Meet the Team
Founder/Tutoring Director – Chrisi Gillam
Team member Chrisi has a passion for helping students develop both an understanding of the mechanics of reading and an enjoyment for reading. She has over 20 years of experience in education working with students in both classroom and library settings. It is her belief that literacy is the foundation for all learning and successful students understand the purpose and importance of literacy. Students do not all learn in the same way or at the same time, but they should all be given the opportunity to learn. In order to help students be successful, educators need to meet them where they are academically and provide them with opportunities to help them grow as learners. Chrisi became a tutor in order to help provide students with these opportunities in a 1:1 learning environment.
Reading & Literacy Specialist
She is trained in the Spalding Method which is accredited by IMSLEC and IDA for teaching children with dyslexia. Additionally, Chrisi has completed the MentorMe! Reading Training Program which utilizes the Brain Friendly Reading program and is a certified BFR Reading Interventionist. Both Spalding and the Brain Friendly Reading program are multi-sensory, systematic, and explicit approaches to teaching reading that apply the science of reading principles.
Degrees & Certifications
Chrisi Gillam holds a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from Syracuse University. Prior to obtaining her master’s degree she attended Arizona State University where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Psychology before going on to complete a post-baccalaureate program in Elementary Education from Arizona State University West.
STEAM/Creative Director – Eric Gillam
Team member Eric has both a knack for helping others develop their skills in the world of STEAM and a passion for developing games and digital art. With a versatile background spanning professional game design for Activision, Blizzard and Disney, he seamlessly combines creativity and expertise to craft captivating STEAM Workshops for Coziplans. As a veteran of the dynamic world of game development, Eric brings a unique perspective to educational platforms, enhancing user experience and visual storytelling. He has also worked several years at the collegiate level as both an Academic Director and Professor of Game Design & Multimedia Arts, and his commitment to excellence in design is matched only by his passion for fostering learning environments that inspire and empower students and team members.
STEAM & Game Development Specialist
Eric has worked on many well known games including: Spider-man, Guitar Hero, Tony Hawk, Transformers and Skylanders. He has used that knowledge to create many award-winning mobile apps, business training modules, courses and programs to engage and educate people of all ages and learning styles.
Degrees & Certifications
On top of his professional experience, Eric Gillam also has a Master of Fine Art Degree in Media Design from Full Sail University, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Multimedia from the University of Arizona with a triple major in Art, Physics and Math. He also serves as the Creative Director for the digital design studio OMNERVA.
