About Us

Zadie Walker

With a solid background in education and a fervent passion for social-emotional learning, Zadie Walker has become a respected leader in the SEL domain. Drawing inspiration from his mother, who devoted over 30 years to education, Zadie grew up witnessing firsthand the power of dedication to nurturing young minds and fostering a love for learning.

Upon serving as a substitute teacher for a year, Zadie developed a deep appreciation for the significance of social-emotional learning in all aspects of life. He believes that SEL transcends age, race, and gender, playing a crucial role in personal and professional development.

In addition to his work in SEL, Zadie is a talented filmmaker, currently producing a TV series that explores how America 'came to be' in 1844. His ability to captivate audiences with compelling stories further highlights his dedication to education and learning. As a brand specialist, Zadie utilizes his creative skills to develop strong, meaningful connections between products and their target audiences.

Zadie's entrepreneurial spirit also extends to the culinary world, with plans to open a restaurant named 'Sandwhich,' showcasing his diverse interests and talents. 

Teaming up with esteemed business partner, Tanya Brown-Gatlin, has been a perfect match for Zadie. Tanya's expertise and unwavering commitment to the SEL industry make her a formidable force, and Zadie feels fortunate to work alongside her in their mission to create a lasting impact on countless lives.

Together, Zadie Walker and Tanya Brown-Gatlin are forging a new path in education and empowering learners worldwide through their relentless pursuit of social-emotional learning excellence. With their combined experience, passion, and determination, they are revolutionizing the way we approach learning and leading the charge for a more compassionate, empathetic, and emotionally intelligent society.

Tanya Brown-Gatlin M.Ed.

With over 27 years of experience in education, Tanya is an accomplished curriculum specialist, education consultant, and learning coach. Through many years of providing rich learning experiences to both compulsory students and alternative learners, Tanya has developed a keen insight into the impact social and emotional learning has on character development and intrinsic academic achievement. This insight has helped her create pedagogic strategies and curricula to enhance learner Self-reflection, Self-development, Self-assessment, and higher-order thinking that grows beyond Level One Depth of Knowledge Skills. Witnessing her learners achieve beyond typical academic standards has led Tanya to innovate the approach to social and emotional learning (SEL) and expand on the current SEL five-core competencies. 

Tanya's passion for education is evident in her distinct experience in the field. She is the proud mother of 4 young adults she independently homeschooled for 23 years from “Kindergarten to highly successful college undergrad and Master's degrees.” Through her leadership at Our University Private Home-School, Tanya developed and facilitated innovative curricula, including high school engineering, robotics, dietetics, fashion design, art, and psychology endorsement career pathways. Her dedication to providing enriching opportunities for both homeschooled and compulsory students led to successfully paid internships, student volunteer programs, and many academic achievements. Tanya believed in working holistically with her learners and students, helping them discover their natural strengths, interests, and visions for personal success beyond the classroom.

In addition to her work in homeschooling, Tanya has been an active member of the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) and FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) community, serving as a team mentor, Judge, Judge Advisor, and Senior Mentor for FIRST headquarters from 2019-2021. Her commitment to promoting STEM education was recognized with the Volunteer of the Year Award at the First Lego League Official Qualifying Tournament in 2017 and the First Lego League East Area Championships Volunteer of the Year in 2019.

Currently, Tanya designs and develops custom curricula and educational support materials for independent organizations and education companies locally and internationally. She also specializes in consulting with homeschool families and groups helping them create effective and sustainable learning communities.