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Our Team


Our Founders

Richard Rusczyk

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.

Glen Dawson

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.

David Patrick

Dave joined AoPS in 2004. He is the author or a co-author of 4 AoPS textbooks. Dave earned the sole perfect score on the American High School Mathematics Examination (AHSME) in 1988 and was a USA Mathematical Olympiad winner that year. He attended the Research Science Institute (RSI) in 1987, and the Math Olympiad Summer Program in 1988, where he first met fellow student Richard Rusczyk. He also finished in the top 10 on the Putnam exam in 1991. Dave graduated from Carnegie Mellon in 1992 with a BS in Mathematics/Computer Science and an MS in Mathematics. He went on to earn his Ph.D. in mathematics from MIT in 1997. He was an acting Assistant Professor at the University of Washington from 1997 to 2001. Dave is originally from Western New York and is an alumnus of the SUNY Buffalo Gifted Math Program.


Directors

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Julie Kemeklis

Julie Kemeklis Campus Director

Julie is the Campus Director for AoPS Academy Princeton. She earned undergraduate degrees in business and Spanish, and an MA in Spanish literature from the University of Georgia- where she also studied French. Julie has taught language courses at Georgia State University in Atlanta and Pace University in New York. Later, she taught English at Berlitz's Rockefeller Center location before starting her own business teaching English as a second language to the employees of global companies with offices in New York. Julie managed the Berlitz Princeton Language Center before joining AoPS Academy Princeton. She is also a freelance writer, having published content online and in print. When not at AoPS or spending time with family, Julie can be found reading historical fiction, writing, on a tennis court, or somewhere out in nature. She especially values sharing her love of books, words, languages and literature with young learners.

Christian Orr-Woods

Christian Orr-Woods Associate Director

Christian is an Associate Director for AoPS Academy Princeton. He has loved mathematics since his high school geometry class, where geometric proofs helped him realize that math is about reasoning, not just calculation. He earned his bachelor's degrees in math and computer science from the University of Pittsburgh and a master's degree in applied mathematics from UC San Diego. Since then he has held various positions that involved working on educational software, teaching and assisting with college-level math and education courses, and doing educational research. Christian has always been motivated by a passion for sharing the beauty of mathematics with other people, and he is happy to be able to pursue that goal at AoPS Academy. In his free time, Christian enjoys rock climbing, board games, and crosswords and other puzzles.

Amy Scheiner

Amy Scheiner Associate Director

Amy's passion for writing and reading led her to become a teacher of middle school, high school, and college students. She holds a BA in English from Boston University and an MFA in Creative Writing and Literature from Stony Brook University. In addition to teaching, Amy is a travel writer, essayist, and creative writer. She has taught Creative Writing at Stony Brook University and currently teaches English Composition at the Community College of Philadelphia. Above all, she enjoys challenging her students and watching them find their own literary voice in the process. When not teaching or writing, Amy can be found traveling to Central and South America to practice her Spanish, swimming in any body of water she can find, or playing with her orange tabby cat, Bernie.

Bertilla Sieben

Bertilla Sieben Associate Director

Bertilla is an Associate Director for AoPS Academy Princeton. A graduate of Princeton University, she earned a bachelor's degree in French while also completing substantial mathematics coursework. Before joining the AoPS Academy team in 2018, she was a student teacher of math and French at Princeton Middle School, and has also worked as a teaching assistant and grader for AoPS Online. Bertilla spent her own middle and high school years in Hungary, where she attended a school with a special math curriculum and enjoyed taking part in math competitions, including USAMTS, AMC, and AIME. When she isn't exploring challenging math problems with young learners, Bertilla enjoys marathon training, playing the piano, and hosting board game nights.


Office Staff

Bhagya Guhagarkar

Bhagya Guhagarkar Administrative Manager

Bhagya is the Administrative Manager for AoPS Academy Princeton. She earned an undergraduate degree in architecture from Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology in Nagpur and a postgraduate qualification from the Center for Environmental Planning and Technology, Ahmedabad. She has taught undergraduate and graduate level courses in an architectural college in India for 2 years. Bhagya also worked at a design firm where she did spatial problem solving for interior spaces and for amusement parks. Additionally, she has experience teaching elementary level students at the YMCA after school program. Her passion for geometry and logic puzzles comes from her parents - mom, a math instructor, and dad, an engineer. She was introduced to AoPS through the Beast Academy books that her daughter used, and continued to be impressed by the content as she progressed to higher levels. Bhagya loves painting and travelling with her family (especially to national parks). Her artwork has been exhibited in local galleries.

Sujeetha Garimalla

Sujeetha Garimalla Front Desk Lead

Sujeetha is the Front Desk Lead for AoPS Academy Princeton. She earned her undergraduate degree in pharmacy from Nalanda College of Pharmacy, Andhra Pradesh, India. She loves to solve puzzles and play math games with her son. Sujeetha finds joy in spending time with family and friends. In her free time, she can most often be found in her kitchen experimenting with new recipes, knitting sweaters and scarves or listening to music.

Makala Amos-Whitfield

Makala Amos-Whitfield Front Desk Associate

Makala is a Front Desk Associate for AoPS Academy Princeton. The educational philosophies at AoPS Academy perfectly align with Makala's prior experience working as a front desk and supporting staff member at different jobs, and she is thrilled to support children and their families as they pursue accelerated learning. Her love for teaching, assisting people, and art prompted her to study for a degree in art education at The College of New Jersey. As a rising Junior in college, she has had multiple opportunities to student teach and during the summer work as a camp counselor among a variety of age groups. Outside of working at AoPS Academy, Makala also enjoys painting, drawing, yoga, listening to music, watching basketball, traveling, and spending time with family.

Aryan Doegar

Aryan Doegar Front Desk Associate

Aryan is a passionate game designer with an intense focus on game-based learning. He has designed several tabletop games for K-12 schools, colleges, and STEM summer camps. The innovative and creative approach to learning at AoPS Academy matches perfectly with Aryan’s passion for using games to enhance student learning and improve student performance and engagement in the classroom. Aryan is also deeply fascinated by behavioral economic concepts like game theory and macroeconomic concepts that balance welfare with economic progress. Outside of school, Aryan loves playing intellectually stimulating games such as chess and sudoku.

Oluwakemi Olaleye

Oluwakemi Olaleye Front Desk Associate

Kemi is a Front Desk Associate for AoPS Academy. She is currently studying communications at Mercer County Community College and is interested in earning a bachelor’s degree in environmental sociology. She spent two years at Syracuse University as an environmental engineering student, furthering her background in STEM education. Kemi has learned leadership experience through doing peer leadership and leading retreats in high school, in addition to her experience as a student. When she’s not studying, Kemi enjoys reading, playing video games, listening to music, and spending time with her friends and family. She is very interested in topics concerning climate change and environmental justice.

Alvaro Pelaez

Alvaro Pelaez Front Desk Associate

Alex is a Front Desk Associate for AoPS Academy. He recently graduated from Mercer County Community College with an associate's degree in information technology. He has always loved working with children, having volunteered at his church's summer camps. He has plenty of experience supporting staff members from previous positions, and he is thrilled to support children and their families as they pursue the rigorous courses that AoPS has to offer. Beyond the professional realm, Alex's interests include reading, playing video games, building model kits, and exploring culinary adventures.

Ronald Scheuermann

Ronald Scheuermann Front Desk Associate

Ron is a Front Desk Associate for AoPS Academy Princeton. He is thrilled to work with and support students and families in an environment where he feels he would have fit in well as a child. He enjoys being outdoors in nature, and is currently also working as a landscaper while taking classes in pursuit of his accounting degree. When not working or studying, Ron can be found reading science fiction novels, building model airplane kits, and playing board games with friends.

Aadi Vadhavkar

Aadi Vadhavkar Front Desk Associate

Aadi is a Front Desk Associate for AoPS Academy Princeton. He is ecstatic to assist students and their families in pursuing accelerated learning. The education principles at AoPS Academy perfectly suit his experience as the robot manager of his robotics team, which is coming off of a world competition qualifying season. Outside of school and extracurricular activities he enjoys playing basketball and tennis, as well as listening to music and podcasts.

Dhruv Balaji

Dhruv Balaji Math Teaching Assistant

Dhruv Balaji is a recent graduate of Princeton Day School, and an incoming freshman at Case Western Reserve University’s BS/MD program. He has always loved working with children, whether it be teaching robotics to elementary school students on the autism spectrum, mentoring younger musicians in the band, or playing with his little brothers. He enjoys working in the lab and has been involved in neuroscience research throughout high school, and he has also been an active leader within student government, the Science Olympiad Team, and the Robotics Team. Outside of these activities, he loves to play tennis, watch TV shows and anime, and go to the gym. Dhruv aims to form bonds with his students and help them not only understand, but appreciate and enjoy the challenging concepts they are met with.

Eli Herbst

Eli Herbst Math Teaching Assistant

Eli has been interested in mathematics from an early age and loves sharing that passion with students. Before joining our team in 2020 as a math teaching assistant during the summer sessions, he had independently tutored students of all ages in mathematics. Eli is currently studying mathematics and linguistics at the University of Maryland, where he is seeking his bachelor's degree in mathematics. In his spare time, Eli enjoys solving puzzles and playing board games, sports, and video games.

Emily Huang

Emily Huang Math Teaching Assistant

Emily is an undergraduate student at Stanford University, where she has taken math and computer science courses. When she was younger, she was a student in AoPS Online and participated in math contests (such as AMC). Emily enjoys helping other students learn math concepts and practice their problem-solving skills. One of her favorite parts of assisting is trying to explain complex topics in simple ways. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, going on walks, and eating good food.

Abigail Moore

Abigail Moore Math Teaching Assistant

Abigail is a driven and accomplished junior at Kutztown University, where she is currently pursuing a degree in secondary education with a specialization in mathematics. In recognition of her academic excellence, she was inducted into the esteemed Kutztown chapter of Kappa Mu Epsilon National Mathematics Honor Society in May 2023. Abigail is highly regarded as a tutor in the Math Tutoring Lab on campus, where she is known for her expertise in complex mathematical concepts. When not dedicating herself to her academic pursuits or tutoring her peers, Abigail can often be found playing the tenor saxophone as a member of the Kutztown University Marching Unit. Though her academic and extracurricular commitments keep her busy during the school year, Abigail makes time to relax and unwind during the summer months. She enjoys spending time gaming and playing with her two beloved dogs, Mocha and Pumpkin, in the comfort of her backyard in Pennsauken, New Jersey.

Imola Sieben

Imola Sieben Math Teaching Assistant

Imola Sieben is an accomplished student at BASIS Flagstaff High School. With a passion for helping others, she has gained experience through tutoring and supporting peers. Imola excels in academics, having completed 10 challenging AP courses. Outside the classroom, she enjoys extracurricular activities like playing chess and swimming, where she has achieved notable success at the State level. Imola loves to challenge herself. For example, she attended math summer camps in Hungary, where she enjoyed solving complex problems with peers. As she joins AoPS, she looks forward to connecting with students, inspiring their love of learning, and fostering their critical thinking and problem solving skills.


Instructors

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Alan Chernoff

Alan Chernoff Senior Instructor

Alan teaches science, math and language arts courses at AoPS Academy Princeton. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and master’s degree in economics from Rutgers University, New Brunswick. Additionally, Alan is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in economics. Alan has taught various courses at Rutgers, TCNJ, and Princeton University, including statistics, American economic history, and The Philosophical and Economic Roots of Inequality. When he's not teaching, he likes collecting trading cards and building Lego sets.

Lauren Anania

Lauren Anania

Lauren teaches language arts at AoPS Academy. She has worked in education for the past thirteen years as a teacher in New Jersey, Spain, and Costa Rica, focusing in areas such as Spanish, elementary school, English as a Second Language, and Special Education. Lauren earned her bachelor's degree in Spanish and her master's degree in elementary education from Rutgers University. She recently completed a master's degree in English as a Foreign Language from Fairleigh Dickinson. She loves learning and using literature, especially children’s books, to promote creativity, perspective and discussion. In her free time she enjoys yoga, running, painting, re-reading some of her favorite books, and spending time with loved ones.

Matthew Antony

Matthew Antony

Matt was once a student of AoPS, and he is thrilled to be returning now to Art of Problem Solving as a math teacher at the Princeton Campus. An avid player of computer games his whole life, Matt quickly became immersed in programming and went on to earn his BS in computer science from NJIT. He also discovered his passion for teaching there, and after spending much of his degree as a teaching assistant. Matt is now a professor of computer science at NJIT. He also loves drumlines and teaches the highly-competitive drumline at one of his alma mater drum corps. In his spare time, Matt can be found listening to experimental electronic music, reading stories online, and trying to break his speed-typing record of 170 WPM.

Amit Bhattad

Amit Bhattad

Amit teaches mathematics at AoPS Academy Princeton. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in engineering from University of Pune, and has over eighteen years of software experience. He first became exposed to the AoPS curriculum when he enrolled his daughters in the program, and found that he enjoyed the wide variety and challenging nature of the problems he encountered. Amit's favorite part of teaching is guiding students towards an understanding of the “why” behind new mathematical procedures, and working through problems with a significant reasoning component together. He has a keen interest in sports and loves playing badminton, racquetball and soccer. Besides sports, Amit also enjoys solving tough logical brainteasers, exploring new places, and spending time in nature.

Carlos Bovell

Carlos Bovell

Carlos has been a public high school teacher for over twenty years. While earning his math degree at the College of New Jersey, he liked meeting during professors’ office hours to discuss intractable problems, which led them to ponder other unanswerable questions: What is mathematics? Can mathematical objects be known? Some faculty suggested that he pursue philosophy alongside math, a suggestion culminating in Toronto where he successfully defended a master’s thesis: “Rhetoric More Geometrico in Proclus’ Elements of Theology and Boethius’ De Hebdomadibus.” Carlos also completed an MS degree in mathematical computer science at Rutgers University-Camden. Among his publications are a book entitled, Ideas at the Intersection of Mathematics, Philosophy and Theology, and an article entitled, “The Mathematician Is Not Really the Pure Theoretician but Only the Ingenious Technician.”

Ken Branson

Ken Branson

Ken is a retired journalist and public relations professional with a passion for teaching others to write and communicate well. As a media relations manager he spent 14 years with Rutgers University helping marine scientists, psychologists, neuroscientists and linguists explain themselves and their work to the public. His placements have included ABC News, Fox News, NPR, NJN News, The New York Times, and the Washington Post. Ken is also a substitute teacher with experience teaching students in grades K-12 and covering subjects as diverse as history and wood shop. Ken continues his passion for writing in retirement – fiction, essays and memoirs. When not writing, he enjoys hiking and kayaking.

Brian Claus

Brian Claus

Brian earned his BA in astrophysics at Harvard University where he discovered a passion for teaching math and science. Before moving to New Jersey he worked in Massachusetts as a physics teacher and Planetarium Program Director. He loves listening to students tackle a new problem and then helping them share and refine their ideas. When not teaching he can be found learning a new board game, stargazing, or talking about anything Star Wars.

Arlene Cohen

Arlene Cohen

Arlene holds a BA in cognitive science from Wellesley College. She has taught middle-school math in central New Jersey for over twenty years at Princeton Day School and The Pennington School. Motivated by her passion for introducing students to the creative side of problem solving, Arlene has also helped bring the Destination Imagination program to local schools. Outside the classroom, she is an award-winning needlework designer whose patterns are purchased by stitchers around the world.

Tina Dalaya

Tina Dalaya

Tina majored in elementary education and special education at American University in Washington D.C. and went on to earn her master's in education policy from The University of Pennsylvania. After researching inequities in education in Philadelphia, she recently moved back to the Princeton area, where she grew up, to continue her work in education. When she is not working, her time is spent listening to music, finding new recipes to test out, or spending quality time with family, friends, and all of her family pets!

Lisa Dekis

Lisa Dekis

Lisa is thrilled to be teaching language arts at AoPS Academy Princeton. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the classroom, having worked with students of all ages and levels from elementary school through high school. Lisa holds a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies from Rider College and a master's in English literature from Rosemont College where she focused her studies on Leo Tolstoy's short stories and environmental icon narrative poet Robinson Jeffers. She transitioned to teaching after retiring from a career in the scientific, marketing, and financial sectors of the pharmaceutical industry. Lisa is passionate about many things- among them travel, friendship, reading, kindness, tolerance, open-mindedness, and a concrete belief in the inherent greatness of children.

Kim Feldman

Kim Feldman

Kim teaches math at AoPS Academy Princeton. She studied philosophy and computer science at The College of New Jersey and first began teaching in Chengdu, China in 2017. After discovering her passion for teaching, she has been helping students learn advanced math in the US at various after school programs ever since. When not teaching, she spends most of her time on creative endeavors such as computer programming, baking, crocheting and cold process soap making.

Michael Freedman

Michael Freedman

Inspired and motivated by challenges, mathematics and AoPS have always been a natural home for Michael. It was in his Calculus II class while studying at the University of Florida that he realized for certain that mathematics was not just a challenge, but also his passion and goal career. Michael has extensive experience tutoring and assisting with high school and college-level courses, and he loves to share his passion with his students so that they may enjoy the beauty of mathematics as much as he does. He benefitted from the AoPS curriculum himself growing up, and is excited for his journey to have come full circle now that he is an instructor at AoPS Academy Princeton! In his spare time, Michael enjoys cycling, running, solving puzzles, and studying trivia.

Mitchell Fuhr

Mitchell Fuhr

Mitch teaches mathematics at AoPS Academy Princeton. He graduated from New York University with a BA in economics and a minor in math. After nearly two decades working at international banks in New York City, Mitch transitioned to teaching. He has been at Piscataway High School almost ever since, where he teaches geometry and discrete math. Outside the classroom, Mitch loves math games and puzzles, community service, and traveling. He has visited 27 states and is the Kiwanis Advisor for Piscataway High’s Key Club. Mitch has also been published four times in Dell Logic Puzzles and loves to challenge others at grid-based games like Othello, Connect Four, and Chess.

Sarah Gift

Sarah Gift

Sarah teaches mathematics at AoPS Academy in Princeton. She holds both an MA in mathematics from Bryn Mawr College and an MA in secondary math education from Teachers College, Columbia University. In addition, she is currently pursuing a PhD in math at Drexel University. Sarah has taught math in various capacities, with pupils ranging from middle school students to college students and even adults. She loves that teaching not only helps her students grasp mathematical concepts, but also deepens her own understanding of the material. Outside of math, Sarah enjoys knitting scarves and blankets, going for walks, and playing games with her family.

Dr. Irena Gobernik

Dr. Irena Gobernik

Irena graduated from Russia’s Novosibirsk State University and then went on to earn her PhD in applied mathematics at the Russian Academy of Science’s Center for Computational Sciences in Moscow. She has always been fascinated by the beauty of pure mathematics and encourages her students to seek the most elegant solutions to the problems that they explore together in class. Having won various math Olympiads in high school, Irena now enjoys helping her students solve problems by thinking outside the box. In her spare time, she plays the guitar, sings, and spends time at her workbench making small human-like figures out of wood.

Elena Gribelyuk

Elena Gribelyuk

Elena teaches math at AoPS Academy Princeton. She earned her BA in mathematics and computer science from Columbia University and is currently pursuing a PhD in theoretical computer science at Princeton University. As a past AoPS student herself, she has always loved problem-solving and has participated in mathematics competitions including the AMC and AIME. Elena worked as a Precalculus instructor at the King Summer Institute and also assisted in the teaching of various math and computer science courses at Columbia University. She is passionate about mathematics education and is eager to share her excitement and appreciation for the beauty of mathematics with her students. In her free time, Elena loves playing piano, baking, and running.

Tim Hart-Ruiz

Tim Hart-Ruiz

Tim has always loved books and that is what drew him into a life of teaching. He pursued education because he wanted to share that love of books and reading with others. It also gave him the opportunity to help other people and do work filled with meaning. He has worked in education for the past 18 years as a teacher, instructional leader, and doing education policy work. Tim has taught students at all levels from primary grades through college. He graduated from Fordham University with bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Later, he attended Rutgers University for an additional master’s degree before pursuing a doctoral program there in Teacher Leadership. His research interests involve teacher preparation and professional development, elementary math and literacy practices, children’s and young adult literature, and LGBTQ+ issues in schools. He has worked at the Princeton Academy since 2019 and has enjoyed supporting students as they tackle AoPS’s advanced content. When he is not working or pursuing his studies, Tim enjoys reading and writing, primarily middle grades and YA fiction. He also watches entirely too much Netflix and loves taking his dogs for walks with his husband along the D&R Canal.

Breanna Hathcock

Breanna Hathcock

With her master's degree in education (including specializations/licensing in reading and mathematics), Breanna creates a positive learning environment for students that is challenging, inclusive, rigorous, and supportive. She has taught math and language arts to students at the elementary and middle school levels, including at Central Jersey College Prep Charter School where she introduced the Math Games Club and the Random Acts of Kindness Club. She has also coached Science Olympiad. Outside the classroom, Breanna can be found spending time with her family and her dogs and cats, drawing cartoons, engaging in research, or kickboxing.

Sachita Jindal

Sachita Jindal

Sachita is a dedicated and passionate educator who teaches at an elementary school in New Jersey. She holds a bachelor's degree in education from a prestigious university in India and a postgraduate degree in education from Birmingham City University. With almost a decade of experience working in various schools, Sachita has honed her skills as a mathematics educator and is eager to share her enthusiasm for problem-solving with AoPS students. Outside of her professional life, Sachita enjoys pursuing her artistic side (she finds solace in drawing and coloring intricate forms of Indian artwork, specifically Mandalas,) and spends quality time with her family. Sachita's dedication to education, love for mathematics, and passion for art make her a well-rounded and inspiring educator who strives to positively impact her students' lives.

Kyna Jones

Kyna Jones

Kyna Jones is a language arts instructor at AoPS Academy Princeton. She transferred from our Vienna campus over the summer and is excited to join the Princeton team. Kyna has a diverse background in the arts, education, and communications. She is originally from Memphis, Tennessee, and received her bachelor’s degree from Tennessee State University. Immediately after graduating, she began a successful career in film, entertainment, and television as a freelance writer, actor, and voiceover artist. Over the last decade, Kyna has worked as a Performing Arts Director with various private organizations throughout New England, directing children's plays, teaching creative writing workshops, storytelling, and young acting classes. She has now taken her professional knowledge and experience of writing into the classroom, inspiring the next generation of young writers! Entering her 6th year as an English Language Arts Teacher, Kyna continues to help students grow as writers and discover their writing voices through her creative writing, scriptwriting, and speechwriting courses. On a more personal note, Kyna loves traveling to natural wonders, baking goodies from scratch for her family and friends, and watching movies. She looks forward to working with you and learning more about your creative gifts and adventures that you will write about in language arts class.

Renard Kardhashi

Renard Kardhashi

Renard is a math instructor at AoPS Academy Princeton. He received a degree in mathematics from Tirana University in Albania, where he also did his postgraduate studies in advanced mathematics. He then taught mathematics at the high school and university levels before beginning a career in computer programming in the Netherlands. Renard later relocated to the US and continued to work in computer programming and research before returning to his passion for teaching. He has been a high school mathematics teacher with the Trenton Public School District since 2008, dedicating himself to serving underprivileged students. Renard has also taught computer science, statistics, financial literacy, and SAT/ACT Prep, and served as advisor to the Computer Science and Robotics Clubs. Additionally, he teaches math camps during the summers, having worked with students at the Hun School, Princeton Day School, and Peddie School. In his spare time, Renard enjoys learning other languages, spending time with family, gardening, playing a wide variety of sports, as well as listening to music and audio books/podcasts.

Sree Kumar

Sree Kumar

Sree has a passion for teaching and inspiring young minds. He has over ten years of experience tutoring elementary math students and believes every child’s story is unique and that empowering them to be comfortable with their own skills and talents is paramount to inculcate a love for lifelong learning. Sree is a writer and has published three children’s books out of stories that originated from elementary school topics he taught his own son. Sree is a graduate of NYU’s Stern School of Business. He designs and builds models (financial, statistical, supply-chain) for his customers around the globe and is pioneering the use of AI(Artificial Intelligence) and ML(Machine Learning.) In his free time, Sree enjoys playing tennis and golf, and making his own wine.

Kathleen Lake

Kathleen Lake

Kathleen has been a lucky and happy teacher in language arts and theatre-related residencies, teaching fun and effective means of self-expression, for many years at schools and arts centers around the U.S. In addition to acting professionally, she has been a full-time high school and college instructor in public speaking, acting, Shakespeare, comedy improv. and many writing courses. She is a published poet and freelance writer. Kathleen's favorite activities include tossing catnip toys and cat-wrestling.

Ryan R. Latini

Ryan R. Latini

Ryan received his bachelor's degree in English and master's degree in writing studies from Saint Joseph's University. He is a certified high school English teacher. He has lectured on the Beat Generation writers of the 1950s and horror movies of the 1970s; taught adults with literacy goals and college freshman; but has found his home teaching high school students. His goal is to help students develop a transdisciplinary lens through reading and writing about literature that they can use to view their world and explore their varied abilities, established notions, and diverse backgrounds—not as footnotes, but as their greatest assets as future college students, employees, and citizens. Ryan enjoys exploring nature with his daughters; writing and publishing fiction and poetry; and tinkering with carpentry, electrical work, and automotive repair.

Loki Lin

Loki Lin

Loki teaches math at AoPS Academy Princeton. He is a recent graduate of Princeton University, where he majored in physics and minored in applied mathematics. Throughout his college career, he served as a tutor and teaching assistant in the math and physics departments at Princeton. He has also participated in volunteer activities teaching math at summer camps for middle-schoolers. His favorite part of teaching is thinking of creative ways to explain concepts in order to find something that clicks for each student. Outside of academics, Loki enjoys playing piano, taking photos, reading books, and going down hills a bit too fast on his skateboard.

Michael Malvone

Michael Malvone

Michael is a math instructor at AoPS Academy Princeton. He earned his degree in mathematics from Princeton University. Although he originally planned to pursue graduate studies in mathematics, Michael realized that he found more fulfillment in teaching the subject than in researching it, and reoriented his career in that direction. Michael’s teaching philosophy is that everyone can be good at math if they have the right teacher, and he hopes to be able to share his knowledge of and excitement for math with his students. Outside of math, Michael is also interested in linguistics, piano, skateboarding, and reading contemporary literature.

Jacqueline Martin

Jacqueline Martin

Jacqueline earned her BS in elementary education and mathematics from The College of New Jersey, and has been teaching since 2013. She currently teaches middle school math, but has worked with all ages of students, from first grade through high school. When she isn't helping students learn to manipulate algebraic expressions, Jacqueline enjoys playing the violin.

Bryan Monroy

Bryan Monroy

Bryan has always had a love for math and science. He graduated from Harvey Mudd College with a bachelor's degree in physics and from Cal State LA with a master’s degree in education. Bryan has taught high school science (chemistry, physics, and AP Physics I and 2) for the past nine years. Outside of the classroom, he advocates for increasing equity in education by developing strategies to support the social emotional needs of all students. In his spare time, Bryan enjoys nature walks with his three huskies and finding new baking recipes to try out.

Steve Ninivaggi

Steve Ninivaggi

A love of literature and writing led Steve to earn a master's degree in English from Temple University. This was followed by a 30 year career of teaching writing to high school and college students. Then, Steve went on to mentor teachers as an educational leader. Envisioning a school environment where students of all abilities, means, and backgrounds could pursue their own intellectual and creative interests, Steve wrote and won a grant and built a “Genius Lab” for the middle school where he served as vice principal. Retirement brought Steve more time to read, attend the theater, travel, and develop his cooking skills. He also serves the community as a volunteer. His expertise in the pedagogy of writing, as well as his wide knowledge of education policy and best practices, sparked his interest in the AoPS Academy. He is excited to join its diverse and talented community of faculty and students.

Krithika Prakash

Krithika Prakash

Krithika is a software engineer specializing in cloud security and machine learning. She believes that a strong math foundation is critically important for success in any career path, as math helps students with the essential skill of evaluating a problem from many different perspectives. Motivated by this awareness, Krithika has developed not only a deep appreciation for mathematics but also a passion for teaching. Her teaching philosophy centers on demystifying mathematics, and making it accessible and engaging for all learners. She is eager to share her knowledge and experiences in the technical field, to help students grasp the importance and beauty of mathematics and the exciting opportunities it unlocks. In her free time, she enjoys playing the Indian instrument Veena and spending time with her family.

Dr. Iuliana Radu

Dr. Iuliana Radu

The daughter of two math teachers, Iuliana participated in math contests throughout her K-12 education. She completed a BS in mathematics and an MS in computer science at the University of Bucharest (Romania) before coming to the United States to teach college math. Next, Iuliana pursued a PhD in mathematics education at Rutgers University, during which she researched how students think about mathematical infinity. Before joining AoPS, she taught math and math education courses at Rutgers University and coordinated the Rutgers Math Teachers’ Circle. Iuliana was a math instructor and later an Associate Director for the AoPS Princeton campus before transitioning to her current role of curriculum developer with AoPS. In her spare time, Iuliana enjoys hiking, music, and table tennis.

Ajitha Raju

Ajitha Raju

Ajitha teaches mathematics at the Princeton campus. She holds a bachelor's degree in economics with a minor in psychology, as well as a Juris Doctorate degree. Ajitha has a passion for mathematics, having taught the subject for over ten years. She has designed, developed and implemented courses in coordination with K-12 curriculum. She also has expertise in teaching common core standards and preparing students for standardized testing. When not teaching, Ajitha can be found working as a legal specialist and spending time with her family, son, and two dogs.

Karuna Sangam

Karuna Sangam

Karuna was raised with a love and appreciation for math from a young age, finding beauty in the weird and wonderful structures that arise from it. Despite this, they did not plan to study mathematics until they took a proofs course in college and fell absolutely in love with pure mathematics. After receiving their bachelor's degree from Bard College, Karuna attended Rutgers University for graduate studies in low-dimensional topology. While there, they solidified their passion for teaching and sharing the joy of mathematics with others. As someone who enjoyed the AoPS curriculum growing up, Karuna is excited to be teaching at AoPS Academy Princeton and working with middle and high school students on fun and challenging mathematical concepts. When not waxing poetic about the beauty of math, Karuna enjoys playing and composing music, and has a fondness of swimming in lakes.

Olga Sen

Olga Sen

Olga discovered her love of all things math early on and started tutoring others in the subject when she was still a student herself. Years later she would pursue a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (Ukraine), as well as her New Jersey certification to teach math in the United States. To date, Olga has been successfully teaching and tutoring students of all ages and levels in math for over 20 years. Her approach focuses on helping students discover the joy of exploring and figuring out a novel problem, developing their critical thinking skills, raising their self-confidence in mathematics, and helping them to prepare for exams. Though teaching and family life keep Olga quite busy, in her free time she enjoys reading and learning more about the history of math, and practicing Aikido and Tai Chi.

Maureen Sikora

Maureen Sikora

Maureen has been teaching math for ten years and has worked at St. Paul’s School in Burlington, Stuart Country Day School in Princeton, and Cedar Hill Prep in Somerset. She has coached middle school teams for math competitions and loves showing her students just how beautiful math can be. Maureen is certified as a middle school math teacher and hold a master’s degree in special education from Rutgers University; she is also working on obtaining certification to teach high school math. When Maureen isn’t learning or teaching math, she enjoys running, outdoor activities, and spending time with her family.

Melinda Van Dillen

Melinda Van Dillen

Melinda has spent the majority of her career as a corporate communications director in the entertainment and technology sectors. With over 15 years of experience crafting a broad range of messages and material, she is passionate about being able to communicate clearly and effectively. Melinda has also been involved with corporate internship programs and enjoyed helping students grow their communication and PR skills. She holds a B.S. in Writing for Television, Radio and Film from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications and is currently active in several non-profit organizations, including serving as a board member of her local PTA. Melinda enjoys spending free time with her family and friends and can most often be found in her kitchen experimenting with new recipes, playing with her dog or browsing in a bookstore so she can increase the ever-expanding pile of books she wants to read.

Matthew Veisz

Matthew Veisz

While an undergrad at Rutgers, Matthew was offered a tutoring position at the University's Douglass writing center. The offer followed his completion of semester long independent research based course; for which he composed a 17 page paper investigating the similar conclusions drawn between modern quantum theory and timeless philosophical reasoning. As a tutor, and later ambassador, he oriented students of all disciplines in courses pertaining to independent research, scientific and technical writing, exposition, and basic language. As a student he studied economics and cognitive science, providing him a diligent, economical, and out-of-the-box approach to problem solving--one he is excited to share with his students!

Ping Yan

Ping Yan

Ping enjoys very much her role as a member of the AoPS Academy Princeton language arts teaching team, where she gets to inspire young minds with her love of books, grammar, writing and stories each week. In addition to being an experienced English instructor at the Berlitz Princeton Language Center, Ping works at Princeton University where she is the Event and Office Coordinator for the Center for Language Study. When not working at the university or challenging her students to reach new heights and further their communication skills at AoPS, Ping loves spending time in the kitchen. As a trained chef, she finds great pleasure in sharing her passion for the culinary arts with others, and has taught numerous culinary classes in and around the NYC metro area. Ping is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology where she studied communication design.

Mujtuba Yousufi

Mujtuba Yousufi

Mujtuba is a junior in the chemistry department at Princeton University with an interest in organic chemistry. He discovered his love of teaching in 2018 when he became the head of the math tutoring lab at his high school in Oklahoma. Since then, he has also been a tutor for the Ideas Center at Princeton High School and has taught ACT/SAT prep privately. His favorite feeling while teaching is the satisfaction that comes from seeing a student's face light up after finally piecing together the solution to a difficult problem. Mujtuba has a deep appreciation for mathematics that is fueled by its many applications - in the chemistry he studies, in the chess he plays too much of, or in the economic and impact calculus evaluations that can inform decisions. He prefers to spend his spare time reading philosophy and playing chess, both hopefully accompanied by the enjoyment of tea.

Our family regularly talks about AoPS. We try to think about how our life would be different without you all. What if my daughter hadn't learned to love math? What if she never experienced being pushed to her limits? Overcoming failure? She wouldn't be who she is. And she is AWESOME! A very proud mom here. We are so fortunate that we found AoPS Academy. I credit AoPS for much of her confidence.

Kelly B.,

AoPS Academy parent to 16-year-old engineering major at UW and future cancer researcher