Alex transitioned from teaching in 2019 and founded Alliance Tutoring as a coalition of motivated educators passionate about helping those in need achieve their goals, overcoming the difficult tests of adolescence, both personally and academically. In his teaching career, Alex taught English and History, coached, and dorm-parented for nearly 20 years at Dartmouth College, The King School, Kingswood-Oxford, Philips Andover and The Taft School. Author of How to Get Your Kids Into College & Keep Them There, he is an expert at college application and retention. He has tutored and coached hundreds of adolescent teens and young adults from middle school through college level on all spectrums, behaviorally and academically. He attended Philips Exeter Academy and received an undergrad degree from Kenyon College and a Masters Degree from Dartmouth College. He lives in Farmington, CT with his three rug rats and wife, Alexa.
Paul graduated from Harvard University with a Masters in Education, specializing in standardized test achievement. Since that time, he has helped 1000s of students around the world improve their standardized test scores and gain admission to the best U.S. and international universities. With his own unique approach, he teaches across the tests with a holistic strategy that sharpens students’ test strategies and content knowledge for use across multiple sections. Moreover, he tailors each lesson to the student’s individual learning style and needs, constantly adjusting to ensure success. In addition to authoring more than a dozen SAT prep books (so far), he practices his love of language as Chief Editor at Editly AI.
One of the nation’s leading interventionists, Dr. Dan Villiers has education, motivated, and inspired more than 700 families to pursue treatment for their children with acute anxiety, OCD and Trauma. In the spirit of entrepreneurism Dan has founded four anxiety treatment programs for school-aged children; most notably The Anxiety Institute in 2016, an intensive day program in Greenwich, CT, and Mountain Valley Treatment Center in 2010, the first non-hospital residential anxiety program in the United States. He has published articles, appeared on radio and TV, and given over 100 presentations in the US and in Europe on the nature, experience, and impact of Anxiety; and ways to address the epidemic individually and systematically.
Archer has attended Johns Hopkins University, where he received his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and Molecular/Cellular Biology in three years and where he also completed his M.S.E. in Biomedical Engineering. He is currently a senior PhD candidate in Biomedical Engineering at Yale University. For the past seven years, Archer has taught a number of STEM classes including introductory and upper level math courses, college level Physics, and introductory and graduate level courses in Biology and Biomedical Engineering and is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Mathematics at SCSU. He has helped countless students in standardized tests excel in test preparation and has been involved with a number of high school and undergraduate teaching/tutoring programs offered at Yale University (Freshman Scholars at Yale, Yale Pathways to Science, and ONEXSYS).
Geoffrey has taught courses in German language and literature, comparative literature, English literature and composition, world literature, journalism, history, philosophy, and art history at Brown University, the Université de Lyon II, and the University of California, Davis. He holds a PhD in Comparative Literature from Brown and a Masters in Art History from UC Davis. He has been awarded the Fulbright, two DAAD grants (German Academic Exchange Service), and was a Fellow at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York and the Dia Art Foundation in Beacon, NY.
Suin attended St. Paul’s School and received her undergrad B.S.E. degree from Princeton University, where she majored in Computer Science and minored in Engineering Biology. She recently completed her M.S. in Physiology at Georgetown University. She has been a private tutor since 2013 and has worked for several professional tutoring companies teaching Mathematics, Science, Computer Science, and English, particularly specializing in SAT/ACT/AP test prep. Through her academic tutoring and college counseling, she aims to bring out the best in each student and strives to be a mentor that her students can rely on for guidance and support.
A fifteen-year veteran teacher, Alex has spent the last nine years teaching high school English at Boys’ Latin School of Maryland in Baltimore. Over his career he has taught both AP English courses (Literature and Language) as well as several electives including “Modern Short Story” and “Literature of Baltimore.” He holds a BA in English from Kenyon College, an MAT in English Education from Brown University, and an MA in English Literature from Bread Loaf School of English (a graduate program affiliated with Middlebury College). Alex regularly writes for various publications including Boys’ Latin’s own in-house magazine. He lives in Baltimore with his wife Maya and their four-year-old twins (a boy and a girl).
Brian has taught economics, math and statistics courses as a college professor for over a decade at Whittier College, Willamette University, Portland Community College, Humboldt State University, the University of British Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley. He has tutored math, stats and economics for over 15 years from high school to Ph.D. levels. Tutoring, he strongly believes, is the optimal learning and teaching environment. He holds a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from UC Berkeley in Economics. He has earned the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching award from UC Berkeley and the Teaching with Technology award from Whittier College. He lives in Portland, OR with two little ones and wife, Alice.
Prior to joining the Cushing faculty in the fall of 2000, Stirling spent four years working as a counselor to high school students at an educational not-for-profit in New York City, and three years teaching English as a Second Language in Ecuador. He received his B.A. in psychology from Wesleyan University and his MsEd in Second Language Education (TESOL Concentration) from the State University of New York at New Paltz. Mr. Ince is also a graduate of Dulwich College (London, England) and St. Mary’s College (Port-of-Spain, Trinidad). In addition to his teaching duties, he is the head coach for both varsity boys’ cross-country team and varsity track and field team. He is the dorm head of Johnson House.
Stephen attended the University of Oxford, where he received his B.A. in Philosophy & French, followed by his MSt in Ancient Philosophy. For the past five years, Stephen has taught and mentored students from middle school through college in positions all over the world, from the UK to South Korea. He focuses on language and humanities instruction, coupled with intensive writing skills and college application coaching. His language studies saw him teach English for a year in southern France, as well as holding a technical translation position in Spanish in Barcelona. He has received formal training in mental health support, and has substantial experience working with students with anxiety and depression. Stephen is a warm and dynamic individual, who focuses on creating an open and engaging learning environment. He is currently based in the UK, where he enjoys reading, taking long walks, and playing the guitar and piano.
Eric is a former professor at Macalester College and UCLA, and has fifteen years teaching experience in both high school and college settings. He has been a professional tutor and college counselor for the past eight years and his specializes in ACT, SAT, and AP Preparation. He developed the ACT/SAT curriculums at two separate education centers in Southern California, and has been an official AP History grader for ten years, with extensive knowledge of all AP History curriculums. Eric earned a PhD in history from the University of Minnesota in 2012 and has published multiple articles in professional historical journals. Eric’s has also taught several nonfiction writing classes and can help people with all stages of essay writing, from brainstorming to final edits. After spending many years in many educational roles, Eric has found that his favorite kind of teaching is working with engaged students one-on-one. He takes pride in his ability to connect with people, and to take complex ideas and explain them in ways students can understand.
Courses available with Eric:
Test Prep Available with Eric:
Jon Fermo earned his B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from Vanderbilt University, where he won the prestigious Arnold Prize in Design, and an MA in Education from the City College of New York. He has taught middle school and high school math courses for over 10 years in private and public schools, including The Masters School and Horace Greeley, earning teaching certifications in both Connecticut and New York. Jon believes learning is most effective in an engaging and encouraging environment, inseparable from the academic experience. He enjoys playing tennis, following the stock market, and watching Jeopardy.
Heather earned her MBA in Finance from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and her B.Sc. & M.Sc. from McGill University. She’s been tutoring since high school and enjoyed passing on her knowledge and expertise to other students. Heather has taught students in a wide range of topics, from all levels of math, mandarin, to SAT, GMAT, TOEFL, to business school classes (both undergrad & MBA levels), etc. She’s particularly good at using plain language and fun examples to explain abstract topics, as well as design test-taking strategies to help students improve and maximize test scores.
Jessica started tutoring math when she was 18 and despite loving it, she fell into the world of market research. She applied the skills she learned as a math major while working as a data analyst at Internet media companies such as Yahoo and BuzzFeed. She has since taught as Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning at the New School in NYC, and is now teaching at Montclair State University in NJ, as an instructor in the mathematics department. Jessica completed an M.S. in Mathematics Education degree at Montclair State University 2021 and a B.A. in Mathematics from Northeastern University in Boston in 2011. Jessica’s goal is to rewrite the narrative of “I’m just not a math person” and make math class better for all. When she’s not teaching or tutoring, she’s practicing her Spanish, eating tacos while trying the spiciest salsas, and leading her team in winning Trivia Nights.
Michelle is a PhD student in Computational Neuroscience at the University of Chicago. Prior to pursuing her PhD, she got her bachelors in Astrophysics from Brown University and Masters in Beam and Accelerator Physics from the US Particle Accelerator School – Indiana University. She did this while working as a theoretical neuroscience researcher in the Zuckerman Institute at Columbia University. Michelle is passionate about all STEM topics and loves sharing that passion with her students. She takes a tailored approach to each student based on their interests and needs whether they want to explore a topic of their own interest or they need to prepare for an upcoming exam. She enjoys building a one-on-one rapport with each student and fostering that relationship across the student’s academic career. This often includes exposing the student to subfields that they may not have known existed but help enliven their own passions and confidence.
Tressa Thompson received her B.S. in Civil Engineering, after which she joined the Peace Corps and taught secondary physics and math in Cameroon. Upon returning to the United States, she continued working in the realms of youth development and education. Tressa graduated from NYU in 2020 with her M.A. in International Education, after which she taught 8th grade STEM at an independent school in Brooklyn. She loves a lot of things, including wandering through the woods for days at a time, running, biking, eating delicious food with good friends, both reading and smelling books, and social justice. Tressa can help you crush the ACT/SAT or the AP Calc test, befriend algebra, and learn to love physics. She centers her work with students on relationship-building, and Tressa believes that “success” can mean a lot of different things for different people.
Maggie is a graduate of Colgate University’s undergraduate and graduate programs. She spent several years working in publishing on murder mysteries before she realized how much she missed working with students and began teaching in Brooklyn. After three years teaching US History, Reading Intervention, and English for grades 5-8 at Success Academy, she returned to Colgate for her Master of Arts in Teaching.
She now teaches English 9 and a few upper level English elective courses at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, NY. She loves being back in the classroom with students and working one on one with students through tutoring. Maggie’s areas of expertise are in English and History, with some experience in AP Language and Creative Writing. She currently lives in Greenwich and when not working with students, is trying to learn to play tennis or finding the best burrito in town.
Parker has taught physics and math at boarding schools in Massachusetts and Connecticut for five years. He has worked at Phillips Academy, Choate Rosemary Hall and at Taft School, where he currently teaches an introductory physics course to 9th and 10th graders. Parker attended Phillips Academy, studied physics and astrophysics at Harvard University and is pursuing a master’s of science degree in applied physics from Johns Hopkins University. Parker was a member of the rowing team at Harvard and pursued rowing after graduation for a couple of years. What Parker enjoys most about teaching physics is helping students connect with the physical world and develop problem solving skills that can be applied beyond the classroom. Using a structured and student-focused approach, Parker connects with young, motivated students on many different fronts and allows students to tap into their potential through hard work and persistence.
Kathy earned her Bachelor’s Degree from UMass Amherst and her Masters in Education from Tufts University. She has taught as an adjunct professor at Middlesex Community College, Fitchburg State University and UMass Amherst, and taught as a high school English teacher in Waltham, Belmont and Lynn school districts over her 20 years of experience in education. She finds the most rewarding aspects of being an educator are making connections with students and facilitating their success. She is known for versatility and her ability to develop rapport in working with students of all ages. She has 24-year old twins, two cats and one dog.
Laura has over 14 years of experience teaching and tutoring. She has taught in both private and public schools. She is a New York State certified teacher in early childhood through middle school education.
Laura has a master’s degree in education from Bank Street College of Education. Her post graduate studies have included both the science of reading, reading and writing workshop and various math curriculums. She is a subject matter expert in reading and writing. Over the years she has taught many different grade levels encompassing a wide range of learners. Laura is a skilled Executive Function coach with expertise in helping children from elementary to college age. She is experienced in helping students develop critical skills in organization, time management, focus and task prioritization. Laura understands how to support children with ADHD, learning differences and executive function challenges to build effective study habits, manage academic demands and foster independence. She is passionate about empowering clients to achieve greater independence and success in both personal and professional growth. Laura establishes a friendly, calm, and nurturing rapport with her students. Through structured time and dedicated lessons, she is able to guide students to take risks and learn. While not teaching, Laura enjoys traveling, working out and listening to music. She lives in Greenwich, CT with her two sons and their dog Blaze.
Melissa graduated from Cornell University, where she majored in History with minors in German and Latin American studies. Melissa started her EF coaching and teaching career in college, where she helped students strengthen their writing across the disciplines, logging over 1000 hours. After graduation, she moved to Tokyo, Japan, where she taught English as a second language to middle school students. Presently, Melissa is pursuing her master’s degree in social studies education at Brown University. Melissa is also a private tutor, helping students of all ages excel in history, writing, English and Spanish, as well as the college admissions process. As a tutor and mentor, she strives to build meaningful connections with her students, empower them, and help them realize their full potential inside and outside the classroom. As an experienced Executive Function Coach, she excels at planning, organization, and task initiation.
Eve earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California Berkeley and her MBA from Columbia. She’s been tutoring professionally for ten years, in all levels K-12 in English, Writing, AP English and History and Government, Social Studies, Exam Preparation, College Essays, Study Skills and Organization. Trained through a renown New England test preparation organization, she is an expert test prep instructor, offering SAT and ACT Reading and Writing, SSAT, ISEE, GED, ASWAB, PSAT and Praxis I and II. Guaranteed 30-50% score increase using her patented MC method. Her upbeat personality, knowledge of learning, role modeling and gentle guidance has enabled her to help many students go beyond their wildest dreams in her ten years of experience. Working with struggling students of all ages has taught her how important it is to possess patience, a sense of humor and the ability to instill a belief in students that they can and will succeed.
Test Prep Available with Eve:
Jon graduated from Pomona College, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. He has taught writing, philosophy, literature, coding, and German language courses for over six years at Cornell, and has worked with many high-school students as a college admissions counselor and test prep tutor. Jon prides himself on working with students of diverse cultural, learning, and academic contexts. When not teaching, Jon is busy researching linguistics and computational approaches to language. He has worked with several top scholars in his field; edited and published academic books and journals; and been awarded several research fellowships. In his free time Jon enjoys woodworking, DIY electronics, cycling, and guitar.
Ilya Gofman has worked in the test prep industry for over 15 years. He started tutoring shortly after graduating from Yale and continued tutoring through graduate school and as part of his professional life. His extensive experience allows him to break standardized test questions down into specific question types and provide strategies for each type. He has also worked with students of all skill levels and can adapt his approach based on each student’s strengths and weaknesses. In addition to standardized test tutoring, he has taught as an adjunct professor of philosophy at several universities including Southern CT State and Sacred Heart. Much of his experience teaching at the college level has involved helping students become clearer thinkers and better writers. Ilya’s background in the humanities allows him to provide academic help for any humanities-related subject, including English Literature, Philosophy, History, Psychology, and Sociology. He is also comfortable tutoring math up to the Pre-Calculus level.
William uses proprietary database software and practice questions from official guides and major schools to teach the strategies students need to learn in order to do well on their exams. To identify their weak areas and focus on them more deeply, he employs data analysis to track his students’ performance on the application of the strategies and principles required to do well on the exam. William earned degrees in Architecture and Business at the University of California at Berkeley.
