High Expectations
MEET THE TEAM
Lynn Leonard
CEO/PDSO/Immigration Officer
Lynn is the founder of High Expectations. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Suffolk University and a Juris Doctor degree from New England School of Law. She spent many years practicing law with a focus on Civil Rights and Children and Family Law. Prior to founding High Expectations, she served as an educational advocate and represented both students and teachers in employment and civil rights matters.
Robert W. Klemm
DSO/Facilities Manager
Bob studied Business and Financial Planning at Boston College. For the past 30 years, he has owned and operated Find Real Estate, an independent real estate and property management firm. Bob currently manages our 16,500 square foot facility and also serves as a Designated School Official at High Expectations.
Michael Buckley
Director of School
Michael graduated from Framingham State University with a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master's in Public Administration. During his 20 plus year career, he has worked as a teacher and an educational consultant. In 2001 and 2002, Michael received the ‘Outstanding Teacher’ and ‘Excellence in Teaching and Student Preparation and Education’ award during his tenure at Marian High School. He also taught history and served in an administrative role at Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School.
Dylan Snyder
Designated School Official
Dylan received a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from Salem State University. He came to High Expectations as summer intern and worked on various projects including the creation of a resource database for ESL teachers and the development of social media content. He also authored articles for international students related to education in the U.S. After graduating, he joined our team as a Designated School Official.
Aicha Nezzar
ESL Teacher
Aicha graduated from the University of Batna in Algeria with a Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature. She received a Master’s degree in Language Sciences and TEFL from the University of Jijel. She relocated to the US and became certified to teach TESOL, TESL and TEFL. Aicha speaks English and Arabic.
Doa Le
ESL Teacher
Doa received a Master’s degree in TESOL. She initially was a self employed ESL instructor and taught a wide range of Vietnamese students from children to adults through online. Since 2022, she has taught ESL at the International School of Advanced Learning in Allston before coming to High Expectations.
Haiying Cao
ESL Teacher
Haiying holds a Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts from Jilin University and a Master's degree in English Literature from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Her teaching career spans both China and the United States, reflecting her cross-cultural expertise and commitment to education. Most recently, she taught at Zhejiang International Studies University before returning to the U.S. to join the team at High Expectations.
Michael Papanek
ESL Teacher
Michael earned a Bachelor's degree in Business and Corporate Communications from the University of Connecticut. He completed internships in marketing and social media outreach before discovering a passion for teaching through his volunteer work with Forest Hills Baptist Church. He begin his first official teaching role at High Expectations.
Miriam Kelly
ESL Teacher
Miriam Kelly holds a Master of Arts in Portuguese from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Her linguistic expertise and cross-cultural experience have been instrumental in supporting international students at High Expectations. Prior to joining our school, Miriam taught ESL at Approach International Student Center and spent a year in Peru teaching both English and Portuguese.
Rachel Myers
ESL Teacher
Rachel earned a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing at Emerson College. During her studies, she developed a strong interest in English language education and began teaching at Boston International Academy in 2024. She joined High Expectations to continue building her experience in the ESL field.
Thomas Scanlon
ESL Teacher
Tom graduated from Boston College Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature. He became certified to teach English in 2016. Before joining High Expectations, he taught ESL in Italy, in the Boston Public Schools and in various Boston English language schools. He also teaches ESL at North Shore Community College.
Xiaohong Wang
ESL Teacher
Xiaohong earned her degree in Journalism from Liaoning University in China. With over 20 years of experience in education, she has taught English to Chinese students and held various administrative roles. Her international experience has equipped her to effectively serve as an ESL instructor at High Expectations.
Geno Spina
Comptroller
Geno graduated Bentley University with a degree in Accounting and Business Management. In over 30 years, he has utilized his financial savvy for many different companies including Tufts Electronics Group, Kentron Technologies and NuView Systems, Inc. He is currently the Comptroller at High Expectations with responsibility for financial compliance and reporting.