Jai Flicker, founder of LifeWorks Learning Center, is a master educator, thought leader, and lecturer. His work with youth began in 1999 through The Homework Club, where he developed a unique tutoring approach that combines academic support with personal coaching and mentoring, focusing on the whole person. In 2004, he founded LifeWorks to further this integrated vision of education. Over the past two decades, Jai has refined the LifeWorks approach, drawing from mindfulness, positive psychology,...
Sep 10, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 188
Michael Mityok, holding a BA in English Literature and a BEd in Secondary Education from UBC, is a BCTF-certified teacher with over 25 years of experience. In 2014, he founded ACE Education Group, a private academy offering reading, writing classes, and elite university admissions consulting, now serving over 300 students. Before ACE, Michael spent five years at A+ Academic Writing Workshops, helping over 1,000 students from Taiwan and China gain admission to top universities worldwide. Recently...
Sep 10, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 187
Dr. Kizito Mukuni, with extensive experience as an instructional designer at public universities, holds a Ph.D. in Instructional Design and Technology from Virginia Tech. As the Director of Online Education at FSU, he oversees online programs, support, and services for faculty and students, ensuring they align with FSU's mission. Dr. Mukuni is committed to expanding current offerings, identifying gaps, and proposing new initiatives. His role also focuses on implementing instructional technology ...
Sep 09, 2024•53 min•Season 1Ep. 186
Dr. Derk Riechers is a dynamic leader in higher education, blending expertise in academic affairs with a passion for the transformative power of AI. His leadership is marked by transparency, collaboration, and a commitment to student success. At the community college level, he fosters innovation and growth, preparing students and faculty for future challenges. An expert in AI, Dr. Riechers integrates technology into education to enhance learning, streamline processes, and align with workforce ne...
Sep 07, 2024•53 min•Season 1Ep. 185
Bobby Nicholson is a dedicated student development professional with over twelve years of experience in mentorship, leadership, organization building, student life, event planning, recruitment, and motivation. His career is highlighted by numerous achievements, including winning the 2010 International Student Excellence Award from Southwestern and being named one of the 25 members of Tennessee's USA Today All-USA Academic Team. Bobby has held key leadership roles, such as President of the studen...
Sep 07, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 184
Sanjay Fuloria brings 24 years of experience in both academia and the corporate sector. He has expertise in marketing, sales, market research, analytics, business research, team management, and the application of various analytics and machine learning tools. Currently, he serves as the Professor and Director at the Center for Distance and Online Education (CDOE) at IFHE University, Hyderabad.
Sep 05, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 183
Raju Ganesh Sunder is a seasoned professional with over 34 years of experience in the education and industry sectors. He is currently the Director of the Center for Distance and Online Education at Sharda University, Greater Noida. His career is marked by significant leadership roles, including Dean of the Faculty of Commerce and Management at Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Director at the Symbiosis School of Digital and Online Learning at Symbiosis International Univers...
Sep 01, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 182
Aakash is a founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Wyndly. As CEO, Aakash oversees every aspect of Wyndly, including marketing, engineering, customer support, and medical operations. He's led Wyndly through early conception, to first product, fundraising, and established the culture. He continues to lead the company's overall strategy. Aakash is a regular speaker on topics including healthcare and telehealth, patient-centered care, startups, and product management. He regularly spends time...
Jul 24, 2024•56 min•Season 1Ep. 181
Gabrielle Cohn is the founder of a private educational consulting firm that celebrates the unique learning abilities of each student while helping them reach standardized classroom goals. With over a decade of experience, Gabrielle works one-on-one with clients aged 4 to 18, creating individualized education programs and specialized curricula. Her expertise lies in supporting children with learning disabilities, behavioral challenges, and special needs, using a blend of behavioral therapy, exper...
Jul 23, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 180
Andrew Kletzien is a seasoned math and science tutor specializing in skill-building and conceptual understanding. Since 2010, he has tutored one-on-one and in groups for ACT, SAT, GRE, K-12 math, social sciences, and executive functioning. Andrew focuses on helping students understand the problems that skills and concepts solve and their relationships within mathematical and scientific toolboxes. He emphasizes directed, independent study and experimentation. With a BA in Political Science and Ph...
Jul 21, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Season 1Ep. 179
Susan Powers is the founder of Woodlands Test Prep, with nearly 30 years of experience in test preparation. Starting her career with Kaplan SAT and GMAT courses, Susan's passion for student success led her to establish her own tutoring service in 2011. An expert in the Digital SAT, she has meticulously analyzed practice questions, created custom quizzes, and developed a comprehensive curriculum. A panelist at the National Test Prep Association 2023 Winter Conference and a board member, Susan is ...
Jul 19, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 178
After starting MuchSmarter as a solo tutoring practice in 2004, Steve has spent the better part of the last two decades teaching students how to make the most of their minds and play their best game on standardized tests and in every academic subject.
Jul 17, 2024•54 min•Season 1Ep. 177
Vraj Parikh is a sophomore at UNC, majoring in Health Policy and Management, and Statistics and Analytics. He is passionate about improving healthcare systems and applying his analytical skills to epidemiology, health actuarial science, and risk management. Vraj is also the founder of VA Tutors, a nonprofit tutoring organization that has connected over 100 tutors with more than 150 K-12 students worldwide. VA Tutors offers K-12 tutoring, SAT and ACT preparation, and college counseling, striving ...
Jul 15, 2024•56 min•Season 1Ep. 176
Carrolee Moore has over 15 years of experience helping businesses, from Fortune 500 giants to Ivy League universities, find their voice and amplify it across digital platforms. Now focusing on small and medium-sized businesses, Carrolee champions her "anti-social content strategy," which decouples social media from the broader content marketing ecosystem to ensure impactful, multi-channel engagement. Carrolee's diverse background in sales, project management, and communications has equipped her ...
Jul 10, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Season 1Ep. 175
Eric Gutman is a seasoned scientist and education expert. Starting his career as a NASA research assistant at 17, he became a research scholar at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and earned an Applied Physics degree from Columbia University. After working in geophysics and earning a graduate degree in Physics from the University of Chicago, Eric specialized in relativity and cosmology. A former U.S. Navy serviceman, he later joined Kaplan Test Prep, becoming a top-rated instructor, and fou...
Jun 30, 2024•48 min•Season 1Ep. 174
Dr. Ashley Storman is the Founder and Educational Consultant of The Storman Group, LLC. As a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant, Scholar, Practitioner, Educator, and Author, she brings over 15 years of experience in higher education, human resources, and DEI initiatives. Dr. Storman excels in consulting, recruitment, retention, leadership development, mentorship programs, affinity groups, teaching, and strategic collaboration. Her work focuses on implementing programs and strategies tha...
Jun 25, 2024•56 min•Season 1Ep. 173
Meeraj Patel is a highly experienced private tutor with over 13 years of experience and more than 10,000 hours of dedicated tutoring. In the competitive arena of college admissions and scholarships, where a solid test score is often crucial, Meeraj’s guiding philosophy of “work smart, achieve more” has provided countless students with an effective solution to balancing rigorous test prep with their busy schedules. Meeraj’s approach ensures that every lesson is streamlined, high-yield, and fully ...
Jun 21, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 172
Samer Seraj is the founder of Existsforall Academy, an online math school specializing in the Ontario math curriculum, pre-IB and International Baccalaureate curricula, AP Calculus and pre-AP, and SAT preparation for middle and high school students. From 2011 to 2019, Samer advanced in the e-learning industry from a grader and teaching assistant to an instructor, curriculum developer, and direct personnel manager of over five hundred educators. He now channels this extensive experience into buil...
Jun 18, 2024•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 171
Amanda Morin is a neurodivergent neurodiversity activist, an award-winning author of five books, early childhood specialist, and nationally known speaker, deeply committed to fostering accessible and inclusive environments for neurodivergent individuals. She leverages her expertise in learning and child development, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), special education, advocacy, and mental health to distill complex data into easily digestible information for parents, educators, and employers w...
Jun 15, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 170
Catalina Ghercioiu, a seasoned Mathematician and Mathematics Tutor based in Atlanta, Georgia. With over 20 years of experience, Catalina has taught and tutored IB Diploma High Level Math, SAT Prep, AP Calculus, IGSCE Prep, and college-level courses across five different educational systems. Catalina's extensive expertise allows her to teach the magic of Mathematics beyond any curriculum.
Jun 12, 2024•56 min•Season 1Ep. 169
Matt brings over a decade of expertise in test preparation and college admissions counseling. He has developed SAT/ACT curricula, authored instructional materials, and conducted teacher training seminars. His guidance has helped hundreds of students achieve their dream school acceptances and secure significant scholarship funds. Matt is known for blending clarity and precision in his writing with a profound understanding of the educational landscape.
Jun 10, 2024•54 min•Season 1Ep. 168
Josh Goreczny, Director of Education and Technology at Pittsburgh Prep, brings a unique drive to his role. After a rural Pennsylvania upbringing, his passion for education led him to Pittsburgh. From colleges to at-risk interventions, Josh has helped students grow throughout his career. Now, he leverages his expertise in test prep to empower students at Pittsburgh Prep.
Jun 08, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 167
Ann Pham is a dedicated educator with a passion for teaching that spans nearly 20 years. She has had the privilege of teaching in a variety of settings, from bustling classrooms to intimate in-home sessions and the dynamic virtual realm. Ann has connected with students from diverse backgrounds and unique academic needs, including those with special needs. Her teaching philosophy centers on empowering students to become independent learners by honing their critical thinking and problem-solving sk...
Jun 01, 2024•51 min•Season 1Ep. 166
Christine Lawlor-King exemplifies an educator who is both pioneering innovation and entrepreneurship learning in the classroom, and a visionary in her own right. She created her urban district’s award-winning K-12 STEM program and has been the catalyst for implementing invention education curriculum in many schools, on a national and international level. As a Yale University’s Master STEM Teacher, she introduced teachers to project-based learning centered around vector-borne diseases. She was th...
May 29, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 165
Megan Padden is the owner and operator of O.W.L. Educational Services, an education company she built from the ground up. With over fifteen years of experience, she has taught a diverse range of subjects, including English, French, Spanish, math, science, and social studies, to students of all ages. Megan has also successfully run numerous SAT test prep programs both in-person and online.
May 21, 2024•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 164
It took just a little over a month of tutoring before Sam discovered he had a passion for helping students. Starting at a big box tutoring company, he began searching for ways to improve upon mainstream prep techniques and would go on to develop a unique methodology for approaching the tests. Years later, and now with his own company, that spirit of continual improvement characterizes the Franklin Yard philosophy.
May 17, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 163
Brian has a background in school psychology and education, with a career dedicated to training educators on the use of educational technologies. He has trained thousands of teachers on using assistive technology and mind mapping software to enhance classroom learning. Now teaching full-time in higher education, Brian recognizes the growing need for faculty to utilize mind mapping tools to manage the demands of teaching, research, and administration efficiently. Leveraging his expertise, Brian co...
May 13, 2024•56 min•Season 1Ep. 162
Terrill is passionate about helping businesses scale by streamlining processes, using innovative technology and partnering with the right software service provider. She has over 15 years of experience mostly in the Financial Services and IT industries, where her roles have always been related to bringing about change and introducing new processes, software, or products into a business. She has specific experience in the sectors of Banking, Insurance, Asset Management, Human Resources, Digital Ma...
May 10, 2024•55 min•Season 1Ep. 161
Michelle McAnaney founded The College Spy® with this mission: Help students identify colleges that are a good fit for them and get accepted. Michelle is an expert in college admissions and a leader in her field. She has over 20 years of experience as an educator, counselor and consultant, assisting students in making smart choices to reach their full potential. She is current on the latest trends in college admissions. Her extensive admissions knowledge is coupled with firsthand experience with ...
May 08, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 160
Dr. Steven Witt is currently serving as the Director of the Graduate Education Program in the School of Education and as a Full Education Professor at Concordia University Wisconsin. In this role, Dr. Witt serves as the primary liaison among the graduate education faculty in his program, graduate students, and the school of education. He is responsible for ensuring quality and effective programing while ensuring compliance with state and national regulations across fields of study. Over the deca...
May 07, 2024•52 min•Season 1Ep. 159
