Our Team at Mathnasium of Plymouth Canton

Kevin Steinhelper

Barb

Barb is a dedicated educator with over 30 years of teaching and tutoring experience. She holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Arts degree from Eastern Michigan University. Barb joined Mathnasium to continue her passion for teaching and loves witnessing the "aha" moments when students grasp new math concepts. While she doesn’t have a favorite math topic, her enthusiasm for helping students succeed is unwavering. Outside of Mathnasium, Barb enjoys exercising, golfing, gardening, spending time with family and friends, traveling, and immersing herself in nature. A fun fact about Barb is that she has an identical twin sister who is also a retired teacher and currently tutors.

Andrew

Andrew is a Michigan State University graduate with a degree in education who brings 12 years of tutoring and teaching experience to Mathnasium. Inspired by a lifelong love of math, Andrew enjoys the challenge of breaking down complex concepts into simple, understandable lessons. His favorite topic to teach is algebra, where he finds the perfect blend of logic and creativity. Andrew's favorite math quote is "Parallel lines have so much in common, it is a shame they will never meet."

Melissa

Melissa holds a Master of Arts with a K-12 reading endorsement from the University of Michigan Dearborn and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with minors in Math and Science. With nine years of teaching experience, Melissa is passionate about helping students discover the fun in math. She thrives on those "light bulb" moments when students master challenging concepts, especially strategies related to numerical fluency and missing addends. Outside of teaching, Melissa is a diehard Detroit Lions fan and enjoys attending all Detroit sports games. She also has a love for music, having played the piano for eight years. Melissa's favorite math-related quote is, "Math gives us hope that every problem has a solution."

Judy

Judy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Northern Michigan University and has completed postgraduate work in Early Childhood Education at Eastern Michigan University. With over 30 years of teaching and tutoring experience, Judy’s passion for teaching math shines through every session. Her greatest joy comes from witnessing the moment a student masters a concept they once found challenging. She especially enjoys teaching Algebra 1 and finds it incredibly rewarding to build confidence in her students. Beyond the classroom, Judy is a proud “Cat Lady” with three cats and has been volunteering at the Huron Valley Humane Society for 10 years. Judy’s favorite math-related quote is, “Mathematics is not about numbers, equations, computations, or algorithms: it is about UNDERSTANDING!” – William Paul Thurston.

Zoe

Zoe graduated from Virginia Tech with a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and a minor in Actuarial Science. Zoe was inspired to join Mathnasium after moving to Michigan and being drawn to its friendly and positive culture, making it the perfect place to pursue a passion for math tutoring. Zoe finds teaching math incredibly rewarding, especially seeing the direct impact on students’ understanding of topics they once struggled with. Zoe’s favorite math topic to teach is Probability because it’s both fun and practical, with real-world examples that make the subject engaging. With over six years of professional tutoring experience, starting back in high school honor societies, Zoe brings expertise and enthusiasm to every session. A fun fact? Zoe has won thousands of dollars competing in various video game tournaments!

Rob

Rob is a graduate of MIT where he earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and was also an NCAA athlete in fencing. He also earned an MBA from the University of Michigan. Rob has been a tutor since 2017 when he started working with GED students. Prior to that, he also coached several sports that his children were involved in. After a career working at Ford, Rob joined Mathnasium to continue helping others learn new skills. Rob enjoys teaching students a deeper understanding of math topics, not just memorizing formulas, so that they can apply that knowledge to many different types of math problems. His favorite math topic to teach is the Unit Circle as a dynamic process rather than memorization. Ask Rob about Goldilocks and the Unit Circle!

Allison

Allison is a Mathematics student at UM-Dearborn with two years of experience in tutoring and serving as a math TA. Working at Mathnasium felt like the natural next step as an educator. Allison has also co-published a mathematics research paper alongside professors and peers. Allison finds the most rewarding part of teaching math to be helping students finally grasp concepts that may have seemed impossible, bridging gaps and making math accessible and enjoyable. Allison's favorite topics to teach include geometry, proofs, and calculus, as these areas highlight the beauty and logic of mathematics. Outside of teaching, Allison enjoys playing video games, board games, coding, and solving interesting math problems. Their favorite math-related quote, inspired by Henri Poincaré, reflects their philosophy: "A mathematician does not study mathematics because it is useful; they study it because they delight in it, and they delight in it because it is beautiful."

Melanie

Melanie holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Valparaiso University and both an M.S. in Chemistry and an MBA from the University of Michigan. After leaving the automotive industry, she sought a more fulfilling career and found inspiration in her high school math teacher. At Mathnasium, Melanie enjoys solving problems and helping students experience those "ah-ha" moments when concepts finally click. Her favorite topics to teach include strategies for solving story problems and proportions. Outside of tutoring, Melanie spends her free time gardening, growing a variety of vegetables, and sharing stories about her unique upbringing on a mint farm. She lives by the motto: "The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics."

Shaheerah

A former Mathnasium student who has come back to join us as an instructor! Shaheerah is currently studying at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. Shaheerah was inspired to work at Mathnasium because of her desire to help students build a strong foundation in math, just as Mathnasium once helped her. Shaheerah finds immense joy in giving students the satisfaction of solving problems. Her favorite math topic to teach is integers and solving variables. Outside of teaching, she enjoys painting and spending time with her two cats. Her favorite math-related quote reflects her passion: “Mathematics is, in its own way, the poetry of logical ideas.” – Albert Einstein.

Ayesha

Ayesha Hussain is currently studying Electrical and Computer Engineering with a minor in Business at Wayne State University. She joined Mathnasium to share her love of math and help students build confidence in a subject she finds both challenging and rewarding. Ayesha especially enjoys teaching fractions, finding it exciting to guide students through simplifying, adding, and applying them to real-world problems. Outside of tutoring, Ayesha enjoys staying active at the gym. Her favorite math-related motto is, “The only way to learn math is to do math,” by Paul Halmos.

Layal

Layal is a proud graduate of AUSY and has been tutoring and teaching for three years. Her love for math and passion for helping students understand it better inspired her to join Mathnasium. Layal finds the greatest joy in seeing students gain confidence and succeed in their mathematical journey. She particularly enjoys teaching problem-solving strategies, as they empower students to tackle any math challenge with confidence. Layal also brings a unique perspective to everyday life by turning challenges into puzzles, always seeking creative solutions. Her favorite math motto is, "Math: It’s easy as π!"