Our Team at Mathnasium of Orem

Elizabeth Olsen

Liz is from Utah County and is currently a Senior at the University of Utah. Her all-time favorite subject is Calculus. Some of her other favorite classes she has taken are Foundation of Analysis 1, Foundations of Algebra, and Intro to Number Theory. In high school, her favorite math class was AP Calculus BC. In high school, Liz was on the Girls Golf Team. She has spent the last 8+ years working with kids, teaching them math, golf, tennis, basketball, and swim. Liz loves to ski, snowboard, and golf. She loves to watch football and basketball - she is a big fan of the Utah Utes and Utah Jazz.

Fun Fact: I love Star Wars. I can watch them all over and over again, and will never get sick of them.

Favorite Number: 7 - It has the highest probability of being rolled with two six-sided dice.

Education: Senior at the University of Utah studying Mathematics

Why I love Mathnasium: I am excited about Mathnasium! Two of my favorite things are math, and teaching kids new things. At Mathnasium, I'll get to do both of those things! I love when you are teaching a student math and you can see in their eyes when something has just clicked and they start to understand it. Math can be hard, and it is very rewarding when you figure certain problems out. I love helping students feel that. 

Kassidy Shumway

Kassidy Shumway grew up in Bountiful, Utah and graduated from Brigham Young University in 2011. While at BYU, Kassidy earned a Bachelor's of Science degree in Civil Engineering, was a TA in the math department, and also found time to be an All-American and a team captain and member of the BYU Women's Soccer Team. Kassidy has many years of experience coaching children of all ages in soccer. She has been helping students at Mathnasium since January 2013. Kassidy and her husband have two kids and two active dogs.

Fun Fact: Is in a video on YouTube with over 6 million views

Education: Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from BYU

Why I love Mathnasium: I love helping kids realize that math can be fun. My favorite part of my job is going into elementary schools and putting on Math Nights. Laughing and having fun with kids while we do math is so rewarding!

Reed Brown

Reed has always loved math and enjoys helping kids learn to love math and how to use math in their daily lives. Reed earned a BS of Electrical Engineering degree from Brigham Young University and a Masters of Business Administration degree at Boise State University. Reed has spent over 25 years as a successful engineering and operations executive at Hewlett Packard, Quantum, and Iomega. In 2004, he decided to test his entrepreneurial skills and created Matchbin (now Radiate Media), a successful internet software company. Over the last 10 years, Reed has been active in the Utah technology community. As a member of the Governor's Technology Initiative Advisory Board for the State of Utah, he has helped to grow funding for engineering programs at Utah Universities and Colleges. Reed and his team is committed to helping children grow their interest and confidence in math and prepare them for a successful college education and career in technology, business, finance, medical, manufacturing, science, biology, or other fields that require strong math skills.

Fun Fact: I decided to become an Electrical Engineer because of 8th-grade shop project making a DC motor

Education: Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from BYU and Masters of Business Administration degree from Boise State University

Clint Brown

Clint Brown spent the first 16+ years of his career working in marketing and advertising. From the small software start up to the $100M advertising agency, Clint has helped companies of various sizes grow and succeed. Clint has been involved with Mathnasium for several years and loves the rewarding experience of helping kids of all ages build math confidence.
Clint currently resides in Utah with his wife and 3 kids. Clint loves being in the outdoors hiking, canyoneering, skiing and more. He enjoys watching college football and cheering on the football team from the University of Utah.

Fun Fact: Clint summited Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. Which reaches an elevation of 19,341'. 

Education: Clint holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the College of Engineering at the University of Utah.

Why I love Mathnasium: Helping kids realize that they can do math is one of the most rewarding things I've had the opportunity to experience in my career. Seeing a student gain confidence in their ability to do math can be life changing and working at Mathnasium allows me to see that happen every day. 

Abby McBride

I've taken Ap Statistics, Ap BC Calculus and Honors Math classes throughout high school. I just graduated Woods Cross High School with departmental awards in Mathematics, English, Social Studies and Science. I was also a theatre nerd and was in the musical theater and actors companies. I am an avid ballet dancer and love to challenge myself. I worked as a TA for BC Calculus as a senior as well as working in the high school day care! I also love babysitting and working with kids! I love to do anything creative! I do ballet and pointe. I love to draw! I also really enjoy reading and writing.

Fun fact: I've helped fly a plane.

Favorite Number: My favorite number is 0 because it's way more important that people think.

Education: I just graduated Woods Cross High School and am going to BYU this fall!

Why I love Mathnasium: I actually went to Mathnasium when I was younger and it really boosted my confidence in math! I like working at Mathnasium so that I can make that difference in other kids lives, just like my instructors helped me!

Kenna Merrell

Kenna has taken advanced track math classes since 2nd grade, Honors classes since 7th grade and is enrolled to take AP CALC AB next year. She is on two competitive dance teams (Irish dance and ballroom), in Advanced Orchestra playing the viola, is fluent in French, and graduating high school with her Associates Degree. She also taught piano lessons, co-taught dance classes, and nannied for 3 years. She loves to read and hang out with her friends.

Fun fact: My shoe size is a 3 in kids.

Favorite Number: 27, and I have no earthly idea why.

Education: Junior at Orem High School.

Why I love Mathnasium: I love working with kids! And I love teaching kids, it's so rewarding. My favorite part is when you can just see it click and that they know they understand it and realize they have this new skill.

Ben Richards

I have taken Geometry, Algebra, Calculus AB and BC. I was also the Student Body President in High School and I did the High school buddy program - paired with a freshman as a senior to help them through high school. I like to play soccer, run and play games

Fun fact: I like really spicy foods

Favorite Number: 1, in statistics 1 is the perfect number (I’m a stats major)

Education: I’m a Statistics major at BYU

Why I love Mathnasium: I love math and teaching, it’s the best of both worlds

Preston Ostler

I’ve taken Pre-Calculus and AP Calculus, and plan to take Calculus 1 next semester. I’ve hiked Y Mountain when I was nine, I’ve been a part of my school’s Smash Bros club, and I’ve gone to many Pride parades with my family. I informally tutored my younger siblings in many subjects over the years, and tutored my mom in Behavioral Statistics last summer. I play chess, love Halloween, love to watch Marvel movies, enjoy walking in nature, and appreciate having intellectual philosophical conversations with whoever is willing to speak and listen.

Fun fact: My favorite movie of all time is Inception

Favorite Number: 14, because of the YouTube channel Skeppy

Education: I’m at Freedom Preparatory Academy, working through sophomore year, and I plan to major in astrophysics when I go to college!

Why I love Mathnasium: Everyone is an equally important part of the team, and every instructor both gives and is given mutual respect, which is the most important reason why I’ve enjoyed beginning my job with Mathnasium.

Logan Porter

I have taken Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, and I scored a 34 on the Math portion of the ACT. I played 9 years of club basketball and I also sang choir all growing up and through high school, including many solos my senior year. I am an Eagle Scout and served a church mission in Paraguay. I made all state selection for Volleyball and was chosen by faculty as the male scholar of the year for my high school. I was a TA for a Math Lab class in high school and I helped those students learn math concepts in Algebra and Geometry. I coached volleyball for a couple years for athletes between the ages of 12-18, so I learned to love working with youth. I love sports and usually play volleyball, basketball and pickleball in my free time. I enjoy making music with my roommate and I enjoy cooking and experimenting with the Instant Pot my mom gave me as a college present. 

Fun Fact: I speak an indigenous language found in Paraguay called Guarani.

Education: I am currently a freshman at BYU studying exercise science.

Favorite Number, Why?: 13. My brothers and I all wore it playing sports. 

Why I like Mathnasium: I like working at Mathnasium because I love helping inspire kids to realize that learning is possible and enjoyable. 

Robby Lapray

In high school, I took both Calculus BC and AP Statistics. In college, I've taken Calculus 3 as well as Modern Physics and Nuclear Physics. I've participated in musical theatre; various clubs including French, chess, Physics and Dungeons and Dragons; and had the world record beating the video game Hi-Fi Rush. I've worked as a Physics grader at UVU. My favorite is learning new things, but I enjoy a little of just about everything! I program, play video games, write poetry, cook, play piano, read, and do whatever other random projects I decided to try out. 

Fun Fact: I was born without a full left hand, but have found very few things I can't do. 

Favorite Number, Why?: 24601. It is Jean Valjean's number in the book and musical Les Miserables. Also, it's prime factorization is 73 x 337, which just sounds cool! 

Education: I am a Junior at UVU, and am majoring in Software Engineering with a minor in Physics. I graduated from Orem High School in 2020. 

Why I love Mathnasium: I love being able to share my love of math and how the world works with others! I hope to bring my unique perspectives and understanding to make kids grow to love it more!