Thirty-six years ago - pre-Ph.D. - I led my first class of returning adult students who were retraining to become nurses. Many had the same fears and false beliefs I see today. With a Ph.D. in Polymer Science and Engineering and a career spanning both university lecture halls and corporate R&D labs, I have seen firsthand how intimidating science and math can be. My goal as a tutor is to dismantle that intimidation and replace it with academic confidence.

My teaching philosophy is built on patience and clarity. I show my students that complex, intimidating subjects are really just a collection of basic foundational ideas built on top of one another. I often use examples from my time as an industrial scientist to show students how these formulas actually work in the real world.

I believe that no student is "bad at math". Many just have specific gaps in their foundation that went unnoticed, or they developed bad math habits. My specialty is finding and closing those gaps, and replacing bad habits with solid success strategies.

Over the years, I have experienced so many joyous moments helping others grow. Nearly thirty years ago, as a new Ph.D., I was playing mental math games with my preschool daughter—who is now a corporate finance executive. Years later, I coached my elementary-school son through concepts to achieve the highest score on his middle school math placement test—he is now a successful software engineer.

More recently, I spent an hour with an algebra student who was devastated after failing her first quiz. Together, we went step-by-step through constructing a linear plot, mapping out how the pieces fit together, and translating it into a linear equation and back. That single breakthrough completely changed her trajectory, setting her up to excel in the course and confidently pursue her path toward becoming a nurse.

Whether I am helping an AP Chemistry student aim for a 5, or an elementary student master their multiplication tables, I bring the same level of dedication, enthusiasm, and encouragement to every session. I look forward to helping your student find their own path to success.