OUR TEAM

Cecilia W.

Subjects:
French Instruction—All Levels / Elementary and Middle School Academic Support / Test Prep Specialist

SHSAT / SSAT/ ISEE

Cecilia is a writer and educator based in Brooklyn. Growing up in North Carolina, she earned a BA in French from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Cecilia is an experienced educator, teaching and tutoring in a variety of subjects including college/high school essay application assistance, ELA, reading comprehension and writing and French language, as well as test prep for MS and HS admissions. She is a passionate teacher and tutor with a creative and engaging teaching style focused on helping students achieve their individual goals.

Diana E.

Subjects:
Middle and High School Academic Support / Test Prep Specialist

SHSAT / SSAT / ISEE / TACHS / SAT / ACT

Diana is an experienced Mathematics instructor from the Big Island of Hawai’i. During her 12 years of teaching at the University of Hawai’i Hilo and Hawai’i Community College, she has taught nearly 80 classes of undergraduate mathematics. She is new to Brooklyn and is currently living in Park Slope. Born and raised in California, Diana holds a BS in Mathematics from the University of California, Irvine and a MA in Mathematics from the University of California, Davis. Specializing in the areas of Algebra, Calculus, and Statistics, Diana is committed to helping students improve their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In her free time, Diana enjoys swimming, hiking, throwing a frisbee, swinging a tennis racket, and playing her bass.

Elizabeth W.

Gabriela H.

Subjects:
Middle and High School Academic Support / Test Prep Specialist

SHSAT / SSAT / ISEE / TACHS / SAT / ACT

Gabriela is a 7th grade English teacher in southern Brooklyn. She majored in English Literature and Sociology at Amherst College, and upon graduating joined the New York City Teaching Fellows. Through the program, she received a Master's Degree in Education from St. John’s University. She has taught 6th and 7th grade math, science, social studies, and ELA, but her specialty is in middle and high school English. She is certified/trained in: Special Education 7-12, English 7-12, and SHSAT Test Prep.

Gabriela has also tutored in different capacities for seven years through programs such as Prep for Prep, A Better Chance, and Reader to Reader. She particularly enjoys tutoring for the SHSAT exam because she went to a specialized high school (Staten Island Tech). She understands the rigor that goes into taking the SHSAT and attending a specialized school, and she wants to help students accomplish this goal!

Guillaume G.

Subjects:
Middle and High School Academic Support / Test Prep Specialist

SHSAT / SSAT / ISEE / TACHS / SAT / ACT

Fluent in French and English

Guillaume grew up in France and graduated from the École Polytechnique in 2006, majoring in Mathematics and Finance. He moved to New York City to work for a French bank for 10 years. In 2017, he transitioned into teaching and became a math tutor, eager to show how mathematics can be applied outside of school. Guillaume’s teaching style brings the best of his past experiences from both French and American cultures, always with a little touch of fun and creativity. Guillaume is the lead math teacher for the SHSAT prep courses at the Workshop and develops SHSAT curriculum.

Gwenyth J.

Subjects:
Creative Writing / Middle and High School Academic Support / Test Prep Specialist

SAT (ELA )

Gwenyth is a mission-driven educator, deeply committed to making a difference in the lives of young people. Trained as a media historian, she holds a B.A. in History from Columbia University, and earned her MA and PhD in Communication from the Annenberg School at the University of Pennsylvania. For over two decades Gwenyth served as a member of the Fordham University faculty, in the Department of Communication and Media Studies, teaching courses about media and society. As the parent of a neurodiverse child, she witnessed the power of an individualized education plan, tailored to the unique learning profile of her son. Watching how he flowered when given the right support opened her eyes to the ways in which one-to-one tutoring can supplement classroom learning for all learners.

She loves taking on the challenge of helping students connect with their inner motivation – to find a sense of purpose and take ownership of their academic journey to reach their goals. To that end, she provides help with personal statements and supplemental essays for high school and college applications. A long-time mindfulness meditation practitioner, Gwenyth offers training in Digital Wellness Education, teaching students how to calm their minds and cultivate intentional attention amid the distractions of the digital age. She is a proud science fiction fan, and her avatar is Yoda. 

Inayah is a New York City Teaching Fellow and prospective NYCPS biology teacher. They majored in Biochemistry and minored in Philosophy at University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and earned their Master's Degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with a specialization in Molecular Biophysics from The Graduate Center, CUNY. They are on track to earn a Master's Degree in Education with certificates in Students with Disabilities 7-12 and Biology 7-12. Before transitioning to K-12 teaching, Inayah instructed university-level Chemistry courses for five years at Hunter College.

Inayah's tutoring and teaching philosophy focuses on building student confidence in and enthusiasm for learning. They foster collaboration between themself, the parents and the student to ensure each tutoring session has an exponentially positive impact on the student's education.

Jameson G.

Subjects:
Elementary Academic Support/ Test Prep Specialist

ISEE/SSAT/SHSAT

Jameson is a licensed elementary school educator with over six years of classroom experience. He earned his Master’s Degree in Inclusive Elementary Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and holds teaching licenses for grades 1–6 in both Minnesota and New York. His teaching practice emphasizes inclusive community building, restorative approaches to behavior, dynamic assessment, and the development of accessible curriculum grounded in the principles of Universal Design for Learning. He is committed to meeting the diverse needs of all learners across the elementary grade span.

In mathematics, Jameson focuses on designing constructivist curriculum that builds both procedural fluency and conceptual understanding. His literacy instruction is informed by a balanced literacy framework and the workshop model, supported by his training in LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling), a professional development program rooted in the Science of Reading. He also brings experience with a variety of intervention programs, including Bridges in Mathematics, Leveled Literacy Intervention, Scholastic Rise, and Orton-Gillingham. Jameson is known for building strong, collaborative relationships with students and families to support each child’s academic and personal success.

John K.

Jude L.

Jude is a writer and educator from Staten Island, where they first discovered their love of teaching through tutoring their classmates at Staten Island Technical High School. After earning their MFA in Creative Writing from the New School, they moved to Brooklyn to pursue a path in education. They have taught general education, test prep for MS and HS admissions, and creative writing for six years, and previously supervised Title I programming in Catholic schools for three years. Having attended Staten Island Tech, Jude understands the rigor that goes into taking the SHSAT and attending a Specialized High School.

Kay O.

Subjects:
Middle and High School Academic Support / Test Prep Specialist

SHSAT / SSAT / ISEE / TACHS / SAT / ACT

Kay is a former middle school educator and a current Master of Social Work student at Columbia University. She was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, and earned Bachelor's degrees in International Studies and Spanish from the University of South Carolina Honors College, graduating summa cum laude in 2020. After graduating, she spent four years teaching 6th–8th grade English Language Arts in Philadelphia, PA. During this time, she also tutored in mathematics and test preparation and earned her teaching certification from the University of Pennsylvania. Specializing in ELA, essay writing, test preparation, algebra, and geometry, Kay is skilled at breaking down complex concepts and tailoring instruction to the specific needs, interests, and strengths of each student. Having applied to and attended a residential high school in New Jersey herself, Kay is very familiar with the challenges associated with the high school and college application processes. She is committed to demystifying these experiences and supporting students through the stress of testing and application preparation.

Kerry is an Early Childhood Learning Specialist entering her ninth year of teaching. She's passionate about helping even our youngest learners better understand their unique learning profiles. She strives to support all children in understanding the "why" behind what they do a concrete-to-abstract abstract approach to her instruction. Kerry has a BA from Smith College in Elementary Education and Sociology and a Master's in Special Education from Bank Street. She is NY-certified in Childhood General and Special Education. In addition, Kerry is Orton-Gillingham trained and has her Elementary I (6-9) Montessori credential and AMS Inclusion Endorsement. Kerry has worked in public and private schools and has extensive experience supporting children who struggle with emotional and behavioral regulation, attention, executive functioning, and social cognition.

Liam graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science. He spent six months in South Africa at The University of Cape Town, informing his studies in Political Theory and International Relations. Liam has taught classrooms of 8th graders in a public school and tutored 12th graders up to AP Calculus, but loves nothing more than rocketing his students' SAT, ACT, SHSAT, and HSPT scores up into the elite percentiles.

Liam excels at making hard concepts fun and easy to grasp as well as breaking down the logic underlying standardized tests. He is excited about what he can teach, and hopes to leave his students with an open, curious, and confident attitude to learning that makes exams easy and college applications (relatively) stress-free. His students describe him as focused, charismatic, and easy to work with, even when the subjects aren't.

Maanal is an environmental scientist and experienced educator based in New York City. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Science from Barnard College of Columbia University and an M.S. in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences from the CUNY School of Public Health and Health Policy. Throughout her undergraduate and graduate studies, she has worked with middle school, high school, and college students and built a strong track record in math and science instruction.

Maanal specializes in preparing students for exams such as the SAT, SHSAT, and Regents courses, including Earth Science, Chemistry, Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry. Her students have consistently improved their academic performance, often raising their grades by two letter levels and increasing standardized test scores.

Drawing from her own experience as both a student and a tutor, Maanal understands that every learner is different. She tailors her teaching approach to each student’s needs, skill level, and goals, creating a supportive and effective learning environment. She is passionate about helping students build confidence and develop a deeper understanding of math and science to make the learning process both rewarding and empowering.

Meghan M.

Michael C.

Subjects:
Test Prep Specialist

SHSAT / SSAT / ISEE / TACHS / SAT / ACT

Michael began teaching standardized test prep 12 years ago, shortly after graduating magna cum laude from Columbia University with a BA in History. With nearly 20,000 hours of teaching experience, he has an extensive background in teaching standardized test prep to a broad range of students in both a classroom environment and in one on one tutoring sessions.

Michael brings a passion for learning with a desire to help young people succeed in their goals to every class and tutoring session he leads. He firmly believes that every student has the ability to improve their score if provided with the tools and techniques specific to the standardized test they are preparing for.

Nathalie V.

Subjects:
French Instruction—All Levels

Fluent in French and English

Nathalie is a native French speaker, originally from Belgium, where she earned a Masters Degree in French Language and Literature at Louvain University. She began her teaching career in Brussels, and after living in Poland for several years, she and her family moved to New York five years ago. She has worked as a private French tutor with both children and adults and created curricula for various French after school programs.

Nicholas W.

Subjects:
Middle and High School Academic Support / Test Prep Specialist

SHSAT / SSAT / ISEE / TACHS / SAT / ACT

Rafer D.

Subjects:
Middle and High School Academic Support / Test Prep Specialist

SHSAT / SSAT / ISEE / TACHS / SAT / ACT

Rafer graduated from Harvey Mudd College with a degree in Mathematical and Computational Biology and a minor in Literature. He has been tutoring since 2009, with stops in Los Angeles and Chicago before arriving in Brooklyn. Along with tutoring math, science, and writing, Rafer brings a deep and nuanced understanding of the SAT, the ACT, and tests for High School Admission. Rafer strongly believes that there is no perfect test-taking formula, and instead tries to maximize the individual strengths of each student. Outside of tutoring, Rafer likes running, and has to his name a 14:21 5k personal best and a 193rd place finish at the 2015 Boston Marathon.

Sarah G.

Subjects:
Elementary Academic Support

Sarah is a NYC based educator whose career has spanned the gamut of fields. She served as a fourth grade teacher at the Dalton School, taught among the founding teachers of the Heschel School, was Director of Lifelong Learning at the Park Avenue Synagogue and was an Academic Program Manager at CUNY where she acted as a coach to principals and teachers in NYC public schools as well as the director of its College Now summer program. She most recently served as the Interim Director of Education at the Park Slope Jewish Center as it transitioned to a virtual platform during the early stages of the pandemic. Sarah holds a B.A. in Government from Smith College and a M.A. in Education from Stanford University and was a fellow at the Senior Educators’ Program at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She completed coursework in elementary teaching and educational leadership at Bank Street College of Education. A native New Yorker, she resides on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

Shane S.

Subjects:
Middle and High School Academic Support / Test Prep Specialist

SHSAT / SSAT / ISEE / TACHS / SAT / ACT

Shane graduated magna cum laude from the University of Rochester, double majoring in English and Economics, and minoring in Mathematics. Shane has over five years experience teaching reading, writing and mathematics to students from 5th through 11th grade. Most recently, he has worked as a college preparation teacher, preparing students for the SAT, and coaching them to success on their college essays. His pedagogical approach is predicated on strong relationships with students and adapting curricula to their needs and interests. When he is not teaching, Shane enjoys playing the guitar, writing short stories, cooking, and bicycling.

Sophie C.

Tony is an experienced educator, engineer, and scientist who grew up on Long Island, commuting daily on the LIRR to attend high school in Mineola. He holds a MS in Education and a MS in Material Science & Engineering from Colorado State University, as well as a BS in Materials Science & Engineering from Clemson University. Tony has extensive experience as a middle school math teacher and a test prep tutor, helping students prepare for standardized tests by combining his passion for education with practical strategies that lead to student success.In addition to his teaching career, Tony's research has been published in ACS Nano, and he has worked for leading companies such as Robert Bosch and Cotton Incorporated. Currently, he serves as a Classroom Lab Assistant at FIT University and teaches American Red Cross classes. Tony has always loved school and learning, and he is dedicated to making the learning process less stressful and more enjoyable for his students.

Katrina Gonzalez

Office Manager

Katrina is a Brooklyn-born youth advocate with a passion for supporting students in both academic and personal growth. She is currently pursuing a dual degree in Criminal Justice and Political Science at John Jay College, where her studies are grounded in a strong commitment to social justice and systemic reform. Her experience as a private tutor began in high school and expanded throughout college, focusing on general academic support and special education. She also brings experience from a variety of community-based programs, with roles in operations, data management, and youth programming: she brings energy, heart, and a knack for keeping things running smoothly. In her free time, Katrina enjoys reading, running and spending time with her fur babies. 

Melissa Green

Jaclyn Wickham

Olivia Ramsey