PATRICIA B.

Patricia was trained as a fashion designer, holding degrees from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, as well as Université de La Sorbonne and Esmod in Paris, France.

Patricia has held various roles in the fashion industry, with expertise in fabric development, coupled with design and illustration. She was amongst the original three-member team that started Women’s Black Label at Ralph Lauren and other New York brands. During her career in the fashion industry, Patricia was communicating daily with France and Italy.

Currently Patricia teaches art to children and adults as well as French and Italian conversation servicing Westchester communities.

Traveling and family captivate her the most! She is inspired by people and everything that “makes them tick,” as she would say. Originally from upstate New York, Patricia really enjoyed living for years in Paris and Italy. This fed her passion for languages.

Patricia was trained as a fashion designer, holding degrees from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, as well as Université de La Sorbonne and Esmod in Paris, France.

JULIE N.

Julie Nunez is a 6th-grade humanities teacher in a local Westchester County independent school. Julie has been a teacher for 12 years. She graduated from Binghamton University with an undergraduate degree in Sociology. She later attended Lehman College where she earned an MA in Childhood Education and Teaching. Julie has taught elementary-aged students in grades K- 4 and has spent her more recent years teaching middle schoolers.

Besides teaching, Julie enjoys kayaking and is learning how to sail. She spends her free time cooking, dancing, reading, and spending time with family.

MICHAEL W.

Michael possesses a Master of Childhood Education and Literacy from Pace University, along with an extension in Middle School Social Studies. He graduated with a B.A. in History from the University of Hartford. He has been working as a teacher for the past seven years and has experience teaching elementary and middle school.

JOSEPH C.

Joseph’s passion for education stems from his time working as a research scientist at Princeton University and Rowan University. Through mentoring students in higher education, he discovered his interest in tutoring. Tutoring, like science, is a dynamic field where great tutors always observe, assess, design, research, and take new approaches to engage their students. Currently, as a high-school teacher, Joseph uses these skills to identify the strengths of each student and incorporates them into addressing their specific needs. He focuses on a relationship-based approach in education, in which he relates the topic to the everyday lives of his students. He has a proven record of success in AP Biology and Regents-level sciences, such as Living Environment and Chemistry.

FRANK H. III

ANDREW H.

Andrew taught English and social studies for 18 years at John Jay Middle School in Katonah. Before that, he taught social studies and humanities at MS 141 and the Jonas Bronck Academy in the Bronx. He has a BA in history from SUNY New Paltz and a MA in American studies and secondary education from Boston College.

Andrew has a love of history and literature that allows him to provide instruction that’s both meaningful and thought-provoking. He believes in teaching history as a story with fascinating characters rather than a series of dates and facts, and in this way, he seeks to engage students. As an English and humanities teacher, he also uses the writing workshop model to teach note taking, outlining, and essay writing that will help students in their humanities classes and beyond.

He understands that each student has their own individual strengths and needs, and that it’s important to tailor instruction and materials to meet each student’s learning style. He also knows that working in collaboration with parents is essential to helping students achieve their goals and develop the habits that will serve them as lifelong learners.

MELISSA A.

Melissa is a tenured New York City Math Education teacher for the Department of Education.  She has over 11 years of experience working with the general and special needs population.  Melissa provides student mathematical growth in her general education class, as well as co-taught classes serving students with Individualized Education Plans (IEP).  She has serviced grades K-12 throughout her career and has a current focus on grades 6-8 Math and Algebra 1.  Melissa is a culturally responsive teacher who uses students’ experiences, lifestyles, and cultures to develop tailored lesson plans and provide services that are accessible to her diverse student groups.

EMINESSE G.

Eminesse G. is an experienced educator with more than a decade of teaching and tutoring experience in New York City and Westchester. She has supported students in Kindergarten through fifth grade across diverse learning settings, including those with autism, ADHD, intellectual disabilities, and speech and language challenges.

Eminesse’s professional background includes over 12 years as a special education teacher at P.94M in Manhattan, where she designed individualized education programs (IEPs), implemented behavior intervention plans, and collaborated closely with families and school teams. She has also served as a learning specialist and educational consultant, providing tailored and engaging instruction for students in public and private schools. Currently, Eminesse is an Instructional Behavior Coach at P.94M, where she leads professional development for teachers and assistants, supports classroom teams, and develops effective behavior intervention plans for all learners.

Eminesse holds dual master’s degrees: a Master of Science in Teaching (Special Education, Pace University) and a Master of Health Sciences in Applied Behavior Analysis (Touro University). She also maintains multiple New York State teaching certifications in early childhood, childhood, and special education. Her skills include applied behavior analysis, data-driven instruction, parent training, play-based learning, and reading interventions.

Dedicated to lifelong learning, Eminesse combines her deep expertise with warmth and creativity, ensuring that each child she works with feels supported, motivated, and successful. Her biggest delight is seeing children gleam when they recognize their own progress.

CAITLIN H.

Caitlin Heppenheimer has been in the education field for several years now. She has worked with students on the autism spectrum and attention deficit disorders. She began her teaching journey when she lived in Plattsburgh, New York where she attended college. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education as well as a Master’s of Science in Counseling Education.  After college she became a paraprofessional in Vermont where she worked in small groups with students in a fifth grade classroom. She realized she enjoyed working one on one with students to help them hone their academic skills. Later in life, she moved back home to the east end of Long Island where she was hired as a teaching assistant at a local elementary school. A few years ago she began teaching full time at that same district as a first grade teacher and now currently teaches fourth grade. Caitlin has worked with age groups from pre-school to seventh grade.

Within her teaching, Caitlin strives to provide hands-on activities to help students learn. Caitlin believes every child has a unique way of learning and works with each of her students to help them learn their very best by providing manipulatives, organization charts, as well as various strategies to help in reading, writing, and math.

CHRISTINA R.

Christina Rizopoulos is an experienced, tenured New York City teacher working for the Department of Education. Christina has worked in various classroom settings, and has taught/tutored children from ages 5 to 12. She received her undergraduate Degree from Manhattan College in Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) with concentrations in English and Psychology. She also received her Master’s Degree from Manhattan College in Special Education. Christina has also received training in Social Emotional Learning from Fordham University.

Christina prioritizes clear and open communication with families, and works to create an authentic and strong bond with the children she teaches. She understands the importance of differentiating instruction and materials based on a child’s specific needs to best suit their learning style and strengths.

In her free time, Christina loves to spend time with her family and friends. She is a huge animal lover, and enjoys spending time in nature and exercising. Sometimes she even takes her dog to school!