Dr Jamie Rodriguez - President
Jamie is the owner and creator of JBG Educational Group. She has been tutoring for the past ten years with school systems throughout Massachusetts and worked with a top tutoring company in New York City. She attended the honors program at UMASS Amherst (specializing in clinical and developmental psychology) for her undergraduate degree, Columbia University (degree in psychology with a focus in special education) for her Masters, and the College of William and Mary (degree in Counselor Education and Supervision with a focus on multicultural counseling) for her PhD. Jamie is responsible for all inner workings of the company, handles all inquiries, initial assessment and referrals of all students, and tutors the majority of Special Education students.
Jamie develops all curriculum for the SAT & SSAT classes, hires and trains all tutors, and currently is structuring a new and innovative system to support alternative learning styles.
Stacy Padula - Co-Director
Stacy grew up in Pembroke, Massachusetts. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree at Wentworth, where she studied Architecture and Interior Design. Stacy was a Presidential Scholar and on Wentworth's Dean's List. She received the Academic Achievement Award for Miss Teen Southern New England and was in Who's Who Among American High School Students. Stacy first began tutoring Algebra and English in high school and continued through college and after graduation. Stacy then became a certified academic tutor through the International Tutor Association. Stacy specializes in tutoring SAT & ACT prep, English, and Math. She has a heart for the youth and has taught multiple AWANA and VBS classes. Stacy is passionate about creative writing and has written multiple books on the topics of peer pressure, high school, and Christianity. She is the author of Montgomery Lake High, a young adult book series that will debut in Spring 2010. In her spare time, Stacy enjoys skiing, writing, golfing, traveling, reading, spending time with her family & friends, and volunteering. Stacy believes strongly in encouraging others to use their gifts and talents to reach their full potential.
Brett Holman - Co-Director
Brett grew up in Northampton, Massachusetts and graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a Bachelor's Degree in Economics. While at UMASS, Brett enjoyed several internships and research assistant positions. He also played an active role in the development and management of the non-profit organization, The Business Alliance for Local Living Economies. After graduating in 2008, he worked as a senior counselor for YMCA's Camp Norwich where he realized that a career in education was truly his passion. After moving to Boston and spending time in the business world, he has begun to pursue a career in education. In the next two or three years, Brett plans to obtain his MA in Education to eventually teach in a classroom of his own. His tutoring interests include: SAT prep, all levels of Math and college level economics. Brett's hobbies are playing tennis, golf, fishing and cooking.
Andrew Doleman - Academic & Test Prep Tutor
Andrew grew up in Dartmouth, MA (where the beach meets the woods meets the farm) and graduated from Boston College in 2009 with a B.A. in Neuroscience and a minor in English. While at Boston College he worked as a research assistant and thesis student in the Interdisciplinary Affective Science Laboratory studying human emotion. He's also been involved in various neuroimaging research projects at Massachusetts General Hospital's Martinos Center. Outside of research, Andrew has worked at a YMCA summer camp, the Boys and Girls Club after school program, and in the Fall River Public School System. He enjoys tutoring science - specifically biology and chemistry. Presently, Andrew works for a law firm and is planning on entering a Ph.D. program in the near future studying Cognitive Neuroscience. In his spare time, Andrew enjoys going to local concerts, reading, traveling, playing tennis, and enjoying all that sandwiches and beaches have to offer.
Matt Clement - Academic & Test Prep Tutor
Matt, originally from Cape Cod, completed his undergraduate work in biology and chemistry at Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina while captaining the soccer team. He received top honors from the North Carolina Academy of Science for research and received the Derieux award for excellence in undergraduate research. After graduating he took a position at ThermoFisher Scientific as a research scientist where he helped develop and optimize novel ELISA based platforms. He is currently working for Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School in the nephrology division where he is involved in many projects including kidney biomarkers and gold nanotechnology. In addition to his research he is also enrolled at Harvard University's masters program in biology. Future plans involve applying to MD/PhD programs in the Boston area. Outside of work, he enjoys surfing, snowboarding, and soccer.
Allison Welsh - Academic & Test Prep Tutor
Alley grew up on a farm in Lambertville, NJ. She earned her degree in Biology at Dartmouth College, where she focused on medical research and played field hockey. Afterwards, she spent two months in rural Kenya, teaching, promoting women's education and working on a medical clinic & clean water project. She is currently at Yale University, working towards a PhD in Experimental Pathology.
Her research focuses on emerging roles for the Estrogen Receptor in breast cancer, and its use in optimizing therapeutic strategies for patients. She is also very interested in local/global health, policy & development as well as the use of art as an avenue for civic engagement & social change.
Alley has been involved in teaching and mentoring since high school: spending summers in CO leading outdoor adventure trips, teaching all subjects at primary and secondary schools in Kenya, private tutoring to multiple ages; and serving as a TA to undergraduates at Yale. In her free time she loves outdoor sports, traveling, live music, and reading poetry. She also designs jewelry, throws pottery, and plans to open an oyster farm someday.
Liya Escalera - Academic & Test Prep Tutor
Liya grew up in Manchester, Connecticut. She attended Stonehill College where she earned her B.A. double majoring in English and Spanish. While studying at Stonehill, she was the executive coordinator of the Monday and Wednesday academic club for kids, offering tutoring to students ages k-12 in all subjects including preparing for the MCAS and SAT. After she graduated, she began working at the New England Institute of Art while attending Simmons College pursuing her M.A. in English. For three years, Liya taught English and Freshman Seminar courses at The New England Institute of Art while working in the Academic Support Center as an advisor and remediation specialist. Liya will attend Harvard graduate School of Education in the fall.
Erin Osborn - Academic & Test Prep Tutor
Erin graduated Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College in June 2005. She graduated with Honors in Government after writing her thesis on "The Moral Mission of Schooling: Negotiating Intellectual and Civic Virtue." While at Dartmouth she played Varsity Soccer and Lacrosse, captaining the 2005 lacrosse team and playing in the NCAA Final Four last May. She recently moved to Cambridge to do political organizing work with an Education Reformer and to teach at a public elementary school.
She has much and varied experience teaching and tutoring elementary, high school and college age students. Most recently, she taught English, Math and Science in primary and secondary village schools in Kenya. She also has experience with the SAT I, LSAT and GRE tests as both a test-taker and a tutor. In her free time she enjoys dancing, playing on a coed soccer team, hearing live music, and reading and memorizing poetry.
Chris Adamcik - Academic Tutor
Chris grew up in Northampton, Massachusetts and graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelor's Degree in Biology. While at Northeastern, Chris utilized the cooperative learning program and was able to work at Bayer Healthcare developing and optimizing assays for cancer detection. After graduating in 2006 he went to work for another major biotech company testing clinical samples. Currently, Chris works as an Associate Marketing/Product Manager at a worldwide biotech distribution company. Chris' hobbies are playing soccer, hiking, and exploring the greater Boston area.
Ashley Nolet - Academic Tutor
Ashley graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in History of Science and Medicine. She competed for the track team as a pole vaulter, winning the Ivy League Championship her senior year. This past year Ashley worked at Lowell High School as a substitute teacher and pole vault coach. She helped students from diverse backgrounds in a variety of subjects, focusing primarily on Chemistry. In her free time, Ashley still practices and competes in the pole vault, mentoring at her former track club. She helps coach the event as well as serving as a positive example for young female pole vaulters, as pole vault is still fairly new for women. Her passion for helping women and children has driven her to pursue a career in advocacy. Ashley will be attending Suffolk Law School in the fall.
Sarah Nitsche - Academic Tutor
Sarah is originally from Avon, CT. She attended The University of New Hampshire, where she graduated with Honors in 2002 with her B.S. in Secondary Math Education. She also earned her Masters Degree in Secondary Math Education from The University of New Hampshire in 2003. Sarah taught 4 years in Darien, CT as a 7th and 8th grade math teacher. While in CT she was also a math tutor for all ages and abilities. Sarah moved to MA a year ago and is currently a 7th grade math teacher for the Newton Public Schools. In 2009 Sarah plans to go back to school to earn another Masters Degree in Educational Technology. Outside of teaching, Sarah enjoys running, skiing, travelling, and spending quality time with family and friends. She is very excited to be on board as a JBG tutor.
Caleb Caldwell - Academic & Test Prep Tutor
Caleb spent a large part of his childhood living in various parts of the United States and Mexico. He graduated with honors from College of the Ozarks with a B.A. in English. He worked as a writing tutor while earning his B.A. and is certified by the College Reading and Language Association. He moved to Boston because he prefers inclement weather - it reminds him of England. When he is not tutoring, he occupies his time by reading, bugging librarians, playing and listening to music, and working on his novel. He is happily married.
Joelle Sobin - Academic Tutor
Joelle grew up in Medfield, Massachusetts and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Lafayette College in 2005. After college, Joelle spent two years working in Special Education at Dover-Sherborn Middle School. She then enrolled in a three years graduate program at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This past May, Joelle graduated from Lesley with an Initial License in School Guidance Counseling and a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She is hoping to be hired as a school guidance counselor this fall and has enjoyed her internship experiences in the Watertown and Newton Public Schools. Joelle has always been passionate about private tutoring and has worked with students now for over 5 years, specializing in Mathematics and in organizational/study skills. She has spent her past 4 summers working for Youthcare, a organization through MGH that runs a summer camp for children on the Autism spectrum. In her free time, Joelle enjoys running, staying active and travelling. She just completed her first half marathon and is looking forward to traveling out west this summer to Yellowstone National Park, Utah, Denver and Glacier National Park in Montana.
Megan Copeland - Academic & Test Prep Tutor
Megan Copeland, originally from Pawling, New York, is a certified elementary and middle school teacher. She received her BA in psychology from Holy Cross College in Worcester, MA in 1996 and then a Masters in Education from Fitchburg State in 2005. Megan is currently a 7th grade math teacher in the Framingham Public Schools. Prior to teaching, Megan worked as a social worker and made the switch to education in 2001. Outside of work, she enjoys sports and reading.
Kristen Risley - Academic & Test Prep Tutor
Kristen is originally from the hills of the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts and went to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a business degree. She worked in the HIV/AIDS field for a few years while getting a Masters of Social Work from Boston University. She believes it is the combination of the degrees which has contributed to her success as a tutor and which makes her both practical and understanding to the needs of her students and client families. She currently works for an international healthcare consulting firm in Boston. Her strengths in tutoring are in SAT/SSAT/ISEE prep as well as algebra and geometry, and essay writing skills. She has had a variety of tutoring experience over the past 10 years with both adults and a range of children and has worked for the past two years tutoring intensively in greater Metro Boston. Kristen also has a profound love for francophone countries and people, having spent time during college at the Universite de Paris and La Sorbonne. She also tutors French I and II.
Colleen Sampson - Academic & Test Prep Tutor
Colleen grew up in Mountain Lakes, NJ. She earned a BA in Mathematics and Elementary Education from Boston College as well as a Masters in Moderate Special Education. She received the Bennett Award for high level achievement and desire to teach mathematics. Colleen has been student teaching, tutoring, and teaching for the past 5 years. At Boston College Colleen was on the club lacrosse team as well as in the Campus School Boston Marathon group. She has run the Boston marathon four times as well as the Disney and Nashville marathons. Colleen was a resident counselor for a summer program at Northeastern which housed high school students from all over the world. The job entailed mentoring and tutoring the students to help them preview a collegiate lifestyle. Presently, Colleen is teaching 7th/8th grade math investigations in Milton MA for students who were unable to pass the Math MCAS. She also serves as the head of the Math Olympiad club working with students who are gifted and talented in the area of mathematics. She enjoys the challenges of working with both groups and in her spare time enjoys running, country music, reading, biking, and spending time with family and friends.
Rick Ralphson - Academic & Test Prep Tutor
Born in Chicago, and still "painfully" a Bears fan, Rick has lived throughout the United States and Latin America. With a BA in Psychology and Masters Degrees in Philosophy and Theology, he has taught high school for four academic years and has tutoring experience which spans fifteen years. Whether it has been accompanying Lakota children on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, facilitating annual immersion experiences for teenagers in the Dominican Republic, serving as a chaplain at a West Coast Children's Hospital, guiding families through Ropes Course adventures, or tutoring your daughter, son, or student; Rick delights in opportunities to learn from others and enthusiastically yet humbly share his gifts.
His educational philosophy emphasizes the vital importance of respect, encouragement, diligence, compassion, and patience; and Rick tries to live the following: In all things, love and serve. His primary tutoring expertise lies in the Humanities, especially languages such as Spanish, and even some classical Greek and basic Latin; and he has coached many students through their essays and presentations. Rick's hobbies include all types of exercise, flag football, reading poetry, and delighting in the diversity of creation.
Mary Whitcomb - Academic Tutor
Mary grew up in Hanover, New Hampshire. She graduated from the University of Vermont in 2004, with a B.A. in English. After graduation, she worked in the medical field for three years prior to applying to law school. She is currently a second year law student at Suffolk University Law School and a member of Suffolk’s legal honors society, Phi Delta Phi. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, cooking and reading historical fiction.
Carmela Aguilera - Academic & Test Prep Tutor
Carmela was born in Peru, where she spent most of her formative years. She relocated to New York where she attended Iona College and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Biology. During college she worked as a peer tutor for Scope Center, a federal funded program at Iona College. During her freshman year she received an award from the Westchester Chemical Society for obtaining the highest final grade of her class and in senior year she was invited to become a member of the Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society. Though her major is Biology, she has a strong math background. She has worked for a year as an ABE and GED Math Instructor for Ernest Hemingway English Institute in Fall River, a TOEFL Associate Private Educational Center. Carmela teaches all levels of Math from Kindergarten through High School, General Chemistry, Physics and Spanish, which is her native language. She is also a certified nurse aide by the Red Cross of the state of Massachusetts; her future plans include becoming a Registered Nurse. In her free time, Carmela enjoys reading, spending quality time with family and friends and volunteers to help students who cannot afford paying a private tutor.
Dr. Stephanie Schwartz - Educational Consultant
Stephanie grew up in Los Angeles. She earned a B.A. in psychology at Pomona College, and an M.A. in Psychology (emphasis in neuropsychology) at Washington University in St. Louis. Stephanie has been a teaching assistant many times to undergraduate and graduate students. At Washington University, she was also a Lecturer in Memory and Learning. Stephanie has taught brain-injured children and adolescents, and has experience evaluating children and adults for learning disabilities, ADHD, and other cognitive and psychological issues. She is a fifth year student pursuing her doctorate in psychology at the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. Stephanie is currently writing her dissertation, and hopes for a career that includes neuropsychological testing, work with adult psychiatric inpatients, and play therapy with children.
Nicholas Hebert - Academic & Test Prep Tutor
Nick was born and raised in small town outside of Albany, NY into a Ukrainian-American family, whose cultural influences pervaded and influenced most of his childhood and teenage years (see: "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"). After high school, Nick attended Vassar College, where he majored in Biology, minored in Russian Studies (much to the dismay of his Ukrainian grandparents) and studied classical voice, in addition to performing in several choirs and productions of opera scenes in the Music Department. Since graduating in May of 2009, he has moved to Boston and taken coursework at the Lynch School of Education at Boston College in secondary education, after briefly toying with the idea of classroom teaching. He is currently an Academic Mentor for BC’s college preparatory program, College Bound, and works full time at the Joslin Diabetes Center in their Center for Innovation of Diabetes Education as an Assistant Curriculum Developer. In his spare time (little though it may be) he performs with, and is a member of, the Boston Opera Collaborative and serves on their Community Partnerships committee.
Stuart Honenberger - Financial Consultant
Stuart Honenberger is originally from Orange, Virginia, and graduated from The College of William and Mary. He began his career in financial planning with Legg Mason. He has spent the last four years with Legg Mason and Smith Barney as a financial advisor and financial planning specialist. He went on and opened an independent firm, The Overy Honenberger Group, which is associated with Raymond James.
At Smith Barney, as a Financial Advisor, Financial Planner and Guided Portfolio Manager, Stuart specialized in financial planning and portfolio construction. What he loves most is assisting families with wealth management, education planning, and retirement planning. He currently works with 250 households in 15 states and 3 countries.
Stuart lives in Williamsburg with his wife, Elizabeth. They were married in June of 2006.
Nancie Finck - Business Manager
Nancie Finck is our business consultant. She graduated from Boston University with a business degree. She brings to JBG Educational Group a tremendous amount of experience having worked with a variety of small business in the set-up stages as well as maintaining the strength of the bottom line. Her strengths are marketing, advertising, billing and developing the future path of companies.
Geno Rodriguez - IT Coordinator
Geno Rodriguez is our IT Coordinator. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a B.B.A. in Operations Management. Geno was a lab instructor for an Introductory course on Business Information Systems while earning his undergraduate Business degree at UMASS. Geno spent two years working for a Fortune 500 Company as a Marketing Coordinator and prior to that, worked as an Assistant Director at a leading educational center in New York.
Kara Scozzari - Intern
Kara grew up in Canton, Massachusetts. She is a senior at the University of New Hampshire where she is studying to earn a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing. She spent a semester during her junior year in Florence, Italy studying the Italian language and Fashion Marketing. After graduation in May 2012, Kara plans to look for a job in the marketing industry, or go back to school to become a teacher. In her free time, Kara loves to travel, go to the beach, play tennis, and spend time with her family and friends.
Kristine Fernandes - Graphic Design Intern
Kristine grew up in Halifax, Massachusetts. She was a dabbler in sports and an honor roll student at Silver Lake Regional High School. Upon graduation she attended Bridgewater State College where she soon achieved Dean’s list. She was a multi-faceted student, as well as an artist, working with several different types of mediums. Her artwork, which ranged from stained glass pieces to printed materials were exhibited at the Clement C. Maxwell Library and also at the Wallace L. Anderson Gallery. After she received her B.A. in Graphic Design, she decided to add a 3rd dimension to her creative process through the field of kitchen design. Combining design techniques with her pragmatic sense, Kristine now works to create visually appealing functional kitchens. Her success has put her amongst the 7% of her fellow associates who have respectively received the Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum Awards, which are generated by customer recognitions. Management has also recognized her as a 2009 Customer Service All Star, for her continual support to the company’s commitment in putting the customers first. When not assisting client’s with their remodeling projects, Kristine enjoys any type of challenge. From scaling rock walls to navigating around foreign cities, any new venture is welcome whether it be mental, physical, or educational.
Michael LaBrecque - Intern
Michael is a Senior at Bridgewater State College, Majoring in History with a Minor in Secondary Education. He lives in his hometown of Taunton, Massachusetts where he works two jobs alongside going to school at BSC. After receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in 2011, he will start teaching at a local high school and enroll in Grad School to start work towards his Master’s Degree in History Education. In his free time, Michael enjoys traveling, video games, and Red Sox baseball, as well as recording and touring with his band.
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