Meet the Team at Mathnasium of Cinco Ranch

Grant Kueser

Grant is a senior at Rice University pursuing a degree in Mathematics. He has been a lover of math since a very young age, and believes that there is no such thing as someone who is “not a math person;” rather people who have not had the right math teachers. He believes that math is a fundamental skill everyone needs to learn, not just engineers and academics, as an understanding of mathematics provides one with the robust logical and critical thinking skills necessary to navigate life. Grant has several years of experience tutoring in subjects such as Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Pre-Calculus, Calculus 1, Calculus 2, SAT Math. In his free time, Grant enjoys going to the gym, hiking, fishing, and spending time with friends.

Trent Zapalac

Trent is a Senior at the University of Houston pursuing a degree in Mathematics, with experience in, but not limited to; Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Calculus I, and Calculus II. He is a strong believer that everyone can learn and enjoy math with the proper tutoring. Trent also trains newly hired Mathnasium instructors for numerical fluency and has been working on STAAR review sessions in the past at the center. His goal isn’t to help a student get the answer to a problem, but to ensure they understand how to solve a problem themselves as well as grasp the subject on their own. During his free time, Trent enjoys expanding his knowledge of mathematics and playing video/board games with his friends and family.

Ethan Gomez

Ethan graduated with a bachelor's degree in Mathematics and a 7-12 teacher certification from the University of North Texas. During his time at UNT, Ethan had plenty of experience teaching and tutoring students of all ages. For example, Ethan had early field teaching experience at 4 different schools in the DFW area, where he was able to practice implementing the various high-yield instructional strategies he was learning in his classes. Additionally, Ethan tutored his fellow UNT students in various college-level math courses during the last 2 years of his undergrad. At Mathnasium of Cinco Ranch, Ethan mainly teaches high school students (Alg I through AP Calculus, AP Stat) as well as college students.  Ethan believes that everyone can develop an intuitive understanding of math with the right help. In his free time, Ethan likes playing videos games, engaging with music, and spending time with friends and family.

Ahmed Elhady

Ahmed Elhady is a junior university student transferring to the University of Houston. He is majoring in chemical engineering with a Pre-Med path. Ahmed mainly teaches high school students from Alg I through AP Calculus and AP Stat, but he also enjoys working with Jr. HS students to build strong foundation in Pre-Algebra. Ahmed believes that all math concepts are built off of one another and that anyone can learn anything if they are approached with the right attitude. He aims to understand a student's struggle in understanding and tackling learning challenges from their perspective. In his spare time, Ahmed enjoys volunteering at local community and national events, skating, and making music.

Valbona Aliaj

Valbona taught math for over 35 years and have enjoyed every minute of it. After obtaining her Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Physics from Albania, she taught middle and high school math for 15 years. For the past 18 years, she has taught Algebra I, II, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, and Calculus at the several learning centers in the Memorial and Cinco Ranch areas. She enjoys teaching math and takes pride in helping students develop confidence in their mathematical abilities. In her free time, she enjoys walking, cooking for her family, and spending time with her grandson.

Shehla Syed

A graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, Shehla holds a Bachelor's of Science and Arts in Biochemistry and a Minor in Business. She has experience tutoring middle and high school science and math, as well as full SAT prep. Shehla loves challenging her students to push themselves and believe in their power to learn! Math is one of the most common skills needed in many career fields, so she really takes it upon herself to help young students find their love for the subject. Shehla's goal as a Mathnasium instructor is to make every student feel understood - no matter their math level - and to help them develop confidence so they can apply their problem-solving abilities in the real world one day. In her free time, she enjoys trying new restaurants, reading, working out, and baking!

Alyssa Zhang

Alyssa Zhang recently graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, along with minors in Data Science and Digital Art. She seeks to continue her education in graduate school. Alyssa believes math is a universal language that transcends all barriers. Her goal as a Mathnasium Instructor is to inspire confidence in students and help them realize that anyone can become a "math person" with the right mindset and approach. She wants to foster a positive learning environment where math is made to feel fun and accessible. In her free time, Alyssa enjoys swimming, watching YouTube videos, and trying new foods.

Jill Parker

Jill is a junior at the University of Houston pursuing a degree in Biology with a minor in Public Health. She believes that anyone can develop their math skills, provided they’re given the time and resources to do so. She hopes to collaborate with students and make approaching new subjects less intimidating. In her free time she enjoys reading, volunteering, and going on adventures with friends.

Rawan Barazi

Rawan is currently a college student here in Houston majoring in Business. In the future She plans to transfer to the University of Texas at Austin and hopes to become a business lawyer. Rawan has been a tutoring elementary and junior high students for 2 years. She believes that everyone can understand and enjoy math as long as they work hard and are determined to learn. Rawan’s goal as a Mathnasium instructor is to help the students understand what they are learning, but also allow them to develop problem solving skills. During her free time she enjoys doing puzzles, working out, watching movies and playing Rummikub.

Mohammed Ajazuddin

Mohammed is a Senior at the University of Houston pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has experience in, but not limited to, Algebra I, Algebra II, Precalculus, and Calculus I, II, and III tutoring. He strongly believes that mathematics is a fundamental skill that everyone should learn, regardless of their career path, as it plays a crucial role in everyday life. He is committed to helping students realize that math can be easily understood and enjoyed with the right guidance and tutoring. Mohammed’s goal is not just to help students find answers, but to ensure they understand math concepts and can apply them confidently on their own. In addition to his studies, Mohammed enjoys CAD design, basketball, football, video games, spending time with friends and family.

Sue Kwon

Sue is a certified Texas educator with over 30 years of experience in teaching. As a math tutor in college, she enjoyed helping middle and high school students develop a solid understanding of fundamental math concepts and skills. Sue graduated with a B. A. in Education in S. Korea and ended her classroom teaching career at a public high school in Houston in the summer of 2006. She is thrilled to expand her desire to teach children beyond the public school system. Sue believes that a solid foundation in math is vital for today's children to succeed in their future endeavors and is excited to introduce Mathnasium to the students in her local neighborhood. She is looking forward to highlighting her students' potentials as well as offering them the opportunity to experience the fun of math and to develop successful problem-solving and critical thinking skills. She continues to learn from people she meets every day of her life.