ABOUT OUR CFO: Joan's husband, Al Cotter, has many roles with Activities for Learning, Inc., primarily financial. He is also a sounding board for Joan's lesson plans and a mentor to employees in business practices. As time permits, Al enjoys customer contact at conferences.
Al has a BSME degree (mechanical engineering) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He worked for 3M Company for 35 years in various technical and management positions. Al and Joan purchased a farm in Hutchinson MN, which they operated for 32 years. Upon retiring from 3M, Al joined the Corn Growers Association, where he led various state and national programs. His focus was using agriculture products as a resource for renewable energy.
Al enjoys this next stage of retirement working to assure that Activities for Learning, Inc. has a strong business structure so children can understand, apply, and enjoy mathematics. Al can be reached at AJCotter@RightStartMath.com
ABOUT OUR VICE PRESIDENT AND MARKETING MANAGER: Kathleen Cotter Lawler is the daughter of Al and Dr. Joan A. Cotter, author and creator of the RightStart Mathematics program. She has a Masters Degree in Business Administration and a second Masters Degree in Management from the University of Mary in Bismarck ND.
Kathleen has four children, ages 14 to 19. Two attend the local rural school and the older two are attending college. All the children, not surprisingly, excel in math! Kathleen loves to travel, both for business and for pleasure. She spends her spare time reading, quilting, keeping up with the kids, and learning to unicycle. She can be reached at Kathleen@RightStartMath.com
ABOUT CONVENTION COORDINATOR: Constance is the person that gets the RightStart people to and from your favorite conventions! She schedules the booths, flights, hotels, and all the details in between. Constance is an engineer by education but currently is focusing her after-hours attention on the unicycling communities around her town, state, and country and on salsa dancing! For a quick glimpse of Constance's skills, click here (she's on the tall red one). She can be reached at Conventions@RightStartMath.com
ABOUT OUR OFFICE MANAGER: Loreli keeps the office running smoothly and does the bookkeeping for the organization. She has an AAS degree and has worked for both profit and nonprofit firms as an administrative assistant and office manager. Loreli and her husband live in a rural area north of Linton. She enjoys gardening, sewing, and attending auction sales. Loreli can be reached at Loreli@RightStartMath.com.
ABOUT OUR CUSTOMER CARE AND SALES PEOPLE: Wendy has a Bachelors degree in communications with a minor in German from Mississippi State University. After working a few years in Human Resources, she returned to school and became a Registered Respiratory Therapist. Wendy then obtained a second Bachelors degree in Nursing from Emory University in Atlanta, GA, and worked as an ICU nurse for about 11 years. Wendy has been using the RightStart Mathematics curriculum for five years and is starting her third child in the program. In her free time, she is a Sunday school teacher and enjoys creating smocked garments and French heirloom sewing. She can be reached at Wendy@RightStartMath.com.
Carissa has a degree in Early Childhood Education and is a certified preschool teacher. She has been homeschooling since 2000 and is active in her local homeschool community. Her goal for homeschooling parents is to help them cultivate the love of learning in their children. Carissa has been teaching her children RightStart Mathematics since 2002, and is currently teaching the Geometric Approach for a second time and Level D for a third time. She has taught Level B three times, Level C three times, Level D twice, and Level E twice and the Geometric Approach once! She is a wife and mother of three. Carissa can be reached at Carissa@RightStartMath.com.
Julie has a Bachelors degree in Psychology and Christian Ministries from Spring Arbor college in Michigan. She has been homeschooling her four daughters for seven years and is active in her local homeschool community. She is currently teaching RightStart Mathematics levels A, C and E to her three oldest children. Julie is involved in her local church and enjoys playing math games with her children and reading. She can be reached at Julie@RightStartMath.com.
Ann has been homeschooling for eight years. When her now college-aged daughter was 12, Ann began her homeschooling journey. Her 11 year old son has been homeschooled from the start. Ann worked with horses her whole life. She spent five years as a traveling groom and assistant thoroughbred trainer. She met her husband, Nick, also an assistant trainer in Kentucky. They married and quit traveling with the horses and both made career changes. Ann and her family go biking, running, and camping and she enjoys gardening, hydroponics, baking, and reading. She can be reached at Ann@RightStartMath.com.
Rachel has a Degree in Business and Music. She worked in Human Resources and Informations Technology until she had her first child and decided to be a stay-at-home mother. She now has four children, three boys and a girl and has been homeschooling since 2005. She works part time as a music director at her church. Rachel enjoys listening to music, spending time with family and playing the piano. She can be reached at Rachel@RightStartMath.com.
Kendall has a Bachelors degree in Business Administration from the University of New Mexico. After working in several deptartments for a homebuilder, she and her husband decided to have a family. Kendall has been homeschooling her four children for 7 years and is currently teaching RightStart Math levels B, D, and the Geometric Approach. Kendall enjoys gardening, reading, working in the kitchen, traveling, and evenings with her family. You can reach her at Kendall@RightStartMath.com.
ABOUT OUR ORDER PROCESSORS: Bernice processes orders and assists customers for Activities for Learning, Inc. She and her husband live on a farm in south central North Dakota. Their three grown children are all married and they have four adorable grandchildren. In her free time, Bernice enjoys scrapbooking, reading, and going to garage sales. She can be reached at Bernice@RightStartMath.com or toll free at 888-RS-5-MATH (888-775-6284).
Maren has a Bachelors degree in design and art from North Dakota State University. She has 20 years of accounting and customer service experience. Maren is married with 3 children. She enjoys reading, camping and doing home improvements and landscaping. You can reach Maren at Maren@RightStartMath.com or toll free at 888-RS-5-Math.
ABOUT OUR MARKETING PERSONNEL: Tina handles customer service issues, processes orders, and helps with administrative responsibilities, in addition to handling the social media marketing and email marketing campaign. She brings 20 years of accounting and customer service experience to the team. Tina is married with 3 children and enjoys spending much of her spare time with her family, enjoying camping, fishing and boating. She also enjoys watching movies and playing Sukoko. Tina can be reached at Tina@RightStartMath.com.
ABOUT OUR WAREHOUSE PERSONNEL: Sharon supervises the warehouse, keeping the shipments processed, maintaining the inventory, and running interference where needed. She spends her free time making candles, playing computer games and reading. Sharon, her husband, and their daughter, live in a neighboring town.
Judy grew up in Hazelton, ND and graduated from Hazelton High School. She married a local farmer 32 years ago and have three children and two beautiful granddaughters. She enjoys sewing, reading, and watching TV. Judy helps with shipping and works diligently on assembly.
ABOUT OUR PRINTING DEPARTMENT: Tammy manages the printing of our books and other related material. She lives in a nearby town with her husband of 37 years and has two grown children and three grandchildren. Tammy keeps herself busy with gardening and bike riding.
Marilyn assists with the printing of books and other related material. She brings 20 years of accounting and customer service experience to the team. Marilyn is married with 4 children and lives in the neighboring town, with only 1 child at home. Out of the 4 children one of them recently married, so she is now looking forward to the grandmother stage. Her free time is spent visiting with family members that live a far distance.
ABOUT OUR PROJECT COLLABORATOR: Carrie provides project and technical support where needed. She and her husband farm in south central North Dakota, keeping busy with their five young children. Any corrections can be sent to her at Carrie@RightStartMath.com.
