CLASSROOM MATTERS
Staff Biographies
For more information or to schedule an appointment, please send a message to frontdesk@classroommatters.com.
Please note that Classroom Matters is a tutoring center; all instruction and Supervised Study take place on site in Berkeley, CA.
Administrative Staff
Lisa Miller (Director, English, French)
Tutors
All of our staff is fully versed in study and organization skills in addition to their subject area specialties. Good study habits and organization are essential skills; we give them top priority no matter what subject we are teaching.
Lisa Miller (lisa at classroommatters dot com) was a popular and rigorous English and French teacher for six years at Berkeley High School. She was also responsible for the Yearbook. Lisa received her BA in French Literature, with a minor in English, from the University of California at San Diego and spent her junior year in France studying at the Sorbonne. She is very interested in French language and culture and travels to France whenever possible. Additionally, Lisa spent several years working for an SAT preparation program and is well versed in test-taking techniques. Lisa is also terrific at helping students with study skills. She has honed her skills not just as a classroom teacher, but through her experience working with individual students both as a tutor and as a teacher in BUSD's Independent Studies Program. Currently, as Director of Classroom Matters, Lisa draws on her experience as an educator and trainer to create an environment where every student can discover his or her own love of learning, both in and out of the classroom. Lisa designs study skills curriculum for Classroom Matters, travels to Bay Area schools offering workshops and trainings, and appears as a guest speaker at educational events. In addition to training tutors at Classroom Matters, she has worked as a new teacher coach and mentor for Oakland Unified School District.
Shirley Hasson (shirley at classroommatters dot com) was born and raised in Tel-Aviv, Israel. As a key player on our administrative team, Shirley brings over ten years of experience in various companies and non profit organizations, including the Jewish Community Center in North Berkeley, where she was an Associate Director for the children’s department. At CM, her responsibilities include managing a challenging schedule and providing a safe and enriching environment for all our families. Shirley currently resides in San Francisco and is completing her Bachelor's degree in Nursing at USF. Shirley hopes to someday work for the Red Cross and be a disaster relief nurse. In addition, she plans on getting a Master's degree in Public Health and Leadership. To further her career goals and training, Shirley volunteers on a regular basis for organizations like VITAS that support hospice patients. In her spare time, Shirley enjoys spending time exploring the city, doing yoga and traveling as much as she can. Shirley is also an experienced tutor who enjoys working with K-5 students in reading and writing, and with older students in Anatomy & Physiology, organization and time management.
Molly Gerstein Gales, teacher and mentor, founded Classroom Matters in 1998 at the request of a parent. Molly received her M.A. in English Education from Columbia University. She has taught at public high schools throughout the Bay Area. At Berkeley High School, Molly helped to create the 9th grade integrated core program and founded B.E.S.T., a successful program for second-semester seniors. At Serramonte High School in Daly City, Molly designed and implemented a complete project-based learning curriculum in all subject areas. While Molly was teaching at Irvington High School in Fremont, the school district requested that she share her innovative techniques with other teachers in a series of professional development workshops. She continued to train teachers in private workshops and as a Master Practitioner with the UCLA School Management Program, Bay Area. Although Molly does not participate in the daily operations of CM, she remains on call as a consultant and tutors privately from her home.
Brittany De Avilan graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in English, which ultimately transformed her into a voracious reader of literature as well as history. Brittany enjoys engaging students in academics so they develop a love of learning. At Sacramento State, where she is currently working on her Masters Degree, she learned how to assess, and implement systematic phonics instruction. Brittany has experience teaching phonics, writing, SAT prep and math courses up to Algebra, and she has also volunteered her time to work with students on their college applications. Brittany is patient, warm, and stays on task. In her spare time she enjoys cooking Indian food, looking at pictures of galaxies, and trying to understand her husband’s physics homework.
Caitlin Jenkins is from the East Coast, but came to California in 2002 for a year and ended up staying. She earned a BA in Biology from Mount Holyoke College and thought, upon graduation, she’d postpone a graduate degree in biomedical research to “try” teaching. Eight years later, she still loves teaching, tutoring, and spending time with kids. She earned her MA in Education and Multiple Subject Credential from UC Berkeley in 2009. Cait now teaches 4th and 5th grade science in BUSD and tutors all subjects K-5. In her free time, she loves to exercise, travel, and explore the parks, beaches and mountains of Northern California!
Cameron Cuchulainn tutors students in English, the humanities, and writing skills, as well as test preparation for the AP and SAT examinations. A superior speaker of Portuguese and an advanced speaker of Spanish, Cameron graduated from UC Berkeley with highest honors and high distinction in general scholarship, earning his B.A. in Political Science. Cameron went on to serve in the U.S. Peace Corps in Mozambique, where he taught English for two years to tenth graders at a Catholic bush school and coordinated a photojournalism group with a novel approach to fighting the spread of HIV and AIDS. He has a creative approach to teaching and tutoring, with personal interests including skateboarding, photography, literature, art, and contemporary music. His twelve-year-old brother has ADHD, and the two work closely together on homework and building study skills outside of Classroom Matters. In the future, Cameron plans to pursue a career as a photojournalist specializing in the Portuguese-speaking world.
Casey Busher was born, raised, and magnetically pulled back to Berkeley. She is a Classroom Matters success story; with the help of the CM staff, she navigated her way through Berkeley High, SAT and AP testing, and the college application process. She recently graduated with honors from the University of California at Santa Cruz, with a BA in Literature and Creative Writing. While there, she wrote a novella about a young woman with whom she might have a few things in common. She has taught at-risk youth in Santiago, Chile, and is an advanced Spanish speaker. Casey tutors English, Spanish, and other humanities subjects, for test prep and the classroom. She also offers tools for effective study habits and general organization. More recently, Casey joined our administrative team and is a key player in all things CM. In her spare time, Casey enjoys solving crossword puzzles, playing ping pong, and freestyle rapping.
Cherilyn Nehira graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in English Literature and a love of learning. Cherilyn loves empowering students to become passionate, curious, confident thinkers and believes strongly in lifelong learning. Cherilyn is a certified Project Manager, has directed summer education programs, and enjoys working with students of all ages. Cherilyn believes that, “you have to live spherically-in many directions”-Fellini, that most students have a unique way of learning, and that everyone can learn to manage their academic pursuits. Cherilyn specializes in tutoring high school and college level English, writing, history, humanities, Algebra 1, and K-12. Cherilyn loves to immerse herself in new cultures and to push beyond the boundaries of her own conception. Her current obsessions: writing, physics: dark matter and dark energy, training for her 3rd half-ironman distance triathlon, and chocolate.
Frances Francia is originally from Seattle, and relocated to the Bay Area to attend UC Berkeley, where she received her BA in Ethnic Studies. She has been a lifelong teacher, participating in peer tutoring in elementary, middle, and high school. Professionally, Frances has been tutoring since 2004, in addition to working full time as a project manager at a software company. Someday, she plans to return to graduate school to become a professor at the community college level. She is Classroom Matters' only Latin tutor, but she also tutors English, history, and math. In addition to providing academic support, Frances is a strong believer in the power of organization, and reinforces these practices in her students. She encourages her students to develop a lifelong love of learning, just as she has.
Hilary Seeley graduated with honors from UC Berkeley with a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies, a self-designed major that combined American and French Literature, Art History, History, and Sociology. She spent the Spring of 2008 in Paris, France, studying French history, literature, and culture at the Sorbonne. Hilary has tutored students from ages 3 to 83 in various subjects, both in one-on-one and group settings, and she teaches high school French and English. A top-flight coxswain throughout high school and on the UC Berkeley Women's Crew team, Hilary emphasizes practicing productive study habits, organization, and self-advocacy in addition to strengthening academic skills. She is known to be extremely well-organized, understanding, and patient, and she loves to see a student's comprehension and enthusiasm for learning grow. In her free time, Hilary enjoys dancing (swing, ballet, and hip hop), singing, designing and making clothes, and being in nature.
Jessica Engle graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in the History of Art and Architecture. She was a Regent's Scholar and part of the Honor's program at UCSB, and received the Academic Honors Award, Art History Chairperson's Award, and Research Promise Award along with induction to Phi Beta Kappa upon graduating. Jessica has tutored adults and kids of all ages in various subjects including, SAT prep, reading, writing and math. Jessica is now a Master's candidate at the California Institute of Integral Studies; she studies drama therapy, and is delighted to be combining two of her greatest passions - theater and personal growth. Jessica has traveled around the world, performed for years as a singer and improvisational actress, and loves dancing, writing, and meditating.
Matthew Kury, originally from New York, graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.S. in Biological Engineering and a minor in Mechanical Engineering. Since graduation, Matthew has become a member of a computational research group at UCB, where he is working on computational models of conductive fabrics. At UCB, Matthew was a teaching assistant for a freshman engineering class, and in high school he tutored math and sciences. Outside of academics, Matthew has been a member of a wide variety of organizations from the UCB’s Crew team to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Matthew is adept in math, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and computational computer programming. He is eager to help students learn how to study these subjects, and give them the appreciation of the capabilities of science.
Matt Sharpnack who was born and raised in the Bay Area, began working with children at an early age in his mother's 2nd grade classroom. Throughout his high school years at Bishop O'Dowd, Matt worked many summers as a camp counselor before shifting toward education, tutoring, and mentoring. Since then, Matt enjoys engaging children in a fun and exciting learning environments. He graduated from UC San Diego with a BS in Psychology with an emphasis in Biology, and he has worked as an after-school enrichment teacher for ages K-5th for the past two years. Matt enjoys spending time with his students, and he is especially passionate about developmental education. He has great patience and skill in helping students understand concepts and processes. In his free time he enjoys basketball, soccer, golf, snowboarding, nature, video games, tinkering, and reading.
Meg Webb graduated with honors from Arizona State University with a BS in Biology and a minor in Child Development. She started tutoring in high school while helping her younger brothers, who have learning differences, through their classes, as well as helping her classmates navigate their honors coursework. Meg specializes in tutoring mathematics, biology, and chemistry, and also has success helping her students develop organizational and study skills. She describes her teaching style as, "Patient, kind, and understanding, yet direct and very honest". Meg's main goal is to foster a love of learning in her students, and to give them the tools they need to be successful, not only academically, but for life in general. In her spare time, Meg enjoys traveling to Chicago, where she was raised, to spend time with her family, singing, and reading.
Michael DeMaio just graduated from UC Berkeley as an Applied Mathematics major. He has a strong passion for math and engineering, and a desire to teach and tutor youth of all ages. He has a diverse academic background with experience in tutoring history, Spanish, chemistry, physics and mathematics as a private tutor since the age of sixteen. Michael has worked for many youth academic camps, for multiple recreation departments, and spent time as a peer tutor for other students in mathematics and chemistry at UC Berkeley. In the future, he hopes to go to graduate school in either teaching or engineering. In his free time, Michael enjoys playing and watching basketball and football and he works for Cal Athletics.
Nisha Vahora graduated from MIT with a BS and MEng in Environmental Engineering. The interdisciplinary approach of the program gave her the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge in math, physics, chemistry, and biology as well as hands-on experience (i.e. building a buoy, designing a filtration system, assisting in the design of underground flood gates in Venice!). Nisha has tutored students of all ages in various subjects including state prep exams, math, and the sciences. She currently lives in Berkeley and continues her passion in environmental engineering by working at a local environmental consulting firm. In her free time, Nisha enjoys cooking, exploring new areas in Northern California, and traveling around the world.
Rebecca Goodberg graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from UC Berkeley with majors in Political Science and a self-designed interdisciplinary program combining English, Dramatic Art and Film. She's tutored students of all ages throughout California, with a focus on writing, reading comprehension and analytical thinking, has taught acting and directing at Bay Area schools and camps, and developed a popular summer playwriting workshop for seventh through twelfth grades. As a professional writer with more than a decade of creative and commercial experience, she especially enjoys helping young people use the power of language to shape their own voices.
Ryan Johnson comes to Classroom Matters from the far reaches of Salt Lake City, Utah, where he was born and where he got his start in teaching, tutoring fellow students in math and test preparation, and editing his school newspaper at the age of seventeen. Driven to learn and experience new things, Ryan moved to Berkeley after graduating high school to study as a Physics major and Music minor at UC Berkeley, where he is to be a 3rd year student. Ryan believes that learning is one of the most fulfilling and exciting ventures life has to offer, and he makes inciting those same feelings in his students a top priority. As a tutor for math, physics, writing, test preparation, and music theory, Ryan strives to put subjects in perspective, to show students that everything they do in school has real-world meaning, and that good grades are just the beginning of the rewards one receives for learning. In his free time, Ryan likes to write, bike, play music, and program music and video-manipulating devices on his computer.
Sara Jacobson graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 2010 with a degree in Community Studies. She focused on social change through the lens of food and agriculture, and participated in peer and outdoor education throughout her time in Santa Cruz. Born and raised in Berkeley, Sara attended almost a dozen schools around the Bay Area and in Boston. Having a diverse educational background inspires her to help students navigate school successfully, to feel that they are able to play to their strengths and to challenge themselves to grow. Sara works with all types of learners supporting them in language arts, low level math, Spanish and study skills. Sara is a musical and visual artist, a gardener, a cook, a cyclist, and has a special affinity for mountains and forests.
Tam Visher was born and raised in Los Angeles, where his predilections for science and art were fueled by family and friends. After graduating with high marks in high school, he is now a 4th year student at UC Berkeley, double majoring in Mathematics and Geophysics. He has experience tutoring elementary, middle, and high school students--in math and physics, music theory, reading, English, and literature. Just back from an enjoyable trip to Peru, he is ready to tutor all those in need!
Tatiana Guerreiro Ramos graduated Cum Laude, too many years ago to count, from Monmouth University, where her mother taught Political Science. With a B.A. in Communications in hand, Tatiana headed off to New York City, where she worked in advertising for many years, most of them as a creative department manager. Following 9/11, Tatiana decided a career change was in order, and followed in her parents' footsteps to become a teacher. After just a year in a third-grade classroom, Tatiana found herself in a family way and she and her husband decided she would stay home with their son. Almost a decade later, Tatiana is thrilled to be back in a teaching role. Her strengths are supporting K-8 students in math, language arts, humanities and foreign languages. A polyglot (English, Portuguese, French and Spanish) and a three-time National Memory Champion (the only woman to win the US Memoriad in its 15-year history), Tatiana enjoys crosswords, KenKen, keeping up with the news from her home country of Brazil, writing, and, most of all, spending time with her children.
Yania Escobar is currently pursuing a degree in studies of the human mind and civilizations including Neurobiology, Psychology and Anthropology at UC Berkleley, with hopes of someday becoming a special education teacher. She spent 13 years in Uruguay where she mastered the Spanish language, South American culture and alternate approaches to teaching and learning. Yania has tutored K-12 in the areas of mathematics, science, history, writing, Spanish and standardized testing for four years, and focuses on stress relieving techniques through personal empowerment and organization. She enjoys connecting with her students on an academic and personal level, assisting them with school work as well as life outside the classroom. Besides her work at Classroom Matters, Yania is passionate about Capoeira and her volunteer work at the Berkeley Free Clinic medical section.