Experienced Staff With Learning Disabilities Expertise
New Horizon School & Learning Center is led by its Co-founder and Director, Marianne McCarthy Campbell. She is supported by an exceptional team of educators who possess the skills, experience, and commitment to make a real difference in the lives of learning different students. Click on Please use links below to contact individual staff directly.
Current Staff
Marianne McCarthy Campbell, MA, Director
Marianne is the Co-founder and ongoing Director of New Horizon School & Learning Center. She holds a M.A. in Education with an emphasis in Learning Disabilities from San Francisco State University and a B. A. in Education from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She holds a California Learning Specialist (Learning Handicapped) Credential, a Multi-Subject Credential (K-12), an Administrative Credential and Community College Credentials (Special Education and Adult Education).
As an Educational Therapist, Marianne has worked one-on-one and in small groups with children, adolescents and adults who have special learning needs which manifest as learning differences, learning disabilities, learning/school phobias, and school related failures. She has taught in public school regular education classrooms, in private schools for special needs students, and in community college and university classrooms for adult students requiring remediation and/or review.
Marianne has expertise in learning theory and development, learning disabilities, integrative curriculum, environmental/organizational/structural design for students with learning differences, educational therapy, and transition issues. She has studied and been involved with special education law since 1976.
Marianne also serves as a Learning Disabilities Specialist and Consultant for parents, public and private schools, colleges, universities, private businesses, therapists, and a variety of professionals working with clients with learning disabilities. She is a member of the International Dyslexia Association, Nonverbal Learning Disorders Association, and the Council for Exceptional Children. She has served on the Advisory Board for the Disability Resources Department of Santa Rosa Junior College.
Carolyn Ramage, Assistant Director, Teacher
“I believe it takes a community of supportive and caring individuals to nurture and embrace a student. I strive to guide each child towards achieving success while sharing in and celebrating their milestones”.
As an Education Specialist, Carolyn has worked in small group and in one-to-one settings with children, adolescents and adults at New Horizon School in both the Day School and the Learning Center since 2015. Carolyn holds a BA in American MultiCultural Studies, a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential with an emphasis on English language development and an Education Specialist Credential. Prior to 2015, she taught in public school regular education classrooms, in private schools offering language support and as a 1:1 tutor since graduating from Sonoma State University in 2006. Carolyn specializes in a multi-sensory approach for language acquisition and intervention and is Slingerland Certified through UC Berkeley Extension.
Molly Taylor, Teacher
"I love New Horizon School. I came to work here in 1993. I began as the art teacher and have learned more and more about learning styles and how to best teach children ever since. Throughout my education beginning with Kent State University, where I received my Bachelors in Fine Arts, to earning my Masters as a Learning Specialist at Sonoma State University, I have endeavored to treat all people with respect and wonder. I often wonder how best to approach a student, to help them achieve the best learning. The learning is multidimensional to achieve academic and personal success."
Abigail Evans, Teacher
“I have a passion for learning and facilitation, and love to watch students make connections between ideas and grow. I’ve worked with students of all ages studying all kinds of subjects since moving to California in 1994. I have a BA in History and Russian Language from Bryn Mawr College, and a Master’s degree in Slavic Languages and Literature from UC Berkeley; I received my teaching credential in special education from Sonoma County’s North Coast School of Education. I’m happy to be at New Horizon, which feels like a home to me in terms of its relationship-driven, creative, and deeply respectful approach to education.”
Laura Davison, Reading Specialist
Laura’s specialty is teaching reading to students with Dyslexia and other learning challenges. She has received extensive training in and certification for Slingerland and Orton Gillingham methods for teaching reading. Laura holds a BA in English and works with individual students or small groups in language arts, intensive interventions for reading, writing and morphology. She loves being part of the New Horizon team.
Nick Simmons, Music Teacher
Nick Simmons, Executive Director of Play It Forward Music Foundation, has been a music teacher in Sonoma County for over 20 years. During this time, Nick has taught thousands of private students and group music lessons. Currently, he teaches over 35 private students focusing on guitar, ukulele, drums, piano, flute, vocals, songwriting and electric music production. Nick also teaches music theory, composition, improvisation and recording. For the past two years Nick has been Executive Director or the Play It Forward Music Foundation. Through work of this foundation he has devised a program at New Horizon School and started teaching a music class with women and children at Living Room shelter. Nick received a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Sonoma State University in 2002. Nick has taught music in multiple local schools including: Santa Rosa Accelerated Charter School, Brush Creek Montessori, Sonoma State Excel Program and New Horizon School. In 2008, Nick published a chapter about benefits of music education in a book “Growing up Easier”. Nick is also a professional musician who performs and records with various bands throughout the Bay Area.
Susan Fountain, Education Specialist
Helping students and families find their unique learning tools to open up the world of reading is Susan’s skill set and passion. She has many years of teaching experience with students from preschool through college, has worked in several minority majority schools, and is experienced in working with students who have experienced trauma. A native of Sonoma County, Susan graduated from Sonoma State University with a BA in Ethnic Studies, a MA in Education with emphasis in Learning Disabilities, and General Education and Learning Specialist Credentials. She has taught in California, Texas, and Louisiana.
