Our Coaches
More than anything else, our coaches act as ambition role models. Their passion is infectious—and we love when that enthusiasm spreads to our students.
Whether an emerging author, a professional opera singer, or a social justice advocate, each coach is a seasoned expert in his or her areas of instruction. Together, they hail from the best universities in the world, have scored in the 99th percentile on standardized tests, and possess as many as nineteen years experience in test prep.
Hafeez Lakhani, Founder and President
Yale University, B.A. Mathematics and Economics
Perfect score on SAT and ACT
A former non-profit field worker in India and a commodities trader on Wall Street, Hafeez has a natural ability to see potential and opportunity. For him, reaching that potential is simply a matter of structure, dedication and character.
A twenty year veteran in one-on-one education, Hafeez has mastered an approach to teaching where he infuses instruction with powerful elements of motivation. His passion for coaching manifests in its mastery—having honed the Lakhani Coaching method to serve a growing population of high achievers.
Claire E. Schwab
Brown University, B.A. Literatures and Cultures in English with Honors in Expository Writing, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa
Columbia University, M.F.A. Nonfiction Writing
99th percentile on SAT, ACT, and GRE
Claire has been working with students of all ages for more than fifteen years, in many cases developing relationships that span multiple stages of a student's academic career. She has taught undergraduate courses, test prep classes, a pandemic learning pod, and more than 150 one-on-one students.
A writer and harpist, Claire has published fiction and nonfiction in numerous literary journals and has performed in venues throughout New York City, where she has lived for many years. Claire loves instructing students in math and Latin as much as she enjoys working with them on writing skills and creative pursuits. She finds the most satisfaction in helping students engage with their interests and identities as deeply as possible.
Bob McCormick
University of California, Berkeley, M.B.A.
University of Virginia, B.S. Commerce with a focus in Finance and Management
99th Percentile in ACT, SAT & GMAT
Through his experience as a Division 1 basketball player for the University of Virginia, Bob McCormick developed his firm belief that motivation and preparation lead to success, in sports as well as academics. Bob fully understands the importance of a coach in inspiring students to succeed—and while an undergraduate he developed his skills as a mentor by training students in athletics, coaching middle- and high-school students in a variety of academic fields and counseling them on setting strong goals. Now pursuing his MBA, Bob brings his passion of coaching together with unique insight into the testing and admissions process.
Mike Kleynman
Duke University, PhD in English (2026)
Rutgers University, B.A. in English and Economics, Summa Cum Laude
99th Percentile in SAT, ACT, LSAT, and GRE
Since childhood, Mike has loved literature and writing. As an undergraduate, he sought a mix of the critical and the creative: he took courses on everything from Shakespeare’s plays to contemporary African novels while also crafting his own fiction and poetry in writing workshops. He won multiple awards for his essays, and completed an Honors Thesis, which took the form of a short story collection. Mike then spent a year teaching English in a small town in the southwest of France, during which time he focused on writing and improving his fluency in French. Mike is currently a PhD candidate specializing in contemporary fiction at Duke University, where he’s written on a wide range of topics—Jane Eyre, the films of Jean-Luc Godard, and military training programs, to name a few.
Throughout this time, Mike has worked one-on-one with over two hundred students, specializing in providing coaching for the SAT, LSAT, and college application essays. His priority is understanding each student’s specific story and needs: by tailoring his approach to these particulars, Mike has had the great privilege of routinely seeing his students excel with standardized tests and college admissions.
Liz Picker
Yale University, B.A. Anthropology
Mannes School of Music, M.M., P.S.D., Voice
99th Percentile in ACT, SAT & GRE
Liz finds beauty in the art of language. Her passion for communication and language arts drives her to find poetry in editing and art in teaching. Over the last decade, including while an undergraduate at Yale, Liz has instructed over 60 students in subjects from SAT prep to ESL. A dedicated writer and editor, her most recent byline is editor of a book that explores the plight of new immigrants to Catalonia. Her love of language also finds voice on the stage where she performs as a professional opera singer.
Thomas Dolan
The George Washington University, Ph.D. American Studies
New York University, M.A. American Studies
Yale University, B.A. History, B.A. International Studies
99th Percentile in SAT, ACT, & GRE
A Fulbright scholar who wrote his dissertation on “Unusual Figures: Empire, Race and Unseeing the Global Middle East,” Thomas is an academic as well as creative practitioner. He has helped produce work at Madison Square Garden, Lincoln Center, Studio 54; written for Huffington Post; and served as a board member of the Yale Alumni Association and Y-Apply, a nonprofit devoted to increasing college access for public school students of color. Currently a fellow in Emory University's Department of Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies, Thomas is also Co-Coordinator of the West Asian Section of the Association for Asian American Studies, and member of the inaugural SAG-AFTRA National MENA Committee.
Dorian Rolston
Princeton University, B.A. Philosophy
University of Arizona, M.F.A. Creative Nonfiction
Tulane University, M.S.W. Mental Health, Addiction, and the Family (2023)
Currently studying to become a family therapist, Dorian is aware of the power of education to bring out the best version of ourselves. His background in philosophy of mind, specializing in personal identity, and over a decade of experience teaching personal writing, inform his relationship-centered approach to working with students. For Dorian, the process of mutual discovery is one of the greatest joys of teaching.
As a creative nonfiction writer, Dorian has been published in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, and The Atlantic, among other places. Most recently, he co-edited an anthology of diary essays, which offers writing exercises for transforming everyday life into art. Dorian began his career teaching English in rural China and has since gone on to use education as a tool for self-discovery and growth at virtually every level, from gifted middle schoolers to executive MBAs.
Dr. Amanda Eisinger
NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine, D.O., Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Brandeis University, B.A. Psychology, Cum Laude
Amanda takes great pride in cultivating stellar relationships—and stellar results—in each one of her students. After studying Psychology at Brandeis University, Amanda pursued post baccalaureate pre-medical studies alongside working as a clinical researcher at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, focusing on clinical trials for women living with gynecologic malignancies. Since completion of her medical studies, Amanda has worked as a research fellow at OnDermand Dermatology, a novel startup bringing dermatologists to patients virtually.
For over 10 years, Amanda has worked closely with students, developing a passion for individualized teaching. She is committed to developing organized study plans that meet each student’s specific needs.
Stephen Woo
Brown University, Ph.D. Modern Culture and Media (2025)
Cornell University, B.A. Film Studies and American Studies, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa
Stephen is a Ph.D. candidate at Brown University, where he studies the history and theory of global cinema. An unabashed enthusiast of film and television, Stephen thinks about how and why viewers enjoy moving images, as well as what viewers can learn from such media. He is always excited to discuss what you have been watching lately!
Stephen has presented his research internationally and has won numerous writing awards, including the Collaborative Humanities Fellowship at Brown. He is currently at work on a dissertation that considers the relationship between cinematic form and trauma. In courses that he teaches, as well as in one on one instruction, Stephen especially enjoys guiding the writing and revision process.
At Cornell, where he earned his undergraduate degree, Stephen was a Division I Heavyweight Rower, the challenges and privileges of which he loves to discuss with any student athlete.
Sumera Subzwari
B.A. Health & Human Biology (Magna Cum Laude), Brown University
M.S. Human Nutrition, Columbia University
95th Percentile in MCAT
99th Percentile in SAT & ACT
Currently studying for a Dietitian license at Teachers College, Columbia University, Sumera has not only found a deep love for all things STEM and human health but has also spent an extensive amount of time toward creative pursuits. She has a background in pre-medical studies, scoring high on standardized tests, and has worked as a lab research assistant at both Brown and Columbia focusing on children's health. She has co-authored two scientific journal papers (with two more in progress). During her time in college, Sumera volunteered to teach math and science to underprivileged high school students and worked with family support groups in Providence, RI. As a result of growing up in Sydney, Australia, she has an appreciation for diverse cultures and is fluent in Korean. She has played classical piano for 20 years and swam competitively throughout high school and college. When not studying or experimenting in the kitchen, Sumera loves exploring a wide range of art mediums including ceramics and fiber arts.
Nini Nguyen
Brown University, B.A. Public Health, Magna Cum Laude
UC Riverside, M.D. (2024)
99th Percentile in SAT and ACT
Nini is a medical student with a passion for empowering others to take ownership over their personal growth, whether it be their health or education. As an undergraduate, she developed an appreciation for a person-centered approach to teaching and worked as both a tutor and teaching assistant. After graduating with a degree in Public Health, she moved abroad to Taiwan where she worked as an English teacher and volunteered at an international non-governmental organization. Currently, Nini is working with MD Anderson’s Health Services Research team to study and ultimately improve quality of life among cancer patients.
Arun Chakravorty
Cornell University, B.A. Computational Biology, Distinction in all subjects
UCLA-Caltech, MD/PHD (2025) - awarded the prestigious David Geffen Medical Scholarship, which includes full MD tuition and unrestricted research funds
99th Percentile in ACT & SAT
95th Percentile in MCAT
A lifelong lover of Science, Arun puts an emphasis on instilling a passion for evidence-based learning and a drive to succeed, which allows strong testing, academic, and admissions results to naturally follow.
Arun’s interest in Science began in high school when he proposed a method to decrease carbon dioxide emissions from car exhaust, winning him invitations to state and international science exhibitions. By his junior year at Cornell, Arun had co-authored 2 publications. He now works at The Rockefeller University in the Maimon Lab, where he studies neural circuits underlying complex behaviors in fruit flies.
Sung Bin “Sean” Roh
University of Vermont College of Medicine, M.D. (2027)
University of California, Berkeley, B.S. Bioengineering
99th Percentile in SAT, ACT, GRE
95th Percentile in MCAT
For more than seven years, Sean has been helping students to achieve their goals. He has worked with students of all ages and backgrounds, sharing his love of science and math. At UC Berkeley, he received the Kevin K. Gong Memorial Scholarship from the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department for his work co-founding CalMentors, an organization bringing academic support and mentoring to under-resourced students during the transition to virtual school. He was also an undergraduate student instructor at UC Berkeley for General Biology, teaching and guiding students through the lab section.
Maro Youssef
University of Texas, Austin, Ph.D Sociology (2021)
George Washington University, M.A. Middle East Studies
University of California, Santa Cruz, B.A. History
Dr. Maro Youssef is a National Science Foundation (NSF) Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Postdoctoral fellow in the Sociology Department at the University of Southern California (USC).
Dr. Youssef has instructed over 150 students in Arabic, government, history, women’s studies, and international affairs. As a U.S. history major and Arabic and French speaker, she was awarded The Thomas R. Pickering Fellowship from The U.S. Department of State, which put her on the political diplomatic track as a sophomore in college. She moved to Washington D.C. where she pursued her Master’s in Middle East Studies from The George Washington University while working at The State Department as a Middle East political analyst. As a diplomat, she lived in Turkey and Tunisia where she worked on women’s issues and foreign policy. Her expertise lies in helping students communicate their needs and research to policymakers and funding agencies. Maro serves as a mentor to young women interested in learning more about entering politics and careers in government.
Alexander Alexandrov
Brown University, B.S. Biomedical Engineering, Magna Cum Laude, with Honors
99th Percentile in SAT, ACT
98th Percentile in MCAT
From a young age, Alexander developed a love for problem-solving and science. As an undergraduate, he was drawn to biomedical engineering for its interdisciplinary approach to innovation at the intersection of medicine and engineering. He conducted research at Weill Cornell Medical College, the HSS Research Institute, and Brown University, with his Honors thesis exploring the effects of rotator cuff tears on shoulder proprioception. He is currently submitting a publication as the first author, has several abstracts accepted at national conferences, and has presented his work at numerous symposiums. As a coach, Alexander aims to build trust to assess weaknesses and create tailored plans for personal and academic growth.
Alongside teaching, Alexander enjoys the fine art of watchmaking, synthesizing his fascination with mechanical devices and attention to intricate detail.
Arnav Muthiayen
Cornell University, B.S. candidate in Computer Science
Arnav Muthiayen has worked at the Stanford Human Perception Lab utilizing deep learning algorithms for human emotion recognition. His engineering feats include captaining his team to 1st place worldwide at the Global Conference on Educational Robotics and separately, captaining his team to a top 0.1% rank globally in professional cybersecurity competitions. Arnav is currently a B.S. candidate in Computer Science at Cornell University.
Timothy Cooper
Yale University, B.A. Philosophy
Timothy is an award-winning writer-director based in Brooklyn. A former journalist, restaurant critic, and playwright, his focus is on finding life’s underdogs and giving them a voice. Timothy’s short comedy LEMON, starring Jennifer Westfeldt, Noah Bean, and Jenn Lyon, premiered at Tribeca and played at dozens of festivals throughout the world as well as on United Airlines and Amazon Prime. The short also led to him being named an IFP Screen Forward Labs Fellow. Previously he wrote and directed the online sitcom CONCIERGE: THE SERIES, starring Kate McKinnon, which was nominated for the first-ever short-form Writers Guild Award.
A longtime member of the writers room for the Writers Guild Awards, he’s written jokes and sketches for hosts and presenters like Jimmy Fallon, Sacha Baron Cohen, Kenan Thompson, Amber Ruffin, Lewis Black, Kal Penn, Larry Wilmore, Colin Quinn, Rachel Brosnahan, Ava DuVernay, and many more. Timothy also wrote the dramatic feature AWAY FROM HERE, starring Nick Stahl, Alicia Witt, and Ray Wise. As part of the writers’ room for the popular speculative-fiction podcast THE TRUTH, he’s written standalone episodes including “Chester” and “Gods and Mortals.” And he’s currently writing pilots and features for multiple production companies, as well as writing and directing a studio video game for release in 2022.
Timothy is a proud member of the WGAE, the Brooklyn Filmmakers Collective, and the Hollywood Radio & Television Society, as well as a 1stGenYale mentor.
Mieczysław (Mietek) Boduszyński
University of California, Berkeley, Ph.D. Political Science
University of California, San Diego, B.A. Political Science
As a former diplomat-turned-academic, Mietek has lived in eight countries on three continents and speaks seven languages. He believes in bringing international relations, diverse cultures, and foreign languages to life for his students by engaging with their unique background, interests, and strengths. Mietek has extensive experience in helping students to carry out rigorous research and communicate it clearly--in both speaking and writing--so that they can excel in a variety of study programs and careers, from government to think tanks to non-profits to the private sector.
Peter Chen
Peter has experienced the immensely rewarding value of mentorship and coaching on both sides. During junior year of high school, it was his AP U.S. History teacher who instilled confidence for achievement and directed him towards aiming for the top colleges. At Yale, Peter tutored local New Haven third-graders in the America Reads program, and served in several leadership roles in undergraduate cultural organizations, including board member of the Asian American Students Alliance. After graduating, Peter was a teacher for two years at an international school in Shanghai, where he taught social studies to sixth and tenth graders, advised the high school student newspaper, and coached the middle and high school boys basketball teams.
Over the last decade, Peter has held several manager roles at tech companies, working in areas such as financial tech, machine learning in facial tracking, and most recently a startup in auto retail management systems.
He enjoys exploring neighborhoods by taking very long walks, ping pong, and he just embarked on his quest to learn how to play the piano.
Ted Mineo
Yale University, M.F.A. Painting/Printmaking
Maryland Institute College of Art, B.F.A. General Fine Arts
Featured in The New York Times, Artforum, The Wall Street Journal
Ted's approach to working with artists is guided by love for craft and a genuine curiosity about expression as well as how art comes into being. He believes that artists who are developing their technical skills are also building their own unique material and verbal language that will ultimately define how they contribute to the culture at large.
He has taught and critiqued at elite art colleges including the Rhode Island School of Design, Yale School of Art, Parsons School of Design, Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn College, Moore College of Art, Maryland Institute College of Art, Bard High School Early College and the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. These teaching experiences have put him in direct contact with an upcoming generation of artists and designers.
Michael Alvarez
Columbia University, B.A. Philosophy (John Jay Scholar)
SAT and ACT: 99th percentile
Michael’s life-long passion is literature. Even before college, Michael devoured Shakespeare, Austen, Nabokov, Kawabata, and many others. This love of literature naturally progressed to the pursuit of philosophy while pursuing an undergraduate degree at Columbia University. Michael has always sought to learn other languages, studying Japanese and Chinese while at Columbia, to add to his Spanish studies. He also pursued Java computer programming, studied specialized STEM topics like Oceanography, and contributed to the Columbia Daily Spectator as an author and editor.
Michael has always enjoyed helping students with their SATs and schoolwork. He also enjoys volunteering with special needs students at Cerebral Palsy of North Jersey. Michael’s philosophy background has enabled him to see his students as unique thinkers with whom he is in inspiring dialogue, whether they are wrestling with a difficult literary passage or a complex algebraic equation.