Our Team

Karen began tutoring in college at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign while earning her BS in mathematics. She has worked in various fields from non-profits to insurance, but throughout her career she has stayed active in curriculum development and math education in local schools. Karen’s philosophy on mathematics learning is that every student is capable of mastery of high-level material, and that all a student may need is a boost of confidence and to be guided to a new approach. Fun fact – one of Karen’s daughters is studying applied math in college and is a math instructor at a Mathnasium in New England.

Ivana Mendez, Educational Director

Ivana was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. After graduating from Pace University with a BFA in Theater Arts - dance and pedagogy & a minor in Digital Design, she started living a dual life as a performer and a teacher. Critical thinking and Math have always been a huge part of her life; she always excelled in math academically, but now has taken her math knowledge and applied it to different aspects of her life like choreography and production. She believes in connecting with the student first and then explaining to them why math should matter to them as individuals. You might find her in the Brooklyn centers doing cartwheels and coloring with students!