Chelsey B.

Chelsey Baker is a certified teacher and has been teaching for 7 years now! She obtained her Bachelor’s of Science in Special Education with an LBS1 certification from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her teaching career kicked off in Urbana, IL where she worked for 4 years in a self-contained setting with students with autism and other unique learning
needs. Chelsey then moved to Chicago where she has worked for 3 years in Chicago Public Schools as a resource and co-teacher for grades K-3. Chelsey was born and raised in Tennessee but through her college career she discovered she had a passion for urban education. She is driven to create equitable opportunities for all students by building relationships, assuming competence, and creating access. Chelsey has tutored both
privately and for tutoring franchises and enjoys getting to work individually with students to create fun and meaningful learning opportunities outside of school. In her free time Chelsey enjoys reading a good book, being outdoors, and playing board games.

Cheyenne R.

Cheyenne is a veteran Chicago Public Schools special education teacher with 13 years of experience supporting diverse learners across preschool through 8th grade. Originally from a small rural town in Michigan, she obtained her undergraduate degree in Sociology and Women’s Studies from the University of Michigan before entering the classroom through AmeriCorps-The New Teacher Project. While initially drawn to education policy reform, Cheyenne quickly discovered her passion lies in working directly with students and families. She went on to earn her English as a Second Language endorsement and a Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis to better meet the wide-ranging needs of her students. Cheyenne is especially passionate about building executive functioning skills to help students access opportunities beyond the classroom, and her work is grounded in a holistic, relationship-centered approach. Outside of teaching, she can usually be found traveling, playing golf, volleyball, or pickleball, exploring the outdoors, spending time with friends and family, or attempting to keep her 30+ houseplants thriving.

Mariah M.

Pragati P.

Pragati is a passionate and dedicated educator with a strong background in Chemical Engineering and a deep love for math and science. Her academic training has equipped her with a solid foundation in problem-solving, analytical thinking, and real-world applications of scientific concepts, which Pragati brings into every tutoring session.

Currently, teaching 8th-grade science, Pragati focuses on making complex ideas engaging, accessible, and meaningful for her students. In addition, she has experience teaching 10th-grade chemistry and 9th-grade biology, and can support students across a wide range of scientific subjects and grade levels. She is also pursuing a Master’s degree in Education, working toward becoming a high school science and math teacher. This ongoing training helps her stay up-to-date with effective teaching strategies and student-centered learning approaches.

As a tutor, Pragati’s goal is to build confidence, strengthen understanding, and help students develop a genuine interest in math and science. She strives to create a supportive and encouraging learning environment where students feel comfortable asking questions and growing academically.

Brendan F.

Brendan is a dedicated and passionate STEM educator with over seven years of experience inspiring students in the classroom and lab. Holding a PhD and specializing in Chemistry and Biology, Brendan has a proven track record of helping students develop critical thinking skills and a love for learning. He has been an educator at various levels and recognized for his innovative lesson planning and engaging teaching style. Beyond the classroom, Brendan brings creativity and personality to everything he does. When he’s not grading papers, Brendan can often be found reading, exploring local coffee shops, or working on his chess skills.

Leslie S.

Leslie earned her doctorate in English from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2017, following an M.A. from The University of Louisville in 2008. Originally from Cincinnati, Leslie has been teaching college courses in the Chicago area for the last 15 years. Her fields
include American Literature, African American Literature, ESL, and composition. She’s also a proud history nerd and loves some pub trivia. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and playing sports with her two sons.

Lucas O.

Lucas is a licensed educator and Reading Intervention teacher who holds two graduate degrees in Early Childhood Education, endorsements in ESL, LBS1, and ECE, and is pursuing Wilson Reading System Level I certification. He is also a recipient of the Erikson Institute Educator Impact Award in recognition of his committed service to students and families. Lucas has experience working with students from early childhood through eighth grade, specializing in literacy intervention and ESL instruction. He has extensive experience teaching ELA and math across grades K–8 through both targeted intervention services and classroom teaching, with a strong emphasis on growth mindset, problem-solving, and skill-building strategies that empower students to become confident, independent learners. He emphasizes interdisciplinary thinking, helping students transfer strategies and skills across subjects to support overall academic success. Bilingual in English and Spanish, he is especially attuned to the needs of diverse learners and uses visual, kinesthetic, linguistic, and interest-based approaches to make learning engaging and accessible. He intentionally draws on students’ strengths and personal interests to guide instruction. Outside the classroom, he enjoys reading, cooking, and playing soccer.

Kiersten G.

Kiersten is a newly certified teacher in the state of Illinois who recently relocated to Chicago from her hometown of Columbus, Ohio! She earned her bachelor’s degree from Miami University (Ohio) and completed a graduate program at Ashland University, where she obtained her teaching license. Kiersten is licensed to teach grades PK–6.

She has been passionate about education since a young age and brings a wide range of experience working with diverse learners. Her background includes student teaching internships, as well as roles as a summer school teacher and after-care teacher. Kiersten believes her creativity sets her apart as an educator, as she consistently goes above and beyond to design engaging and meaningful learning experiences. She values building strong relationships with her students and enjoys getting to know them on a personal level in order to connect their interests to learning.

Kiersten recently accepted a position as an Assistant Teacher at an elementary school in Oak Park, where she looks forward to continuing to support students’ growth in areas of need. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, cooking, practicing photography, and playing volleyball. She is excited to meet her future students!

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.

Waringa H.

Waringa H. is a tutor, writer, and designer with an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She has taught writing to undergraduates and has tutored students from first through twelfth grade. Through the nonprofit 826CHI, she led writing workshops, provided one-on-one literacy and homework support, and guided high school students through essay writing and college applications. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s probably watching hockey or on the hunt for the city’s best cheesecake.