Our ZETA Team
Natalia Zuppardi
Owner
ET/P & Advocate
Natalia was born and raised in the South Bay where she graduated from Rolling Hills Preparatory High School. She then went on to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Communicative Disorders from California State University of Long Beach and later a Masters of Special Education. After receiving her Bachelor’s Degree, Natalia began working at Lindamood-Bell® as a Clinician and quickly excelled in the programs. She spent the next 5 years as a Director, opening and managing multiple learning centers throughout Southern California.
Natalia brings to her clients an energy, empathy,
and knowledge when teaching to help students achieve academic success. Natalia is no stranger to academic difficulties, as she has struggled with her own learning challenges and ADHD since the 9th grade. Her experiences as a student have led Natalia to embrace her learning differences and dedicate her career to helping others find ways to compensate for their challenges, and fight for children and families that don’t have a voice.
Her passion for supporting families influenced her to pursue a specialized program and training in the Special Education Advocacy. She completed the COPAA SEAT Certificate Program in 2018. Throughout her experience she noticed there was a lack of schools that supported students with disabilities and provided them with the remediation and a small nurturing environment that they needed. She decided to create this program and conquer her dream to open a school in the South Bay for students that learn differently. In 2019 REACH Elementary and Middle School opened their doors, and continues to serve families from all over the Los Angeles area.
Dan Yoczik
Executive Director
Dan grew up in Connecticut. He earned a bachelor's degree from the Hartford Art School at the University of Hartford and went on to be a classroom art teacher and a preschool teacher. Looking for a new adventure, and a new climate, he packed up his car and drove to Southern California, where he has lived since 2004.
Upon his arrival, he taught at the Art Institute of California-Orange County and then worked as a Clinician at Lindamood-Bell ® in Newport Beach. From 2008 to 2016, he served as a Director in their Westwood and Palos Verdes centers, and helped to open their Manhattan Beach satellite center. In 2016 he joined the team at ZETA.
Dan brings years of experience, patience and his passion for helping others to try to help students reach their learning potential. He lives in the South Bay with his wife, and son. He enjoys sports, listening to music, and outdoor activities (which is why he moved to Southern California).
Ben Weischedel
Educational Therapist
Ciro Fidaleo
Learning Specialist
Wanda Webster
Learning Specialist
"In the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity."
Ben was born in raised in San Pedro, California. Being raised by a teacher, Ben naturally gravitated towards a career in teaching. From volunteering at the local Boys and Girls Club while in high school, to assisting and leading AVID classes at Chemawa Indian School while in college, education has always been a rewarding experience.
After getting a degree in Anthropology at Willamette University, Ben went on to work at Lindamood-Bell ® as a clinician, consultant, and Center Director in the South Bay. Through countless of clinical hours, Ben has gained experience that allows him to develop underlying skills used in reading fluency, comprehension, vocabulary acquisition, and written expression. After moving on to ZETA in 2017, Ben has continued to work with students in a one-on-one setting to address the individual needs of each student-- whether it be for remediation or to reinforce skills used in curriculum.
Ciro was born and raised in the South Bay where he graduated from Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. He originally majored in Architecture but soon rediscovered his love for education and the power it holds, and transitioned down the path of Special Education.
In 2016, while Ciro was still in high school he started working for ZETA as an administrative assistant where he observed sessions utilizing the Lindamood-Bell ® style of teaching. After receiving more formal training in educational remediation, he started working at REACH Elementary & Middle School in 2020 as a Teaching Assistant. After a few years, he would become a Co-Director of the school’s Summer Program, where he helped manage the camp as well as taught his own classroom. After a few years with the school, Ciro decided to formally join the ZETA team in the fall of 2022 as a Learning Specialist and has loved every second of it. In addition to his work with ZETA he also helps facilitate a Social Skills Group on the weekends for the South Bay Mind Clinic, where he runs a social-emotional learning style class for all ages.
Growing up, Ciro was challenged with his own learning disabilities; having both ADHD and an Auditory Processing Disorder. Not only does he know how to teach the Lindamood-Bell ® programs, but he also went through years of Lindamood-Bell ® and educational therapy himself to improve his own academic abilities. He understands how his students think because he was in their shoes at one point. He now sees the true value of the importance of reading, writing, and math skills and wants to help as many students as he can to experience the power of having a good education.
Wanda Webster has many years experience working as a learning specialist and helping students reach their full potential. She earned her undergraduate degree with honors in Special Education and Psychology from Drake University, and continued her studies by graduating with honors with a Masters Degree in Education and Psychology.
Professionally, she has been a director for several educational services and programs, is a writer, and has worked as an Educational Therapist in the South Bay since 2019. She utilizes unique learning strategies based upon each student's strengths and weaknesses. Her many years experience with creating social-emotional programs is an added layer to addressing the whole child and incorporating valuable tools and skills to help meet learning goals.
She believes that learning should be fun and everyone has the ability to acquire knowledge in their unique way.
Josie Frias
Learning Specialist
Josie Frias was born in Los Angeles and then moved to Orange County where she graduated from Orange High School. Josie worked as an ABA therapist where she found her love for helping children with learning differences. She attended Fullerton College where she played track and field and received her associate's degree in humanities and communications. She then transferred to Cal State Fullerton and earned her bachelor's degree in Sociology. During her time at CSUF, her passion for education grew when she studied abroad in London where she was a reading specialist and teacher's aide at St Mary Magdalene Academy. Afterward, in 2021 Josie became a learning specialist at Rolling Hills Prep. Then she taught english, math, and STEM at Chadwick for the summer and planned outdoor activities and sports. Josie became a teacher at REACH school, an elementary and middle school for students with learning differences.
Josie is currently enrolled in the Educational Therapy Certificate Program at UC Santa Cruz.
Meg Murray
Associate Educational Therapist
Margaret Murray (Ms. MEG) is a native of Southern California. Meg was the first of seven Murray kids to graduate from College. Meg attended Mt San Antonio College then transferred to Chapman University. She graduated in 1984 with a degree in Communications/Theatre. She studied abroad in England at Winchester University. Upon returning to the USA, she started graduate school at Chapman. She worked towards a degree in Organizational Theory. Ms. Meg's goal was to run camps for emotionally challenged youth, however, her heart was centering on Education.
Ms. Meg taught at a Catholic School for five years, opened shelters for children that had been abused, and then went to teach in Japan and Korea. After a few years abroad, She was the lead teacher for Special Ed. with Palmdale District.
Meg has worked as a Reading Specialist for Pride Reading for the past three years and is a trained Wilson Reading Specialist. In November 2019, CWC Charter Middle School hired Ms. Meg to join the SpED Team. Meg has a true passion for education and is delighted to be a part of Team ZETA, where she believes she can make a difference.