Marlena Reese

Marlena Reese, Ed.D. holds a masters in teaching from American University and Doctor of Education in Reading/Writing/Literacy with a focus on Literacy through the lifespan from the University of Pennsylvania .

When she works with students and families, she explains that executive function describes the processes required for conscious control of thought, emotion, and action that are essential to the management of both academic tasks and day-to-day life. As an experienced educator she has had the privilege of observing the ways that thousands diverse brilliant minds approach learning.

She has sat side by-side with a 6-year-old first grade student learning to decode words, and shoulder to shoulder with Ivy League college students decoding an Organic Chemistry syllabus. As students approach their respective tasks, she observes the subtle and nuanced ways that they apply strategies toward their goal. In both contexts Marlena has found that they key to offering students learning support and strategies for learning that is centered around a commitment to deep knowledge of the student, a bold respect for the ways that students brain works, and commitment to relationship building.

Marlena's work specializes in supporting middle school students, college students and adults toward personal success. She is experienced in a diverse range of coaching clients including variety of learning styles and abilities. Areas of specialization include long and short-term planning, study strategies, organization, time management, self-regulation, academic reading/writing/research, navigating school/community resources, support for virtual learning/strategies for online learning, educational and life transitions and assisting parents to develop the skills necessary to support their student at home.