Wendy MoranteNILD Educational Therapist

Congratulations are in order for Wendy Morante who has completed the requirements for Professional Certification through National Institute for Learning Development. While certification in itself is reason to celebrate, the fact that Wendy accomplished this feat in only three years is reason to marvel. She may have set a record! During the last year of this process she also began Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment training and is about half-way through her master's program. This woman is motivated!

Wendy's seemingly insatiable desire to learn all she can as fast as she can stems from her desire to hasten the development of her students. Wendy is especially interested in children with autism.

Wendy and her husband, Justin, moved to the desert from Poway, CA, where Wendy worked both in preschool and elementary school as a teacher and assistant director in the San Diego area for over fifteen years. When Wendy isn't using her free time to read she pursues her interest in photography.

Professionally Certified NILD Educational Therapist, National Institute for Learning Development, Virginia Beach, VA
BS Human Development, San Diego Christian College, El Cajon, Ca.
Associate of Science in Child Development, Grossmont College, El Cajon, CA
CA State Multiple Subject Teaching Credential
ACSI Standard Certification

Cynthia Moses, FounderProfessionally Certified NILD Educational Therapist

Cynthia is passionate about lessening the impact of learning problems in the lives of children, their families, and the community. Integrated Learning Institute began as a result of her strong desire to equip a greater number of struggling children with the tools they need to become independent learners. She currently serves as master teacher, program administrator, and executive director.

As an instructor/consultant for National Institute for Learning Development (NILD) with nineteen years experience as a NILD Educational Therapist, Cynthia brings a depth of knowledge and commitment to ILI that is seen in the ongoing training she provides our staff and her work with her own students.

Cynthia and Daymor, her husband of forty years, love spending time with their two adult sons, their wives, and nine grandchildren.

BA Christian Education, Messenger College, Joplin, MO
M.Ed. Cross-Categorical Special Education, Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA
Executive Director, Integrated Learning Institute, Palm Desert, CA
Professionally Certified NILD Educational Therapist, National Institute for Learning Development, Virginia Beach, VA
Instructor/Consultant National Institute for Learning Development, Virginia Beach, VA
Former elementary classroom teacher
Former Children’s Ministry Director, Family Life Church, Rancho Mirage, CA
Former Director, Epilepsy Association of Colorado, Denver, Co
Member International Dyslexia Association
Member National Institute for Learning Development
Member Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Member Association of Educational Therapists

Judy TopolinskiCertified NILD Educational Therapist

Judy’s intellectual curiosity and innate understanding of the young child have served her well in her eleven years as a NILD Educational Therapist. Judy tirelessly studies each of her students and works hard designing programs and developing materials to uniquely stimulate each child’s learning.

As our home school consultant Judy is able to offer valuable instruction and encouragement to parents who have opted to school their struggling learners at home. Judy successfully home schooled three of her children, serving as a coop instructor and president of the Desert CHEA Home School Association in the process.

Judy also has twenty years experience directing young child programs in AWANA clubs, vacation bible schools, Sunday schools and summer camp programs. She is currently the Director of Children’s Ministry at Northgate Community Church in Cathedral City, CA.

In her free time Judy teaches a weekly Bible study for women at a local retirement community and serves as a Cornerstone Bible Institute Instructor monitoring correspondence courses for prisoners from all across the country.

Judy and Gary have been married thirty-four years and are the proud parents of four adult children and seven grandchildren.

BA Organizational Leadership, Biola University, Panorama City, CA
Certified Educational Therapist, National Institute for Learning Development, Virginia Beach, VA
Past President Desert CHEA
Director of Children’s Ministry, Northgate Community Church, Cathedral City, CA
CBI Cornerstone Bible Institute Instructor

Larry HouserDirector, Fundraising, Integrated Learning Institute

Larry Houser is a man of many interests and diverse talents. A California native, he spent his school age years in SE Asia, mostly in Singapore. His life there allowed Larry to spend many hours in, on, or under the water. His love for an active lifestyle continues to this day. He is an avid racquet ball player.

After travel to Europe, Africa, and the South Pacific, Larry settled in San Luis Obispo, CA, long enough to earn a BS Degree in Crop Science. From there he spent two years attending Colorado State University during which time he met and married his wife of 28 years, Theresa. Larry and Theresa reared their two adult children here in the Coachella Valley where Larry has worked for 26 years as the General Manager for the Riverside County Citrus Pest Control District 2.

Larry has a heart for service and missions especially as they apply to children. He has served for many years as a volunteer in numerous children’s programs in churches and school. He will tackle almost any task that will help children. Larry directs our annual auction/fundraiser to provide scholarship assistance for our students.
When he gets a chance, Larry’s penchant for restoring old cars gives him much enjoyment and satisfaction.

BS Crop Science, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA
General Manager, Riverside County Citrus Pest Control District 2
Director, Integrated Learning Institute, Palm Desert, CA
Committee Member, Pesticide Applicators Professional Association for the Coachella Valley
Former Board Member, Special Districts Workers Compensation Authority

Cynthia (Cindy) JohnsonFounding Director, Secretary, Integrated Learning Institute, Palm Desert, CA

Cindy was born in Denver, Colorado, but grew up in many places. Since her father was in the military she lived in Hong Kong and Iran as well as all over the United States. Cindy considers the Coachella Valley as a permanent address since she moved here in 1992 and has lived here ever since. Cindy has much experience working with nonprofit organizations. Her job as the Biblical Counseling Foundation’s Administrator for United States Courses keeps her very busy but she has still made time to serve on the ILI Board of Directors since its inception in 2003. Cindy was introduced to NILD Educational Therapy when her son received help for his learning disability and she considers it a privilege to help ILI grow to provide NILD Educational Therapy for more children.

For ten years Cindy has taught weekly Bible studies for inmates at Chuckawalla Valley State Prison near Blythe. In her spare time Cindy relaxes by making quilts and delighting in her three adult children and five grandchildren.

BA Political Economics, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO
MS Urban Planning, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX
Founding Director, Integrated Learning Institute

Robert KingsburyFounding Director, Finance, Integrated Learning Institute

If you hear that Bob Kingsbury has retired, don’t believe it. About the time Bob thinks that perhaps he and his wife of forty years, Beverly, will spend their days traveling, golfing, and inventing new recipes in their kitchen, he is drawn to another cause near to his heart. The work of Integrated Learning Institute is of particular interest to Bob and Bev because of their son, Bradley, who, because of injuries he sustained in an accident, struggled with learning until the time of his death. Bob is eager to help ILI provide services for other parents who are seeking help for their children.

With the help of the internet Bob is able to help manage ILI’s finances and stretch its scholarship dollars no matter where he might be in his frequent travels.

Bob and Bev have two adult children and five grandchildren.

Church Consultant
Director, Finance, Integrated Learning Institute
Pastor Emeritus, Fellowship of Grace Bretheren
Former Executive Pastor, Business Administrator, Seacoast Grace Church, Cypress, CA
Former Director, Finance Committee, Casa Youth Shelter, Los Alamitos, CA
Former member, Community Awareness Committee, Cypress, CA
Former Area Administrator, Eastern Europe, Campus Crusade for Christ, Vienna
Former President, Director, Project Independence, Anaheim, CA
Former President, Director, Tanglewood North Homeowners Assoc., Cypress, CA
Former Director, Palm Valley Homeowners Assoc., Palm Desert, CA
Former Director, Westmont College Athletic Board, Santa Barbara, CA

Deborah MangusFounding Director and Treasurer, Integrated Learning Institute

Deborah spends her days at the helm of a busy Bermuda Dunes, California, tax preparation and consulting business that she began from a desk in her garage and developed into a company with eight employees. Her good humor and personal integrity are still in place right up to April 15th every year…and then she goes on vacation!

Happily, Deborah has not taken a vacation from ILI since becoming a founding director in 2003. Deborah’s work, guiding organizations in the desert through the process of becoming nonprofits, has been an invaluable service to ILI. Her understanding of and dedication to all things required for nonprofit record keeping has also served ILI from its very beginning and through the growth we have experienced in our first seven years.

Deborah stays motivated in her service to ILI because of her concern for the children of our valley. Deborah and her husband, Greg, have been married for thirty-three years and have two adult children and four grandchildren.

Deborah Mangus AA College of the Desert Enrolled Agent, Tax preparation and consulting

Terry Pinzon
Director

Terry Pinzon is both our oldest and our newest board member and appears to be proud of both distinctions! A native Californian, Terry was born and raised in Bakersfield, Ca. Immediately after graduating from high school Terry enlisted in the Navy near the end of WWII. After returning from the service he graduated from Bakersfield College, then transferred to the University of Southern California where he joined thousands of other former soldiers who were attending college on what was known as the GI Bill.

Over time, following a varied career path, Terry became International Sales Manager for Sacred Records, Inc., then an owner and general manager of a wholesale distributing company called Coast Products. When a Times Mirror Company bought the Bible publisher, World Bibles, Terry was hired as the specialist to work with retail stores in Southern California. Terry was also Regional Manager for sales to stores in Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, and Hawaii, as part of a 15 year career with Zondervan Publishing Co. Consulting and assisting with sales and marketing for various other companies has kept Terry occupied since his retirement.

Now living in Palm Desert, Terry is proud to be associated with ILI’s unique, one-on-one approach, to those needing NILD Educational Therapy. Terry has been a deacon, and chairman of a number of church boards and committees, over the years. Terry, and his wife Wanda, have long been active in church choirs.