Our Mission
Our mission is to ensure every child receives consistent, compassionate, and coordinated care so they can build confidence, independence, and lifelong learning skills.
Your Learning Toolbox was founded on a simple belief: when families, educators, and specialists work together, students thrive.
We provide academic tutoring, executive functioning coaching, and parent–school liaison services that align supports across environments-home, school, and beyond.
Our approach is built on three core pillars that ensure every child receives consistent, connected, and compassionate support- at school, at home, and beyond.
Collaboration
We connect parents, schools, and providers for clear communication and shared goals.
Coaching
We help students build academic and executive functioning skills through individualized, strengths-based instruction.
Continuity
We bridge supports across home and school to create sustainable growth and confidence over time.
Meet The Team
Emmy Mlawer Hollenberg
Founder
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Emmy Mlawer Hollenberg is the founder of Your Learning Toolbox.
Emmy holds a Master’s Degree in Childhood General and Special Education with a concentration in Learning Disabilities, and has over a decade of experience as a special educator and executive functioning coach. Her work is grounded in evidence-based practices and a deep understanding of how children learn best.
Her instructional approach is inspired by training in the Reggio Emilia philosophy, Orton–Gillingham curricula, multisensory math, and expository writing instruction, as well as a range of social–emotional learning (SEL) and emotion regulation frameworks. Emmy integrates these perspectives to help students strengthen academic foundations, build executive functioning skills, and develop confidence, independence, and self-awareness.
Before founding Your Learning Toolbox, Emmy spent ten years teaching in New York City independent schools, where she collaborated closely with parents, teachers, and multidisciplinary teams. Today, she and her team continue that collaborative model—bridging home, school, and outside providers to ensure students receive consistent, coordinated support across every environment.
Emmy works with families both in person (Fairfield County, CT & NYC) and virtually. She also partners with schools and parent organizations to lead professional development workshops on executive functioning, communication, and home–school collaboration.
A lifelong educator and parent herself, Emmy believes that every child benefits when adults work together with connection, clarity, and collaboration.
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Ally Goldstein is an educator in New York City. She attended Penn State for her undergraduate degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education with a minor in Special Education. To further her education, Ally received her Master's degree from Hunter College where she was Dual Certified in Childhood Education and Childhood Special Education with a focus in Learning Disabilities and Behavioral Disorders.
Ally has experience working with students with language based learning differences and special needs. She has taught in self-contained classrooms in Manhattan at The Gillen Brewer School and The Gateway School.
Ally is extensively trained in Orton-Gillingham phonics and reading, Singapore math, Zones of Regulation, and The Writing Revolution. These various curriculums are structured around the idea that learning must be broken down, explicitly taught, and multi-sensory. Ally uses these principles to guide instruction during her tutoring sessions.
Ally believes that children do well when they can and provides them with engaging opportunities to bring out their potential. She creates unique lessons to meet the student's individual needs and interests. She creates goals that are assessment based and will break down content into small chunks to make it more approachable so that your child can reach these goals. Ally recognizes students strengths and empowers them to become independent and lifelong learners.
Ally Goldstein
Tutor
Harold J. Turner
Tutor
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Harold J. Turner is a proud alum of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, New York University, and Teachers College. He has 12 years of experience as a middle school teacher, academic dean, and principal in urban education. He currently works as an independent contractor across various educational institutions.
Kimberly Laiso Shapiro, MS, NCC
Executive Function Coach
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Kimberly has her Bachelors in Psychology, Masters in Counselor Education K-12, and is a Certified Life Coach. She was a school counselor for 11 years before pivoting into the roles of Executive Function Coach and Social Emotional Learning Coach. She is passionate about neuropsychology and children's' mental health and has presented to educators, leaders, parents, and college students on topics including mindfulness in schools, emotional intelligence, coping and resiliency, and more. Kimberly brings empathy, compassion, and unconditional positive regard into all of her relationships with students and families. A huge fan of professional development, Kimberly is a trainer with the non-profit Neural Education as well as a lifelong learner continually adding tools to her own learning toolbox.
Perry Moskowitz
Tutor
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Perry is an educator in New York City at a Special Education private school. She received her Master’s degree from Hunter College where she studied General Education and Special Education grades 1-6 with a focus in behavioral disorders. She has 7+ years of experience as a special education teacher. Perry is continuing her education and taking classes to become a DIR Floortime therapist. She looks forward to working with YLT families!
Sara Laviolette, M.S., Ed.
Tutor
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Sara is a dedicated educator and tutor with over seventeen years of experience. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Eastern Connecticut State University and a Master’s degree in Education from Sacred Heart University, and is currently pursuing an EdD in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. She has fifteen years of experience teaching elementary education and currently teaches first grade, while also serving as a lead literacy teacher for her district, where she has contributed to district-wide curriculum development.
Sara specializes in creating individualized tutoring plans tailored to each student’s unique needs. She has worked with learners ranging from preschoolers to high school seniors, supporting foundational skills such as phonics and number recognition, as well as more advanced areas including test preparation and academic writing. Her mission is to foster confidence and ignite a lifelong love of learning in every student she supports.
Outside the classroom, Sara enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her three children. Her warmth, experience, and ability to build lasting connections with students and families allow her to be a trusted and passionate advocate for academic success.
Natalie Berman
Tutor & Executive Function Coach
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Natalie has her Masters Degree from Hunter College in the dual certification program for Childhood General and Special Education with a focus on Learning Disabilities. She is currently teaching at a school for students with language-based learning disabilities in grades 3 and 4.
Natalie is trained in the PAF reading program, which is an Orton Gillingham based phonics program. Additionally, she is trained in the Writing Revolution and has experience teaching multi-sensory math using the JUMP math curriculum. These programs are based on explicit and multi-sensory instruction, which benefits all different types of learners.
Natalie believes that all students have the potential to learn and succeed. She believes in individualized support and tailorng her teaching methods to meet the specific needs and abilities of her students.
Jane Marie Hutcheson
Tutor & Executive Function Coach-
Jane Marie is an educator, curriculum designer, and former school leader. She has been in
education for over a decade and graduated from Teachers College at Columbia University, with
both an M.A. and M.Ed in Curriculum and Teaching. She has taught all grade levels from pre-
kindergarten through Grade 4, and she leverages this breadth of experience to work with
students across grade levels. She currently works as a consultant with Teaching Matters as a
literacy coach.