• Central Michigan University, Bachelor of Science in Psychology
• University of Wisconsin – Madison, Graduate student in Educational Specialist School Psychology Program

Abbi grew up in Middleville, Michigan and continued her education in the Great Lake State at Central Michigan University where she earned her BS in Psychology. During her time at Central Michigan University, Abbi was on a behavioral analysis research team where she studied human and animal behavior. Additionally, Abbi conducted research within the Family Studies department at CMU, looking at multicultural education for early childhood classrooms. Abbi is a first generation college student and graduating college is something she is very proud of. She hopes to inspire other first generation college students at Galin and in her future career to pursue their goals of higher education.

After graduation, Abbi moved to Madison to pursue her Educational Specialist degree in School Psychology at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. She hopes to work with K-12 students one day, ensuring they are getting the necessary support in school for them to be successful. Abbi is loving her time in Madison and enjoys going on walks by the lakes, shopping at local markets, and enjoying the great things that Madison has to offer.

• Calvin University, B.A., English
• University of Notre Dame, M.F.A., Creative Writing
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Ph.D., Literature and Creative Writing

Born in South Korea, Ae Hee grew up in Peru and now lives in Milwaukee. She graduated from Calvin University with a bachelor’s degree in honors English and minors in ESL and writing. She went to earn a M.F.A in creative writing from the University of Notre Dame, where she was awarded an Academy of American Poets Prize. Ae Hee is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a Distinguished
Dissertation Fellow. In her time at the university, she has taught composition and creative writing classes and worked as the Associate Editor for the university’s literary magazine Cream City Review. In her free time, Ae Hee enjoys playing with her cat, cooking, drinking tea very slowly, reading, and writing poetry.

• University of Wisconsin-Madison, BA Communication Sciences and Disorders, Leadership
• Cardinal Stritch University, MA Inclusive Education

Alanna grew up in the Milwaukee area and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Leadership, as well as, a focus in child development. She graduated with academic distinction. Upon completing her undergraduate degree, Alanna moved back to the Milwaukee area to begin a graduate school program in education. Alanna graduated from Cardinal Stritch University with a masters of arts in Inclusive Education. Alanna has worked for Glendale-River Hills School District with middle school aged students and worked in the School District of Waukesha.

Alanna currently teaches elementary special education for the Whitefish Bay School District. In addition, Alanna is passionate about all students having access to STEM education and spends some of her free time coaching and mentoring middle school and high school level robotics teams. Alanna believes that all children should be met where their learning needs are and that they should receive the support they need to be successful.

• UW-Stevens Point, BA, Secondary English Education

While completing his studies at UW–Stevens Point and beginning his teaching career as a high school English teacher at Mount Horeb High School, Alec never set out to be the dreaded “sage on the stage.” Instead, he has always believed that real learning happens when students feel seen, understood, and trusted. Drawing from his own experiences navigating high expectations, self-criticism, and the pressure to perform, Alec understands that academic success is rarely about intelligence alone—it’s about mindset, confidence, and learning how to work with and believe in yourself rather than against yourself.

As an academic coach at Galin Education, Alec takes a collaborative, student-centered approach rooted in self-awareness, accountability, and practical strategy. He helps students move beyond short-term fixes by building sustainable systems that support focus, organization, and follow-through, while also addressing perfectionism, burnout, and anxiety around school performance. His goal is not simply improved grades, but lasting skills, independence, and resilience that students carry into college and adulthood.

Grounded, empathetic, and quietly demanding in the best way, Alec challenges students to raise their standards without sacrificing their well-being. He believes progress comes from consistency, honest reflection, and learning to trust the process—skills that matter far beyond the classroom.

• Quinnipiac University – BS, Psychology
• Fordham University – MST, Childhood Special Education

Alex came to Madison from New York where he earned his MST in Childhood and Special Education from Fordham University. During graduate school, Alex taught both 2nd and 4th grade in Valhalla, New York. Alex completed his undergraduate years at Quinnipiac University where he received his B.S. in Psychology. Prior to moving to Madison, Alex spent two years working at the same school he student taught, as a 3rd grade special education teacher.

Beyond the classroom, Alex coached basketball for eight summers at Pierce Country Day Camp in New York. For the last 15 summers, he has worked at a sleepaway camp in Starlight, PA as  a supervisor and athletic director and continues to go back every summer.

In his free time, Alex enjoys going to sporting events, playing basketball and taking his dog Capra to the dog park.

• Purdue University, BS, Biology
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, MS, Cellular and Molecular Biology
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, PhD (in progress), Cellular and Molecular Biology

Alex grew up in a northwest suburb of Chicago and attended Purdue University, where she graduated with honors. At Purdue, Alex was a member of the Women in Science Program and TA’d for multiple biology courses. After graduation, she moved to Maryland and completed a research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health exploring lymphatic system development.

Alex is now pursuing her PhD at UW-Madison, where she is studying how different cell types in the skin interact with each other to promote wound healing and regeneration. She also is a member of Madison Women in Science and her program’s outreach club. In her free time, Alex enjoys hanging out with her dog (Auggie) and cat (Mya), playing on various Madison intramural sports teams, learning cello, gardening, and playing board games with friends.

• Davidson College, BA, English

Alex comes from a family of educators and has been working on writing with high schoolers for his whole career. He grew up in North Carolina and attended Davidson College, where he earned a Bachelors of English and was also heavily involved in music on campus. Following graduation, Alex taught high school English at a boarding school in Maryland, where he also coached sports, headed a dorm, started a Linguistics Club, and helped out the choir and 8th-grade musical. In 2020, he and his wife moved to Utah for her medical residency; there, he taught sixth-grade Humanities, tenth-grade English, and a senior seminar on Dystopian Literature. Also at that school, he helped refurbish the school’s College Essay Summer Workshop, which helped rising seniors write their Common App personal statements.

Alex and his wife now live in Madison with their two poodles. When not working, he can be found cooking, walking his dogs, and writing poetry, essays, and music.

• Curry College, BA, Corporate Communication
• University of Tampa, MA, Professional Communication

Alex grew up in southern Maine, enjoying summers on the coast but was ready to flee the nor’easter snow storms. She attended Curry College just outside the city of Boston, and received her Bachelors in Corporate Communication and a minor in Politics and History. After graduation, Alex moved to St. Petersburg, Florida and recruited for the University of Tampa while earning her Master’s degree in Professional Communication. She discovered her passion for working with students and helping them through the college application process. After four years of college recruiting, Alex returned to her Maine roots working for the retail company Sea Bags at their Sarasota location. In March of 2024, Alex took an opportunity to manage one of the company’s newest locations in Beaufort, North Carolina. To continue her love of working with students, Alex is thrilled to be an essay coach and college counselor!

In her free time, Alex loves spending time at the beach, a baseball game or on a yoga mat!

• University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.A. (minors in digital studies and theatre)

Ali was born and raised in New York. Growing up right outside of the city, she fell in love with creative writing, theater and music at a young age.

As an editor for her student paper at UW, Ali helped her peers with storytelling, writing techniques and copy editing — all things she likes to work on with students when writing college essays. After graduating, she worked as a watchdog reporter in northcentral Wisconsin, covering local and state government for USA TODAY-Wisconsin, and as the State Capitol Intern for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She currently is the local government reporter for the Cap Times in Madison.

Ali helps each student achieve their best college essay by meeting them where they are and focusing on where they want to go. In her free time, Ali likes to write poetry, run along Lake Monona, watch Audrey Hepburn films and make macaroni and cheese (from the box).

• Haverford College, BS, Chemistry
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, MS, Chemistry

Ali grew up in Dearborn, Michigan, and attended Haverford College, just outside of Philadelphia, where he studied Chemistry. After graduating, he worked in the pharmaceutical industry for a year before moving to Madison to begin his Ph.D. in Chemistry. He is now a third-year graduate student, supported by NSF GRFP funding, with research focused on using molecular simulations to design more sustainable materials and recycling processes.

At UW–Madison, Ali has taught General Chemistry and enjoys mentoring students in STEM. He is strong across math, chemistry, physics, and other science subjects, and can offer guidance to students looking to strengthen their skills and confidence in these areas. On campus, he is also involved in the graduate consulting club and, in his free time, enjoys watching sports (go Lions!) and working out.

• Carleton College, BA Chemistry
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, MS Environment & Resources
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, PhD Chemistry

Allie graduated summa cum laude from Carleton College (Northfield, MN) with a B.A. in chemistry. She then returned to the Madison area (she grew up nearby in Mazomanie, WI) and completed both a Master’s degree in environmental studies and a Ph.D. in chemistry.
She has been a test prep and subject tutor at Galin Education since 2013, specializing in ACT prep, PSAT/SAT prep, AP Chemistry, AP Precalc, and math/chemistry/Spanish subject tutoring. During her time at Galin Education, she has found great joy in building relationships with students and tuning her teaching methods to fit students’ needs. She enjoys celebrating with students when they reach (and often exceed) their goals after months of prepping together.
In her free time, Allie enjoys any activity in nature, tinkering/troubleshooting tech devices, traveling, doing independent research, and photography.

• Dartmouth College, BA, French and Spanish

A Milwaukee native, Alyssa Noseworthy left home to attend Dartmouth College, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in French and Spanish. While there, she developed a passion for teaching from her time as a college writing tutor and English teaching assistant. In her senior year, she earned the Class of 1962 Excellence in Writing Assistance award, a distinction she received for a track record of positive student feedback and the close relationships she built with her writing students.

Following her graduation, Alyssa knew she wanted to keep teaching! So, she applied for a Fulbright grant to teach English as a Second Language in Belgium, where she taught at two high schools and dove head-first into an intercultural learning environment. Outside of her teaching duties, she also volunteered at EducationUSA as a point person at college and study abroad fairs, helping break down the US college admissions process to international students. Alyssa has always felt a strong drive to make college admissions more accessible by equipping students with the tools and resources they need to succeed, and EducationUSA was an amazing opportunity to build grassroots connections with students outside of the classroom. In addition to ACT and SAT test prep, Alyssa can offer guidance to students interested in fields such as language and international relations, as well as how to identify opportunities to study or work abroad. In her spare time, Alyssa enjoys experimenting with new recipes, learning new languages, and traveling.

• Johns Hopkins University, BA, International Studies and Anthropology

Amanda graduated with honors from Johns Hopkins University, where she studied International Relations and Anthropology. While at Hopkins, Amanda researched inter-faith community organizing in the Midwest and volunteered with a variety of tutoring and mentorship programs for Baltimore City public school students. Amanda is a Fulbright Scholar and has completed her English Teaching Assistant grant in New Taipei City, Taiwan.
There, she taught K-6 students English and developed a new curriculum on cultural exchange and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. After returning to the United States, Amanda worked as a Youth Advocacy Assistant with Human Rights Watch, creating materials for the organization’s leadership development and advocacy training program. She supported high school students in their advocacy around issues like sustainability, human rights education, and digital privacy.

Amanda is currently based in Washington, D.C., but she was born and raised in Los Angeles and is a proud California native. In her free time, Amanda enjoys dancing, reading, visiting museums, playing mahjong, and exploring new restaurants. She is particularly passionate about encouraging young people to get involved in public service and give back to their communities.

• UW Madison, BS, Computer Science (in progress)
• UW Madison, BS, Mathematics (in progress)

Anand, a Madison native, graduated from Madison West High School, where he developed a keen interest in number theory and its applications in cryptography. This enthusiasm led him to pursue dual majors in mathematics and computer science at UW Madison, where he is currently studying. During high school, Anand began tutoring individual students and worked at Kumon, where he learned to love teaching. Outside of his academic pursuits, Anand enjoys playing the violin, singing, and folding origami.

• UW-Madison – B.A.
• Johns Hopkins University – M.Ed.

Annika earned her undergraduate degree in Education Policy and History in her hometown of Madison, Wisconsin. After graduating, she moved to Washington, D.C., to pursue a master’s degree in Education and Special Education at Johns Hopkins University. She has worked in both general and special education settings, gaining a broad perspective on student needs. Annika is passionate about helping every student recognize and develop their unique talents, believing that with the right support, all students can thrive.

• University of Wisconsin, Madison, BS, Sociology and Educational Policy

Ariella grew up in Los Angeles, CA and attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison for her undergraduate degrees. At Madison she majored in Sociology and Educational policy with plans to work in the nonprofit sector, specifically in the policy and advocacy fields. Her passion is public education and equitable access to strong institutions of learning. During her time at UW Madison she worked with high school students across the country to develop the academic, social, and emotional skills to successfully apply and attend institutions of higher learning. She also worked in the advocacy and policy arenas during her time as an intern at NASW (National Association of Social Workers) and at the capitol.

As a humanities student and an education advocate herself, Ariella has a strong understanding of the importance of a good school and a lot of experience with writing, reading, communication, history, and the social sciences. In her free time Ariella enjoys reading books, hiking, swimming in the lakes, baking, and spending time with her friends.

• Clemson University, BFA, Visual Arts
• School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston at Tufts University, MFA, Interdisciplinary Fine Art

Ashley began her career in education designing curricula for an arts education non-profit in the Boston area while studying art and poetry at SMFA/Tufts University. After completing her graduate degree, she went on to earn her teaching credentials from the Sizer Teachers Center while developing interdisciplinary arts and ELA courses at the Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School in Devens, MA. In addition to her experience as a full-time classroom educator, Ashley has directed visual arts and creative writing after-school and pre-college programs for students in grades 7-12.

Ashley grew up in Charleston, SC and lived in Boston, San Francisco, and London before moving to Madison with her husband and two cats.

• Biola University, BA, Intercultural Studies
• Alverno College, MA, Urban Education
• UW-Madison, MA, Educational Leadership

Avery grew up in rural southwestern Minnesota and attended undergrad at a liberal arts college outside of Los Angeles California. With a Bachelor’s degree in Intercultural Studies, a Master’s degree in Urban Education, and 5 years of experience as a K-12 teacher, Avery has a strong foundation in both the theory and practice of education. She is currently pursuing a degree in Educational Leadership to further deepen her knowledge and ability to guide students and educators.

As a tutor, Avery’s goal is to create an engaging, supportive, and culturally responsive learning environment for every student. Each learner has their own strengths, challenges, and unique learning style. Avery’s approach is to tailor my lessons to meet the specific needs of my students, whether you’re looking for academic support, exam preparation, or simply a deeper understanding of the subject.

• Rochester Institute of Technology, BS, Applied Mathematic and Economics
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, MS, Economics

Bezankeng grew up in various suburbs of Maryland and attended Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Her love for math and exposure to economics via AP classes in high school lead her to double major in Applied Mathematics and Economics. While in undergrad, she was a math tutor for high school students at a local Rochester high school, was a tour guide and resident advisors among others. After undergrad, she worked for 4 years as a research analyst during which she supported the research of PhD economists and policy briefings. This experience reaffirm her desire to do economic research and led to her starting a doctoral program in economics at UW-Madison. She has a few years of experience as a teaching assistant both at UW-Madison and in undergrad.

Bezankeng can offer guidance to students intersted in mathematics, economics and related fields. In her free time, she enjoys weight-training, long walks and hiking (when the weather permits!).

• University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Bachelor of Science-Human Services
• University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Masters of Science-Educational Psychology emphasis in School Counseling
• 32 years of experiences as a College Counselor in private and public high schools

Bill is a recently retired School and College Counselor with 32 years of experience in both private and public high schools. He spent his first four years at Thomas More High School in Milwaukee, WI and the next 28 years at Whitefish Bay High School, located in the north shore suburb of Milwaukee. Both schools were college prep, with over 90 percent of the graduating seniors attending a post-secondary institution. Bill has extensive experience counseling students and parents through the college process. While at Whitefish Bay, Bill developed many great relationships with college representatives as over 100 colleges visited his school each fall. He is knowledgeable about colleges throughout the country and has been on a variety of college tours. Bill has also worked with many recruited student athletes. Bill coached high school basketball for many years. One of Bill’s strengths is connecting with students and getting to know them on an individual basis.

Bill is married, and has three adult children and two grandchildren. He enjoys the outdoors, playing golf, hiking, biking and kayaking. He is a huge fan of all Wisconsin sports teams.

• University of Wisconsin Stout, B.S. Hospitality Management
• CESA #1 Wisconsin, Special Education License
• Edgewood College, Reading Teacher License

Cameron was born and raised in Manitowoc, WI and moved to Menomonie, WI to study Hospitality Management at UW-Stout. After graduation, Cameron worked in Minneapolis in the hospitality industry but made the change to teaching when she moved to Madison. While teaching, Cameron received her teaching license from CESA #2 and her reading teacher license from Edgewood College. Cameron was a special education teacher in Stoughton, Verona and McFarland before leaving teaching to pursue a job in Edtech.

Cameron enjoys cooking, reading, baking, biking, reading and exploring Wisconsin. Cameron also spends time owning a photography business in the Madison, WI area.

• Cornell University, BS, Nutritional Science

Caroline grew up in Boston, Massachusetts and studied Nutrition at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. While in Ithaca, Caroline taught science courses to middle and high school students through SPLASH Cornell and Cornell Adult University’s summer program. She also served as the president of the Cornell University Chorus, obtained minors in English and Sociology, and was inducted into the Quill and Dagger honor society. Following her graduation, Caroline wrote children’s nutrition curriculum for a nonprofit on the US-Mexico border. She moved to Madison in 2022 to work as a Project Manager at Epic systems, and traveled the USA to help organizations install healthcare software.

Caroline’s areas of expertise include science, math and writing. Outside of work, she enjoys choral singing, reading books, running, and spending time with her husband and 1-year-old daughter.

• University of Wisconsin-Madison, BA, Political Science
• University of Illinois-Chicago, MEd, Educational Policy Studies

Charlie grew up in Middleton, Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison. At UW-Madison, Charlie studied Political Science while spending his summers as a camp counselor in the Madison area. He played for the UW-Madison club lacrosse team, and spent the summer of 2016 as an intern in First Lady Michelle Obama’s administration.

After graduating, Charlie moved to Chicago and taught high school English for students with unique learning challenges at Chicago Bulls College Prep. He also served as a student advisor and football coach while at Bulls Prep. He attended the University of Illinois-Chicago, where he received a Master’s degree in Educational Policy Studies and is now working on a PhD in the same field.

Charlie’s experience as a student advisor provided him with lots of experience in executive function coaching and college readiness. In his free time, Charlie enjoys playing golf, camping, and rooting on the Badgers, Packers, Brewers, and Bucks.

• UW-La Crosse, B.S., Biology, Minor in Neuroscience.

Christina grew up an hour east of the Twin Cities and attended the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse. At La Crosse, she studied Biology with plans to work in the healthcare field. She found she really enjoyed chemistry. She worked as a chemistry tutor in the Murphy Learning Center, as well as a tutor for Upward Bound, a college readiness program for high school students. Other involvements during her time at UWL included participating in the Healthcare Case Competition with Wisconsin Area Health Education Centers, helping construct and distribute My Maroon Apron Meal kits at UWL (free paper bag meal kits for college students), volunteering at HorseSense (therapeutic horseback riding for veterans and individuals with disabilities), and the serving on the officer team of the UWL Eta Phi Alpha Honor Society as Secretary and Vice President. She worked as a certified nursing assistant and clinical research fellow in the summers between academic years.

When it comes to healthcare related fields, Christina has a lot of experience, and can offer some guidance to students interested in fields such as medicine, nursing, dentistry, and many allied health professions. In her free time, Christina enjoys hiking, cooking, crafting, and spending time with family and friends.

• University of Missouri-Columbia, BS, Biochemistry
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, PhD, Biochemistry

Conor grew up just outside Chicago in Brookfield, Illinois. He attended the University of Missouri-Columbia to study Biochemistry with the intention of going to medical school, but after participating in undergraduate research studying tomato biochemistry, he discovered he was much more passionate about conducting research in biological sciences. This led him to pursue a PhD at UW-Madison, where he works to discover and understand new enzymes that could be useful for environmental and energy applications. Conor is passionate about sharing scientific knowledge, and has worked extensively in tutoring, teaching, and mentoring in both classroom and research settings. During college, Conor was very involved on campus. He served on the executive board of Global Medical Training, an organization that organizes student-led trips to South and Central America to deliver free healthcare to underserved rural communities. He was also a member of the run club, and volunteered frequently in the local community. In his free time, Conor enjoys exercising, volleyball, kayaking, reading and spending time with friends and family.

Conor is an experienced scientist and has a lot of advice that he could offer to any students interested in fields like medicine, research, and education.

• Northwestern University, BA Political Science and Slavic Languages and Literature
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, MPA Public Affairs

Dan grew up near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and in high school was a National Merit Semifinalist. He attended Northwestern University, and during his junior year spent a semester studying abroad in Prague. After graduating from Northwestern, Dan moved to Chicago, where he worked as a paralegal, and then moved to Madison to pursue his master’s degree at the La Follette School of Public Affairs at UW-Madison. After grad school, Dan worked at the Wisconsin Evaluation Collaborative (WEC) within the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER) at UW-Madison, conducting qualitative and quantitative research and program evaluation for K-12 projects and initiatives in schools and districts across the state, region, and country. In 2013, Dan joined Galin as a test prep tutor, working with hundreds of students to prepare for the ACT, SAT, and PSAT before becoming Galin’s full-time test prep director. Outside of work, Dan enjoys spending time with his wife and two young boys, trivia, traveling, watching and playing sports, cooking, and reading about politics, current events, and history.

• The University of Kansas, BS, Business Management (International Concentration)
• Northern Illinois University, ME, Higher Education and Student Affairs

Dan began working in the outdoor industry in 2008, after completing his Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Kansas. He then packed up his car and moved west to a small town in central Wyoming. It was here that Dan fell in love with outdoor exploration, supporting/nurturing student leadership, and experiential education. After gaining outdoor experience in Wyoming, Dan kept moving west to Oregon and started working as an academic coach, where he gained a few years of professional experience advising and supporting first-generation students in their first semester in higher education. This work reaffirmed for Dan how much he enjoys working with and supporting students transitioning into college and starting a new chapter of their lives. Dan loves mentoring and coaching students who are just beginning to navigate their own path in life and choose their own adventures.

After a few years of working as an active travel bike tour guide in various locations around the world, Dan went back to school to get his Master’s in Education and Student Affairs. Shortly after completing graduate school, Dan settled in Madison, where he began working with UW-Madison students and community members with Outdoor UW. When Dan is not at work, he is either at home tending his garden and chickens with his partner Gwen, taking in some live music in Madison, or teaching a wilderness medicine certification course somewhere around the country.

• University of Puget Sound, BS Exercise Science
• Alverno College, M.A Teaching
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, Doctorate of Physical Therapy student

Daniel is originally from Oakland, California. He played collegiate tennis at and obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. After graduating, Daniel joined Teach for America and moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he became a founding member of the Milwaukee Excellence Charter School. For three years, Daniel taught a variety of classes to 6th-8th graders, including science, math, and reading. He also enjoyed coaching the basketball, football, and track & field teams, as well as helping to found the school’s anime club. During this time, Daniel earned his master’s degree from Alverno College. He also worked as a volunteer assistant coach with the Milwaukee School of Engineering men’s and women’s tennis teams. Daniel is a student in UW-Madison’s Doctorate of Physical Therapy program pursuing his passion for human health and movement. In his free time, he enjoys reading, playing just about any sport, exploring Madison’s many restaurants and hiking venues

• University of California Los Angeles, BS, Physics
• University of Wisconsin Madison, MSc, Astronomy

Dorsa has always been drawn to both creativity and science. After high school, she chose to attend community college to explore a range of academic interests and figure out what path truly excited her. She explored architecture, thinking it would be the perfect intersection of her interests in art and design with her love for math and physics. Although she enjoyed the creative aspects and hands-on projects, she realized that architecture was something she valued as a hobby rather than a long-term career path.

At the same time, she was diving deeper into physics and quickly discovered that the more challenging the material became, the more curious and motivated she felt to understand it. Her passion for understanding complex ideas, combined with a lifelong fascination with the cosmos, led her to specialize in astrophysics. She transferred to UCLA, where she earned her B.S. in Physics. She later continued her path by joining the astronomy Ph.D. program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she recently completed her Master’s degree.

In addition to her research, Dorsa has extensive experience in education and outreach. She worked as a math tutor at Palomar College and served as a teaching assistant for introductory astronomy courses at UW–Madison, where she also presented live planetarium shows and led public telescope viewing events. Her commitment to making science accessible has extended beyond the classroom through initiatives like Universe in the Park and hands-on physics demonstrations for high school students.

Dorsa is passionate about helping learners build confidence, develop critical thinking skills, and feel a genuine sense of belonging in academic spaces.

Outside of academics, she enjoys painting, ceramics, biking around Madison, stargazing, swimming, going to the theater and spending time in her favorite coffee shops.

• Washington University in St. Louis, BA, Environmental Biology

Eddie grew up in Manassas, VA an hour from Washington, DC and attended Washington University in St. Louis. At WashU, he studied Environmental Biology while minoring in Sociology and Jazz Studies. He was part of the Pathfinder Program in Environmental Sustainability, a selective interdisciplinary cohort providing academic rigor and field experience to deeply understand environmental challenges. Led by Dr. Ray Arvidson, the program included field studies of the Ozarks, the Mojave Desert, Death Valley, and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park that fostered his love of nature and ecology. Eddie also played varsity soccer his freshman year, tutored “college-bound at-risk youth” in the STL community his sophomore year with Each One Teach One, and served as a key member all four years in a music centered community service group called Beat Therapy.

In his professional career, Eddie has enjoyed a variety of experiences in STEM. He worked at the Danforth Plant Science Center researching Root System Architecture in the Topp Lab before moving to Madison in 2020 to work at Epic in cardiology implementation. After Epic, he was a chemist for three years primarily studying renewable fuels made from plants. He now enjoys teaching private music lessons and tutoring while playing in bands on the weekends.

You can find Eddie meandering through the arboretum, sipping americanos at a cafe, playing soccer at the park, cooking at home, or obsessing over English Premier League in his free time!

• University of Wisconsin – Madison, BS, Psychology
• University of Wisconsin – Madison, Certificate, Mathematics
• University of Wisconsin – Madison, MSW, Mental Health Focus Area (In Progress)

Ella was born and raised in Albania. She immigrated to the United States with her parents and older brother in 2010. Learning a new language was initially very challenging and even discouraging at times, especially as related to academics. After overcoming some of the initial hurdles, Ella was able to graduate high school and attend the University of Wisconsin – Madison. She initially studied Computer Science and Mathematics, which is when she earned her certification in Mathematics. She has always excelled and enjoyed Mathematics but realized her interests leaned more towards helping others in a more direct way. Ella shifted her academic path to Psychology and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in just 3.5 years, becoming a first-generation college graduate. She is continuing her education in the upcoming Fall 2023 at the University of Wisconsin – Madison by pursuing a Master of Social Work with a mental health focus area. Ella hopes to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and practice therapeutic services among teenage and youth populations. Ella shares a particular interest in serving underrepresented populations and working with youth in the state and federal criminal justice system. In her free time, Ella enjoys partaking in many creative outlets such as painting, reading (mostly educational self-help books), cooking, and hiking. She always loves to watch, and sometimes rewatch, her favorite shows and movies. Most importantly, she enjoys taking care of her endearing 3-year-old Pitbull mix rescue named Gigi!

• University of Wisconsin- Madison, B.A., Psychology with a Certificate in Jewish Studies
• University of Wisconsin- Madison, M.S., Curriculum and Instruction

Ellen grew up between the coasts, living in Swampscott, MA and Palo Alto, CA. She came to Madison for college, fell in love with the city and her husband Ben who was born and raised here, and never left. Summer is Ellen’s favorite season and nothing beats summer in Madison! When she was in college, Ellen started working at Camp Shalom as the Assistant Director which led to a 22 year long career at the Jewish Federation of Madison (JFM) working with children and families. During her time at the JFM, she taught preschool, Directed the MIdrasha Hebrew High School program, developed community activities and was lucky to spend her summer days outdoors as the Director of Camp Shalom. Ellen loves finding creative ways to engage people in learning. She is currently teaching a class of Kindergarten- Third grade students at Beth Israel Center’s afterschool Jewish education program.

Ellen is excited about working at Galin Education and really looking forward to getting to know the tutors! She is excited to focus on team-building and helping to create connections between the tutors, the Galin staff, and the families.

Ellen and her husband have 2 children, a sixth grader and a second grader. They love to spend time in their neighborhood, taking walks and having bonfires in their backyard. Ellen loves to cook, bake and garden, preferably with airpods in her ears because she is a true-crime podcast junkie!

• Saint Louis University, BA, Communication
• University of Missouri, MEd, School Counseling

Ellen grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma and is a proud graduate of historic Booker T. Washington High School. She studied Communication at Saint Louis University on their campuses in St. Louis, Missouri and Madrid, Spain. Upon graduation, she began working in college admissions and discovered her passion for supporting students and families during the college admissions process.

Over the course of her admissions career, she served as an Assistant Director of Admission at DePaul University in Chicago and was the first regionally-based admission officer in California representing her alma mater, Saint Louis University. Additionally, she served as a regionally-based admission officer in Dallas/Ft. Worth for The University of Tulsa. Before joining Galin Education as an essay coach, Ellen worked as a College & Career Counselor at Webster Groves High School in St. Louis.

Ellen has supported thousands of students across the country by visiting their high schools to assist with essay-writing and college-planning workshops. She is excited to continue this work with a goal of helping each student feel proud of their written work when it comes time to submit their applications. When not working with high school students, Ellen enjoys volunteering as a Girl Scout leader and spending time with her family, friends and neighbors. She loves camping, cooking, and being outside.

• University of Washington, BA, Mathematics and Spanish
• Marquette University, M.Ed., Education Leadership and Policy

Elizabeth is a Madison native who left home to attend the University of Washington for college where she studied math and Spanish and minored in education. While in college she volunteered with a program called Dream Project that supported underrepresented students throughout the college application process. After graduating, she did Teach for America in Milwaukee while working towards her master’s degree in education at Marquette University. After moving back to Madison, Elizabeth taught math at Memorial for five years. Now, she works as a curriculum developer authoring Algebra 2 for a national curriculum. Elizabeth is passionate about helping students develop their math identity while also building both their conceptual and procedural math skills. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, traveling, reading, and watching sports of any kind.

• Purdue University, BS, Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, PhD (in progress), Cellular and Molecular Biology

Ena grew up in Indianapolis, IN and attended Purdue University where she graduated with honors. While at Purdue, Ena discovered her passion for virology research, working on Dengue and Zika flaviviruses. This led her to a two-year posbaccalaureate research position at the National Institutes of Health in Maryland, where she studied the molecular virology of noroviruses. Following her interests, Ena is now working on her PhD at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Cellular and Molecular Biology program, where she studies host immune escape of coronaviruses. In addition, Ena participates as a TA for the undergraduate virology course at UW-Madison and is involved in her program’s outreach club. In her free time, Ena enjoys long-distance running, climbing, learning guitar, playing with her cat (Winnie) and cooking with friends.

• University of Chicago, B.A. in Philosophy and East Asian Languages and Civilization

A Madison native, Ethan is thrilled to be back in the Badger state after a 20 year journey that took him away to East and West coasts, Chicago, Colorado, and Asia.Ethan has over eight years of experience working with students both directly in the process of applying to colleges as well as reviewing applications for admission to higher education. After graduating from the University of Chicago with a BA in Philosophy in 2015, he moved to Shanghai, China where he instructed over 500 students over two years in ACT, SAT, SSAT, and AP exams covering English, Reading, Writing, and World History.

After taking the long way back to the US via the Trans-Mongolian and Trans-Siberian railroads, Ethan took a position as an Admissions Counselor at UW Madison, where he worked most directly with students applying from East Asia, as well as some Wisconsin students from the Milwaukee and northern areas of the state, eventually evaluating over 3,000 unique applications. Throughout these experiences, Ethan has been driven by a passion for learning, exploring, and teaching, and is thrilled to bring the knowledge he’s acquired to help students at Galin Education. When not working with students, Ethan enjoys spending time in the outdoors, fishing, cooking, and reading.

• Harvard University, BA, Cognitive Neuroscience and Evolutionary Psychology with a Secondary in Art, Film, and Visual Studies

Erick grew up in the Southside neighborhood of Milwaukee, WI, the city where the sun rises over the lake. He attended Harvard University as a first-generation college student, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Cognitive Neuroscience and Evolutionary Psychology, along with a secondary in Art, Film, and Visual Studies, and obtaining a certificate in Latin American Studies. He aims to attend law school and eventually work in immigration and civil rights. Erick co-created the Metamorphosis pre-college mentorship program at Harvard’s Act on a Dream and worked as a College Coach for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Other involvements during his time at Harvard include serving as President of both Harvard’s FIG Magazine (the university’s undergraduate fashion magazine) and the RAZA Mexican Ballet Folklorico group (a folkloric Mexican dance group). He was also an Assistant Director for the Harvard National Model United Nations, served as the Harvard CO-OP Events Chair, and volunteered as a Harvard Ed Portal Level Up Facilitator, mentoring 8th graders in the Allston/Brighton and Cambridge public schools. During the summers between academic years, he worked as a public defender investigator, public policy research assistant, and multimedia production leader.

In his free time, Erick enjoys cooking new dishes, writing and reading poetry, playing the guitar, hiking new summits, and organizing dinner parties with friends and family.

• Montana State University, B.S. Elementary Education, B.S. Secondary Science Education
• Montana State University, M.S. Science Education

Erika was born and raised in Montana and earned her degrees in education from Montana State University. Right after graduation, she began teaching middle school math and science and happily did that for four years until she had the opportunity to move to France. After fifteen amazing months in the French Alps working on her master’s degree, she jumped at the chance to live in Kenya where she assisted with a research project on lions and hyenas. Once the project ended and she was back in the United States, Erika returned to the classroom to teach seventh grade math. The following year, it was time to fill the moving boxes once again and she made the move from Montana to Arizona. In Tucson, Erika worked as an academic coach at the University of Arizona helping students on academic probation at risk of being dismissed from the university because of their low GPAs. She also worked closely with students who tested below college level math, both as an academic coach and as an adjunct faculty member at Pima Community College. She loved her work and continued it until her second child was born, at which point she made the decision to stay at home to raise her son and daughter. Erika’s final move happened in 2019 when she landed in Laramie, Wyoming, where she now lives with her husband and children. In her spare time, Erika loves spending time outdoors with her family, especially when they are hiking, skiing, biking, canoeing or camping.

• Swarthmore College, BA, Theatre Studies
• University of Pennsylvania, MSEd, Elementary Education
• University of Florida, EdS, Curriculum and Instruction

Erica grew up in Central Florida before going to Swarthmore College for her undergraduate degree. She majored in Theatre with a focus on playwriting and spent her summers exploring various writing centered career options including publishing and journalism. Upon graduating from Swarthmore, she lived in New York City for a year while attending NYU. Ultimately, she found her way into Education and completed her Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania then worked as a teacher in New Jersey for three years before moving back to Florida.

As an alumni fellow at the University of Florida, Erica taught college classes in Language Arts and Children’s Literature where she helped Elementary Education undergraduate students craft personal narratives to learn about the writing process. Following this, she taught middle school students at a private school in Winter Park, FL for 17 years. It was a former student who first asked for help with college essays, and Erica discovered how much she enjoyed coaching high school students through this journey. In addition to college essay support, Erica has worked as an interim college and career counselor and became certified by NACAC.

Erica’s ideal day includes a morning run followed by yoga, a couple of hours on the lake with her husband, reading on the couch with their two cats, and planning their next wildlife and water adventure themed trip with friends.

• Marquette University, B.A. Criminology & Law Studies with a minor in Psychology
• UW-Madison, M.A. Curriculum and Instruction (in progress)

After working two years with City Year Milwaukee assisting a 5th and 6th grade classroom, she is here in Madison to receive her Master of Curriculum & Instruction. Upon graduation, she will be certified to teach middle and high school in Wisconsin.

Erin loves to read, watch plays and musicals, collect funky sweaters, and travel – she has been to 9 countries!

• College of DuPage, AA & EMT Certificate
• North Central College, BA, Political Science & Speech Communication
• Alverno College, MA, Education
• Marquette University, MA, Political Science
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, Ph.D., Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis

Gabbi grew up in Naperville, Illinois where she attended North Central College and graduated Magna Cum Laude. While at North Central, she was part of the speech and debate team in which she earned three national and five state titles, and was named an American Forensics Association All-American. She was also president of the NCC College Democrats, a member of the Model United Nations team, volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters, served as a Communication Department Preceptor, and also worked as an EMT-B. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, Blue Key Honor Society, Lambda Pi Eta, and Pi Sigma Alpha. After graduating with her Bachelor’s, she joined Teach for America-Milwaukee where she worked as a special education teacher, speech and debate coach, and tutor in Milwaukee Public Schools while also earning her Master’s in Education. She holds an additional Master’s from Marquette University in Political Science. Currently, she is a doctoral student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis department where she is researching the K-12 landscape and how to make it more equitable for all students.

When it comes to working with students, Gabbi has a plethora of experience in advising, tutoring, teaching, and coaching students of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Gabbi believes that every student is unique and capable of achieving their goals and works with students to do just that. In her free time, she looks to cook, listen to music, read, travel abroad, and be a dog mom to the best boy, Isaiah.

• Beloit College, BA International Relations and Chinese Language and Culture, minor in Anthropology

Gabby is a Madisonian through and through! She grew up on the west side of Madison, WI, where she attended Memorial High School; however, she spent her senior year of high school abroad in Taipei, Taiwan. She completed her undergraduate degree in Beloit at Beloit College, graduating as one of two female students in her class with a 4.0.

During her time at Beloit, Gabby found a passion for education. Her freshman year she became a writing center tutor, and then at the start of her sophomore year she began working in the city school district as an AVID tutor at Aldrich Middle School and Beloit Memorial High School. Her involvement further expanded her junior year when she began serving the Beloit community as an Upward Bound Mentor.

After graduating she returned to Madison for work until she was accepted as a Fulbright Grantee to Taiwan. From 2022-2023, Gabby taught elementary school students English and STEAM in Taitung, Taiwan.

Having just come home, Gabby is excited to refamiliarize herself with the Madison community, and is currently working as a special education assistant at Emerson Elementary.

In her free time, Gabby enjoys reading, volleyball, tennis, walking her dogs, and building out her new soon-to-be home on wheels with her partner.

• Emerson College, BFA. Writing, Literature and Publishing
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, MFA. Poetry

Gabby grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida. She received her BFA in Writing, Literature and Publishing at Emerson College where she spent much of her time interning at different literary agencies and publishing houses throughout Boston. She then went on to complete her MFA in Poetry at The University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she currently teaches Introduction to Composition. Gabby continues to work on her poetry, which has appeared in River Styx, Waxwing, and The Colorado Review.

• Davidson College – BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
• Wake Forest University – MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (ongoing)

Having spent her whole life in North Carolina, Genevieve is thrilled to now be in Madison! During her time in undergrad at Davidson College, she was Mock Trial captain and treasurer, and graduated magna cum laude with honors in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. Now, she is pursuing her M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wake Forest University. She has previously worked with students at Duke University’s Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP), and has worked as a tutor since 2019. In her free time, she hosts a podcast on positive reinforcement horse training and enjoys going on long walks with her dog, Rupert.

• University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.A., English Literature with Certificate in Education & Educational Services

Grace grew up in rural Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin – Madison. At UW-Madison, she studied English and education and worked in a residential learning community overseeing programming and seminar courses designed to help first-year students be successful in college. Grace spent two summers advising undecided and exploring students at UW-Madison’s new student orientation program. She also worked with a college access nonprofit called Matriculate for three years, mentoring high-achieving, low-to-moderate-income high school students through all aspects of their college application process.

She loves helping to take the uncertainties out of students’ college applications! In her free time, Grace enjoys reading, baking, and playing with her cat.

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BA Political Science and Global Studies
• University of Wisconsin, MS, Sociology
• University of Wisconsin, PhD, Sociology (ABD)

Griffin is a PhD candidate in the Sociology Department at UW-Madison who specializes in quantitative methodology. He’s originally from Kansas City, Missouri and holds a BA in Political Science (UNC-Chapel Hill, highest honors) and MS in Sociology from UW-Madison, and he is proud to call all three states home.

Griffin tutors both the ACT/SAT and academic math and social science. He is particularly fond of lecturing statistics and is a multiple award-winner of prizes for teaching from UW-Madison, especially for his work as a lecturer for SOC360, Statistics for Social Science I.

In his free time, he has myriad interests: lifting weights and competing in 5ks; chess and puzzling; playing and listening to music (he was a radio DJ at Chapel Hill); and training and walking with his dog, Eleanor. Joining him in all of these activities is his lovely fiancee, Sophie, who is a math teacher at Spring Harbor Middle School.

• Kenyon College, BA, Biology and Chemistry
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, MA, Curriculum and Instruction

Hildy grew up in a suburb of Boston. She attended Kenyon College where she majored in biology with a minor in chemistry and concentration in environmental studies. She earned her Master’s degree at UW Madison in Curriculum and Instruction. Hildy then lived and taught at international schools in Latin America, first in Colombia and then Peru. Hildy’s passion lies in making chemistry accessible to everyone. She also has experience teaching and tutoring in Biology, Physical Science, Environmental Studies, and Earth Science as well as basic algebra classes. Hildy strongly believes that all students can be successful in science. Her student-centered approached is tailored to individual needs and help each student develop a deep conceptual understanding.

Outside of the classroom, Hildy loves to go for a run, go to a yoga class, read a good book, and spend time with her friends.

• University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.S., Neurobiology
• University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, M.D. candidate

Heaven is from the Mequon/Milwaukee region, and she currently attends the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health as a second-year medical student. Growing up, Heaven was very involved with music as a flautist and violinist, and she began teaching younger musicians early on. As a high schooler, Heaven also tutored peers who needed help with ACT subjects. With a growing passion for teaching, she began tutoring peers the Korean language as she attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison as an undergraduate.

During her time studying Neurobiology at UW-Madison, Heaven also led the Wisconsin Pre-Medical Society and was involved with research projects related to microbial health and ecology. She worked as a CNA, providing direct care to adult and pediatric patients at the local Meriter, UW-Health, and American Family & Children’s hospitals.

As a medical student, Heaven is currently involved with research projects in orthopedic surgery and public health. She really enjoys working with kids and teens, and she hopes she can be involved with teaching as a physician! In her free time, Heaven loves to hike, run, go to hot yoga, travel, visiting family, and trying new food/dessert spots on State Street with friends.

• Johns Hopkins University, BS, Applied Mathematics and Statistics
• University of Wisconsin–Madison, MS, Data Science (in progress)

Jack grew up in Pasadena, Maryland, earning his degree in Applied Mathematics and Statistics at nearby Johns Hopkins University. During his undergraduate, Jack found an interest in tutoring, which led him to teaching high school math in the area he grew up in. Jack is currently in Madison pursuing his master’s. He’s excited to have the opportunity to continue working in education while getting his degree in Data Science.

Jack is also passionate about music; he attended a performing arts high school and continued taking classes in music theory, history, production, and recording at college. He also enjoys eating spicy food, watching bad movies, playing card games, and doing trivia with his friends.

• University of Wisconsin – Madison, BA, Music and Latin American Studies
• University of California, Berkeley, MA, Ethnomusicology
• University of California, Berkeley, PhD, Ethnomusicology

Jacob was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin and earned a Bachelor’s Degree majoring in Music Performance and Latin American Studies at UW-Madison. After college, he remained active in local music scenes while working at Epic before attending the University of California, Berkeley to earn a Master’s Degree and Doctorate in Ethnomusicology. Jacob’s dissertation researched contemporary popular music scenes in urban Brazil, analyzing relationships between money, identity, and sound and how they have contributed to senses of Brazilian-ness in music. During the final years of his PhD, Jacob lived in Goiânia, Brazil, Vienna, Austria, and Barcelona, Spain. Recently back in Madison after nearly a decade away, Jacob is excited to work as a tutor at Galin, helping students with academic testing preparation and high school courses.

Jacob is an experienced writer and researcher who offers guidance on a variety of subjects including English, History, Foreign Languages, and Math. In his free time, Jacob enjoys running, reading mystery novels, eating spicy foods, watching European soccer/football, and playing Brazilian music.

• UW-Madison, BS History, Economics & Secondary Education
• UW-Madison, MS Special Education

Jay, though born in Madison, grew up in Whitefish Bay, WI. and then moved back to Madison for his college education. He enjoyed Madison life and found a challenging education career, so Madison became home. After a couple years as a substitute teacher, he joined the staff at La Follette High School and worked in the Special Education Dept. with a focus on teaching English and reading strategies for students with dyslexia. Besides his teaching duties, Jay had a private tutoring practice with a focus on reading and math, which led to a tutoring position in the UW-Madison Athletic Dept. Subsequently, he accepted a permanent full-time position as an Academic Specialist, which involved mentoring and tutoring student-athletes. Jay has always enjoyed the challenge of fostering students’ success. In addition to an academic life, Jay enjoys traveling, Badger sports, running, tennis and weekly trivia outings with friends.

• UW-Madison, BS Elementary Education / Science

Jay comes to Galin following a 37 year public school career featuring 28 years teaching sixth grade followed by nine years focused on 8th grade science. Connecting those experiences were 30 years coordinating the Waunakee Summer Science Program for incoming 7th graders. This immersive, hands-on program has been considered one of Waunakee’s unique highlights. Writing and publishing curriculum and resources for other staff have been part of the journey. Upon retirement this June, Jay will join Wave Reaction in Waunakee as a trainer and member of the tech support team.

Family life in Waunakee includes his wife Denise, a third grade teacher in Waunakee and children Maddie and Ben. Maddie is a junior at Butler, and Ben is set to start his freshman year at LaCrosse this fall. Hobbies include playing electric and acoustic guitar alone and with interested others along with fishing and woodworking.

• Cardinal Stritch University
• National Board Certified Special Education Teacher & Reading Specialist

I am a National Board Certified Special Education Teacher & Reading Specialist with 26 years of experience. I have worked with a diverse community of learners at both the middle and high school level for my entire career. I worked in Seattle Washington for several years as a Highly Qualified Language Arts Teacher. I earned my masters degree at Cardinal Stritch University as well as my reading specialist license. I became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2008. I have worked for the Madison Metropolitan School District for the past four years. I currently teach at Lafollete High School as a case manager & advocate.

Literacy is my area of passion and expertise. My greatest love is teaching the process of written language. I also have an extensive background in executive functioning strategies & research and using that work to support student success in the general education setting as part of a student’s post secondary goals.

When I am not in the classroom, I enjoy every moment I can with my 13 year old son, my 3 cats, and in my garden. I love being outdoors and poolside during the summer.

• University of Wisconsin Madison, BA, Journalism
• University of Colorado Boulder, MA, Communication
• Landmark College Professional Certificate in Learning Differences and Neurodiversity specializing in Executive Function

Jessica grew up in Madison Wisconsin on the near west side. She received her BA from the University of Wisconsin at Madison where she studied communicative disorders and marketing communications and her MA in Communications from the University of Colorado at Boulder where she studied interpersonal and organizational communication. Most recently, Jessica completed a Professional Certificate in Learning Differences and Neurodiversity specializing in Executive Function at Landmark College. Over her career, Jessica has worn many hats making her uniquely qualified to work with exceptional students. Her background in communicative disorders, social support, and neurodivergent students provides insights into this distinctive and sometimes quirky population. While her experience in marketing, public relations, and advertising has trained her to see points of differentiation, opportunities as opposed to challenges, and innovation as opposed to convention. Pulling from both of these areas, Jessica develops strength-based approaches for students so that they can see and appreciate their special talents and gifts, experience achievement, and forge their own paths to success.

In addition, Jessica is a mom to two 2e college students and as such understands the unique challenges associated with parenting profoundly gifted kids. In her free time, Jessica enjoys hiking, writing, traveling, attending live music and comedy shows, spending time with friends and family, and curling up on the couch for a good binge-watch marathon.

• Northwestern University, BS Radio/TV/Film
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, MA Communication Arts (Film)
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, PhD Communication Arts (Film)

JJ grew up in the Milwaukee area before attending Northwestern University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Radio/TV/Film. JJ continued his studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned both a master’s degree and a PhD in the Communication Arts department’s film program. His dissertation explored the history of product placement in the movies. During his time at UW-Madison, JJ taught various classes on film production, film history, and film aesthetics. In 2020, he was granted the Vance and Betty Kepley Award for excellence in teaching. Currently, JJ works as the researcher for the popular film podcast Blank Check with Griffin and David. In his free time, believe it or not, JJ enjoys watching movies, but he also likes to craft playlists of music new and old, play tennis and basketball, and tour the Madison area’s many public parks with his wife and daughter.

• UW-Madison, D.M.A. Music Composition

Joachim was born in Ohio and grew up in western Pennsylvania. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music composition at Brigham Young University, where he tutored ESL and worked as an undergraduate teaching assistant in introductory sociology as well as music orchestration. He also undertook several years of foreign language study, including advanced courses in Spanish, Arabic, and Persian.

After beginning his graduate studies at UW-Madison, Joachim worked for the PEOPLE Program serving for two years as an Academic Lead in English and social studies at Memorial High School. He later worked as a graduate teaching assistant at the Mead Witter School of Music for three years, followed by a semester as a TA for the Life Sciences Communication department.

Joachim loves composing music, playing piano, reading articles about science and geopolitics, and trying new recipes with his air fryer.

• Case Western Reserve University, BS, Marketing
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, MS, Kinesiology

John grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and attended Case Western Reserve University where he got a degree in Marketing. After moving to Madison, he worked as a marketing coordinator and project manager for the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association.

While working in marketing full time, John also began to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison for graduate school, where he earned a master of science degree in Kinesiology, with a focus in strength and conditioning.

After a few years of working in the private sector of athletic performance, including strength and conditioning for high school athletes, John returned to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to pursue a doctoral degree in Kinesiology, with a focus on exercise physiology. John has presented his research at multiple national conferences held by the American Physiological Society (APS). In addition to research, he served as a teaching assistant and small-group tutor for introductory human physiology classes for three years.

Currently, John holds a position of teaching faculty within the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he assists with the instruction of introductory biology.

Outside of work, John enjoys reading books, cooking, playing tabletop roleplaying games, and exercising – particularly lifting weights and bouldering. He also enjoys spending time at home and outdoors with his wife and their two dogs, Nala and Meeko.

• Muhlenberg College, BA, Film Studies (minors in English and French)
• University of Wisconsin – Madison, MA, Film Studies
• University of Wisconsin – Madison, PhD, Film Studies

John grew up in the suburbs of Baltimore before attending Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA, where he studied film, English and French. After college, John worked as an English language assistant at the Lycée Jules Ferry in Cannes, France, helping French highschoolers to improve their conversational English speaking skills. He then moved to Madison, Wisconsin to begin his PhD program in film studies. His dissertation–completed in 2025–deals with the Algerian film industry. Thanks to several grants, including a Chateaubriand Fellowship from the French Embassy in the United States and an invitation from Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, he was able to consult a variety of international archives to synthesize a history of Algeria’s film industry in the two decades following the nation’s independence from France. At the University of Wisconsin, John has instructed courses on public speaking, film analysis, film comedy, film production, screenwriting adaptation, and independent filmmaking. On UW’s campus, he has also worked for the UW Cinematheque, the Wisconsin Film Festival and DesignLab. With his passion for teaching, researching and writing, John is hoping to enter into a career in academia.

With his extensive experience teaching across a wide range of academic contexts, John has developed an expertise in guiding students to achieve their academic potential, just as he has worked to help students deepen their appreciation for the aesthetics of film and media and the craft of writing.

• University of Denver, BS, Geographic Information Science (GIS)

Jojo grew up in the Madison area and attended the University of Denver in Colorado. There, she studied Geographic Information Science (GIS), a growing field that combines geography with computer science, and minored in Mathematics and Sustainability. During her time at the University of Denver, Jojo worked as a Resident Assistant (RA) and at her dorm’s front desk. She also participated in intramural sports such as pickleball and volleyball. One of her most exciting summer experiences was working with the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Program through the Eat Wisconsin Fish initiative, where she helped develop an interactive fish finder map. Currently, Jojo also works as a Data Reconciliation Intern in the Master Data department at Fiskars in Middleton and volunteers weekly in the feline department at the Dane County Humane Society in Madison.

When it comes to geography and computer science-related fields, Jojo has a lot of experience and can offer valuable guidance to students interested in GIS, Math, Computer Science, Geography, or Environmental Science. In her free time, Jojo enjoys running, playing piano, board games, and spending time with friends and family.

• Carleton College, BA, Sociology/Anthropology
• Edgewood University, MA, Elementary Education

Jonathan grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where both his parents were professors at Louisiana State University – “Geaux Tigers!”. Next, Jonathan journeyed north to brave the novel season of winter and attend Carleton College. He embraced the liberal arts approach and eventually settled into sociology for its blend of mathematics and cultural phenomena. After matriculating, he remained in Northfield, MN as an Americorps Promise Fellow where he served as a tutor coordinator for first-generation and ESL students taking college courses in high school. Moreover, he facilitated community service projects, college access programs, and community health partnerships. This love for working with and empowering youth continued when he entered Edgewood University’s teacher accreditation program. After earning his teacher certification, he moved on to graduate research with a focus on the viability of elementary and middle grade pedagogy incorporating different modes of mathematical instruction – specifically the advent of blended and flipped classes in the wake of coronavirus precautions. Jonathan has worked in teaching roles at the elementary, middle, and high school levels for 10+ years and has exceptional talents working with neurodiverse students and students who are supported by special education.

You can find Jonathan relaxing at coffee shops knitting or crocheting while listening to audiobooks in Spanish to bolster his mediocre second language abilities.

• Marquette University, BA English and History
• UW-Milwaukee, MA English Literature and Cultural Theory
• UW-Milwaukee, PhD English Literature and Cultural Theory

Julia grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, but fell in love with Milwaukee and has called it home since she first arrived for college. While completing her bachelor’s at Marquette, Julia was a writing tutor at the Ott Memorial Writing Center, as well as a course-embedded tutor working closely with STEM students throughout the semester to revise their writings.

After undergrad, Julia decided to stay in Milwaukee and begin graduate school at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in English literature, where she is currently in the midst of her PhD. She works at UWM as a graduate teaching assistant in the Department of English, where she teaches introductory composition and literature courses to undergraduates. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Milwaukee and traveling to different cities.

• Northwestern University, B.A. in Political Science
• DePaul University, MA in Education, Culture, and Society

A Chicago native, Justin is excited to join the team at Galin after a career in admissions spanning undergraduate, graduate, and high school counseling. Justin has over a decade of experience directly guiding students applying to highly selective undergraduate and graduate programs, while also reviewing thousands of applications of prospective scholars. After graduating from Northwestern University with a BA in Political Science in 2013 he immediately joined the student affairs staff at Northwestern before transitioning into the office of undergraduate admissions where he served as the regional director for the east coast region and reviewed thousands of applications across all of Northwestern’s undergraduate schools.

After starting his career at Northwestern Justin continued to grow his career in admissions and recruitment as the Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions at the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, as the Director of College Counseling at Solomon Admissions Consulting, the Director of Scholar Recruitment at Thrive Scholars, and most recently as the Assistant Director of College Counseling at the Latin School of Chicago. Throughout these experiences Justin has been driven by a desire to become an expert in all of the ways students connect to higher education while also making sure that every student he works with is seen in the fullness of who they are and has their identity expressed not only through their applications but also through their eventual home college or university.

When not working with students Justin enjoys being in nature with his dog Mojo, traveling the world with his partner Kara, and catching as many live concerts as he can.

• St. Lawrence University- BS Psychology
• Canisius College- MS Counseling Education

Kara is a certified school counselor for the state of Florida who takes pride in helping students find the perfect college fit. Currently, she is an experienced college advisor at a private school in South Florida where she focuses mainly on helping students with course selection, assisting with the formation of balanced college lists and testing plans, college application/essay editing, and creating individualized pathways to meet the students’ goals. She meets regularly with parents and students to ensure that everyone involved in the process is well informed and on track, and presents at various virtual and in person events.

Kara is a member of NACAC and SACAC, and is a firm believer in consistent professional development. She regularly attends/chaperones college tours across the United States, hosts college informational sessions, and builds relationships with college representatives.

Born and raised in Buffalo, NY, Kara moved to Florida in 2014 to enjoy life under the sun. Mom of 3 active boys and 2 boisterous French Bulldogs, she loves good food, attending sports events, going on weekend jogs, and occasionally binging on the latest Netflix series. She is excited to join the Galin community while continuing to help students and families navigate the ever changing world of college admissions.

• Indiana University, BA, English & Vocal Performance
• Emerson College, MFA, Creative Writing

Poet, author, and teacher, Karyn is passionate about helping students discover their full potential and achieve their academic goals. She has been teaching writing at the college level for twenty years, advising first-year students for ten years, and helping students apply to college and major scholarships for over five. Karyn has also worked with students to secure major prestigious awards like Fulbright, Goldwater, Udall, and NSF GRFP. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College. Karyn leads writing workshops for those incarcerated at her local county jail and is an advocate for restorative justice. She is a recipient of a Creatives Rebuild NY Artist Award and organizes the North Country’s Poetry with Purpose monthly reading series. A lover of nature and the Adirondacks, Karyn lives in the wild North Country of New York with her family.

• University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, BA, French & Communications-Public Relations
• University of Alabama, MA, American Studies
• Teachers College-Columbia University, Certificate, College Advising

Katie grew up in Los Angeles, CA before moving to the Madison area where graduated from high school. She attended the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where she studied abroad in Caen, France, and served as an intern in London, England for UWSP’s Study Abroad Office. With a career in International Education in mind, she worked as a Study Abroad Advisor at the University of Alabama while completing her master’s degree. Upon returning to Madison, she spent 12 years working in Undergraduate Admissions for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, specializing in both international and domestic students. Katie eventually became the Assistant Director of International Admissions, developing student recruitment strategies to diversify the applicant pool and leading the application evaluation process.

Currently based in Central Florida, she is an experienced college counselor at a private school, focusing on building balanced college lists, college application/essay editing, and providing families with an “insider’s” perspective on the college admissions process. She has also served as a seasonal reader for Northeastern University and UC Irvine.

When she’s not counseling students, Katie enjoys spending time with her family, travel planning, and taking advantage of her Disney Annual Pass.

• Iowa State University, BS Electrical Engineering
• UW-Madison, PhD Electrical Engineering

Keith graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a PhD in Electrical Engineering. He was a teaching assistant and lecturer during graduate school and has been tutoring students in Math and Science for many years. Currently Keith works for the UW-Madison Department of Biochemistry. Prior to that he worked at Thermo Fisher Scientific and Cameca with a focus on electron microscopy and developing advanced scientific instruments. Keith holds professional certifications in project management, is a 6-sigma black belt and a licensed patent agent. He enjoys technology development and has a passion for nurturing the next generation of scientists and engineers.

• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, BS, Mathematics

Kerington grew up south of Madison and attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. At Milwaukee, she initially majored in Secondary Math Education before ultimately deciding on Mathematics. While in the education program, she took many classes that aimed to prepare the students to become high-school math teachers. She worked as a math drop-in tutor for the Student Success Center where she was able to help students in classes ranging from Pre-Algebra to Calculus IV. Other involvements during her time at UWM included participating in Math Club, serving as Treasurer of the Milwaukee Women’s Soccer Club, founding and serving as President for the Milwaukee Handball Club, and serving as Vice President of Finance for Kappa Tau Sorority.

Kerington has had a lot of exposure to educational techniques for teaching math at a middle and high school level as a result of the secondary education classes she enrolled in at UWM. In her free time, Kerington enjoys reading, playing sports, baking, and having fun with her friends and family.

• University of Notre Dame, BA Anthropology and Irish Language & Literature
• UW-Madison, MA Anthropology
• UW-Madison, PhD student in Anthropology

Kimberly is originally from the Chicago area and attended the University of Notre Dame where she received her bachelor’s in Anthropology and Irish Language and Literature. During undergraduate, she assisted in biological anthropology research involving hormones and fatherhood and archaeological research off the west coast of Ireland. In addition to her field work, she spent a semester abroad in Ireland at University College Dublin and a summer participating in language immersion in Gleann Cholm Cille, Donegal. On campus, she was involved in the Notre Dames club focused on issues that affect women both on campus and globally, as well as the Irish club.

She is a teaching assistant in the Department of Anthropology where she recently earned her Masters in Anthropology and is working towards her PhD in anthropology with her research on ceramics, foodways, and diversity in the highlands of Mexico. In her free time, she enjoys running, watching sports, and traveling with her friends.

• Cornell University, BS, Hospitality/Finance

Kimberly grew up in Potomac, Maryland, just 30 minutes outside of Washington D.C! She attended Cornell University, studying in their world famous hospitality program, as well as concentrating in Finance, Accounting, and Real Estate. Throughout high school and college, Kimberly worked as a tutor, teaching a wide variety of academic subjects and age levels. Kimberly also spent high school both competing in national circuit debate and coaching/judging debate students. In college, Kimberly was a university writing coach, helping other students refine and elevate their writing. During her time at Cornell, Kimberly was also part of a sorority and served as both treasurer and recruitment chair. In her summers during college, Kimberly gained internship experience in investment banking, supply chain/procurement, and corporate finance. In her free time, Kimberly enjoys crafting, baking, travelling, and spending time with her two adorable cats!

• BA in Communications, James Madison University
• MS in Journalism, Northwestern University

A voracious reader from day one, Kristen was the yearbook editor at her high school before entering college with the goal of becoming a magazine writer. During and after college and grad school, she held a variety of jobs writing for magazines, newspapers, and public relations offices before becoming editor of the magazine at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education in Washington, DC. This job introduced her to the world of higher education, and she then transitioned into a 20-year consulting career working directly with college and university admissions and marketing offices across the country. Her work included conducting research and developing brand strategy and marketing programs to help colleges recruit, enroll, and retain students.

Kristen lives in Alexandria, VA with her husband, their younger daughter, and their older daughter whenever she’s home from college. She loves that college counseling keeps her connected to teens and higher education, and she enjoys continually learning more about both–in fact, she recently earned a certificate in Professional College Admissions Consulting through UC Berkeley. In her free time, she can be found hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains, spoiling her dog, and of course, reading.

Kurtis was raised in Bronx, NY and moved to Houston, TX where he attended the University of Houston. At UH, he studied Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics. While finishing his degree, Kurtis worked at an internship in which he was able to learn and increase his skills as both an engineer and project manager. He was also able to start up a non-profit called GRAJJ that focuses on uplifting underserved creatives and small businesses by giving them a platform to show their work through events. After graduating, Kurtis moved to Madison, Wisconsin to work as a Project Manager for Epic Systems, a company that focuses on making healthcare more accessible through the use of technology. There, he further solidified his skills as a project manager and became well adjusted to project planning, developing excel sheets, and scrum/lean principles. After his time at Epic, he went to another company in the engineering field called Energy Solutions that focuses on moving the United States to using more energy efficient technology. There, he still works as a project manager but is working his way to transitioning into an engineer for the company.

Due to his past and current experiences, Kurtis has a lot of knowledge regarding engineering and project management. Enough to have the ability to offer guidance in those areas to someone who is seeking it. Kurtis also takes interest in music through production, instruments, and djing as well as photography/videography, electronics, coding, reading, and spending time with loved ones.

• UW-Madison, B.A. English and Journalism

Larry is a retired English teacher, spending the last 25 years of his career at Waunakee High School, just north of Madison. During his career he taught a variety of classes, including writing the initial curriculum for the English Department’s AP Language and Composition class. Along with teaching the class, Larry is a long-time Reader and a recent Table Leader for the national AP Language exam. He is also a Fellow with the Greater Madison Writing Project, including working their summer “”Rise Up and Write”” camps, designed for young, aspiring writers.

Since retirement Larry mentors new teachers as a member of the Dane County New Teacher Project, works as a College Essay Coach for Galin Education, and occasionally returns to the classroom as an AP Language long-term substitute teacher.

In his free time he enjoys fly-fishing, hiking and backpacking, and wilderness canoe trips. When not wandering the woods he enjoys reading, writing, and maintaining his rural property. Larry’s family includes his wife Carri, a counselor at Verona Area High School, three adult daughters, and his canine companion Tully — a rambunctious Golden Irish (Setter-Retriever).

• Northwestern University, BA, English Literature
• University of Southern California, MA, Cinema and Media Studies
• University of Wisconsin – Madison, PhD, Media and Cultural Studies

Laura grew up in a suburb of the Twin Cities before attending Northwestern University, where she studied English Literature. With big dreams of Hollywood, she moved to Los Angeles after graduation and worked in the entertainment industry for sevheral years before deciding education was the place for her after all. She stayed on in LA to get her Master’s degree in Cinema and Media Studies at the University of Southern California before returning home to the Midwest to join UW – Madison’s Communication Arts department as a PhD candidate. She received her PhD in the Summer of 2023 and stayed on to continue lecturing courses such as Television Industries and Gender, Sexuality, and the Media.

Her own research was focused on Gen Z pop culture, so she will be happy to chat with students about TikTok, celebrities, and whatever else they’re watching. In her own free time, Laura likes to watch Korean dramas, cook, and (weather permitting) boat and kayak on the lake.

• UW-Madison – BA, Communication Sciences and Disorders; BA, Spanish
• UW-Madison – MS, Speech-Language Pathology

Lauren grew up in Eau Claire, WI, and she attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison for her bachelor’s degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Spanish. While attending the university, she was the volunteer coordinator for the university’s speech-language pathology club and worked in two research labs at the Waisman Center in the areas of Autism and bilingualism. Upon graduating, she spent half a year in Costa Rica. During this time, she lived with two host families, supported and learned from adults with disabilities, and completed an internship at the Cleft Lip and Palate Association. Lauren then completed her Master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Speech-Language Pathology. Lauren currently works as a bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist in the Madison Metropolitan School District. She is passionate about creating a team among students, families, and teachers to support her students’ academic goals. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, and cooking.

• University of California, Los Angeles – BS in Cognitive Science with a Specialization in Computing
• UW-Madison – MS in Psychology
• UW-Madison – PhD (in progress) in Psychology

Lauren grew up in Bakersfield, California where she graduated from Ridgeview High School. In college, she became fascinated by the study of cognitive psychology, specifically with better understanding how individuals think and learn. Lauren graduated summa cum laude from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in cognitive science with a specialization in computing. As an undergraduate at UCLA, she worked as a research assistant and lab manager studying problem representation in mathematics and memory strategies. While pursuing her bachelor’s degree, Lauren worked as a test prep and math tutor for a boutique tutoring company based in Santa Monica, California. She is a passionate educator who has over four years of individualized tutoring experience under her belt. Lauren enjoys partnering with students to help facilitate their educational goals, both by supporting academic success and by encouraging a growth mindset. Lauren is currently pursuing a PhD at UW-Madison where she investigates how individuals (both adults and children) engage with patterns in mathematical contexts and the influence of such experiences on both performance and problem-solving strategies. Lauren is also interested in exploring the extent to which the ability to flexibly represent number is related to conceptions of equivalence, fraction understanding, and algebraic reasoning. After completing her PhD, Lauren hopes to become a university professor and continue to advance research in the area of mathematical cognition. In her free time, Lauren enjoys rock climbing, baking, discovering new music, and hanging out with her cats, Meow and Ronald.

• University of Wisconsin-Madison, BS, Global Health

Lauren grew up near Irvine, CA and moved to Sun Prairie, WI in middle school. She attended the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities for 2.5 years studying Pharmacology. There, she worked in a research lab conducting preclinical trials for anticancer drugs. She also worked as a memory care nursing assistant for several years. Outside of school and work, she spent a lot of her time with NORD Students for Rare, a student organization for rare disease education and advocacy that she helped found and run. She transferred to the University of Wisconsin-Madison and graduated with a degree in Global Health in 2024. After working as an orthopedic medical device consultant for a year, she decided to pursue her passion for healthcare. She is now attending Edgewood College’s Accelerated Nursing program and plans to become a Nurse Practitioner and open her own practice someday.

In her free time, Lauren enjoys cooking and being active with friends and family. Beyond the gym, skiing, paddleboarding, kayaking, and hiking are some of her activities. She also loves to read and is working on publishing a book of her own.

• North Central College, BA, Biology, minor in Spanish
• Rock Valley College, AA

Luis grew up near Rockford, IL, where his teachers instilled in him a love for learning and education. Growing up, Luis was heavily involved with music as a clarinetist. He would often spend his evenings after school helping younger students practice their instruments and master their pieces. He would begin his collegiate career at Rock Valley College, where he obtained his Associate in Arts degree. He began developing an interest in science communication as a participant in Demo’s After Dark, a fun night of exciting experimental demonstrations.

Luis would transfer to North Central College, where he graduated with a degree in Biology. His interests in science communication would lead him to become a member of SMACS, Student Members of the American Chemical Society. He enjoyed engaging with the public by showcasing chemistry demonstrations. Luis served as a liaison for BioFirst, an academic group dedicated to supporting first-generation students in biology. There, he mentored a small group of students and discussed learning and professional development strategies with them. Luis also enjoyed volunteering in the Emergency Room at Edward’s Hospital.

After living in Illinois his whole life, Luis moved to Wisconsin to work as a Scientist at a biotechnology company in the area. In his free time, he enjoys reading books, playing board games and video games, and spending time with his family and friends.

• University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign – B.A., Teaching of English
• University of Utah – M.Ed., Special Education

Lynn has spent the last 22 years in Madison working with children of all ages. Lynn’s career in Madison started as a teacher in the special education department at Jefferson Middle School. She came to Jefferson after having received a Masters in Special Education from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, where she lived for just over three years. While in Salt Lake, Lynn spent her free time downhill skiing and hiking in one of the more beautiful mountain ranges that surround the city: the Wasatch (which is also the name of one of her dogs). Professionally in Salt Lake, Lynn taught English at one of the city’s alternative schools, and served as the Department Chair for the Special Education Department in a Salt Lake City junior high.

Before moving to Salt Lake, Lynn taught High School English to children with behavior disorders at an alternative high school in the suburbs of Chicago. Lynn obtained her BA in the Teaching of English from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana (Go Illini!).

After her third year at Jefferson, Lynn had her second child (each of whom benefited from their time at Galin Education – one (Charlie) is completing his sophomore year at UW Madison, and the other (Julia) will be heading to Ann Arbor this fall to start her college career as a Wolverine), and began what would be a 16-year career with the Jewish Federation of Madison.

Lynn started at JFM as the Camp Shalom Director, where she worked with 75 staff members (ages 16-25) and helped ensure that more than 400 children (Kindergarten thru 4th Grade) experience a summer that most look forward to repeating, and many will never forget. Also at JFM, Lynn served as the Pre-School Director, and the Financial Resources Director.

Lynn’s specialties include an uncanny ability to help students learn how to schedule and manage their activities, responsibilities and lessons, and how to just “relax.”

• St. Olaf College, BA, Mathematics
• University of Wisconsin – Madison, MA, Mathematics

Maija grew up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and attended St. Olaf College in Minnesota for undergrad. At St. Olaf, Maija studied mathematics and is currently working on her Master’s at UW-Madison. Maija has had a handful of tutoring experiences spanning grades, subjects, and continents. Before working at Galin, Maija had worked as a teaching assistant for a variety of courses at St. Olaf, a classroom assistant at the local elementary school in her college town, and as an English tutor in Nantou, Taiwan.

In addition to tutoring, Maija has worked as a research assistant at the University of Colorado Denver and the University at Buffalo, SUNY. She is happy to provide guidance for students interested in research in the sciences! When she isn’t tutoring, Maija enjoys playing tennis, ultimate frisbee, and hiking.

• University of Rochester, BA, Physics and Music
• American University, MA, Science Education
• CUNY Queens College, MA, Music Theory
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, PhD, Music Theory

Matt grew up in New Rochelle, NY, a suburb of NYC. After studying physics and music at the University of Rochester, he joined the DC Teaching Fellows program and taught physics and AP physics in the DC Public School system while completing his MA in science education at American University. While in DC, he coached his school’s robotics, lacrosse, and softball teams and advised the school’s guitar and skateboard clubs. Missing music, Matt returned to graduate studies in music theory at CUNY Queens College. While working on his second MA, he tutored for some of the biggest tutoring companies in NYC, skateboarding from student to student all along the island of Manhattan (sometimes while eating a slice of pizza). Matt then began his PhD studies at UW-Madison, during which he was awarded the Mellon Public Humanities Fellowship, which had him working at Maydm, a non-profit that provides STEM learning opportunities to underserved populations. During his time in Madison, he has volunteered at art and music events and at the Art+Lit Lab’s Lab3 project. Matt has also displayed some of multimedia work in local galleries. During the concert seasons, Matt writes for the Cap Times in Madison, reviewing the major classical music ensembles in town. Currently, Matt works as a Visiting Assistant Professor in Music Theory at Lawrence University. In his research and teaching, Matt employs innovative multimodal pedagogies, de-centers and diversifies the music curriculum, and exploring cross-curricular connections.

Outside of work, Matt always enjoys a good chat, especially about music, skateboarding, snowboarding, skiing, ultimate frisbee, and disc golf.

• University of Pittsburgh, B.A., History
• Boston University, M.A.T., Social Studies Education
• UW-Madison, M.A., History
• UW-Madison, Joint Ph.D. student, History and Educational Policy

Max grew up in small town Pennsylvania and earned his Master’s of Arts in Teaching at Boston University. After graduating, he taught high school history and social sciences in public schools in the Greater Boston Area for five years. Max moved to Madison in 2021 to pursue a joint Ph.D. at UW — Madison. His dissertation titled “Junior Achievement: Education and the Future of American Enterprise” focuses on the history of capitalism and business as it relates to educational programming and pedagogy in the 20th century U.S. He enjoys tackling home renovation projects in his free time where he lives with his wife and two adorable cats.

• Beloit College, BS, Mathematics and Business Economics

Maya grew up on the west side of the country in Walla Walla, Washington. She has played soccer for her entire life, which ultimately led her to Wisconsin as she was recruited to play Division III soccer for Beloit College. Going into college, she always new she was going to study Mathematics, but her first year experience class was an introductory economics course which catapulted her into the Business and Economics world. She ended up double-majoring in Math and Business Economics. While at Beloit, she loved being a part of the history making Women’s Soccer Team where during her freshman year, her team earned their first national tournament berth in the program’s history. Off the field, Maya tutored for the upper level math classes and economic classes through the tutoring services offered by the College themself and worked as a teaching assistant for various classes throughout her time there. She participated in various clubs, such as Tennis Club, Math & Computer Science Club, Beloit Actuarial Club, and Women in Economics and Business where she served various Executive Member roles.

Most recently, she had the privilege of working at a K12 public charter school in Beloit. She served various roles in the two years she worked there. While balancing being a student-athlete and a full-time college student, she taught a high school Precalculus class. She also pivoted into a role as an educational assistant during her time there where she focused more on individual intervention with students in math classes at the high school level.

She is now going to begin a graduate program at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee where she is going to study Applied Mathematics. Eventually, she plans to pursue a career in Actuarial Science!

• University of North Carolina Wilmington, BA, Political Science & Secondary Education

Meghan grew up on the coast of North Carolina in a tiny town named Swansboro. Living in “the friendly city by the sea,” she developed a deep appreciation for nature and local history. For college, she headed about an hour and a half south to another coastal city, Wilmington, to attend the University of North Carolina Wilmington. While at UNCW, Meghan was a NC Teaching Fellow and a member of Student Government serving as Academic Affairs Chair. Additionally, she spent a semester studying abroad at Stirling University in Scotland. Meghan spent one year teaching history upon graduation from college, and realized she loved the in-depth analyzing and reflection that is required in English classes. After adding English to her teaching licensure, Meghan returned to her old high school and taught right alongside her own former teachers for three years.

Meghan has had the unique experience of living on multiple college campuses as a non-student resident due to her husband’s career working in Housing & Residence Life at UNC-Wilmington, SUNY-Stony Brook, and Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC. Experiencing many different campuses has given her a unique insight into all of the opportunities that come with life in college! Meghan currently teaches high school English in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is passionate about helping students see the best in themselves. Outside of teaching, she can be found reading about royals of the past and present, watercoloring, and catching up on her favorite shows! Most of all, Meghan loves being with her two young children, husband, and family!

• Rutgers University, BA, Sociology
• Monmouth University, MA, Liberal Studies
• Former Director of Admission at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Meryle has over thirty years’ experience advising prospective applicants and re-applicants as they navigate the admissions process. She served as Director of Admissions at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical school where she was responsible for all aspects of the admissions office.  Meryle was instrumental in the early implementation of the Multiple Mini-Interview format at her institution and serves as an excellent resource for MMI strategies.  She has experience working with BA/BS MD applicants and international applicants. In addition to her role as Director of Admissions she served as manager for the Office of Education, working with current medical school students, faculty and staff.

Upon retirement she joined a medical school consulting firm on the east coast for over six years, prior to joining Galin. Meryle has a long-standing passion for engaging with students as they experience the highs and lows of their journey toward medicine by providing supportive and honest assessments.

Meryle and her husband live in southeastern North Carolina with their dog Callie.  In her free time Meryle enjoys walks with her dog, working out, reading, cooking, Mah Jongg, and is trying to learn golf.

• University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, BA, Communication
• Nova Southeastern University, MS, Student Affairs

Michael is passionate about helping students navigate some of life’s biggest decisions and transitions. He has about eight years of experience working in the higher ed across institutions that are public, private, out-of-state, in-state, large, and small. He has experience as an advisor, instructor, event planner, and more, but most of his experience has been in college admissions at UW-Madison. The highlights of his career have been helping students from Wisconsin navigate their college search, collaborating with universities across the UW-System, and helping new freshman transition to college life.

Michael grew up in a small town in Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Michael’s passion for helping students find their path stems from his own time as an undergraduate student when he explored many areas of study and had great support systems who helped him navigate decisions. He earned a B.A. with a major in interpersonal and organizational communication, and a minor in sociology. Michael then went on to work in admissions at UW-Madison, and pursued a M.S. in Student Affairs at Nova Southeastern University. He now works as an advisor and instructor at UW-Madison and loves living in Madison. Outside of work, Michael enjoys traveling, the outdoors, and spending time with friends.

• Marquette University–B.S. Middle and Secondary Education and History
• Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Certification–73-725 (History) Early Adolescence/Adolescence – Lifetime License
• New Skills Academy–Certified Life Coach

Mike is an experienced Teacher, Counselor, Coach, and Higher Education advocate. He has a passion for educational equity and access and for guiding and inspiring students on their vocational path as they become agents of change in their communities.

Mike currently serves students at a Milwaukee-area private high school as the College, Career, and Alumni Support Coordinator. In this role, he focuses on building relationships with students and helping them navigate post-secondary options to ensure they leave ready for their chosen college or career as many are the first in their family to go to college. Prior to this role, Mike served as a Classroom Teacher and Soccer Coach and was awarded Educator of the Year in 2018.

Prior to his work within high schools, Mike served as an Admissions Counselor at Marquette University where he advised and recruited a diverse class of prospective students from Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin. Throughout his time at Marquette, Mike served as the Liaison to the College of Education and Coordinator of the Youth Options Dual Enrollment Program. He represented Marquette on college panels throughout the country and taught multiple college application workshops, tailored to the needs of students, and emphasizing the importance of self-advocacy in the college search process.

A native of St. Louis, MO, Mike currently lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with his family. He is an avid fan of many sports teams (St. Louis Cardinals + Blues, Marquette Golden Eagles, Milwaukee Bucks, and Green Bay Packers), and a lover of all STL BBQ.

• University of Puget Sound, BS, Molecular and Cellular Biology
• UW-Madison, PhD, Cellular and Molecular Biology

Morgan grew up in Boise, ID where she first learned her love for the outdoors. For her undergraduate education, Morgan moved to Washington to attend the University of Puget Sound and hike in the mountains. There, she TA’d a macro-biology course, tutored fellow biology students through the Phi Sigma Biology Honors Society, and worked with local elementary students in a weekly reading program. Morgan also conducted student research during her junior and senior years of college and after graduation moved to Seattle to pursue further research opportunities.

Morgan recently completed her PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology at UW-Madison where she studied the innate immune response to bacterial and fungal infections. During her PhD, Morgan pursued many teaching opportunities. She mentored students in the laboratory, completed the WISCIENCE Teaching Fellows Program, and taught as an Adjunct Professor at Edgewood College. She is currently pursuing a career in biotech in the Madison area and is excited to continue mentoring and teaching students. In her free time, Morgan enjoys running, biking, and hiking outdoors, as well as baking and cooking with her husband.

• Northwestern University, BA, History & Minor in International Studies
• Northwestern University, MA, Secondary Education

Moira was born and raised in Washington D.C. and attended Northwestern University. During her time in Evanston as an undergraduate, she studied History and International Studies and lettered in cross country. Other involvements during those four years included volunteer work with Girls on the Run and serving on the Northwestern Athletic Department’s mentorship committee (at the time, the PURPLE Mentor Program). After completing a teaching fellowship with Urban Prep Academies in Chicago, Moira returned to Northwestern for her Master of Science in Education.

Since graduate school, Moira has been a middle and high school teacher in social studies and math. Along with her time in the classroom, Moira has enjoyed coaching cross country and Scholastic Bowl, and believes that getting to know students for their outside-of-school passions and pursuits – along with academic interests – is essential in developing meaningful, productive relationships. Moira’s most recent role was as a middle grades learning specialist, assisting students with executive functioning skills, collaborating with families to establish helpful tools and supports for their students, and providing reading comprehension, writing, and math enrichment.

Moira has also been an independent academic and high school test prep tutor and writing coach since 2019, and finds joy in helping students achieve their goals, recognize their strengths, and find empowerment in developing best practices for their individual academic needs.

Moira lives in Chicago with her husband and daughter. When she’s not chasing around her one-year old, Moira enjoys playing golf, running on the lakefront, and a healthy dose of reality TV.

• Dartmouth College, AB, Engineering Sciences
• Dartmouth College, BE, Mechatronics
• Case Western Reserve University, MEM, Engineering Management

Nate grew up in Mishawaka, Indiana before attending Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. While at Dartmouth, he played football and studied engineering while occasionally tutoring other students in calculus. After graduating from Dartmouth, he began working as an engineer while attending Case Western Reserve University where he graduated with a Masters in Engineering and Management. Nate still works as an engineer and is happy to offer guidance regarding different types of STEM careers. In his free time he enjoys hiking, reading, and lifting weights. He also coaches high school football in the fall.

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology, BA, Earth Science
  
• UW-Madison, MA, Environment And Resources

Nick grew up in Charleston, South Carolina and did his undergrad at MIT in Boston. There, he studied earth, atmospheric, and planetary sciences with a focus on the cycling of pollutants like mercury through the environment. It was in Boston that Nick first started tutoring — for incarcerated students preparing for the GED at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution – Norfolk. After graduating from MIT, Nick spent a year as a research assistant to an environmental chemist, extracting and measuring organic contamination in groundwater near fracking operations. He then moved to Madison to complete an interdisciplinary environmental studies program, where he trained in paleoecology and history of science and wrote a social/environmental history of the UW Arboretum’s Curtis Prairie. Since graduating, Nick has been working as a curator for a database of recent fossils, Neotoma. Outside of work, he plays the banjo, runs Madison’s bike paths, and works on his plant ID skills.

• UW-Madison, BBA, Finance and Risk Management

Nish grew up in Madison and received a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Risk Management from UW-Madison. During his time at UW-Madison, Nish spent time as a teaching assistant where he gained a passion for teaching and mentoring students. He was also a board member for Finance Club and played intramural basketball and soccer. Currently, Nish is a financial analyst at PNC Bank and lives in Milwaukee. During his free time, Nish likes to watch sports, listen to podcasts, and spend time with friends and family.

• Baylor University, BSEd, Health, Kinesiology, and Leisure Studies
• Baylor University, MS, Sport Pedagogy

Olivia grew up in Plano, Texas and attended Baylor University where she achieved her Bachelor of Science in Education and Master of Science degrees. While in college, she was a tutor and academic coach for other college students. During her graduate program, Olivia also taught an undergraduate level course at Baylor University.

Entering the workforce, she worked as a public school teacher at the middle and high school levels. Realizing that her passion was helping students achieve their education and professional goals, she landed a job as an admissions counselor at A.T. Still University. In this role, she advised students who were interested in becoming a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and a Doctor of Dental Medicine. She also worked with students that were applying for other professional health science programs, such as physician assistant, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. As an admissions counselor, she took part in reviewing applications, interviewing applicants, and attending admissions committee meetings. Currently, Olivia works as a Student Success Advisor for students who are pursuing a career as a nurse practitioner. Additionally, she also reviews applications for the University of Pittsburgh Medical School.

Olivia is passionate about providing guidance to students on their journey of becoming professionals in the healthcare field. She is honored to be able to watch students grow to their full potential and to have the opportunity to partner with them during this critical time in their life. Olivia enjoys being active, traveling, and spending time with her nephew.

• College of William & Mary, BA, Psychology and Linguistics
• University of Wisconsin – Madison, MS, School Psychology

Olivia is from Norfolk, Virginia and received bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Linguistics from the College of William & Mary. After graduating, she worked as a literacy fellow for AmeriCorps. She found that she really enjoyed working with children and accepted a position as a reading interventionist in a Denver charter school. She also worked as a reading clinician for a private company. These experiences led her to develop her passion for literacy and school mental health.

Olivia is currently pursuing an Educational Specialist degree in School Psychology at UW-Madison. She hopes to work in schools to promote accessibility in education. In her free time, she enjoys crafting, reading, yoga, and spending time outside.

• Based in Madison, WI – works with students throughout the country
• St. Olaf College, BA Psychology
• Western Illinois University, MS College Student Counseling Personnel

A Madison native, Pat has been in the field of higher education for the last 12 years. Most recently, Pat served as Director of Admission at Beloit College where he oversaw domestic enrollment and recruitment. Pat enjoyed reading and assessing college applications, working with athletic coaches, and translating the financial aid process. During his time at Beloit, Pat helped to create two of the largest enrollment classes in the College’s 174-year history. Now at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Pat works with the Division of Continuing Studies in the development of enrollment strategies for the University’s accelerated graduate programs.
Pat earned his M.S. in College Student Personnel at Western Illinois University where he focused his studies on the college sophomore slump, men’s development, and students with learning disabilities. Since graduate school, Pat has presented at colleges and national conferences across the country. Pat’s wife, Jen, serves as the Director of Student Engagement at Beloit College where she helps to develop the College’s emerging student leaders. Pat and Jen spend their free time attending Badger hockey games and playing with their 3-year old son, Ollie.

• Grinnell College, BA, Philosophy & French
• Northwestern University, Certificate, Advanced Studies in Psychology
• University of Wisconsin – Madison, MSW (In Progress)

Patrick grew up in Grinnell, Iowa, a small town where he would eventually study Philosophy and French at Grinnell College. Throughout his studies at Grinnell, he participated in courses related to education and completed teaching internships in New York City and Nantes, France while also assistant coaching the local high school’s debate team. After graduation, he spent time exploring different career paths to find what suited him best. He completed an AmeriCorps term doing legal aid in Montana, taught English in rural France and was involved with organized labor in Chicago before coming to Madison for graduate school. He is currently working on his Masters of Social Work with the goal of becoming a school social worker. While initially thinking he would follow a mental health route, the field of education once again called his name! Having found his niche, Patrick looks forward to continuing serving the community by working with students on achieving their goals. In his free time, Patrick enjoys fishing, cooking, reading, writing and is a huge tea and soccer aficionado.

• Northwestern University – B.S./M.S., journalism

Paula loves working with students and families throughout the college search and application process to identify good-fit colleges where students can thrive. She especially enjoys helping students discover more about who they are and what they seek, and witnessing their growth throughout the journey.

Before joining Galin, Paula worked as an independent marketing communications writer and editor, helping clients (including higher education institutions such as the University of Chicago, American University and Marquette University) differentiate their offerings, highlight their strengths and communicate their successes. She has been a volunteer college essay coach and is finishing the University of California-Irvine certificate program in Independent Educational Consulting.

Paula hails from suburban Minneapolis and attended the University of Minnesota as a high-school senior through the state’s Post-Secondary Enrollment Options program. After completing Northwestern’s accelerated master’s degree program in journalism, she worked at public relations firms in Chicago and Washington, D.C., as well as in corporate communications. She and her family have lived in Shorewood, Wis.,near the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, since 2006. Paula is also a volunteer with the Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program through Kids Matter Inc., supporting kids in the child welfare system.

• University of Wisconsin, BS, Physics and Astrophysics
• University of Colorado, MS, Aerospace Engineering
• University of Colorado, PhD, Aerospace Engineering

Quintin, born and raised in the Madison area and went to the University of Wisconsin at Madison where he got his BS in Physics and Astrophysics. His undergraduate projects were on galactic winds and the rotation of asteroids, and he tutored intro-level math and physics courses. He got his MS and PhD at the University of Colorado in Boulder, where he studied space plasma physics and spacecraft instrumentation, specializing in the Earth’s magnetosphere and miniaturized particle detectors. At CU he worked closely with undergraduate and graduate students as a teaching assistant and lab group leader. He worked at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center after graduate school, but realized that Madison is a far better place to raise a family, so came home. He worked briefly for Northstar Medical Radioisotopes to help build a particle accelerator for nuclear pharmaceuticals, and as brewmaster for the Borough Beer Company, but now continues doing space physics and flight hardware part-time as a contractor for NASA and Space Sciences Innovations, Inc. He also subs in the Middleton and Madison school districts.

Quintin specializes in math and science tutoring at Galin. He wishes his wife would play more board games with him, and will even let her win sometimes, and that his kids would appreciate his cooking more.

• Former PreHealth Advisor at University of Illinois-Chicago and Academic Advisor at Midwestern University
• Miami University – B.S. Middle Childhood Education
• DePaul University – M.Ed. Counseling (College Student Development & Community Counseling)

Rachel was born and raised in Madison, WI. After graduating from Miami University (Ohio), she spent four years teaching middle school in Atlanta, GA before returning to the Midwest to earn a master’s degree in counseling and begin her career in higher education in the Chicagoland area.

Rachel has over a decade of experience working in higher education – working with both undergraduate and graduate/professional school students. As a pre-health advisor, Rachel advised students applying to professional healthcare-related programs and taught an undergraduate ‘Exploring Healthcare Careers’ course. Most recently, Rachel served as a learning specialist for a graduate/professional healthcare school where she provided academic and executive functioning support and coaching to students. With experience in career counseling, pre-health advising, learning support/coaching, and teaching, Rachel is passionate about supporting and empowering students to meet their academic and career goals and she is thrilled to be working with Galin students and families.

Rachel lives in the Chicagoland area with her husband, two kids, and two dogs. She enjoys traveling, playing tennis, and spending time with family and friends.

• Rice University, BA, BioSciences concetration in Biochemistry

Ramiro grew up in McAllen, Texas, a vibrant border town where he spent time between Texas and Tamaulipas, Mexico. A native bilingual speaker of Spanish and English, Ramiro later became proficient in Arabic as a third language, giving him unique insight into language acquisition from both a childhood and adult perspective—an experience that deeply informs his approach to teaching and connecting with students from diverse backgrounds.

He attended Rice University, where he studied Biochemistry. At Rice, Ramiro discovered a passion for helping others achieve their academic goals through teaching and mentorship. He worked as a paid teaching assistant for the BioSciences department as well as the Language Center, and conducted research in biofluorescence and synthetic biology at the Lu Lab for Synthetic Macromolecular Assemblies.

Following graduation, Ramiro joined Teach For America’s 2024 corps, where he taught Algebra 2 and developed his skills in breaking down complex concepts for diverse learners. He scored in the 98th percentile or higher on both the ACT and SAT, giving him firsthand insight into the strategies and mindsets that lead to testing success.

During his time at Rice, Ramiro served in leadership for an active student organization that hosted multiple weekly events, fostered community and a sense of safety in tense times, and collaborated with local Houston organizations including An Nisa Hope Center, IslamInSpanish, and Uyghur Projects Foundation. Through this role, he developed strong communication skills and a deep commitment to advocacy and community building.

Ramiro is now conducting clinical research at the Medical College of Wisconsin while pursuing medical school admission. His research experience and healthcare ambitions allow him to offer valuable guidance to students interested in medicine and health-related fields. In his free time, Ramiro enjoys writing, attending musicals, singing, going on walks, and hosting friends and family.

• University of Iowa, PhD, Mathematics
• University of Iowa, MA, Mathematics
• Kettering University, BS, Applied Mathematics
• Kettering University, BS, Computer Science

Rebeccah grew up just south of Boston where she attended a local public high school and fell in love with both math and teaching math. She tutored her fellow students and held study groups to prepare for midterms and finals. This led to her life of studying mathematics and preparing for a career teaching mathematics at the university level. After finishing her PhD in 2019, Rebeccah moved to Wisconsin and began her career teaching mathematics first at University of Wisconsin – Parkside and now at University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. When she’s not immersed in helping students achieve their academic goals, Rebeccah enjoys gardening, reading, and perfecting the art of baking sourdough bread.

• Valparaiso University, BS, Psychology and Sociology
• UW-Madison, MSW, School Social Work (in progress)

Rebekah grew up in Madison, WI and received a Bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology from Valparaiso University. She was also a member of the Christ College Honors College during her time at VU. She is currently pursuing her Masters degree in Social Work at UW-Madison on the school social work track. Rebekah hopes to stay in Madison after graduate school and work as a school social worker in a Madison middle or high school. She is passionate about access to education and supporting students and their families. Outside of school, Rebekah enjoys reading, playing outside with her golden retriever, and exploring nature.

• Michigan State University, BS, Neuroscience and Psychology
• University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, MS, Counseling (In Progress)

Sam grew up just outside of Detroit and attended Michigan State University, where he studied neuroscience and psychology with the goal of becoming a clinician. During his undergraduate years, he worked extensively as a research assistant in several labs, including the Michigan State University Twin Registry and the Close Relationships Lab. He also served as an undergraduate learning assistant for a neural circuitry course focused on animal behavior.

After graduating, Sam continued his research career at the University of Michigan’s Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Lab. He later moved to Madison to work at Epic, where he contributed to software development supporting clinical trials. Sam is currently pursuing a master’s degree in counseling with the aim of becoming a clinical mental health counselor.

With years of experience supporting and contributing to clinical research, Sam brings a strong foundation in brain science and psychology to his work, particularly in the area of mental health. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, photography, recreational sports, and board games.

• University of Chicago, BA, Statistics and East Asian Languages and Civilizations
• Yenching Academy at Peking University, MPhil, China Studies

Sam grew up in a suburb of Milwaukee. He attended the University of Chicago, where he earned a dual BA in Statistics and East Asian Studies and Languages. His academic interests lie in ancient Chinese philosophy and writing, particularly Confucianism. Sam tutored middle and high school students through his church throughout college and has worked as a classroom instructor at Upward Bound, a college readiness program for high school students. After completing his undergraduate degree, he earned a Master’s in Philosophy from the Yenching Academy at Peking University in Beijing where he wrote his thesis on friendship in the Analects. He moved to Madison to work as a Quality Manager at Epic Systems, where he tested healthcare software and wrote technical documentation. He is currently working as an instructor at Mathnasium and plans to substitute teach in the Stoughton school district for the upcoming school year.
Sam’s varied experience in both the academic and professional worlds means he can offer students advice regardless of where they see themselves in the future. In his free time, Samuel enjoys playing board games, reading, and hiking.

• University of Wisconsin- Madison, BA, Social Welfare and BA, Gender & Women’s Studies

Sarita brings over a decade of experience in education and community engagement to her work as a College Counselor at Galin Education. She holds dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Social Welfare and Gender and Women’s Studies from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Sarita currently serves as a Community Schools Manager for the Madison Metropolitan School District, where she leads staff development and cross-sector collaboration to advance educational equity and student success. Her background also includes serving as a Madison Area Coordinator and Pre-College Advisor with the PEOPLE Program, and she has extensive experience supporting neurodivergent students in gaining access to inclusive community-based programming and resources.

Deeply committed to access, equity, and student-centered support, Sarita is passionate about helping students and families navigate the college planning process with clarity and confidence. Outside of work, she enjoys reading and gardening, and lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with her husband and two children.

• University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign, BBA Business Administration
• Roosevelt University, MEd Education
• Argosy University, MA Community Counseling

Scott received his Bachelors in Business Administration from the University Of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He went on to earn both a teaching certification and a Master’s degree in Education from Roosevelt University in Chicago. Scott spent seven years working for a Chicago charter school network. He started as a middle school special education teacher before becoming a special education program administrator at two charter schools.

While working in special education, Scott also earned a Master’s degree in Community Counseling from Argosy University and became a Licensed Professional Counselor. For six years, he worked at a private counseling practice near Chicago. He specialized in providing executive functioning coaching, academic coaching, and individual counseling for high-achieving, under-performing students.

Scott combines his unique expertise in special education, school administration, and therapeutic counseling to foster meaningful relationships with clients. His main goal is to help direct students along the path to self-directed learning, executive functioning skillsets, personal growth, and independence. In his free time, Scott likes to read pop culture history books, water-ski, and play softball.

• Coe College, BA, History
• Illinois State University, MS, College Student Personnel Administration

Shey Hughes grew up in Forreston, Illinois, and attended Coe College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Secondary Education. During college, she worked for Kids on Course, a nonprofit dedicated to putting students on a path to post-secondary education and a choice-filled life. This experience deepened her passion for education, mentorship, and student success.

Sheyania later earned her Master of Science in College Student Personnel Administration from Illinois State University. She also holds a graduate certificate in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from ISU, furthering her commitment to inclusive education and advocacy.

She has worked in higher education, student affairs, and volunteer engagement, with a focus on collegiate support, leadership development, and accreditation programs that help students and organizations achieve their goals. In addition to her work in sorority and fraternity life, Shey has served as a mentor for international students through Mindbase Education, helping students navigate academic transitions and cultural adjustment. She is passionate about mentorship, leadership development, and fostering inclusive and supportive communities for students and volunteers.

Sheyania currently works as a Collegiate Support Manager at Sigma Kappa Sorority, where she provides guidance to collegiate chapters and national volunteers. She lives in Iowa with her partner and their three dogs. In her free time, she enjoys fitness—especially taking her dogs for hikes—along with reading and traveling.

• UW-Madison, BA, English, History, International Studies
• University of St Andrews, MLitt, Modern History

Sophia is a Wisconsin native and spent the majority of her childhood in Madison. She completed her undergraduate education and received comprehensive honors from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She began as a double major in English and International Studies and eventually added a third major, History, as she discovered her interest in the subject. She also minored in European Studies, Art History, and Folklore. At UW-Madison she wrote for various on-campus publications and writing organizations, eventually becoming Deputy Editor in Chief for the Wisconsin International Review and Editor in Chief of Souvenirs magazine under the Wisconsin Union Directorate. She was also on editorial boards for the undergraduate literary journal The Madison Review and the undergraduate history journal Archive. She spent her junior year abroad studying at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. Following her experiences studying abroad she decided to complete her Masters in Modern History at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, studying 18th and 19th century British history. However, Sophia has a wide variety of interests and enjoys learning about many different historical and contemporary topics. In her free time she enjoys creative writing, reading, traveling, walking outside, and spending time with her dog and cat.

Sophia grew up in Milford, Michigan, a small town between Ann Arbor and Detroit, and graduated as her high school’s valedictorian. She attended Johns Hopkins University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering with a focus on Computational Biology and a second major in Applied Mathematics and Statistics. During college, she also pursued her interest in Spanish, completing advanced coursework and spending a semester translating at a community clinic. Before graduating, Sophia interned at Medtronic, where she worked on computer vision algorithms for medical imaging—an experience that sparked her interest in deep learning and healthcare technology.

After college, Sophia continued her research at Johns Hopkins while earning a master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering with a concentration in Imaging and Instrumentation. She later worked as a Data Scientist at the Center for Naval Analyses before enrolling in the Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD) at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She is currently completing her PhD in Biomedical Data Science, where her research focuses on using large language models to predict patient deterioration in intensive care units. Sophia plans to pursue a career in academic medicine as a neurologist or interventional radiologist. She has published multiple peer-reviewed papers and is passionate about mentoring students, having volunteered extensively with youth programs and educational outreach initiatives. She is excited to continue supporting and empowering students through her work at Galin Education.

• University of Wisconsin-Madison, BS, Community and Nonprofit Leadership
• Marquette University, M.Ed., Educational Policy and Leadership

Staci was born and raised in Racine, WI and received her B.S. at University of Wisconsin-Madison. While in college, Staci tutored reading and writing at local public schools, studied abroad, played softball, and worked as a campus tour guide which led her to her passion for working with college-bound students.

Since moving to Milwaukee for an AmeriCorp year of service at College Possible, Staci has been working in college access and success. Staci worked at Marquette University as an undergraduate admission counselor while earning her M.Ed. in Educational Policy and Leadership. Staci has also worked reviewing admission applications for the Wisconsin School of Business and teaching college prep subjects at Marquette University’s Upward Bound program. Currently, Staci is the Director of College and Career Advancement at St. Thomas More High School where she works with junior and senior students planning their post-graduation paths.

Staci enjoys spending her time playing tennis, walking her dog, and traveling.

• Northwestern University – Children’s Memorial Hospital, Chicago IL, Pediatrics Residency
  
• Georgetown University School of Medicine, M.D.
  
• Washington University in St. Louis, BA, Biology & Psychology

Steve has over 14 years of clinical experience as a pediatrician, initially working in emergency room settings and now caring for hospitalized children and adolescents. In addition to his clinical practice, he has always possessed a passion for medical education. He currently acts as Associate Clerkship Director for the third year medical students rotating through Pediatrics and also runs a Pre-Medicine Observership Program at his institution. Additionally, Steve served on the Admissions Committee for the University of Virginia School of Medicine, where he reviewed medical school applications and interviewed prospective applicants. Through these roles, Steve has taught and mentored students at various stages of their training. He enjoys watching learners grow professionally and understands that each applicant has a unique set of circumstances influencing their career goals. Steve hopes to guide their individualized journey into the medical field.

Steve currently lives in northern Virginia, just outside of Washington DC, with his wife and two kids. He enjoys jogging, skiing, watching baseball, and coaching his son’s soccer team.

• Cornell University, BS, Chemical Engineering

Steve grew up in NYC and obtained a B.S. in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Applied Economics at Cornell University, where he has developed a strong passion for applying engineering principles to real-world challenges. His academic journey has encompassed a variety of coursework, including Chemical Process Design, Thermodynamics, and Biomolecular Engineering, along with hands-on experience in laboratory techniques such as organic synthesis, chromatography, and site-directed mutagenesis. He has also been involved in research projects at Cornell, assisting with drug delivery systems and bacterial vaccines.

In addition to his technical experience, Steve is a dedicated mentor and leader, serving as a Teacher Assistant for Heat and Mass Transfer and as President of the Cornell University Peer Advisor Program, where he supports first-year engineering students with their adjustment to college. His extracurricular involvements include leading philanthropy efforts as the Philanthropy Chair of Delta Kappa Epsilon and as a faciliator for Engineering Chemistry by leading weekly workshops for students who want support.

• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, M.Ed in Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership
• University of Alabama, BA in History and Chinese

With over thirteen years of experience working in admissions, college counseling, advising, recruitment, and program management, Susan is dedicated to assisting students and families from a range of backgrounds with navigating the college process successfully and holistically. At UW-Madison, Susan helped to oversee the selection of undergraduate and transfer students and has recruited at high schools nationally and internationally. Susan also taught at a private high school in the Bahamas and worked for several years as an academic and international advisor at two public research universities. Susan is passionate about helping young adults pursue their higher education goals, and through her professional expertise, provides an insider’s view of selective admissions. Since her time working in higher education, Susan has spent several years helping students gain admission to universities and colleges where they can thrive.

When she’s not counseling students, Susan enjoys spending time with her family, touring universities and colleges, and doing therapy volunteering with her two Golden retrievers.

• Faculty member at University of Wisconsin and former member of MD/PhD Admissions
• Harvard University, A.B. cum laude Biopsychology
• University of California at San Diego, Ph.D. in Neurosciences

Dr. Bakshi grew up in the Boston area, studied psychology at Harvard University, and then moved to California to earn her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at UCSD. For the past 20 years, she has been at UW-Madison and is a tenured faculty member in the School of Medicine and Public Health. Dr. Bakshi has been very active in graduate education and training, teaching in several courses for M.D. students, Ph.D. students, and medical residents and fellows. She runs an internationally known lab studying the brain mechanisms of mental illness, and has mentored numerous trainees at all levels on their research projects. She has extensive experience with admissions to M.D./Ph.D. and Ph.D. programs, having served on the Medical Scientist Training Program Admissions Committee at UW-Madison and also participating in admissions / recruitment for various Ph.D. programs in biomedical sciences. Over the past two decades, she has reviewed applications and conducted admissions interviews for approximately 400 applicants to these programs. Dr. Bakshi also oversees undergraduate admissions interviews in the state of Wisconsin for students applying to Harvard.

What Dr. Bakshi enjoys most is working with students at different stages of their education and helping them discern their professional passion. She has advised numerous students on choosing what type of graduate program (M.D., M.D./Ph.D., Ph.D. in STEM or biomedical fields), might be a good fit for them and which course of action would provide the best preparation for their ultimate career goals. Dr. Bakshi leads several national scientific committees that propose best practices for promoting women in science and in recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce in biomedical and STEM fields. She serves on the steering committees for multiple newer dual-degree graduate programs, including Ph.D./J.D. and Ph.D./M.P.A. programs at UW-Madison. She also is the very proud mother of two teenage girls, who themselves are on their own higher education journeys.

• B.S. Biology and Psychology (UW-Madison)
• Gates Millennium Scholar
• Research Coordinator for a team studying Alzheimer’s Disease

Yer grew up in the Wausau area and completed her undergraduate at UW-Madison. She is a Gates Millennium Scholar. During her undergraduate, she participated in multiple student organizations with foci that ranged from underrepresented student academics to sharing the unspoken stories of Hmong women. She also travelled to Japan to be an English camp counselor and interned with the Minority Health Program at the Wisconsin Division of Human Services. She is currently a research coordinator on a team studying Alzheimer’s Disease, inspired from volunteering at a local nursing home facility with the Music and Memory Program. When Yer is not working or on campus, she enjoys traveling, watching crime TV shows, playing strategic card and board games, and spending time with family and friends.

• Based in Madison, WI and NYC, NY – works with students throughout the country
• Northwestern University – BS Learning and Organizational Change
• Bank Street College of Education – MS Education

Zach has spent over a decade working independently with students and families in the college admissions process. From test preparation to college matching, applications, and financial aid, Zach has helped students gain acceptance to their top choice schools.

Zach spent his undergraduate years at Northwestern University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Learning and Organizational Change. He was actively engaged in student government, Greek life, cultural affairs, and community service. Upon graduation, he ran an academic tutoring and test prep center on New York City’s upper west side. He worked with hundreds of families to diagnose students’ specific academic deficiencies and develop courses from a variety of text-based and digital curricula to improve their skills.

Zach was then accepted into Teach for America and taught science, test-taking strategies, and organizational skills in a middle/high school in the South Bronx. While a corps member, he received his masters degree in education from New York City’s Bank Street College of Education.

Zach previously served on Hillel’s International Board of Directors, Bank Street College’s Board of Trustees, and the Madison Jewish Community Day School Board of Directors. He currently serves as the chair of the Camp Shalom (Verona, WI) committee, as a member of the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District Foundation board, and as a board member of the Jewish Federation of Madison.

• American University, BA, International Studies
• Johns Hopkins University, MS, Secondary Education

Zachary grew up in central New Jersey and attended American University. As an International Studies major, Zachary always found himself interested in the intersection of international development and education. This interest led him to join Teach for America as a math teacher on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. Seeing the gap in support at his school, Zachary took on the task of building out the school’s college counseling program. Since then Zachary has honed his skills serving as a college counselor in schools in Boston and as an educational adviser for a high selective scholarship foundation supporting high achieving students across the country. Recently, Zachary has moved to the Twin Cities to return to a school based role and be closer to his family.

Zachary loves helping students find their voice through the college process. From developing strong lists to ensuring every detail of an essay is intentional, Zachary loves helping students center themselves and their experiences in every application. In his free time, Zachary loves cooking, board games, traveling to National Parks, and quiet evenings with his wife and two cats.

• Cornell University, BA, English and Performing & Media Arts
  
• UW-Madison, MA, Communication Arts
  
• UW-Madison, PhD, Communication Arts

Zach grew up in northern New Jersey, along with childhood stints in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Florida. He earned his bachelor’s at Cornell University, where he majored in English and Performing & Media Arts and graduated summa cum laude. Zach then pursued graduate study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned both a master’s and, as of 2024, a PhD degree in Communication Arts. Zach has published scholarship on global cinema, experimental film, and the contemporary media industries, with a particular focus on independent distribution companies. While at UW-Madison, Zach taught hundreds of students across courses in film production, digital media, and film history. Beyond writing and teaching, Zach enjoys keeping up to date with culture (everything from art exhibits and French films to the latest Mario game or Real Housewives franchise), cooking moderately difficult recipes at home, and going on hikes with his silly, happy dog, Georgie.

• Occidental College, BA, Linguistics & Spanish

Zeke grew up in Verona, and attended Occidental College. At Occidental, he studied a variety of subjects before discovering his passion for linguistics. He is a Galin Education alum, and has extensive experience in one-on-one education, having experience as a summer camp counselor, swim instructor, coach, private tutor, and substitute teacher.

In his free time, Zeke enjoys swimming, board gaming, video gaming, hanging out with his cat, and exploring the culinary scene of Madison.