Biography

I am a Bay Area native, and I have been captivated by learning since as early as I can remember. As a kid, I grew up with either my nose buried in an Atlas or encyclopedia, and I was enthralled watching History and Discovery channel documentaries with my family. I have associated learning with fun my entire life, and by the time I began tutoring when I entered graduate school, I discovered how fulfilling it was to share this passion with others.

I attended high school at Bellarmine College Prep in San José. I earned my B.A. in History from U.C. Berkeley, where I graduated with Honors, and I also hold a Master’s in Urban Planning from Columbia University. During the pandemic lockdown, I re-evaluated my priorities and direction in life, and I rekindled my love for History and education. I fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a teacher, and taught middle school social studies for two years at St. Elizabeth Seton school in Palo Alto. I also completed my M.A. in Teaching from Santa Clara University during this time.

My time at St. Elizabeth was incredibly fulfilling, and the most rewarding part was forming connections with students and families. Ultimately, my desire to engage with education on a personalized level, at a more thoughtful and deliberate pace with students, has led me back to AJ Tutoring, where I had worked prior to teaching full-time.

With AJ Tutoring and as a freelance tutor I hold extensive experience helping students meet their academic and test prep goals, including on the SAT and APs. The AP tests in particular remain a favorite area for me to teach, as my perfect scores on my eight AP tests helped earn me admission to my dream school of U.C. Berkeley on scholarship.

Outside of tutoring, I am an avid trail runner, backpacker, and reader.