Dr. W. Pannapacker
Dr. Pannapacker (MA, PhD, Harvard University), a professor emeritus of English, has counseled thousands of students on test preparation, study skills, curriculum-based learning, enrichment programs, and general academic coaching. Dr. Pannapacker’s coaching specialties include complex written assignments, research papers, and admissions essays and applications for elite colleges, universities, internships, and employers. With a master’s in rhetoric and composition, a second M.A. in English, a doctorate in American studies, and three decades of teaching and tutoring experience, Dr. Pannapacker’s content expertise includes literature, creative writing, history, philosophy, and art history, with extensive publications in those areas. His work as an educator has been recognized in The New York Times, The Economist, The Nation, The Atlantic, Slate, Wired, U.S. News, CNN, NBC, and NPR, and he has received $2.3M in funding for educational innovation from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Students describe him as a kind and supportive mentor who encourages their creativity and rigor at developmentally appropriate levels. The father of three daughters, he lives in Oak Park, Illinois.
Elias A.
Elias A. graduated from Columbia University with an MA in Russian & Eastern European Studies in 2025 and from University of Oxford in 2017 with a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. He worked as an SAT prep teacher and tutor for AP US History, AP World History, and AP Literature in DC and Maryland from 2018 to 2019. Elias served as a Peace Corps TEFL Volunteer in Kosovo from 2019-2020 and from 2022-2023, teaching English to K-12 students. In 2020 and 2021 he worked as a tutor in Oregon for elementary and middle school students, tutoring English, reading comprehension, writing, math, and coding. In 2021 Elias taught English and critical thinking skills to students in Kosovo virtually in the Peace Corps Virtual Service Pilot Program. He currently works as a tutor for middle and high school students. In his free time Elias enjoys playing basketball, ping pong, and tennis.
Sarah I.
Sarah I. is a certified teacher. She grew up in Guelph, Ontario moving to Trinity College at U. of T. to complete an undergraduate degree in French and English. She attended Toronto Teachers College and later completed a Master’s degree in teaching and a specialist in Special Education. Through teaching, Sarah has been able to foster her love of learning in different environments. Today, she works one-on-one with students from 6 years old to university-aged young people preparing for graduation. She supports improvement in reading, writing for different purposes, expansion of vocabulary, organization, and fosters a desire for learning and excellence. Sarah believes that by building a solid relationship with her students, she can best meet their needs and encourage their learning. As a mentor, she continues to develop strategies for working with students of all ages. She finds these experiences rewarding and she often maintains long-term educational relationships as students carry on through the further stages of learning.
Liberty V.
Liberty is a graduate of the University of Virginia, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science with a minor in Data Science. During her studies, she gained valuable experience tutoring Vietnamese international students preparing to study in the United States. Liberty taught middle and high school English, tailoring each lesson to students’ interests, goals, and English proficiency levels. She also provided targeted support with college admissions, AP coursework, and SAT preparation. Liberty is passionate about helping students build confidence in their skills, and she loves seeing them discover their own creative voice through reading, writing, and problem-solving. In her spare time, Liberty loves to read, travel, and play board games.
Sagar M.
Sagar M. is a dedicated math, statistics, and coding tutor with over nine years of professional experience helping students build confidence and achieve academic success. He holds a master’s degree and works as a Data Science Manager, applying advanced mathematics, statistics, and analytical thinking to real-world problems every day. Sagar supports students from elementary school through advanced levels in a wide range of subjects, including arithmetic, geometry, algebra, calculus, statistics, and probability. He also prepares students for standardized exams such as the SAT, ACT, AP math courses, and other assessments, helping them strengthen both content mastery and test-taking strategies. In addition, Sagar teaches coding to kids and professionals, using structured yet engaging lessons to develop logical thinking and problem-solving skills. He believes students learn best through clear examples, real-life applications, and puzzles that make even challenging topics approachable (and occasionally fun). Known for his patient, personalized approach, Sagar is passionate about helping each student reach their full potential while building skills that last well beyond the test.
Jeffrey E-L.
Shelley H.
Shelley is an experienced mathematics tutor with more than 25 years of intermittent tutoring expertise, supporting students from kindergarten through grade 12 as well as those preparing for the SAT, ACT, and advanced math courses including Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus, and Statistics. She holds four academic degrees—Mathematics, Physics, Information Technology, and Opticianry—and spent over a decade as a computer programmer and systems analyst before becoming a Licensed Optician in Florida. Shelley’s lifelong passion for analytical thinking has shaped every chapter of her life, from excelling academically and earning induction into the National Honor Society to her success as a competitive athlete. A decorated golfer, she has won numerous championships, including titles at Pinehurst Country Club, and has achieved an impressive eight hole-in-ones.
Shelley’s background is equally defined by her dedication to children and learning. As a mother of five, she gained deep insight into supporting students with learning differences, including her own children who faced unique educational challenges. Her
experiences fueled her desire to help other families navigate academic struggles with empathy, structure, and high expectations. Over the years, Shelley has tutored with
several agencies and independently, helping many students achieve remarkable progress—including four students who earned perfect standardized-test scores under her guidance. She brings to her work a blend of humor, warmth, and discipline, drawing
from a lifetime of teaching skills developed through athletics, equestrian training, parenting, and her STEM-driven career.
In her tutoring practice, Shelley emphasizes the logic and clarity that make mathematics both approachable and empowering. She believes that math is only complicated when the steps are unclear—and she excels at breaking those steps into understandable and
repeatable processes. She expects students to arrive prepared, focused, and ready to work, encouraging habits that mirror the discipline required for college, careers, and personal achievement. Shelley is excited to bring her passion for teaching, her analytical expertise, and her unwavering commitment to student success to Prep Academy Tutors, where she strives to help every learner build confidence, master essential skills, and realize their full potential.
Sandra M.
Sandra holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University of South Florida and brings a strong academic foundation to her role as a tutor. For the past three years, she has worked with students ranging from Pre-K to college, teaching subjects such as English, chemistry, organic chemistry, and various math courses.
Sandra’s unique experience spans early childhood education and college-level tutoring, giving her a versatile and adaptive teaching style. She takes pride in making complex topics approachable and believes in creating a supportive, engaging learning environment tailored to each student’s needs.
She recently graduated in May 2025 and is currently pursuing a nursing degree at Nova Southeastern University. Sandra is passionate about helping students build both confidence and competence in their academic journeys. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, staying active, and spending time with friends and family.
Kathleen B.
Kathleen B. is an experienced instructional support tutor and executive functioning coach with more than 35 years of experience working with children in both school settings and private practice. Kathi has served as a teacher, school counselor and school psychologist in the Philadelphia School District. She holds a Ph.D in Psychoeducational Processes and a M.Ed. In Counseling Psychology from Temple University, as well as a B.S. in Elementary Education from Penn State University.
Her educational philosophy focuses on nurturing the whole child by integrating intellectual, emotional and social development. Kathi’s psychology background enables her to identify possible cognitive or social-emotional factors that may contribute to a student’s learning challenges and allows her to tailor instruction to each learner’s unique needs. Dr. Bucci is committed to motivating reluctant learners while maintaining high expectations and fostering confidence and growth.
Kathi offers homework support in reading and writing for elementary through high school students. As an executive functioning coach, Kathi helps students develop study skills, time management strategies, emotional regulation, and metacognitive awareness. Kathi also provides reading tutoring for ISEE and SSAT test prep, providing targeted instruction that strengthens core academic skills while fostering higher-order thinking and reasoning for optima learning outcomes. She has extensive experience supporting neurodivergent learners and is a proud mother of three successful neurodivergent adult children. Her personal journey advocating for her own children has profoundly deepened her understanding of adaptable teaching methods and her appreciation for diverse learning styles.
Faraz K.
Faraz holds a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University, double majoring in Biology and Chemistry, and has completed graduate studies in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. He brings over five years of teaching experience, covering everything from elementary math and science to advanced undergraduate mathematics and standardized test prep. As a former teaching assistant at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Faraz has led classrooms, worked with small groups, delivered lectures, and graded exams.
A Chicagoland native, Faraz discovered his passion for teaching in college while introducing gifted children to LEGO robotics and computer programming. Outside the classroom, he is a dedicated runner—once a cross-country athlete, now a regular jogger—and a grilling enthusiast who insists barbecuing is equal parts science and art. Faraz’s teaching philosophy revolves around creating independent learners. He believes the best classroom isn’t the one where you are taught, but the one where you learn to teach yourself—though his students don’t have to grade their own homework… yet.