Meet Our Tutors
Team of Readiness Tutors
Colleen Amos
Colleen is an experienced math educator and coach with a passion for helping ALL students feel confident in mathematics. She taught high school math in Memphis for six years, and has worked as the Instructional Coach for her school’s 6th-12th grade math teachers for the past 4 years. Her tutoring experience began with volunteering at a local elementary school in college and has continued up to tutoring Pre-Calculus students in Memphis. Colleen holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame and an M.S. in Secondary Education from Johns Hopkins University. Colleen believes in emphasizing a full understanding of the mathematical concepts that underlie problems because only then can students continue to be successful as they progress through middle and high school math. She also firmly believes that there is no such thing as a "math person" - all students can understand and conquer math! In her free time, she enjoys reading, cheering on the Fighting Irish football team, and traveling with her husband.
.png)
Lakiasha Hollingsworth
Lakiasha is the Director of TRIO Student Support Services and a math instructor with Nevada State College. Prior to beginning her career in education, Lakiasha worked as a Design Release Engineer for Ford Motor Company and Chrysler Motors. She is an advocate for equity in education and supporting first generation college students. Lakiasha brings over 20 years experience as a math instructor, tutor, and course designer. Lakiasha is originally from Detroit, MI and enjoys spending time with her two children and husband. In her spare time, she enjoys running, roller skating, hiking, basketball, and traveling with her family.
.png)
Danielle Jordan
Danielle Jordan is an experienced educator, coach and facilitator with 10+ years of experience working with youth and young adults in education, non-profit, and government sectors. With a certification in Mathematics from the The American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence and years as a teacher, tutor, and instructional coach she specializes in supporting students in math anywhere from 6th grade to college-age (even financial and managerial accounting!). Danielle taught 9th grade Algebra 1 and 10th grade Geometry in her 3 years with Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS). She has supported students through private tutoring since 2016, and loves supporting bilingual/Spanish speaking students. Danielle received two Bachelor of Art degrees (Business Administration and Spanish) from the University of Florida in 2014. In 2020, Jordan earned her Master of Science degree in Education from Johns Hopkins University.
.png)
Janessa Jordan Hewlett
Janessa Jordan Hewlett is a seasoned teacher and teacher-leader with over a decade's worth of experience teaching advanced high school English courses. She taught at the Soulsville Charter School, in Memphis, TN, for 10 years, where she designed and facilitated the AP English Literature and Pre-AP English II courses and served as the high school English Department Chair. Janessa worked for six summers as a constructed response Reader for the AP English Literature exam. In 2017, she was awarded a Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short Term Fellowship and spent a summer in New Delhi, India developing curriculum and teacher training materials for a local NGO. Janessa also served as a Stanford Hollyhock Leading Fellow where she worked to bring school-wide equity initiatives to her home school. Janessa worked closely with the Memphis Teacher Residency program, working for three years as both a mentor teacher and an adjunct professor in English Pedagogy. She now works with adult learners on leadership development.
Madison Koenig
Madison is a student-centered, success-driven educator with over a decade of experience in education. She has had the privilege of cultivating students’ mathematical confidence from early elementary through the high school level as both a tutor and teacher. Her teaching experience includes working in residential treatment facilities for students receiving neurological or neurobehavioral treatment, as well as working in title one schools. Madison earned a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas A&M University, which helps her to develop high-quality, engaging materials that maximize a student's mathematical growth. Madison is committed to sharing her love of learning with students, and helping them to gain confidence in their academic abilities. When she is not tutoring, Madison enjoys spending time with her husband and three kids, enjoying the outdoors, and cheering on the Houston Astros.
Brynn Rone
Brynn Rone serves as the Student Services Manager for Breakthrough Atlanta. Brynn's hometown is Cincinnati, Ohio. Atlanta is where he completed his Bachelor's degree at Kennesaw State University with a focus in education and math as a first generation college student. Brynn joined the AmeriCorps with Teach For America Charlotte due to his passion for youth advocacy. Years of experience teaching middle school math has led Brynn to create his own non-profit 4EVA Youth geared toward youth mentorship. Brynn returned to Atlanta from teaching in Dallas, Texas and is currently pursuing more partnerships toward youth initiatives. Brynn plans on opening his own community resource center within the near future.
%20-%20Edited.png)
Olivia Ruthven
Olivia is a passionate and experienced tutor who specializes in mathematics at any level. With a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University, Olivia has a unique approach to teaching that has helped countless students find their love for math. Whether you are struggling with algebra or pre-calculus, Olivia has the expertise to help you succeed. Her teaching philosophy is centered around building a strong foundation of fundamental concepts and skills. She believes that every student has the potential to excel in math, and she strives to help them discover their unique approach to problem-solving. To achieve this, she encourages active learning by engaging students in the problem-solving process and guiding them towards discovering solutions on their own. Overall, her goal as a math tutor is to help students build a deep understanding of the material and develop a lifelong love of learning.
%20(1).png)
Kevin Melnik
Kevin is an experienced educator, coach and facilitator with over 8 years of experience teaching mathematics in diverse socio-economic settings. He is bilingual (English and Spanish) and has a passion for student-centered, inquiry-based learning. He holds a Master’s Degree in Secondary Mathematics Education from Hofstra University and a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Maryland, College Park. In previous roles, Kevin has been instrumental in: Leading academic improvement efforts that resulted in a ~40% growth in passing scores for Algebra 1 Virginia Standards of Learning Exams. Being chosen to spearhead county-wide professional learning initiatives. Driving school-wide professional development for best instructional practices related to secondary mathematics, student discourse, goal setting, team building, and mindset shifts. Collaborating with other instructional leaders to implement a school-wide instructional framework, “Math Workshop.” When Kevin is not teaching or tutoring, he is coaching/watching baseball, studying financial markets, and cooking delicious food to share with friends and family. What People Say About Kevin Megan Smith, Instructional Coach, Fairfax County Public Schools: "In short, Mr. Melnik is a coach that happens to work in a classroom... What impresses me most about Mr. Melnik is his sense of urgency and passion for education." Ross - VCP Student: "I wanted to say thank you for the tutoring, you were more than a tutor, you were a mentor." Evelyn Mahoney, Mathematics Department Head, Fairfax County Public Schools: "Kevin is a phenomenal motivator... Kevin is a master at creating engaging activities to help students become enthusiastic about learning math!" Lindsey Kearns, Principal, Lake Braddock Secondary School: "Kevin has a unique ability to transform his classroom into a vibrant team sport environment."
Ammar Muhammad
Ammar graduated in the top 5 percent of the Class of 2018 at Richardson High School, and in May 2022, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology with a minor in psychology from the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). Ammar remained on the UTD Dean’s List throughout majority of his college career, maintaining a 4.0 GPA as a UTD Academic Excellence Scholar with Distinction and a Clark Research Scholar. Ammar is on track to join the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) and work towards his lifelong dream of becoming a physician. In the future, Ammar looks to pursue a career in academia, fulfilling his passions for teaching, mentorship, and research.
About Our Tutors
.png)
.jpg)
.png)
"He explained the material in a way that I could understand and because of it, I managed to catch onto it quickly. He's an excellent tutor and I appreciate the time he spent with me."
Abryana, Student
Team of Tutors
Sydney Bement
Tutor
Sydney Bement is a first year graduate student at Saint Louis University currently studying mathematics. She was born and raised in Indiana, where she got both her high school diploma and Bachelor of Arts in both Mathematics and Theatre. In her free time Sydney loves to participate in choir and theatrical productions. She has been a tutor, choreographer, and an assistant director. While Sydney was in high school, she fell in love with mathematics and helping those around her achieve their mathematical goals. This still remains true today, and she hopes to have a more expansive reach soon!
Bella Bernal
Tutor
Bella is a high school math teacher in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Bella joined the educational nonprofit Teach For America in 2021. At her placement school, KIPP Tulsa, Bella has been acting as the founding math teacher and created the Math of Finance and AP Calculus classes. In addition to being a teacher and creating educational content, she enjoys teaching girls to code through Kode With Klossy and playing chess against her friends and students.
Daniella Boyd
Tutor
Daniella is a curriculum writer and former high school math teacher and instructional coach. She was the 2020 Teacher of the Year for the tenth largest school district in the United States and has taught everything from pre-Algebra through Calculus. She earned her Masters in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education and her Doctorate in Education from the University of Florida. Daniella is a mom to two toddlers and she spends her free time with her kids and husband enjoying the outdoors.
Maggie Clark
Tutor
Maggie has been working as a high school math teacher in NYC for the past 6 years. She got her undergraduate degree in mathematics and adolescent education from SUNY Geneseo and her masters in mathematics from SUNY Brockport. Maggie currently lives in NJ with her husband and puppy! She loves mathematics and has a passion for sharing math with her students!
.png)
Alexander Cross
Tutor
Alexander graduated from Cornell University in 2012, with a B.A. in Economics and a Minor in Computing in the Arts. After graduating, he pursued postgraduate studies in FALCON, a full year intensive Mandarin studies program, partly at the Cornell University campus and partly at the highly ranked Peking University, in Beijing China. After completing his postgraduate Mandarin studies in May 2013, Alexander remained in China and worked as a tutor for Pattison Education, where he taught English to Chinese students at all levels, in a 1-to-1 setting. Most courses were taught to high school students, and designed with regard to the best possible preparation for specific English tests, such as TOEFL, IELTS, SAT, ACT, SSAT, and higher level subject tests such as AP US History, and AP Economics (Micro/Macro). While in China, Alexander completed his HSK level 5 Certification. Upon returning to the USA, Alexander continued his tutoring career, by tutoring online with various companies. Alexander continues to tutor a variety of subjects, including SAT, AP Economics, ACT, Chinese, TOEFL, Math, and SSAT. Alexander also holds a 120 hour TEFL Certification as well as a 50 hour Teaching Business English Certification.
Colleen Heberlein
Collaborator and Tutor
Colleen earned a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame and an M.S. in Secondary Education from Johns Hopkins University. She has six years of teaching experience and four years of experience coaching math teachers in 6th through 12th-grade classrooms. Her tutoring experience began with volunteering at a local elementary school in college and has continued to tutor all math subjects up to Pre-Calculus in Memphis. Colleen believes in emphasizing a full understanding of the mathematical concepts that underlie problems because only then can students continue to be successful as they progress through middle and high school math. She also firmly believes that there is no such thing as a "math person" - all students can understand and conquer math! In her free time, she enjoys reading and traveling.
.png)
Kate Heiman
Tutor
Kate graduated from Binghamton University in 2011 with a degree in Human Development and Management. She started teaching 9th grade Math I/ Algebra I in Nashville, TN through Teach For America. She taught and coached basketball at McGavock High School for six years. In that time, Kate was a teacher, team leader, and instructional coach. She decided to move back to my hometown in 2018 and started working for an e-commerce company out of Rochester, NY. She is the marketplace relations manager running a lot of analytical data for the company and working with our online platforms. On the weekends, you can catch Kate walking my dog, Tucker, reading, baking or watching the Buffalo Bills. Let’s go Buffalo!
Sarah Jacobsen
Tutor
Sarah Jacobsen is a former high school math teacher from Virginia. Currently, Sarah is working from home while taking care of her daughter. She has taught all levels of math from Algebra 1 to AP Calculus and has experience tutoring SAT. She enjoys working with students one-on-one to build relationships with them and she finds tutoring to be one of the most fulfilling ways she can do just that. In her free time, Sarah enjoys spending time with her daughter, hiking with her dogs, reading, and rooting on the Pittsburgh Penguins!
Molly Mason
Tutor
Molly has a passion for teaching and an enthusiasm for math. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education with certification in math and chemistry, and a Master of Science in Mathematics. After teaching high school math in Rhode Island, and middle school math in Arizona, she left classroom teaching to focus on raising their family. During this time she has stayed active in education through local tutoring and is excited to connect with students and support their math confidence with the Bridges to Readiness team. Molly currently lives with her family on a small farm in southern Oregon where they grow berries, flowers, veggies and beef. She loves watching or playing most all sports and won’t turn down a chance to play a board game.
_edited.png)
Mary Marable
Tutor
Mary earned her Bachelor’s Degree in PE/Health with emphasis in teaching Math and Science in 1987. In 1991, she went on to earn a Masters from the University of St. Thomas, with emphasis in Educational Leadership. After 20+ years of teaching, Mary pursued an Educational Specialist Degree and Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Union University, graduating in 2011. With 35 years of educational experience at the secondary level, as a math teacher, department chair, athletic coach, instructional coach, and school administrator, Mary is looking forward to the opportunity to help students understand skills and grow with confidence mathematically.
Kaylee Petik
Tutor
Graduating from the University of Florida in 2016, Kaylee got her start in K-12 education through Teach For America, where she trained in Tulsa, OK before heading to Jacksonville, FL to serve as an AP Calculus/PreCalculus teacher. During her six years, Kaylee spent time as a swim coach, club sponsor, and Professional Development Facilitator; she also earned Teacher of the Year honors during the 2020-2021 school year. Despite teaching upper-level math, Kaylee was not always inclined to the subject - English was her first love in school. Although an unorthodox background for a Calculus teacher, she believes that it is her personal struggles with math that make her a more effective teacher. Kaylee has recently transitioned out of the classroom and now works as a training and development specialist for a software company, RF-SMART.
Mary Silverglate
Tutor
Mary has been tutoring mathematics, standardized testing preparation, statistics, and economics for a decade, and she is a certified mathematics teacher in multiple states. She graduated from the University of Chicago with general honors and honors in economics. While there, she was on the board of a student organization, WIT, that provided ACT preparation classes to underserved students in Chicago Public Schools for free. Students in the program using the mathematics curriculum she developed for saw, on average, one standard deviation of growth on the ACT exam. After graduation, she earned her Master of Science in Education from Johns Hopkins University while working full-time as a mathematics teacher in DC Public Schools. She worked as a full-time mathematics teacher for four years, including developing a curriculum for a math intervention course and a college-level, dual-enrollment statistics course. Currently, she is earning her Master of Arts in Mathematics from Saint Louis University, where she is also employed as an instructor for undergraduate statistics courses. Her current studies and research are in both pure mathematical theory and statistics. She has experience teaching mathematics and statistics at the middle school, high school, and collegiate level. She is fluent in multiple statistical programs, including R, SPSS, and Stata. She is passionate about making mathematics and statistics accessible to all learners, and particularly to those who may have a negative relationship with mathematics. She specializes in mathematics, statistics, statistical programming, and standardized testing in mathematics. When she isn't thinking about math, she enjoys hiking, video games, and taking care of her three guinea pigs.
Marcus Smith
Tutor
Marcus is an EdTech Engineer and State Assessment Administrator that has a true passion for education. He enjoyed tutoring mathematics and business throughout his undergraduate career. As a business career changer, he completed Teach For America and graduated from The Johns Hopkins University School of Education graduate school as a Master Teacher which earned him the title of Teacher of the Year! Marcus's background in business, education, and technology fuels his passion for education technology and the future of education. Although Marcus has taught every grade in K12 and almost every subject, he enjoys coaching students in software engineering, basketball, bowling, track, video gaming and motocross. Marcus believes that great education increases student growth by students having access to great resources, being able to advocate for themselves, gain dramatic academic growth, and produce positive habits and mindsets.
Sofia Velazquez
Tutor
Sofia was born in Mexico and grew up in Edinburg, a city along the Mexico-Texas border. After high school, she studied Statistics at Harvard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Upon graduating, she joined Teach For America and served as a high school math teacher in another Mexico-Texas border town, near her hometown. After three years, she left to get her Master of Science in Epidemiology from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Upon completing her graduate work, she returned to her home town to continue teaching. After another three years of teaching high school mathematics, she transitioned to a Project Manager role with a construction company, but have kept a footing in education by working with the Harvard Business Analytics Program and working in content creation for Pearson.
Tiffany Wildung
Tutor
Tiffany is an Austin area native with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science, from Texas A&M University. She is also bilingual (Spanish speaker) and grew up visiting Central America often. Tiffany loves learning about new cultures and considers herself a lifelong learner! Tiffany's passion for education was solidified through volunteer work as a young adult, when she had the opportunity to work with adult English language learners. Tiffany is a certified teacher and has experience working with a diverse range of students. She looks forward to working with students on not only mastering math content, but also gaining confidence in their abilities to do so.
Josh Woratyla
Tutor
Josh is a Philadelphia based educator who has been teaching all parts of the SAT and ACT for the past 3 years. He holds a B.S. from the University of Pittsburgh where he double majored in Philosophy and Psychology. While an undergraduate, Josh worked in various research laboratories on studies in the fields of cognitive and behavioral psychology. He graduated from the Philosophy department with honors, completing coursework in the fields of Philosophy of Mind, Metaphysics, and Epistemology. Aside from getting to know his students personally, Josh enjoys most about tutoring the challenge of delivering each and every lesson in a way that meets his students’ individual needs. He strives to open his students’ eyes to the beauty that lies within the logic of language and mathematics. When he is not tutoring, Josh works as a musician and producer, composing and recording original music and performing with his band in and around the Philadelphia area.
Courtney Zeidan
Tutor
Courtney is an enthusiastic member of the Bridges to Readiness team. Though originally from Rhode Island, she now lives with her husband, daughter and pup in San Diego, California and is much warmer! Courtney has 14 years of experience teaching Mathematics in Middle and High school and has been tutoring even longer. She loves to run, read, listen to music and travel with family and friends. Courtney has always had a passion for Math, and is so excited to meet and get to know new learners to share it with!
Robert Ragland
Tutor
Robert, an Indianapolis native, is an education professional with a diverse skill set acquired in nonprofit planning, marketing, and academic support. He majored in English at Morehouse College in Atlanta, demonstrating his commitment to lifelong learning and community engagement. Morehouse is also where his passion for language and writing was born.