Our staff is built to teach each student individually, to develop the skills they need to thrive in mathematics, and to foster a love of learning.

Matt Heineck

Executive Center Director

Matt attended James Madison University in Virginia for Mathematics with a minor in Logic where he developed a passion for math and teaching, alike. Matt knows from experience what it's like to struggle in math because he struggled in math as a kid, as well! For many years as an adult and throughout college, he worked hard at understanding mathematics and knows that virtually anyone can become good at math!

Matt's favorite subject to teach is geometry because it is the beginning of understanding why many of the things in the world work the way we think they do.

Favorite Number: 2112.

Favorite Math Joke: "Son: Dad, I'm cold!
Dad: Go stand in the corner.
Son: But, Dad! Why?!
Dad: Because the corner is 90 degree.

Interesting Fact: On the weekends, he does Live-Action Roleplay!

Matt is the Executive Center Director for our Mount Airy and Damascus locations.

Jesse Peralta

Assistant Center Director

Jesse is 23 years-old. In his free time he likes to snowboard and play soccer. He also likes to spend time with loved ones.

He loves working on math skills with children and bettering their knowledge in the subject. His favorite grade level to teach is 7th grade, because he believes that it is a very influential age group.

Favorite Math Joke: Why did six run from seven? Because seven eight nine!

Interesting Fact: Jesse has 6 birds, 3 dogs and a fish!

Mariama McGee

Marketing Manager

Mariama attended UMBC for a major in Information Systems. During her free time, she enjoy designing graphics, baking, and watching the Great British Baking Show. Coffee Is Her Life and she doesn't want to spend a day without it.

She loves working at Mathnasium because she thinks every child deserves a chance to be taught in the way that is best for them. Math is used within most aspect of life and it does not have to be daunting and frustrating. Her favorite subject is algebra. She always found solving problems to be so much fun and exciting. There is so much joy in finding what x equals.

Favorite Math Joke: What did Zero say to Eight? Nice Belt!

Interesting fact: While studying abroad, I lived in three different countries.

Cassidy Callahan

Lead Instructor

Cassidy is a recent Gettysburg College graduate with a math major and an Arab studies and chemistry double minor. She pole vaults for track and field and love painting and working out in her free time.

Cassidy loves seeing the kids faces light up when they get their lightbulb moments. She loves making math accessible and possible for everyone.

She enjoys all teaching algebra as it is a fun combination of all the strategies that have been practiced for years.

Favorite Math Joke: What don’t atheists do well with exponents? Because they don’t believe in higher powers.

Interesting Fact: Cassidy goes camping at national parks by herself.

Liz Hackley

Instructor

Liz is a rising sophomore at Gettysburg College. She enjoys solving puzzles, drawing, sewing, and playing volleyball. She loves learning math, and teaching allows her to share that experience of learning with others. Her favorite subjects to teach are algebra I & II, because they cover so many skills that are essential for higher levels of math. She remembers struggling through parts of these classes, and how rewarding it was to finally understand an idea.

Favorite Math Joke: Parallel lines have so much in common. Too bad they’ll never meet!

Interesting Fact: I like riding roller coasters, the higher and faster the better.

Braden Cordrey

Instructor

Braden is an incoming junior at South Carroll High School. He love sports, especially baseball and I aspire to play baseball at a division one school. While playing baseball in college he also wants to earn a degree in software engineering.

His favorite part of teaching math is seeing people progress because "math is one of those things where once it clicks it can lead you to many other skills". His favorite subject is algebra because it is a base for majority of things you will be doing mathematically.

Favorite Math Joke: Parallel lines have so much in common … It’s a shame they’ll never meet!

Interesting Fact: Braden has never travelled outside the United States.

Visu Vasa

Instructor

Visu is one of our Mathnasium instrcutors. He is programmer on my robotics team... so he works with math all of the time and loves it!

Teaching math is a lot of fun for him because it’s great to watch as students slowly start to understand and being able to apply concepts that they were once unable to figure out.

His favorite subject is algebra (1 or 2) because they’re really important to building a foundation into calculus and higher level math.

Favorite Math Joke: What did one math workbook say to the other book? Don’t bother me, I have my own problems.

Interesting fact: Visu has done a ton of cool stuff with computers, including hardmodding things like memory chips!

Riona Magesh

Instructor

Riona is a junior at Oakdale High School. She loves traveling, and hopes to travel to almost every country in the world at some point in her life. She also plays piano and loves listening to music!

In general, she just loves teaching. As math is such a core concept, she enjoys helping those who need it. Her favorite topic to teach is Algebra 1, because it is foundational to learning.

Favorite Math Joke: Why are obtuse rectangles so depressed? Because they’re never right.

Interesting Fact: Riona likes binge watching movies on Netflix.

Ethan Sanders

Instructor

My names Ethan, I am currently a junior at South Carroll High. I love to lift weights and I love school. I like challenging myself and learning new things.

Ethan wants to teach math because he's always loved the concreteness of math and problem solving. He finds math to be very fun to explain to people and loves helping people understand things. He loves teaching word problems the most because they make students think. They are not just a problem you solve with a certain formula. Word problems force you to think about it more and you get to figure out more things on your own.

Favorite Math Joke: Do you know why 7 ate 9? because your supposed to eat three squared meals a day.

Interesting Fact: I compete in powerlifting and I am going to nationals this year.

Helena Garcia

Instructor

Helena is a junior at South Carroll high school. In her free time she loves baking, reading, and enjoys working with kids!

She loves teaching math because it is fun when you get to understand it and can feel accomplished. Her favorite subject to teach is Algebra because of how each of the concepts tie in to one another.

Favorite Math Joke: Why can’t your nose grow to be 12 inches long? Because then it would be a foot.

Interesting Fact: She plays volleyball and plans on being an accountant.

Clayton Stull

Instructor

Clayton is a student at Linganore high and loves the arts. In his free time he acts, plays the guitar, and babysits. He plans to major in psychology and hopefully own a studio in the future where he can make and sell his ceramics pieces.

Clay loves teaching math because he understands how difficult it can be to grasp the subject, so he aspires to create a positive environment where kids can enjoy learning. His favorite grade levels to teach are elementary school! He loves working with younger kids and finding ways to engage them in the subject during one of their first experiences with math.

Favorite Math Joke: Did you hear about the mathematician who’s afraid of negative numbers? He’ll stop at nothing to avoid them!

Interesting Fact: His picture is from Linganore's production of the play Puffs, in which he played the narrator!

Aisiri Prasad

Instructor

Aisiri is a junior at Linganore High. In her free time, she loves reading, playing ping pong, and watching Disney TV shows. Her passion is for art, especially oil painting and therefore she's hoping to double major in Computer Science and Studio Art!

She loves teaching math because it's rewarding to see students overcome a challenge that they have been working so hard on. Her favorite subject to teach is Algebra or Pre Calculus because it contains all the fundamentals math has to offer. Along with this, these courses are challenging and are satisfying when overcame.

Favorite Math Joke: What shape do you always have to be careful of? A trap-azoid!

Interesting Fact: Since the age of 9, Aisiri has been training in Bharatanatyam, an Indian Classical Dance.

Lucy Arnold

Instructional Assistant

Lucy is a junior at Linganore High School in Frederick County, MD. In her free time, she likes to play the guitar, ski, and go outdoors.

Lucy loves teaching math as she loves to be able to explain and connect concepts to one another, and to see behind the scenes of a problem! Lucy’s favorite subject to teach is Algebra, as she likes to work with functions, and be able to see a visual representation of the work she is doing.

Favorite Math Joke: Why was 6 scared of 7? Because 7 8 9!

Interesting Fact: Lucy hopes to study architecture in college.

Logan Smith

Instructional Assistant

Logan is currently a student at Linganore high school while also taking classes at Frederick Community College. She love art, reading, and music, and hopes to become a forensic biochemist when I graduate.

Logan loves teaching math because of its simplicity. She loves that there is only one answer and that you are either right or wrong, but also that there are many correct ways to reach the same solution.

Her favorite subject to teach is algebra because it is the basis for all other forms of mathematics.

Favorite Math Joke: Why did the obtuse angle jump in the pool? Because it was over 90 degrees

Interesting Fact: Logan has a black belt in budo taijitsu

Our Mathnasium Mission

Teach children math so they understand it, master it, and love it. Math can change their lives, and they can change the world.

What I love about Mathnasium is the ability to teach problem-solving skills and make math make sense, while also making a student smile.
Amber W., Mathnasium Instructor

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