Michelle Scott
Owner/Director
Michelle is the owner and director of Tutoring Club of McLean. She manages the day-to-day operations of the center and takes a personal interest in each child she meets. As part of a national organization, Michelle delivers the very best curriculum for students. And being a local owner allows her to individualize the lessons for each student, to be readily available to parents and students, and to contribute directly to each student’s success. Michelle monitors each student’s progress every step of the way, and hires professional, caring and accomplished instructors who share her passion.
A Southern California native, Michelle received her degree from California State University, Long Beach. Michelle has always had a passion for helping people overcome their obstacles and achieve their best. Throughout the years, she has motivated students, friends, family members and associates of all ages to do so and feels no greater reward than helping others realize their goals.
Michelle is a big believer in strengthening her community and in giving back, and believes that we can all make a difference in the world in which we live. “I have always wanted to build a business that strengthened my community, ever since I wrote my first business plan when I was in the fourth grade,” Michelle said. That business plan has been preserved over the years and is now framed in the Tutoring Club’s offices. By bringing Tutoring Club to the DC metro area, she is able to share those passions and provide an environment where children succeed and where learning is fun!
Mitch
Assistant Director
A director in training, 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.
Amber
Student Success Coach
Amber enjoys helping students meet their goals through thoughtful work and careful planning. She loves the idealism that students bring with them, and she helps students by celebrating successes and brainstorming through difficulties. Relentless optimism, high standards, and knowledge of options are key to her student-centered approach. Originally from Florida, Amber earned her BA in English from the University of Florida. After a year working with AmeriCorps in North Carolina, she went on to earn her MA in English from Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti. She taught first-year writing at UMass Boston, and then went on to complete her PhD in English at George Washington University, where she focused on Victorian literature of the working classes. Between teaching writing and literature and advising, Amber has worked with college students for more than a decade. In her free time, Amber enjoys running, reading, and spending time with her family, including two young children (who help keep her running).
Sara P.
Student Success Coach
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.
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.
Charlie
Tutor
Charlie is a passionate teacher who enjoys witnessing academic growth in his students as they progress from uncertainty to confidence. He is an excellent listener, and he aims to connect with his students so he can tailor his teaching in a personalized way. As a former student who sought tutoring help himself, he understands the impact a tutor can have in contributing to a student’s academic success. He continually strives to not only see his students improve but also to grow as a teacher.
Born and raised in the greater DC area, Charlie was a member of the National Honor Society and Varsity tennis player who competed at the national level. He earned his college degree in Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Charlie currently works as a software developer for a large IT company. His long term goal is to eventually start his own company and develop the next big hit for mobile apps. During his free time, Charlie enjoys golf, tennis, volleyball, outdoor activities, hip hop dance, piano and drums.
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.
Dave
Tutor
During college at James Madison University, Dave discovered the joy of tutoring and the excitement of helping students gain self-confidence as they became stronger in their studies. Dave is a Fairfax County native and is very familiar with Fairfax County Public Schools. He works in the Cybersecurity field during the day, securing and hardening computer systems. Dave enjoys reading and creative writing, as well as math-based sciences. In his free time, Dave can be found spending time with his dog, cooking, reading, playing XboxOne, and restoring old cars.
Mary
Tutor
Teaching is a family tradition for Mary. Both of her parents and grandmothers were teachers so she grew up with a love of learning and a dedication to share that excitement with students. As a high school teacher Mary taught World History, Psychology and AP European History. She also coached Field Hockey and Lacrosse and she continues to coach Field Hockey with clubs in Northern Virginia. Mary received her undergraduate degree in European/Southeast Asian History, with a minor in Psychology from Georgetown University. She also has a masters’ degree in Latin American History from Stanford and another masters’ in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. While at Georgetown she worked in a refugee camp in Thailand for Catholic Relief Services and went on to serve as a military intelligence officer in the Army. In addition to coaching, Mary enjoys traveling, photography and reading. She has two beagles, Allie and Molly, who she rescued through Beagle Rescue Education and Welfare (BREW) where she also volunteers. One of her proudest achievements is the number of her former students who chose to become teachers.
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.
Stephen G.
Tutor
Stephen is an experienced teacher who helps students meet their goals by building positive relationships and instilling confidence in each student. Optimistic and upbeat, Stephen helps students find joy in achievement and prioritizes breaking down bigger challenges into bite-sized tasks. Originally from Pittsburgh, Stephen earned his BS in Chemical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University. After a year working as a process engineer in South Carolina, he went on to earn his MA in International Sport Management from Universität Konstanz in Germany. Following his Master’s, Stephen worked as a Program Manager in Scotland for Golf Environment Organization, where he developed sustainability programs for golf facilities all over the world. Stephen is the Founder and Director of Underdogs United, a social enterprise that works with high-profile athletes to address the global water crisis. Stephen’s been featured in Forbes, NBC, CBS, USA Today, and other major media outlets for his work in sports and philanthropy. Including his position as an English teacher for a German elementary school, Stephen has worked with students for over ten years. In his free time, Stephen coaches youth basketball and tennis, enjoys playing guitar, and performing improvised theatre.
Rikki
Tutor
Rikki joined Tutoring Club of McLean when it opened and has become a pillar of Tutoring Club. She breaks down difficult concepts for students into the easiest to understand terms, and is why she’s often requested by middle and high school math and science students for their tutoring sessions. Rikki’s gentle, calm nature puts her students at ease, helping her students quickly build self confidence in their math abilities. Born and raised in southwestern Missouri, Rikki earned her degree in Physics from Missouri Southern State University. While attending college, she was a member of the math and computer information science clubs. She also had the opportunity to travel to Eastern Europe and walk in the footsteps of a few of the fathers of modern science. During college, Rikki tutored at the university for physics and math students. She also worked for the America Counts and America Reads programs, which give college students a chance to tutor at elementary schools in math and reading, respectively. After graduating, she worked as an adjunct professor teaching Survey of Physical Science, a required course for non science students to learn about astronomy, chemistry, geology and physics. Rikki also worked as an adjunct where she taught lab companion courses for physics and physical science. During a break from TC, Rikki worked as a private school teacher and had the opportunity to serve as the coach for the VA team to the National MathCounts competition. She has been tutoring in one capacity or another for 20 years, and enjoys helping students improve their understanding of school subjects and the world around them. She enjoys traveling to experience new cultures and creatively applying patterns for craft projects.
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.
