Team Member Position: Staff

Amanda Swanson

After two years of part-time teaching with IDLA’s English department, Amanda started as a Course Development Specialist in 2022.  Prior to joining Team IDLA, she lived in the UK and worked as an ESL teacher with VIPKid, and she spent many years volunteering as a Girl Scout leader and holding various positions on the Board for USAGSO (overseas Girl Scouts). 
 
She has a Master of Arts degree in Secondary Education from Sierra Nevada University.  She also has a BA in English and an AA in General Education from the University of Maryland University College: Europe.  
 
When she isn’t wearing her “teacher hat,” Amanda enjoys creating metal art.  She and her husband are the founders and owners of Black Leaf Clover Fabrication and BLC Offcuts Metal Art.  Together with their three children, they have created a life of adventure: traveling, exploring, and camping around the globe as an Air Force family.

Katie Lind

My name is Katie Lind and I teach first grade with IDLA. I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Washington in 2010 and my Masters Degree in Instructional Design from Western Governors University in 2022. I’ve previously taught in many different states all over the country while supporting my husband, Jason, in his military career. We moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho in 2020 with our daughter, Charlie, and our Boxador pup, Anna. I taught with the Coeur d’Alene school district for two years before joining IDLA. I absolutely love living in North Idaho and experiencing all the beauty it has to offer. I spend most of my free-time enjoying the outdoors year-round by hiking, snow-skiing, paddle-boarding, and camping.

Monique Leffler

Monique graduated from Boise State University in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She went back to school in 2018 to obtain her Masters in Language and Literacy from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Over the past decade, Monique has taught in both the elementary and middle school settings around the Treasure Valley. She has also spent 3 years teaching English to children online who live in China.

Monique and her husband enjoy fixing up their starter home in Star and spending as much time with their son Isaiah, who was born this year. Monique is excited to be part of the IDLA team!