I attended high school in Kansas City, where there was no shortage of opportunities. My schedule was packed with AP courses, I was the band and orchestra flute section leader, and I was the captain of our FIRST robotics team. 

Early on, I realized just how different learning styles could be — I was diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age, and some topics took a huge amount of effort for me to learn, while others were less of a slog. My personal struggles taught me that intelligence wasn’t my problem: I just needed perseverance and strategies that would work for me. This inspired me to help others overcome obstacles of their own.

I did my undergraduate at New Mexico Tech, receiving degrees in mathematics and computer science. There, I began seeing myself as an educator, working as the head department TA. I had a say in curriculum choices, hosted 1-on-1 tutoring hours, and even instructed courses. I did my best to develop a culture where all students put in effort to help each other succeed.

After graduation, I landed here in the Bay Area, where I worked at Google as a software engineer. Though my career was a successful one, I pined for that feeling of helping people face-to-face, sharing what I loved, and seeing people grow. I decided that education was a much better fit for me, and began my career in tutoring.

I’m always excited to help students with math, a subject I love convincing people they’re not bad at. My tutoring style is energetic, engaging, and playful. My students and I work together to understand their learning style and to find their strengths and weaknesses; we find levity while diving into a deep understanding of the content, rooting ourselves in curiosity and celebrating our successes along the way. Through collaboration and fun, I help build students’ confidence and allow them to leave behind anxiety and really engage with the material. At the same time, I love opportunities to zoom out and look at how the content fits into a larger picture of our world.

When not working here at AJ, I enjoy rock climbing, running, and cycling, or playing music, learning languages, and reading.