Department: Electives/Support Staff

Mr. Bertan is the Owner and Director of Technology Education for Computer Explorers. An expert in educational technology for children, he joins the TDS team with over thirty-six years of teaching experience.  Mr. Bertan earned his BA in Early Childhood Education  from the University of South Carolina and his M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, with an emphasis on Integrating Technology into the Curriculum, from George Mason University, Fairfax, VA.  He began in education as an elementary school teacher where he took his first computer course and immediately began to apply this knowledge in the classroom.  Shortly thereafter, he wrote and was awarded a grant to run an afterschool computer lab for at-risk elementary students.  After five years, he was appointed the position of Elementary Technology Resource Specialist where his focus was on evaluating software, writing a curriculum that integrated technology in the classroom, and teaching nearly 1000 students each week.  Later, Mr. Bertan developed and implemented a summer elementary technology camp.  In 1992, Mr. Bertan left his teaching position to start the COMPUTERTOTS Computer Explorers franchise in Pinellas/Hillsborough County.

Today, Mr. Bertan offers TechStars STEM opportunities for preschool through middle school throughout the Tampa Bay area and as part of the TDS teaching faculty, teaches enrichment and elective classes to 6th-8th grade students.  Mr. Bertan enjoys camping and baseball and is the proud father of two sons and a daughter.

Heather has been a part of the TDS family since 2017. She started out teaching a weekly dance elective, then joined the staff as an elective teacher coaching PE and after-school sports teams. Heather has 15-plus years of teaching and working with children, running classes, summer camps, and after-school clubs. Heather also is a certified surgical technologist with 10-plus years in the medical field. One of her specialties was pediatric surgery. Heather has a passion for teaching and helping students of all ages. She is excited to kick off her stem elective and inspire creative, critical thinking skills with this hands-on learning class.

Declan is an assistant P.E. Coach who helps out with homework labs and aftercare. He has about Ten years of experience either inside or on the field. Previously a part of Hillsborough Community College Student Government Association and Students for The Environment as well as the former HCC soccer team co-captain, Declan looks forward to splitting his time between TDS and attending the University of South Florida.

Jim wears many hats at Tampa Day School, which is in keeping with his broad experiences in the business world before joining TDS. He is currently a PE Teacher, a Sports Coach, the TDS Athletic Director, and Building Manager. Jim joined TDS in 2019 after a 29 year career as a Human Resources leader for IBM. After earning a B.S. in Business from the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse and a M.S. in Human Resources Management from the University of Illinois, he held HR leadership roles at four IBM sites, including a 2-year assignment in Dublin, Ireland, and finally at the corporate headquarters in Armonk, NY. While at IBM, he specialized in organizational transformation, leadership development and executive coaching. Jim was a certified executive coach and organizational culture consultant. Outside of his corporate roles, Jim also coached youth sports for 20+ years, starting with high school diving right out of college and then had 18 years of coaching youth soccer here in Tampa. Jim brings his broad global business experiences, along with his passion for helping others and coaching sports to everything he does at Tampa Day School.

Amanda has been part of the TDS family since 2011, when one of her children attended lower school. She has held many roles at TDS since then, and the student population at TDS has a special place in her heart.  Many students know her as Coach G. or Mrs. G. when she is on campus. She is a graduate of the University of Iowa, with a BA in sociology. Previously she worked in finance and corporate training. She has lived around the country including Texas, Arizona, Missouri and Iowa. Physical Fitness is a personal passion for Coach G., and she is always looking to continue to grow her knowledge and skills. In her free time, she loves to bike ride, travel, read, and enjoys spending time with her husband, and three children.

Crystal has over 20 years of teaching, curriculum writing, and performing arts experience. She has been an instructor at the Straz Center, Ruth Eckerd Hall, the Mahaffey Theater, and U.S.F.. She earned a B.A. in Theatre from U.S.F. and is certified to teach Drama, English, and Social Science. She has trained at the SAK Comedy Lab in Orlando, the Applied Improvisation Network, and the Improv Olympic in Chicago. In addition to teaching theater, Crystal serves as a Creative Marketing and Social Media Specialist for Tampa Day School. Prior to Covid, she was the Artistic Director and lead trainer at the Box Theater in Tampa for 11 years. In her free time, she enjoys laughing and making others laugh, loving on her nieces and nephews, fishing, and doing anything creative.

Denise serves as a Teacher’s Assistant at Bowman Academy Preschool during the day and as a HW lab instructor and after care provider in the afternoon.  Denise has been a member of the TDS After Care Team for over 10 years.  She is an invaluable support person who assists the admin team with projects, works as a teacher assistant during special events, and supervises children during evening parent presentations.  In her free time, she enjoys going to the movies and spending time with her sons.