Meet Our amazing reading specialist tutors

Dr. Mindy Smith, owner of Lavender's Bleu, has had a passion for instilling a love of reading in children and adults over her 35+ years in education. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Tulsa, her Masters’ Degree in Reading Education from Northeastern State University and her Doctorate in Curriculum Instruction/Educational Leadership with an emphasis on Reading from Oklahoma State University. 

Over the course of her career, she has worked with students of all ages, starting as a primary grade teacher, then a reading specialist, district reading teacher trainer and then moving on to higher education; teaching reading education courses at NSU for the last 15 years of her teaching career. This desire to make books come alive, instill a love of reading and help struggling readers was the motivation behind opening Lavender’s Bleu Children’s Bookstore and Reading Tutoring Center in 2018. However, after 3 years, the tutoring center had outgrown the space. The need for expansion led to the move to our new Reading Tutoring Center in November 2021. It truly is her dream come true to get to help so many children to become successful, engaged readers! 

Dr. Amanda Wilson is a certified reading specialist with additional certifications in mild-moderate disabilities, elementary education, and early childhood education. She earned her bachelor’s and doctorate from Oral Roberts University and holds two master’s degrees from Northeastern State University. Amanda’s passion for teaching began at a young age, starting with babysitting and continuing through her high school’s Teacher Cadet program, where she gained valuable experience working with children.

In addition to tutoring at Lavender’s Bleu, Amanda also trains aspiring educators at ORU, sharing her expertise and dedication to helping the next generation of teachers. One of her greatest joys is teaching children to read and watching them gain confidence as they discover the world of literacy.

Amber Kubiak has been an early childhood educator for 18 years in grades K-2.  She is a certified reading specialist with degrees from the University of Oklahoma and Northeastern State University.  Amber is passionate about helping children strengthen their foundational skills in phonological awareness and phonics as they grow a love for reading.  Building life-long learners is one of her greatest joys!

Carrie Fatigante brings over 25 years of experience working with students of all ages, grounded in her belief that strong reading skills are essential for success in every subject. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Business Administration from Northeastern State University, a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction from Oklahoma State University, and a post-Master’s Reading Specialist Certificate from Northeastern State University.

Throughout her career, Carrie has held roles at Rogers State University, the University of Tulsa, and Bishop Kelley High School, and has extensive volunteer and professional tutoring experience with elementary and middle school students. With Lavender’s Bleu Literacy Market since 2019, Carrie is committed to building students’ reading confidence and skills in a welcoming environment where they feel safe to ask questions and embrace learning. She believes every mistake is a valuable learning opportunity and encourages her students to take risks as they grow as readers.  

Darla Cooper is a highly skilled Special Education Specialist at Lavender Bleu, dedicated to creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment for all students. She holds certifications in mild-moderate disabilities, elementary education, English as a Second Language, and early childhood education. Darla earned her bachelor’s degree in Family Relations and Child Development from Texas Tech University and her master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, with a focus on emotional disturbance and behavior disorders. 

Her commitment to excellence was recognized in 2014 when she was named the Oklahoma Parents’ Center Educator of the Year. In addition to her tutoring work at Lavender Bleu, Darla serves as the Director of the Special Services Advisory Team at Epic Charter Schools, leading teacher training initiatives for special education.

Outside of her professional life, Darla cherishes time with her husband, John Paul, and their four adult sons—Carson, Michael, Matthew, and Christian—who are her greatest joy.

Diana Beatie is an experienced educator with over 10 years of dedication to early childhood education. She holds certifications in Early Childhood Education, English as a Second Language, and Reading Specialization, with degrees from Oklahoma State University and Northeastern State University. Since joining Lavender’s Bleu, Diana has also discovered a passion for working with older students. She is committed to building strong reading foundations and helping students of all ages develop a lifelong love for reading.

Julie Loveland, known to many as “Jules,” has devoted over 40 years to education, making a lasting impact on students of all ages in both public and private school settings. With a deep commitment to fostering positive relationships among students, parents, and educators, she creates a supportive environment for achieving reading success.

Julie’s academic background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Oklahoma State University and an Early Childhood Certification, followed by a Master’s Degree in Reading Education from Northeastern State University. Her career includes roles at respected institutions like San Miguel School of Tulsa, Bishop Kelley High School, and Tulsa Public Schools, where she served as a Title 1 Tutor. She has also worked with Tulsa Community College’s Early Childhood Center, among other educational centers.

Julie’s approach centers on addressing the unique needs of each student and using proven reading strategies to build confidence and comprehension. By helping students become skilled, thoughtful readers, Julie aims to equip them with the critical thinking skills they need to make informed decisions and grow into impactful members of society.

Keagan Abels is a certified reading specialist with a strong background in elementary education. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma and a Master’s in Reading from Northeastern State University. With experience teaching 3rd and 4th grades and tutoring students from pre-K through middle school, Keagan currently works as a reading specialist for 1st and 2nd graders in the public school system. She loves helping young learners build confidence and skills in reading.

Dr. Meagan Moreland earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education, and her master's in reading from Northeastern State University. She earned her Ph.D in Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum with an emphasis in reading from the University of Oklahoma. She is certified in elementary education and is a certified reading specialist. She has taught for seventeen years in both the elementary classroom and now in higher education. Her primary goal is to motivate and engage students so they will love reading. Growing up, she knew she always wanted to teach reading and she is excited to share her love of reading with future generations. 

Nicole Kuck holds a Master’s degree in Education with a concentration in reading from Northeastern State University. With a strong foundation in elementary education as both a classroom teacher and interventionist, Nicole brings expertise as a reading specialist focused on phonics and phonemic awareness—essential skills for early literacy development.

Nicole is passionate about empowering young readers, helping them build confidence, and nurturing a lifelong love of reading. She believes that when children gain confidence in their reading abilities, they thrive academically and grow into enthusiastic, engaged learners. Whether strengthening foundational skills or sparking a love for reading, Nicole is dedicated to supporting each child’s growth and success.

Shelby Welborn is a dedicated and passionate teacher with seven years of experience teaching 1st and 2nd grades. A 2018 graduate of Northeastern State University with a degree in Early Childhood Education, Shelby is committed to fostering a love for reading in students of all ages. She believes reading opens doors to endless possibilities and loves helping each student discover what excites them most about books. Shelby recently married and is thrilled to bring her enthusiasm and expertise to every tutoring session. She can't wait to work with you and support your reading journey!

Dr. Sarah Ramsey is a certified reading specialist with over 15 years of experience in helping students to improve their literacy skills. Sarah has a passion for empowering her students to become confident readers and lifelong learners. She firmly believes the foundational skills of phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency are critical for students to become proficient readers. 
In her teaching, she incorporates a variety of evidence-based strategies to meet the unique needs of each student. She uses multisensory approaches to teach phonemic awareness and phonics, engages students in meaningful discussions to develop comprehension, and bolsters students' vocabularies through a range of interesting and interactive methods. 
As a professor who teaches both undergraduate and graduate literacy courses, Sarah is deeply enthusiastic about helping all her students to reach their full potential and is committed to on-going professional development to stay-up-to-date on the latest research and best practices in reading instruction. She believes that every student can become a successful reader with the right instruction and support.