Mrs. Lori Yates 

Founder & Lead Educator| Mathematics | Choice Navigator

Lori Yates is the founder and Lead Educator for Purple Apple Learning. She is a homeschool mom, firefighter’s wife, and has more than 22 years of experience in education.  Her experience includes 14 years as an online educator serving students across Florida for a major provider. 

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Science Education from Florida State University and has completed graduate coursework in School Counseling through American Public University. She is certified in Elementary Education (K–6), Mathematics (Grades 5–9), Exceptional Student Education (K–12), and Social Science (Grades 6–12), with additional training in reading instruction and ESOL. Her experience spans public, private, and virtual education, supporting gifted, honors, and diverse learners across multiple settings.

Purple Apple Learning was created to help students build strong academic foundations while growing in confidence, curiosity, and resilience. Lori is especially passionate about helping students overcome math anxiety by replacing the belief that they are either “good at math or not" with an approach centered on practice, encouragement, and persistence. She values a balance of classical learning foundations and real-world connections across subjects, helping students understand how learning applies beyond the classroom.

Outside of education, Lori enjoys Florida’s Panhandle beaches, thrifting, and watching lifestyle and home design shows. She also enjoys karaoke and spending time with her family—believing that learning, like life, is best built with patience, creativity, and joy.