MEET OUR EDUCATORS
REC Educators Don’t Just Tutor Subjects; They Illuminate, Motivate, and Inspire
Rainbow EDU educators are accomplished, extraordinary artists, scientists, and mentors. They are kindred spirits who embody our mission, vision, and values.
Shalanda G. | STEM - Multi-Subject Educator, Science Specialist, Mentor
Shalanda specializes in biological sciences and introductory physical sciences courses. Shalanda has experience tutoring various courses such as AP and General Biology, Ecology, AP Environmental Science, Marine Biology and Honors Chemistry. She believes in cultivating a welcoming learning environment that encourages students to be confident so students can have agency over their learning experiences.
Rachel W. | College Counselor, Essays, Academics Life Coach, American History, Humanities
At Rainbow, Rachel uses her life coach training and expertise as well as her creative insight to help students discover their inner passions so that they can begin creating the lives that they want now. This includes college admissions consulting (helping students to find their unique voice and use it both to determine which schools are truly good fits for them as well as how to get noticed by those schools), teen entrepreneurial coaching, as well as helping students navigate the ins and outs of their young lives (social pressures, relationships, communication skills, extracurricular activities, health and wellbeing, balance, etc).
Emmy R. | College Paving & Admissions Specialist, Essay Writing Coach, English Literature and Creative Writing Educator
Emmy holds a B.A in Arabic Language and English Literature from Kenyon College, including a year of study at the University of Exeter. She worked as an Editorial Assistant for the Kenyon Review and founded a publishing press for emerging writers. She has worked in various educational roles, including formal English literature and grammar instruction for middle school students, creative writing workshop facilitation for college and adult writers, and one-on-one mentorship in English, personal essay writing, and college admissions. Emmy's pedagogy is rooted in a student-centered approach, always. Her goal is to cultivate curiosity in her students, equip them with the tools to read critically, and empower them to write authentically about their own human experiences.
Paras N. | Standardized Test Prep Coach, Math
Paras is a recent alum from the University of Pennsylvania, with a Bachelor's of Applied Sciences in Computer Science and a minor in Engineering Entrepreneurship. He has tutored PSAT, SAT, ACT, AP Calculus AB/BC, AP Physics 1/C, and AP Computer Science A (amongst many other subjects) over the past 8 years. With multiple 5's across a variety of AP Exams and a 1570 on the SAT, Paras has a history of helping students achieve their goal scores.
Nadia G. | STEM, Spanish, Mentor
Nadia is currently a medical student at Columbia University. Before starting medical school, Nadia graduated with highest honors from Brown University with a B.S. in Biochemistry. After graduating, she spent a year living in Oaxaca, Mexico working as an EMT with the Mexican Red Cross to strengthen her Spanish skills. Throughout these experiences, her mentors helped to show her that educational experiences should be enjoyable and rewarding, and Nadia is excited to cultivate this same love for learning in her students. Nadia has over seven years of tutoring experience and enjoys tutoring STEM classes and Spanish, as well as mentoring other students interested in a medical career.
Nate H. | College Paving & Admissions Specialist, Essay Writing Coach, English & History Educator, Film Production, Editing, & Admissions Specialist
Nate is a Brooklyn, New York based educator and writer. His backgrounds in both the academic and entertainment worlds allow him to thoughtfully guide students through the admissions process, with particular focus on finding the school that will best match their interests. Nate utilizes his experience as a playwright and screenwriter to help his students write creative and scholarly pieces that are unique and insightful. Nate believes the admissions process can be both joyful and creative; it is an opportunity for young adults to discover their original voice and perspective. Nate is also well-versed in English Literature and American History; he teaches both subjects enthusiastically, with the goal of making the material exciting and relevant.
Claudia A. | STEM and Multi-Subject Educator, Science Specialist
Claudia is a 4th year MD/PhD student at Columbia. Before starting medical school, Claudia graduated from UNC Chapel Hill where she majored in Chemistry. She has over 5 years of experience during college and post-grad as an educator in various STEM courses. She is passionate about assisting students on their individualized academic journey, and looks forward to providing guidance, support, and a helping hand.
Elizabeth V. | Science, Math & Economics Specialist, Multi-Subject Educator, Test Prep Coach
Elizabeth is a third-year medical student at Columbia Medical School, and has been tutoring for Rainbow for the past two years. Before medical school, she graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 2020 from Wesleyan University with a BA in Economics and Physics. She has experience working with middle school, high school and college students, across a variety of STEM subjects and test prep. She loves connecting with new students and helping them tackle the complex topics they are learning about.
Honor A. | English Composition & Literary Specialist, Admissions Coach; SAT Prep Coach, AP Art History and Humanities Educator
Honor is an educator, editor, and wilderness guide who is fascinated by the relationship between literature, philosophy, and social justice. She has six years of tutoring and mentoring experience in SAT, college admissions, and English composition at the high school and college level. Honor believes that every student can grow through trusting partnerships that celebrate the student’s worldview and individuality. She is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Secondary Education with certifications in English Language Arts and Special Education at DePaul University in Chicago.
Jake G. | Economics & Political Science Specialist, PreCalc & Calculus Expert, Spanish and Social Sciences Educator
Jake G., a southern California native, graduated from Tufts University with a double major in Political Science and Economics. After college, Jake pursued a Masters in Secondary Math Education and taught all levels of high school math from Algebra 1 to Calculus . With years of experience in both tutoring and classroom teaching, Jake is an effective educator in a wide variety of subjects from Economics to Spanish to Calculus to US History. Jake takes a personal and holistic approach to his teaching, gauging which pedagogical methods work best for the particular student, while also striving to instill them with a passion for the subject at hand and not just teach to the test.
Rachel E. | Humanities and Composition Coach, Latin and Classics Specialist, AP History and Social Sciences Educator, Law School and College Essays Admissions Consultant
Rachel graduated with high honors from Princeton University with an A.B. in Classics, and is currently a JD candidate at Georgetown Law. She works with high school students in Latin, Classics, English, and History, and assists with college and law school application essays. A true humanities lover, Rachel started learning Latin in 7th grade and has extensive experience reading and analyzing Classics literature. She studied in Italy as an undergraduate at the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome and as a law student at the University of Siena. During Fall 2024 Rachel will be studying international law at Keio University in Tokyo, Japan.
Carly T. | STEM and Multi-Subject Educator, Mentor, Standardized Test Prep Coach, Academic Coach
Carly is a MD-PhD student at Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons with over 500 hours of teaching instruction experience as a teaching assistant and tutor for a wide range of STEM courses and standardized test preparation at high school and college levels. Prior to starting her graduate degree at Columbia, she graduated summa cum laude from Dartmouth College, where she earned a BA in Chemistry with High Honors and a BA in Biomedical Engineering Sciences. Carly brings her strong academic teaching skills, extensive tutoring experience, and compassionate interpersonal support to her tutoring sessions, where she is excited to help students grow as they gain the knowledge and confidence to excel in their desired focus.
Molly M. | Spanish, Writing, TV writing, Essay Prep
Molly is a tv writer, director, and actor. She has written on shows such as CALL ME KAT (FOX) and TOONED OUT (HBOMAX). She is a graduate of NYU/ Tisch School of the Arts for Drama (University Honors Scholar) and was accepted to the prestigious Warner Brothers Writers’ Workshop. She has studied Spanish for 25 years and believes foreign languages are the best way to connect to people all over the world.
Eric Z. | STEM Specialist, MCAT Prep Coach & Medical School Admissions Consultant
Eric is a current MD/PhD student and specializes in STEM education / tutoring, including chemistry, biology, math, scientific and argumentative writing, and pre-medical career counseling. He emphasizes teaching foundational concepts as a way to provide clarity and context to more advanced problems in classes. He is passionate about mentorship and education, and is excited to work with high school and undergraduate-level students to inspire passion in the next generation of leaders!
Gali S. | STEM, French, Multi-Subject
Gali has 7+ years tutoring college preparatory students in various STEM classes such as Freshmen Physics, AP Biology, Honors Chemistry, Pre-Calculus, and Calculus/Trig, in addition to tutoring elementary and middle schoolers in Mathematics and Hebrew.
Ethan A. | Curriculum Development Consultant, Entrepreneurial Coach, Teen Paving Mentor, Award-winning Museum Programmer/Curator
Ethan has been creating programming and building audiences in the museum and culture sector for nearly 15 years. An early member of Museum Hack, he created and built their Museum Consulting program, and has developed programming, marketing, curricular and strategic approaches for cultural organizations as varied as the National Park Service, SFMOMA, The Smithsonian, the National Museums of Norway and Te Papa Tongarewa in New Zealand. As a member of the education team for the Wildlife Conservation Society, Ethan has built curricula, education programming and live interpretation experiences at all 5 New York City zoos, opened three exhibits and executed thousands of live programs both onsite and in schools. Ethan holds an honors degree from New York University.
Cynthia L. | Social Sciences, English Composition, and Humanities Specialist, French/Spanish/Mandarin Tutor
Cynthia graduated from Brown University with a degree in Public Policy before pursuing a Fulbright Fellowship with the US Department of State to teach middle and high school students in Madrid, Spain. Afterwards, she stayed in Spain to complete a Master’s degree taught in Spanish, as she is fluent in 4 languages (English, Spanish, Mandarin, and French). With over 5 years of private tutoring experience, she hopes to empower students to become confident, intellectually curious, and well-rounded individuals with a love for learning.
Alex P. | History Educator, Historian Specializing in Medieval European History, Debate Coach
Alexander earned his B.A. at Williams College, where he double majored in English and History, completed a year of coursework at the University of Oxford in the U.K., and served for three years as a writing tutor. He earned his M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. from Yale University in Medieval Studies, where he wrote his dissertation on the topic of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish intellectual exchange in medieval Spain and France. At Yale, Alex taught courses in the departments of History and English on topics ranging from the history of philosophy to military history to medieval English literature. Alex is currently a faculty member in the History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies department at The Loomis Chaffee School, a highly selective college preparatory boarding school in Windsor, CT. Here, he teaches freshmen through seniors in courses on World History, European History, ancient civilizations, and Middle Eastern History, and coaches the debate team. He has found being an academic advisor and mentor to be one of the most rewarding aspects of his career, and one of his favorite parts of working as a tutor at RainbowEDU has been building close connections with students through helping them in their academics and college application processes. Outside the classroom, he has been developing his artistic skills in building miniature dioramas.
Dr. Michelle Y. | AP Art History Specialist
Dr. Michelle Y (she/her) is an assistant professor of Art History at Virginia Commonwealth University. She has over a decade of experience teaching college and graduate level art history courses at colleges and universities across the country. She holds a PhD in Visual Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Dr. Lee specializes in preparing students for the AP Art History exam.
Jenny P. | Entrepreneurial Coach, Mentor
Jenny is an award-winning marketer with over 10 years of experience driving transformative business growth. At Google, she spent 4 years managing $500M+ in advertising spend and recently became a Solutions Architect, consulting top clients on technical solutions. Before Google, she was a Director of Marketing at a leading ad agency, launching over 50 startups and consulting for brands like Samsung and Under Armour. Jenny's entrepreneurial spirit led her to found her own consultancy by age 24, focusing on digital marketing for major labels. Passionate about giving back, she volunteers in maximum security prisons, providing life and business coaching, and is a Wilderness First Responder promoting outdoor safety and healing. Her ultimate goal is to help others achieve their dreams, discover their unique stories and propelling strength through adversity.
Kirsten F. | STEM & Math Specialist, Multi-Subject Educator, Academic Coach, Test Prep Coach, College Essays and Consulting, Graduate School Application Materials and Beyond
Kirsten is a PhD candidate in Bioengineering at UCLA, where her dissertation work is focused on developing novel biomaterials for gene delivery applications. Prior to starting her doctoral studies, Kirsten earned a BS in Bioengineering from UC Berkeley and a MS in Bioengineering from UCLA. She has advanced expertise in biology, chemistry, math, physics, and science writing and communication. In addition to her passion for science and math subjects, Kirsten is an expert in English and writing, personal and professional documents and statements, college and graduate school applications, standardized test prep, and study and organizational habits. Kirsten believes in building a genuine connection with all her students and is excited to educate students and help them reach their true potential. She is excited to facilitate students' learning through her role at Rainbow EDU.
France D. | French, Italian, Cinema
France Demoulin is a French and Italian Language Specialist with expertise in French and Italian cinema. Specializing in language instruction, France is a people-person who loves mentoring students of all ages, helping them fall in love with her native tongue as well as learn about the culture and cinema of both France and Italy.
Crystal B. | College Essay Coach, College Audition Prep, TV Writing and Pitching Coach, IB Program Testing, Admissions Coach, Entrepreneurial Coach, and Educator (All Levels of the Humanities & Social Sciences)
Crystal is a writer, executive producer, and TV creator that has sold four comedy pilots to Warner Brothers and SONY, as part of the woman-comedy trio, The Downtown Girls. She teaches at NYU's LA campus, the upper-level course "Writing the Comedy Pilot." She is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a B.F.A. in Musical Theater.
Crystal specializes in college essay applications, coaching to write compelling stories and short films, and analyzing English literature.
Tess S. | English and Humanities Educator, Writing Skills and Journalism, College Essays and Mentorship
Tess holds a master’s degree in English with distinction from Cambridge University, where she served as an editor for the Cambridge Review of Books and published poetry in the prestigious Cambridge and Oxford Journal, The Mays. She graduated with high honors from Princeton University, earning her A.B. degree in English and participating in selective creative writing workshops. With five years of experience as an educator, including three years as a fellow at the Princeton University Writing Center, Tess has a proven track record of helping students improve their writing and achieve their academic goals. She specializes in counseling students on admissions - be it graduate school programs in multiple disciplines (for Masters, Ph.D’s, and fellowships), Law School Admissions, as well as undergraduate admissions. Tess’s approach to teaching is both comprehensive and supportive, empowering students to excel academically while nurturing their personal growth. This fall, she will begin her law degree at Yale, having been accepted to both Harvard and Yale Law Schools.
Kate K. | Spanish, Humanities, Entrepreneurship
Kate believes test prep and tutoring is about much more than building a skill set; it's also about fostering confidence and a sense of agency that inspire students to tackle their next learning challenge with increased vigor, joy, and curiosity.
Pooja N. | STEM and Multi-Subject Educator, Mentor, Standardized Test Prep Coach, College Essays and Consulting, Academic Coach
A graduate of Brown University with a B.A. in Public Health and a current MD candidate at Rush Medical College, Pooja has taught countless students in a variety of subjects, from K-12 sciences, mathematics, and writing to SAT and ACT prep to college-level physical and social sciences. After receiving 98th percentile SAT and 99th percentile ACT scores, she has mastered the intricacies of college admissions standardized testing and teaches students in an individually curated style. Throughout her undergraduate experience, Pooja has become an advocate for mentorship and believes that the right personal and professional guide can be life-changing. Pooja believes in holistic learning, an engaging curriculum, and a strong educator-student relationship.
Laura W. | College Application Advisor, Essay Coach, ACT/SAT Coach, AP English/Lit, ISEE/SSAT, Exeter Math, Multi-Subject Tutoring
Laura graduated summa cum laude from Northwestern University with a major in theatre and a minor in english. Over the last 9 years, she has educated and mentored dozens of students, from helping 4th-graders find success on the rigorous ISEE/SSAT tests, to supporting high school juniors and seniors on the ACT/SAT. Beyond test prep, Laura provides AP and SAT subject tutoring support as well as general homework support, has served as an executive functioning coach, and particularly loves to tutor math (especially Algebra 2 or Precalculus). Laura is also an essay specialist, using her writing expertise as an award-winning screenwriter and produced playwright to help students find and hone their voice in their Common App essays.
Luc V.H. | Multi-Subject, Economics, Entrepreneurship
Luc is an internationally trained and experienced Business Economics educator with a specialty in micro and macro economics and market research. Luc takes a traditional approach to engaging students in the fundamentals of economics and encourages them to apply innovative business models. Beyond text-book theory, Luc’s students learn how to connect theoretical concepts into clear, practical applications in a truly engaging way.
Ben H. | STEM Research, Biology, Marine Biology
Ben’s specialty is STEM mentorship, Biology, and Marine Biology As a strong advocate for mentoring, Benjamin has been heavily involved with community outreach. As part of his teaching style, Benjamin combines active learning strategies with an empathetic approach that focuses on narrowing a student’s knowledge gap by first understanding their learning process.
Oran F. | STEM, Political Science
Oran has a distinctive background in both STEM and social sciences. He is adept at working with students of diverse backgrounds, special interests, and in a multitude of different subjects. Having tutored everything from math to physics to game theory and more, Oran possesses both the knowledge and passion to help students achieve greatness inside and outside of the classroom.
Nyala C. | Social Justice, Social Sciences
Nyala Carbado (they/them/theirs) specializes in Social Justice and Social Sciences. In their teaching, they emphasize the importance of intersectionality, implicit biases, and how layered discrimination affects mental health.
Nardeep K. | Film
Nardeep Khurmi specializes teen cinematic projects. As he has grown as an artist, Nardeep has taken ownership of his voice and loves to spotlight underrepresented communities in his work. He splits his time between working on thought-provoking, moving, socially relevant narratives and absurdist comedy pieces.
Alice W. | College Essays, Oxford Humanities, Writing, Improvisation
Alice specializes in the Humanities, tutoring English Literature, History, French, Greek Mythology, and creative writing. In her spare time, Alice performs improvised comedy. Alice believes that when you teach a student that academics are exciting, rather than just teaching them a few facts, you widen their horizons for the rest of their lives.
Testimonials
Working with Nick, Oran and Alex has made a huge difference in my academic learning. Their depth of knowledge and ability to help me through all the topics covered in Calculus 2, College Linear Algebra, and Microeconomics has allowed for a deeper understanding — especially during the pandemic! Each of the tutors have plenty of knowledge that no matter what the question or topic was they were ready to help me learn it. They were also each able to tailor their teaching styles to what would help me learn and understand the material best. They were all very friendly and I never felt like I was being lectured but rather working through the problems in my head with them filling in the blanks.
Luke Davenport,
Crossroads School Alum and Colgate University Student
Working with Nadia had such an incredible impact on not only my success in chemistry but also my love for the subject. I worked with Nadia during my sophomore and junior years in Honors and AP Chemistry. She was incredibly knowledgeable and supportive when we worked on complex topics and test preparation. She was such a great help studying for the AP Chemistry exam, on which I received a 5. Nadia is such an intelligent, kind person, and she is clearly passionate about the subjects she teaches. I am so grateful for the support she gave me, the relationship we built, and my understanding and enjoyment of chemistry through our work together.
Alessandra Baldacchino,
University of Pennsylvania - School of Nursing freshman
I had a great experience working with Carly and Claudia this summer. Their support helped me feel well-prepared for the upcoming school year in math. I truly appreciate all the time and effort they put into helping me succeed. Thank you so much for everything!
Romy D'Addario,
Campbell Hall Student
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