Hi. I’m Kristine.
Though Learning with a Smile was founded in 2013, my journey began years earlier in rural Barbados. While teaching math and English, I discovered my love for education. A brief stint in HR confirmed my interest in counseling, but I missed working directly with students. After earning my master’s degree, I became a Professional School Counselor in a top district in Upstate NY.
There, a familiar pattern became impossible to ignore:
Bright, capable students were frustrated, stressed, and discouraged despite support.
Teachers worked tirelessly to put out fires, with little time or training to address root challenges.
Desperate parents saw untapped potential, but their nagging strained relationships and motivation.
It wasn’t a problem of effort or intent; it was a systems gap. Students were being asked to manage demands without the underlying skills to do so. Families invested in tutoring to raise grades, but the real issue wasn’t content, it was executive functioning. Confidence eroded, relationships strained, and progress stalled.
There had to be a better way.
That realization led me to create Learning with a Smile: a place focused on building the foundational skills behind academic and workplace success so clients can grow in confidence, reconnect with learning, and truly thrive.
Looking back, I realized I was that student.
I was bright but overwhelmed, doing enough to stay under the radar. I struggled to balance academics and athletics, felt paralyzed by my workload, and didn’t know how to work efficiently. I lacked executive function skills.
What I really needed was Learning with a Smile. I needed guidance, support, and strategies.
I needed “me.”
