Jennifer Jones, Ph.D., Founder & CEO

Dr. Jennifer Jones is a leading authority on educational innovation, specializing in child development and international models of learning.  She brings 18 years of international experience to her transformative  designs, and delivers them in easy-to-use forms for families, learning institutions and governments. 

LearnGarden programs are all functional fusions of the rich, rewarding and time-tested models of Reggio Emilia, Montessori and Waldorf. For more information about these influential models and their connections to LearnGarden, click here.

Dr. Jones holds a Masters and Ph.D. from Columbia University Teachers College, and offers private consultation as well as group workshops and parent-advocacy forums to show parents how to provide proper support for learning at home and beyond, ensuring fulfilling and accelerated growth for their children.  LearnGarden's mission is to instill a lifelong approach, capacity and zeal for learning in children (toddler to teen) and adults alike.  Click here to read testimonials by parents who have worked with Dr. Jones.

Dr. Jones also consults for corporations and school districts. She has founded and developed ten new private, charter and travel schools in Florida, Latin and South America enrolling thousands of K-12 students.  Her institutional client roster includes the Young Presidents' Organization, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Annenberg Foundation, Visa International, Jamaica’s Ministry of Education, Argentina’s Ministry of Education, Puerto Rico’s Department of Education, Columbia University, Florida International University and Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

Dr. Jones is a native of South Georgia, raised in a rural setting where family, friendships and simple living were cherished.  She brings the beliefs engendered by her rearing into her work, where people matter most, and personal happiness is of the utmost importance. Click here to see LearnGarden's blog and learn more about how Dr. Jones' life experiences led to the creation of LearnGarden.

Recent LearnGarden designs include: 

Alika Hope Despotopoulos, M.A., Director of Products and Services

Alika has more than 10 years of experience as an educator, including working with Early Head Start, Head Start, private and parochial schools, and New York City public schools. Alika currently consults with child care centers throughout New York City, helping teachers and families improve learning outcomes for young children. Alika is an adjunct faculty member in the teacher education department at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, where she previously served as a full-time member of the faculty. Alika received her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Notre Dame and her master of arts degree in early childhood special education from Columbia University Teachers College. 

Anita has more than 10 years of management experience in technology and non-profit sectors.  Anita has managed an office devoted to women's issues and has supervised a technology help desk for a major children's clothing retailer, among a few roles in her professional career.  Most recently, Anita was a primary point of coordination for a major international internet company and worked closely with sales, marketing, and technology teams.  Her focus has been on excellent customer service and providing positive results for a varied client base.