I was born in San Jose, California, and attended UC Berkeley, where I graduated with a degree in molecular environmental biology with a concentration in human health.

While I have spent most of my life in the Bay Area, I had the opportunity live in Shanghai, China, for three years. Not only did this experience open my eyes to the beauty and intricacies of my Chinese culture, but I learned how to tackle a seemingly impossible challenge to gain fluency in Mandarin. With daily practice, I began to enjoy the process of learning a new language and slowly began to strengthen my language skills.

I have carried this philosophy throughout my educational journey: the way to approach any challenge is to tackle it piece by piece. During my time as a Chemistry Teacher Scholar leading an organic chemistry laboratory class, I echoed this message to my students and watched them achieve their individual goals. As a lifelong learner myself, following this philosophy fueled my success in college, where I joined the Dean’s List for academic excellence. 

At AJ Tutoring, I work with my biology and chemistry students to meet them where they’re at with the course material. I believe in breaking information down to its simplest level before building in complexity, and I love helping my students recognize the connections between what they are learning and the world they live in. Whether my student is taking their first high school science class or preparing for an AP exam, I want them to develop both their confidence in the material and an effective strategy for how to study and how to learn that works effectively for them. 

When I am not tutoring, I am concurrently applying to medical school and working as an EMT to serve the Bay Area community. In my free time, I love to stay active by playing golf and pickleball and hiking, and I enjoy hanging out with my cats, playing video games, and catching the latest buzz show on Netflix to relax.