TUTORS

Molly Ahrens (Manager, Middle and High School Writing Tutor, Organizational Skills Tutor, and College Admission Essay Coach) has been helping students fulfil their academic potential since graduating from Bryn Mawr College in 2003. Growing up in New York City, she attended Nightingale-Bamford, a competitive prep school. She also attended the Summer Writing Program at the University of Iowa throughout college and, following graduation, participated in an additional writing program at University College in Dublin, Ireland. Her articles and essays have been published in local publications including The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Weekly and Philadelphia Style. While Molly specializes in writing skills, she regularly works with students who need to improve their organizational and time-management skills, as well as high school seniors who are preparing college applications essays. Her students have been admitted to the top colleges in the country.

 

Brandi Becker (Mathematics Tutor) graduated from Temple University with a B.S. in Mathematics with Teaching. Brandi is a certified mathematics teacher (grades 7-12) who currently works at a Philadelphia charter school teaching 7th grade mathematics. She has experience teaching both middle and high school students. In her free time, Brandi loves to complete puzzles and solve brain teasers. As an educator, Brandi believes that differentiation, practice, and making connections are the key to gaining mathematical fluency. Most importantly, Brandi is passionate about forming strong relationships and making learning mathematics fun!

 

Lauren Bianca (Middle and High School Reading, Writing, Organizational Skills, Spanish and ELL Tutor) has taught high school and middle school Spanish and ELL since 2009 in New Jersey public schools. She began her early career expanding her experiences in Madrid, Spain teaching English to a host family as part of an exchange program. She has traveled to many Spanish-speaking countries and has gained a deep cultural appreciation and immersion in the language. Lauren earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Towson University in Criminal Justice and Spanish and her ELL certification at the graduate level through Rowan University. She spent 2 years teaching Spanish in the Lindenwold Public School District where she taught 6th-8th grade Spanish, as well as high school Spanish 2 and 3. She then spent 10 years teaching Spanish in the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District (levels 2, 3, 4 and AP). For 7 of those years, she also taught English as a Second Language levels 1-4. She most recently dedicated her time to providing assistance to newcomer students in the areas of reading, writing, study skills and time management. As the only ELL teacher in the school, Lauren had the unique opportunity to work 1- on-1 with her students to provide guidance and assistance with all content-area classes and guidance/scheduling matters. She assisted students with balancing their course loads, managing their assignments, general organization and grade revision, maintenance and teacher communication.

 

Alan Boka (Mathematics and Science Tutor) graduated from the University of Rochester with a B.S. in Biochemistry, and is currently a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Pennsylvania in Biophysics. During that time he has had the opportunity to mentor students from a variety of backgrounds in growing a deeper understanding of natural science and mathematics. He is passionate about making science and math more accessible and intuitive for students of all ages, and enabling students to connect textbook concepts to real life applications and the world around them.

 

Maggie Day (Elementary and Middle School Math Tutor, Elementary through High School Writing and Organizational/Study Skills Tutor & College Admission Essay Coach) has worked at a Philadelphia charter school for five years as an academic advisor and as a counselor. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and also in Human Development & Family Studies from the University of Connecticut and a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Temple University. Maggie is passionate about teaching students both academic and life skills, and values regular communication, not only with her students, but with their families and academic supports. She has experience assisting students with writing assignments in a variety of subjects and with elementary and middle school math concepts, as well as helping students improve their test-taking habits and project management skills.

 

Tiffany Delgado (Reading Specialist and Writing Tutor) graduated from East Stroudsburg University with an M.Ed. in Reading and a B.S. in English with a concentration in Secondary Education. She is a PA-certified K-12 Reading Specialist and a certified English teacher. In her current role, Tiffany is a reading specialist for grades 5-8 at a Philadelphia charter school. She focuses on closing reading gaps linked to fluency, comprehension, writing, and decoding. As an educator who is passionate about literacy, Tiffany believes that empowering students with strong reading and writing skills opens doors to lifelong learning, critical thinking, and self-expression.

 

Mara Imms-Donnelly (Elementary through High School Reading and Writing Tutor, Spanish and ESL Tutor, and Elementary through Middle School Mathematics Tutor) earned her M.S.Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania in the Reading/Writing/Literacy Program. After receiving her B.A. in Spanish from Colgate University, Mara worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA for two years at a community-based center in South Philadelphia where she coordinated its Adult ESOL program, led after-school teen programming, and facilitated educational workshops for community members and visitors. As an educator, Mara believes that relationship lies at the heart of learning, and she seeks to support her students’ curiosity, creativity and critical thinking skills as she helps them work toward their goals.

 

Ari Dubow (Reading and Writing Tutor) has been dedicated to supporting students' academic growth since earning his degree from Cornell University in 2021. For the past four years, he has taught in Philadelphia public schools where he has worked with diverse learners across science, ELA, and social studies classrooms. He earned his Master's in Education from the University of Pennsylvania in 2024. His work focuses primarily on strengthening reading and writing abilities, and he also guides students in developing effective study habits and organizational strategies. Drawing on his experience in classrooms ranging from 6th to 12th grades, he works with students at various ages and skill levels, tailoring his approach to each individual's needs and learning style.

 

Adam Jabak (Mathematics and Science Tutor) is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at the University of Pennsylvania where he is exploring potential therapeutics for rare genetic diseases. Prior to Penn, he earned his B.S. in Physics from Bridgewater State University while also conducting research in a single-molecule biophysics lab. Over the years, he has built experience tutoring, lecturing, and coaching students from the high school level up to college. With a passion for bridging science and communication, he’s excited to work with students to make STEM not only approachable, but fun to learn. Adam has experience supporting students in mathematics from algebra and geometry to college level calculus and statistics. His expertise also extends into the natural sciences (physics, chemistry, and biology) as well as career and graduate school coaching.

 

Maya Josiam (Mathematics and Science Tutor) graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education with her M.S.Ed. and the University of Texas at Austin with her BBA in Finance and Business Honors. She is a certified mathematics teacher, focusing primarily on Mathematical Concepts and Reasoning, Pre- Algebra, and Algebra, as well as science topics including Chemistry and Physics. Maya is currently a math teacher at a Philadelphia charter middle school. She has experience teaching and tutoring math to students in late elementary school through early high school. Additionally, she is experienced in science teaching, having written and taught interactive science lessons for elementary and middle school students. As an educator, she is dedicated to supporting students in their learning goals through fostering curiosity, criticality, and a fun learning environment.

 

Margaret Langford (Middle School through College Reading/Writing Skills Tutor, ESL/Spanish Tutor & College Admission Essay Coach) is a graduate of Wake Forest University’s English MA program, where she also completed a BA in English and Spanish. She has worked as an ESL, Spanish, and English and writing tutor during and after her graduate studies, with students of all ages and backgrounds. Having lived in multiple Spanish-speaking countries during college, Margaret possesses an appreciation of immersive multicultural and multilingual learning, which she has brought to all of her teaching experience. She is also a nonfiction writer, with experience in creative writing classes at the undergraduate and graduate level. She utilizes her interest in literary arts to inform all of her tutoring and teaching work, prioritizing both appropriate academic training as well as student agency and expression. Above all, Margaret believes that a positive relationship between instructor and student is the way to academic success, and has seen her students’ consistent progress as proof of this keystone to the learning process.

 

Christina Lowman (Reading and Writing Tutor, ESL Tutor, and Elementary through Middle School Mathematics Tutor, Organizational Skills Tutor and College Admission Essay Coach) graduated from the University of San Francisco with a BA in English Literature and completed her education degree from California State University at San Francisco. She taught math and English in middle school and first through sixth grades in a Waldorf school. She also assisted in a Newcomer ELL high school program where she accompanied all of the students to all of their core classes throughout their day, helping the students with lesson comprehension and completion. Currently, Christina teaches in a Philadelphia high school as the reading support teacher for all four grades where she tutors students individually and in small groups and within their English, Humanities, Government and History classrooms. She has tutored privately in math and language arts, as well as college essay and resume writing, guiding individuals to creatively and accurately represent their unique character, personality and achievements. Additionally, Christina has many years’ experience as a professional proofreader, copy editor and magazine production editor. Her success with students is based on mutual respect and dynamic, individual, student-centered learning guidance. Her approaches vary from individual to individual and include organizational and critical thinking skills to build independent learning competency.

 

Sarah Lynch (Chemistry, Biology, Middle School Science and Mathematics Tutor) graduated from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry with a B.S. in Environmental Biology and from Temple University with a M. Ed in Secondary Science Education. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. She taught biology for two years at a Philadelphia-based high school and was also a 7th and 8th grade middle school science teacher. She has many years of tutoring experience and helps students build skills around class topics or standardized test preparation. She believes that patience is important because it allows students to process their thoughts. While teaching and tutoring, she has found that students work best by working through the material and practicing content consistently.

 

Aqil Tarzan MacMood (Mathematics and Physics Tutor) graduated with an M.S.Ed from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education and a B.A. in Educational Studies and Mathematics from Swarthmore College. Tarzan was a graduate of a Philadelphia public magnet school and is currently a teacher in a Philadelphia public magnet school. Being a student in the School District of Philadelphia was a strong motivator for him to return to the city as a full-time educator. Although certified to teach mathematics at the middle and high school levels, Tarzan has experience tutoring mathematics at the elementary level. Furthermore, he has tutored calculus and introductory physics courses at his undergraduate institution for multiple semesters. Tarzan deeply values interdisciplinarity, the intersections of multiple academic disciplines. He actively seeks to demonstrate to his students the connections of mathematics to other subjects and the value of mathematics to one’s personal growth and to society.

 

Daris McInnis (Reading/Writing Tutor, Elementary School Mathematics Tutor & Organizational Skills Tutor) holds a Ph.D. from the Reading/Writing/Literacy Program at Penn GSE, as well as a Masters of Arts in Teaching specializing in Early Childhood Education. His research interests include early learning, out-of-school literacy with an emphasis on summer break learning, family literacy, and differentiated reading instruction. He specializes in providing reading and mathematics support to elementary-aged children, and prior to coming to Philly, Daris taught pre-school (age 3), pre-K (age 4), and kindergarten in D.C. for four years. Additionally, Daris teaches college-level courses in reading instruction, and is a Learning Instructor (at Weingarten Learning Resources Center at Penn) where he enjoys working closely with students to develop successful strategies in academic wellness and time management. Daris is a 2020 Tillman Scholar.

 

Megan O’Doherty (Reading and Writing Tutor, and Social Studies Tutor, Biology Tutor, Organizational Skills Coach and Elementary/Middle School Mathematics Tutor) has worked in both public and charter schools in Middletown, Delaware; Baltimore, Maryland and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She has been teaching in elementary, middle and special education settings for over 14 years. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Moore College of Art and Design and a Master’s degree in Education from Wilmington University. As a result of Megan’s passion for equitable education, she has piloted an honors ELA program at her school, led a previous school as the International Baccalaureate Coordinator, and earned the Fund for Teachers Grant allowing her to travel to work with under-resourced teachers in Zebilla Ghana. She has experience supporting students with executive functioning skills, analytical thinking, many varieties of language arts assignments and with all elementary content.

 

Jordan Patterson (Mathematics and Science Tutor) loves explaining difficult concepts and finding ways to make them approachable, interesting, and engaging. As a tutor, Jordan enjoys seeing students come to realize that they can understand math and science, helping them foster their own appreciation of the subjects. Over the last 15 years he has tutored in a wide variety of settings including in schools, tutoring centers, and one-on-one sessions. He has enjoyed success helping students with mathematics ranging from Algebra to Calculus III, sciences including Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, and test preparation for SAT, ACT, SSAT, Praxis, AP Tests, and an array of other, more niche tests. He graduated from UMD in 2006 with a BS in Mathematics, and in 2007 with an M.Ed. in mathematics curriculum and instruction.

 

Katerina Rasstrigina (Mathematics and ELA Tutor) is a bilingual professional with 10+ years of experience in education, having worked with students of all ages since her high school senior year. She earned her B.S. in Elementary Education from Oakwood University in 2019. Currently, she is a certified 8th Grade and Algebra teacher at a Philadelphia charter school. While her specialization is Middle School Math, she also has experience supporting students in Science, Social Studies, and English Language Arts. Outside the classroom, Katerina enjoys knitting, gardening, silversmithing, and social justice advocacy. She is deeply committed to promoting educational equity and closing knowledge gaps for her math students, a dedication reflected in the significant academic growth shown by her students’ benchmark and state test results.

 

Simran Sadaranganey (Reading & Writing Tutor, Organizational Skills Tutor, and SAT Prep Tutor) is pursuing her M.S.Ed. and English teaching certification at the University of Pennsylvania. She is currently a student teaching AP English, Analytical Writing, and 12th-grade English at a neighborhood school in West Philadelphia. Simran graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Political Science. During her time as a teaching assistant in Madrid, Spain, Simran taught ELL students and tutored students from elementary school to early high school. As an educator, Simran strives to create a space for students to challenge themselves, deepen their expertise, and develop a joy of learning.

 

Nancy Savoth (Reading and Writing Tutor) has been a professional writing tutor and workshop instructor at local universities for the past fourteen years. She has taught numerous courses as an adjunct professor. As a tutor, she views herself as cheerleader and coach of young writers as she works to provide personalized support in a wide variety of subject areas. Through this collaborative process she shares her passion to help students become confident and proficient writers. Students come to her for support during all phases of the writing process: from brainstorming ideas to finalizing revisions. In addition to her college-level teaching, Nancy has conducted summer camp sessions that combined crafts (jewelry and bookmaking) with writing. She traveled to Philadelphia area elementary schools and middle schools with the program Young Writers Workshop to share her own published work and help students see the possibility of publishing their own stories. Nancy’s essays, profiles, and feature articles have been published in various newspapers and magazines. She has written a young adult novel “Girlfriend” and a picture book “Spiro the Hero” which she is currently pitching to literary agents. Nancy has a M.J. (Masters in Journalism) from Temple University and a B.S. in Public Health from West Chester University. Nancy’s three sons have all successfully navigated their college years and beyond with strong academic writing and the ability to do their own laundry.

 

Katherine Sepulveda (Reading and Writing Tutor, College Admission Essay Coach, Study and Organizational Skills Coach, and SAT Verbal Prep Tutor) earned her PhD in philosophy from Villanova University, her MTS (Master’s in Theological Studies) from Boston College, and her BA in philosophy, with a minor in international studies, from Bryn Mawr College. Her awards include a Fulbright Student Fellowship and a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Research Fellowship. Katherine has experience tutoring students of varied ages in writing, college essays, SAT verbal prep, study skills, and literature. She is passionate about contributing to a learning environment where students are inspired to achieve their best and where learning is fun.

 

Martha Van Nuis (Middle and High School Reading, Writing and History Tutor, College Admission Essay Coach, Organizational Skills Coach and Elementary/Middle School Mathematics Tutor) taught grades three through twelve over a twenty-seven year career in a Philadelphia independent school, where she also served as department chair for the English and Visual and Performing Arts Departments. A flexible and creative tutor, she has helped students navigate the requirements for cross-curricular and project-based learning as well as those who struggle with essential text analysis and response. She has taught English language learners in grades six through twelve, working with them across the curriculum. She has TESOL/TESL/TEFL certification. Martha has graduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania in city planning and elementary education and a bachelor’s degree from Goucher College.

 

Jay Vowles (Science and Mathematics Tutor) is a scientist and lifelong learner. He has a BS in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology from Brown and a PhD in Chemistry from Caltech, and has been working and volunteering with students of all ages since his first job tutoring chemistry in high school. Jay is skilled at distilling and explaining complex topics and is passionate about science education.

 

Lauren Ward (Elementary and Middle School Reading Tutor, French Tutor & Organizational/Study Skills Tutor) earned her B.A. in French from Bryn Mawr College in 2003. She went on to earn a Master’s in French Studies from NYU and her Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Temple University. Lauren studied in France on three occasions during her undergraduate and graduate studies. She taught English in primary schools as part of the Teaching Assistant Program in France and has also served as a French teacher at Concordia Language Villages. Lauren loves sharing her passion for the French language and culture with her students. In addition, Lauren has over a decade of experience in higher education and enjoys helping students reach their personal, academic, and professional goals. She currently serves as an Academic Coach at Haverford College and previously worked in student and program support roles at Villanova, Bryn Mawr, Penn, and University of the Sciences. As an academic coach, she helps students with study strategies, time management, test anxiety, test-taking strategies, reading management, and note-taking skills. Lauren uses a person-centered approach and strives to support others’ individuality and independence with dignity, compassion, and respect.

 

Madison Wardlaw (Mathematics, Science and General Education Tutor) is a dedicated math and science tutor at a Philadelphia public high school. She holds an M.S.Ed. in Secondary Education from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in Chemistry from Grinnell College. Over the past five years, she has taught students from grades 2-12, earning certifications in Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, and General Education. Madison is passionate about promoting college access for BIPOC students, building strong relationships, and helping all students reach their academic potential. She uses real-world examples and interactive exercises to make learning engaging and relevant, supporting each student’s growth and confidence for future success.

 

Angela Zhang (Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, Life Science and Writing Skills Tutor) has a PA certification in grades 7-12 chemistry. For the past 3 years, she has taught middle school science in the School District of Philadelphia. In addition to teaching science, Angela also advised the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) for middle school students. She is currently pursuing her M.A. in Transformative Education and Social Change at West Chester University. Prior to teaching in the city, Angela student-taught high school chemistry. She is also a Fulbright alum, having taught English to grades 3-6 in Taitung, Taiwan. This was after graduating from Bryn Mawr College with a B.A in chemistry and before returning to Bryn Mawr College to obtain certification. During her time in undergrad, Angela worked for the college writing center for 3 years. Angela pursued a career in teaching because she believes that science and math is accessible and relevant for all students, and has honed her skills in meeting students where they are and systematically building understanding. She sees education as a tool for collective liberation and is specifically passionate about disability justice, climate justice, arts education, and literacy.