Meet the Team at Mathnasium of Encino

Molade

Molade joined mathnasium with a passion to further his love for learning and assist the younger genation in adapting better to a learning culture..

Martin

Martin or Marty received his B.A. degree, summa cum laude, from UCLA, in Economics with a minor in Mathematics. He also received his M.B.A. from UCLA and his J.D. from UCLA. While at UCLA, Marty graded students’ calculus homework for the UCLA Mathematics department and was hired by the Mathematics department to tutor UCLA students in the school’s Pre-Calculus Lab. Marty recently retired from being a litigator and decided to follow his passion for teaching mathematics. Students routinely opine that Marty is a great “explainer” and that he is always patient with his students. Marty also enjoys being a magician member of L.A.’s Magic Castle.

Diego

Diego Zakany is a hard working student at California State University Northridge (CSUN). He was born and raised in the city of Los Angeles in the state of California. Graduated from high school with a 3.8 GPA and high honors he is well on is way to become a bright, and amazing student and worker. Diego is a transfer student from LAVC and is now in CSUN working to achieve a degree in mechanical engineering and in electrical engineering. Being in a mechanical engineering major has trained him to be a hard working person who aims to get the job done no matter what. He has chosen this career path because of his highly intense interest in math since grade school. He is now at Mathnasium because he passionately loves his job and want to sharing his interest and helps students with math. Beside his academics background Diego is also has other hobbies and interests. Some of his hobbies include playing piano, hiking, skiing, robotics, and singing.

Sam

Sam Shahrokh is a high school senior at Taft High School, taking AP and Honor courses, attempting to get into universities and colleges in America. He loves all sorts of sports and games, watching and playing sports such as basketball, football, and hockey. He works at Mathnasium due to his love for the subject and his want to tutor children about the subject, and reaffirm their confidence that they have in it. He strives to go into a 4 year college and then obtain a masters degree in Statistics, which is his passion. He loves animals, and his most favorite types are dogs, as he enjoys spending time with his own in his free time.

Antoni

Antoni Granados is a college graduate who received his B.S. degree in mathematics from CSUN. He has always had an interest in math and finding new ways to solve difficult problems. Aside from math, he also likes going to the movies or going for walks to enjoy the outside. He joined mathnasium to help students improve their math skills and to bring a better understanding of how to become a great problem-solver using math.

Ravel

Ravel Smolyar is a high school senior at Calabasas High. She is currently taking an AP Calculus class, and has always had a passion for math. Aside from math, she is interested in studying international business in college. Her goal is to attend USC, UMich, or UCLA. Her hobbies include figure skating and playing tennis.

Nelson

Hi! My name is Nelson and I juggle different part-time jobs. I'm comfortable teaching math to students and enjoy helping others find and understand solutions. So that's why I choose to work at Mathnasium. During my free time, I love playing video games and trying different kinds of food.

Dan Saposhnik

Dan graduated from the University of Arizona in 1985 with a B.S. in Microbiology and from Hofstra University's Graduate School of Business in 1990 with an MBA in Accounting. He worked as a CPA with public accounting firm Price Waterhouse and has built successful companies in various fields including real estate and executive recruiting. Dan's passion for teaching and love for working with kids is rooted in family tradition. His mother was a highly regarded principal in Las Vegas for nearly 30 years. Dan has taught and tutored children of all ages and was a mentor for underprivileged children. Dan is committed to significantly increasing Encino children's math skills, their understanding of math concepts and their overall school performance. "We provide lots of warm encouragement in a very positive learning environment so that children build their confidence and develop a winning attitude towards math. Our kids learn math in a way that makes sense to them. They get excited about math and this spirit carries over into everything they do."

Laurie Wasser Saposhnik

Laurie graduated from UCLA in 1986 with a B.A. in Communication Studies. Before joining Mathnasium, she built a successful career working with Fortune 500 high-tech companies, including IBM, SAP, EMC, TIBCO, and MicroStrategy.
Laurie’s passion for teaching and working with children is deeply rooted in her family values. Her father, a dedicated special education teacher, spent over 30 years shaping young minds in California. Following in his footsteps, Laurie is committed to empowering children in the Las Vegas community by improving their math skills, fostering a strong understanding of mathematical concepts, and building their confidence to succeed academically.
In addition to her work at Mathnasium, Laurie volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), where she advocates for the best interests of children in foster care. This role reflects her dedication to making a meaningful difference in the lives of children and supporting their growth and well-being.