Leadership
Alexis Avila
Founder/CEO
Founder/CEO
MA, Cert. in Guidance Pre K-12
alexis@preppedandpolished.com
About Alexis
Frequently quoted by U.S. News & World Report, Alexis founded Prepped and Polished to help elementary, secondary, college-level, and adult students improve their grades and test scores. While tutoring for several small and large commercial test prep companies, Alexis envisioned growing his own independent educational services company run entirely by educators, for the love of education. Alexis and other members of the Prepped and Polished team have collectively traveled one hundred thousand miles to educate students in person, working with well over a thousand families both nationally and internationally. Described by students as supportive, patient, and enthusiastic, Alexis has helped students and adults gain confidence, maximize academic potential, and achieve dramatically improved grades and test scores.
Said by one of his clients
“I have know Alexis personally and professionally for over 25 years. Since we met at the University of Michigan until now with my daughter receiving tutoring from his company, Alexis has always approached life with a great drive for success, empathy and compassion for others as well as enthusiasm to find the joy and humor in whatever he does. With these attributes and outlook coupled with his pride for his Puerto Rican family and traditions, Alexis has always looked for and drawn to him a diverse group of individuals in his life. For example, through the Big Brothers/Big Sister program he has served as a big brother to a young man from Cape Verde for over 15 years and truly treated this individual as family. In college, Alexis tutored students at the local middle school and this passion to help young persons evolved into his successful business which has not only tutored 1000s of kids but also employed many tutors and grown into a global Social media platform that brings together experts to help students and families cope with countless issues that confront families. Alexis is a shining example of how one can have great business and personal success and have a Tremendous impact to the community”.
Alexis is a certified school guidance counselor, grades Pre K-12, and holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (a US News ranked top-five Counseling Psychology program), as well as a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Alexis also spent his junior year living in Seville, Spain through the Cornell, Pennsylvania, University of Michigan study abroad program. Alexis completed a two day seminar in Executive Function disorder, a one day seminar on Advanced Strategies to Improve Executive Function Skills, as well as a 15 hour online course in Study Skills: Strategies to Support Executive Function all through the Landmark School Outreach Program in Beverly, Massachusetts. Alexis regularly speaks nationally about tutoring, test preparation, and students with learning challenges to parents and professionals at schools and conferences across the US, including SEPAC organizations in Dover, Sudbury, and Wayland, MA, the IECA, CollegeWeek Live, the National Test Prep Association (NTPA), and at the BIPOC Business Owner’s Panel presented by Wisconsin Alumni Association.
Alexis writes and produces videos for his educational blog and podcast, which has over 300 videos, and 1 million views/listens. Some notable guests who appeared on the Prepped and Polished podcast include ex NBA player, recovering addict and motivational speaker Chris Herron, and NY Times Best Selling Author and frequent CNN guest Frank Bruni. Alexis leads SAT Math Strategies and SAT Strategy Secrets Workshops at various local high schools, as well as administers the ACT-SAT Test Prep Selector Diagnostic and Evaluation at several college fairs.
Alexis is a member of professional organizations such as the University of Michigan Alumni Association (Alumni Student Recruiter), the Wellesley Chamber of Commerce (Board of Directors), and the Newton Needham Chamber of Commerce (Scholarship Committee), the National Test Prep Association (NTPA), and also non-profit organizations such as Bridge over Troubled Waters, Mass Mentoring, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Community Servings, and Recovery Works. An active member of the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America since 2003, Alexis was nominated in 2010 as one of the final five finalists for Big Brother of the Year. Alexis ran in three Boston Marathons from 2012-2014, collectively raising 15,000 dollars for two youth mentoring programs, Mass Mentoring and Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America.
In 2020, Alexis was honored to be named one of the 50 most influential business people of color by Newton Needham Regional Chamber.
Aaron C.
Director, Test Preparation
Director, Test Preparation
MA, Boston University
aaron@preppedandpolished.com
About Aaron
As Director of Test Preparation at Prepped and Polished, Aaron brings over 10 years of dedicated work with students to improve test scores (standardized and classwork) to achieve academic success. He is passionate about building accessible learning through one-on-one counseling and development.
In this role, Aaron not only works with students, but also manages Team Prepped and coordinates with students and their families. He trains and develops tutors to maintain the highest levels of excellence in tutoring.
Aaron holds a B.A in History from the University of Minnesota Twin-Cities and an M.A. in History of Art and Architecture from Boston University. He also worked in Minneapolis, MN as a high school coach for AmeriCorps’s College Possible. Aaron currently lives on the North Shore with his wife and two sons, exploring the beaches of New England, learning historical and movie trivia, and enjoying life as a dad.
Jacqueline O.
Director, Executive Function Coaching
Director, Executive Function Coaching
MA, Boston College
About Jacqueline
Jacqueline has been working in academics for over 8 years, both in the classroom and through one-on-one instruction. As the Director of Executive Function Coaching, Jacqueline empowers students by bringing them into the educational process and helping them to dictate their own learning by recognizing and addressing their specific needs.
Since completing the online course “Study Skills: Strategies to Support Executive Function” through the Landmark School Outreach Program in Beverly, Massachusetts, Jacqueline has developed an Executive Function training program here at Prepped and Polished. She wrote and constructed our workbooks on Executive Function, which guides students through a set of modules that address each component of the learning process, from organizing workspace and materials to planning and following through on academic assignments.
Our program establishes foundational organization and study skills, implementing individualized learning methods to address and support specific clusters of executive function. Alongside her weekly sessions, Jacqueline trains new tutors, helping them translate their unique skillsets to targeted, one-on-one teaching environments.
Jacqueline graduated with honors from the University of Vermont in 2013, earning a Bachelor’s degree in History and English, and went on to complete a Master’s degree in English literature from Boston College in 2016. She currently lives in Boxborough with her partner and daughter, where she enjoys hiking with her dogs and writing poetry.
Tracy S.
Office Director
Office Director
About Tracy
Tracy joins Prepped and Polished as an experienced Office Director. Over a 23 year career she has worked in the Middle East and the UK. She was an EA for a major Management Consultancy company, and worked as an Office Manager for 2 startups.
Tracy and her family moved to the USA in 2011 and she now brings her skills to Prepped and Polished. She lives in MetroWest and is a keen gardener. Tracy is also an avid cook and enjoys hiking with her husband and dog.
Alisha J.
Office Assistant
Office Assistant
About Alisha
Alisha joins Prepped and Polished as an Office Assistant. Her background includes a decade of managerial experience in the customer service industry and 6 years as an Office Manager. Alisha is an advocate for Childhood Cancer research and supports fundraising through the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and The Jimmy Fund.
In her spare time, she enjoys reading romance novels, baking, and building Hot Wheels tracks with her son.
Tutors
Aaron C.
[ View Bio ]Aaron C.
Aaron graduated from the University of Minnesota with his B.A. in History and Masters degree in Art and Architecture from Boston University. He is passionate about not only teaching his students the material necessary to improve their scores on standardized tests and their grades in their history classes, but also keeping them laughing as they progress through our rigorous test prep/tutoring program! As a student of history and education, Aaron is intimately familiar with the important process of excelling both in school and on standardized tests such as the ACT, SAT, PSAT, SSAT, ISEE, GRE, GMAT, and the AP exams. Overall, Aaron is incredibly personable, funny, outgoing, and fastidious – and he uses all of these qualities to make test prep and academic tutoring more engaging for students than you might ever have thought possible!
Abraham B.
[ View Bio ]Abraham B.
Originally hailing from Westford, MA, Abraham graduated from Middlebury College in 2021 with a major in Computer Science and a minor in Linguistics. He most recently worked at the Green Mountain Valley School in Waitsfield, VT as a Learning Services Tutor. Abraham specializes in math but enjoys tutoring all kinds of subjects. His favorite part about working with students is communicating with them about how they like to learn best.
In his free time, you can find Abraham playing quadball, disc golfing, making music, and solving crossword puzzles.
Alexis H.
[ View Bio ]Alexis H.
Alexis is a southern transplant who attended college in the Boston-area and decided to return to teach. She has had a variety of teaching and tutoring roles such as helping public students who were performing below grade level, providing individualised physics and math tutoring, and working as a teacher’s assistant her senior year of high school.
Currently, she teaches physics, mathematics, and astrobiology at a private school in Winchester. She wants to demystify the process of science, while teaching critical problem solving skills so students have the confidence and tools to tackle future challenges. She believes the best way to accomplish this is by teaching students to be advocates for themselves and partners in their learning.
Alexis graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a BSc in Physics and is currently working on a second bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics. She loves to collect math and physics textbooks, read Russian literature, hike, and learn languages in her spare time.
Alyssa K.
[ View Bio ]Alyssa K.
Alyssa is a recently retired teacher from the Norwood and Sudbury Public Schools. She spent twenty-five years as a Literacy Specialist supporting students who struggle with difficulties in reading and writing in both small groups and one-on-one. She has been trained in several reading programs, including: Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, Fundations, and Project Read.
Connecting with students and understanding their needs is the most important aspect of tutoring. She believes that students need to be engaged and motivated in order to learn and do their best work. Alyssa is passionate about helping students be successful and independent learners.
Alyssa graduated with an MA in Teaching from Simmons College, and a CAGS (Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study) in Literacy from MGH Institute of Health Professions. Alyssa lives in Sudbury with her husband, and has two adult children living in NYC. Besides spending time with her family, Alyssa enjoys golfing, biking, knitting, cooking, and of course reading!
Amber W.
[ View Bio ]Amber W.
Amber loves working with students and has years of experience in teaching and tutoring. After graduating from Boston University’s School of Education in 2017, she taught 5th grade Humanities for four years in Boston and also led SAT Prep and MCAS prep classes for high school students through Upward Bound at Boston University for several summers. In addition, she has many years of experience working with college access programs such as College AppAssist and Upward Bound. Amber is currently a second-year Masters student at Bridgewater State University studying Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling and works part-time as an Academic Coach at the university.
Amber is passionate about supporting her students academically, socially, and emotionally and has extensive experience working with students with disabilities, English language learners, and students with mental health challenges. She is enthusiastic and creative and believes learning should be fun and engaging!
In her free time, Amber enjoys practicing yoga, hiking, embroidering, making earrings, and trying new restaurants with her friends.
Angela M.
[ View Bio ]Angela M.
Angela graduated from Wellesley College with degrees in Latin and Philosophy. She has been a public high school teacher for 28 years, including nine years as the World Language Department Chair. She has taught Latin, Classical Greek, Spanish, English, SAT, ACT, SSAT, ISEE, and TOEFL prep. She has travelled much with her students, including Spain, Italy, France, Switzerland, Greece, and Turkey. Angela loves the personal aspect of tutoring – finding out what works for each individual student and building upon that skill set to help students reach their goals. She also teaches piano! Outside of work, Angela enjoys reading, writing, and anything outdoors with her dog Bruno.
Anu V.
[ View Bio ]Anu V.
Ashley B.
[ View Bio ]Ashley B.
Originally from Saratoga Springs, New York, Ashley and her husband relocated to Natick in February of 2020. Since then they have been building their family, and are now the proud parents of two little girls.
Ashley has her B.S. in Childhood Education, and her M.S. in Literacy Instruction (Birth-Grade 6). She has spent the last seven years as a lead Beginners Teacher at The Chestnut Hill School. While she has stepped away from her former position to grow her family, Ashley remains committed to her goal of helping students to develop confidence in themselves, and in their coursework. She is especially passionate about early literacy development, and feels that a strong foundation in reading and writing can contribute to mastery of all other material.
Ashley has been mentoring children since she was in high school. Throughout her career in education, she has worked with students across grade levels on a variety of subject material. Ashley believes that the purpose of education is to develop a lifelong love of learning, and instruction should be engaging and student-centered.
When she’s not working with students, Ashley enjoys reading and spending time outdoors with her family.
Celina C.
[ View Bio ]Celina C.
Celina is in her 16th year of teaching in the Natick Public School system. Throughout her time in Natick, she has worked as a special educator for grades 2-8, served as a lead special educator in the Literacy Extension and Practice Program for students with language based learning disabilities, and spent two years as the Literacy Specialist for grades 5-8 at Wilson Middle School.
As a special educator for grades 5-8, Celina was responsible for teaching an academic skills class which incorporated instruction on building students’ executive functioning skills and developing student growth mindset. During academic skills class, she worked with students on developing materials, time, and information management across their five content area classes.
In addition, Celina helped students with SMART goal setting, utilizing math and reading universal screening data. As a Special Education student caseload manager, Celina also oversaw the implementation of student IEPs including their classroom and assessment accommodations which incorporated executive functioning skills such as assisting students with assignment prioritization, the breaking down of long-term assignments into smaller steps, effective note taking, and building active study skills for test and quiz preparation.
Celina has a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Middle School Education with a Specialization in Teaching Reading, and a Master’s Degree of Education in Moderate Disabilities Pre K-8 from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. In addition, Celina is a certified Wilson Level I Reading Instructor. Currently, Celina is the Reading Specialist for Special Education at Kennedy Middle School in Natick.
She is passionate about literacy, and the on-going research, development and implementation of the Science of Reading practices within the classroom. Celina lives in Waltham, with her partner, nine year old son and two dogs. In her free time, she enjoys reading, interior design, and fashion.
Charles R.
[ View Bio ]Charles R.
Charles graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA with a Masters in Teaching degree and concentration in Secondary (High School) Math. He is endorsed in Gifted Education and ELL with a current MA License and SEI endorsement. He has taught 27 years in comprehensive, gifted and talented, public, private, vocational & online secondary school settings, as well as at the university level.
Charles has extensive experience working with learning-disabled, gifted and talented, developmentally delayed, and culturally-diverse students. Subjects taught & tutored range from pre-Algebra to Statistics and Calculus, as well as MCAS,SAT/ACT preparation.
He has sponsored/coached and co-sponsored/co-coached Boys & Girls’ basketball, Math Team, Battle of the Brains, Debate Club, and Chess Club. Mr. Rothman enjoys life at home with his wife of 20 years, 2 teenagers & 3 dogs. He is an avid Miami Dolphins football fan & enjoys cooking.
Dante G.
[ View Bio ]Dante G.
Dante, a Medford, MA native, graduated from Brandeis University in 2021 with a B.S. in Physics and a B.A. in Computer Science. With experience supporting customers at a 3D printing company, troubleshooting hardware issues, and collecting necessary data, Dante now studies applied data science at MIT. His goal is to become a data scientist or machine learning engineer.
Dante finds tutoring fulfilling, as it allows him to present information in unique ways and help others learn. He seeks to instill confidence in students while demonstrating that problem-solving and thinking in new, abstract ways can be both fun and rewarding.
In his free time, he enjoys basketball, chess, old R&B/rap music, coding personal projects, and going on adventures with friends. With expertise in physics and computer science, Dante aims to make a meaningful impact in data science and technology while enriching lives along the way.
Daria H.
[ View Bio ]Daria H.
Daria holds a BA from Bowdoin College, a JD from Villanova University, an LL.M from the University of Edinburgh, and a MSLIS from Simmons College. She first began teaching when she was in middle school, when she coached soccer at a summer camp. Many years and a few careers later, she works as a librarian at a local college, where she teaches students about research sources and strategies, information literacy, data literacy, and digital literacy.
Daria enjoys working one-on-one with students, and she encourages them to follow their curiosity and interests. She utilizes active learning techniques, meeting students where they are to help them build confidence and take control of their own learning.
While not teaching, Daria enjoys spending time outdoors with her dog, reading, staying active, and cheering on her favorite hockey and soccer teams.
Diane N.
[ View Bio ]Diane N.
With a background of many years of teaching, counseling, and coaching experience, Diane partners with students and adults to maximize their skills and understanding, while developing a growth and success mindset.
Having an undergraduate degree in Sociology and Psychology from Brooklyn College, exchange student course work from Cambridge University, England and a Masters degree in Social Work Administration from Rutgers University, Diane is a Licensed Social Worker.
Diane has two daughters and enjoys spending time with her husband and family, hiking with their dog, gardening and playing the ukulele.
Doug H.
[ View Bio ]Doug H.
Doug Healy has 22 years experience teaching in public and private schools, here and in California. He taught history and English in the Independent Study Program at Berkeley High, history at the Cambridge School of Weston and humanities at the Academy at Penguin Hall. He has a masters from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and works as a consultant, designing curriculum and running professional development sessions. He lives in Cambridge with his wife, three kids and two guinea pigs, loves urban planning, and is a proud runner-up in the Cambridge sidewalk poetry contest.
Emilia D.
[ View Bio ]Emilia D.
Emily graduated from the University of Vermont with a B.S. in Psychology. At UVM she minored in English, which catalyzed her interest in writing. Seeking a writing-intensive program that would challenge her, she stayed at UVM a fifth year to pursue her master’s in Education. With the opportunity to tailor the program to her interests, she was exposed to higher ed/student affairs, educational statistics, teaching, and leadership in education.
Emily spent the last three years working with students ages 12-22 and specializes in reading, writing, basic sciences and executive functioning. While teaching, Emily sought to pursue her ultimate goal of becoming a dentist. She further pursued her post-baccalaureate certificate in pre-medical studies and is currently a student at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. Emily has always been passionate about teaching and hopes to incorporate it into her career as a health provider.
In her spare time, Emily enjoys the outdoors with friends, classmates, and family.
Emma G.
[ View Bio ]Emma G.
Emma graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. She’s currently attending Lesley University, working towards completing her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a concentration in Expressive Art Therapy. While at UML, she worked both as an English tutor for K-12 students and as an online tutor for UML’s Writing Center. Since 2018, Emma has engaged with diverse types of students, focusing on academic subject support, coping with learning challenges and executive functioning skill-building.
In her practice, she emphasizes the importance of organization and time management as foundational pieces in the learning process. Emma believes that individualized support, confidence-building, and strategy development not only leads to executive functioning improvement, but also benefits countless other aspects in a student’s life. By identifying supportive relationships, locating resources, and developing a holistic approach tailored to each student’s needs, she’s confident that finding creative solutions can bring new opportunities for growth.
Outside of her tutoring work, Emma is an avid artist and enjoys creative writing, playing guitar, and exploring nature.
Izzy S.
[ View Bio ]Izzy S.
Isabel is a current master’s student at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is pursuing her licensure in secondary Math and Biology. She was a Biology and Educational Studies double major during her undergraduate work at Rhodes College, from which she graduated from in May of 2022. She has been student teaching and substitute teaching for 4+ years and loves all of the time that she spends in front of the classroom.
As a teacher, Isabel is energetic and incorporates a large variety of lesson types into her classes, both with academic and SSAT, ISEE, SAT, and ACT test prep. She does this to ensure that classes never feel like a repeat of one another and to allow students to find what kind of teaching style works best for them. As a tutor, Isabel loves the chance to connect with a student one-on-one and will come prepared to each session with a lesson that builds off the previous work that her student has done.
Isabel loves going to dinner with friends and family, as well as baking. In her free time, she spends time with her friends exploring different parks and cities nearby.
Jacqueline O.
[ View Bio ]Jacqueline O.
Jackie graduated with honors from the University of Vermont in 2013, earning a bachelor’s degree in English and European History. She completed a master’s program in English at Boston College in 2016, during which time she realized a passion for tutoring and facilitating the learning of other students. Since graduating from BC, Jackie has worked as a professional tutor and teacher in the Greater Boston Area, helping students realize their academic potential by developing individualized sessions tailored to each student’s needs. Jackie is an experienced academic tutors, as well as test prep tutor in SAT, ACT, SSAT, ISEE, and TOEFL. She brings an excitement and enthusiasm to each session, and, in the words of a parent whose son Jackie has tutored for two years, “Jackie has an ability to frame the work she does in language that resonates with her students.” Jackie’s tutoring emphasizes the importance of making a connection with students and treating them as peers, as she believes this cultivates their self-confidence within and outside the classroom. Jackie is incredibly dedicated to her work and makes sure she is readily available as a resource for her students outside of their regular sessions. Recently, Jackie completed a 15 hour online course in Study Skills: Strategies to Support Executive Function all through the Landmark School Outreach Program in Beverly, Massachusetts. Alongside her work in academics, Jackie enjoys painting, drawing, and going on hikes with her dogs.
Jenny B.
[ View Bio ]Jenny B.
A Massachusetts native, Jenny graduated from Syracuse University in 2021 with a major in English with a concentration on Film and Screen Studies.
Jenny is passionate about teaching reading and writing skills, and enjoys getting students as excited to learn as she is to teach. She believes there is something unique and special in every student and strives to bring it out in them.
In her free time, Jenny enjoys writing, reading, and playing the guitar. Her favorite book is J.D. Salinger’s “Franny and Zooey.”
Jessica F.
[ View Bio ]Jessica F.
Jessica graduated from the University of Montevallo with a BS in Early Childhood & Elementary Education. She has taught students from preschool through high school as a classroom teacher and private tutor. Jessica loves working one-on-one with students and helping them make meaningful connections in their learning. She considers the unique needs of each student and tailors instruction to individual learning styles.
Jessica has always been passionate about words and grammar and works as a copy editor. She lives in Indianapolis with her husband, three children, and two dogs. Jessica enjoys reading fiction, cooking, and camping with her family in her free time.
Jo-Ellen F.
[ View Bio ]Jo-Ellen F.
Jo-Ellen holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and a master’s degree in Education from Smith College, where she focused on her interest in curriculum development. She has spent a lifelong teaching career deeply engaged in her work with elementary and middle school students.
Beyond the classroom, she has also taught summer campers, and tutored high school students one-on-one. A humanities teacher and learner, Jo-Ellen brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in English language arts, social studies, and history to her tutoring work. She delights in helping students to deepen their analysis of topics and discover insights as they learn.
She loves to share content, and she brings a well-stocked toolbox to the tutoring setting, ready with pedagogy and strategies to help students show what they know and meet their academic goals. In addition, she can offer students excellent support in the skills they need to learn, complete their work successfully, and manage their time.
Jo-Ellen loves the poem, “To Be of Use”; she makes it her mission to be knowledgeable, interesting, resourceful, and kind. Besides teaching, Jo-Ellen enjoys traveling; her cross-country adventure with her family and their dog comes to mind!
John C.
[ View Bio ]John C.
John is an accomplished educator and communicator having taught in a variety of settings from lectures to small groups to one-on-one. With an understanding of how we learn he helps the student to identify and process information from a perspective of what is important and how it relates to the whole. Drawing on the individual students’ unique abilities, experience, and understanding to digest and consider material in a way that makes sense and is easy to remember. He teaches practical tools to alleviate anxiety around test taking and performance, helping build self esteem through success. His goal is to help students to think critically, improve their focus and attention, increase retention and recall, and reduce the associated stress.
His areas of expertise in tutoring are in the sciences including biology, math, chemistry, physics. He also has a love and passion for language and writing, with accomplishments in technical and creative writing and enjoys teaching and coaching writing skills. Native fluency in Spanish.
Growing up in a small northern New Jersey town just outside of New York City, John distinguished himself as a scholar and an athlete. He attended college at Harvard University and graduated with a degree in biology and a particular interest in neuroscience. He spent a year at the C.S.I.C. in Madrid, Spain researching neurodevelopment before attending Yale University School of Medicine where his interests focussed on cardiovascular medicine. Returning to Boston, he completed his postdoctoral training in medicine and cardiovascular medicine at Boston University Medical Center before practicing as a heart rhythm specialist. He later worked at Nashoba Valley Hospital before stepping away from the practice of medicine and has been writing and mentoring college students with an interest in healthcare and biomedical careers.
He has gained expertise in meditation and is happy to share tips. An avid runner with a growing expertise in fitness and a particular interest in endurance training and longevity. Rock climbing, snowboarder. Otherwise, he is usually writing, reading, or playing guitar.
Joseph H.
[ View Bio ]Joseph H.
Josh S.
[ View Bio ]Josh S.
Josh has 20+ years experience working in education, as both a teacher and private tutor. He has worked as a special education teacher in both private and public schools and has taught multiple subjects. He has a degree in Classical & Medieval Studies from Bates College and a Masters in Education from Lesley University. Recently, Josh has completed a CAGS program in Educational Leadership.
Josh has loved his experience in tutoring a wide variety of subjects and board exams in addition to regular teaching duties. He tutors both academic subjects, as well as SAT, ACT, SSAT, and ISEE test prep. His special education background has been extremely beneficial for students struggling with executive functioning and/or learning disabilities.
In his free time, Josh loves to spend time with his wife, two children and his family’s very energetic dog!
Joshua K.
[ View Bio ]Joshua K.
My name is Josh. I grew up in Sudbury, Massachusetts and am a proud Lincoln-Sudbury graduate. Growing up I loved going to the local pool and started working as a swim instructor when I was 16. My work as a swim instructor led me to want to explore education as a career. I went to Emmanuel College where I studied Math. I was able to work on research as an undergraduate. During my senior year I presented my work at a conference in Baltimore as well as become a published scholar. After college, I attended Boston University and received my Masters degree in Math Education. Currently, I am a Math Teacher at Malden High School and love pushing for a strong growth mindset amongst all my students. I tutor both math, as well as SSAT, ISEE, SAT, and ACT test prep. My favorite part of teaching is seeing a student persevere through their own mistakes to build a strong foundation for their learning. I love being part of the Prepped and Polished team and spreading my own love for mathematics.
Julie F.
[ View Bio ]Julie F.
Julie is a New Jersey transplant who came to New England to attend the College of the Holy Cross and fell in love with the region. She has taught high school English for over a decade, with courses ranging from creative writing, AP Literature and Composition to SAT and ACT test prep, and loves incorporating history and visual art into her literature lessons whenever possible.
As a first-generation college student, she often draws on her past experiences as a reminder of the kind of advice she wished she had regarding standardized testing and post-graduation options. Creative, adaptable, and funny, Julie pairs high expectations with a high degree of support so that students feel empowered to achieve their goals and sincerely listened to throughout their tutoring journey.
In her spare time, she enjoys reading, sending postcards, gardening, trying new vegetarian recipes, playing with her two young children, and coming up with cartoon ideas with her husband.
Kari P.
[ View Bio ]Kari P.
Kari graduated from Harvard University with a degree in Economics and has worked in a range of fields from management consulting to yoga. As a parent of two, she sees the daily stressors on kids and the need for compassionate guidance to foster organizational skills and responsibility. She has taught social emotional learning and mindfulness classes to middle and high school students, and is trained in both Learning to BREATHE, a mindfulness-based stress reduction program for adolescents, and the Mindful Schools curriculum. Kari helps students learn strategies to accomplish their goals while thriving as human beings. In her free time she enjoys running, hiking, and solving crossword puzzles.
Kayla O.
[ View Bio ]Kayla O.
Kayla earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Boston University and her M.Ed. and Educational Specialist degrees as a School Psychologist from Tufts University. Her position as a School Psychologist has provided her the opportunity to work with a wide range of students in one-to-one and small group settings to strengthen their self-awareness, self-regulation, and executive functioning skills. Kayla strives to help students reach their full potential by learning strategies to effectively set and carry out goals.
In her spare time, Kayla enjoys reading, exercising, being outdoors, and spending time with her loved ones, including her dog, Leo.
Kyle R.
[ View Bio ]Kyle R.
Kyle has been teaching for over 12 years, working in both private and public schools. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Providence College and a master’s degree in Education from Boston University.
He is adept at differentiating instruction to align with a student’s goals and interests. He considers himself a life-long learner, and hopes to impart that same passion for learning to his students. He has experience teaching English and history at the high school and middle school levels. He also has experience with standardized test prep such as the SSAT, ISEE, SAT, and ACT, and academic coaching.
He enjoys movies, exercise, and reading about history. He is a father of two young children and manages a fantasy movie league. He’s still trying to decide which is the greater accomplishment…
Madisen C.
[ View Bio ]Madisen C.
Madisen graduated early and summa cum laude with a B.S. in Biological Sciences, as well as a minor in Philosophy, from Fordham University last winter. She is now a graduate student at Boston College, where she is enthusiastically conducting research for her Ph.D. in Biology and also working as a teaching assistant.
She has 10 years of experience providing one-on-one tutoring to students of all ages, teaching children at various summer camps, and is also a certified yoga teacher. She is passionate about teaching others in a way that empowers them to achieve their goals and stay true to themselves. She is a big believer in hard work, growth mindsets, the power of positivity, and letting the student’s intuition, questions, and individual needs guide the tutoring session.
She especially enjoys helping students with biology and chemistry, and making things that were once difficult for her to learn easier for someone else. She likes to be able to supplement what a student is learning with her own experiences in the field of biology, and to get them excited about the real-world relevance of what they are learning. She also especially loves to assist with reading and writing of any form, as she believes these skills are the foundation for success in any and all fields. Harnessing these skills can also be a great source of joy, and an outlet for profound self-expression.
When she is not in a lab or classroom, Madisen can be found in warrior pose, watching musicals, creative writing, baking oatmeal cups, walking her dog, or reading a Jane Austen novel
Maggie C.
[ View Bio ]Maggie C.
Maggie is proud to be Alaskan grown and is a PhD trained cancer biologist. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and M.S. in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology from Colorado State University. After falling in love with science and research, Maggie went on earn a PhD in Cell & Molecular Biology from the Van Andel Institute and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where she developed therapies for pediatric cancer. She is now a postdoctoral fellow at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School where she uses to zebrafish to study why melanoma doesn’t respond to therapy.
With a long-term goal of being a professor, Maggie is also passionate about education and making STEM accessible to all students. She has formally taught and tutored the biological sciences at the high school, college, and post-graduate level. Maggie also is an experienced SAT and ACT test prep tutor. Her teaching philosophy is built on dynamic and engaging learning environments to help students develop effective strategies to succeed in the classroom.
In her free time, Maggie loves reading, true crime podcasts, and spending time with her husband, deaf border collie Flurry, and two cats.
Marcy S.
[ View Bio ]Marcy S.
Marcy has a rich creative professional background which she brings into her coaching relationships. Her strength is in quickly establishing deep trusting relationships with individuals, and helping them set personal actionable goals and develop strategies for achieving those goals. Her empathetic approach and sense of humor brings levity to her clients in moments of stress and frustration.
Marcy graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a BA in English literature. After a successful creative career in Children’s TV production with programs such as Curious George, Martha Speaks, and Blues Clues, and then in Freelance Design with clients such as the Boston Red Sox, Nike and Nickelodeon, Marcy transitioned to teaching at various private schools in Massachusetts. Schools included Creative Arts at Park, The Charles River School and Acera School. Her personal goal in all creative and teaching jobs was to make learning fun and help kids feel good about themselves.
As the mother of three teenagers, Marcy understands the emotional complexities and daily stressors and demands on kids and parents and the need for empathy, a sense of humor, strong organizational skills, and compassionate guidance. Through personal experience, Marcy understands the frustration and challenges children with ADHD face and knows how to capitalize on the strengths of the ADHD mind while also developing the critical executive functioning skills necessary for navigating day to day life and achieving goals.
Marcy completed an online Executive Functioning course with Sarah Ward at Communication Works in Concord, MA, and trained in the Think Kids Collaborative Problem Solving approach through Mass General Hospital.
When Marcy isn’t working with clients, she enjoys spending time with her family, drawing humorous comics about parenting, swimming at the YMCA and napping on the sofa with her golden doodle.
Mark G.
[ View Bio ]Mark G.
Mark graduated from Boston College with a double major in education and math/computer science. He then completed his masters degree at Northeastern University with a concentration in mathematics and teaching. He has been a teacher in the Boston Public Schools for the past 23 years in the area of mathematics. Mark is also an experienced SSAT, ISEE, SAT, and ACT test prep tutor, instilling confidence in each student he works with. He has held positions such as department head and has worked with many types of students.
Mark enjoys playing his guitar, watching anything on the streaming services, listening to music and podcasts, reading books, watching his favorite Boston sports teams, and spending time with his wife, three boys, and his dog.
Mike M.
[ View Bio ]Mike M.
Mike graduated from the College of the Holy Cross with a B.A. in Political Science and from St. Johns University School of law with a J.D. After more than fifteen years of working as an attorney, Mike made the move full-time to education. He brings over a decade of experience in tutoring to Prepped and Polished, having worked throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire as a professional tutor. Mike is equally comfortable working with students to prepare for Standardized Tests, such as the ACT and SAT, as he is tutoring in the various academic. For the past six years, he has worked as a licensed Massachusetts High School Mathematics teacher, with courses ranging from Algebra 1 to Calculus and AP Computer Science. Mike most enjoys tutoring for the opportunity it presents to work one-on-one with the student, building rapport, and tailoring teaching methods directly to the student’s own learning style. Outside of work, Mike enjoys reading, playing sports, and spending time with his two young children.
Noah A.
[ View Bio ]Noah A.
Originally from Montreal, Canada, Noah graduated in 2020 from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biological Sciences. He also recently obtained his Masters of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences from Tufts University. Noah currently works in clinical cardiology research at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
He wants to use his experience studying for various classes, as well as standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT, to help students develop study methods that will carry on to any other academic endeavors they may take on in the future. He also strives to share his passion for the sciences and make his sessions engaging and enjoyable!
PJ R.
[ View Bio ]PJ R.
PJ is currently a master’s student at UMass Boston in their Applied Physics program and previously graduated from Clark University with a bachelor’s in Comprehensive Physics. He has accumulated over two years of college teaching experience as a TA, running introductory physics labs at his university.
One focus of PJ’s is to create an engaging and tailored teaching experience for each and every student. While teaching at UMB he has learned how impactful connecting student’s interests and passions to the material can be in regard to their understanding and willingness to learn.
A Ph.D. is PJ’s next goal! He hopes to continue deepening his understanding of the physical world through this next step in the lifelong adventure of learning! Alongside his education, in his free time, PJ loves sending baseballs to the moon, “snowboarding” (sliding down the mountain on his face), and rating local chicken bacon ranch pizzas with his girlfriend.
Rachel O.
[ View Bio ]Rachel O.
Rachel earned her bachelor’s degree in Communications from Loyola University Maryland and her M.S.Ed from Simmons College. Her position as a special education teacher has enabled her to work with a variety of students in one-to-one and small group settings. Rachel enjoys helping students strengthen their academic skills and develop executive functioning and self advocacy skills. Rachel’s focus is on building students confidence so they feel prepared to meet challenges in and out of the classroom.
Outside of school, Rachel enjoys hiking, tennis, reading and spending time with family and friends.
Rachel S.
[ View Bio ]Rachel S.
Rachel has been a classroom teacher for the last 6 years and has a passion for working one-on-one with students. She intentionally creates a relationship centered learning environment in order to develop a safe space to take risks and be brave enough to be vulnerable. She believes growth and learning happens naturally when we are willing to be vulnerable, try something new, fail, and try again.
Rachel is certified to teach both English (5th-12th grade) and Theatre in the State of Massachusetts. She is a member of both the International English Honor Society as well as the International Association of Writers and Editors. Rachel grew up in Pennsylvania and attended Lebanon Valley College after graduating high school. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English in 2014 and graduated Magna Cum Laude with departmental honors. Upon graduating, Rachel moved to Rehoboth Beach, DE for the summer to work at a local bookstore right off of the boardwalk, one of the most “dream come true” experiences she has had in her life. Later, she began grad school in Boston in 2015 and graduated with her master’s in theatre education in 2017. Rachel has a passion to teach both writing and reading, which has shined through in her theatre arts classroom. As someone who struggles at times to focus or finds herself bored in a traditional classroom environment, Rachel has a passion to use experiential learning methods in order for her students to succeed.
Rachel has worked with students of all different backgrounds and learning styles. She spent two years working at a school for students with learning differences. While there, she taught theatre, ran the theatre program, and taught reading classes over the summer. An accomplishment for her worth noting while running the theatre program was producing and directing the school’s first fully memorized theatre production. For the past three years Rachel has been working as a theatre arts teacher to a population of students who are mostly English language learners of varying levels, the majority of whom are also Black and LatinX immigrants. Rachel has a passion to honor and uplift her students’ identities whether it be through encouraging statements or assigning a creative project.
In her free time Rachel enjoys reading books, working on her writing, crocheting, taking walks in nature, finding good true crime documentaries and horror movies to watch, and spending time with her wife and son.
Rashid A.
[ View Bio ]Rashid A.
Rashid graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience and chemistry. At Pitt, Rashid won prestigious research awards and authored research publications in science journals related to his neuroscience major. He then went on to pursue his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Rashid served as a TA for his pre-clinical courses and excelled in clinical research.
Instead of pursuing residency training, Rashid followed his passion for research and teaching. He ended up at the Brown University School of Public Health, where he developed, managed, and executed public health research to better the health of his community. Currently, Rashid serves as a consultant for major health insurance companies, in addition to his tutoring responsibilities.
For the past eight years, Rashid has become an expert in test prep, teaching core courses (especially in STEM) and executive functioning. In his private tutoring capacity, Rashid has helped hundreds of students achieve high grades in their courses and score in the 96+ percentile on standardized tests such as the SSAT, ISEE, SAT and ACT tests. With these improved grades and test scores, Rashid’s students have been admitted to several top universities and military academies in the country. Rashid’s tailored
approach to tutoring has a proven track record of success.
Ray M.
[ View Bio ]Ray M.
Originally from northern NJ, Ray graduated from Manhattan College in 2018 with a B.S. in mathematics and a minor in finance. In 2019 earned his M.S. in applied mathematics/data analytics from the same school. He then moved to Waltham, MA to pursue a Ph.D. in pure mathematics at Brandeis University. In 2021 he earned his M.A. in mathematics from Brandeis and is currently in his fifth and final year of his Ph.D. researching representations of quivers, a subfield of modern algebra.
Ray has a passion for teaching and researching mathematics, but also enjoys tutoring all subjects. He tries to show his students that the world of math is full of wonder, imagination, and creativity! In his free time Ray enjoys fitness, hiking, and playing guitar, golf, and pickleball.
Saishruti K.
[ View Bio ]Saishruti K
Saishruti grew up in New Delhi, India and holds a PhD from the National Institute of Technology in Molecular Oncology. During her doctorate, she mentored trainees in her lab and absolutely loved the experience. With the gift of boundless patience, she devotes herself to working with students at their level and enjoys distilling complex concepts in Biology to bite sized nuggets. She is also fluent in Spanish and enjoys teaching the language as well. She is an avid baker and is trained in classical Indian music and dance forms. She lives with her husband in Ashland, MA and enjoys going on long hikes in the New England wilderness.
Sam A.
[ View Bio ]Sam A.
Sam is a current Master’s student at Harvard University studying Museum Studies, with a concentration in Informal Science Education. With over a decade of tutoring in the STEM field, test prep, and executive functioning, Sam is excited to help students master their educational content and feel comfortable in their journey. After completing her Bachelor’s degree in Science Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Sam continued to teach and work with kids in many capacities, from planetariums to the classroom to individual tutoring. Now, Sam lives in Somerville, Massachusetts and works as an Intern Coordinator at the New England Aquarium, matching people with a passion for the earth and its creatures to potential careers in the future.
Sam is passionate about teaching in all capacities and meets students where they are. Every person has their own view of what education means to them, and understanding and respecting that opinion from the beginning builds trust and leads to educational achievements. As a teacher, she is engaging, dynamic, and an expert listener. She strives to guide students to their own understanding and mastery.
Sarah L.
[ View Bio ]Sarah L.
Sarah holds a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from Brandeis University. She continues to teach there with appointments in the Psychology Department and in the Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program.
Classes she has taught include Research Methodology, Statistics, Health Psychology, The Psychology of Student Learning, and Adolescent Psychology. She has experience working with international students, first-generation students, and students who may have different ways of learning (neurodiversity is awesome!).
Sarah is both an academic and test prep tutor, working with both middle and high school students prepare for the SSAT, ISEE, SAT, and ACT exams.
In her spare time, Sarah enjoys working on her podcast, playing video games, doing puzzles, and spending time with her cat Captain Ameowica.
Suzanne C.
[ View Bio ]Suzanne C.
Suzanne received her Master’s degree in Education from UMass Boston and has worked as a middle school Special Education teacher for the past 17 years. Throughout her teaching career, she has also taught summer school to elementary and middle school students, after school math club to 4th and 5th graders, provided home-hospital tutoring and coached volleyball, cross country and spring track.
Suzanne holds a professional teaching license in Mild to Moderate Disabilities PreK-8 and a Sheltered English Immersion Endorsement. In her teaching role, Suzanne has worked with both regular education and special education students within the general education classroom setting and has taught specialized literacy, math and executive function classes. Suzanne also enjoys preparing elementary and middle school students in preparation for their SSAT and ISEE private entrance exams.
In her spare time, Suzanne enjoys traveling and making candles and essential oil products. Suzanne is compassionate, patient and has a good sense of humor.
Tiffany S.
[ View Bio ]Tiffany S.
Originally from the Midwest, Tiffany graduated from Indiana University with a double major in Psychology and Criminal Justice. After working with children in community mental health services for several years, Tiffany decided to pursue her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin.
Tiffany brings over ten years of experience supporting students in education and implementing school based mental health services. She is skilled at relationship building and identifying student’s individualized needs in order to improve school performance.
During her free time, Tiffany enjoys camping, reading, gardening, and spending time with her partner and pets.
Tom S.
[ View Bio ]Tom S.
Thomas grew up moving around to various towns all over New England. He is a physics graduate from the University of Massachusetts in Lowell. One of our senior math tutors, Tom has been a private tutor during high school and throughout college; working with high school and college students in mathematics, physics, and SAT, ACT, SSAT, and ISEE standardized test prep. Tom loves teaching in a one-on-one setting and tackling difficult to understand concepts while working to strengthen students’ weaknesses. Tom’s hobbies include cooking, hiking, and computer programming.