About Us > Our Team
Our Team
There’s an old African proverb that says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” In some small way, Maxi Mind Learning is trying to recreate that village concept. We have a ‘circle of care’ that includes your child’s Brain Training Coach, the support staff at head office, and a wider network of leading health, wellness and educational experts that supports our work.
Coaching for Excellence
During the several months that your child is registered in a Maxi Mind Learning Brain Training Course, their primary contact will be their Brain Training Coach.
Technology alone alone could never create the life changes we see with the Maxi Mind Program. Our “not-so-secret sauce” is great coaching.
Think about your local fitness club. Thousands of members, hundreds of attendees. Without a personal trainer waiting for you, guiding you, cheering you on, you are much less likely to stick it out. Children with focusing, learning and self-regulation challenges need that coaching factor even more.
Maxi Mind Coaches (formally Neuro-educational Therapists) work from their own home-offices throughout the Greater Toronto Area. They are available after school and on weekends to train your child.
Each Maxi Mind Coach meets the following qualifications:
At least 5 years employed helping children
Extensive experience with challenging children
Excellent work references
Vulnerable sector clearance
A post-secondary degree in education, health or a related field
In addition, here is our list of “soft skill” requirements:
Heart of gold
Brains of silk
Nerves of steel
Quick thinking
Passion for helping children succeed
When coaches join the Maxi Mind team, they are equipped with a full suite of Maxi Mind tech and undergo a rigorous, 3-month training process with a veteran Maxi Mind Coach to ready them for work with your child.
Coaches are continuously supported and supervised by the support team at head office, and attend regular PD days for upgrading their knowledge and skills.
Your Support Team
Behind all the technology and coaching expertise, there is a whole other dimension of what goes on to back up each Maxi Mind Brain Training Course.
Everyone works together as a team with the common goal of making your family’s experience a rewarding one, while providing the best neurodevelopmental boost for your child.
Our Team
There’s an old African proverb that says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” In some small way, Maxi Mind Learning is trying to recreate that village concept. We have a ‘circle of care’ that includes your child’s Brain Training Coach, the support staff at head office, and a wider network of leading health, wellness and educational experts that supports our work.
Coaching for Excellence
During the several months that your child is registered in a Maxi Mind Learning Brain Training Course, their primary contact will be their Brain Training Coach.
Technology alone alone could never create the life changes we see with the Maxi Mind Program. Our “not-so-secret sauce” is great coaching.
Think about your local fitness club. Thousands of members, hundreds of attendees. Without a personal trainer waiting for you, guiding you, cheering you on, you are much less likely to stick it out. Children with focusing, learning and self-regulation challenges need that coaching factor even more.
Maxi Mind Coaches (formally Neuro-educational Therapists) work from their own home-offices throughout the Greater Toronto Area. They are available after school and on weekends to train your child.
Each Maxi Mind Coach meets the following qualifications:
At least 5 years employed helping children
Extensive experience with challenging children
Excellent work references
Vulnerable sector clearance
A post-secondary degree in education, health or a related field
In addition, here is our list of “soft skill” requirements:
Heart of gold
Brains of silk
Nerves of steel
Quick thinking
Passion for helping children succeed
When coaches join the Maxi Mind team, they are equipped with a full suite of Maxi Mind tech and undergo a rigorous, 3-month training process with a veteran Maxi Mind Coach to ready them for work with your child.
Coaches are continuously supported and supervised by the support team at head office, and attend regular PD days for upgrading their knowledge and skills.
Your Support Team
Behind all the technology and coaching expertise, there is a whole other dimension of what goes on to back up each Maxi Mind Brain Training Course.
Everyone works together as a team with the common goal of making your family’s experience a rewarding one, while providing the best neurodevelopmental boost for your child.
Arnie Gotfryd, PhD
Educational Director & CEO
Three life experiences prepared me for creating Maxi Mind Learning: A career in life sciences, decades of teaching in private schools, and being blessed with plenty of wonderful children to raise, some of whom suffered serious learning challenges.
As a scientist, I can recognize properly proven methods. As a teacher I know what works with kids. And as a parent, I understand the needs of my clients. My greatest joy is when I can help others overcome the challenges that we struggled with so much with when our children were young.
Sholom Ross
Case Manager
After Post-secondary studies in Jewish Education, Sholom spent six years teaching and running youth programs in New York, California, and Quebec, where he served as Vice-Principal at a private high school for boys with learning disabilities.
“I believe that while every person is intrinsically good and truly strives to be good, there are barriers that can get in the way, like lack of confidence, the inability to focus, or poor impulse control due to frustration. I genuinely enjoy helping people unblock those barriers, while guiding and supporting families throughout their Maxi Mind experience.”
Susan Mann
Coach & Case Manager
After earning a BA in Psychology and a Teaching Diploma from McGill University, Susan worked as a Childcare Consultant in Toronto for 30 years with a home childcare agency, where she tracked and enhanced children’s development and advocated for those with special needs.
“Children need to be supported in ways that develop their skills according to their individual needs. I really resonate with the values of Maxi Mind, and truly love contributing to its success by developing and implementing programs, policies and procedures that help children achieve their potential in a safe, effective, and fun way.”
Leah Gotfryd
Scheduling Coordinator
Having graduated University of Toronto with a BA, Leah taught pre-school for 7 years, and worked as an Executive Assistant in two bustling community organizations.
“There were years when our eight children had to be car-pooled to four different locations on six different schedules, with different, but overlapping sets of families. After that, air traffic control is a cinch!
“Creating a workable schedule for a Maxi Mind client is all about the person’s story. Sometimes some creative problem solving is involved and we do our best to make it work for you.”
Sarah Vicuna
Intake Coordinator
Sarah studied Business, Marketing and Organizational Behaviour at York University, then worked 14 years at the National Bank of Canada, in customer service and management. She’s a busy mother of two and still finds time to reach out to parents full time on behalf of Maxi Mind Learning as Intake Coordinator. Sarah’s positive energy, practical intelligence and listening ear make her an ideal fit for her position.
“I love my job. I feel personally inspired by parents’ stories and their eagerness to help their children overcome their challenges and find their life purpose and happiness.”
Sandra Merovic
Assessment Coordinator
Sandra earned her B.Ed in Brazil and her MA in Special Education in Jerusalem, Israel. Over the past 40 years, she has taught children of all ages in Brazil, Israel and Canada, for both public and private schools.
“We are each just one small piece of this giant puzzle called humankind. Without any one piece, the puzzle is not complete. But not every piece can easily find their place and sometimes we need help along the way. Easing this journey for each child I teach is truly my greatest joy in life.”
Moshe Gotfryd
Admin & Tech Geek
Moshe graduated with a BA Equivalent in Jewish Education, Law and Philosophy. Before joining Maxi Mind Learning in 2013, he spent 10 years teaching and running youth programs in schools and summer camps in Ontario, Quebec, New York, Ohio, and Australia.
“My goal is to deploy technology and develop systems that liberate our coaches and office staff from getting bogged down in administrative and technical details so they have more time and headspace to ensure that you and your child are taken care of in the best possible way.”
In a broader sense, Maxi Mind Learning’s team includes our technology partners and medical advisors such as neuropsychiatrist Dr. Ron Minson, and neuropsychologist Dr. Rohn Kessler. Last and foremost at the top of the list, is you, the parent, who we can advise and assist your regarding how to ensure that your child’s brain training benefits translate into enhanced learning and life skills that last a lifetime.
Discover how you can help unlock your child’s potential
Simply fill in the form below to be contacted for a free consultation.
As a health professional and counselor who works with children but more importantly as a mother with two daughters and a son who went through your program, I give my full endorsement to the Maxi Mind program.
Ora Stebben RHN, NNCP Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Maxi Mind Mother