Our Tutors
Catherine Angowski
Elementary reading/writing/math tutor
Catherine Angowski is a kindergarten teacher for Fairfax County Public Schools. She is certified to teach Pre-K through 6th grade and Special Education K-6. Catherine began her teaching career in Special Education teaching kindergarten and fifth grade, but then switched to general education teaching kindergarten. She loves watching her students grow throughout the year. She enjoys teaching reading to the younger students and teaching math to the older students. A fun fact about her is that she taught in the Philippines for a short period of time.
Clara Goldfield
K-6 Reading Interventionist, Math, writing, and executive functioning coach
Clara has worked as both a Kindergarten reading interventionist at a KIPP public charter school and a first-grade teacher and team lead in Fairfax county for 5 years. She is certified to teach Pre K through 6th grade
Lauren Quinn
English/Executive Functioning Coach/College Essay Coach
Lauren loves helping students through the writing process and working alongside them as they improve their skills and confidence! She begins each session by collaborating with the student on the goal or take-away, and ends with an assignment and accountability plan.
Nora Brennan
Writing/History/Executive Functioning Coach
Nora Brennan has been a high school history teacher since 2001. She has worked in both public and private high schools teaching students ranging from 9th to 12th grade. During her tenure, Nora has worked with a wide-variety of learners curating her lessons to meet their unique needs
Scott Carpenter
English/History/Executive Functioning
Scott has been a classroom teacher for the better part of two decades. In this time, he has worked with thousands of students grade 7 through grade 12. These learners have had a diverse set of academic and emotional needs. Supporting the individual needs of each learner is Scott’s primary objective.
Sung Hee Kim
Orton-Gillingham Reading tutor/Math Tutor/Executive Functioning Coach
Sung Hee has 21 years of elementary teaching experience in independent school settings. She has a Master's degree in Journalism from New York University, and a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy from Wellesley College. Sung Hee is a graduate of Phillips Academy, Andover.
Taylor Renaud
Math Tutor
Taylor Renaud grew up in New England and moved to Washington, DC 9 years ago. She has enjoyed teaching for over ten years and is currently a 7th grade math teacher at the Langley School in McLean, VA. Taylor attended the University of New Hampshire where she earned a B.S. in Math Education and an M.Ed. in Elementary Education
Allie Berry
English/Test Prep/Executive Functioning Coaching
Allie is an editor at an advertising agency by day but has also worked as a verbal/English tutor for the last 12 years. Allie grew up in Montgomery County and graduated from Wootton High School. She then earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Maryland and a M.S. in publishing from Pace University.
Bonnie Lechner
English/Executive Functioning Coach
Bonnie is currently in her 5th year teaching in Montgomery County Public Schools, with experience in 7th, 9th, and 10th grade Honors English. In addition, she is an award winning yearbook adviser and unofficial tech coach at Walter Johnson High School. She specializes in close reading skills and creative writing.
Catherine Murray
Elementary/Middle School Tutor and Executive Functioning Coach
Catherine Murray received her bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and Special Education at York College of PA. She recently earned her master's degree in Reading Education from Towson University. Catherine has been a classroom teacher in MCPS for the past five years. She is currently teaching 1st grade Special Education and she has previously taught middle school Special Education for 6th and 8th grade, co-teaching math.
Crystal Semitekolos
OG Reading Tutor, Elementary Math Tutor
Crystal Semitekolos grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland. She graduated from the University of Maryland College Park with a bachelor's in Elementary Education, Loyola University Maryland with a master's in Educational Technology, and a master's certificate in Administration from McDaniel College.
Diane Wolbert
Elementary Reading, Writing, Math Tutor/Executive Functioning Coach
Diane Wolbert is an experienced classroom teacher with 18 years of experience. She studied Elementary Education at Frostburg State University and later got her Masters in Elementary Education with a focus in differentiated instruction from Towson University. She currently teaches 5th grade in Germantown. Diane has worked with elementary students of all ages, building their confidence along with skills to help them be successful. She is passionate about supporting and educating children so they can reach their potential.
Elliott Niblock
English/SAT/ACT/Executive Functioning Coach
Born and raised in Wisconsin, Elliott has traveled widely to pursue his career in higher education. He moved first to St. Paul, Minnesota to attend Macalester College, with brief stints abroad at the Goethe Institute in Berlin, as well as King’s College in London.
Lisa Sorensen
College Admissions Consulting/English/Executive Functioning Coaching
Lisa helps students find the best fit using tools to identify a list of schools, review high school transcripts/advise on course selections, support students as they write their college essay/supplemental essays/scholarship essays/honors program essays, navigate the Common App
Vicki Rotker
Executive Functioning Coach/Math Tutor
Vicki Rotker, M.S. Ed., is the creator and instructor of the acclaimed Study Strategies Course and Curriculum for MCPS. Over her 20-year career, she has guided hundreds of students by teaching them effective time management skills, organization skills, and personalized learning strategies, while also providing essential executive functioning support.
Ashley Herdman
English/Executive Functioning Coach
Ashley is entering her tenth year teaching! After receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master’s Degree in Secondary Education, she taught a variety of English classes at Montgomery College. Having graduated from MCPS, she was eager to teach in the county where she was raised.
Brian Sims
History/Executive Functioning/Writing Tutor
Brian Sims has been a classroom teacher for ten years and is currently a High School Social Studies teacher with MCPS. Brian has a unique teaching background, being the first several years of his teaching career he served as a Special Education teacher, teaching both self-contained and co-taught History classes. Brian’s first five years were spent teaching in Virginia and then he moved to Maryland and began teaching with MCPS. In Brian’s teaching career so far, he has taught Ancient World History, Modern World History, and United States History at the High School level. At the Middle School level, Brian has taught both 6th and 7th grade World Studies.
Christy Gill
English/Executive Functioning Coach
Christy Gill is a native Californian who has lived and worked in Northern Virginia for nearly 20 years, with 16 of those years spent in education as a teacher, SAT coach, tutor and teaching mentor. Her formal teaching career began in 2007 in Washington, DC, where she taught 6th and 8th grade English at Hart Middle School. Composition.
Eitan Zavorin
K-12 Math Tutor/Executive Functioning Coach
Eitan Zavorin combines his expertise in applied mathematics and a degree in data science with a genuine commitment to supporting students’ growth, teaching all levels of K-12 and college math. He also offers SAT tutoring, equipping students with effective strategies to maximize their test performance. Eitan recognizes that while studying isn’t always considered fun, building strong study habits gives students the freedom to make the most of their school years.
Erika Braithwaite-Berg
Reading, Writing, and Math Elementary Tutor
Erika Braithwaite-Berg is a 1st grade teacher at Green Acres School in North Bethesda. She received her BA in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College in Annapolis, MD, and her M.A. in Elementary Education from the College of William and Mary. Erika is trained in Really Great Reading. She strives to help every student develop confidence in themselves as learners.
Heather Holcombe
OG Reading Specialist
Heather was an elementary special education teacher and phonics specialist at a charter school in Boston for 7 years until the pandemic hit. Now she’s at home with her two little boys. She has degrees from Smith College and Lesley University and is a certified Orton Gillingham instructor. Heather loves helping students find books they love and watching their excitement as they discover the joy of reading.
Jenna Gallo
OG Reading Tutor/Writing Tutor
Jenna Gallo holds an M.Ed in both Teaching, Learning and Advocacy (College of Charleston) and in Leadership Administration (Charleston Southern University.) She is a certified K-12 Special Educator and Reading Coach. Ms. Gallo holds her Orton Gillingham certification and is currently a Special Education Coordinator in Arlington County.
Joyce Khouri
English Tutor/Executive Functioning Coach
Joyce has taught English for 16 years in MCPS (almost every single grade from 6-12). She has also taught all levels, from inclusion to IB Literature and Language, and she is very passionate about helping students excel since the skills needed for English class are the same skills students will need their whole lives as they become effective communicators.
Marie Babb
K-12 Executive Functioning Coach, Reading, Writing, and Math Tutor
Marie Babb is a passionate educator with many years of both classroom teaching experience within MCPS and private tutoring. She enjoys working with busy high school athletes and young scholars on executive functioning skills.
Mollie Carlin
History/English/Executive Functioning Coach
Mollie is a seasoned educator with 11 years of experience in the Montgomery County Public School system. After attending Walt Whitman High School, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from Goucher College and went on to earn her Masters' in Teaching Social Studies from Teachers College, Columbia University
Ryan Dimmick
Spanish/English Tutor
Ryan is currently in his third year as a high school Spanish teacher in MCPS. A native of Montgomery County, Ryan completed the Spanish Immersion program in the Bethesda-Chevy Chase cluster; he continued with the language at Muhlenberg College, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish and in Education
Stephanie Lee Rizas
Writing/Executive Functioning/History
Stephanie Lee Rizas is currently an IB History teacher with MCPS but has years of experience teaching all levels of History, writing, and ESL as well as experience with students with organizational challenges. She is passionate about activating the potential in every student through an individualized approach to learning.
Tarnicka Congress
OG Reading/Elementary Math tutor
Tarnicka Congress grew up in Brooklyn, New York. She graduated from Touro College with a bachelor's degree in General and Special Education, covering grades Kindergarten through sixth. She also obtained a master's degree in Education from Touro College and a master's certificate in Administration from Gardner Webb University in North Carolina.