Billie Bolton
Tutor & Board Member
Billie Bolton lives in Dixon and has been tutoring since 2001. Billie is a founding member of EVTA, which began in 2004, and was the director of EVTA from 2004-2016. She now serves on the board as president. In 2009 she focused the organization on training tutors to support students with learning disabilities and continues to provide language therapy for students using the Sounds in Syllables program. Billie has literacy training from the Wilson Reading Program and two years of training in Sounds In Syllables at the Multi-Sensory Language Training Institute of New Mexico. She received her math training from children's math expert, Robert Templeton. In addition, Billie holds a B.A. in Spanish and French as well as a teaching certificate from Texas State University. She also holds a master's degree in international business.
Karen BoziK
Mentor - Tutor
Karen Bozik comes to us from Fairview Elementary where she has worked for two years as a kindergarten assistant, one-on-one support aide to students with learning disabilities, and a substitute. In years prior, she worked as as an educational assistant in the Denver public schools and an afterschool art project coordinator. Her degree is in fine arts from Metropolitan State University of Denver. As an EVTA tutor, Karen has completed Wilson Language System training.
marta chilton
Afterschool Tutor
Marta Chilton is a lifelong educator who operated the YES (Your Educational School) Private School in Canoncito for many years and set up her own schools in refugee camps before that. She has volunteered and worked for Embudo Valley Tutoring Association for at least a decade, is a former board member, and continuously provides advice and educational insight to the director and fellow tutors alike.
ANNE-MARIE EMANUELLI
After School Tutor
Billie Bolton holds a B.A. in Spanish and French with a teaching certificate from Texas State University. She received her certificate in 1976. She also holds a Masters Degree in International Business which she received in 1981. Billie was a language arts/math tutor at Dixon Elementary in 2001. She received her math training from children's math expert Robert Templeton. She also had support from teachers at Dixon Elementary. In addition, Billie had training from the Wilson Reading Program in 2005 and 2 years of training in Sounds In Syllables at the Multi-Sensory Language Training Institute of New Mexico in 2012. Billie is a founding member of EVTA which began in 2004. She was the director of EVTA from 2004-2016 and now serves on the board as president.
Stuart Hill
Mentor - Tutor
Stuart Hill has joined EVTA Tutors with over 25 years as a self-employed architectural blacksmith an
Ida marie Martinez
Mentor - Tutor
Nancy Stotts has lived in Taos since 1987. She has been an elementary school teacher for 28 years, teaching grades K-5th She is trained in SIS and is an Academic Language Therapist. She retired last June and joined EVTA to work with kids with Dyslexia. In her spare time she loves to garden, hike, swim and read.
Nancy Stotts
Language Specialist
Nancy Stotts has lived in Taos since 1987. She has been an elementary school teacher for 28 years, teaching grades K-5th She is trained in SIS and is an Academic Language Therapist. She retired last June and joined EVTA to work with kids with Dyslexia. In her spare time she loves to garden, hike, swim and read.
Carly Suratt
Mentor - Tutor
Carly Suratt lives in Truchas, NM and joined the EVTA tutor team with beautifully grounded work experiences in education, farming, horticulture and environmental studies. She has worked in education since 2012 and holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Geography & Resource and Environmental Studies from Texas State University.
Alice Zorthian
Mentor - Tutor
Alice Zorthian has a B.A. in Theatre and an M.S. in Elementary Education, and has undergone the Wilson Literacy training. She has taught in the Taos Schools for close to 30 years in several different capacities. Most recently she taught for 8 years in the Special Ed. Department at Anansi Charter School. Alice is also a yoga instructor and currently teaches yoga at the Taos library and Yoga in the Park in the summertime. She keeps up her theater skills by performing improv and sketch comedy. She enjoys gardening, hiking, and experimental sculpture. She is a mother to one daughter, two dogs, and two cats.
Board of Directors
Billie Bolton
Billie Bolton holds a B.A. in Spanish and French with a teaching certificate from Texas State University. She received her certificate in 1976. She also holds a master's degree in international business, which she received in 1981. Billie was a language arts/math tutor at Dixon Elementary School in 2001. She received her math training from children's math expert Robert Templeton. She also had support from teachers at Dixon Elementary. In addition, Billie had training from the Wilson Reading Program in 2005 and two years of training in Sounds In Syllables at the Multi-Sensory Language Training Institute of New Mexico in 2012. Billie is a founding member of EVTA, which began in 2004. She was the director of EVTA from 2004-2016 and now serves on the board as president. In 2009 she focused the organization on training tutors to support students with learning disabilities.
Eva Behrens
Eva Behrens is the EVTA director and teaches at Anansi Charter School in Taos, New Mexico. She holds a master's in education from Western New Mexico University and a post-master's educational leadership certificate from Grand Canyon University of Phoenix, Arizona.
Alva Morrison
Alva Morrison works as a home energy auditor for ICF, an international consulting firm subcontracted to PNM and New Mexico Gas to focus on energy efficiency programs. He spent 2020 in India but remained active on the board through Zoom. Alva is connected to EVTA through his longtime association with the Dixon community.
Alexis Laube-Manigault
Alexis Laube-Manigault holds a master's in educational leadership from the University of New Mexico where she also completed her B.A. in American studies. She works at UNM-Taos in the TRiO Student Support Services. Before becoming an EVTA board member, Alexis was involved with the afterschool program and helped the organization maintain its website.
Staff
Thea Spaeth
Thea Spaeth is our highly flexible and fearless bookkeeper from Ojo Sarco, New Mexico.
Collaborators
Michele Hunt - Director, Anansi Charter School, Taos
The EVTA tutors have been an incredible source of support to both students and teachers as we have transitioned to on-campus learning. Students have had to miss school intermittently due to quarantine requirements and the tutors have been able to step in to maintain the bridge from school to home, so that students are able to keep up with their assignments, receive instructional support, and continue to receive assistance as they work toward re-integrating with their class after missing multiple days of school. In addition, this tutorial support has relieved the stress for parents who are juggling work, illness, quarantines, caring for their families, and supporting their kids with their school work. We plan to continue to maintain this important relationship and service for our school community. We love the consistent and effective support that EVTA provides.
Paula Oxoby-Hayett - Community School Coordinator, Enos Garcia Elementary School, Taos
As a community school, Enos Garcia strives to engage families in a comprehensive and meaningful annual needs assessment process. In August 2021 we conducted a survey which had an 86% response rate. The top four support services that parents identified as a need were:
Help for parents to help their child with homework 49%
Afterschool programs 45%
High quality out-of-school time 40%
Tutoring 38%
Our partnership with EVTA allows us to respond to our families' and students' needs. EVTA has been an exemplary partner, showing flexibility to accommodate students face-to-face and online, providing great tutors and always willing to support our school community. We know our parents and students love the services they receive, which results in improvements in the way they engage with their learning.
