Kelly
Lead Instructor/Operations Specialist
Kelly believes in creating a comfortable learning environment for each individual as a way to motivate students and create excitement in learning. Through developing this excitement, students begin to become confident in both school, as well as in all aspects in life. She is passionate about helping students achieve their academic goals and helping them to develop into life long learners.
Originally from Westminster, Maryland, Kelly earned her BS in Psychology from Mount St. Mary's University, graduating Magna Cum Laude. During her time at the Mount, she was fortunate to be a part of two separate service trips to Honduras, where she spent time building schools and homes, teaching children English, and playing many games of soccer. Having these experiences and seeing the change one can make in the lives of others led her to becoming a tutor in Philosophy and Psychology while in college.
Currently, Kelly is pursuing her MPH in Global Health from The George Washington University. One day, she hopes to work on designing and monitoring health programs for people, especially children, in developing countries. When not in class or working, Kelly enjoys experiencing new places, whether it’s locally or around the world. She also enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing soccer, hiking, and catching up on her favorite TV shows.
Sam
Lead Instructor
Certified to teach History and Social Studies in the State of Virginia, Sam approaches education with a firm belief in establishing working relationships based on mutual respect and individualized instruction. His experiences during practicum placements and while student-teaching convinced him that any child can succeed given the proper assistance.
Originally from Bolivia, he moved to the United States in 2001, settling in Arlington, Virginia. He graduated from Washington and Lee University in 2012, earning a degree in European History and completing a Teacher Education program to become a certified teacher for grades 6-12. With a GPA of 3.77, he graduated Magna Cum Laude and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. While in college, he was also involved with tutoring, editing papers, and cultural exchange clubs.
During his free time, Sam primarily enjoys reading classics, popular books, and graphic novels. A novice in art, he enjoys sketching and doodling in general. Other hobbies include board and card games, geocaching, being outdoors, etc. He also follows international soccer (always looking forward to the World Cup!) and the NBA.
Mitch
Lead Instructor
Mitch draws from his passion for teaching and communication and administrative skills to help our center run smoothly. While teaching, Mitch strongly believes in building a friendly and positive environment that is based on mutual respect. Mitch grew up as an Air Force brat and traveled and lived in incredible places including Aviano, Italy and San Antonio, TX before his family moved to Fairfax Station in 2006. After graduating from high school, Mitch attended West Virginia University where he earned a degree in Geography and a minor in Business Administration in December, 2015. After graduating, Mitch began substitute teaching at a local elementary school while pursuing a full-time position and eventually became a long-term substitute with his own third grade class for the first half of the 2016-2017 school year. Mitch is a die-hard sports fan and you can always find him cheering on the West Virginia Mountaineers, Pittsburgh Steelers, or Washington Nationals. He also loves being outdoors on any occasion possible, and spends most of his free summer days on his family's boat.
Larry
Tutor
As a tutor, Larry aims to provide an environment that encourages students to be excited and positive about their educations and believe that they can excel, not just succeed, in their classes. Larry helps students feel confident in their abilities as academic scholars and provides them the necessary support so that they are mentally and emotionally ready.
A Baltimore native, Larry now resides in Fairfax and recently graduated from George Mason University while receiving honors from the dean. He graduated with a BA in psychology and is currently conducting research at the university to help prevent eating disorders in students. With experience as a classroom assistant for elementary and middle school students, he also helped tutor students from George Mason University.
Before applying to graduate school, Larry is tutoring to continue to gain experience working with students. His time teaching has led Larry to choose between pursuing a master’s degree in educational programs or school counseling. One of his goals is to receive a teaching certificate so that he can one day teach English in foreign countries such as South Korea, Japan, Netherlands, and Germany to become more educated on different cultures and lifestyles.
During his free time, he loves to write poetry, read scientific journals, as well as play the piano. He enjoys playing sports such as basketball and football while also rooting for the local Redskins and Wizards. As an animal lover, he loves to volunteer for the Lost Dog Rescue Foundation from time to time.
Vivian
Tutor
Vivian is passionate about reading and math and enjoys helping kids discover that these subjects aren't so bad! Vivian has lived in Virginia for the majority of her life and is currently pursuing a BS in Psychology with a minor in Computer Science at George Mason University. In high school she received an International Baccalaureate diploma and was part of the National Honor Society and Future Business Leaders of America. As a current student she can relate to students and help them achieve their goals. She believes that the key to learning is making subjects fun and interactive. She has experience tutoring students at George Mason University and was a Kindergarten aid. In her free time, Vivian likes to read, bake, watch movies and enjoy a good cup of coffee. She loves to spend time with family and friends, including her dog.
Molly B.
Tutor
Molly has always loved working with children, and has been blessed with opportunities working with them in a variety of environments over the years. As a high schooler and undergraduate student, she tutored elementary and middle school students in English, mathematics, science, and social studies. Currently, she is a casework manager at a resource center for pregnant women and moms with children under age five. She also works with refugee children through the International Rescue Committee’s family mentor program, in which she helps parents and kids learn English and adjust to American life and culture. She strives to create a comfortable, encouraging environment for her students in which they can build confidence in their skills while not being afraid to ask questions and make mistakes. Molly has a Bachelor’s in Electronic & Print Journalism from Virginia Tech and is currently studying Computer Science and Game Design at American University. During her downtime, Molly loves to play video games, read, attend plays and musicals, cheer for the Hokies, and hang out with her hedgehog, Axel.
Dionne G.
Tutor
During college at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Dionne solidified her love for helping children become better people. For the majority of her undergrad career Dionne was a Health and Physical Education major and decided to jump ships into the world of clinical psychology after teaching a mental health unit at a local high school. Currently, she is a full-time graduate student pursuing her doctorate in clinical psychology. In the past Dionne has provided support and mentoring to many children and adolescents, through church youth groups, supervising a community summer recreational program, private tutoring, lifeguarding, as well as coaching a variety of youth recreational and school sports. In her spare time, you can find Dionne playing recreational league softball, going for a run, doing yoga, or cozying up at home with a good book.
Marilyn Z.
Tutor
Marilyn recently and reluctantly moved to this area from Puerto Rico where she was a teacher of high school and middle school English in a private school for most of the past 28 years. She loved living in the Latino culture and her knowledge of Spanish helped her understand the problems of students’ writing when their thinking was in two languages. She also worked for Central Texas College teaching the freshman composition course to Air Force National Guardsmen in San Juan. Prior to that she taught English and Latin in Upstate New York at a suburban high school from which she retired. She says that even though she has been teaching forever, she is still not ready to really retire! Teaching and working with kids has been a passion for all these years. Marilyn received her BA and MA in Latin from SUNY Albany, another MA in English from Russell Sage College, and did further graduate work at the University of Nottingham in England, an experience which she says changed her life. Another passion of hers is travel; Egypt and Morocco are still on her “bucket list”. She’s more than sampled the other continents and wants to get to North Africa. She loves classical music, opera, the ballet; loves to read and do crossword puzzles; follows professional football and tennis; and, now that she’s closer, has many more opportunities to spend time with her family.
Mary R.
Tutor
Born and raised in Northern Virginia, Mary is a graduate of McLean High School. She earned her degree in Chemistry with a specialization in Environmental Sciences from the University of Virginia, and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. As a tutor, Mary strives to help her students develop strong study skills and test taking strategies. In her spare time, Mary enjoys hiking, exploring the outdoors, traveling, baking and experimenting with new recipes, and spending time with friends and family. Mary has her MS in Environmental Sciences and Policy from Johns Hopkins University, and is a doctoral student at the University of Maryland, pursuing her degree in Toxicology and Environmental Health.
Hugh V.
Tutor
Hugh enjoys the opportunity to help students excel academically and creatively, while also striving to encourage professional and optimistic behavior that can follow them into adulthood. A graduate of Marymount University’s School of Business, Hugh is an experienced public speaker and writer, and got his start with Tutoring Club as a company intern for data analysis while becoming familiar with the tutors, students, and educational methods at Tutoring Club of McLean. As a part-time Parks Department employee, Hugh has worked with kids of all ages through various summer camps, public events, and animal-related activities. He has also lived in Tokyo, Japan, where he attended Sophia University while working as an illustrator and cartoonist.
Suzannah T,
Tutor
Suzannah is an avid lover of mathematics and chemistry. She enjoys outreach and helping students find the neat patterns and fun facts of mathematics. She earned her Bachelors of Science in Mathematics from Beloit College in Wisconsin. As a student who hated mathematics in middle school, Suzannah wants to share her newfound love of mathematics with others. She also enjoys outreach and volunteers with Girls and Women in Science by introducing middle school girls to chemistry. She's also involved with University of Wisconsin Madison's Engineering Expo, explaining crystallography and nanotechnology applications. She joined Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society and graduated summa cum luade. In her free time she likes biking, hiking, and video games.
Sara P.
Tutor
Sara is excited to be working for the Tutoring Club again! She previously worked at the Capitola Tutoring Club in California and loved it tremendously. Sara has taught in various capacities for 12 years, as an Elementary Teacher, Special Education Teacher, and Literacy Tutor. She graduated with a BA in English from George Mason University and has a Masters in Education from the University of California Santa Cruz. Sara has a great passion for teaching, working with children, and enjoys using a variety of methods to educate all types of learners. She also had the pleasure of teaching overseas in Tanzania and Nicaragua and loves to travel the world. Sara studied abroad in Leicestershire, England where she developed a love for classic literature. In her free time, Sara loves to play tennis, continue learning Spanish, and work in the garden. She is also a big animal lover and loves to cook vegan food for her friends and family.
Michael
Tutor
Michael is excited for the opportunity to work closely with the students at TCM to help them achieve their academic goals. He has three years of experience teaching English and science courses to K-12 students and volunteered as a tutor in university. He has also taught overseas in Suzhou, China and had the opportunity to travel in southeast Asia and Europe. A native of Maryland, Michael majored in Economics and International Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is currently studying for a Master’s in Applied Economics at the University of Maryland-College Park. He is interested in working in the field of environmental economics after he graduates.The most rewarding aspects of teaching to him are being able to see visible progress in students and helping them find enthusiasm in the subjects they’re studying. In his free time, Michael enjoys traveling, outdoor activities such as bicycling and hiking, and reading about economics and history.
Christina T.
Tutor
Christina has always been a mentor among her peers and others around her. As the eldest child, she has provided support as well as guidance to her three younger siblings both in and out of school. Throughout her entire high school career, she was part of the Circle of Friends Club on campus, which worked with special educational students in her school to socially integrate them with the rest of their community, serving as an officer during her sophomore, junior, and senior years. Additionally, Christina was enrolled in an academic program that dual-enrolled her into community college while she was still a high school student. Upon graduating from high school with her advanced diploma, she also earned her Associate of Science degree. Christina began her college career at Virginia Commonwealth University before transferring to American University to finish her Bachelor's. During her time as a student at VCU, Christina began her tutoring career at The Tutoring Club of Glen Allen before transferring to McLean. She graduated this spring semester with her Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and plans to resume her studies this fall at American University as a graduate student to receive her Master's in Psychology. As a psych major, she enjoys working with students to nurture and develop their minds. Her hobbies are reading, enjoying good music, outdoor activities, and traveling, whether that be across town or across the world.
Renee H.
Tutor
Renee is so excited to work at TC McLean. She has been a public school teacher for the last three years working in Northern Virginia and Maryland and currently works for a middle school in FCPS. A Delaware native, Renee went to undergrad/graduate school at a small university in Central VA. Renee decided she wanted to become a Social Studies teacher because she’s fascinated by other cultures. After her studies, she worked for a charity in the United Kingdom where she volunteered as a Youth Leader. She has since developed a deep love for England. While Renee’s not creating fun lessons or teaching the future of America, she’s usually cuddling with her cat or going on a grand adventure.
Rachana J.
Tutor
Rachana has always been passionate about tutoring and providing mentoring outreach to children. Throughout high school she volunteered with programs through Academic Honor Societies and the guidance counselor’s office to help students struggling with subjects such as Algebra, Trigonometry, and Biology. She has also worked with the mentor program SHINE, which combined dance with math tutoring to help 5th and 6th grade girls become interested about going into STEM fields early on. She graduated from Robinson High School with an IB (International Baccalaureate) Diploma and currently attends the University of Virginia, pursuing a double major in Commerce and Public Policy. At UVA, she currently works with the Young Women’s Leadership Program through the Women’s Center, where she aids in mentoring 7th/8th grade girls in becoming young leaders for the Charlottesville community. In her free time, Rachana enjoys reading, volunteering with the tour guide service at UVA, and learning how to aerial dance.
Ian G.
Tutor
Ian is passionate about helping others and forging meaningful bonds through shared knowledge. As a recent graduate of McLean High School and current student at Cornell University double majoring in music and neuroscience, he appreciates all students’ drive to succeed and improve at various skills. In terms of subjects, Ian is particularly interested in chemistry, algebra, and grammar. As a current student, Ian can empathize with both the struggles and triumphs of his students, as he often goes through them himself. Ian is a Northern Virginia native, having spent his entire childhood in McLean. Growing up, he was heavily involved in sports such as soccer, basketball, and track, and is an ardent Green Bay Packers fan. Ian has played the piano since he was five years old and continues to play in college, especially the works of Bach and Chopin. As a child of Iranian immigrants, Ian speaks Farsi and appreciates the different viewpoints associated with diversity and unique cultures.
Fran E.
Tutor
Fran has taught all age groups from preschool to college. She started teaching the Orton-Gillingham reading method to dyslexic middle and high school students at the Forman School in Connecticut. That sparked a life-long interest in how reading issues, dyslexia, and self-esteem are linked to academic success. Her belief is that children will succeed academically when they feel confident with their abilities in the classroom. Fran works on incorporating a child’s interests into tutoring lessons to make learning fun and relevant to the child’s life. She encourages students to develop goal-setting skills so they have the confidence to tackle various academic challenges.
Fran taught Child Psychology and Adolescent Development for over 15 years at a community college in Wellesley, Massachusetts. She recently worked as a substitute teacher at a private Montessori-based elementary school in Baltimore. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s in Education. She has experience as a private Wilson Reading System tutor for dyslexic children. In her spare time, Fran enjoys playing pickleball and training her dog in agility classes.
Akshara D.
Tutor
Akshara is currently a student at George Washington University. She is a double majoring in Economics and Finance and would like to go into the financial services industry after college. Her strengths are math, reading/writing, and economics. As a high school student she took nearly all of the social sciences AP’s and AP English. She also achieved an almost perfect score on her ACT and SAT tests. She self-studied for most of the tests and definitely understands the struggles and frustration faced by students. She has chosen to become a tutor so she can help others and we all can succeed together. During her free time, she plays instruments like the piano. She is also involved with Debate Club and a socially-responsible investment club, as well as the George Washington Law Review and Economics Review.
