Our Coaches
Miranda
she/her
Focus: Executive Functioning, Reading, Writing, and History
Location: In-person in the East Bay and San Francisco, and Virtual
Miranda founded MES to provide excellent, tailored educational and advocacy services to students and families with a massive dose of empathy and connection. When Miranda was a student, she faced her own learning challenges that inspired her to pursue a career in education. Miranda is Dyslexic and 2E, giving her great insight into her students and the field of education. As a teacher she incorporated direct instruction in executive functioning, reading and writing and her students thrived!
Experience and Education:
Miranda holds a BA with Honors in History from UC Berkeley and an MA in Teaching with an emphasis in literacy from Teachers College, Columbia University. Miranda has taught middle and high school students reading, writing, executive functioning skills, and history, served as department chair, and trained new teachers. She is also trained in Writing Revolution, Orton-Gillingman techniques, and executive functioning skills from the Hallowell Center.
Fun Fact:
Miranda loves to travel and has been to 27 countries.
Amanda
they/them
Focus: Executive Functioning, reading and writing, AP English, AP US History, AP World History, college applications and essays, ISEE/HSPT test prep, SAT Verbal
Location: Virtual Only
Amanda practices values-based, trauma-informed coaching that centers clients as the experts of their own experiences. They work collaboratively with clients to identify and create personalized strategies, practices, and accommodations. In addition to content, they address motivation, focus, time management, task initiation, follow-through, and other executive functions and life skills.
They hold space for emotions and scaffold work periods to help clients initiate challenging tasks. With Amanda, clients practice tapping into their strengths, community support, self-compassion, metacognition, and self-advocacy to feel more empowered both in and outside of the classroom.
Experience and Education: Amanda holds a BA in Art and American Studies from UC Berkeley. In their 14 years as an educator, they have taught art, life skills, and high school English; mentored and trained other tutors (particularly in understanding neurodiversity and executive functioning); and, of course, coached many neurodivergent adults and teens in executive functioning.
Fun Fact: When not tutoring, Amanda likes to walk the Bay and play video games. You can also find them at East Bay Slimes, where they make and sell multi-sensory toys for stimming and stress relief!
Caitlin
she/her
Focus: Middle and High School Writing, Executive Functioning, College Admissions
Location: In-person in Oakland and Berkeley, and Virtual
Short-term academic success becomes long-term transformation thanks to Caitlin’s thirty years of experience, her commitment to excellence, deeply intuitive coaching, and lots of love.
Experience and Education: A veteran high school teacher and principal, Caitlin has taught in the graduate school of education at Mills College in Oakland, and has founded and run a nationally-recognized leadership program for girls. For the past decade, she has been supporting teachers and school leaders as an instructional coach, working with individual educators and full school staffs. Caitlin earned a BA in English and art from Carleton College and an MA in Education with an emphasis on Secondary Education from San Francisco State University. In addition to her years in education, Caitlin has worked for the last eight years as an editor in the K-12 education publishing field.
Fun Fact: Caitlin has sailed a small boat 16,000 nautical miles across the Pacific Ocean and back, and is currently writing a memoir based on that experience. She still gets seasick.
Daniel
he/him
Focus: English and Spanish Reading Comprehension, Writing, History, ELA
Location: Virtual Only
Daniel is a keen listener and strong communicator. Even quiet students have something to say and by engaging them in conversation, Daniel is able to connect with students of all ages and understand where to help them.
Experience and Education: With a BA in Hispanic Studies from Wheaton College and an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Adelphi University, Daniel has over 15 years of classroom and tutoring experience in New York, Chicago, and Mexico City.
Fun Fact: Once, Daniel biked from Chicago to San Francisco in 47 days. Another time, he rode from New York City to Washington, D.C. in four.
Derek
he/him
Focus: Math, Science, Executive Functioning
Location: In-person in the Bay Area and Virtual
Derek designs innovative and interactive projects and assignments to engage students with their own interests in order to teach content and promote critical thinking. He is committed to working closely with parents to facilitate the academic and personal growth of students.
Experience and Education: Derek holds a BA in Philosophy of Math from Ohio University. Passionate and experienced academic coach with more than 20 years of teaching experience teaching middle school math, science, and advisory at Marin Primary and Middle School. Derek also is trained in Making Math Real.
Fun Fact: When he is not coaching academics Derek enjoys camping, kayaking, hiking, and being outdoors.
Ed
he/him
Focus: Executive Functioning, Active Learning Strategies, Writing Assistance
Location: In-person in the Bay Area and Virtual
Ed loves working with students to empower them to achieve successful outcomes. He does this by forging connections with learners and using a collaborative approach when offering strategies and solutions.
Experience and Education: Ed holds a BA in History from Hobart College and an M.S. Ed from Mount Saint Mary College in New York. He taught middle and high school Social Studies and was an educational consultant for Johns Hopkins University. Since arriving in California in 2010, he has been a learning specialist for high schools and universities, most recently at Stanford and Mid-Peninsula High School in Menlo Park.
Fun Fact: Ed loves baseball, especially the New York Mets, and he wants to visit all 30 MLB baseball stadiums. He is more than halfway done and looks forward to visiting more.
Lindsey
she/her
Focus: Math, Science, Executive Functioning; Structured and multisensory
Location: In-person in Marin or San Francisco, and Virtual
Lindsey’s teaching philosophy is about making mistakes and embracing a growth mindset to help each student succeed and achieve their personal academic goals. She helps students break down tasks into manageable bites to help them stay organized and avoid overwhelm.
Experience and Education: Lindsey has a BA in Zoology from Miami University and MA in Special Education–with a focus on Autism–from Notre Dame de Namur University. Lindsey has taught in San Francisco and Marin, in and out of the classroom at schools specializing in serving neurodivergent students.
Fun Fact: Lindsey loves fishing in the Bahamas every summer.
Maricela
she/her
Focus: Spanish and French
Location: Virtual Only
Maricela adapts to the needs of her students by building on student interests, deploying strong visuals, and using the science of music in learning languages.
Experience and Education: Maricela has her primary degree as a teacher of French as a foreign language at the Université de Bourgogne and also completed a certificate program in Applied Linguistics in Teaching Foreign Languages at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). With ten years of experience teaching French and Spanish, Maricela has cultivated an expertise in helping neurodivergent students excel in foreign languages.
Fun Fact: Maricela also received professional training as an artist from the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature in Mexico.
May
she/her
Focus: Executive Functioning and Writing, College Success Prep
Location: In-person in the East Bay and Virtual
May helps clients identify and connect their values, experiences, and strengths to real-life action plans for growth. With years of experience in coaching, she is a skilled communicator who is able to listen, partner, and provide strategies that enable clients to leverage their existing strengths and find success in their lives.
May works with students to enhance study strategies and build strong time management, planning, and prioritization skills. She specifically focuses on managing motivation and procrastination through holistic skill-building for school and everyday life.
Experience and Education: May has a BA in Psychology from University of San Francisco and MA in Education from Teachers College at Columbia University. She spent 15 years in non-profit leadership designing, implementing, and managing educational programming for middle, high school, and college students.
Fun Fact: May lives in Alameda with her two kids, husband, and dog. In her free time, she loves to cook, eat, and spend time outside.
Sydney
she/her
Focus: Reading Comprehension and Literacy, Math, Study Skills, Social-emotional learning, Executive Functioning; Structured and multisensory
Location: In-person in San Francisco and Virtual
An understanding of students’ social-emotional and motivational needs and training in multisensory modalities informs Sydney’s teaching techniques.
Experience and Education: BA in Philosophy from the University of Maryland. She also holds a professional ESL teaching certificate and is currently working on a Post-Graduate Educational Therapy Program through the University of California, Santa Cruz. Sydney is trained in The Wilson Reading Program, Tattum Reading, and Beast Math. She also worked as a Reading Specialist for nonprofit reading clinics, specializing in learning differences and neurodivergent learners, and as a math teacher for struggling students. Additionally, Sydney has a clinical background in behavioral intervention and working with children and teens diagnosed with ASD.
Fun fact: Sydney enjoys playing chess, dancing ballet, and spending time with friends and family.
Willa
she/her
Focus: Foundational reading and literacy skills Kindergarten–3rd grade, Math K-6; Structured and multisensory
Location: In-person in the East Bay
Since learning is both a complex and vulnerable process, especially for those who struggle in school, Willa deeply values building rapport with her students. She knows from experience how powerful it can be to combine strong foundational knowledge with self-esteem. Willa is excited to help her learners feel supported as they grow their knowledge, skills, and confidence.
Experience and Education: Willa holds a BA in Education and an MA in Elementary Teaching from Colorado College. She is trained in Orton-Gillingham and science of reading approaches. She also holds state teaching licenses in both Colorado and California for Kindergarten - 6th grade. She has taught Kindergarten- 3rd grade in both traditional and Montessori schools, and tutored Kindergarten -10th grade with a focus on reading, spelling, and math.
Fun Fact: Willa grew up in the Bay Area and moved back from Denver, Colorado in August 2024. She loves seeking out restaurants, and cool spots to explore. She also has a BA in Art History and is excited to visit all the great museums in the Bay Area.