Our team of tutors is ready to help with your academic needs
PRESIDENT & FOUNDER
Andrea
A Minnesota native, she has a Master’s in Education from the University of Minnesota, attended Yale for her B.A. in History, and graduated cum laude from The Blake School. Andrea is a credentialed social studies teacher and has experience working as a classroom teacher as well as in one-on-one settings. Starting out as a volunteer, Andrea discovered her passion for education and tutoring in 2000. Her professional tutoring career began in 2006 when she began providing formal academic and test prep tutoring.
Andrea and Kay Tutoring specialize in helping kids meet their overall goals with respect to school, test prep, and college application and essay writing. While she is incredibly invested in helping her students achieve academic success, Andrea strives to make personal connections with all of her students via their interests, realizing that each student is more than just a letter grade or a test score.
Andrea is skilled at helping college applicants prep for interviews and write stand-out admissions essays, having worked with students on their applications for over 15 years now. She has a unique and qualified perspective, having seen the other side of the college application process as an Interviewer for Yale University. She is able to bring this wealth of experience every time she takes a student through the college application process.
Fun facts: Andrea played NCAA Division I Varsity Basketball at Yale, ran Kay Tutoring from San Francisco for six years before moving back to Minnesota in 2012 and re-opening in Minnetonka and was an avid dog volunteer for over five years at the San Francisco SPCA. She named Kay Tutoring after her maiden name, "Kay." Andrea lives with her husband, two daughters, and dog in Plymouth, Minnesota.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mallory
Mallory is the Executive Director of Kay Tutoring and, before that, was the Director of Education and a senior English language arts instructor for the company beginning in 2016. A graduate of The University of St. Thomas, Mallory obtained her degree in English, Secondary Education, and Communications/Journalism. Having graduated from both high school and UST with a 3.97 GPA/summa cum laude honors, Mallory is as dedicated to her own education as she is to the education of her students. She currently attends graduate school at St. Catherine University because she loves learning and considers continuing education to be her hobby. She is a licensed 5-12 teacher who has years of experience teaching middle and high school students in both the classroom as well as one-on-one. She has tutored students of all levels in regular and honors English Language Arts, AP Literature & Composition, AP Language and Composition, ACT English, ACT Reading, ACT Essay, SAT Writing & Language, SAT Reading, SAT Essay, PSAT Reading, PSAT Writing & Language, College Essay, and Reading Enrichment. This experience helps her when making business-related decisions because she herself was once a teacher and tutor.
Mallory believes that the most valuable asset one can obtain in life is a quality education. Education is what creates successful, mindful, intelligent, and proactive citizens. It is for this reason that she has dedicated her life to the vocation of teaching so as to equip future generations with the tools necessary to build a better world for everyone. Mallory adores tutoring and working for Kay Tutoring because working one-on-one with students allows for maximum growth with measurable results. She is passionate about the work our tutors do and uses her up-to-date knowledge of teaching practices to ensure our tutors engage their students and foster active participation in their own learning.
In her free time, Mallory enjoys attending graduate school, reading literature, playing the piano, running with her dog, golfing, and city volleyball leagues.
ASSISTANT
PROCTOR
Christina
Christina is a Minnesota native who attended school in the Wayzata area. At Orono Senior High School, she participated in the National Honor Society and Long Lake Rowing Crew. She completed several AP classes and exams with an average high school GPA of 3.8 and AP test scores of 5/5.
From there, Christina landed an athletic scholarship on the Division I Women’s Rowing Team at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. On top of her rigorous course load as a science major, Christina spent 20+ hours each week at rowing practice and competitions. Despite a challenging schedule, she remained dedicated to her studies and received the Academic All-Big Ten Selection University of Minnesota Award. She also took on the role of President of the Lutheran Student Fellowship at The University of Minnesota. Christina hosted and organized various student and volunteer events through this student group. After graduating from the U of M with a Bachelor’s degree in Physiology and a Minor in Neuroscience, she secured a position as a Medical Scribe and Assistant at a pain clinic where she worked for two years.
Christina is currently working for Kay Tutoring as a test proctor, administrative assistant, and tutor. Christina is available to tutor biology, neuroscience, and psychology. Working with high school and college-level students, new rowers, and new scribes in the past has fostered a passion in her for mentoring and teaching. She believes that investing time into the education of future generations is both an honor and a privilege. In addition to working for Kay Tutoring, Christina engages in cardiac rhythm analysis for Medtronic Medical Device Company. She enjoys hiking and spending time outdoors with her husband and puppy in her spare time. She expresses her creative side through crochet, sewing, bracelet weaving, and other hand-crafted products, which she sells on Etsy and at local markets.
DIRECTOR
TUTOR
Claire
Claire attended Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School, where she participated in theater productions and choir. Following her passion for education, Claire majored in education and minored in theology education at Saint Catherine University, where she graduated with a 3.8 GPA. She has classroom teaching and tutoring experience with grades K-8 at both private and public schools and continues to stay up-to-date on current pedagogy and teaching methods.
During college and postgraduate, Claire tutored pre-kindergarten through middle school students in math, English, science, and social studies. While tutoring, she prioritizes incorporating students’ interests into the course material to make it engaging and interesting for each student. Claire loves that tutoring allows her to create personal connections with each student, and she adores reigniting their excitement for learning.
Currently, Claire works at Kay Tutoring as the Assistant Director and tutors elementary and middle school students. Before coming to Kay, she worked as the recruitment and hiring manager for College Nannies and Tutors. Additionally, she has worked as a dance instructor at her mother’s studio for over ten years, teaching various dance styles to all ages. She has also worked as an administrator for her husband’s family-owned ice cream shops since 2016. Having helped grow two family-owned businesses over the last 6+ years, Claire brings to Kay Tutoring her intimate knowledge of small business operations.
In her free time, Claire enjoys baking, DIY home projects, crafting, and frequenting dog-friendly restaurants with her dog, Honey.
DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING
TUTOR
Abhik
Hi! I’m Abhik! I grew up in the suburbs of Washington D.C., in Ellicott City, Maryland. After graduating high school, where I was Maryland State Champion in Policy Debate, I attended college at the University of California, Berkeley. At Berkeley, I studied the Political Economy of East Asia and took several years of Korean. While in college, I served in a variety of leadership roles, including Captain of the Berkeley Policy Debate Team, Senior World Editor of the Berkeley Political Review, President of the Bay Area Urban Debate League Bears, and Senior Advisor to the Berkeley Chapter of Project Rishi. While at Berkeley, I also interned in the Office of Policy of the U.S. Agency for International Development, where I discovered my passion for combating global poverty.
After graduating, I lived in South Korea on a U.S. Fulbright Grant, where I conducted research on the startup ecosystem in Seoul in addition to teaching conversational English. While in Korea, I also served as a Staff Editor for Infusion, Fulbright Korea's literary magazine. Upon returning to D.C., I worked at the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, where I routinely met with counterparts at the U.S. State Department and the Department of Defense, among others. I have experience writing for a variety of notable audiences, with my work in international development and diplomacy cited in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Foreign Policy Magazine, and the Congressional Research Service. My satirical work has also been featured in McSweeney's Internet Tendency.
Currently, I am a Doctoral Candidate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where I study Development Economics within UNC's Public Policy Department. At Chapel Hill, I have taught coursework at all levels, including graduate classes in microeconomics and public finance, as well as undergraduate courses in cost-benefit analysis, research design, causal inference, domestic labor economics, and the ethical considerations undergirding modern policy debates.
At Kay Tutoring, I tutor high school and college-level Economics, International Relations, Social Studies, Extracurricular Hook Coaching, and College Essay Writing. Students I have worked with have gained admission to Top 20 programs at both the undergraduate and graduate level, including Columbia University’s Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Duke University School of Law, Brown University, Weill Cornell Medicine, Dartmouth College, Northwestern University’s School of Engineering, UCLA, Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, Washington University in St. Louis, and the University of California, Berkeley (Go Bears!).
TUTOR
Alex
Hey, I’m Alex! I graduated magna cum laude from American University with a degree in philosophy and am currently an MFA candidate in fiction at Columbia University. My fiction and book reviews have been published in nationally distributed literary magazines, recognized in the Kenyon Review's Short Fiction Contest, and nominated for a 2021 PEN/Robert J. Dau Award for Best Debut Short Story.
I taught high school and middle school English for five years before coming to Kay Tutoring. After college, I taught tenth grade in the Mississippi Delta, where my students taught me how literature and art can be tools of social justice and political change. I then moved to Minneapolis and took a position at KIPP Northstar Academy. At KIPP, I taught in a 5th-grade English Language Arts classroom, worked as a literacy coach and reading specialist, and designed and implemented an original curriculum for the school’s first gifted and talented program. I also coached the KIPP slam poetry team.
At Kay Tutoring, I coach college essay writing and ACT/SAT prep. I have helped students compose successful admissions essays to some of the country’s most selective colleges, including Stanford, Brown, Dartmouth, Tufts, University of Chicago, Yale, Northwestern, Emory, Colorado College, and others. I love to help students rise to meet their potential as writers and test-takers, and I am especially interested in helping students find their voice through the writing process.
My foreign language studies also enable me to tutor all levels of high school Spanish and German, and my executive functioning skills allow me to excel as an academic coach.
I grew up in western Montana, but I currently live in New Haven, Connecticut with my wife, Natalie, and cat, Mississippi.
TUTOR
Caitlin
Hello! My name is Caitlin, and I grew up in Minnetonka and attended Minnetonka High School. After graduating, I went on to attend Colgate University in Central New York. While at Colgate, I worked at the Admissions Office, Career Center, and spent two summers conducting history research with my favorite French history professor. In my spare time, I also spent two years working with a Colgate alumni from the Rockefeller Archives, helping him scour the Colgate Archive for information for Colgate’s Bicentennial project.
After graduating from Colgate with my Bachelor’s Degree in History, I went on to work at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) as an Assistant Director of Admissions. As the regional representative for Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, I got to know college counselors throughout these states and helped students apply to CMU. I primarily reviewed applications and admitted students for the School of Computer Science, the Tepper School of Business, and the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences. I left Carnegie Mellon to pursue my dream of earning a Ph.D. in History, which led me to Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts.
For six years, I attended Brandeis University as I earned my Masters Degree and Ph.D. in History. Throughout this time, I worked as an SAT and ACT English, Reading, and Writing tutor, and I worked for a college counseling firm to help students throughout the college application process. I also spent four years as a senior writing consultant at the Brandeis Writing Center, helping undergraduates, graduates, and professors with their writing and publications. Finally, I worked as a teaching assistant and instructor, teaching seven undergraduate history courses on topics ranging from Medieval history, World War I and World War II, and Immigration history. My dissertation focused on Norwegian immigration to Minnesota in the 19th century, examining how Norwegian immigrant women claimed land through the Homestead Act after the forceful dispossession of the Dakota people from their homeland in Minnesota. As the descendant of Norwegian, Swedish, and German immigrants, this topic was both personal and professional, and helped me better understand my own family’s history in Minnesota.
Throughout my years as an educator, I have enjoyed helping students improve their reading, writing, and history skills. Whether that is helping students connect to the material or trusting their perspective and writing voice, I value each student’s viewpoint and I am always excited to learn from the students I teach.
I can’t wait to meet you!
TUTOR
Brigitte
Five years after a highly successful Business Day with Andrea Kay as her partner, Brigitte graduated cum laude from Blake. She attended Stanford for her undergraduate studies, graduating with honors in Public Policy. After college, she worked as a management consultant and a nonprofit consultant in North America, Europe, and Africa. She then attended the University of California, San Diego for her doctorate in political science and then worked for the Varieties of Democracy Project at the University of Gothenburg for one year before assuming her current position as an Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
What might be of particular interest to Kay Tutoring clients is that Brigitte parlayed her Senior Project at Blake into a career: volunteering in Malawi as an 18 year old turned into a decade of research in Malawi, and Brigitte now advises government agencies, aid organizations, and grassroots nonprofits across the country. Having worked as a TA and professor at four universities across the world, her role at Kay Tutoring is to ensure that tutoring services prepare students holistically for the demands of today's college life. She conveys her observations as a college professor so that Kay Tutoring can work towards college readiness in addition to college acceptance.
TUTOR
Carolyn
Carolyn is a native of central Wisconsin who moved to Minnesota to attend St. Olaf College where she graduated magna cum laude with Bachelor's degrees in English and Women's Studies, for which she was awarded Distinction upon graduation. A lifelong writer, she earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing with a focus on fiction from Hamline University and has had two novels published. Carolyn began teaching and tutoring all levels of communications and writing at the post-secondary level in graduate school before beginning a writing center at White Bear Lake Area High School. A tutor for over 16 years, Carolyn has returned to the post-secondary world where she now coordinates tutoring programs at Anoka-Ramsey Community College.
Carolyn began tutoring students on college essays for Kay Tutoring in 2017 because she missed the personal interaction with students. She is now the Director of College Essays and has worked closely with Andrea on developing and shaping the College Essay program into a service that helps students reach for and achieve their college entrance goals. Carolyn is dedicated to the writing process, working individually with students through every step and tailoring her coaching and support to help each writer reach their highest writing potential. Students who have worked with Carolyn have been accepted at nearly every top institution in the country, including Princeton University, Northwestern University, Dartmouth College, Amherst College, Cornell University, Stanford University, Georgetown University, and Brown University.
Outside of her professional world of words, Carolyn also spends time on her own writing and loves to curl up with a good book. A long-distance runner who has completed twenty marathons and dozens of half-marathons, Carolyn also spends a great deal of her free time hitting the pavement in her running shoes. She lives in Blaine with her husband, two children, and two dogs.
TUTOR
Christian
Christian is a born-and-raised Minnesotan who specializes in ACT/SAT Reading/English tutoring, academic literature and language arts tutoring, and academic coaching. He comes to Kay Tutoring after serving as a high school and middle school English teacher for the past 5 years. Christian especially loves connecting with his students both in-person and online by making sessions fun and engaging.
Christian grew up in Richfield and graduated magna cum laude from Winona State University with a degree in Communication Arts and Literature and a secondary ELA Minnesota teaching license. Fueled by his passion for writing, reading, and helping others, he has taught over 1000 students at the Circle of Life Academy in White Earth, Prior Lake High School, Faribault Middle School, and Insight School of MN. Thanks to his variety of teaching experiences both in-person and online, Christian is adept at teaching the nuances of English grammar, advanced reading comprehension, literary analysis, and vocabulary development to his students on all platforms.
Christian lives at the edge of Crystal and New Hope with his wife, newborn daughter, and one-year-old Holland lop bunny. Christian enjoys everything nerdy! His hobbies include video gaming, watching movies and tv shows, reading books, and listening to music. He spends his days enjoying his family and finding time for a bit of gaming or football. Christian is also a diehard Vikings fan and loves almost every Minnesota team. Skol Vikings!
TUTOR
Deborah
Deborah received her bachelor of science degree from Purdue University and her Ph.D. in biochemistry. She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Oregon Health Sciences University. She spent two years as a National Institute of Health senior fellow with Dr. Melissa A. Brown and administered a federally funded research program centered on Interleukin-4 at Williams College. She spent six years teaching freshman chemistry and biochemistry at Williams as well.
From there, she moved to The Blake School and taught regular biology, AP biology, regular chemistry, AP chemistry, and honors chemistry for 20 years. During her time at Blake, Deborah developed the curriculum for the AP sciences courses she was teaching and, ultimately, received the Juliet Nelson Award in 2002.
While Deborah recognizes the importance of grades, she focuses her instruction on students’ true understanding of the content. Deborah has found that when the importance of learning is emphasized over grades, students achieve greater mastery and are better off in the long term. Over her many years of teaching, Deborah’s educational philosophy has served her students well.
Deborah enjoys traveling in her free time and has more of that now that she is retired from classroom teaching. From Florida to the Faroe Islands, Deborah loves adventuring in new places.
TUTOR
Eric
Eric grew up in Edina and graduated from Edina High School. He also attended Augsburg University where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry while also tutoring chemistry labs. Eric obtained his Master’s in Education at Augsburg University and currently teaches high school chemistry at Shakopee High. Eric tutors chemistry and ACT Science test prep for Kay Tutoring. Outside of science, Eric is also an academic coach, helping students with executive functioning and study skills.
Even in high school, Eric loved helping other students better understand scientific concepts. As an educator, Eric loves to help students see problems from different perspectives, and he is driven by observing the “lightbulb” moments of realization. He also believes that teaching students to be better learners is the most important skill to pass on.
When he has time between school and work, Eric loves to go to the movies or play a board game. As a native Minnesotan, he loves to get out to the Minnesota lakes during the summer as much as possible and watch the Vikings on Sundays with his family.
TUTOR
Grant
Hello! I’m Grant, and I can’t wait to work with you! A little about me: I graduated from the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities with a 3.943 GPA and Bachelor of Science degrees in Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering. While there, I was awarded 5 different merit-based math scholarships in the College of Science and Engineering (CSE) and was on the Dean’s List. I’m local to the Twin Cities, having grown up in Eden Prairie and attended Eden Prairie High School, where I participated in Eden Prairie Community Education’s FIRST robotics programs. I took all of my high school’s AP exam offerings for math (AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, and AP Statistics) as well as a variety of humanities APs. These experiences have given me insight into the rigorous expectations of AP classes and what AP students I tutor are going through.
For Kay Tutoring, I support students in middle school math, algebra I, geometry, algebra II, regular calculus, honors calculus, AP Calculus AB and BC, regular high school statistics, college statistics, AP Statistics, regular high school physics, honors physics, AP Physics, and college physics.
I’ve worked as a tutor and mentor for years, with a range of experiences: I’ve run STEM summer camps for 3rd-8th graders, tutored high school and college math, worked as a teaching assistant (TA) for undergraduate students at the U of M, and am currently the head mentor for a high school Robotics team. Though I work as an engineer, I have a passion for teaching, tutoring, and mentoring that compels me to tutor math and coach Robotics students outside of my full-time engineering job. My proficiency in programming languages such as Python and C++ gives me the ability to support computer science students, as well. I am versed in both online and in-person tutoring, though I prefer in-person tutoring due to the opportunity it provides for connection and rapport building with students.
Outside of working as an engineer and tutor, I love coaching Eden Prairie kids of all ages in Community Education robotics programming. When I’m not doing that, you’ll find me out on the golf course (weather permitting)!
TUTOR
Ingy
Hello! My name is Ingy and I’m the Executive Lead of Kay Tutoring's Math Department. In addition to tutoring ACT Math and ACT Science, I also tutor the following subjects: math for grades K-12 (including AP Calculus AB and BC, IB Math, and the Math 1 and Math 2 SAT Subject Tests) as well as through all levels of math in higher education. Outside of math tutoring, I’m also an academic coach, who helps students with executive functioning and study skills.
I graduated magna cum laude from the International School of Choueifat in Egypt, which is part of the SABIS network of schools, which includes the International School of Minnesota. My school recruited me into tutoring at the young age of six through the school’s peer tutoring program. I found it to be so enjoyable that I continued on with the program through graduation. After graduating, I matriculated into the University of Minnesota (3.6 GPA), where I immediately began working again as a tutor in all levels of math and chemistry while earning my degree in mathematics and actuarial science. I tutored and taught all four years there, which included serving as a Talented Youth Teaching Assistant through the MathCEP program (UMTYMP) where I taught pre-calculus to middle school students. I also became a Level III Certified Master Tutor through the College Reading & Learning Association.
My two years of experience as a Community Advisor and President of the Women in Mathematics Association helps me show high school students how their math and/or ACT/SAT studies are relevant to college coursework, as well as the importance of developing excellent study habits as a high schooler to ensure college success.
I am currently completing my Masters Degree in Mathematics for Teaching at Harvard University. My brilliant instructors have helped me examine different teaching styles and revisit familiar math topics from a new viewpoint, adding even more skills to my toolbox that I can bring to students.
Fun facts about me—I loved model UN and pediatric volunteer work as a high schooler. I’m also an avid traveler. I’ve been to over 20 countries with no plan of stopping there!
TUTOR
Jesse
Hey there—I’m Jesse! I graduated with a Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota. Before that, I double graduated from Luther college with a 3.97 GPA and degrees in mathematics and physics. There, I was a member of the National Math and Physics Honor Societies. Before college, I took on an extremely rigorous course load during my time at Winona High School, so I know what it’s like for teens today to try and juggle it all.
I am the head of the STEM department at Kay Tutoring. I tutor students in Test Prep (ACT - math and science, SAT - math), all levels of high school and college math, and all levels of high school and college physics. I also assist students with executive functioning and study skills through academic coaching. I’ve been tutoring for over five years, which has refined my ability to break down complex concepts in a way that students can identify with, using real-world analogies to make science and math exciting! I plan to educate full-time for my entire career as I feel math and science instruction are my calling. Part of my ability to relate to kids comes from growing up with six younger siblings. I find the energy and creativity of the next generation to be fascinating, and I feel so lucky to influence the future leaders of America. I’ve spent several summers working at various summer camps with a wide variety of youth, including working at family camps, working as an overnight counselor for a youth camp of children on the autism spectrum, to working as an outdoor youth adventure counselor in Big Sky Montana.
Outside of tutoring, I like to volunteer at the Animal Humane Society by walking dogs. I’m also an avid ultimate frisbee player, rock climber, and volleyball player. I captained an ultimate frisbee team for 2 years at Luther and play club volleyball year round. In high school, I played the trumpet in the jazz band, did all-state orchestra, competed on the knowledge bowl team, was on the swim team, and did NHS. To this day, I’m a huge sports fan (Twins, Lynx, Wolves), and take great pride in being a Minnesotan and Packers fan! Go Pack Go!
TUTOR
Joe
Joseph Sebestyen tutors AP US History, AP European History, AP Government, AP World, and various social studies elective courses for Kay Tutoring. He is currently a High School Assistant Principal with Hampton Township School District, which is a suburban school district north of Pittsburgh, PA. He is also an adjunct professor for the Virginia Community College Association teacher certification program Educate VA. Previously, he taught secondary social studies in North Carolina, Washington D.C., Fairfax County Schools in Virginia, and Pennsylvania. He has tutored students in various subjects, including all AP History courses and IB History courses during his tenure in education, and has successfully helped coach kids to their goal scores on the AP and IB exams, which include the top scores possible on each exam.
As a teacher, during his time with Fairfax County Schools in Virginia, Joe and his colleague raised the passing rate for paper 3 of the IB exam from 20% to 90%, helping many high school students earn three to six college credits. In 2016, Joe won the local VFW teacher of the year. He also completed his Master's in Education Leadership and Policy Studies at the end of 2016 from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and received his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Pittsburgh in 2021.
After leaving the classroom in 2017, Joe became the Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Technology for a Private Special Education school and an administrator for Baldwin High School. He has also been a consultant for Qatar Foundation International (QFI), where he developed historical subject guides on the Arab world for teachers. Joe has also presented on his literacy teaching techniques in the social studies classroom annually at the American Historical Association in 2020 and 2021. Recently, he was invited to present at the OER project in August which brings together social studies teachers from around the country to learn from one another.
Joe is passionate about taking the mystery out of social studies writing for students by teaching students the explicit writing techniques and tools they need to achieve top scores as well as become excellent writers, which will serve them throughout their collegiate time and beyond. He is able to quickly develop a rapport with students and just as quickly works to pinpoint and remediate their trouble areas. In addition, Joe excels in putting together private one-on-one tutoring programs and summer workshops to either remediate or enrich students’ social studies skills, which include writing, critical thinking, and much more.
Joe has coached football, baseball, and soccer at middle and high school levels and enjoys building positive relationships with students in the extracurricular setting. He was also the 2015 class sponsor for his high school in Virginia. Joe is married and has three daughters under five years old. During his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, cooking, woodworking, and reading.
TUTOR
Julie
Julie grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, where she attended the nation’s oldest public school, Boston Latin School, and graduated with a 3.85 GPA. Julie moved to Minnesota to attend St. Olaf College, where she graduated with a 3.7 GPA, a B.A. in English, and a Minnesota state teaching license in Communication Arts and Literature. She went on to receive a 4.0 in her M.Ed in Curriculum and Education at the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities. After working at Prior Lake High School for a number of years, Julie moved back to Massachusetts and currently teaches at Sharon High School.
As a teacher, Julie enjoys not only the daily opportunities to help students find connections to the literature they are analyzing but also the daily opportunities to help students become more clear and cohesive in their writing. She is excited to bring this to her ACT tutoring as well as her general English tutoring by giving students the practical knowledge needed to succeed on their tests and helping them to see the relevance to their academic writing. She also understands that most students aren’t exactly excited about ACT prep, so she ensures her lessons are fast-paced and engaging.
Outside of teaching, Julie enjoys biking to find new places to explore, taking classes to engage with her community and to learn new skills, and, of course, finding new books to read and enjoy. Julie has also spent time coaching rowing, judging and coaching speech and debate, and serving as the staff advisor for her school’s literary magazine, Euphony.
TUTOR
Kacey
Welcome to my bio—I’m Kacey! I am an elementary education teacher whose passion for inspiring life-long learners was ignited as a young adult. I tutored in elementary schools as a highschooler and taught children's robotics classes throughout college, which eventually culminated in my pursuit of Bachelor’s and Master's degrees in Elementary Education from the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, where I graduated with a 3.92 GPA.
I taught for the Anoka-Hennepin district for three years as a kindergarten and first grade teacher and was appointed Grade Level Team Lead in my third year due to my strong leadership skills. I led all the classroom instruction and also met with students in small groups or individually to tailor curriculum to meet their specific needs.
At Kay tutoring, I tutor students in K-5 math and reading. I understand how to work with students to best prepare them to exceed Minnesota grade level standards, and I pride myself in making learning both fun and approachable for every student.
My love of teaching carries into my spare time as well! I am a certified yoga teacher, and I nanny small children to ensure they meet developmental milestones. I can usually be found with a book in my hand or trail hiking while listening to audiobooks. I love books in any form!
Karl
TUTOR
Hey, Karl here! I can’t wait to get started with you! A local to Minnesota, I was born and raised in the West Metro and have been teaching and tutoring students for the past 10 years. A graduate of Orono High School, I attended The University of Iowa for my bachelor’s, majoring in English and Theatre. After living in New York City for three years, I moved back home to earn my Master’s in Instruction from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. I hold an active Gr. 5-12 Communication Arts and Literature license in Minnesota and am currently in my eighth year of classroom instruction.
My passion for fostering student growth and helping students achieve excellence is demonstrated every day in my commitment to teaching grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension, writing skills, literary analysis, and other pillars of the English language arts (ELA). Beyond the 5th-12th grade literature and language arts curriculum, I have a passion for ACT/SAT/PSAT test prep. Beginning with my own experience preparing for college, I have enjoyed studying for these exams myself and found fulfillment in helping others earn higher scores to unlock more college doors and opportunities in the future. I have been tutoring college admissions test prep in the West Metro for the past decade, and I look forward to helping you achieve your specific testing goals as well.
Beyond ELA skills and test prep, I love helping students develop a school management style that helps them thrive. Organizing, planning, managing time, studying, and other executive functioning skills don’t come naturally to everyone, but everyone can be taught to be an all-star student. That’s why I’m also an academic coach. Tutoring allows me to reach students in a way my classroom teaching doesn’t: one-on-one, customized instruction built on a strong foundation of the kind of rapport that can only be gotten from individualized teaching and learning.
For Kay Tutoring, I support students in middle and high school English Language Arts courses as well as ELA enrichment and remediation; ACT English and Reading; Digital SAT Reading and Writing; SAT Essay; Digital PSAT Reading and Writing (PSAT-8/9, PSAT-10, PSAT/NMSQT); middle school standardized testing (CogAT, MCA, SSAT, ISEE, CTP-5); and academic (executive functioning) coaching.
In my personal life, I enjoy taking care of my two boys, keeping current with prestige cinema, watching football (Skol!), and searching for the best bagel in Minneapolis. As a writer, I have co-authored the lyrics to songs that have over 100 million streams on Spotify, and I am working on a novel. For fun, I attend local pub trivia once a week; my focus lately is geography. I can’t wait to get to know you and your interests!
TUTOR
Kyle
Welcome to my bio! My name is Kyle, and, though I’ve tutored math students for over 12 years, I still feel the same level of enthusiasm for tutoring today as when I first started. I feel so lucky to have found the unending joy of helping students learn the subject that I love and respect so much. I find it especially rewarding to adapt to the varying needs of students and help them succeed in achieving their unique potential and personal learning goals. I tutor all levels of K-12 regular, honors, and AP math for Kay Tutoring, as well as SAT Math, ACT Math, and ACT Science. I am also passionate about academic coaching—a service that allows me to aid students in executive functioning, planning, study skills, and general student-life management.
My experience tutoring math began at Mathnasium Learning Center in Grand Rapids, MI, which made me their Lead Math Tutor in 2012, Assistant Center Director in 2013, and Center Director in 2014. In addition to assessing students, training tutors, and overseeing learning plans for elementary, middle, and high school students, I continued to tutor all levels of middle and high school math one-on-one. I first discovered my passion for math tutoring in 2011 by tutoring part-time while earning my Master of Education in School Counseling degree at Grand Valley State University, where I graduated with a 3.96 GPA. After this experience, I dedicated myself to tutoring math full-time, and the rest—as they say—is history!
During the summer of 2020, my wife, our cat, and I moved to Jakarta, Indonesia for my wife’s work, and I’ve continued to tutor math via Zoom. When I’m not tutoring, I try to get outside. Playing Spikeball with my friends on the beach in Bali and riding a motorbike through the jungle on one of the many beautiful islands are just some of the thrills I enjoy while living abroad!
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Mabel
Hello, I’m Mabel! I am from Argentina, where I attended Universidad Nacional de Córdoba for my bachelor’s degree in Translation. I then came to Minnesota to pursue a master’s degree in speech communication at Minnesota State University, Mankato. I lived in Belgium for 12 years, where I learned to speak French. While there, I enjoyed volunteering at St. John's International School, leading activities with teachers and parents, and volunteering as a Spanish teacher to high school students in preparation for their IB Spanish exam. Once I returned to the United States, I joined The International Spanish Learning Academy, where I gained a passion for tutoring. I am also currently a French instructor for the French Alliance.
My goal for students is to enhance their cultural awareness and sensitivity to customs and cultural differences in language teaching. I take pride in bringing out the best in people while encouraging dialogue on furthering oneself and fostering equity and social change. For Kay Tutoring, I support students in regular k-12, honors, and AP French and Spanish courses.
Outside of tutoring, I enjoy spending time with my husband, traveling, trying foods from different cultures, and exploring the arts and nature. When possible, I love spending family time with my three adult children.
I am so excited to share my languages, knowledge, and experience with you. I can't wait to get to know you and your interests!
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Mercury
Hello—I’m Mercury, and I can’t wait to work with you! Before that, here’s a little about me. I was born in Oregon, grew up in California, and lived all along the West Coast before moving to Minnesota in 2020. I received my B.S. in Mathematics from the highly selective STEM school Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, CA, graduating with honors in 2012, and then spent the next few years studying graduate-level math at the University of Oregon. I also have an interest in chemistry, which led me to become a registered pharmacy technician in Minnesota.
My love of learning has led me to teach in a number of settings, from my first job as a high-school peer tutor to teaching college courses to working as a private academic STEM and SAT/ACT prep instructor. Of these experiences, 1-on-1 tutoring is my favorite mode of instruction, as it gives the greatest opportunity to connect with students on a personalized and individual level. I’ve tutored for a variety of companies and organizations over the years, giving me insight into what works well and what doesn’t. I’m so glad to have found Kay Tutoring, as they are founded and run by teachers! I believe this is why Kay Tutoring is so good at what it does: putting kids’ learning needs first, while simultaneously supporting instructors. Over the years, I’ve worked with students from a wide range of ages, backgrounds, learning styles, and learning differences. I greatly enjoy passing on my love of math and science to the next generation and don’t view learning differences as a bad thing. Rather, I find the challenge of helping a student find success despite—and sometimes because of—their unique learning style to be the most rewarding tutoring outcome of all.
I’m available to tutor in person at Kay Tutoring’s learning center or online, and I tutor the following subjects: middle school math, algebra 1, algebra 2, geometry, pre-calculus, AP Calc AB, AP Calc BC /calculus 1, calculus 2, regular chemistry, honors chemistry, AP Chemistry, general chemistry, regular physics, AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, AP Physics C: E&M, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Biology, high school and early college computer science, ACT Math, SAT Math, PSAT Math, and ACT science.
Outside of work, I enjoy cooking, gardening, gaming, and playing with my adorable cat—Turnip!
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Nathan
Nathan tutors all levels of English, including AP Language & Composition and AP Literature & Composition, the SAT Subject Test in Literature, and ACT/SAT/PSAT Test Prep in the verbal sections. He also supports students in academic coaching and is a college essay and application writing coach. Among the students Nathan has tutored, many have matriculated at top public and private institutions around the country, including the University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University, Oberlin College, Vanderbilt University, Middlebury College, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Nathan is a Minnesota native, growing up just down the road in Delano. He earned his B.A. in English literature with a writing focus from Gustavus Adolphus College before entering into a career as a print journalist. After working for several local papers, he made his way to Washington, D.C., where he wrote for a political blog and gained a penchant for traveling and learning about other parts of the U.S. as well as global cultures.
His curiosity led him back and forth across the country before he gained admittance to the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, where he studied literature and earned his first master’s degree in American literature and culture. Afterward, he lived and worked in Guatemala, Alaska, Cleveland, and San Francisco, working as an adjunct professor of composition and rhetoric. He has since returned to Minnesota so that he could complete his second master’s in Secondary English Language Arts Education and formally receive his teaching licensure.
For Nathan, two master’s degrees just aren’t enough! He hopes to pursue his Ph.D. in literature in the upcoming coming years. Despite his continued education, he sees himself as a lifelong tutor due to the joy that comes from working one-on-one with students to achieve their greatest mastery possible in reading and writing.
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Peter
Welcome to Kay Tutoring! I’m Peter, and I grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and was raised by two MIT-educated parents. My love and deep interest for writing, history, and the human condition led me to pursue my education to the highest level. For my excellence as a professional writer and commitment to leadership in public affairs, I was named a Mondale Fellow by the University of Minnesota’s Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. I received my B.A., cum laude, with Distinction in the Psychology Major, from Yale University; my M.A. in Russian & Eastern European Studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; and my Ph.D. in American Studies at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
During my career as a freelance writer, I’ve published dozens of articles, Op-eds, book reviews, books, and more on a variety of topics related to world history, social justice, literacy, authorship, productivity, self-development, grief, mental health, and much more.
Though writing has made up the bulk of my career, I have a deep interest in giving back to my community and connecting with the young minds that are this world’s future. I feel called to tutoring and mentorship and, before my time at Kay Tutoring, I volunteered as a mentor to high school journalism students, volunteered for the Minneapolis Walk-In Counseling Center, helped students write application essays to graduate school, and worked as a teaching assistant to undergraduate and graduate students, among other mentoring and tutoring roles. I’ve also written on education-related issues and have used my keystroke to advocate for children’s learning.
I tutor Kay Tutoring students ranging from middle school to college-aged. My areas of support include the following: regular English Language Arts, honors ELA, AP Literature & Composition, AP Language & Composition, regular history courses, AP U.S. History, AP Government, AP Human Geography, AP European History, AP World History, select college-level English and history courses, and college essay & application writing. If there is writing, research, literary analysis, or history involved, I’m your guy!
In my not-so-spare time, I enjoy rare book collecting, antiquing, staring happily at all my rare books, photography, talking about my rare books, yoga, nature walks, meditation, reading, and did I mention my rare book collection? A born exhorter, I am a fierce proponent and enthusiastic pursuer of any activities that promote self-development, healing, and growth. I enjoy many of these pursuits from my historic Arts & Crafts home overlooking Lake Minnetonka.
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Shannon
Shannon is a college essay tutor and college counselor for Kay Tutoring. She has extensive experience helping students write compelling, authentic college essays that reveal students’ unique personalities, values, and strengths, as well as advising during the college application process.
After graduating from Benilde-St. Margaret’s high school, Shannon attended St. Olaf College, where she majored in theatre and nearly had a double major in English. After graduating from St. Olaf, she served as a High School Coach with College Possible, where she helped students through the college application and financial aid process. This included a great deal of direct test preparation and college essay and application instruction. In 2017, she returned to St. Olaf and is now an Assistant Dean of Admissions, where she helps families navigate the college admissions process, reads applications, and travels to meet prospective students all across the country. She also enjoys leading the Senior Fellows Program, which is designed around students who are interested in college admissions careers.
Shannon enjoys theatre directing, running, and traveling in her free time. In college, she studied Spanish in Ecuador, history in Italy, and creative writing in England at the University of East Anglia. Most recently, she combined these passions by running the Midnight Sun Marathon in Tromso Norway.
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Sofia
Sofia graduated summa cum laude from Columbia University and was named the Class of 2021 salutatorian. She recently completed her MFA in Writing through Columbia’s School of the Arts, where she will continue teaching fiction writing this fall as an adjunct assistant professor. Her fiction and criticism appear in Adroit, Quarto Magazine, and The Columbia Review Online.
Sofia has a diverse background in education, from teaching as a gallery educator with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to serving as the Director for Columbia Artist/Teachers, a non-profit that provides cost-free writing courses to schools and organizations throughout the Northeast. For the past 2 years, Sofia provided college admissions writing and counseling services to students, to which she brought her background in creative writing and her experience as a student interviewer with Columbia’s Undergraduate Recruitment Committee. Whether working with students on short stories or college essays, her priority is always helping young writers find their voices on the page. She sees the parameters of college essays as an exciting challenge that can push students to develop their confidence and show off their creativity.
Outside of teaching, Sofia enjoys reading, knitting, and learning new trivia (please tell her your best sports facts). She is currently at work on a novel.
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Susan
A veteran high school teacher who recently celebrated her 20th year teaching math at The Blake School, Susan is excited to bring her wealth of teaching experience and passion for mathematics to Kay Tutoring.
Back when Susan was in high school herself, she was a National Merit scholar. She then went on to earn her B.A. in Math from Kenyon College and her Master of Science in Mathematics from the University of Virginia. Now, having taught both AP Calculus and AP Statistics courses, Susan is extremely familiar with the rigors of standardized tests and takes pride in helping students devise their personal strategies for success on these high-stakes exams. Along with her experience teaching AP courses, Susan has taught a full range of high school math courses, including various levels of Algebra, Precalculus, Calculus, and Statistics. Additionally, she has even designed her own curriculum for an elective course in Game Theory.
Susan is thrilled to have the chance to work with students in a one-on-one or small group setting, and she is adept at adapting curriculum to the needs of each individual learner. She loves working with students to improve their understanding of math concepts and encourages them to relish in the beauty and power of the subject.
In her free time, Susan enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, exploring local parks, and tackling the daily crossword puzzle.