Mr. Yates earned his Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with a Secondary Education Emphasis from Western Washington University in 2012 and continued his education there, earning his Master's in Teaching degree in 2015.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‌‍‌‍​‌‌‌‌​‍‌‌‍‌​‍​‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‍​‌​‌‌‍‍​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍​‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‌​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

As a Subject Expert Humanities Teacher, Mr. Yates is passionate about helping students feel successful, capable, and confident in their abilities. He strives to create a classroom where students feel safe asking questions, taking academic risks, solving problems, and gradually becoming more responsible for their own learning. He also places a strong emphasis on building a positive classroom community where students learn to communicate, collaborate, and treat one another with respect.

Mr. Yates was especially drawn to BASIS Independent Bothell because of its educational model and the partnership between Learning Expert Teachers and Subject Expert Teachers. He appreciates the opportunity to collaborate with educators who bring different strengths and perspectives to the classroom. As a Subject Expert Teacher, he enjoys getting to know his students as learners, helping them develop strong learning habits, and supporting them as they engage with challenging content.

Mr. Yates believes students learn best when they feel safe, supported, and that they truly belong in the classroom. He encourages students to understand that their ideas are valued, mistakes are an important part of learning, and everyone has a role to play in creating a positive classroom community. He also believes young learners benefit from opportunities to move, ask questions, explore, and interact with what they are learning.

Outside of the classroom, Mr. Yates enjoys cheering on Seattle sports teams, especially the Mariners and Seahawks, and attending games with his wife. When they are not out and about, he and his wife enjoy spending time at home spoiling their two cats. A fun fact about Mr. Yates is that he lived abroad in Thailand, where he worked at a private Japanese school from 2016–2025.