HIGHEST SPEAK REACH - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Curriculum Advisor and Lead Instructor
Amanda Ellis is a current 8th grade English teacher for FCPS. She holds a MA.Ed in Education and minored in theater in college. Performing has always been a passion of hers. She's very active in community theater around the DC metro area and won awards for public speaking competitions in high school. She has experience teaching kids of all ages and is very excited to help kids learn and master this new skill!
Amanda Hurley is a performer, theater/film lover, public speaker, and educator, currently studying film and television production. She has worked with kids of all ages for almost 15 years, from theater summer camps, to touring with a children's theater, to running her own dramatic play workshops for toddlers! Recently she interned in the production office for Disney+ movie, and taught classes from "Theater and Movement" to "Animals of the Rainforest!" Amanda has a Bachelor's Degree in Theatre from Umass Boston, an Associate's degree in Dramatic Arts from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and a certificate in Broadcast Media from Roxbury Community College. Amanda is excited to work with Highest Speak and help kids find their voice!
Job Titles:
- Senior Instructor & Curriculum Development Specialist
After finishing a Master's Degree in Kinesiology at University of Massachusetts Amherst, Anisha Thaker joined Teach for America and began teaching 7th grade special education math and 7th and 8th grade special education science for the New York City Department of Education at a Dual Language middle school. During this time, she completed a Master's Degree in Special Education at Hunter College. Outside of teaching, Anisha is also a personal trainer, dancer and has dabbled in stand-up comedy. Through all of these experiences, public speaking skills have helped her tremendously!
Brandon is an actor, performer, lover of public speaking, and educator. He holds a BA from the University of Virginia's Department of Drama and School of Education. He enjoys public speaking's ability to bring ideas together and is excited to teach others about it. When Brandon isn't talking he enjoys biking (once from Seattle to NYC), running, eating good food, and watching movies. This opportunity with the Highest Speak team is a blessing and he's honored to work alongside the team to help each person say what they need to say!
While earning her bachelor's in Marine Biology, Caitlin began performing stand-up comedy where she sharpened her public speaking skills! She moved to South Korea in 2017 to teach English to children and to host a monthly stand-up open mic in a completely new country for her! She has traveled and performed in cities all over the world. Now back in California, Caitlin continues to make her students laugh in a digital classroom by tutoring English and also tutoring for the SAT! She is thrilled to bring her public speaking skills to her students!
Felita Williams is a health care professional of 11 years, a health-safety lead instructor who facilitates CPR, first aid and AED courses to laypersons and employers, and she has worked as a substitute teacher in the Georgia Public and Charter school sectors. As a Licensed Trained American Red Cross business owner, Felita welcomes instructor feedback from students, who regularly credits her teaching style as engaging and intuitive for any age group where the focus is to provide students with more knowledge upon class dismissal. A former ESOL teacher, she is empathetic, patient and practices active listening with each student who is under her guidance. Ms. Williams currently works in the rural health sector, helping to bridge the gap between under insured and uninsured children who need health coverage in NC; hence, her goal at Highest Speak is to validate, listen, coach, and instill self-confidence in each person who desires to challenge themselves to become constructive-positive users of their own voice in a public-speaking setting. Ms. Williams holds a BS in Communications, a Master's in Public Health, an ESOL certification in Childhood Education, and she has also taken Psychology courses where she aspires to complete another post-graduate degree soon.
John is an educator, sommelier, a public speaking instructor for children and adults, and one of DC and Northern VA's most popular stand-up comics and mimics. He is a voice-over artist for radio and television, and can be heard frequently as Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders on various advertisements. He also has students in splits with his hilarious imitations ("Kermit the Frog" will be giving your speech feedback today!") He taught various subjects at Green Hedges School and St. Ignatius Loyola Academy as a middle school teacher. He has a B.A in Film Studies and a B.S in Zoology from Ohio Wesleyan University
Johnicia Haynes is acurrent educational administrator, with a background in education and human services.She enjoys eating good food, spending time with family, and reading to her heart's content. As a teacher, she has taught preschool through 12th grade students, both inside and outside the formal classroom, while also working as a human services specialist. As a lifelong learner, she strives to enrich the lives of others by working to support services that provide the opportunity for all people, to both learn and grow in a nurturing environment. In her spare time, she likes to volunteer with various organizations that help to improve the quality of life for all!
Lyka has been awarded degrees of merit, honor and excellence during her membership in the National Forensic League for her platform speaking and original speech writing. She mentored High School freshman to senior students in the craft of informative and persuasive speech writing and performance for district, county, and state competitions. While earning her Bachelor's in Communications, she serves in the Army National Guard and uses public speaking in her leadership work, organizational activities, and ceremonies. She naturally exudes energy and enthusiasm for all her public speaking students!
Michole is a current elementary teacher with a background in criminal justice and education. She is currently receiving her Masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction at Western Governors University. As a teacher, she taught pre-k - 3rd grade in all subjects. She participated in debate in highschool and competed in oratory, domestic extemp, prose, poetry, and lincoln-douglas debate. She creates educational worksheets and develops unique curriculum for online tutoring programs. Michole enjoys reading and is apart of the book of the month club. She is excited about joining the Highest Speak team to help others find their voice.
Shelby is an actor, comedian, educator & yoga nut who holds a BFA in Acting/Musical Theatre from Wright State University and is currently working towards her MFA in Acting from West Virginia University. For the past 15 years, Shelby has lived, performed, and traveled through the country as a professional actress, honing her skills as a performer and teacher among major cities like Chicago and New York. When not performing and yogi-ing, Shelby enjoys reading Stephen King novels, watching old episodes of The Great British Bake-Off, and playing with her cat, Charlie. Shelby is thrilled to be a part of the Highest Speak team and can't wait to help others find their voice!
Job Titles:
- Founder and Lead Instructor
- Patent Attorney
Sumedha Bahri is a patent attorney, stand-up comic, adjunct law professor, and public speaking instructor for children and adults! She has a J.D from Northeastern University School of Law and a B.S in Biomedical Engineering. She absolutely loves working with kids and teaching them public speaking in the most entertaining way possible! She has an 8-year old son, a 2-year old daughter, and a husband whose age shall remain ageless. She also studied screenwriting and playwriting, and produced and co-wrote a stage comedy that ran in Boston's Theatre District for 3 years.
Todd Fleming is an educator, a stand-up comedian, professional voice-over artist, and Regional Sales Director for a global technology company. He is one of the more sought out comedians in the DMV with his knack for impressions and unique characters. He has provided voice over work for such companies as Chevron, Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, Regions Bank, Rockwell Collins, AmSouth Bank, and Pearson as well as several cartoon and film projects. As a teacher for 17 years, Todd has taught nearly every subject imaginable from Architectural Drawing to English to Physical Education. In addition to being an avid football fan, Todd enjoys playing golf and creating both comical and informative content for social media. He holds a bachelor's degree from Hampton University in Virginia and is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Early Chidhood Education.