Meet the Team at Mathnasium of Tuckahoe

McKenzie Piper

McKenzie has a BS in Biomedical Engineering from VCU and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Electrical Engineering. Her journey with Mathnasium began in 2019 as an instructor, and then as a team captain. These experiences not only honed her math instruction skills but also fueled her aspiration to play a more significant role in the management team. With a strong personal connection to math due to her engineering background, McKenzie is enthusiastic about sharing her passion for the subject with young students. Teaching and tutoring have always been close to her heart, and she looks forward to working with new students, inspiring them to excel. In her free time, McKenzie enjoys taking her beloved dog Harley to parks and on scenic walks across Richmond, watching tennis, and engaging in various crafty pursuits.

Arshelle Bebbs

Arshelle is a Richmond native and entrepreneur with a background of business and management. She studied Fashion Design at SCAD Atlanta and Fashion Merchandising at VCU. Her passion for art led to her and her husband starting their own rental company where they create unique props for special events. Mathnasium is a perfect fit for Arshelle because she has a natural love for children and takes pride in mentoring and helping to build their self-esteem to become the best version of themselves. Arshelle loves to have a good time, listen to good music, and eat good food with family and friends. When she is not at Mathnasium, she is being a mother and creating new experiences for her daughter, spending quality time with her family, and running her business!

Ben Bramsen

Ben got his start in education while volunteering at the Indianapolis Zoo with marine animals such as walruses -- which he regards as the best animals in the animal kingdom! Answering questions posed about the animals and what could be done to help the environment piqued his interest in other forms of education. He appreciates that at Mathnasium you can see the progression and positive impact on students’ lives each day. In his free time, Ben can be found playing guitar (although rather poorly he admits readily), spending time in nature, and exploring new places!

Nicki Atwood

Nicki hails from Baltimore and studied Physics and Chemistry at University of Richmond. While working with students in college, she noticed that many times students are held back because of a gap in their educational foundation and that drew her to Mathnasium’s unique approach. When not at Mathnasium, Nicki loves to visit different cities and hang out with her cat. In fact, she loves pets of all shapes and sizes, and has had many different types of pets, including a dog, a mouse, a rabbit, and even a hedgehog!

James Temple

James developed a passion for and proficiency with Mathematics during his middle and high school years. In 2000, James graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in Mathematics and a love for solving all types of problems. He took those skills into the United States Air Force where he served for 7 years as an aircraft maintenance officer. It was during these years that James had the opportunity to tutor home schooled children and really started to appreciate the frustration that many kids feel towards Mathematics. James left the Air Force in 2007 to go back to the University of Virginia where he received his Master's of Business Administration degree from the Darden School of Business.