Tutor biographies are offered to inform families about our staff. Tutors on this list may or may not have availability. We pride ourselves in the delicate process of our tailored tutor-to-student matching. Families occasionally request to work with a specific tutor, but we cannot guarantee that the tutor requested is available. He or she may also not be the ideal fit for the student. MLC management learns about each student and considers multiple factors in matching students with tutors. Please trust our process. Thank you. MANAGEMENT BIOS  ALI ZIDEL MEYERS, Executive Director: Ali earned undergraduate degrees at the University of Michigan in English Language and Literature, as well as Modern Hebrew Language. She earned her Masters Degree in Social Work at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. Ali graduated with distinction from both universities. Washington University selected her as an Outstanding Practicum Winner in her clinical graduate work with families. She has worked with young people with a wide range of learning strengths and challenges in classroom, camping, and private settings for over 10 years. Her extensive experience teaching time management, study, and organizational skills to students from elementary to college levels has prompted parent groups, schools, corporations, and the National Tutoring Association to host Ali as a speaker. Ali’s teaching focuses on helping students realize and leverage their unique assets while confronting weak areas with practical tools and a supportive, caring attitude. She owns and manages Meyers Learning Center with Adam Meyers. Outside of her work life, Ali loves to run, write, read, and frolic with her two children and husband. ADAM MEYERS, Executive Director: Adam holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis, and a Masters Degree in Information Management from Washington University in St. Louis. He was awarded a Scholar in Business scholarship from Washington University’s Olin School of Business. Adam has enjoyed working with kids as a mentor, coach, instructor, and tutor over the past 10 years. He provides a flexible and supportive learning environment while holding kids accountable. Tapping into the unique talents, interests, motivation, and learning style of each student is a cornerstone of Adam’s approach. Seeing himself first and foremost as his students’ advocate, he encourages them to enjoy learning and to grow from the tools, skills, and strategies he teaches. Adam joined forces with his wife Ali to create and develop Meyers Learning Center (MLC) to meet the needs of a larger number of students than they were able to accommodate individually. He places the highest priority on hiring staff that is well-educated, has diverse and extensive experience, and shares MLC’s core educational philosophies. Adam rejuvenates by reading, traveling, taking photographs, exploring nature and playing with his two children. PURVI BHAGAT, Director of Education: Purvi holds a Bachelors Degree in Theater Arts from Drew University (New Jersey) and a Masters Degree in Elementary Education from Mercy College in New York. Purvi tutors extensively with MLC and she's also the Director of Education. Before moving to California, she taught for two years at a public school in the Bronx through NYC Teaching Fellows. In 2004, Purvi came to California and directed a tutoring center, where she worked with kids from ages 4-14 in a range of subjects. She believes in creating a positive, confidence-building learning environment where students are constantly engaged. When not teaching, Purvi enjoys exploring new restaurants, learning languages, dancing, traveling and photography. STAFF BIOS Meyers Learning Center's educators are exceptional, experienced, and energetic. We tailor our teaching to each student's learning style. We are attentive and patient and have educated youth in various capacities. All of our tutors hold Bachelors degrees, and many hold teaching credentials and Masters degrees. We listen carefully and are committed to helping students remove the roadblocks that may emerge on their paths to learning and personal success. PURVI BHAGAT: (See bio above). KAREN BJELETICH: Karen has always had a passion for teaching and learning and has wanted to be a teacher since her first day of kindergarten! She made that goal a reality when she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development and her multiple subject teaching credential with CLAD emphasis from UC Davis. She was a third and fourth grade teacher as well as an inclusion specialist for six years in West Sacramento. Her goals were to instill a love of learning while helping to achieve success through goal setting. She appreciates her students' uniqueness and modifies the curriculum to best suit their needs and strengths. Karen has been a swimming instructor since her days in high school. She doesn’t back down from a good challenge, as seen in her half iron man race history, and teaches her students to do the same. When not tutoring, she enjoys playing with her son, reading, and sharing her passion for swimming with adults and kids alike! SARAH BROADBENT: Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Berkeley in Genetics. She is deeply committed to helping young people develop to their fullest potential. Sarah brings over 20 years experience teaching, guiding, and directing young people. She recently retired as a middle school teacher from Pinewood school. Prior to this she developed, wrote, and taught a music/physics integrated curriculum for K-6th grade students. Sarah loves to support students and believes that organizational skills are the educational equalizer, providing students of varying abilities an even playing field in todayʼs world. She finds great joy and satisfaction in helping students hit personal milestones of success. JACKIE EHLERS: Jackie is an award-winning educator who has lived and taught internationally in public and private schools, from pre-school through college. She has a Bachelors degree from the University of Michigan and over 20 years experience as an educator. Jackie's experience includes teaching language arts, ESL, time management, organization, and study skills, history, science, math, and more. She has led teacher training programs, seminars, and workshops internationally. Jackie received numerous accolades during her educational career, including a Teacher Excellence Award and a Teacher of the Year nomination. Her teaching priorities are to create a safe space where students feel free to discover their potential, provide tools to improve academic success, and broaden horizons through exploring the gift of learning. CHRISSY ELGERSMA: Chrissy has her MFA in Writing from Goddard College and previously worked as an English teacher and English Department Chair in Chicago, IL. A happy move has transplanted her to the Bay Area where she is excited to be a part of the Meyers Learning Center team. Chrissy graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Science in Education. She spent nine years as an English teacher, working with all levels of students. Chrissy also ran the Academic Resource Center at Buffalo Grove High School in Illinois for two years, tutoring and mentoring students with ADD and ADHD. Chrissy uses students’ interests to create personal connections with the material and to foster metacognition, which will allow her students to understand how they learn best so that they can gather tools to help themselves. In addition to teaching, Chrissy loves to take walks, play African drums, read, and write. MEAGAN FOWLER: Meagan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a Master of Arts degree in Special Education. She has been the lead teacher for five years in a special education classroom, working with students ranging in ages from 11-19. She is experienced in teaching curriculum in all subjects from grades K-12. Meagan holds a California Professional, Clear Special Education Credential in the area of Mild/Moderate Disabilities. She is a dedicated, patient, and knowledgeable educator who believes in instilling a passion for learning in students by helping them recognize their strengths as well as providing them with encouragement. Meagan loves teaching and is committed to helping students succeed. JESSICA GATEWOOD: Jessica holds a Master of Arts degree in English, as well as Bachelor of Arts degrees in both English and History. Her background in tutoring includes working with students of all ages -- from first grade students learning basic reading skills to college-level students working on their theses for Masters programs. She has also spent significant time with students with dyslexia and ADHD, working primarily on the organization necessary to write clearly. Aside from tutoring, Jessica also spends her time as a freelance copy-editor, where her focus areas are grammar and structure. She enjoys people and is passionate about her areas of expertise. Her ultimate goal is to earn her Ph.D. and become an English professor. DEB HAMMELS: Deb has a Bachelors of Science degree in Chemistry from Gettysburg College, a Masters of Science Degree in Chemistry from Stanford University and her Masters of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology from John F. Kennedy University. She has been tutoring students in math and science for over 15 years, she wrote and developed chemistry curriculum for www.homeworkhelp.com, and was a science editor at Addison Wesley Longman publishers. Deb has found that the key to success begins with helping the student appreciate and trust their own individual strengths and styles. Deb’s approach to teaching revolves around helping the student learn how to learn while developing their confidence to let their natural abilities unfold. MEREDITH BURKE HAMMONS: Meredith holds a Ph.D. in comparative religion from Vanderbilt University and a Masters of Arts degree in English from Wake Forest University . She has four years of experience teaching and tutoring middle and high school students, as well as several years of experience teaching at the college level. Meredith believes that learning is most effectively accomplished through a mutually respectful relationship between teacher and student. She focuses on helping students recognize and take ownership of their strengths and challenges. Meredith views herself as a partner in a learning process that enables students to succeed in any subject or at any daunting task. When sheʼs not teaching, Meredith can be found trying to learn new things, from library science to skydiving and salsa dancing! PEGGY LEE: Peggy's love of literature and passion for teaching inspired her to earn a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a Master of Education from the University of California, San Diego. A recipient of the Governor's Teaching Fellowship, she taught 7th and 9th Grade Language Arts in public schools for two years before transitioning to private tutoring for five years. Peggy has over seven years of teaching experience working with students from kindergarten to college. Her teaching extends beyond English; she enjoys and teaches math and reading recovery as well. She specializes in creating interactive curriculum to meet the various learning styles and individual needs of her students. Peggy has been an online tutor and teacher trainer for a national tutoring company, too. Peggy believes that internal motivation is a key factor to success. She strives to instill in students the academic tools, discipline, and self-confidence they need to move themselves forward. JOAN MANCINI: Joan has over 20 years of experience working with children in both classroom and counseling settings. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from UC Irvine and a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University. Joan currently teaches in the Campbell Union School District. She also worked for many years as a Mental Health Clinician and Social Worker for a private foster care agency. Serving children with a multitude of emotional, social, and learning challenges inspired her to deepen her knowledge of multiple learning styles. This, combined with her musical abilities, led her to record a sight word CD for young students and deliver presentations at state-wide educational conferences. Joan has extensive experience working with students of all ages. She uses humor and a structured, supportive approach to help students realize their unique strengths and methods for mobilizing those strengths as tools in their learning. She is also the proud parent of two college students. JENNIFER MO: Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts in Literature from UC Santa Cruz and a Master of Arts in Children's Literature from the University of Reading, both with honors. Jennifer has eight years of experience teaching critical reading and writing to kids of all ages. She has also coached students for standardized tests (including AP test preparation) and in Spanish. As the Young Adult Fiction Editor at Rambles.net, Jennifer maintains an enthusiastic interest in children's and young adult books (and the young people who read them). Jennifer believes that interesting subject matter and individualized instruction are the keys to effective, engaged learning. CAROLE NG: Carole holds an Honors Bachelor of Science degree from Australian National University. She earned her teaching credential from San Jose State University several years ago and has been teaching mathematics in public schools since then. Carole has taught a diversity of math levels and classes, from basic math skills through Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Statistics. Carole motivates students to learn by using technology, hands-on activities, and games when possible. She has a kind, caring demeanor. Her top teaching priorities include practical skill-building along with nurturing a love of learning, two key fundamentals for lifelong learners. KATHY PHILLIPS: Kathy brings to her work a deep commitment to supporting young people to be their best. A former elementary school teacher, teen parent educator and college professor, she has more than 25 years teaching and counseling experience with learners from diverse backgrounds and over 30 years creating, implementing and directing programs for young people. She recently retired as Executive Director of an award winning youth development program serving youth ages 5–22 and their families. She holds an Ed.D. and a M.Ed. in Education from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and both a California Standard Teaching Credential: Elementary for Life and a Massachusetts Elementary Teaching Certificate. She is also a Board Member of the Friends of the San Francisco Independent Living Skills Program supporting foster youth, the San Francisco Bar Association’s School to College Program, and the Youth Development Peer Network of the Bay Area. Kathy believes that learning happens in a supportive environment that encourages exploration and must be grounded in a profound respect for the learner, his or her strengths, experiences, needs, interests, cultural background, abilities and learning style. Her approach is not just to impart knowledge and skills but to empower young people to think critically, act to their fullest potential and make learning their own. KIER PON: Kier resolved to become an educator when she was in elementary school. She discovered that having a teacher believe in her was an incredibly powerful tool. Kier earned her degree in Elementary Education from Michigan State University with minors in History and Communications. After her teaching degree, she was recruited by the Moreland School District, which brought her to California. Kier taught in the primary grades for five years, working with a diverse group of students. She collaborated with parents to set goals for students and provide a positive learning environment for each child. In her classroom teaching, Kier had the pleasure of working with a range of students, including those with learning differences; she enjoyed helping to unlock their true potential. She is a passionate educator who loves supporting students in their learning. RON PUREWAL: Ron is an experienced and versatile educator, skilled in a wide variety of subjects, who believes in optimizing students' academics for their own individual learning styles. He has five years of full-time teaching experience at the high school level and has tailored his mathematics and science curricula to the needs of all types of students. In addition, he has been a private tutor for over nine years, working with individual students from fourth grade to college on all levels of mathematics, science, and writing classes, as well as standardized-test preparation. Throughout all of his teaching experience, he has noted the importance of organization, time management, and good study skills to his students' success, and he brings a wealth of perspective and experience in these fields to Meyers Learning Center. In addition, and just as importantly, he loves lifelong learning and teaching, and hopes to pass these values on to his students. He is a former U.S. Mathematics Olympian, and holds double Bachelor's degrees with distinction in Mathematics and Chemistry from Stanford University. SHIRIN RAISI: Shirin earned her Bachelor of Education degree at the University of Western Ontario and her Honors Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. She holds Canadian teaching credentials in Science and Special Education. Shirin has ten years of experience working with children. Among her diverse teaching experiences, she taught ninth and tenth grade Math and Science and also served as a resource specialist for gifted students and students with mild/moderate disabilities. She inspires students to become lifelong learners by emphasizing that learning is a journey, not a destination. LUCIAN SEGA: Lucian holds a PhD in Mathematics from Purdue University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of Bucharest, Romania. He has nine years of teaching experience and more than fifteen years of tutoring experience. Lucian has been consistently recognized with teaching awards from Purdue University as well as excellent teaching evaluations from his students. Lucian believes that learning is a lifelong journey of exploration, experimentation, and growth. He loves working with students. When he is not tutoring, he enjoys solving puzzles, traveling, watching soccer games and movies. SABRINA STRAND: Sabrina holds a Bachelors Degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a Masters Degree in teaching secondary ELA (reading and writing) from Pace University. Sabrina is a 2004 corps member of the acclaimed Teach for America program, which places outstanding college graduates in under-performing schools around the country. She taught at a public school in Brooklyn, as well as a renowned charter school in Harlem following the program's completion. Sabrina loves children and believes each child has the potential to do something great with his or her life. She has a reputation for demanding excellence in student work while maintaining a sense of humor and honesty. Sabrina strongly believes that all children will succeed with a mixture of support, praise, and high expectations. In her spare time, Sabrina enjoys swimming, reading, singing, playing the piano, and cuddling with her two cats. CLIFF VAIDA: Cliff holds a Bachelor of Arts in linguistics from Wesleyan University and a PhD in rhetoric and composition from the University of Chicago. He has taught English and humanities to middle, high school, and college students for more than 20 years. He also tutors in German and beginning Spanish. Cliff has been recognized with numerous accolades, including: Excellence in Teaching, Who's Who Among America's Teachers, and Outstanding Lecturer (at the college level). Cliff believes that an effective teacher finds and engages each studentʼs interests, critical thinking, desire to learn, and pleasure in achievement. He uses his wide-ranging interests in music, medicine, athletics, and politics to connect with students, so they genuinely enjoy learning with him.