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.
Jennifer Mulvey
Director of Faculty and Program Development
Jennifer received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Anthropology from Brandeis University and a Master’s degree in Elementary Education from UMass Boston. She has had a wide range of opportunities to teach all different walks of life during her 26 year career, which includes a tenure at the Boston Asian Student Center as an ESL instructor.
Guilherme Locks
Director of Recruiting and Admissions
Guilherme received an Advertising and Marketing degree from Unisul University in Brazil. He owned and operated a marketing agency in Brazil from 2010 to 2016. He was responsible for numerous successful marketing campaigns throughout his career prior to relocating to the U.S. Guilherme was the Marketing Manager at High Expectations before assuming the role of Director of Admissions. He is fluent in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
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.
Nephtali Castellan
Daytime Administrative Assistant
Nephtali Castellan earned an Associate Degree in Fashion Design from Bay State College a decade of front-line experience in receptionist and customer service roles. She was previously employe at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Dexter House Health Care, and various private businesses. At High Expectations, Nephtali ensures the front office operates smoothly, providing reliable support to students, faculty and visitors.
Timothy Mahoney
Evening Administrative Assistant
Tim completed court officer training in 1998 and has built a nearly 30-year career in security, serving in roles at both Trial Court and the Winchester Hospital. At High Expectations, he maintains a safe and orderly school environment, ensures smooth operations, and provides essential student support services.
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.
Andara Katong
ESL Teacher
Andara holds a degree in International Affairs from George Washington University. She has applied her global perspective by teaching English in Thailand and supporting multicultural students through her work with the ESL department at Winchester Public Schools. These experiences have prepared her well for her role at High Expectations, where she continues to assist English language learners in adapting and thriving.
Christopher Souza
ESL Teacher
Christopher holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Science in Management from Lesley University. He taught English in Brazil from 2004 to 2016 before relocating to the U.S. to further his education. Christopher worked as a teacher and designated school official at ASC in Boston, MA. His well-rounded background in both instruction and student services is an asset to international students.
Decio da Silva
ESL Teacher
Decio da Silva holds a Bachelor of Arts in Teaching English Language and Literature and a Masters in Pedagogy. He brings over 40 years of ESL teaching experience to High Expectations. He has worked with both adult learners and teenagers, developing English language acquisition across proficiency levels. Fluent in Portuguese and Spanish, Decio serves as a role model for multilingual students, demonstrating the success that comes with dedication to learning English.
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.
Patricia Davidson
ESL Teacher
Patricia holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Boston State College and a Juris Doctor from the UCLA School of Law. After two decades of working with law students, she earned her TESOL certificate in 2012. She brings her extensive educational and professional background to the ESL field, where she is committed to supporting language learners at High Expectations.
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.
Tristan Stull
ESL Teacher
Tristan Stull holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and German as well as a Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts. While living in Germany, he earned his TEFL certification and began teaching English at the Anglo Institute. He draws on his international teaching experience to enrich the learning environment at High Expectations.
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.