Desirea Forbes
Math Program Director, Mentor: Secondary Math II (Live and Self-Paced), Secondary Math III (Live and Self-Paced), Math Lab
Desirea Forbes is excited to be working at Ensign Peak Academy. She has a passion for teaching and helping students achieve their goals. She especially loves watching students learn and grow!
Desirea was born and raised in Emigration Canyon Township just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Mathematics Education. After spending a year and a half teaching math in Utah’s public schools, she moved with her husband to Japan to support him in his United States Air Force career. While in Japan, she spent the time teaching English to Japanese elementary students.
While following her husband around for his career, Desirea and their four kids have lived in multiple states and have experienced life in several different places. Desirea spent several years working as a Real Estate Agent and property manager, earning Rookie of the Year awards in her brokerage firm.
Desirea has a great love for her Savior Jesus Christ and understands that learning is part of the process to become like Him. Along with teaching at Ensign Peak Academy, she teaches early morning seminary in Virginia, where she currently resides.
Kimberly Bingham
Teaching Textbooks License Manager, Middle School Study Hall and self-paced students
Kimberly Bingham is an online educator and homeschooling mother of four. She currently teaches English as a Second Language through an online platform, and has worked as an international relations consultant. Prior to educating her children at home, Kimberly served as a Logistics Officer in the United States Marine Corps, successfully completing deployment missions to Afghanistan and Iraq. She received commendation for providing seamless logistics support to 5 forward-deployed operating bases simultaneously in support of global operations. She enjoys volunteering with the Red Cross, and Kimberly is the Illinois State Ambassador for Home School Legal Defense Association Compassion, which allows her to serve homeschooling families in need. Kimberly believes deeply in integrity, diligence, and service to others. She is a life-long learner with a passion for foreign languages, music, and Brazilian martial arts. Kimberly is excited to be part of the Ensign Peak Academy team!
Ben Muhlestein
Mentor: Intermediate Math I (Live and Self-Paced), Intermediate Math II (Live and Self-Paced)
Benjamin S. Muhlestein resides in Overton, Nevada and is a husband and father of a beautiful wife and six wonderful children. He served a Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Hawaii Honolulu Mission. He received his Bachelor’s of Paralegal Studies from Utah Valley University in 2002, and earned his Master’s Degree in Classical Liberal Arts from George Wythe University in 2016. He has mentored youth and adults nationally and internationally for many years. He taught Seminary for an entire school year as a student teacher. He is the Founder of Illuminating the Light Within, Restoringthefounders.com, The Quintilian School of Oratory, and The George Washington Character Curricula. Benjamin has a deep passion for learning and teaching principles of liberty and freedom, and has great faith in the rising generation of youth to rise to the full potential of who God needs them to become.
Kimerly Jackson
Mentor: Secondary Math I (Live and Self-Paced), Teaching Textbooks High School Math Study Hall and self-paced students.
Kimerly was raised in West Valley City, Utah where she enjoyed growing up with her large family! It was at home helping her 6 younger siblings where she developed a love for teaching. Kimerly always enjoyed science and math, and upon graduating from high school she enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania to study Materials Science and Engineering, and also earned a certificate in legal studies. After returning to school from a brief leave of absence to serve a mission in Guatemala, Kimerly met and married her husband. Upon graduation, they made a cross-country move to Seattle, Washington and welcomed a beautiful baby boy! Kimerly enjoys exploring her city, snuggling her new son, reading, and cooking (especially homemade pasta). She is passionate about helping students grow and believes that everyone can enjoy math!
Alyssa Jensen
Mentor: Teaching Textbooks 5th – 6th Grade Study Hall, 3rd – 6th Grade self-paced students, K – 2nd Grade IXL Math
Alyssa Jensen is first and foremost a wife and mother to five amazing children. The Jensen family has been homeschooling for the past seven years and have really enjoyed learning in a gospel centered setting. Alyssa graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She has taught off and on in the public school setting as well as teaching English online. Alyssa has also developed and taught curriculum for a variety of homeschool classes and co-ops. Alyssa grew up in West Valley City, Utah where she met her very own knight in shining armor (sir lancer of Granger High school). Alyssa married her knight in 2001 and have moved their way across the country living in Arizona, New Mexico and the past decade in South Carolina. They now reside in League City, Texas.
Alyssa has a passion for learning and loves to teach because she learns so much. She is often found serving with the youth and children in the church. Her favorite service was when she was able to teach early morning seminary. Alyssa is a certified personal trainer and behavior change specialist. She loves being active and pushing herself in the gym. One of her favorite things is to see the light of understanding illuminate in someone she is teaching.
Lethe Cheney
Mentor: Teaching Textbooks 3rd – 4th Grade Study Hall
I am a wife to an amazing husband and mother of two beautiful daughters who also attend Ensign Peak Academy. My husband and I were both born and raised on the beautiful island of Oahu where we met in seminary, and reunited after his mission. We were married in the Laie Hawaii temple and both graduated from BYU-Hawaii. I have a dual degree in Elementary and Special Education and taught as a Preschool Special Teacher for 8 years. In 2011 my husband joined the U.S. Navy and we began our grand worldwide adventure.
We have been home educating for over a decade and have enjoyed making new friends around the country in Great Lakes, IL, San Diego, CA, Jacksonville, Florida and currently, Augusta, GA. We also loved the two years we spent living abroad in Yokosuka, Japan. Here in Georgia we enjoy our time living out in the country on 6 acres of rolling hills, taking care of our 11 chickens, 6 goats, and Cusco our alpaca. There’s always a project in progress around here! Family time is a priority for me and one of my favorite family memories is the 2 week long road trip we took driving across the country visiting Utah, spending the 4th of July at Mount Rushmore, and visiting many of the historic sites at Nauvoo! We recently began serving as ordinance workers in the Columbia South Carolina temple, which has brought greater growth and happiness to our lives. My other joys include bicycling, snuggling up with a blanket and good book, watching Korean dramas, and getting up early in the morning to workout or do yoga. My major aims in life are to help others stay positive, deepen their testimonies of Jesus Christ and his gospel, and help them strive to reach their potential.