Led by Rachael Barron, the Effective Students team is a group of successful professionals, educators, counselors, and graduate students imparting skills to a younger generation of students with a focus on building academic grit. Each coach brings a unique set of study tools for students, leveraging their personal experience and The Effective Student™ Method. Students practice study skills online with their coach for specific assessments so they can measure the impact of their efforts right away and be encouraged to persevere.
Learn More About Our Trusted Academic Coaches in Atlanta
Rachael Barron
Founder, Principal Executive Function Coach & Author of The Effective Student™ Curriculum
Effective StudentsMeet Rachael.
A graduate of Emory University, Rachael has spent her professional career coaching and solving complex educational problems. From applying problem solving and vision casting skills in the business environment through applying these principles to the education realm, she excels at helping individual students and families find educational success. Prior to founding Effective Students, Rachael solved complex educational problems in her role as an educational advocate mastering the maze of finding solutions for families within Georgia’s public and private schools, helping the most difficult learners find success.
Rachael now spends all of her time working with children, young adults, and families who are focused on achieving success in their school environment and acquiring a set of self-management skills that last a lifetime.
Cameron Glass
Director of Operations
Effective StudentsMeet Cameron.
Cameron Glass is an experienced operations and strategy leader with more than 20 years of experience helping organizations grow, improve performance, and execute complex initiatives. She has worked in operations across startups, nonprofits, retail, and e-commerce businesses. She has partnered with nonprofits and small businesses to strengthen governance, guide strategic planning, and improve operational effectiveness. Cameron holds an MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School and a bachelor’s degree in Business from Wake Forest University. As Director of Operations at Effective Students, she looks forward to helping families empower their students. Cameron enjoys spending time with her husband and three kids.
Talandra Echols
Lead Executive Function Coach
Effective StudentsMeet Talandra.
Talandra brings Effective Students experience in youth development, business, technology, management, and nonprofit leadership. She is passionate about helping students recognize their strengths and build the skills needed for academic and lifelong success.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Clark Atlanta University and has supported youth, young adults, student-athletes, and families in all communities. Her expertise focus areas of executive functioning and life skills includes organization, focus, self-awareness, resilience, problem-solving, and communication.
Talandra specializes in supporting middle and high school student-athletes and students with ASD transitioning into adulthood. She has helped develop Effective Students curriculum, including specialized units, competitions, and Grit & Growth Mindset Sessions. Through engaging experiences, she helps students build confidence, self-advocacy, accountability, and ownership of their learning.
In her free time, Talandra enjoys spending time with her daughter, a former University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball player (Class of 2020), retired professional athlete and entrepreneur. She also enjoys dining, traveling, relaxing, and sharing laughter with family and friends.
Taryn Rumph
Lead Executive Function Coach
Effective StudentsMeet Taryn.
Taryn is an experienced educator and academic coach with 18 years of experience supporting students’ academic growth, executive functioning, and social-emotional development. She has worked across a range of educational settings—as a classroom teacher, learning coach, and academic interventionist—partnering closely with students and families to build skills in organization, time management, attention, self-advocacy, and goal setting.
Throughout her career, Taryn has been especially passionate about supporting neurodiverse learners and helping students develop confidence, independence, and ownership of their learning. Her coaching approach is student-centered, strengths-based, and focused on helping students understand how their brains work so they can create systems that truly support them. She brings a personalized, interest-driven style to her sessions, meeting each student where they are and building real-life strategies around what motivates them.
Taryn holds a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology from Pepperdine University and received her Bachelor’s degree from Spelman College. She values collaboration, positive reinforcement, and helping students translate strategies into real-life academic demands.
Outside of coaching, Taryn enjoys spending time with her husband and three daughters and values family time as an important foundation for balance and well-being.
Danielle LeFevers
Professional Development
Effective StudentsMeet Danielle.
Danielle LeFevers is an educator and teacher leader with more than a decade of experience in elementary and independent school education. She currently serves as a Fourth Grade Teacher and Director of Student Growth & Support at a large independent school in Atlanta, Georgia, where she supports student achievement, instructional excellence, and collaborative professional learning.
Throughout her career, Danielle has been committed to fostering engaging learning environments, building strong relationships, and supporting both student and teacher growth. She has extensive experience in curriculum development, instructional leadership, and professional learning, and has served as a curriculum writer, instructional coach, and facilitator for educators across a variety of school settings.
Danielle earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Furman University, a Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning from the University of Michigan, and a Tier I Educational Leadership Certification from Kennesaw State University. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership for PK–12 Independent Schools at Mercer University. Her research explores how relational leadership fosters the development of communities of practice within independent schools, with a particular focus on collaboration, trust, professional learning, and teacher growth.
Keba Stanley
Executive Function Coach
Effective StudentsMeet Keba
Keba Stanley is a passionate educator and dedicated coach with a deep commitment to student growth and academic success. With a background as an Interrelated Teacher, Keba specializes in supporting students through the unique challenges of exceptional education. Her coaching philosophy is rooted in building trusting, authentic relationships and fostering a supportive environment where students feel safe to navigate their frustrations, overcome obstacles, and reach their full potential.
Throughout her career, Keba has honed her ability to translate academic challenges into manageable, actionable steps. She helps students develop the essential executive functioning and organizational skills necessary to thrive, priding herself on her ability to identify individual strengths and adapt her communication to meet each learner exactly where they are.
Holding both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice, Keba brings a unique, holistic perspective to her work, emphasizing the importance of resilience, clear communication, and proactive planning. Outside of her professional life, Keba is a self-proclaimed “foodie” and fitness enthusiast who enjoys writing, reading suspense novels, and spending quality time with family and friends. She is thrilled to bring her dedication, work ethic, and passion for student advocacy to the Effective Students team.
Ariel Alston
Executive Function Coach
Effective StudentsMeet Ariel
Ariel Alston is an education policy scholar and social work professional specializing in supporting college students and advancing systems that promote student success, well-being, and access. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology, cum laude, from the University of West Georgia and her Master of Social Work, summa cum laude, from the University of Georgia. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Educational Policy Studies at Georgia State University.
Ariel’s career spans higher education, medical social work, criminal justice reform, and the nonprofit sector, with a growing specialization in college student support and success. Most recently, she served as Assistant Director of Disability Services and Student Care & Support at Clayton State University, where she coordinated accommodations and holistic support for hundreds of college students each semester. Her work focused on helping students navigate barriers to academic success while addressing the personal, social, and systemic factors that can affect their college experience.
Prior to her work in higher education, Ariel served as a medical social worker in hospice and hospital settings and worked as a mitigation specialist supporting justice-involved clients. Her nonprofit experience includes roles in student services and youth advocacy, including serving as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children in the foster care system.
For the past six years, Ariel has also worked as a tutor and nanny, further strengthening her commitment to supporting students and young people as they grow, develop, and pursue their educational goals. Across her professional and academic experiences, she brings a student-centered, trauma-informed, and systems-focused approach to supporting college students. Her scholarship and professional interests center on creating more equitable higher education systems that recognize and respond to the diverse academic, social, financial, mental health, and accessibility needs of college students.
Jessica Harrison
Executive Function Coach
Effective StudentsMeet Jessica.
Jessica Harrison is an experienced Community Relations professional with a demonstrated history of working in coaching, professional sports, the non-profit industry, and most recently in education as an Adjunct Professor at the collegiate level.
Skilled and heavily focused on making the world a better place, Jessica joins the Atlanta team from West Michigan. With a Master’s degree in Communications and a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from Western Michigan University, as well as a Coaching degree from Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Jessica places an importance on gaining emotional control and stress tolerance, all while learning how to manage academics in the unpredictable world we live in.
During her time in Major League Baseball, Jessica helped hundreds of professional athletes gain confidence, learn to regulate their emotions, and adjust to adulthood, all while understanding that new skills do not appear overnight. Translating these teachings to countless athletes, interns, employees, and now students, Jessica feels fortunate to continue building a career centered on meaningful impact and work that truly aligns with her purpose.
When not working Jessica enjoys spending time with her dogs Gucci and Trina, catching the latest sporting event, admiring art, being by the water, or just grabbing a coffee and getting lost in a new book.
Gillian Moody
Executive Function Coach
Effective StudentsMeet Gillian.
Gillian Moody is beginning her 26th year in education and brings extensive experience working with students across K–12 grade levels. She holds both a Master of Education (M.Ed.) and a Specialist in Education (Ed.S.) in Education, and she is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in School Improvement through the University of West Georgia. Mrs. Moody currently serves as a high school counselor, where she is dedicated to supporting students’ academic, personal, and social growth.
A strong advocate for student success, Mrs. Moody is passionate about helping young people develop the skills of self-advocacy, organization, and self-discipline to prepare them for future opportunities in both academics and life. She also has a deep appreciation for athletics and enjoys encouraging student-athletes as they strive to achieve their goals both on and off the field. Over the course of her career, she has coached competition cheer and gymnastics, experiences that have allowed her to combine her love of sports with her commitment to student development.
Outside of her professional role, Mrs. Moody values time with her husband, Matt, and their three daughters, Mary Mattalyn, Hendley, and Clara Jack. She especially enjoys supporting her daughters in their various pursuits, often spending weekends at soccer games, pole vaulting meets, and cheer competitions. Whether at school or in the community, Mrs. Moody is devoted to fostering growth, resilience, and success in the lives of the students she serves.
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