During my studies, I sometimes found myself staring blankly at my notebook, trying to figure out what my teacher or professor had explained during class. When everything clicked and I finally understood what my teachers were trying to say, I would come up with a different way of explaining the material, one that would have helped me to greater, and quicker, clarity. These experiences gave me a passion for education in the hopes of making students’ educational journeys easier.

I was born and raised here in California, and I attended UC Riverside for a B.S. degree in applied mathematics. Growing up, I would never have thought in a million years that I would study math, but I grew to appreciate the subject when I discovered that the ability to visualize a complicated ideas opened whole new worlds that I would never have seen otherwise.

After college, I had the opportunity to teach SAT mathematics at Russian School of Math. There, I learned how to help students at various levels of understanding. I also learned to read my students and recognize when they were hesitant because they were behind in their studies and when they just wanted a quick answer because they made a small calculation error. I appreciate the 1-on-1 tutoring environment because it allows me to adapt effectively to each student’s needs.

A strong foundation in math helps students succeed not only in their math curriculum but also in their other classes and endeavors. Besides numbers and graphs, mathematics is all about being able to think logically. This can translate into how to comprehend reading, how to organize words and paragraphs in an essay, or even how to use the process of elimination to find the right answer. I strive to not only help students pass their tests, but also help them master the skill of thinking mathematically and recognize the ways in which the material they learn in class applies to their lives.

If I’m not teaching, you’ll find me waiting for winter to go snowboarding, admitting my coffee addiction to the barista at Philz, or playing video games with my friends.