About us

Marianne (a Georgia native) and Julie (a Florida native) are the brains and hearts of Pine and Palm Tutoring. Both Julie and Marianne started their careers in education as classroom teachers, took some time off to be moms and then met while employed at Lindamood-Bell. They are thrilled to have their own business in which they can combine and utilize learning methodology from Orton Gillingham, Lindamood-Bell, The Sensory SLP, Winnie Dunn (sensory expert) and Tera Sumpter (founder of Seeds of Learning).  

Julie says, "We are so excited to be able to have our own practice in which we can collaborate with families and other professionals to help our students excel and learn more confidently." 

At Pine and Palm, one of our teaching philosophies is, "Seek first to understand." We aim to know, teach, and appreciate the "whole" child; their strengths, areas for growth, and what feels calming or stress-inducing in their world. Every child is unique, so goals and lessons are designed to support their individual needs. 

After graduating from Georgia State University with a B.S. in Early Childhood Education and a special education endorsement, Marianne taught in K-2 public school classrooms before leaving to raise a family. She is trained in both the Orton-Gillingham methodology and Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes. Marianne continues to expand her knowledge of education and neurodivergence by following the latest podcasts and recommended books in the field.

Marianne's favorite part of teaching is utilizing the Visualizing & Verbalizing (V&V) program. “I love how well V&V supports the development of nonverbal working memory, which is the foundation for all learning." 

She is a self-proclaimed nerd who reads about cognitive neuroscience (for fun) and is passionate about sharing her love for learning with others. 

Outside of her research, she enjoys hiking, biking, and relaxing on the porch with her husband, son, and two dogs, Mr. Banjo and Mr. Chives.

With over 15 years in both public and private school settings, Julie brings a deep passion for helping students with diverse learning needs succeed. She holds a Master's degree in special education and a Bachelor's degree in Communication Disorders from the University of Florida. Her specialties include working with neurodivergent learners with dyslexia, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and language processing challenges. She is trained in both Orton-Gillingham and Lindamood- Bell learning processes.   

Beyond the classroom, Julie is a proud mom of three girls- Lauren, Laney and Lizzie and spends most of her free time cheering them on at rowing and volleyball games. 

A lifelong Gator fan, she enjoys traveling and exploring new places with her family.  Her future career goal is to expand her impact by providing consulting services to help families discover appropriate, educational settings tailored to their child's unique needs. 

 Mary graduated from the University of the South with a BA in Psychology. She also holds a Master’s in Educational Research from Georgia State University. 

Mary worked at Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes in various capacities for many years before joining the Pine & Palm team. She has extensive training and experienceis in the application of all the Lindamood-Bell programs as well as Orton-Gillingham methodology. She is also trained (and continues to learn, more) on how to plan for and support the executive functioning needs of all learners.

When she's not working, Mary enjoys reading, playing tennis, and spending time with her husband and two daughters. 

 With over 20 years of experience as an occupational therapist, Julie had the privilege of working across a variety of settings, supporting individuals of all ages and abilities. Her passion for helping others began early, shaped by her close relationship with her brother, who has Down syndrome and a dual diagnosis of ADHD and bipolar disorder. As a child, she actively participated in his therapy sessions, where she saw firsthand the power of encouragement, connection, and individualized support. Today, she works primarily with neurodivergent learners, including those with autism, ADHD, and specific learning disabilities. 

Her focus is on fostering executive functioning skills—supporting students as they learn to plan, prioritize, organize, and adapt in a world that often moves too fast. As a mother of four (ages 20, 18, 16, and 12), she also learned deeply from her own children, whose unique needs and perspectives continue to inspire her work every day.

She understands the complex dynamics of caregiving and the emotional demands it can place on families. This lived experience informs not only her clinical work, but also her commitment to partnering with caregivers, educators, and communities to create practical, compassionate, and sustainable supports for those who need them most.

Julie and her husband enjoy family time spent cooking, hiking, traveling, and hanging out with their loyal dog, Bo. 

 Lisa graduated from Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina, with a B.S. in Early Childhood Education.  She taught second grade before leaving to start a family. Once her three children were of school age, Lisa returned to teaching and worked as an interventionist (EIP), taught third grade, and most recently, served as a support teacher for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in Cobb County. As an EIP teacher, she specialized in literacy development for kindergarten through fifth grade. 

Lisa is trained in Orton-Gillingham, Lindamood-Bell methodologies, as well as how to support learning by supporting executive functioning. 

When Lisa is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband, three children, four dogs and cat. She also loves cooking and working in the yard!