Lisa V.

Lisa Valdner is a highly experienced Biology educator with a rich background in both academic and international settings. Lisa holds a BSc in Physiology and Pharmacology from UWE, followed by a Masters of Science from King’s College London University. Achieving qualified teacher status in 2006, she has worked in private and highly academic grammar schools in the UK. With a passion to travel Lisa attended an International school fair in London, securing a position at an International School in New York.
During her tenure in New York, Lisa not only excelled as a science teacher but also served as an examiner for the IB Biology program. As a head of year 9 and 10 she played a key role in developing and implementing the pastoral care program, emphasizing her dedication to students’ holistic well-being.
As a former national gymnast Lisa was educated with the support of a tutor, so knows first hand the incredible benefits this brings. Lisa embraces the personalized approach of tutoring, providing invaluable support to her students. Currently, she serves as a full-time international tutor, conducting classes both virtually and in person.
Committed to guiding each student through their academic journey, Lisa will help with planning and organization, always applying and instilling good study habits . She actively explores and embraces technological advances to make science concepts come to life, she is currently developing immersive science lessons with VR and AR technology.
Students appreciate how clear Lisa makes the scientific concepts so they can be easily understood. She is able to keep students engaged and with her years of experience can determine the specific needs of each individual.

Halle M.

Halle obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Music with a certificate in Statistics and Machine Learning from Princeton University, where she graduated with high honors. Halle was awarded multiple prizes for her senior thesis musical and a prize for outstanding work by underclassmen in musical theater. With her strong background in and passion for mathematics, she has had professional employment experience in the data analytics sector. Along with her years of tutoring experience in a variety of subjects, Halle has experience guiding and mentoring students as they approach the college application process. Halle believes strongly in the importance of developing a relationship founded on trust and respect with her students. As a high-achieving student from a rural community, Halle’s passion is providing students with the support and resources they need to succeed, just as her mentors did for her. A fun fact about Halle is that she completed a virtual internship entirely in Spanish for a non-profit organization based out of Argentina, and hopes to visit the country soon!

Sunny S.

Sunny is a prior math and ESL educator with a passion for supporting students to not only think, but create. With three years of experience teaching Algebra 1 using Peter Liljedahl’s Thinking Classrooms model, her priorities are building genuine, encouraging relationships with students, and using that foundation to develop their confidence as mathematicians and problem-solvers.

Sunny grew up in Sacramento, California before attending Brown University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Education. In her spare time, you will find her bouldering, learning guitar, and optimizing her Wordle score.

Lauren H.

Lauren is a native New Yorker who spent her life steeped in all the art and culture the city has to offer. She is a born educator, lifelong learner, and giant nerd who is obsessed with music, literature, history, technology, and social justice. Lauren spent her formative years dedicated to writing and visual and performing arts, and still had time to get a perfect score on the SAT. She also worked as the Vocal Director and Science Lab Instructor at a camp for gifted and talented children. While studying studio production and composition at the Conservatory of Music at SUNY Purchase she began tutoring students to prepare them for various standardized tests and subjects. Rather than attend law school, Lauren became a full-time tutor, and has been one for over 15 years. Lauren truly loves what she does, and aims for every student to become confident, intellectually curious, and passionate about learning. She believes education is holistic, enthusiasm infectious, and this is what keeps students engaged and excited to pursue their goals as they become better critical thinkers, readers, and problem solvers who are always pushing the boundaries of what is possible. In addition to tutoring and advising, she also teaches a robotics class in which elementary school children build and program their own Lego robots. Lauren’s passions include eating her way across every continent, collecting records, and curling. She has been playing the game, known as chess on ice, for 6 years, is a certified USA Curling instructor, and is also Co-Director of Education at Brooklyn Lakeside Curling Club.

Dylan Z.

Dylan Z. is a professional tutor living in New York City. He received his Bachelor degrees in Political Science and English from the University of Florida, and holds a Masters in Fine Arts with a concentration in Creative Writing from the New School. Dylan has tutored for several years at the Princeton Review where he specialized in AP World, European, and US History. Additionally, Dylan has taught Literature courses at the university level and specializes in college essay writing and admissions coaching.

M. Rubi

Rubi is your friendly neighborhood tutor with a notebook full of poems and a pocket full of educational tidbits. Rubi is a born and bred New Yorker and received her degrees from CUNY Hunter College with an emphasis in Literature. When she’s not tutoring, Rubi works as an elementary school Art Teacher in the South Bronx. Teaching her students weaving, fiber art, ceramics, paper-making and sculpture is one of the greatest sources of joy in her career.

Whether it’s slinging paint brushes or finding the right synonym for your essay, Rubi is here to make studying feel like a cozy chat with a buddy. She’s got a knack for tapping into what makes each student tick and tailoring their learning journey accordingly.

Rubi isn’t just a tutor; but a perpetual student herself, and finds delight in constantly learning new skills and adding more books to her library. Always scouting for fresh ideas to sprinkle some excitement into her session with students. Ready to bring sunny vibes, a sprinkle of fun, and a lot of learning to your educational joyride!

Michael K.

Michael K. is a Certified Teacher. He grew up in NJ and completed an Undergraduate Degree from Northeastern University. He completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Education focusing on Middle School Math. He grew up with a deep love of the city and once he decided to move into the city, he never looked back. Michael always had a passion for working with children which led him to his teaching career. Through teaching, he has been able to help students connect their prior knowledge to new topics in Middle School Math. Michael has extensive experience working with neurodivergent students and a variety of curriculums including Engage NY, Singapore Math, and Math in Focus.

Rafael F.

Rafael F. is a NYS Certified Secondary Spanish and ESL teacher. Growing up and attending a very ethnically diverse high school, Rafael found the love of learning and speaking the Spanish language. He tutors all levels of middle and secondary school Spanish with a particular focus on proficiency for the Regents Second Language Proficiency (SLP) competencies as well as AP Spanish. Rafael also enjoys supporting second language learners through ESL support. In order to learn the language as uniquely as possible, he attended world language school in Guadalajara, Mexico for three summers in a row and, while there, he immersed himself in the language by living with Mexican families. Rafael worked in the NYC Department of Education for 30 years, teaching Spanish, ESL and as an administrator. Rafael retired in 2015 and following that, he worked in a residential facility as a teacher and in other various academic settings. Rafael is an avid cyclist and loves sampling foods of hispanic culture and travel.

Anna S.

Anna S. earned a BA from CUNY Brooklyn College and an MFA from Columbia University. She is a dedicated, adaptable educator who has been successfully providing academic support to students of various grade levels since 2013. While finishing her novel manuscript at Columbia, Anna served as the first Lead Teaching Fellow for her department and completed the Advanced Track of the Teaching Development Program; these experiences solidified her belief that collaboration is essential to effective pedagogy and that guidance is always best offered through a spirit of mutual exploration. She believes that a balance of structure and flexibility is essential to helping students excel. As a writer, she has a special passion for teaching all things related to the English language. She also loves to create tailor-made strategies for test prep— especially the math sections. When she is not teaching or writing, she enjoys playing the flute and making mosaics.

Samantha T.

A true New Yorker, Samantha started her educational journey at the Nightingale Bamford School in NYC before pursuing a degree in Communications at Syracuse University, where she graduated cum laude. Following graduation, Samantha spent over a decade working in Public Relations, where she honed her communication skills and problem-solving abilities.

Now, she has set her sights on a new path, and is attending Fordham University’s Graduate School of Education, where she is working towards her goal of becoming a School Counselor. Fueled by a strong passion for working with children and helping them unlock their full potential, Samantha takes great pride in her ability to simplify complex concepts into easily digestible formats for kids of all ages. As a tutor, her expertise lies in reading comprehension, writing, and executive function skill building. In her spare time, she enjoys going to museums, taking long walks in Central Park, and exploring all that NYC has to offer.