Meet the Team at Mathnasium of Manhattan Beach

Rita

Being the second oldest in a family of six, Rita was born into the role of a leader and teacher. She obtained a double major in Dance and Comparative Literature as well as a minor in Educational Studies from UC Santa Barbara. Graduating at the height of the pandemic, Rita experienced first-hand the academic and emotional struggles of her siblings and their classmates which propelled her to do anything she can to help. At Mathnasium, she teaches students her favorite mantra: “I can do hard things”; a mindset that not only applies to math but translates to every other part of their lives. In her free time, Rita enjoys dancing ballet and watching cooking shows.

Enrique

Enrique was born and raised in the Los Angeles area. He studied computer science at El Camino College before transferring to California State University Long Beach. STEM subjects have always been his favorite. He previously worked for a non-profit teaching kids robotics and programming where he discovered his love for teaching. In his spare time he enjoys tinkering and building with different electronics.

Leif

Leif was born in the Philippines and raised in Southern California. Following his passion for technology, he recently earned multiple computer technician certifications in various fields. When it comes to math, Leif did not have a natural affinity for it. With repeated practice, he developed a respect for it due to its immense possibilities and real life applications-- even in the most unlikely situations. Having personal experience with struggling in math, he wishes to teach children of all ages to appreciate math and its practicalities in the simplest way possible. When not at Mathnasium, Leif enjoys tinkering with hardware, watching anime, and playing video games.

Anahi

Passionate about understanding the intricate dynamics of governance and international relations, Anahi is a dedicated political science major. With a keen interest in policy analysis and political theory, she is actively engaged in research projects exploring issues such as democratization, human rights, and conflict resolution. Through internships and extracurricular activities, Anahi aims to contribute to shaping informed public discourse and fostering positive change in society.

Tracey

Tracey is currently attending the University of California, Riverside, as a cellular, molecular, and developmental biology major. She went to Mira Costa High School where she finished AP Calculus BC in her junior year. Tracey fell in love with math when she started attending Mathnasium as a young elementary school student. She worked as an instructor during her last year of high school before going to college. She decided to come back to work at Mathnasium after taking a year off during her first year of college because she missed working with the kids and seeing their math skills improve. Outside of school, Tracey is a figure skater and plays the cello. When not practicing or training, Tracey loves going to Disneyland, hanging out with her friends, and going on food adventures.

Savannah

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Savannah is currently attending the University of California, Los Angeles, working toward a B.S. degree in Neuroscience. Her passions are teaching and offering support to her fellow peers. Savannah had an up-and-down relationship with math growing up, but once she understood the concepts and found real-life applications, she learned to love it! Her favorite hobbies are figure skating, reading Greek mythology, and hanging out with friends!

Elliot

Elliot was born and raised in Los Angeles and competed in competition math placing Top 20 in the state in 8th grade. He graduated from Mira Costa high school in 2020 and currently attends Santa Monica College where he is in his second year studying to pursue a major in statistics. Elliot has been teaching math for the past 3 years and loves helping people learn and improve in math. In his off time he enjoys soccer and is an avid fan of Borussia Dortmund and enjoys playing video games.

Jackson

Jackson has grown up in the South Bay and currently attends Mira Costa High School. He enjoys doing math and learning new things in the subject. In his free time he plays water polo and swims for Mira Costa. He also enjoys going to the beach with friends.

Ava

Ava Marisa is from Hermosa Beach, CA and attends Mira Costa High School. She has loved math since preschool and likes that no matter what, there’s a definite answer to every problem. She loves working with kids and helping them enjoy math as well. Ava Marisa is also passionate about reading, sewing, and theater.

Hayley

Hayley was born and raised in the South Bay. She graduated from Mira Costa in 2021 and currently attends Santa Monica College, pursuing a degree in communications. From teaching music to teaching math, she has always had a passion for helping kids.

Ryan

Ryan grew up in Manhattan Beach and goes to Mira Costa High School. Ever since he was a kid, he loved the challenge that math brought and always sought out a greater challenge. To Ryan, math is always about problem solving and he looks forward to helping others work through these challenges as well.

Peter

Peter is from Redondo Beach and is a senior at Redondo Union High School. He always enjoys figuring out a tough problem and finding the solution. In his free time, he likes to build robots.

Jack

Jack has grown up in Hermosa Beach and currently attends Mira Costa High School. He enjoys learning about different math and physics concepts. Jack plays soccer in his free time and enjoys watching other sports. He has always loved working with kids and hopes that he can pass on his knowledge to better them in math.

Erika

Erika grew up in Hermosa Beach and currently attends Saint Mary’s Prep School. She has a passion for math, learning, animals, and working with others. She enjoys helping kids build their knowledge, skills, and passion for math.

Kayla

Kayla was born and raised in Los Angeles. She graduated from Archer School for Girls in 2021, where she worked as a peer tutor. She currently attends Santa Monica College, pursuing an education and career in film production. She is passionate about movies, music, and learning.

Naomi

Naomi has lived in the South Bay for the last five years and is currently a senior at Mira Costa High School. She has worked as a tutor, including for non-profit organizations, since her freshman year due to her love for solving math problems while guiding her students. In her free time, Naomi likes to swim and paint.

Josh

Josh is from Manhattan Beach, CA and currently attends Mira Costa High School. He has 3 years of tutoring experience across a variety of students and enjoys seeing mathletes learn from their mistakes. Beyond Mathnasium, Josh is also a competitive soccer player, avid crossword solver, and nature photographer.

Toby

Toby is from Manhattan Beach and is currently a student at Mira Costa High School. He enjoys learning new math concepts, problem solving, and working with kids. In his free time, Toby likes playing soccer and watching sports.