Our Coaches
At Five Points Learning we seek out passionate instructors that are skilled in motivating and effective at teaching. Our coaches are not only experienced at teaching, but also have work experiences outside of education to provide students a broader perspective as they consider their futures and beyond.
BrianDescription:Brian is energetic and passionate about the work he does in both education and consulting. He has taught at the middle and high school levels as well as worked as the Assistant Director of a non-profit dedicated to preparing and connecting students with the top universities in the country. Brian currently works as a Management Consultant, training foreign governments and businesses on building internal capacity and achieving results. In addition, he teaches several courses on leadership, business ethics, and social responsibility as an Adjunct Professor at New York University's Leonard N. Stern School of Business. Areas of Experience:Post-Secondary Education
Education
Management Consulting
Volunteer:Brian has been active in human rights, contributing to a US refugee resettlement program for Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), a human rights non-profit organization promoting human rights for North Korean refugees. He is also a volunteer tour guide for the City of New York as a Big Apple Greeter. Education:BA in International Relations from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) ManuelDescription:Manuel is a dedicated instructor committed to sharing his passion for math and science with all of his students. He seeks to make learning fun and exciting, and hopes he can inspire students to study math or science when they go to college one day. He has worked with hundreds of students at varying levels throughout his teaching career, and takes great pride in helping students overcome academic challenges. He believes that a positive attitude, determination, and hard work are essential for success. In the future, Manuel hopes to obtain a Doctorate degree in Theoretical Physics and to pursue a career in academia.Areas of Experience:Astrophysics Research
Volunteer:Throughout the last four years, Manuel has been an active member of his community. He has volunteered for a variety of programs and services including soup kitchens for the homeless, mentoring initiatives for low-income youth, and book drives for students. Currently, Manuel helps clean local parks on weekends and he is always open to new volunteer opportunities that help his community.Education:BA in Applied Physics from Columbia University DonDescription:Don is an experienced writing adviser. He enjoys helping students with crafting their personal statements and finding their inner voice. He works for a macroeconomic research firm in New York and was formerly a staff associate with the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Don attended public schools in Louisiana. He is a passionate advocate for education reform in schools. Areas of Experience:Admissions Essay Consulting Volunteer: Don serves as a tutor for immigrants studying for the U.S. citizenship exam. Previously, he volunteered with the Thảo Đân Shelter in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Education:BA in Political Science from Yale University
AkuaDescription:Akua has always believed in the importance of education, which is why throughout her life, she has always dedicated time to working with students. She believes every student has the potential to be great, and she works tirelessly to help make that happen. Areas of Experience:Admissions Essay Consulting Volunteer:While in university, Akua founded a program that allowed Philadelphia area students an opportunity to showcase their talents, which ranged from spoken word to jazz musical composition, to the broader University of Pennsylvania community. Most recently, she worked with the New York Chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters as a mentor. Education:BA in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania NickDescription:Nick is a dedicated student of literature and the arts, writing and reading. He thrives on sharing his passion for literature with young people while simultaneously gaining inspiration from his students own passions. He has always striven to create an open and creative learning environment. Areas of Experience:Admissions Essay Consulting
Volunteer:Previously, Nick volunteered at the West Philadelphia Tutoring Project tutoring students in both reading and math. He also served as a basketball coach and mentor for middle school students in the Carmine Street Basketball League. Education:B.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania
M.A. in English Literature with Distinction from the University of Oxford MaryDescription:Motivating, Inspiring, and Equipping people with good communication skills have always been the reasons that drew Mary to teaching. Her commitment to education has been evident in every facet of her life whether working with children, teenagers, or adults. Mary has a wealth of experience both in and out of the classroom. Her myriad teaching opportunities have underscored to her the importance of giving people a voice and of actualizing their full potential. She finds great satisfaction in helping her students develop into critical thinkers while acquiring the necessary skill set to achieve their goals, which in turn leads to heightened self-confidence and produces better leaders. Areas of Experience:Teaching children and teens (NY certified teacher)
Academic tutoring for elementary school-aged children in math and language arts Volunteer: Mary is an active member of her church and has been involved in all aspects of teaching as well as in leadership roles throughout the last 35 years. She has run programs for every age group both in a supervisory capacity as well as in support roles. Her ministries have ranged from being in charge of finances to running a Café. Education:BS in Elementary Education from Lesley University, minor in Early Childhood Education (Kindergarten through Grade 3) ShihangDescription:Shihang is passionate about teaching, and believes that everyone has the potential to be successful through education. Throughout his teaching career, Shihang has striven to no only connect with students at a personal level, but also to help them improve their critical thinking and analytical skills. Areas of Experience:Engineering
Volunteer:Shihang volunteers as an SAT math tutor for the New York Cares nonprofit organization. He develops customized tutoring plans for students based on their academic levels and helps them to improve their SAT Math scores. Education:B.S. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Cornell University DianaDescription:For many years, Diana worked in advertising, but it was her love of children that motivated her to make a career change into teaching. Currently, Diana is a third grade special education teacher in Brooklyn, and finds fulfillment in working with children of mixed abilities. Diana yearns to make all children feel as though they can accomplish anything. In addition to her passion for education, her interests include working out, live music, and film. Areas of Experience:Elementary Education (NY certified teacher) Volunteer:As an alumnus of Surprise Lake Camp, Diana is active in various aspects of fundraising for the organization. Education:BA in Television and Radio – Brooklyn College BA in Television and Radio from Brooklyn College SarahDescription:Sarah did not always want to be a teacher. However, it was one of the best decisions she made for herself and her students, past, current, and future. Sarah is knowledgeable about the curriculum and the different academic needs of her students. She believes that forming strong bonds and relationships with her students is what really makes a difference in their lives. Currently, Sarah is a 4th grade teacher. She has an array of experience working with both elementary grades and high school students. She has extensive experience tutoring for the SAT and even taught ESL at the University level and business English to adults in Sao Paolo, Brazil. Areas of Experience:Elementary Education (NJ certified teacher) Volunteer:Sarah is an active member of her church, guiding and mentoring the youth in her congregation.Education:BA in Elementary Education from the University of Michigan School of Education JimmyDescription:Jimmy is a passionate educator with experience working with children as young as seven and as old as eighteen. His areas of expertise include history, mathematics, government, SAT test prep and college admissions essay writing.Areas of Experience:SAT Math, Reading, Writing
Volunteer:Jimmy spent a year doing an AmeriCorps national service program working with underprivileged bilingual elementary school youth in northern California, helping to improve reading and writing skills.Education:Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter, NH), LianaDescription:Education has always been Liana's passion. After working for over 10 years in the corporate world, she left her position at Google to find a more fulfilling opportunity in education and community development.Areas of Experience:ESL Education Volunteer:Liana currently serves as an ESL instructor for a non-profit organization that seeks to assist Caribbean and Central American immigrants in Brooklyn with their English language skills. Previously, Liana worked on health and education projects for indigenous populations in Amazon communities throughout Ecuador and Peru.Education:BA in Psychology from Baruch College EddieDescription:Eddie is a highly motivated education professional that has worked with hundreds of students helping to increase confidence, fulfill academic potential, and gain admittance to schools of choice. Currently, Eddie is training for the ING NYC Marathon and is raising money for Team for Kids, a non-profit organization that establishes running-based programs that promote children’s physical fitness, character development and personal achievement in under-served communities. Areas of Experience:Education (Kaplan, Inc.) Volunteer:Recently mentored and helped prepare high school students on how to manage a business and for business case competitions through the NYC Virtual Enterprise Program (VEP). Eddie was previously active in human rights, leading an effort to develop a US refugee resettlement program for Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), a human rights non-profit organization promoting human rights for North Korean refugees. Eddie has also helped build habitat homes through Habitat for Humanity in New Jersey. Education:BA in Sociology from the University of Michigan Honors Program |