At Synergy, our mission is to focus on developing the whole person – mind, heart, body and soul – and inspiring each child to see life as a Hero's Journey where they can find a 'calling' that will change the world.

Jacob Greebel, LCSW, MSED Head of Program

Jacob holds a dual degree of Master of Education, for general and special education, from Bank Street College, a Master of Social Work degree from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin. He has taught at the Brooklyn Free School, an alternative and progressive educational setting and is a psychotherapist and educational advocate for bright and gifted non-traditional learners. Jacob is a certified dyslexia tutor and consultant, working 1:1 with students with dyslexia and central auditory processing disorder. Motivated by his own struggles as a student (his own stealth dyslexia went unidentified until college), Jacob was inspired to break free from the traditional model that had failed him in his own educational experience. His goals include offering young learners something new that would provide personal growth and development.  Jacob has dedicated his work to educating, guiding, and empowering families to recognize and accept their children’s strengths and educational needs, particularly those who experience difficulties with a traditional educational model. In addition to his professional knowledge and experience, Jacob has a passion for discovery that he readily shares with young, curious learners.

Melissa Sornik, LCSW                                                                                            Program AdministratorMelissa is the co-founder and president of Twice Exceptional Children's Advocacy, Inc. and has been working with gif…

Melissa Sornik, LCSW Program Administrator

Melissa is the co-founder and president of Twice Exceptional Children's Advocacy, Inc. and has been working with gifted children and their families since 2003. A licensed clinician, she earned her Master of Social Work degree from Fordham University. Melissa has presented at local and national conferences and has authored several articles on the subject of twice exceptionality/2e (gifted with learning disabilities). She is also an adjunct professor at Molloy College where she teaches an undergraduate course she developed on working with children with special needs and their families. Reflecting upon her own educational experience as a gifted artist and writer, Melissa remembers her own struggles, boredom and anxiety as a non-traditional learner in a traditional educational setting. Reliving a similar experience with her own child, Melissa, formerly a freelance writer and designer, decided to pursue a career in social work. Her goal was to support learners whose gifts and talents aren’t typically recognized or nurtured in traditional school settings, including those with certain challenges that overshadow their gifts and abilities.