Our Team

As Director of Operations, Hailey handles all things “Mindfish” from developing new student curriculum to orchestrating day to day operations.

Originally from Amherst, MA, Hailey graduated Summa Cum Laude from North Carolina State University - ranked #1 in her department. As part of her studies, she completed glaciology research at the University of Alaska and taught and developed a new set of courses at North Carolina State University. After graduating, Hailey worked with several organizations to teach high school age students through the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Colorado, Boulder. With 10 years of experience under her belt, Hailey specializes in math, physics, study skills, and remedial reading strategies. Hailey also conducts independent assistive technology consultations for students with IEPs or 504 plans.

As an educator with double deficit dyslexia and auditory processing disorder, Hailey is intimately aware of the difficulties that face students with learning disabilities. While she was remediated at a young age and has learned to compensate for her disabilities, Hailey worked through countless years of SPED classes and IEP meetings. For this reason, she has dedicated much of her education to understanding the neuropsychological underpinnings of students with learning disabilities, and how to leverage that research into deliverable study strategies. Hailey is a Certified Cognitive Coach and has been trained to work with students with a variety of learning challenges, from dyslexia to autism to ADHD.

When Hailey isn’t at Mindfish, you can find her hitting the slopes, aggressively discussing the newest science fiction releases, or hanging out with her cats.

Location: Mindfish Boulder
Expertise: ACT, SAT, GRE, SAT Subject Tests (Math I/II, Physics), AP/IB Classes (Physics, Calculus AB/BC), School Subjects (remedial reading, remedial math, Algebra, Geometry, Precalculus), custom programs for students with accommodations, & assistive technology consultations.

Jonathan Saffold graduated as high school valedictorian at Yokota High School in Japan and has been tutoring students since 2002. He went on to study at MIT for one year before transferring and graduating from Creighton summa cum laude with a degree in chemistry in 2009. In his free time, he enjoys reading, playing soccer, and traveling. Due to his father’s work for the government, he grew up in several different places, but Japan was his favorite place to live by far. When working with students, Jonathan’s goal is always to get a student to master a subject to the point where they understand it and can teach it to someone else. Always do your best is a mantra he lives by.

Location: Remote
Expertise: ACT, SAT, GRE, SAT Subject Tests (Math I/II, Chemistry, Biology), AP/IB Classes (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, AB/BC Calculus), & School Subjects (Algebra, Geometry, Precalculus)

Helen Terndrup recently relocated to Idaho to open a Mindfish Test Prep office in Boise after several highly successful years with Mindfish in Denver. She is now available for in-person, one-on-one SAT and ACT prep tutoring with students in Boise and around the world via Zoom. Helen has scored in the top 0.5th percentile on both the ACT and the SAT and has an expert understanding of standardized tests and how to succeed on them. A National Merit Scholar, Helen graduated magna cum laude from Carleton College in Minnesota and received her Master’s degree from Brooklyn College in New York. She has previous teaching experience at both the high school and college level and enjoys working with students of all backgrounds and aptitudes. In her free time, she enjoys reading, running, and hiking, and she’s hard at work on her second novel.

Location: Mindfish Boise
Expertise: ACT, SAT, Essay Writing, SAT Subject Tests (Literature, Math I), & School Subjects (English).

Alex Alford is originally from Dallas, but was an Army brat and grew up all over. After high school, he studied science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and had a short stint as a research scientist at GlaxoSmithKline. Not wanting to be in a lab all day, he transitioned into education and became a licensed secondary teacher. Afterwards, Alex taught Biology, Chemistry and Physics for 7 years in the both US and abroad (Dallas, Dubai, Istanbul and Kazakhstan).

Since moving to the Denver area, Alex has completed a Masters in Education as well as started local small business. In his free time, he enjoys programming, web design, reading and has recently taken up painting and drawing. Alex is also an avid traveller (50+ countries and counting) and is always planning the next adventure.

Despite leaving the classroom, Alex is excited to be working with students again and helping them succeed as they transition to the next stage in their education.

Subjects:

ACT & SAT
IB/AP Biology, Chemistry & Environmental Science
SAT Subject Tests for Biology, Chemistry, Math I/II
Location: Mindfish Boulder & Denver
Expertise: ACT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests (Math I/II), & School Subjects (Algebra, Geometry)

Peter was raised in Dublin, Ohio, where he played hockey. After achieving excellent scores in the ACT and SAT and becoming a National Merit Scholar, Peter went on to attend Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. There, he became a member of both the Psi Chi psychology honor society and the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society.
While at Miami University, Peter developed a rigorous honor’s thesis study in psychology. As part of this study, Peter developed the study protocol, trained a team of research assistants, oversaw data collection and collaborated with colleagues to write a manuscript that was eventually published in Behavior Modification, a peer-reviewed journal. After this, Peter pursued his passion for learning about the human mind by graduating cum laude and with departmental honors with a B.A. in Psychology.

He believes that a positive and encouraging relationship between tutor and student contributes greatly to success on the ACT and SAT. Outside of his work as a tutor at Mindfish, Peter enjoys spending time with his family and friends, reading about history and science, weightlifting, yoga and mindfulness practice, and spending time in nature.

"Peter Gooch coached our son for his ACT, and also for his college essays. This experience helped our son gain insight into his strengths, dreams, and ambitions. When the pandemic broke out, Peter was able to easily transition to an online platform that was genuine and sincere. I am filled with gratitude for Peter, and the whole Mindfish team." -Katie R.

"My son did the 1 on 1 test prep for the ACT and worked with Peter, who is a fantastic tutor. The personal attention that comes with the 1 on 1 format really made a difference, the practice tests were well organized, and communication was excellent. My son did better than his goal score on his first attempt and enjoyed both the process and the outcome." -Jim T.

"We had a limited window to get my son ready for the ACT and Mindfish and Peter were just fabulous." -Christy Ryan

Expertise: ACT, SAT, PSAT, ISEE, HSPT, SSAT, AP/IB Classes (Psychology), College Essay.

Mac Wetherbee graduated from Tulane University, cum laude, with a B.A. in Political Science and Economics. He has Master’s degrees from the University of Denver and the University of Colorado Boulder. He taught college Political Science classes for four years, and presented several papers at academic conferences. He also worked for two years as a high school math teacher, teaching Algebra I, Algebra II, and AP Statistics. He has tutored many high school and college students, and has helped numerous students improve their standardized test scores. In his free time, Mac likes to read, golf, and hang out with his dogs.

Location: Mindfish DTC
Expertise: ACT, SAT, GRE, SAT Subject Tests (Math I/II), AP/IB Classes (Statistics), & School Subjects (Algebra, Geometry)

Originally from Alabama, Kelci Burckhardt studied global health policy and chemistry at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She spent 10 years in the DC area as a foreign policy analyst for the federal government before relocating to Denver for graduate school. Kelci recently graduated from the University of Denver with a master's degree in international studies, focused on post-conflict political development in Africa. In addition to tutoring a variety of subjects at the high school and college level, Kelci also teaches political science courses, including Introduction to International Relations and Intelligence and National Security, at local universities. In her free time, Kelci enjoys reading, listening to podcasts, west coast swing dancing, and spending time with her dog.

Having been homeschooled for part of her life, Kelci is also passionate about helping families who are transitioning into homeschooling, looking to change up their curriculum, or seeking help with topics that can be more difficult to learn at home. She knows firsthand that homeschooling can be an incredibly rewarding experience that allows students to learn at their own pace and in the ways that they learn best. Kelci can help you find a curriculum that works best for your student's learning style and needs.

Location: Mindfish DTC; Remote
Expertise: ACT, SAT, LSAT; Chemistry; US & World History; US & Comparative Government; homeschooling

Megan received her Bachelor’s degree in international business and economics from the University of New Hampshire. While at UNH, Megan developed a passion for sustainability and environmental conservation that inspired her to pursue a career in the energy sector. To gain more technical expertise, Megan decided to go back to school for engineering. She received her MS in civil and environmental engineering from Stanford University’s Atmosphere/Energy program in 2017. Megan has also been a professional tutor for middle school, high school, and undergraduate students since completing her Bachelor’s degree. Her tutoring experience encompasses ACT/SAT prep, pre-algebra, algebra, trig, geometry, pre-calculus, and calculus, as well as physics and chemistry. Megan’s other interests include running half marathons, connecting with nature, and all-things Harry Potter.

Location: Mindfish Denver & DTC
Expertise: ACT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests (Math I/II), & School Subjects (Algebra, Geometry)

Khaled Allen graduated with an International Studies degree from the University of Chicago, where he was on the Dean’s List for all of his 8 semesters. After a stint teaching English in South Korea, he has now been teaching test prep for Mindfish for three years and has the distinction of helping several students achieve perfect or near-perfect scores on the the SAT and ACT. Khaled recently became a Project Manager with Mindfish and took over the development of our curriculum. His book The Right Way to Take the SAT will be online and on bookshelves soon! Khaled is a strong advocate of the life of the mind and of the innate connection between mental and physical health. In his free time Khaled can be found blogging on any number of intriguing topics or coaching physical fitness and natural movement classes.

“Khaled is a GREAT tutor and person.”
(KB, parent)

Location: Mindfish Boulder
Expertise: ACT, SAT, GRE, ISEE, SSAT, SAT Subject Tests (Literature, Math I/II, Biology, Physics), AP/IB Classes (Biology, Physics, Psychology, Computer Science, Calculus AB/BC), & School Subjects (Algebra, Geometry, Precalculus, Multivariable Calculus)

Ari grew up in Cleveland and graduated from Northwestern University in 2018, where he earned degrees in Radio, Television & Film and Economics. He has been a college applications consultant since 2018, helping numerous students gain admission to top-ten universities. Outside of tutoring, Ari is currently applying to law school - a background which uniquely positions him to empathize with and coach students as they navigate the uncertainty and anxiety which so often characterizes standardized test taking. In his spare time, he can be found writing screenplays, reading Harry Potter in a foreign language (Hebrew and German down, French up next!), and making music on Logic Pro X.

He believes that everyone is the protagonist in their own story, and he is driven by the ethic of giving every student the necessary tools and platform to have their story heard. His past supervisors state: “He has the ability to motivate and influence others"; "He has an irreverent sense of humor that can help him get along with just about anyone”; and “I have been impressed by his intellect, flexibility and patience, and kindness.”

Location: Remote
Expertise: SAT, ACT

Thomas Gifford is a Colorado native who spent most of his childhood in Golden and graduated from the IB program at Lakewood High School in 2014. He didn't go far for college, opting to pursue a bachelor's at Colorado College and majoring in economics and minoring in philosophy. His favorite economist is Richard Thaler and his favorite philosopher is Soren Kierkegaard because they acknowledge we are all flawed, irrational, and often make no sense, but also argue that this can be a beautiful thing. Additionally, Thomas spent a semester in Shanghai studying Mandarin, working in a Chinese office and greatly expanding his food palate. He’s now pursuing a Master's in economics at the University of Denver with sights set on a Ph.D. further down the road. Thomas is borderline unhealthily obsessed with baseball and the Colorado Rockies, and even co-hosts a podcast with one of his best friends from CC about the team.

Lead ISEE/SSAT trainer, experienced SAT / ACT tutor, master’s student in Media Studies

Sophia Matuszewicz grew up in Denver, graduated from Bowdoin College in 2015 with a degree in French literature, and was awarded a university lectureship in France the following year. An avid traveler, she has been a resident of Cameroon, France, and most recently, New York City, where she is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Media Studies at Queens College, CUNY. She is a passionate student of language, literature, and communication, and loves helping her students engage with the written word. Through her work with Mindfish, Sophia has coached many students to near-perfect test scores. She works with students across the country via Zoom and also has particular expertise working with younger students working towards success on the ISEE and SSAT. In her free time, Sophia enjoys immersing herself in pop culture, podcasts, and expanding her gastronomic horizons.

Location: Available for remote tutoring anywhere!
Expertise: ACT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests (Literature, US History, World History, French Language), AP/IB Classes (United States Government and Politics, Comparative Government and Politics, United States History, World History, European History, Human Geography, English Literature and Composition, English Language and Composition, French Language and Culture), & School Subjects (Algebra, Geometry).

Madison Gross grew up in beautiful Breckenridge, Colorado, where she took advantage of long winters of skiing and short summers of hiking, backpacking, and camping. In high school, she was enrolled as a full International Baccalaureate student. Madison graduated Cum Laude from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2016 with a degree in Graphic Design. She worked as a designer in Boise for two years during which she started tutoring local high school students to prepare them for their ACTs and SATs. She loved it so much that she returned to school to obtain her teaching credentials and a graduate certificate in secondary education. Madison currently works as the drawing and painting teacher at a local high school. When she's not working, she enjoys traveling (she's trying to visit 30 countries before she turns 30!). This past year she visited Iceland and has her sights set on hiking Kilimanjaro this upcoming summer. Madison also enjoys iced tea, board games, and floating in various bodies of water.
Location: Mindfish Boise
Expertise: SAT, ACT, SSAT, ISEE, SAT subject tests (Math I, Math II)

Austin Kellogg is a basketball coach and standardized testing instructor with 8 years of experience teaching the SAT and ACT. He earned his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University in 2012 and is a current MBA candidate at the Leeds School of Business at CU Boulder. His students have seen consistent and impressive results through their hard work and focus, with former students going on to attend top-ranked universities and competing in Division 1 athletics. Austin's teaching style reflects the discipline and dedication to developing self-motivated young adults that characterizes his coaching philosophy. He focuses on the strategic challenges of the test and developing students' confidence in their abilities to succeed through targeted, deliberate practice. In his free time, Austin enjoys travel, playing basketball, and enjoying all the fantastic food to be found around Boulder.

“I got 400 points higher on my SAT! Austin was a great teacher.”
(DM, student)

Location: Mindfish Boulder
Expertise: ACT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests (Literature, US History, World History, Math I), AP/IB Classes (United States Government and Politics, Comparative Government and Politics, United States History, World History, European History, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, English Literature and Composition, English Language and Composition), & School Subjects (Algebra, Geometry, Precalculus)

Denver SAT ACT Test Prep Tutor Shira Hecht has her Master’s degree from the University of Texas, Austin, Steve Hicks School of Social Work, and she currently works as a clinical therapist with adolescents in the Denver area. After graduating from Georgetown University, where she studied English and linguistics, Shira lived in Washington, DC, working in journalism and public relations, before moving to Austin, Texas, where she started working in tutoring and college essay coaching. Shira has years of experience working with students of all abilities and backgrounds, in testing, essay coaching, and college counseling, as well as helping teenagers manage anxiety and work towards their goals productively. When not working with students, Shira enjoys hockey, hiking, and Star Wars.
Location: Mindfish Denver

Expertise: ACT, SAT, GRE, SAT Subject Tests (Literature, US History, Hebrew Language), AP/IB Classes (United States History, Psychology, Art History, English Literature and Composition, English Language and Composition), School Subjects (Algebra I), Anxiety Management, & College Essay Coaching

Micki has recently returned to her home in Colorado, after years in Chicago, New York City, DC, and around the world. She first left Colorado to attend Georgetown University, where she graduated magna cum laude. In New York, she worked in investment banking at JP Morgan and then taught middle school math in Brooklyn. To bring these experiences together, she headed to the University of Chicago, where she pursued a joint Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Public Policy. At Chicago, she was named a Harris Scholar and a Siebel Scholar, both schools’ highest honors. After finishing graduate school, she worked in K-12 education in Chicago, where she eventually founded and led a grade 6-12 charter school in the city’s Far South side. Micki has also lived in Peru and Ghana and has travelled to more than 40 countries.

Location: Mindfish Boulder
Expertise: SAT / ACT

Born and raised in Colorado, Holly Ketterman is a Boettcher Scholar who graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Computational and Applied Mathematics. After college, she entered an international rotational program, where she completed four six-month placements around the US and Mexico. She worked in different facets of engineering, from Research and Development to Operations and Project Management. With a little help from COVID-19, she started tutoring students in math and fell in love with teaching. She loves keeping things positive and sharing the love of math and science that initially drew her to engineering. In her free time, she enjoys reading, crafting gifts for family and friends, and watching Hallmark Christmas movies.

Bryan Norman graduated from Cornell University in May of 2017, where he majored in Human Biology, Health, and Society and earned a minor in Applied Exercise Science. While at Cornell, he earned Dean's List Honors and was a member of several clubs on campus. Bryan has a passion for learning and is currently working toward his Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Colorado at Boulder. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, hiking, and photography.

Location: Mindfish Boulder
Expertise: ACT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests (Math I, Biology, Physics), AP/IB Classes (Biology, Physics), & School Subjects (Algebra I, Geometry)

Anna grew up between Hawaii, California, and Virginia and graduated from Duke University in 2017, where she earned degrees in Physics and Art History. In college, she was invested in interdisciplinary data analysis, working with young learners in her community, and directing outdoor programming for students. Anna applies those interests in her current position as Outdoor Programs Specialist at Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver. Anna has years of experience tutoring across a wide range of subjects and is motivated to help young people grow and reach their goals. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, and engaging in outdoor pursuits ranging from gardening to skiing.
Location: Mindfish DTC
Expertise: ACT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests (Math, Physics), & School Subject Tutoring (Math, Sciences)

Laura Stamp grew up in Casper, Wyoming before attending Williams College where she studied geology and biology and competed in Division I Nordic skiing. She graduated cum laude, and went on to receive her Master's in geology from CU Boulder. She has extensive tutoring experience: at Williams she served as a peer tutor in biology, chemistry, geology, and as a teaching assistant in geology, and she has taught in the CU geology department for the past three years. Outside of school, she spends most of her time training for ultra-running and ski mountaineering competitions, cooking, and listening to podcasts.
Location: Mindfish Boulder
Expertise: ACT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests (Biology, Math I/II), & School Subject Tutoring (Algebra, Geometry)

Susan Bassow grew up in Denver, and started tutoring math as an 8th grader, even tutoring kids older than she was. She has a AB from Princeton and a PhD in Biology from Harvard specializing in global climate change. Her doctoral dissertation was on the impacts of climate change and increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide on temperate forests. Following her doctoral work, she accepted a Fellowship from the American Association for the Advancement of Science to focus on science and policy concerning climate change at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP.) After having kids, Susan’s interests shifted, and she became a “non-traditional academic,” so she could stay at home with her kids. She has since kept herself quite busy with a variety of activities including blogging for Mama PhD, running school Science Fairs, managing after-school math programs, and volunteering in schools, including at the high school Post-Grad office supporting students through the college application process. In her “free” time, Susan enjoys watching her kids play soccer and music, traveling, compiling photo montages, and making others’ days a little brighter.

Russell hails from Los Angeles but has also lived in Washington, D.C., Nebraska, and Oakland, California. He double-majored in Economics and Political Science at the University of Notre Dame. His senior year, one of his policy professors challenged him to make a difference in education. This challenge spurred Russell to enter teaching after graduation while also completing his Masters in Education at Notre Dame. Russell has taught middle school and high school English and Social Studies for 3 years. Outside of school, he also coached cross country, basketball, and golf teams. He also is pursuing his doctorate in education, starting his coursework at the University of Southern California.

Currently, Russell teaches social studies at St. Mary's Academy. In his free time, enjoys playing nearly any sport but currently is focusing to get back to a scratch handicap in golf. He also enjoys traveling and using his travels to inform his social studies classes. His teaching philosophy centers on growth and the motto of "getting better every day".

Location: Mindfish DTC
Expertise: ACT, SAT, Social Studies, AP US History, AP Government

Julie grew up in Detroit with her five siblings, who fondly remember Julie acting the teacher even at age 10 when she would prepare math lessons in August to prep everyone for the start of the school year. She earned her BA in English with an additional emphasis on Pre-med courses from the University of Michigan. After graduation, she moved out west and pursued writing, teaching, and graduate school as well as parenthood. Julie walked for her MA in English Literature at the University of Wyoming with her five-year old son in the audience and her newborn daughter still two months from arrival.

Since then, Julie has raised her two children, who are now both in college, while working as college faculty, a freelance writer, and tutor in test-prep and academic subjects for high school and college students. Julie counts herself fortunate that her academic background and interests - she can be found studying the dictionary as well as doing math problems for fun - have equipped her to work with students in the humanities as well as math and sciences. She loves to lead students to discover that intelligence is not fixed by helping them find how they learn best. For 10 years she also ran and financed a program focusing on the adult learner; the program funded living expenses and provided tutoring for single parents who were pursuing their bachelor’s degrees while trying to raise children and stay self-sufficient without having to rely on welfare programs.

When she’s not working, Julie loves to spend time with family and friends or she can be found hiking, reading, writing, and learning.

Location: Mindfish Boulder
Expertise: ACT, SAT, AP test prep (Literature, Chemistry, Calculus), SAT Subject Tests (Lit., Chem., Physics, Math), Academic subjects (Math, Chem, Physics, Humanities)

Augie Bennett grew up in Denver, Colorado and attended East High School before moving to Madison, Wisconsin to study biochemistry. Bored with the details of cholesterol synthesis, Augie decided to focus on neurobiology; to him, serotonin metabolism was much more interesting. After working in an Educational Psychology lab his junior year that focused on the acquisition of abstract math, he enrolled in the Language and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, and graduated in 2019 with a passion for investigating the mind. He is now back in Denver applying to graduate school in cognitive neuroscience and intends to study educational games and the neurocircuitry of reward processing. Augie has tutored biology, chemistry, and math pre-algebra through calculus. His interests include playing soccer, reading, and eating.

Location: Mindfish Denver
Expertise: ACT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests (Biology)

Haleh was born and raised in Los Angeles, and attended Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, where she graduated magna cum laude with a BA in English. While in college, Haleh worked as a writing tutor, and enjoyed helping students with writing in all subjects, from English literature to biology. After graduating, Haleh moved to New York and worked as a forensic case manager with people diagnosed with a serious mental illness who were recently released from the New York City jail system to help them get connected to support in the community. She is currently pursuing a Master's in Forensic Psychology at the University of Denver. Haleh has been doing improv comedy since high school, and believes that the main principles of improv, which are about embracing the unknown, are also helpful as principles for learning.

Location: Mindfish DTC
Expertise: ACT, SAT, Literature & Essay Writing

Ethan Cutler grew up in New York, but, like many others, fell in love with the Rocky Mountains and came west. He attended Colorado College and graduated with a degree in Philosophy. He worked as a peer tutor at the college’s writing center for three years and volunteered as a tutor to local high school students. Now that he’s out of school, he spends most of his time reading, hiking, or (slowly) learning German. He’s also preparing to pursue a graduate degree in Political Theory.

Jacob Riley graduated from Stanford University with a degree in biomechanical engineering where he attended on a full track and field scholarship. After earning numerous academic and athletic all-american and all pac-10 honors, he continued his running career as a professional, competing in events from the 10,000 meters to the marathon at the national and international levels. During that time he also worked as a high school track coach and as a substitute teacher to help satisfy his passions for learning and for mentoring young people. He continues to train professionally in Boulder and is excited to work with younger students seeking their own success. Besides running he enjoys backpacking and traveling, with the occasional break to binge watch a season on Netflix.

Location: Mindfish Boulder
Expertise: ACT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests (Math I), & School Subjects (Algebra, Geometry)

Andreia Ribeiro has a Bachelor’s degree in Physics and Astrophysics with a minor in Space from the University of Colorado Boulder. After graduating, she worked for NASA’s MAVEN mission, doing research on the different plasma boundaries in the atmosphere of Mars. She then decided to transition into the STEM education world and started her own website for making math and physics more accessible to students in Brazil.

Andreia believes in a holistic approach to teaching and she wants her students to be motivated and passionate about all areas of knowledge, because no matter which career they choose to pursue in the future, inspiration and breakthroughs can come from very unexpected places.

In her free time, Andreia loves reading, writing, playing music, and watching TED talks and science fiction TV shows.

Location: Mindfish Boulder
Expertise: ACT, SAT
SAT Subject Tests (Math I, Math II, Chemistry, Physics)
Academic Subjects (all levels of Math, Physics, Chemistry)

Austin grew up in Dickinson, North Dakota, participating in many extra-curricular activities including Speech, Drama, and Robotics competitions throughout high school and his undergraduate program. Scoring well on standardized tests such as the ACT/SAT and PSAT qualified him for a National Merit Scholarship and others which he took to North Dakota State University to receive his B.S. in Electrical Engineering. While there, he also participated in the NASA Robotic Mining Competition, his team eventually placing 2nd out of nearly 50 teams.

After NDSU, Austin moved to Golden, CO to receive his M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. Doing well in this program opened the door for a funded PhD opportunity in the M3Robotics lab at Mines where he is currently performing research in underground mining technology. Part of his duties there also include mentoring High School students in Robotics as part of an internship program for those students.

When not working, Austin enjoys playing games, being outside, being inside, and exercising at the gym.

Location: Lakewood
Expertise: ACT, SAT

Michael Chifala grew up in Dayton, Ohio and graduated with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2017. While at CU Boulder, he was a member of the men’s cycling team and competed against collegiate athletes in races all throughout the United States. After graduation, Michael worked in industry as a civil engineer before realizing his interests had shifted towards data science and machine learning. He returned to CU Boulder for graduate school and earned a M.S. in Computer Science in 2019. In addition to tutoring, Michael is currently working as a data scientist for Pearson Education and enjoys hiking and snowshoeing in his free time.

Location: Mindfish Fillmore
Expertise: ACT, SAT