Anna D.
Anna is a proud Colorado Native. When Anna was young, she decided she wanted to be able to communicate with everyone on Earth. Pursuing that dream, Anna graduated from MSU Denver with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Spanish and French. She is currently working on her Master’s degree in Curriculum Development.
Anna recently moved back to Colorado after teaching English and Exam Prep in Egypt for seven years. Teaching and living abroad brought Anna’s passion for exploring other cultures and learning their languages to life. Today, she speaks seven languages and has visited over 40 countries!
In her spare time, Anna loves spending time with her family and running (albeit slowly). One day, she hopes to run the Leadville 100 and do a marathon along the Great Wall of China.
Mark M.
Mark has his bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D from the University of Texas at Austin. During his time at UT, Mark discovered the joy of teaching and of seeing his students grasp new concepts and put them to use. He also taught a variety of subjects and r eceived two teaching awards in 10 years.
His favorite teaching topics include math (from Algebra to Statistics) and science (from Biology to Psychology). Mark’s academic focus has been on how people learn and retain memories. All of these academic pursuits continue to have an impact on Mark’s music. (Some even say “a positive impact.”)
When Mark is not consulting with individuals and corporations to help them become more efficient, you’ll most likely find him hiking, trail running, or playing soccer.
Patrick G.
Growing up in Louisville, Kentucky, Patrick loved learning new things. This led to things like a robotics competition in grade school, and the quick recall team in high school. Over the years, that love of learning has grown into a love of teaching.
After graduating a year early with a double major in Political Science and English literature from Xavier University, Patrick entered the world of teaching. That experience was so rewarding, he went back to Xavier to earn a Master’s degree in English literature.
Since then, Patrick has taught and tutored in a variety of settings, from ESL classes to College level courses. While his strengths are in the literary arts, Patrick has tutored a variety of subjects, including Math, Science, History, and Spanish from the Elementary to High School level.
Patrick wholeheartedly believes anything can be accomplished with dedication, support, and effort. Patrick also believes that establishing a sense of trust and genuine care is paramount to achieving everything with his students. He thrives on helping students gain confidence in their studies and in life.
When not in the classroom, you’ll likely find Patrick traveling and enjoying all the beauty the great outdoors has to offer in Colorado and beyond, or perhaps at open mic or trivia night.
Jillian D.
For the past two years, Jillian Davis taught first and fifth grades in the Howard County Public School System in Maryland. She takes joy in helping children build their confidence by providing them with the right resources to help them succeed.
Jillian earned her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, as well as her teaching Certificate, from Towson University. In addition, Jillian has five years of experience tutoring students from young children to young adults. She also worked at summer youth camps for several years, where she developed a creative and interactive approach to teaching and lesson planning. She is also certified in first aid and CPR.
Jillian recently moved to Boulder to pursue a career in the culinary arts. When she is not teaching, tutoring, cooking, or exploring the Colorado outdoors, you’re likely to find her reading, crocheting, or braiding hair.
Chelsea G.
Chelsea Geier is a Certified Teacher. She received her bachelor’s degree in English Education and Spanish from Colorado State University. She currently lives in Boulder, where she is completing her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Naropa University.
For the past seven years, Chelsea has been a public school teacher. She has extensive experience teaching middle school students; however, she enjoys working with students of all ages. For example, for a year and a half, Chelsea was a volunteer English teacher for the Peace Corps in Costa Rica, which dramatically improved her Spanish language skills.
Beyond teaching literacy skills to students, Chelsea values relationship building most of all, because learning can’t happen without a solid student-teacher connection. Chelsea also supports the development of the whole child, especially with regards to self-esteem and confidence. She firmly believes that self-esteem makes the biggest difference when it comes to helping students learn.
Chelsea grew up in Parker, Colorado and loves spending time outdoors, camping, running, and hiking.
Alex W.
Alex graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics. She is currently completing her teaching internship in math at Boulder High School. Here she is learning and expanding her knowledge on different students and learning styles that students can thrive in. Along with this, she has extensive tutoring experience with high school students where she adheres to questioning tactics and individualized learning techniques. Alex believes that allowing students to find solutions and leveraging the knowledge they have been building upon is critical in helping students gain self-improvement and resilience in their skills. She couldn’t imagine herself doing anything other than working with students and helping them gain confidence and knowledge in their studies!
Andrew E.
Andrew was born and raised in Singapore as an American expatriate. In 2017, he moved to the United States to begin his college education at Colorado College. During his undergraduate career at Colorado College, Andrew was a one-on-one peer tutor of mathematics and economics. He also supervised lab sessions and served at a Teaching Assistant for multiple classes.
In addition to Andrew’s math and data science background, he is also fluent in Mandarin. In 2018, he worked as a Chinese language instructor in a Chinese Immersion School.
After completing a bachelor’s degree in Mathematical Economics at Colorado College in 2021, Andrew moved to Boulder, Colorado to pursue a master’s degree in Data Science at the University of Colorado. (He will complete that degree in May 2023).
Andrew loves learning and working collaboratively. His educational philosophy focuses on fostering a passion for learning by constructing a personal learning environment that’s unique to each student.
During Andrew’s free time, he enjoys running, cycling, playing music, cooking, and camping in Colorado’s backcountry.
Carolyn P.
My name is Carolyn Paschen and I am a lifelong learner and teacher. I come from generations of teachers who were dedicated to being a part of student learning. I taught in Boulder Valley Schools for 21 years before I retired in 2018. Literacy is my greatest passion. Helping children discover the joy that comes from reading and writing is something I have missed since I retired. I look forward to working with children as a tutor at Prep Academy.
Brenda K.
Brenda Kahn graduated from NYU with a degree in political science. After college, she followed her passion for music, was signed to Columbia Records, recorded several albums, and toured across the US and Europe.
After starting a family in 2008, Brenda transitioned from her professional music career to teaching. She fell in love with teaching when she ran a tutoring company in Center Valley, PA that helped students with reading and writing challenges. She also expanded her educational offerings to include middle school creative writing workshops and elementary special ed support.
In 2018, her family relocated to South Salem, NY where she taught middle- and high-school English and History at Fusion Academy in White Plains, NY.
Fusion Academy caters to students with learning differences, and Bren excels at finding creative learning paths for students with special ed needs including ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, giftedness, ASD, and anxiety. In 2021, she was promoted to Director of Homework Cafe at Fusion, where she was responsible for helping students hone their executive functioning skills, while working with teachers to adopt and tailor best teaching and learning practices.
In 2022, Brenda’s family relocated to Boulder, CO. She is thrilled to be working with Prep Academy Tutors where she will continue to foster joy, creativity, and connection with every student.
Nazeer S.
Nazeer graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in neuroscience. He completed his medical degree at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. Throughout his academic career, Nazeer tutored students on a wide range of subjects from chess to graduate-level biochemistry.
In addition to his academic success, Nazeer was also a practice squad player for the men’s and women’s basketball teams at the University of Kentucky. Playing point guard helped him understand the value of having a strong support team and looks to assist future generations through teaching and making the world a smarter place.