Donna Hyatt, Ed.D.
Founder
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Donna Hyatt holds a Doctor of Education degree from the University of San Francisco. Dr. Hyatt has been working in the field of education since 1997, and in education management and consulting since 2005. Her expertise and experience include curriculum design, teacher mentoring, induction program design and operations, course and curriculum design and development, creation and management of professional development processes for educational and training programs, teacher training and preparation in English Education for undergraduate and graduate students, and best practices pedagogy.
Dr. Hyatt has also served as a faculty member at both Radboud University, and the HAN University of Applied Sciences in Nijmegen, Netherlands, where she taught academic writing and presentation skills, and developed and taught intensive English programs and courses for masters and doctoral students, university faculty, and business and medical professionals.
Dr. Hyatt is deeply passionate about the continued development of quality education, educators, and students. The Oaks Center is the culmination of her vision for a brighter and better future for all educators and learners and is currently working with public and private institutions alike, including businesses and government programs and initiatives.
Esmeralda Carini, Ph.D.
Literacy
Professional Development
Esmeralda Carini holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction in Literacy Leadership from the College of Education at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, and has served as the District Literacy Content Specialist for the Hawaii Department of Education in the Kailua Kalaheo Complex Area, Windward District. Dr. Carini has been awarded the International Literacy Association’s Corwin Literacy Leader Award for her valuable contributions to literacy practices, and holds a Multiple Subject Teaching License from the Hawai‘i Teacher Standards Board (HTSB), a Multiple Subject California Credential (CLAD), and a Master of Education (MEd) in Curriculum Studies from the University of Hawai’i College of Education. She is the Literacy District Educational Specialist as well as the English Language District Lead in the Kailua Kalāheo Complex Area.
Dr. Carini’s research interests include literacy leadership, formative literacy instruction, and teacher professional development design.
Roseanne Chantiluke, M.A.
Curriculum Design
Training Facilitation
Rose Chantiluke is an executive leader, curriculum designer and training facilitator. She studied French and Spanish literature at the University of Oxford for her BA and MA before working seniors in London public high schools as a leader of World Languages and Literature education.
Rose coordinated training programmes for teachers of World Languages and academic programmes for aspiring languages and literature students from underserved backgrounds across 30+ schools in west London. Rose specialises in literature education and has produced learning materials on how to analyse and discuss literary texts for students and teachers on behalf of the University of Oxford and Penguin Random House. Her teaching methodology is based on the Oxford Tutorial Method.
Rose is an expert in tutorial teaching and was the Executive Director of the Oxford-based international education start-up, Centre for Tutorial Teaching.
Christina Kim-O’Ferrell, M.A.
Special Education
Christina Kim-O’Ferrell is a National Board Certified Teacher as an Exceptional Needs Specialist, holds a Washington state dual certification in Elementary Education (K-8) and Special Education (K-12), and graduated with her Master’s degree in Teaching from Seattle University. With over 9 years of teaching experience spanning South Korea and the US (including Hawaii, New York, and Washington), her main focus is special education.
Her specialization is emotional behavior disabilities and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support including Response to Intervention, and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports.
Ashli Watts, M.A.
Professional Development
Program Design
Ashli Watts has over 15 years of experience working in K-12 and higher education. For over 10 years, she has led cross-functional teams and projects with a range of administrative personnel, faculty, staff, students, parents, donors and community partners.
Through her training and practice, Ashli applies a blend of cultural humility and trauma-informed gender-responsiveness to her work with community-based organizations, school districts, public charter schools, and colleges/universities. She has experience across the country in strengthening belonging between schools, educators, and families in service to improving outcomes for our most vulnerable students.
Ms. Watts holds a Master’s degree in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor’s degree from DePaul University.
Patricia Law, Ed.D.
Professional Development
Dr. Patricia Law is an experienced K-Adult education leader committed to creating inclusive, equitable learning environments that empower students, educators, and communities to thrive. With a focus on culturally responsive leadership practices, she has led successful initiatives in program expansion and revision, staff development, and curriculum design. She holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of California, Davis, School of Education.
Dr. Law has a proven track record of implementing practices that foster a sense of community, build trust, and empower others to take ownership of their learning. Her deliberatively collaborative approach creates measurable positive results, such as increased engagement, improved program completion, financial growth, and more inclusive administrative, educator, and student cultures. This approach is aimed at advancing an environment where all participants can be their authentic selves and develop a greater understand of how their work contributes to any organization’s goals.
Through expert instructional coaching and mentoring of students, teachers, mentors, and administrators, Dr. Law empowers individuals to grow in their roles, increase their productivity, and produce higher quality work and program results through improved development, execution, and measured accountability.
Therese Arsenault, M.S.
Curriculum Development
Therese Arsenault is an accomplished educator with a demonstrated history of success in instructional coaching, mentoring, and program and curriculum design. Arsenault’s expertise spans equity-focused leadership, instructional coaching, program and curriculum design, collaboration, facilitation, data-driven instruction, lesson planning, and differentiated instruction. Her extensive background includes roles as a math and science teacher, instructional coach, school leader, and program designer.
Throughout her career, Arsenault has made significant contributions to education, such as co-creating and implementing standards-aligned Math and Science Curriculum at Gateway Middle School in San Francisco. Her dedication to creating safe spaces for social-emotional learning and collaborative work reflects a holistic approach to education. Arsenault’s professional journey also includes roles as a science instruction mentor at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, a teaching assistant at Harvard Graduate School of Education, and leadership positions in various school districts. Her educational qualifications include a M.A. in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education and certificates as a math specialist and school administrator. Arsenault’s commitment to educational excellence is further evident in her numerous publications and presentations on topics ranging from teacher identity to equitable mathematics instruction. She has also been an active volunteer, serving as a trustee on the Gateway Public Schools Board of Trustees and as a docent at the California Academy of Science.
Andrew Bacon
Chief Operating Officer
Andrew Bacon is an entrepreneur and communications specialist who has worked in business consulting, information technology, and solutions architecture since 1999. In 2014, he founded Northern Pacific Digital, an information technology, communications, marketing and solutions agency, and joined The Oaks Center for Educational Advancement at its founding in 2022. He has worked in web technologies, digital communications, information technology, and solutions architecture for AT&T, the Washington State Health Insurance Pool (WSHIP), Amazon Web Services, Hyatt Hotels, The United States Environmental Protection Agency, Bank of America, Chevron, Emblem Health, Nordstrom, Boeing, Microsoft, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, SEIU 775 Seattle, and Art Wolfe’s Travels to the Edge, among many others.
Mr. Bacon brings management, logistics, technology and digital communications expertise to The Oaks Center and is responsible for operations, organization, and infrastructure. His extensive experience in applied technology, communications, marketing, and creative problem solving is an integral part of The Oaks Center’s operational and growth strategies.