Bethanie Simon is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with clinical and professional experience in both academic and community settings. Bethanie earned both her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and her Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Louisiana State University. Bethanie has worked at Brighthouse Learning Academy for four years, assisting students with a range of social and emotional needs, training staff to provide appropriate support and accommodations, and assisting with administrative tasks as Mrs. Tinker’s second in command. This year, Bethanie’s role is officially changing to an administrative status so that she can better provide support as a leader for the staff and families of Brighthouse. She will continue to teach SEL bi-weekly to each grade level and will work alongside the Counselor as needed to address individual student needs. Bethanie’s goal as the Program Coordinator is to work collaboratively with staff, families, and community partners to provide the most holistic care for our students. In her time off, Bethanie enjoys quality time with her husband and dachshund Macie, reading, game nights with friends and family, and taking scenic walks when the weather is nice!

Bernadette Lala, cheerfully known as Mrs. B by her students, has recently joined the Brighthouse team as the Art Teacher. Bernadette is Mom to her 14-year-old son, Sebastian, and wife of 29 years to her husband, Dominick. When she is not teaching at Brighthouse, Bernadette stays busy running her Able Fit program and fundraising for iPads for nonverbal children. Able Fit is an adaptive special needs program Bernadette created that specializes in adaptive fitness as well as life and social skills for individuals with special needs. Bernadette is a certified adaptive special needs personal trainer, special needs life skills and social skills trainer, as well as a special needs nutrition instructor. Having a neurodivergent son, along with coaching her Able Fit students, Bernadette is equipped with the tools, experience, and resources needed to fit the various needs, roles, diversity, and abilities of her students. She realizes the importance of finding unique and engaging ways to teach so that her students are eager, excited, and interested in learning. Bernadette believes in a hands-on, learning-through-doing teaching approach. This is not your traditional style of art class. Bernadette offers a variety of skill sets all within a light-hearted, fun, and accepting classroom environment. Students are taught a diverse realm of lessons including edible art cooking instruction, life skills through art, social engagement with peers, educational current events art lessons, teamwork, and the importance of acceptance and encouragement among classmates. During her time off, Bernadette enjoys spending time at the beach, cooking, and being outdoors. She also spends her extra time as a Eucharistic Minister and assisting with the special needs mass at her local church. One of Bernadette’s favorite quotes is: “One person can make a difference and everyone should try.” - JFK.

Jonnie Tinker is a beloved member of the Brighthouse team with four years’ experience working as a teacher for multiple subjects. He has a knack for learning his students’ stories and personalities, making them comfortable and at ease, facilitating a positive learning environment, and building rapport through humor and creative activities. Jonnie has a vast array of interests that include health and fitness, geography, chess, computers and technology, and much more. He has a passion for teaching students about health and wellness, proper form for lifting weights, and helping students to build confidence. Jonnie loves working with kids while having a positive, patient, and reinforcing attitude. He is dedicated to set our students up for a lifetime of success and happiness!

Laura Beasley is a well-seasoned piano and vocal teacher who has been teaching in the Greater New Orleans area for the past 29 years. Laura holds a B.S. Degree in Mass Communications with a Public Relations Emphasis from Lamar University, achieving most of her undergraduate studies at Louisiana State University. Laura’s music education came by way of private piano lessons starting at age 5, adding vocals at age 13 and continuing through her young adult years. With the support and help of her family, Laura started a private teaching studio, and nearly 30 years later, she is still well known and loved in the community by her students and their families. Laura brings her knowledge and love of working with 2e students to Brighthouse that has come through her years of teaching private lessons and developing personalized music curriculum according to the students’ needs and individual learning style. Her creativity and joy in building student and parent relationships which help her customize the learning experience has proven to be successful with her students. She looks forward to teaching, learning and growing with Brighthouse staff and students. Besides teaching music, Laura enjoys spending time on the beach, spending time with friends, traveling, all kinds of live musical performances, flowers, home decorating, health/fitness/nutrition, open air markets, and watching LSU and Saints football games.

Lee Kreil attended Louisiana Tech University on a 4-year music scholarship and earned a B.S. in Economics in May of 1992. He held leadership positions while a member of two professional fraternities, Delta Sigma Pi (business) and Phi Mu Alpha (music), and holds a lifetime member status in both. He has worked with, taught, and tutored students' from elementary to Masters candidates for over ten years. Lee joined Brighthouse Learning Academy in the Spring of 2023 with over five years of experience working with 2e students while operating and teaching at his wife's academic support center. He is an active member of his community. He serves as a coach for Northshore Robotics and has served and has been recognized as a Member of the Month with the former East St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce. Lee is also a Founding Volunteer/Member of the Abita Fall Fest. He is a professional writer and enjoys sitting behind a typewriter, hanging out with friends, and spending time with his wife and his many miniature long-haired dachshunds.

Dr. Hatchett, Ph.D., LPC-S is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, and graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Psychology, her master of education, and her doctorate degree from the University of New Orleans. Micah is a counselor with a solo private online practice in Mandeville, and has over 20 years of experience as a counselor in a range of settings. Micah has experience teaching undergraduate-level psychology while working on her doctorate. Micah approaches teaching young people from an engaging, relaxed, and humorous place to ensure safety, comfort, and to help the students feel empowered and interested in learning. Micah enjoys playing in her garden, being her cats’ favorite person to bother, feeding the birds and the bees who’ve nested in her yard, and spending time with her husband and two sons.

Peter Tinker has been working with Brighthouse since 2023 for various IT tasks, most notably having created the current website for the school. He is now working regularly as the IT Manager and handles all computer or technology related needs for the school, as well as aiding in the online presentation of Brighthouse. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from Louisiana State University and owns a web design and development company, and has been an avid technology enthusiast his entire life. He strives to create simple, user-friendly systems that allow students and staff to learn and educate in the most efficient and painless way possible. He has a unique perspective as someone with a strong design background with his education in Architecture alongside a logical nature that gravitated him towards technology.

Rebekah graduated from Northshore Technical Community College with a Technical Degree in Drafting & Design. Since then she has held jobs in many different fields, but her best role has been raising her own child with learning disabilities. This has given her the experience and patience to work with BLA’s twice exceptional students. In her spare time Rebekah enjoys gardening, swimming, biking and fishing. Rebekah’s calm demeanor, perseverance, and problem-solving skills make her a great fit for teaching math in a simplified and creative manner so that it clicks.

Renée Cambre joins the BLA community this year teaching Reading, ELA, and Social Studies to our 5th – 8th grade students. The daughter and granddaughter of educators, she’s embarked on a second career as an educator following a successful 30-year career as a healthcare revenue cycle sales executive. Renée earned an MBA from Tulane University, graduating in the top 10% of her class, where she was inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of New Orleans, where she was inducted into the Golden Key National Honor Society. Renée has experience providing academic and social-emotional support to 2e students to enable success in college prep curriculums and life. Her goal is to help fill the void in today’s education system for high functioning ASD youth by fostering pragmatic social skills needed to forge the social connections they seek and require to thrive personally, academically, and professionally. She enjoys traveling and the outdoors; she is an avid SEC and Saints football fan; and she is an active member of Our Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic Church in Mandeville, where she serves as a Lector, Commentator, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, and a Women’s Bible Study Group Leader.

Sarah McNeil came to Brighthouse at the end of the 2020-2021 school year to teach our students Physical Education (PE) and Nutrition. Sarah received her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Louisiana State University and her Master of Science Degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Akron. Sarah has worked as a Fitness Director, Fitness Studio Manager, Personal Trainer and owns her own company helping people from all ages and walks of life reach their fitness and health goals. Her approach is to make fitness and nutrition fun and to help students create sustainable, active, and healthy lifestyles. She enjoys traveling the world, paddleboarding, swimming, hiking and running for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Her hope is to inspire the kids to find their passion and use it to find ways to incorporate activity into their lifestyle.

Dr. Sim Shattuck is a retired professor from Louisiana Tech University, where he taught Shakespeare, Arthurian Literature, and tech writing, as well as a host of undergraduate writing and literature classes. He enjoys reading to students and giving them a wider cultural background to understand the currents of social and artistic life.

Tina Chiasson is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) with many years of experience in the school system, including Special Education, as well as the medical setting. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Social Counseling from Our Lady of Holy Cross College and her Master of Social Work from Tulane University. Throughout her experience, Tina has supported the academic, social and emotional needs of students. She believes all students have the ability to be successful in school and in life, regardless of their social-emotional challenges, if provided with the appropriate support. Her goal is to teach students the skills and strategies to help them set healthy goals and behaviors that can be utilized both in the educational setting and at home. Tina finds both personal and professional fulfillment assisting children who exhibit special needs. Thus, having the opportunity to join the Brighthouse staff for the 2024-25 school year is beneficial to both her and the students at Brighthouse Learning Academy. She is excited to be affiliated with individuals who provide such wonderful, and valuable services to children in the community. Tina enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, boating, walking, bike riding, painting and traveling.