Katie Whittelsey
Life Coach and Educational Consultant

Katie Cyphers Whittelsey attended the University of Tennessee, where she obtained an M.S.Ed. in Theory and Practice in Teacher Education and a B.S. in Special Education. She is a Certified Life Coach through Light University and has completed coursework through the Professional Christian Coaching Institute. Additionally, Katie is a professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association.

For over a decade, Katie has provided educational consulting and coaching to families and corporations around the globe. Her expertise lies in coaching families through school admissions, life coaching young adults through the next stage of life, ADHD coaching and helping parents to better understand their child’s unique learning profile. Katie has trademarked the phrase Learning Checkup™ to help parents understand that all children's learning should be assessed in the same manner as they would assess their wellness. Katie has extensive training in the administration and interpretation of the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities and Tests of Academic Achievement (WJ IV) by the author Dr. Nancy Mather. She has also been trained on the Test of Silent Contextual Reading Fluency (TOSCRF), the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) and Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy. Katie's professional background, as well as life's experience as the daughter of a pioneer in the field of neuroscience and education, provides her with an expert-level understanding of the unique needs of students with dyslexia, language processing disorder, autism, ADHD, and other developmental delays.

Katie's dedication to her alma mater has remained apparent with her position on the University of Tennessee Dean's Board of Advisors for the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences and through her service as President of the Univ. of Tennessee Alumni Chapter Board. Katie is a past member of the Rotary Club of Buckhead and was awarded the Vocational Service Award. She has served two terms on the National Board of Directors for the Learning Disabilities Association of America. Katie is a Professional Member of the highly regarded Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). Her other memberships include the Secondary Schools Admission Test Board (SSATB), the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), the American Psychological Association (APA), the Shepherd Center Society, the British-American Business Council of Georgia (BABC), and Women's Community Bible Study. Katie received the UT Alumni Promise Award, which recognizes an alumnus under the age of 40 that has made extensive marks early in their careers, both civically and professionally. In addition, Katie received the Outstanding Community Advocate award in 2017 from the Department of Theory and Practice in Teacher Education. 

Katie’s passion lies in coaching others to develop efficient systems and processes across all industries. She prioritizes her own family, loves to travel and thrives on opportunities to build programs that help others to be more intentional with their time, energy and resources. In her spare time, you’ll find her sneaking away to Sierra Leone, West Africa, where you will find a precious 12-year-old boy, Mohamed, who has truly captured her heart. As a result of her love for helping all children succeed, Katie founded Education Cures, a nonprofit committed to ensuring that schools in developing countries have the tools support and curriculum they need to provide the best free, quality education.

"When I was little girl competing to be the favorite grandchild, I used to ask, "Hildee, who do you love the most?" My grandmother's response was always, "I love the one that needs me the most." Hildee instilled the same quality in me and Academics Plus exists today in order to help children who need it the most, understanding that each child and each family is different. At Academics Plus we’ve created a team that believes that every child is a teachable student. We believe in hope, encouragement, and flexibility, and we believe in addressing learning challenges early and aggressively because we know it works. We also believe in teaching our students that, no matter what, you can always do the next right thing. We want our students and families to know that no matter where they are in life and what has happened, there is a bright side, you are not alone, and Academics Plus is here to help."