OUR TEAM


At Smith Street Workshop, our tutors are selected through a rigorous process, ensuring they are not only highly qualified, but also deeply dedicated to their students' growth. Our team includes Ivy League graduates, credentialed teachers, and PhD candidates. What truly sets our tutors apart, however, is their commitment to meeting students where they are, getting to know them as learners and individuals.

MEET OUR TUTORS


Andrew N.R.

Subjects:

Middle and High School Academic Support / Test Prep Specialist

SHSAT / SSAT / ISEE / TACHS / SAT / ACT

Andrew is a lawyer and native of Queens, New York. He holds a BA from the University of Chicago in Economics and Political Science, and a JD from the University of Minnesota Law School. He also attended Stuyvesant High School, commuting daily from his home in Astoria to Tribeca. He understands the demands placed on students in New York City schools and understands how to balance the stress of school with finding each student's right path forward. Andrew has worked with students at all levels of their academic careers, from debate coaching 5 year old children to teaching college students and law students. He wants to encourage students to find their voice, do well in school and enjoy the process as much as possible.


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.


Daniel G.

Subjects:

Middle and High School Academic Support / Executive Functioning / Test Prep Specialist

SHSAT / SSAT / ISEE / TACHS / SAT / ACT

Daniel is a writer, teacher, climate organizer, and a life-long Brooklynite. They hold an MFA in Creative Writing from the New School and their writing has been published in a variety of literary magazines and journals. They have worked as a general education and a test prep tutor for the past eight years. As a Teaching Artist, Daniel works with the 92nd Street YMCA, 826 NYC, BRIC, and other arts organizations, teaching creative writing, podcasting, and video production in NYC public schools. They love creating joyful and empathetic environments and focus on making learning as stress-free and fun as possible.


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.

Subjects:

Middle and High School Academic Support / Test Prep Specialist

SHSAT / SSAT / ISEE / TACHS / SAT / ACT

Fluent in English and French

Elizabeth has a BA in Mathematics and English from the University of Rochester and is fluent in French. She began working as a tutor for Arizona State University during her last two years of high school while studying mathematics there part-time. She then went on to work as a math tutor at the University of Rochester while completing her full-time degree programs, during which she studied abroad in both France and England. Throughout college, she also tutored privately, covering everything from high school math to French instruction to general academic support. She has experience with students of all ages from kindergarten to graduate level as well as test prep for MS, HS and College Admissions. Her approach prioritizes flexibility, always aiming to find what works best for a given student. Her ultimate goal is to make sessions as fun as possible while helping students to reach their full academic potential. Outside of tutoring, her interests include music and theater (both of which she also studied during college), as well as baking, swimming, and video games.


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. 


John K.

Subjects:

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

SHSAT / SSAT / ISEE / TACHS / SAT / ACT

John is a writer and book critic. He earned his M.F.A. in Creative Writing from The New School and his B.A. in English and Textual Studies from Syracuse University. In 2020, he joined the National Book Critics circle as a voting member, and recently served as a judge for the organization's prestigious John Leonard Prize. His writing has been published in The Brooklyn Rail, Entropy Magazine, Pank, and elsewhere. When he isn't working on his novel, John enjoys composing and playing music.


Subjects:

Middle and High School Academic Support / Test Prep Specialist

SHSAT / SSAT / ISEE / TACHS / SAT / ACT

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.


Kristen B.

Subjects:

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

SHSAT / SSAT / ISEE / TACHS / SAT / ACT

Kristen earned her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and has been tutoring and teaching at the college level since 2017. Having created and taught over fifteen courses, from composition classes to literature and creative writing classes, she knows students learn differently and looks for ways to engage and encourage each young writer and reader. There’s nothing more rewarding than watching a student more confidently express themselves both in written and verbal communication. In addition to creative writing, she enjoys painting and photography. Her work has appeared in online journals such as On Being and Guernica, and she received the Swan Fellowship from the Vermont Studio Center in 2019.


Meghan M.

Subjects:

Spanish Instruction—All Levels

Middle and High School Academic Support / Test Prep Specialist

SHSAT / SSAT / ISEE / TACHS / SAT / ACT

Meghan is a graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where she earned a BFA in Drama. A passionate artist with an affinity for the academic, she has worked as a professional tutor for 10 years, specializing in test prep and Spanish. She is also a grammarian with a love of writing, TV, and theater; she has taught English in Buenos Aires, Argentina and worked in theater administration in Barcelona, Spain. As an NYU grad, Meghan understands how essential test prep is in furthering students' education; however, she also appreciates that every student has a passion, one that likely lies outside the bounds of standardized testing, and she is committed to making connections with students with those diverse passions in mind.


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.


Perri T.

Subjects:

Elementary and Middle School Academic Support

Perri loves helping students get excited about topics that they find challenging by finding ways to personalize teaching material. She’s determined to help every student connect with tough topics in a way that’s fun for them, whether that be by inventing educational games or incorporating pop culture. Perri also teaches STEAM classes to 1st-8th graders at Robofun and tutors elementary and middle school students one-on-one.

Perri studied astronomy and economics at Cornell University before working in space policy and technology at NASA, and then researching paleomagnetism at Harvard University. She is most passionate about space, but also profoundly curious about other scientific topics, including renewable energy, quantum computing, and climate change. She is currently a graduate student in NYU’s Science, Health, and Environmental Reporting Program.


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.


Richard F.

Subjects:

Middle and High School Academic Support / Test Prep Specialist

SHSAT / SSAT / ISEE / TACHS / SAT / ACT

Richard grew up in London and has since lived between Paris and NYC. He received his BA from Harvard College, where he majored in Comparative Literature, and an MA from the École Normale Supérieure in modern philosophy. He has held teaching posts at Université de la Sorbonne-Nouvelle (Paris III) and l'Institut Catholique de Paris, and has experience tutoring in a range of subjects, including science (biology, physics and chemistry), classics and test prep. He centers his teaching philosophy on the principle that any topic is viable for a student, when approached from the right angle, and that both critical thinking and active study habits are not only crucial, but learnable skills.


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.

Subjects:

French Instruction—All Levels

Fluent in English and French

Sophie is a Paris native who spent the first part of her life living throughout Europe, cultivating a sense of foreign languages and cultures at an early age. She completed a Bachelors degree in Anglo-American Literature & Civilization as well as a Masters in Political Science before joining the workforce in public relations and advertising, eventually opening her own NYC photography studio in 2015.After navigating the bilingual heritage of her own children, Sophie recently decided to dedicate her attention to a new endeavor, the world of early childhood development and education. In 2020, Sophie joined the teaching team at Smith Street Maternelle, and is currently completing her degree in French as a foreign language. Her three children have been educated in the New York public school system and she has spent countless hours tutoring them directly in order for them to remain active French speakers and readers.


Tali L.

Subjects:

Elementary Academic Support

Fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese

Tali is a PhD candidate in Clinical Psychology at Long Island University Brooklyn. Before moving to Brooklyn, she earned her BA in Psychology at Johns Hopkins University. She has been tutoring students at the elementary school level since 2014. When working with students and families, she aims to promote student growth through individualized approaches while considering the student’s broader context. As a Brazilian American, she is passionate about bilingual education and multicultural perspectives both in and out of the classroom. In her free time, she loves reading, exploring cuisines from around the world, and entering the Broadway lottery.


Tanya D.

Subjects:

Elementary Academic Support / French Instruction—All Levels

Fluent in English and French

Tanya currently teaches the Kindergarten class at P.S. 20 in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. After completing her Bachelor's degree in French with a minor in Education, she taught English in France for a year in primary schools. She went on to receive her Master's degree from Adelphi University in TESOL and is currently pursuing a second masters from NYU in French Studies. Tanya is American and fluent in French and English.


Tiffany P.

Subjects:

Academic Support/ Spanish Instruction / Test Prep Specialist

SHSAT / SSAT / ISEE / TACHS / G&T

Tiffany has a BA in English / Spanish Minor from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She began working as a private tutor while pursuing a Master's of Education at Hunter College in New York City. She is a New York State licensed educator with certifications in English as a second language, English language arts, and Special Education. Tiffany enjoys supporting students in language development. Throughout her teaching practice, there is a strong emphasis on the cultivation of critical thinking skills and application through writing and other forms of expressive language. She has experience working with preschool students in preparation for the Gifted and Talented exams and ELA/History instruction in all grades K-12. Her goal in working with students is to help students achieve growth and progress in their academic development. Outside of teaching her interests include travel and documentaries.


Tony V.

Subjects:

Middle and High School Academic Support / Test Prep Specialist

SHSAT / SSAT / ISEE / TACHS / SAT / ACT

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.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF


Katrina Gonzalez

Office Manager


Melissa Green

Partnership and Client Relations

Born and raised in the SF Bay Area, Melissa moved with her young family to Brooklyn in 2015. After graduating from the University of California, Santa Barbara, Melissa spent 15 years in the media industry, handling sales strategy and content production for various publishers and digital media companies.

Melissa joined the Workshop in 2021 and manages our scheduling, client communication and marketing.


Jaclyn Wickham

Senior Director of Academic Enrichment

Jaclyn leads the Workshop curriculum development and works as an educator, tutoring students across a wide range of topics.

Jaclyn holds a Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction from New York University’s ITP program and a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She’s an educational technologist and former teacher who is passionate about education reform, and is continually exploring innovative ways to use technology to enhance learning.

In her former role as a classroom teacher, Jaclyn increased student achievement and created personalized learning experiences for her students through the use of instructional technology. As a professional development specialist and instructional coach, she traveled to classrooms across NYC to deliver small and large group presentations, model instructional best practices, and coach teachers on how to integrate technology into their curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices.


Olivia Ramsey

Founder and Executive Director of Smith Street Workshop and Smith Street Maternelle

After completing her Master’s degree at Bank Street College of Education, Olivia taught for ten years in New York, beginning at the Downtown Little School, moving on to the Lycée Français de New York, and finally ending up as one of the founding teachers of PS 58's French Dual Language program in Carroll Gardens.

In the fall of 2013, Olivia started a small tutoring practice out of her apartment on Smith Street. To meet the growing demand for tutoring and academic enrichment in Brooklyn, she founded Smith Street Workshop in 2015.

Before her career as an educator, Olivia studied French and traveled extensively abroad. After graduating with a dual-degree in French and Psychology, she worked as the assistant director to Earlham College’s semester abroad programs in Paris and in Fort-de-France, Martinique. She deepened her knowledge of French by being immersed in the culture, making lifelong French-speaking friends, and now by being a part of the French/American community here in Brooklyn.