Our Team
This is not your average family business. The unique partnership just works. It’s intellectual and unconventional—informed by experience, evidence, and best practices. A relaxed tone harmonizes with a reverent love of learning, fostering academic excellence in each student. Read the bios to learn more about what contributes to this fun mother-daughter dynamic.
Susan Mashburn
In March of 1998, soon-to-be Dr. Mashburn was sitting in a library, weeping over an essay. She had just read “The Case of Billy Charles Barnett,” written by her future mentor, Dr. Tom Barone. Why the emotional response? She discovered that a good story brings forth universal reckonings, no matter the backdrop. Humorous or heartbreaking—all an insightful narrative requires is good writing. The truth became a guiding light in her approach—listening for the story and escorting her students in self-discovery.
Dr. Mashburn’s Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Arizona State University was preceded by a Masters in Secondary Education from Northern Arizona University. As an undergraduate, she studied at University of Texas in Austin, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education, certifying in English and History. Her training culminates in a teaching style that is dynamic, out-of-box, and contagious.
When she was a teacher at Leslie’s high school, it was impossible to predict what would happen in her classroom (lovingly dubbed “Mashburnia”). She invited students into complex and creative literary discourse through the pre-International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum she designed for freshman. Bridging the chasm between parents and teachers, Dr. Mashburn compelled moms and dads to serve on editing committees, expanding the learning community far outside its normal scope.
After raising three talented yet different children, Dr. Mashburn’s approach to education is informed by her personal experience as a mom: She is committed to calling out greatness in each of her students and often does this through the use of narrative inquiry.
Dr. Mashburn is still crying (and laughing) over essays. But today, the roles have flipped. The essays are written by her students, and she relishes the role of mentor.
Leslie Mashburn Lugo
Leslie has something in common with cats: She is on the trajectory of living nine lives—where past and future experiences seem to intersect in the present.
Prior to joining Mashburn Education Group, where she works with her mom and business partner (GASP!), Leslie supported USAID, CDC, and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation international health projects, living and working in countries such as Guatemala, India, Honduras, El Salvador, Liberia, Uganda, and others for over 50% of the year.
However, various lives lived in the educational sector unify her longing to make the often-fragmented college application process a transformative experience for students and parents alike. As a Teach for America high school Spanish instructor, college International Education Advisor, and a college Admissions Counselor, Leslie understands the myriad nuances of university admissions. She teaches students how to leverage profound story-telling for positive admissions results.
While her B.A. from Agnes Scott College, M.A. from Columbia University, and Certification in College Planning and Placement from UCLA all provide her with substantive expertise, it is experiential knowledge that guides her work with students—particularly in the area of writing expository narratives and crafting a balanced college list. She has a passion for helping those with unique needs because like Anne Lamott, Leslie believes “It's good to do uncomfortable things. It's weight training for life [and for the soul].”
Leslie claims Malcolm Gladwell, David Foster Wallace, Sue Monk Kid, David Brooks, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Trevor Noah, and Anne Lamott as some of her favorite authors. She calls Dallas home, where she lives with her husband, Cesar, son, Santiago the Tiger,* and two dogs, Penelope and Enzo—ironically, no cats.
* For a creative tangent on how and why Leslie’s son, Santiago, earned his nickname The Tiger at a mere three days old, check out santiagothetiger.com. After, of course, you submit click on “Collaborate With Us."