Our Team at Mathnasium of Lake St. Louis

Larry Martinek

Larry has spent his entire career refining how math is taught. From inner-city public schools to leading private institutions, he has worked as both a teacher and consultant, creating innovative curricula and instructional strategies to make math more accessible. 

As the developer of the Mathnasium Method, Larry built one of the most effective math programs in the world. Though not an instructor at this center, he remains a vital resource, offering insights and guidance to help instructors better serve students and ensure every visit is productive, engaging, and fun. 

Jennifer Heien

Jennifer earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical and Petroleum Refining Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and spent nearly two decades working in chemical engineering, water treatment, and operations management across industries such as aerospace and semiconductors. 

After her daughter entered middle school, Jennifer shifted to education and spent seven years teaching math and science. Her favorite number is 5,280, representing the elevation of her hometown, Denver, Colorado. She also loves the number 29, the atomic number of copper, her favorite metal to electroplate. 

Nick Rogers

Nick holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from Iowa State University and a Master’s in Secondary Education from Morningside College. Before joining Mathnasium of Lake St. Louis, he spent two years teaching math at a juvenile center and tutoring at another Mathnasium location. 

He loves helping students build confidence and curiosity through problem-solving. Outside of work, Nick enjoys video games, hockey, Dungeons & Dragons, and spending time with his wife and cat. His favorite number is the sum of all natural numbers, which surprisingly equals –1/12—a fun reminder of math’s mysteries. 

Rayna Classen

Ms. Rayna Classen is a student at St. Charles Community College and is studying Biochemistry. She hopes to pursue a career in scientific research. Rayna also enjoys making music, writing, and stargazing. One fun fact about Rayna is that she collects rocks! Her favorite number is 33 because it is the atomic number of her favorite element on the periodic table. Her favorite math joke is: What do math teachers and the Backstreet Boys have in common? They both want you to tell them y!

Andy Basford

Mr. Andy Basford started working as an in-store locksmith after his tour of duty in the US Navy. Then, he went back to school and discovered that his knack for mathematics not only helped him in locksmithing but also helped him understand things like iterations and statistics. He holds a degree in Mathematical Science from Maryville University, and his favorite number is φ (because it’s pretty much the same if you subtract it from 1 or invert it to 1/φ). Andy's flair for dad jokes, however, seem to be rather pun-ishing. One time, Andy submitted 10 puns to a dad joke contest, figuring that at least one of them would have a chance to win, but unfortunately no pun in 10 did.

Milo Weston

Mr. Milo Weston is a senior in Wentzville School District. He is a National Merit Semifinalist, a member of National Honor Society, and the president of his school’s Math Club. He plans to attend Brigham Young University in Utah after graduating and major in accounting. Milo enjoys studying advanced physics and calculus topics, as well as programming in his free time. He loves the Japanese language and has been studying it for over five years. His favorite number is 3 because triangles are the strongest shape!

Ashley Wuennenberg

Ms. Ashley Wuennenberg is a Maryville University student studying communication sciences and disorders and psychology. Her goal is to become a speech-language pathologist. In her free time, she enjoys writing, playing video games, and listening to music. Ashley also creates miniature sculptures out of polymer clay. As a fun fact, she once memorized over 100 digits of pi to win a pie! It’s no surprise that pi is her favorite number. Her favorite math joke is a classic: Why was six afraid of seven? Because seven, eight, nine!

Heather Hinze

Heather Hinze has been teaching for 21 years. She graduated from Lindenwood with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and a Masters Degree in Gifted Education. She then received a Specialist degree in Educational Technology from University of Missouri Columbia. She has taught grades 1 through 8 and now works in the Orchard Farm school district as a gifted specialist. In her free time, she loves to read, dance, and decorate cookies!