Sylvan Learning Awards Two Centers to Former Employee Turned Franchise Owner in New York

Sylvan Learning transferred ownership of its Albany and Clifton Park, New York centers to a former employee turned franchise owner, Cathlene (Cat) Schwartzbeck.

“I’ve really come full circle with Sylvan,” said Schwartzbeck. “I started as a part-time teacher in the Albany center. Now, I’ve returned to my roots as the franchise owner of that same center plus a location in nearby Clifton Park. To say it’s surreal is an understatement!”

Schwartzbeck earned her undergraduate degree in elementary education and literature, and has held various in-center and corporate positions with Sylvan over the course of the last decade. To expand her business and administrative skills, she went back to school to earn her executive MBA.

“Education has always been my calling,” said Schwartzbeck. “I held positions in post-secondary education, at a charter high school and even with an education-based travel company. I gained an insightful, outside perspective on how to reach more students through Sylvan and developed life-long connections in these communities.”

Sylvan Learning serves as a key resource as students nationwide work to recover from pandemic-related learning loss.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Cat back to Sylvan as a multi-unit franchise owner,” said Jeff Stephenson, Vice President of Franchise Development at Sylvan. “She joins the ranks of other franchise owners who firmly believe in the product and the people simply because they’ve experienced it themselves. With her expertise and established relationships, Cat will be a great fit to carry on the legacy of the Albany and Clifton Park centers.”

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