Our Team

As Executive Director, 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.

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).

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)

Alice earned her bachelor's degree in History at the University of Denver while also studying vocal performance at the Lamont School of Music. Despite juggling internships and stints as a lightboard operator and stage manager, she graduated summa cum laude. Her research experience includes background for History Colorado's Lost Highways podcast, as well as a thesis on Irish art and folk music.

Alice's work as a researcher and professional musician enables her to help students tackle challenging subjects from different angles. She believes in using a student's unique strengths and learning style to face areas of weakness and polish areas of strength.

When not working, Alice can usually be found exploring various creeks and fields with her dog or continuing her search for the best mocha in Denver.

Location: Mindfish DTC
Expertise: ACT, SAT

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)

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)

An education enthusiast, Mary-Therese Heintzkill has pursued her curiosities in academia throughout her life. Having completed both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Vocal Performance at Western Michigan University and University of South Carolina, Mary-Therese graduated Magna Cum Laude and won competitions and auditions which put her on stage under the baton of many world-renowned conductors and orchestras. Most recently, she completed her 8-month esthetics certification and is currently pursuing her state board licensure requirements.

Mary-Therese’s entrepreneurial-minded approach to work, hyper-focus on details involving research and development and desire to work with kind and brilliant people, has served her well at Mindfish where she is building their HR department and supporting the founders in back-end financial projects.

While not working at Mindfish, Mary-Therese has a voice and piano studio out of her home in Boulder, CO. She has been employed at Lake Michigan College (LMC) and GA Southwestern State University as an adjunct professor of music. While teaching at LMC she was nominated and awarded a Certificate of Appreciation honoring her as a teacher instrumental in inspiring students throughout their education. Students describe her as "impactful, patient, understanding, knowledgeable and skilled" and "a hoot to get along with." Her goal in teaching music is to find every student’s natural, God-given talent and exploit it using music as a vehicle.

Mary-Therese enjoys trying all sorts of new activities, and, while her passions in life are constantly shifting, her current favorites are rollerblading, gardening, reading about gardening, cooking and mastering baking at altitude. Always having had a heart for animals, Mary-Therese adventures daily with her cocker spaniel, Jett.

Khaled Allen has degrees in Psychology and International Studies from the University of Chicago, and a degree in Mathematics from the University of Colorado Boulder. He has been teaching test prep with Mindfish since 2014 and has the distinction of helping several students achieve perfect or near-perfect scores on the SAT and ACT. Khaled played a major role in developing Mindfish’s books, The Right Way to Take the SAT/ACT, and has contributed to many other curriculum resources at Mindfish over the years.

He is passionate about empowering learners, and has worked as a learning assistant for Calc III at CU, and a learning assistant for Calc II at Front Range Community College, where he also wrote the solutions manual for a Calc II textbook in use by the Colorado Community College system. In 2019, he taught a summer course in robotics and programming for Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth.

He currently works as a software engineer at Google, and has previously worked for NASA as a web developer. His hobbies include building personal internet-of-things devices and robots, debugging his 3D printer, and flying small planes.

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

Location: Mindfish Boulder, Online
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)

Since 2007, Jason has worked as a tutor and test prep specialist for high achieving students as well as students with diagnosed learning disabilities. Jason helped develop a program that focused on the best ways to mitigate learning issues while maximizing retention. He has since expanded his expertise to include the college admission process, helping students achieve their goals to some of the most rigorous programs in the nation. Jason studied theater education in college and has minors in political science, art history, and religious studies. He has played guitar since he was 12 and is still active in the Denver music scene today. He is also a voracious reader and has been hooked on escape room-based puzzle video games lately.

Yusen Ye graduated from CU Boulder with a bachelor's degree in Physics and an associate degree in Mathematics. During his time at CU Boulder, he volunteered for PISEC or the Partnerships for Informal Science Education in the Community as a University Educator, working directly with students from local high schools, engaging with and advising students as they take leadership in their own project in several short, project-based curricula. As a UE, Yusen received research-based training in physics pedagogy, science communication, curriculum content, and issues of inclusion and equity within the field of STEM.

Location: Boulder, Online
Expertise: SAT / ACT, Physics, Math

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 has been teaching standardized testing since 2010 and has since helped hundreds of students to realize their academic goals. With a BA from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the University of Colorado Boulder, Austin brings a diverse academic background to the broad array of subjects he instructs—which range from college admission necessities like the SAT, ACT, & college essay, to academic subjects like economics, statistics, US/world/European history, literature, language arts, and mathematics, to the graduate level GMAT test.

In addition to teaching, Austin works as a procurement analyst for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), where he contributes in his small way to the future of renewable energy. He currently lives in sunny Fallbrook, California. In his spare time, he enjoys exercise, educational YouTube, and tending to his fruit trees. He is proud to support his wife, Charlotte, who is an active duty officer in the US Marine Corps.

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.

Maggie graduated from Tufts University in 2016 with a degree in Computer Science. After college, she lived in Boston for 2 years and worked as a software developer. Although the work was interesting, Maggie found a passion tutoring and mentoring younger students. She became a Math and Computer Science teacher in hopes of helping her students find beauty and joy in these STEM fields. Maggie moved to Idaho in 2018 where she has taught at both the high school and middle school levels. Having experience with multiple grade levels and content areas helps Maggie understand the way that a student may be thinking and the best ways to help them learn. Outside of teaching and tutoring, Maggie enjoys running with her chocolate lab, camping in beautiful locations, and learning to cook new recipes.

Maria Dubon grew up in San Francisco and graduated from Luther College with a degree in Chemistry and a minor in Applied Math. While at Luther, she worked as both a laboratory assistant and teaching assistant for various levels of chemistry courses. After college, Maria worked as a counselor for College Possible, a group focused on helping students navigate the college application process. Her cohort of 42 students saw a average ACT score increase of 27%. Maria has experience teaching students from a wide variety of backgrounds and educational needs, and recognizes the importance of finding learning strategies that fit the individual needs of each student. Maria loves hiking and backpacking, closely following the San Francisco Giants, and trying to keep her many plants alive.
Location: Mindfish Denver, Online
Expertise: ACT, SAT, School Subject Tutoring (Math, Sciences)

Glendon grew up in Mandeville, Louisiana, and received his B.S. in physics from Louisiana State University in 2019. During his time at LSU, Glendon fulfilled the requirements for Upper Division Honors Distinction from the LSU honors college. He also studied abroad in Marburg, Germany, and completed a German minor. Glendon moved to Golden, Colorado, in 2019, where he attended Colorado School of Mines. He received his M.S. in geophysics in 2021. In his free time, Glendon enjoys spending hiking, skiing, and fly fishing. He also enjoys video games and practicing guitar.
Location: Mindfish Online
Expertise: ACT, SAT, Physics, Math

Ben Hawkins grew up in the East Bay of northern California and attended San Ramon Valley high school. At a young age Ben began tutoring family friends in geometry and algebra 2 as an after school job. Post graduation he moved to Colorado to attend CU Boulder. After developing a deep passion for economics in his high school Econ course, he chose to major in economics with a minor in philosophy at CU Boulder. During his junior year he began working within the department of economics as an undergraduate tutor where he focused on teaching his peers calculus, statistics, and economics. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, Ben continued this work online, tutoring through zoom while spending most of his free time over-landing through the Rocky Mountains in his beloved Subaru.

Location: Mindfish Denver, Online
Expertise: ACT, SAT, School Subject Tutoring (Math, Physics)

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)

Isabelle Davis was born and raised in Boulder, Colorado. While attending Boulder High School, she enjoyed tutoring younger students, primarily in math and writing, and mentoring students throughout their transition to high school. Isabelle graduated with honors from Washington University in St. Louis, where she double majored in Studio Art and Psychology. During her senior year, she completed a psychology honors thesis through the Emotion Regulation and Relationships Research Lab, as well as completing a Bachelors of Fine Arts thesis. After graduating, Isabelle worked at various mental health centers in the Denver/Boulder area. She is currently completing her Masters in Social Work at Metro State University, with plans on working with adolescents in a school social work and/or clinical therapy setting. In her free time, Isabelle likes hiking, cooking, painting and knitting.

Location: Boulder, Online
Expertise: ACT, SAT, AP Gov, AP Psych, AP Lit, AP Stats, AP Art History

Ian Dickerson graduated from the University of California, Davis in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies with a minor in English. After a gap year working as an after school teacher in Oak Park, Sacramento, he went on to earn a Master of Theological Studies from Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, CA. While in the San Francisco Bay Area, Ian tutored for a number of companies and non-profit organizations, experiencing what it was like to work with students living in poverty as well as those living in some of the wealthiest zip codes in the United States. From this work, he learned the most valuable lesson for teaching: how to adapt to each individual student's needs. Having recently moved to Denver to pursue a Ph.D. in Religious Studies, Ian is excited to bring his experience in tutoring to his work in the Denver area.

Location: DTC, Online
Expertise: ACT, SAT, Math, Science, AP Lang, AP Lit, AP Gov, AP History

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)

Nicholas McEnroe grew up in the greater Los Angeles area, and fell in love with STEM after being involved with his local high school robotics team. After graduating, Nick continued his academic career in Northern California at the University of California, Davis. While at Davis, Nick ventured into unfamiliar hobbies, getting involved with the local swing dance community, as well as competing at the Collegiate Triathlon Nationals. After acquiring his Bachelor's Degree in Neurobiology, he started his teaching career at Tilden Preparatory School in the San Fransisco Bay Area, where he taught a multitude of subjects ranging from US History to AP Calculus. Following his significant other to Colorado, Nick taught Chemisty at a local Waldorf school, and was involved with several chess after-school programs.

Nick is now pursuing his Master's Degree in Education at Colorado State University, and he is looking forward to teaching high school math.

Location: Boulder, Online
Expertise: ACT, SAT, AP Calculus, AP Physics, AP Gov, AP History, AP Psych, Math, Science

Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Jamie O'Brien moved to Colorado after finishing her degree Electrical and Computer Engineering with a humanities concentration in Anthropology at Olin College of Engineering in Massachusetts. She is currently pursuing a dual masters degree in Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Management at CU Boulder. She tutored and taught in high school and college, and is excited to continue working with students. She enjoys sharing her love of academics with students. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing piano, and swing dancing.

Location: Boulder, Online
Expertise: SAT / ACT, Computer Science, Physics, Math, AP Lit & Lang

Matthew Kellett graduated Magna Cum Laude with two bachelor's degrees (Mathematics and Psychology) from Illinois Wesleyan University. While living in Chicago with his future wife and contemplating his life purpose, he began to realize that he had a passion for helping people. Wanting to help students overcome challenges, he began teaching the ACT and SAT to students in high schools on the south and west sides of Chicago. This experience was inspirational and gave insight into many of the challenges that youth in low-income areas can face. After leaving Chicago, Matt took a position at the Lookout Academy in Golden, CO, teaching math to high schoolers who also happen to be in prison. One goal in this work is to use mathematics as a way to embrace strategies for long-term happiness and growth and Matt is hopeful that this work will help impact the course of his students' lives in a positive way. However, his interest in the challenges of the ACT and SAT has never dwindled. The message that students can increase their scores and future by studying the material on the test and having optimal test taking strategies rings true for him. Outside of teaching, Matt also enjoys hiking, running, camping, swimming, playing video games, listening to music and DJing.

Location: Lakewood, Online
Expertise: ACT, SAT, Mathematics, AP Psychology
Andrew has several years’ experience tutoring middle and high school students in a variety of subjects, as well as helping them develop skills that have applications to almost any degree and career choice, such as professional communication, organizational discipline, and resume building.

Outside of school and work, Andrew enjoys long hikes and morning bike rides, as well as visiting National Parks whenever he gets the chance. He also likes to play the popular online video game, League of Legends, as well as other board games, and enjoys thrifting on weekends to explore different fashion trends.

Location: Boulder
Expertise: SAT/ACT

Andrew Swackhamer is from Reno, Nevada and attended Earl Wooster High School, where he received his IB Diploma and was the driving force behind the creation and expansion of student-run extracurriculars such as Speech & Debate and Model UN. After spending his freshman year at the University of Nevada, Andrew transferred to the University of Colorado Boulder to pursue a degree in aerospace engineering. Originally set to graduate in Spring 2021, he decided to postpone his graduation due to Covid-19 and took a gap year to immerse himself in the Space Sustainability Initiative, a new research effort created by CU’s Schools of Business and Aerospace Engineering. As a multidisciplinary learner, Andrew is drawn to the challenges of balancing the interests of a wide range of fields when it comes to furthering the development of a burgeoning space economy in a safe and responsible manner.

Andrew has several years’ experience tutoring middle and high school students in a variety of subjects, as well as helping them develop skills that have applications to almost any degree and career choice, such as professional communication, organizational discipline, and resume building.

Outside of school and work, Andrew enjoys long hikes and morning bike rides, as well as visiting National Parks whenever he gets the chance. He also likes to play the popular online video game, League of Legends, as well as other board games, and enjoys thrifting on weekends to explore different fashion trends.

Location: Boulder
Expertise: SAT/ACT

Hope grew up in Bloomington, Indiana. Since graduating high school, she has worked at Naval Surface Warfare Center – Crane Division as an electrical engineering student trainee. She attended the University of Southern Indiana where she received her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. Throughout undergrad, she tutored students in English and math while continuing working at Crane. She is currently attending CU Boulder to receive her master's degree in electrical engineering.
In her free time, she enjoys snowboarding, playing tennis, traveling, and grabbing coffee while she works/studies.

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)

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.

Austin Hood holds a Bachelor Degree in Music Education from Belmont University and a Masters of Music Performance from University of Denver. He has years of test prep tutoring experience, and a track record of helping students meet their score improvement goals. In addition to tutoring for Mindfish, he currently teaches and performs music in the Cheyenne, Wyoming area. Someday soon Austin hopes to teach music at the college level. When he’s not teaching or playing the trumpet, you can find Austin playing soccer, running, or otherwise recreating outside.

Location: Online
Expertise: SAT / ACT, AP US & World History, AP US Gov

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