Leadership
Alexis Avila, 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
MA, Boston University
aaron@preppedandpolished.com
About Aaron
As Director of Test Preparation at Prepped and Polished, Aaron brings nearly 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 son, exploring the beaches of New England, learning historical and movie trivia, and enjoying life as a dad.
Jacqueline O., Director, Executive Function Coaching
MA, Boston College
About Jacqueline
Jacqueline has been working in academics for over six 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 workbook 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 Fiancé, where she enjoys hiking with her dogs and writing poetry.
Tracy S., Office Director
About Tracy
Tracy joins Prepped and Polished as an experienced Office Manager and Executive Assistant. 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
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
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!
Amanda L.
[ View Bio ]Amanda L.
Amanda has a B.S. in Biology from Boston College and a M.S. in Animal Science from the University of Connecticut. She has worked in biological research for the last decade and has experience in a variety of fields ranging from Cellular Biology to Marine Biology. She is very passionate about Biology and has always been eager to help students gain a stronger understanding of science. She has been tutoring and mentoring younger students since she was in high school and has experience tutoring biology as well as chemistry, geometry, and algebra. In her spare time, Amanda enjoys writing, drawing, painting, and going on long hikes, particularly when she gets the chance to show off her knack for finding snakes and other interesting wildlife.
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, 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.
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 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!
Brian M.
[ View Bio ]Brian M.
Brian has been a teacher for nine years, having worked in private and public schools across Massachusetts. With bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Boston College, Brian cares about tailoring each session to the needs of every student. Having taught inclusion classes as well as AP Language and Composition, he has learned a variety of strategies to make learning different, engaging, meaningful, and fun. He is also pursuing a life coaching certification in wellness to further support his students academically and emotionally. A lacrosse coach, weekend warrior on the basketball court, and an avid runner and hiker, Brian loves to balance his passion for writing, literature, and entrepreneurship by staying active.
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.
Don S.
[ View Bio ]Don S.
Don enjoys working with motivated students, and has taught for over thirteen years in a variety of classroom settings. Upon graduating from Carleton College magna cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Classical Studies, he taught Latin for three years before pursuing a Master’s degree in English, after which he taught abroad for two years at Hangzhou International School in China. Since returning to Massachusetts, he has continued to teach both English and Latin, including Advanced Placement courses.
In the past year he has chosen to further expand his repertoire as he explores a career pivot to the sciences, studying chemistry, physics, and environmental studies at UMass Boston.
Outside of academics, Don enjoys exercise and the outdoors, creative writing, and classic literature.
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.
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.
Gigi W.
[ View Bio ]Gigi W.
Gigi Williamson is an educator, researcher, and doctoral student at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology at Pepperdine University. She was a co-
founding member of the Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society for her doctoral cohort in the Spring of 2021. Her particular area of research interest is the impact of
cybersecurity and cyber resiliency upon organizational behavior and leadership.
Most recently she consults in special education and pedagogy at San Francisco Unified School District, and in private schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. She obtained a B.A. from Wellesley College in French Literature, and an MBA from Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business Administration. She more recently
received a certification in Data Analytics from UC Berkeley Extension in San Francisco after a six-month program of study. She is fluent in French, and has a
working knowledge of Czech.
Ms. Williamson is a prolific writer of articles, prose, and fiction and a collection of her writings can be found on the website https://www.debunbound.com. She lives in San Francisco, California and loves downhill skiing and travel. Since the onset of Covid-19, she enjoys biking, yoga, hiking, reading, and watching films with her daughters.
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. 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. 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.
Jeremy S.
[ View Bio ]Jeremy S.
Jeremy comes to Prepped and Polished with a rich background in education – he worked with his first students in 1998. Since then, he’s spent more than 10 years as a classroom teacher, and he worked for another 8 years as a charter school district administrator. Most recently, Jeremy has been concentrating on academic performance for high school and college students. He has been working as an academic and life coach since 2017.
He’s trained in a number of coaching modalities including ICF, Neurolinguistic Programming, and Recovery Coaching, as well as several therapeutic techniques including Emotional Freedom Technique and Internal Family Systems. Jeremy draws on his own background to help students who aren’t performing to their potential. As a high school sophomore, Jeremy struggled with executive function skills when he enrolled in Loomis Chaffee, a competitive preparatory school in north central Connecticut. Fortunately, he was able to right the ship, and now he is happy to help others learn the tricks and tips that helped him.
Jeremy graduated from NYU with a BA in Politics in 2001. He is currently in the last year of his MBA studies.
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.
Jessica M.
[ View Bio ]Jessica M.
Jessica has been a high school mathematics teacher ever since she graduated from Boston College in 2010. Having taught grades 7 through 12 has helped her to understand the intended progression of a mathematics curriculum, and this allows her to meet her students where they are and help get them where they need to be. While teaching, she also earned her Masters in Curriculum and Instruction through Boston College.
Her goal in teaching and tutoring is to always keep the environment positive and engaging. She believes that all students are capable of understanding complex mathematics when given individualized attention and time.
Outside of teaching, she enjoys cooking, reading, and spending her time with her husband and two young children.
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. 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. 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.
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. 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 to AP Literature and Composition, 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.
Kevin P.
[ View Bio ]Kevin P.
Kevin earned a BS in Industrial Engineering and an M.Ed. from Salem State University. During the academic year, Kevin teaches engineering and physics at Pingree School in South Hamilton, MA. In the summer, he works with Phillips Academy Andover’s Summer Session.
With eight years of experience as an educator, Kevin previously taught at Concord Academy in Concord, MA and worked in student support and advising roles at Northeastern University, Quinnipiac University, MIT, and Vassar College.
When not sharing his enjoyment of science with others, you can find Kevin skiing or sailing (depending on the season, of course) all over New England.
Kristina L.
[ View Bio ]Kristina L.
Born in Newton Massachusetts, Kristina currently resides in Southern California. As an undergraduate from Cal Poly, she went on to pursue her master’s degree in education from John Carroll pursuant to a master’s degree in psychology from Pepperdine University.
Upon completion of Kristina’s PhD in 2023, she plans to continue her career in individualized global education.
Kristina has worked in the K-12 sector for over 20 years both domestically and internationally as an educator and administrator. Most recently she established two trade schools in East Africa, Kenya, to provide students a tertiary learning opportunity in an effort for them to become economically independent.
Kristina specializes in math and enjoys working with students toward the achievement of their goals. In her free time, you can find Kristina running on the beach, traveling, and reading!
Lizanne M.
[ View Bio ]Lizanne M.
Lizanne holds a First Class Honors Bachelor of Arts degree and a First Class Honors Higher Diploma in Education from University College Cork. Having taught in Ireland for two years, Lizanne accepted a fellowship to study Education at Boston College. Following her fellowship year, Lizanne taught History at The Pingree School in South Hamilton, MA for five years. She then moved to Buckingham Browne & Nichols Upper School in Cambridge, where she taught History and AP Human Geography for eight years and was the recipient of the Teacher Excellence Prize in 2019.
Lizanne is currently completing her Masters thesis in History at the Harvard Extension School. She believes that education is about empowering the student with not only academic skills, but in building their self-confidence and self-esteem as they take ownership of their learning journey. Lizanne lives in Newton, MA with her husband and two elementary-aged children. In her spare time she enjoys skiing, travel, and cheering her boys on from the soccer and baseball sidelines.
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. 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.
Mark G.
[ View Bio ]Matt M.
Matt has been a classroom teacher for five years, teaching high school at several independent schools in the greater Boston area. He has worked with AP students as well as English Language Learners and is most excited about helping each and every student become a better writer and reader.
His curriculum has included American, British, post-colonial, and young adult literature and he especially enjoys helping students learn to love Shakespeare. He has a master’s degree in English from Harvard’s continuing education program; prior to becoming a teacher he worked in law enforcement for thirty years.
Matt is excited to work with the motivated and curious students at Prepped and Polished. When not working with young people, Matt enjoys reading, playing the guitar, and hiking on the trails of Metro West.
Matt M.
[ 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. He has held positions such as department head and has worked with many types of students.
He 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.
Meaghan C.
[ View Bio ]Meaghan C.
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.
Miriam P.
[ View Bio ]Miriam P.
Miriam graduated from Wellesley College earning a bachelor’s in Spanish and Cinema & Media Studies. While at Wellesley, she discovered her love of teaching while working as an Academic Peer Tutor. She has taught English, Spanish, and even rugby and circus juggling. Currently she teaches at Wellesley Children’s Community Center. Miriam especially loves working one-on-one with students, harnessing their natural curiosity to plan steps to their goals and be proud of their growth. Miriam lives in Natick with her girlfriend and their rabbit.
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, 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!
Robert H.
[ View Bio ]Robert H.
Robert holds a BA with honors in English and Philosophy from Rollins College and a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania. He has worked in several states as a philosophy professor, teaching courses in subjects like critical thinking, ethics, and political theory. He is a firm believer that an open and curious mind is one of the greatest qualities that a person can cultivate, in education and in life. After moving to Massachusetts with his wife, Robert applied his commitment to engaged and collaborative teaching to tutoring students and aiding them as they accomplish their individual educational goals. He is excited to work with students from all backgrounds to help them develop their confidence, analytical reasoning, and academic skills. When not philosophizing about truth, justice, and the good life, Robert enjoys running, writing, cooking, and playing fetch with his cat.
Saiajay C.
[ View Bio ]Saiajay C.
Saiajay is a recent graduate of Harvard College with a degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology and a secondary in Mathematical Sciences. After spending time tutoring and working as a math course assistant in college, Saiajay is excited to work 1-on-1 with students to help them reach their goals.
In his free time, he enjoys playing the drums, following Boston sports teams, playing video games, and watching movies and TV shows.
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.
Samantha K.
[ View Bio ]Samantha K
Sam graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Math and Physics from Skidmore College. While at Skidmore, she worked as a peer tutor for both the math and physics departments, as well as tutoring local high school students. She has a passion for learning and loves helping other students discover ways in which they make learning enjoyable. During her free time, she loves reading, hiking, and spending time outdoors.
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.
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.
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 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.
Vaniecia S.
[ View Bio ]Vaniecia S.
Vaniecia graduated from Spelman College with an education degree and after graduation she decided to move back to the north east to teach at a small private school. Nine years later and she is still teaching reading and language arts. Along the way Vaniecia earned two Master’s Degrees in education from Boston College.
Vaniecia loves the one on one aspect of tutoring and connecting with students both personally and academically. Vaniecia also enjoys working with students to implement strategies, tools and resources into their academics. Vaniecia is passionate about making learning individualized, engaging, and meaningful. Vaniecia tutors reading, grammar, spelling, writing and executive functioning.
In addition to tutoring, Vaniecia enjoys reading, watching Marvel movies and spending time with her two cats.
Vincent C.
[ View Bio ]Vincent C.
Vincent is a Summa Cum Laude graduate from Northeastern where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with minors in Physics and Music Technology. He currently is a graduate student at Tufts University going for a Masters of Science in Mathematics. He grew up in Ohio, later moving to Boston for college. He has done previous internships in education, including one at Boston Public Schools as a Mathematics Department Curriculum Developer. He has previously tutored in multiple levels of mathematics and programming. In his free time, he likes to play one of the five instruments he plays, play basketball, mountain bike, and spend time with his adorable bearded dragon.
Will D.
[ View Bio ]Will D.
Will recently graduated from Brandeis University with a Master’s degree in academic philosophy. Before that, he earned a B.A. philosophy and history at Washington University in St. Louis. He has experience teaching as a T.A. in various college-level philosophy classes, as well as several years of teaching literary analysis and writing skills at the Great Books Summer Program at Amherst College.
Will’s own academic work as well as his experiences helping students in navigating difficult conceptual problems have made it evident to him that every student has their own style of learning, and that there is rarely a one-size-fits-all way of teaching a student a given concept, no matter the area. He considers it a high priority to tailor his teaching to his student’s personal styles, to help his students come to understand their own unique strengths, and to foster independence and confidence in academics.
Outside of teaching and philosophy, Will is an avid guitarist, and can always be found with at least a couple of fiction books on his desk.