I've been teaching for over 15 years, first as a classroom teacher in the NYCDOE, then as Curriculum Director for national arts nonprofit Story Pirates. Along the way, I've worked with dozens of NYC-based families as a private tutor, teaching everything from French to pre-calculus and prepping students for their ISEE/SSAT, SATs, ACTs, and SHSATs. My real passion is literacy: I hold a B.A. in English from Yale University and a M.S. in Literacy Instruction from Pace University. I am a subject-matter expert in writing instruction, specializing in essays of all kinds, including literary essays, research papers, and college essays. I have an affable and energetic personality, honed by years of performing comedy in the NYC theater scene, and approach instruction in a conversational Socratic style. I love trivia, and have appeared as a contestant on Jeopardy! and Who Wants to be a Millionaire? When not teaching, I love to paint and do puzzles of all kinds.