Our Team

Art of Problem Solving was founded by Richard Rusczyk in 2003 to create interactive educational opportunities for avid math students. Richard is the author or a co-author of 7 AoPS textbooks and a past Director of the USA Mathematical Talent Search. He was a participant in National MATHCOUNTS, a three-time participant in the Math Olympiad Summer Program, and a USA Mathematical Olympiad winner (1989). He received the World Federation of National Mathematics Competitions Paul Erdös Award in 2014. He graduated from Princeton University in 1993, and worked as a bond trader for D.E. Shaw & Company for four years. AoPS marks Richard's return to his vocation - educating motivated students.

In 2014, Glen founded a learning center in Morrisville, North Carolina, that two years later became the first AoPS Academy campus. Glen served as the National Director of AoPS Academy until his retirement in 2019. He has experience as a college math professor, statistician, and expert SAS programmer. He has been a professional math tutor for many years, and specializes in training academically-advanced and high-performing math students. Glen is a graduate of Duke University and holds a graduate degree in statistics from Boston University.

Elizabeth is the Campus Director for AoPS Academy Carmel Valley. In addition to holding a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Oxford and a bachelor’s degree in English and French from the University of Virginia, Elizabeth is currently completing a master’s in Educational Leadership and Management at the University of Nottingham. She is also a certified English language teacher and has taught language and literature from 3rd grade to university-level. A Russian native, Elizabeth has lived and worked in six countries, including as an EU-funded Marie Curie Research Fellow at the Universities of Muenster and Oxford, conducting literary research in diaspora studies. When she is not teaching, reading, or traveling, Elizabeth loves experimenting in the kitchen and spending time with her family.

Lindsey is a Senior Associate Director for AoPS Academy Carmel Valley where she teaches all levels of language arts and elementary math. Lindsey first joined AoPS in 2020 as language arts teacher before stepping into an Associate Director role. After an early career in journalism and art curation, she discovered her passion for teaching. She taught English composition and coordinated and tutored in university writing centers, most recently at the University of California, Irvine. Lindsey also taught art and creative writing to youth in community settings and public schools. Lindsey has multiple academic publications and has presented at conferences across the nation on creative approaches to teaching and tutoring writing. She earned her master's degree in fine art in 2013 and bachelor's degree in professional writing in 2009 from the University of Oklahoma, her home state. In her free time, she enjoys a solid yoga session, a good book, and time with friends.

Austin is a Junior Associate Director who developed his passion for teaching by tutoring high school and college level students. He began at UCSD's OASIS program, teaching supplemental courses in statistics, calculus, and differential equations for youths from underrepresented backgrounds. During his master's degree program at Columbia, he was a teaching assistant for two semesters, teaching multivariable calculus and probability. With a background in applied math and machine learning, Austin enjoys working on new mathematical problems and keeping up with the newest AI discoveries; he's even programmed his own small version of ChatGPT. In his free time, he enjoys rock climbing, board games, and playing piano, and can never say no to an afternoon at the beach.

Shayla is a passionate and driven educator with over eight years of experience teaching in the elementary classroom. She was born and raised in Delaware but has recently moved to beautiful San Diego. Shayla attended Shepherd University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She later studied at Wilmington University, receiving her master's degree in special education instruction. Shayla's love for math has always been a driving force in her teaching, and she works tirelessly to ensure that all students are confident in their ability to be true mathematicians. Her strong passion for math and language arts inspires her to make learning fun and engaging while helping her students develop critical thinking skills, effective communication, and creativity. Shayla's expertise in special education has also allowed her to develop effective strategies to support students with diverse learning needs. In her free time, Shayla loves to spend time with her family, read books with her son, and travel to every inch of the world possible. She believes exploring new cultures and experiencing new things is the best way to broaden one's horizons and gain a deeper understanding of our world.

Kari is an Associate Director for AoPS Academy Carmel Valley. She is a math nerd whose goal is to share the beauty of math with as many who are willing to hear. She has been a STEM educator for over 15 years, primarily working as a professional private mathematics tutor and organizing programs for students underrepresented in STEM, all while pursuing a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering as well as a master's degree in environmental engineering. Kari worked as an engineer for about 4 years while continuing her practice as a private tutor but felt called to pursue education full time. When Kari is not teaching she enjoys a fun adventure with friends either camping or around a table playing a game of Dungeons and Dragons.

Jason graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in math; here, he found a love of math instruction through community outreach, tutoring, and as a TA. He is excited to be teaching for AoPS, and loves the way that working with students changes the way he thinks about math. In his spare time, he enjoys playing board games, reading science fiction, baking bread, and folding origami. Other interests include community planning, modern architecture of Southern California, and going to the beach.

California earned her bachelor's degree in writing and literature from the College of Creative Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. While studying, she practiced teaching at home and abroad. She was a teacher’s assistant for undergraduate fiction and non-fiction creative writing workshops, volunteered as a poetry teacher at a local middle school, and as an English teacher in Italy at a public middle school and private international preschool. Always interested in research and honing her craft, she is a proud recipient of her college’s summer undergraduate research fellowship and a two-time presenter at her college’s Research and Creative Activities Conference. In her free time, California employs her research and creative skills by baking new treats and working towards publishing her novels.

Caitlin is born and raised in San Diego. She has been with AoPS since March of 2019. Her favorite thing about working at AoPS is getting to build rapport with students throughout the year. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her dog Gryffin, family, and friends.

Born and raised in San Diego, Ashley is deeply connected to the area. A senior and soon-to-be graduate of Canyon Crest Academy, she intends to continue her education here in sunny San Diego. Ashley is a former AoPS student and credits it with helping her pass her Calculus classes. When she has time, she likes to sing, doodle, play video games, and pester her cat.

Having moved all around the country, Isaiah was able to gain a lot of diverse experiences. Being a member of the ASB, JROTC, and a teacher's assistant while in high school, he quickly learned that helping others was a passion of his. After staying in San Diego or a few years, he earned the honor of becoming valedictorian, and now currently attends UCSD studying cognitive science. These experiences have helped him have a passion for education, but also for helping others. In his free time, he enjoys reading comics, watching anime and movies, playing video games, and riding motorcycles.

Ian was born in the city of Hemet and recently moved to San Diego for schooling in the pursuit of becoming a licensed Physical Therapy Assistant. He loves anatomy and physiology, spending time with friends, fitness and health, and exploring the city and wonderful beaches in the San Diego area. Having experience in Boy Scouts of America and JROTC programs, he enjoys working with people and helping others when he can.

With a goal to bridge the gap between the creative world of art and the structured world of business, Cheyenne’s love for creativity and interest in functionality has led her to attaining four associates and an undergraduate position at the University of California, San Diego. Currently studying International Business, Cheyenne has also found herself in positions of creative direction and leadership, both among community events and inside classroom settings with kids and teens. Cheyenne loves learning how the world works as well as learning creative views on everything and anything. She runs on coffee, creativity, and loves spending time watching fun movies and TV shows of all kinds, as well as reading comics and series; and sometimes, she’s even writing some.

Anna is currently a second-year neuroscience student at UCLA, but graduated from Westview High School after growing up in San Diego for 18 years. Having previously been a tutor for high school peers and a summer TA at AoPS, she has taught students of all ages and enjoys helping people find fun in learning. Outside of the classroom, you can find her either in the Daily Bruin newsroom, the lab (where she studies early neural development), or the ballet studio.

A high school senior, Linh attends Cranbrook Schools in Michigan and lives with her family here in San Diego. Through aiding her sister with her AoPS assignments, Linh discovered the joy in helping students understand new concepts. In her free time, she enjoys playing rhythm games, eating delicious food, and pestering her two parakeets.

Peyton is the Senior Instructor for elementary mathematics and language arts at AoPS Academy Carmel Valley. She holds a master's degree in elementary education and has multiple years of classroom experience. Peyton's passion to enter the field of education was fueled by the wonderful educators who shaped her educational experience growing up in San Diego—most importantly her 5th grade science teacher who empowered her to break barriers and take on new challenges. This led her to pursue a bachelor's degree in geographic information systems from the University of Oregon (Go ducks!) and continue the work of empowering the next generation to pursue careers in STEM and IT. In her free time, Peyton enjoys reading, going to the beach, and spending time with her two cats Buoy and Fin.

Jessica grew up in San Diego and attended Scripps Ranch High. Refusing to leave the beautiful weather, she continued her studies at the University of California, San Diego and earned her BS in applied mathematics. She supported herself through college by tutoring students in subjects ranging from algebra to calculus. She strives to inspire student to not only learn how to solve math problems but also understand the reasoning behind them. Her love for mathematics and teaching inspired her to be a professor’s assistant; she was responsible for holding weekly discussion sections for lower division math courses. Currently, she is a student herself with aims to earn her master’s degree in data science by the end of next year. Outside of studying and teaching, she loves to escape the heat by ice skating. She was a figure skating coach for six years and taught groups of 15+ children. A fun fact about her is she LOVES manatees and coffee.

Ethan has been teaching math since 2013. He earned his B.S. in mathematics from Michigan State University in 2015 and M.S. in economics from UC San Diego in 2017. Ethan is writing high school math curricula, a textbook for math undergraduates, and has published research in the Journal of Statistics and Management Systems. In addition to his classes at AoPS Academy Carmel Valley, Ethan also teaches mathematics and computer science at High Bluff Academy in Rancho Santa Fe. Ethan enjoys spending time with his two golden retrievers, Mister Fibonacci and Miss Ada.

Gabriela is a passionate teaching artist who has previously starred in kids educational theatre and aspires to make the world a better place by educating and helping children grow into becoming the best version of themselves. She has a bachelor's degree from San Diego State University in Interdisciplinary Studies of Film, Women Studies, and Sociology. She is a screenwriter, educator, mentor, and activist. Gabriela's career with children started in middle school as a babysitter, then tutor, nanny, and finally she became a teaching artist. While she loves her other interests, nothing makes her happier than being in the classroom educating and inspiring children. Outside of her classroom, she spends her time biking, attempting to write her novel, cleaning the beach, reading rigorously, and bringing people together through her Diversity and Inclusion club.

Logan has a deep passion for engaging learners in critical thinking and problem solving opportunities. Her career in education began in 2017 after she earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education from West Virginia University. After school, she moved to Charlotte, North Carolina and taught 2nd grade for five years. She is currently working towards earning her master's degree in Academically and Intellectually Gifted Education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Logan loves creating a positive, collaborative learning environment where students are encouraged to use their growth mindset to overcome challenges. Being new to San Diego, she is excited about the opportunity to work with students at AoPS. In her free time, Logan enjoys playing tennis, hiking, cooking, and reading a good book on the beach (under an umbrella!).

Robert is a San Diego native and graduated from Sweetwater High School. He left San Diego to pursue an applied math degree from Harvard College and decided to return to San Diego and become a high school math teacher. He received his teaching credential from San Diego State and taught for 22 years. Having taught everything from basic math to AP Calculus AB and AP Statistics, it was time to change things up. His favorite part about teaching was experiencing the moment when students' eyes lit up from understanding a concept. Aside from teaching math, he enjoys gardening, watching his cacti and succulents grow, and spending time with his dog Lilu.

Bryn joined AoPS in 2021. She has a B.S. in physics, a master’s in STEM education, and taught physics courses in public high schools for a decade. Bryn is passionate about developing innovative and equitable curricula that nurture lifelong curiosity in all learners. She is also actively involved with the American Association of Physics Teachers and her local chapter in Southern California. In her free time, Bryn enjoys adventuring with her family throughout San Diego and the world via foot, bike, car, boat, or plane. She also has numerous hobbies such as photography, astronomy, reading, and martial arts.

Eleanor is an honors graduate of Dartmouth College, having earned degrees in mathematics and economics. For over twenty years, she taught high school mathematics at Santana High School in Santee, California. Eleanor taught all levels of high school math, including Algebra, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, Statistics and AP Calculus (AB and BC). Over the past two years, she has added online math tutoring to her teaching repertoire, to help students with the challenges of learning math during the pandemic. Before her teaching career, Eleanor worked as an attorney in Chicago and San Diego. In her spare time, she loves to read -- in both English and French -- travel, and cater to her two (somewhat demanding) cats.

Josh has many years of experience teaching science and math from middle school through college. He loves to hear how students “see” their solutions to math problems and to observe students working collaboratively. Josh came to teaching math and science from the world of ecology, which he studied at Florida State University and San Diego State University. Having grown up in a beach town in Florida and moved to San Diego, Josh has a deep love and appreciation for the ocean. In his down time, Josh enjoys surfing, rock climbing, playing guitar and banjo, camping, hiking, fly fishing, and making good food for his family.

Danielle’s love for teaching started when she was instructing little ones at basketball camps in her hometown of Philadelphia, PA. This experience led to her studying education at the undergraduate level and eventually earning her Master's of Education, both at Boston University. She has 10 years of teaching experience, teaching a range of subjects at both the elementary and high school levels. She loves building a welcoming and fun classroom community that values curiosity and developing a growth mindset. When she isn’t teaching you can find her playing beach volleyball, going on a run with her weekly run club, or trying out a new recipe in the kitchen.

Kalin is thrilled to be developing curriculum with Art of Problem Solving. She previously taught and developed curriculum at a project-based charter school in San Diego. She has extensive experience teaching language arts and was the English teacher at a Spanish language elementary school in Mountain View, California. Prior to classroom teaching, Kalin used her passion for the creative arts as a children’s theatre director. Kalin earned her master's degree in education from Stanford University and BA in theatre from The University of California, San Diego.

Arianna is a San Diego native and elementary school teacher, who pursued her bachelor's degree in broadcasting/TV and film production at San Francisco State University. She worked in Los Angeles as a magazine writer and video editor; however, she later discovered her calling in education. She spent three years teaching English to middle school students in South Korea. Her amazing experience abroad solidified her love for teaching. In 2019, she returned to California to complete CSU San Marcos' teaching credential program. She is approaching 5+ years of teaching and is currently completing her master’s degree in SDSU’s Teaching: Language Arts program. Outside of the classroom, you can find Arianna at the beach, hiking the local trails, or taking a stroll around the park with her dog, Ocean.

Shannon has taught English literature, creative writing, reading, and grammar to a variety of learners ranging from elementary to college students. Since graduating with a master’s degree, she has taught in Japan, Singapore, and the US for over ten years. She has a lifelong love of literature and writing, especially children’s literature, and loves discussing a good book with her students. For Shannon, there is nothing more exciting than watching her class come alive as they grasp new concepts and have fun while learning. When not working at AoPS, she teaches her twin children math and language arts and helps coach their robotics team. The child of a Navy and Marine Corps pilot, Shannon has lived in eleven other states and three other countries but hopes to make San Diego her permanent home.

Dr. Conant previously held the role of Campus Director at AoPS Academy Carmel Valley before moving into a role as an instructor. He received his BA in mathematics from Rutgers University in 1995, winning the John Bogart prize as the top graduating math major. He earned his PhD, also in mathematics, from the University of California, San Diego in 2000, and became a postdoctoral associate at Cornell for the next 3 years. He has spent most of his career as a tenured professor at the University of Tennessee, where he has won awards for outstanding research. His work has been published in many internationally recognized high profile journals, including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. He has served multiple times on the Problem Writing Committee for the University of Tennessee High School Math Contest and has graded for the USA Mathematical Olympiad. His true passion is teaching and he enjoys the challenge of developing problem-solving skills in the next generations of young minds.

Irene holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in instructional leadership, both from National University. Her teaching credentials are in K-12 education, English, social studies, and administrative services. She has worked in Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District for 25 years, having held many different roles during her time there. Irene spent her first nine years teaching all subjects in a 4th-grade classroom. She also has taught English at the middle and high school levels, served as a coordinator for the beginning teacher support program and a mentor for beginning teachers, and has been a teacher trainer. She has also developed materials for the San Diego County Office of Education. Irene loves creating a safe, positive environment where all students can grow to their highest potential. Her passions outside the classroom include reading, traveling, and early walks with her friends.

Jori has been an enthusiastic math teacher since 2006. Originally from Connecticut, she earned her teaching credential after graduating from Messiah College with a Bachelors of Science in elementary education. Since then, she has taught 4th through 8th grade math in Hawaii, Las Vegas, and San Diego! Jori loves pushing her students to their fullest potential through engaging lessons and challenging problems. When she isn’t teaching, Jori enjoys surfing, hiking, snowboarding, and camping.

Alyssa grew up in northern California, and migrated to southern California to earn her BA in history at the University of California, Santa Barbara. During her time at UC Santa Barbara she also pursued a minor in education and worked at the university’s child care center. Upon graduation Alyssa joined Teach for America and became an English teacher. She has spent the last nine years teaching and coaching new teachers. Alyssa is passionate about helping students find joy and excitement through reading and expressing their voice through their writing. Outside of teaching, Alyssa enjoys taking her two dogs to the park, reading heartwarming books, and going on hikes with her friends and family.

Bernardo was born in Caracas. He received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Universidad Simón Bolívar (USB). During those years he first experienced the joy of helping others learn math. He knew that was what he wanted to do. He got master's and doctorate degrees in computer science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, specializing in optimization. He returned home and taught mathematics and scientific computing at USB for more than 25 years. He held the positions of Program Director of Mathematics and Dean of Undergraduate Studies at USB. He then moved to the U.S., where he has been tutoring math and scientific computing since 2013. Teaching at AoPS Academy is a great opportunity for Bernardo to do what he loves and keep learning and improving. Bernardo enjoys spending time with his wife Mily and their grandchildren, watching baseball, soccer, movies and TV series, and pretending to play guitar and bass.

Casey’s math journey started in middle school with math competitions, and he was a 4-time USAMO participant. He received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and physics at MIT in 2015. During his time in college, he designed problems for the Harvard-MIT Math Tournament and graded for USAMTS. He further earned his PhD in mathematics at UCLA in 2021, specializing in algebraic number theory. At that time, he found his passion for teaching as a TA for college math classes. He discovered that his most rewarding experiences throughout his educational career involved working directly with the students and witnessing their improvement. He has taught math to a variety of students, ages ranging from 10 to 41. During his spare time, he likes playing chess, table tennis, and basketball. He also enjoys listening to classical music and hanging out with his cat, Lucky.

Garrett Gallear is a math teacher at AoPS. He has a masters degree in physics, and loves teaching all kinds of analytical problem solving! Garrett has taught in several different settings that include San Diego State University, Grossmont Community College, and subbing for several elementary, middle, and high schools in San Diego. When he is not teaching, Garrett likes to hang out with friends and play sports or board games, and sometimes just have a relaxing time at the beach or a park.

Tim is a scientist turned designer and educator. He worked for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a member of technical staff, and for the National Park Service as a bio tech and quantitative ecologist. Frustrated by the growing gap between science and society, and being both a trained scientist and a lifelong gamer, he decided to bring these skills together to help build a better future. In his role as designer and educator, Tim has built and taught a variety of innovative middle school science classes at One Spark Academy, where he also pioneered a tradition of Pi Day whipped-cream pie fights. In more serious work, he has taught several classes in the Game Design track at the Art Center College of Design, has published two nature-oriented science games, and has more games in the works. Now, as a Curriculum Developer for AoPS, he puts those same skills to use in building life sciences courses for AoPS Academy.

Anu has always had a passion for mathematics and learning from a young age. She graduated with her bachelor's degree in Special Education Integrated Studies from Liberty University in 2019. Anu taught high school mathematics for two years at a boarding school before transitioning into a position as an elementary special education teacher. She is currently pursuing her master's degree in curriculum and instruction with a focus in mathematics education at the University of San Diego. When she is not teaching or studying, Anu enjoys reading, cycling, and taking walks with her dog.

Lindsey is originally from Arkansas, but she has been living in California since 2017. She has bachelor's degrees in Early Childhood Education and Middle Level Math and Science Education from Harding University, and a master's degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Middlebury Institute of International Studies. She began her teaching career at an international school in Mexico, where she also learned Spanish. Over the past eight years, she has taught Math, English Language Arts, and English Language Development. When she's not teaching, she loves spending time with her family, reading a good book, and enjoying the beautiful San Diego beaches.

Stephanie has been working with AoPS students since 2017 and was previously an Associate Director at AoPS Academy Bellevue. Stephanie has always had a deep interest in understanding how the world works. This led to the decision to major in mathematics and physics at Washington State University and led to tutoring others in math and science classes while in school. She quickly realized how much fun it is to help people explore new and difficult concepts by challenging them to think through their own ideas. She then spent two years as a graduate student in mathematics at the University of Colorado, where being a TA who taught Calculus was the most rewarding part. Next steps included teaching students of all ages and ability levels, including teaching high school math and science for three years. Stephanie loves working with students who are excited about math, helping them rise to new challenges and discover new problem-solving strategies, but also loves working with those who aren't as excited about math, helping them to see how fun and rewarding it can be. When not talking about math, Stephanie enjoys traveling, hiking, and making crochet hats.

Isaac Li joined AoPS as a math curriculum developer upon completing a bachelor's degree in mathematics from UCLA. He was a frequent instructor for AlphaStar Academy, and a problem writer and test organizer for various contests including mathleague.org and the Berkeley Math Tournament. He calls the Bay Area home (Daly City / San Jose). Isaac enjoys writing interesting math problems, teaching, and creating levels for rhythm games.

Michelle attended SDSU, majoring in English with an emphasis on teaching, and went on to earn her master's degree in teaching. She taught 9th-12th language arts for 20 years in San Diego, including 10 years of Advanced Placement English Language. Her students have gone on to study at Cornell, Georgetown, the U.S. Naval Academy, NYU, Stanford, UCLA, and Yale. She is a voracious reader of detective novels; she and her husband enjoy spending time with their dogs, Rupert and Simon. They also enjoy traveling, particularly in Europe and New York. As an amateur playwright, she enjoys seeing as much theater as she can, and is a volunteer for Lamplighters Community Theater and for the IRC, where she teaches English to refugees. She believes kindness is contagious and that it's worth catching!

Jennifer is a creative educator who truly enjoys spending time with children of all ages. She was born and raised in San Diego, California and has more than 20 years of experience in education. Jennifer started her career as a kindergarten teacher and has also taught 4th and 5th grade. She earned her liberal arts degree, minor in English, specialization in Children’s Literature, Multiple Subject CLAD credential and Single Subject English teaching credential, through San Diego State University. Jennifer also earned her Gifted and Talented Education Certification through UCSD. Jennifer moved out of the classroom and into the field of instructional design and training once she started having children of her own. She worked in Ed Tech for 15 years and most recently has been working in corporate learning and development for the past 4 years. Jennifer’s children are all previous AoPS Academy students, two of her children are now in college, and one is still in middle school. All of Jennifer’s children tested into their school’s GATE programs and she volunteered at all of their elementary schools. Now that her children are older Jennifer has really missed getting to work with and being around elementary aged students. When she attended a recent AoPS open mic night put on by the children of the AoPS Writing Club, she felt called to go back to teaching and applied to work at AoPS. Jennifer has used the Beast Academy curriculum at home with her son and as a parent when her son took an in-person Beast class for a year. She believes math is best taught and learned in real world contexts through in-depth creative problem solving. Jennifer is excited about getting to teach AoPS Academy's new Level 1 Beast Academy curriculum with AoPS's youngest students! Jennifer is also a children’s book author and is working on getting her first middle grade fantasy novel published. She is also excited about getting to teach AoPS Middle School Foundations Language Arts class!

Robert holds a BA in literature and writing from the University of California, San Diego, where he created and taught his very own creative writing workshop class for undergraduates. He then forged ahead into the technical writing and the software industry, developing his programming, computer, and ping-pong skills. After almost four years in front of a screen, he turned his love of fitness into an amateur bodybuilding journey, as well as a career as a personal trainer. He also holds an MA in English from San Diego State University (where he taught undergraduate academic writing and served as an editor for the school's student fiction publication) and is pursuing a California teaching credential. He enjoys, reading, writing, music, performing guitar, playing games, cooking, trying to learn Japanese, watching films, surfing, and working on his nerd culture website, podcast, media blog, and YouTube channel.

Vivian was born and raised in the Bay Area and made the move down to San Diego to start her teaching career. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in education at UCLA. She then received her teaching credential and master's degree in teaching at SDSU and has stayed in San Diego ever since, after falling in love with the area. She is currently teaching math to high school students at High Tech High and engaging them in project-based approach to math. Some things that Vivian enjoys doing when she is not teaching are going to the beach, gaming with friends, and trying new foods (always open to recommendations)!

Whitney joined AoPS in 2022 after spending the better part of a decade teaching math at the community college level. She has a bachelor's degree in chemistry from USD and a master's degree in math from SDSU. Her experience teaching students from underprivileged backgrounds cultivated a desire to make the beauty of mathematics accessible to everyone. She enjoys group problem solving and discussing unique solutions and conceptualizations. When not working, Whitney enjoys taking her dogs to the beach and puttering around in her vegetable garden.

Mariebelle has worked with all levels of elementary students in her 20+ year career in education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies and a master’s degree in education from Loyola Marymount University. She enjoys guiding students as they hone their intellects and develop into thoughtful, creative thinkers. A San Diego native, Mariebelle loves spending time with her family, crafting or sewing, and relaxing.

Wei started teaching at AoPS in 2019. Her love for mathematics began in her youth when she achieved success in math competitions. She went on to work in computer hardware and software development, specializing in telephony, which led to an opportunity to work in Paris, France before becoming a test manager for a team of South African software developers upon her return to the United States. After more than a decade in this field, Wei shifted her focus to helping her two sons excel academically, coaching math teams at both the elementary and middle school levels, as well as coaching for FIRST Lego League and FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC). Wei’s FTC robotics team qualified for the World Championship competition in 2018. Recently, Wei followed her passion for teaching math and completed a second master's degree in applied mathematics at San Diego State University, complementing her bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and master's degree in electrical engineering from Michigan Technological University. In her leisure time, Wei enjoys music, playing bridge, and savoring good food.

Kerson earned a master’s degree in applied mathematics from San Diego State University. He is currently working on a second master's degree in data science. He received his bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois. Prior to that, he was awarded a certificate in advanced electronics weapon systems from the Naval School in Pensacola Florida during his military career. He currently teaches math, statistics, and physics at Southwestern College, SDSU, and PIMA medical institute in San Diego. He has taught students of all ages and backgrounds. In his free time, he enjoys teaching his 8-year-old daughter math and robotics. He also loves traveling and trying new food.

Jacob has taught high school and college students for over 8 years. He loved math growing up, but started to appreciate its depth and beauty more fully while majoring in it at Harvard University. Afterwards, he attended graduate school for math at UC San Diego, where he did research in number theory. As a teaching assistant and instructor for a variety of college courses, Jacob enjoyed connecting with many different students. His favorite part of teaching is seeing students gain confidence in areas they initially struggle with. Aside from number theory, he especially likes algebra and probability. He is also a fan of crossword puzzles, trivia, and exploring the canyon close to where he lives.

Evan has been teaching math, science, robotics, and engineering at independent schools in San Diego for the last 10 years. He originally earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering at the University of Colorado at Boulder and is now back in school pursuing a master's degree in aerospace engineering because of his desire to transition to being a rocket scientist. While teaching, he often shares slow motion videos of interesting physics phenomena that he has taken and gives students additional riddles and logic puzzles to stretch students understanding in all direction. Outside of the classroom, Evan enjoys oil painting and participating in a philosophy discussion group.

This is Melissa’s 3rd summer teaching at AoPS. A professional educator for 15 years, Melissa has taught English in middle and high schools. She began work in education in college as a tutor for at-risk youth. After graduating from California State University, Long Beach in 2008 with a BA in English education, she pursued a single subject credential in English from CSULB by student teaching at Downey High School in Downey, CA. She began her teaching career at her alma mater, Bishop Amat, where she taught English 9, English 10 Honors, English 12 Honors, and freshman composition for four years. Melissa also mentored elementary students in creative writing and supplementary language arts. In 2014, she moved to San Diego and continued her career at El Camino High School in Oceanside, CA. In 2016, Melissa earned a master's degree in education with an emphasis in curriculum and instruction from Concordia University, Irvine. Outside of teaching, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, and getting in a good workout.

Linda is a dedicated educator with over ten years of experience in multiple subject areas. She holds two degrees in education, a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Northern Arizona University and a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction Technology from Grand Canyon University. She is a history and literature fanatic, and is currently working on her first novel. Linda has also worked as a curriculum writer, with a focus on math and gifted education. She holds certifications in the areas of gifted education, social sciences, and English as a Second Language. Linda is proud of her ability to get to know and understand her students as unique individuals with diverse needs. She enjoys helping students build their confidence and ability in math and language arts. She strives to help students to be motivated, lifelong learners, who pursue their strengths and passions. In her spare time, Linda enjoys hiking, kayaking, reading, writing and walking her dog on the beach!

Jack joined AoPS in 2020 as the Academy Language Arts Curriculum Lead. Despite being drawn to math in high school, he completed a BA in philosophy from Arizona State University and an MA in religion from Yale University. Jack taught a variety of philosophy courses at the college level before entering a PhD program in philosophy at Purdue University. During his doctoral program, Jack fell in love with crafting lesson plans that helped students become more creative and analytical thinkers, so he moved to San Diego to teach humanities classes at a private school. Jack has since been working at AoPS, first as a language arts instructor, and most recently as the Product Director for the Language Arts program at AoPS Academy. In his free time, Jack enjoys running, reading, and spending time with his family.

Colin was born and raised in San Diego. He received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of California, Irvine. While attending UCI, Colin was a part of the Anteaters Math Club, where he served as external affairs coordinator. This gave him the opportunity to reach out to guest speakers in the fields of pure mathematics, applied mathematics, and related industry. Since graduation, Colin has been a tutor, a teacher's assistant at UCSD, and an English teacher in South Korea. Colin is a passionate beach goer but also likes to spend his time growing culinary mushrooms.

Talena has been with AoPS since 2021, teaching a variety of math courses. She is originally from Houston, TX and followed in her love of numbers and her parents’ career path by majoring in finance at the University of Texas at Austin (Hook ‘em, Horns!), eventually earning her Master of Business Administration before deciding that she liked teaching about mathematics more to students than to adults. She became a teacher in 2006 and earned her master’s degree in education from UT Arlington in 2014. Talena has taught for several years internationally as well as here in California and is extremely excited to bring her love of mathematics to more students! She is currently a middle school math teacher and K-8 math coordinator at the San Diego French American School. When she’s not in the classroom, you’ll find her either being sat on by one of her three cats or out on one of the many hiking trails in East County.

Andrea was inspired to teach math by the incredible math teachers that she had as a student growing up in Germany. She moved to San Diego to pursue a master’s degree in math at SDSU and has been teaching since 1997—including at UC High School, Mesa College, Grossmont College, and Coleman University. Besides being a realtor, Andrea also works with her husband’s seaplane tour business. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering and spending time with her family.

Prior to his time at AoPS, Steven earned his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering with minors in literature and mathematics from UC San Diego. While the likelihood of solving engineering problems, reading stories, and calculating the odds of success of hard work all at the same time seems marginal at best, conditioned on the desire to learn and teach, the posterior belief that Steven holds is that with enough imagination, creativity, and practice, one can achieve great success. Having tutored all levels of high school math, chemical engineering, and statistics/data science, Steven strives to help students improve their problem-solving skills. Outside of teaching, Steven enjoys performing research, spontaneously going out to community events, and probably writing probability puns.

Matthew joined AoPS in 2021. After graduating from UC Santa Barbara in 2009, he became a certified teacher and spent a decade teaching internationally. He has taught world history and language arts in various educational settings, from enrichment programs to international high schools. His classroom experience has taken him from Shanghai, China, to Santiago, Chile, where he's taught and designed curricula for thousands of multicultural students from elementary school to high school. He's driven by creating interactive, dynamic, and engaging learning experiences that challenge students and spark their creativity. Outside of work, you'll likely find Matthew listening to podcasts, playing board games, playing volleyball, or exploring new places.

Ellen’s love of literature prompted her to get her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from New York University. She worked professionally as a journalist before teaching English and received her Bachelors of Arts in Journalism from San Diego State University. In the classroom, she encourages students to read widely and find an author they enjoy. In her free time, she enjoys running and surfing. She recently re-discovered her love of video games, even though she is terrible at them!

Carson has been teaching English grammar, reading, writing, and conversation to language learners from all around the world since 2004. Since graduating from the University of Nebraska, he has taught at Denver Public Schools, the University of California San Diego, Tsukuba International University in Japan, and has conducted numerous corporate English education courses. Carson finds the English language endlessly fascinating and loves being able to help his students develop their talents to achieve their goals. Carson resides in San Diego, California where he enjoys reading, writing, cooking, and walking.