSI certified.
Family is very important to Ms. Blackburn. She and her husband are licensed foster parents in the State of Washington. She enjoys spending time with family, running around with her three kids, and drinking coffee. She has a passion for helping others and serving God in whatever capacity He has called her to.
Job Titles:
- Alliance Counselor
- Alliance Program Counselor
- Alliance Program Director
- Director of Alliance Partnership
Ms. Allen has been with Enlightium since 2015. She is ACSI certified.
Ms. Allen grew up in Seattle, Washington and attended a Christian school through 12th grade. She received her bachelor's degree in Social Work at Washington State University. While raising three children, she also became passionate about education, college, and career planning. Ms. Allen returned to school and received her Master's degree in School Counseling K-12 from Gonzaga University.
During her spare time, she and her husband enjoy playing volleyball, reading, and spending time with friends and her three adult children. Spending time with family usually includes traveling, which Ms. Allen also loves to do. It is her desire to get to know all of her students, and her hope is to build a trusting relationship so her students can come to her with any issue, no matter how big or small it may seem. She especially likes helping students explore their own goals and passions for life beyond high school.
Job Titles:
- High School Counselor, Student Last Name
- Student Last Name
Mrs. Vogler graduated from Prairie View A&M University with a Masters in Education degree with an emphasis in school counseling in 1996. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Education Curriculum and Instruction from Texas A&M University. She is certified to teach English and Journalism in grades 6-12. Mrs. Vogler is ACSI certified.
She and her husband have been happily married for 30 years and have two adult children. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, cats and rabbits. She loves the outdoors and crafting for local Texas craft shows.
Mrs. Vogler comes to Enlightium Academy with over 30 years of experience in education, with the majority of her experience being in high school counseling. She is very excited to get to know her students and assist in any way.
Mrs. Wolters graduated from Whitworth University with a B.A. in Religion and minors in Sociology and Philosophy. She is currently working on her Masters in School Counseling through Indiana Wesleyan University. Through the years she has continued to work with children and youth in various capacities such as camp ministry, before and after school care, youth and children's ministry, and working and volunteering in public classrooms.
Mrs. Wolters joined Enlightium Academy's counseling team in summer of 2021 and serves students in grade 6. She is ACSI certified.
Mrs. Wolters loves spending time with her husband and two children, along with extended family and friends. She enjoys doing puzzles, reading, and spending time outdoors hiking, walking, boating, and camping. She wants to use her passion for helping others to further God's kingdom and show them His unending love.
Ms. Ustimenko earned a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education from Whitworth University. She is state and ACSI certified. Prior to joining the Enlightium team, Ms. Ustimenko worked as a teacher in a private school and taught a wide range of classes there. She also volunteered at her local church as the Sunday School Coordinator for many years. Mrs. Ustimenko is ACSI certified.
Mrs. Crisp joined Enlightium Academy in 2018. She received a B.A in Psychology with a minor in Sociology, a certificate in Leadership and a Master of Social Work Degree from Eastern Washington University. She is ACSI certified.
Mrs. Crisp enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters. She enjoys reading, photography, and exploring nearby cities. She has a passion for helping others and telling people about Jesus.
Mrs. Wade obtained her master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and a Master of Science in School Counseling degree from Capella University. She earned her bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of LA at Monroe. In an effort to increase her knowledge in mental health services, she also earned a Graduate Certification in Contemporary Mental Health Services from Capella University in 2021. Mrs. Wade is ACSI certified.
She is happily married to her husband and together they have four children (3 girls including a set of twins and 1 boy). In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, going to family entertainment centers, parks, and having family movie nights.
Mrs. Wade has always believed that you can never stop learning and one of the most valuable things to have is an education. Her goal is to reach students "where they are" by advocating for them and providing them with applicable and valuable resources to help them along their academic journey.
Ms. Lawellin spends most of her time outside as a self-proclaimed ornithologist, with her cat Bandura (named after her favorite psychologist). She collects antiques and old medical journals and she knows every single word to at least eight different Broadway musicals. She has coached volleyball and track for many years, but she enjoys slower hobbies nowadays, such as researching and writing about the brain just for fun.
Job Titles:
- Director of School Counseling and Guidance
- High School Counselor, Student Last Name
- Student Last Name
Ms. Benedict graduated with a Master's of Science degree in School Counseling in 2019. During her time there, she became invested in working with high school students on social-emotional issues, particularly anxiety, and post-secondary planning. She began working with Enlightium Academy in 2019. She is state and ACSI certified.
Ms. Benedict graduated from Western Washington University with a bachelor's degree majoring in Business Management and minoring in English. While she was in the business world, she began volunteering with the youth program at her church and teaching Junior Achievement classes in local elementary schools. This fostered her passion for encouraging and working with students and led her to attend Eastern Washington University. She believes in fostering nurturing, encouraging relationships with students and parents and loves seeing students grow through cooperation and learning self-advocacy. She is currently working on her ASCA U Specialist Training in Anxiety and Stress Management.
In her free time, Ms. Benedict loves taking long walks with Hank, her golden retriever, reading, spending time with her friends and family, writing, baking, and trying new foods and recipes.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Counselor
- Grade 5 Counselor
Ms. Docherty joined Enlightium Academy as an Assistant Counselor in 2021. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Childhood and Family Development from American Military University. She is currently pursuing her Master's of Education in School Counseling at Liberty University and will graduate in December 2022.
Ms. Docherty has worked with children and families in the community and church as a volunteer and professionally as a Child Life Specialist in the community and hospital systems. She is ACSI certified.
Ms. Docherty enjoys traveling to new places, trying new foods, photography, being an auntie and spending time with others. She is a veteran who served in the United States Army. The Gospel continually inspires joy in her endeavors-especially as she shares the good news of Jesus and serves others as a school counselor.
Her goals are to help students be successful in their academics and find confidence in who God created them to be.
"The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."
Job Titles:
- Director of Admissions
- Member of the Admissions & Registrar Team
Olesia joined Enlightium in 2018 to assist the K-8 counseling team and is now serving as the Head of the Admissions Department. She received her Diploma of Bible Educator at International Christian College in 2003 and her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Music at Gonzaga University in 2006. She worked at a local private Christian school as a K-8th grade instructor and later an Assistant Administrator. She is ACSI Certified.
Olesia grew up in the church and from an early age developed a love for the Lord while her biological father served as a missionary and her mother supported him by taking care of a growing family. She was privileged to take part in many Christian seminars and workshops, deepening her knowledge of the Lord and Christian education while her adoptive parents pursued their dream of bringing Christian education first to the Slavic people, and later to students from all races across the USA and around the world.
Family is very important to Olesia. With her husband they are instilling a biblical foundation in their three children as they strive to serve the Lord in the home, at church, and the workplace.
Job Titles:
- Coordinator
- Member of the Admissions & Registrar Team
Job Titles:
- Headmaster
- Member of the Leadership Team
Thomas graduated from Eastern Washington University with a master's degree in Educational Leadership. He taught Spanish and math for five years in public and private schools before coming to work for Enlightium Academy in 2015. He is ACSI and Mississippi state-certified.
He is passionate about using innovative approaches to provide students with unique learning models to meet their individual needs. He loves working to integrate technology with proven instructional strategies.
He has been married since 2010 and has two children, Titus and Linen Grey. He loves outdoor activities like camping, playing disc golf, and making wooden toys in his workshop.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
Will Mead graduated cum laude with a B.S. in Biology from Eastern Washington University and holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from Seattle Pacific University. Before joining Enlightium, he worked in local, brick and mortar, private Christian schools and, earlier in his career, as a scientist in a clinical laboratory.
Will joined Enlightium as a science teacher in 2017, then served in administration before entering his current role as K-12 Principal. He is certified by ACSI.
Will and his wife married in 2006 and have four children. In his free time, Will enjoys reading works of science and philosophy, playing chess, and watching musical theatre.