Fran Altomare
Humanities, Math, Science
Silvia Angulo
Spanish
Born and educated in Peru, Sylvia was Professor of Communications at the University of Lima for ten years before moving to the United States in 2004. She is the author of Lenguaje Empresarial and Relaciones Publicas, and describes teaching as the “greatest passion” in her life.
Zalmond Barney
Physics, Math
A native of Long Island, New York, Zalmond has been living in South Florida for over 20 years. With a B.S. magna cum laude in Physics, he is presently enrolled as a graduate student in the Mathematics department at Florida Atlantic University, where he is employed as a teaching assistant. Zalmond is also a part time math instructor at Palm Beach State College, and in his spare time enjoys conducting culinary experiments, most of which are successful.
Angela Blalock
Elementary Education
Angela graduated from the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education. Angela also completed degrees at The Citadel where she received a Master's degree and Specialist's degree in Education Administration. She is certified in elementary education and gifted and talented education. She has worked as a teacher, school administrator, and professor. In her spare time she enjoys reading, boating, and spending time with her family.
Muriel Bonetti
French
Muriel Bonetti, who was born and raised in Belgium, is a graduate of ISALT University in Brussels. A certified International Tutoring Association French tutor, Muriel teaches French language, literature and culture. A long-time resident of Monte Carlo (Monaco), Muriel now lives in Chicago, and joined Private Tutoring Services in 2006.
Marie Cacciola
French
Marie is a native of Revere, Massachusetts and has been wintering in South Florida for five years. She has a B.A. in French, a Master’s Degree in Education and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Instructional Technology. She has 36 years of teaching experience at both the elementary and secondary levels including French, Spanish and Latin. She was a Reading Recovery teacher and Literacy Coordinator for the Bay State Readers’ Grant. Marie ended her public school career as the Director of Elementary Curriculum during which time she wrote and received the federal Reading First grant.
Ariel Chichakli
Humanities, Math, Science
Ariel is a graduate of the University of Colorado where she received her Bachelor's of Arts cum laude in Journalism. She has teaching experience in both Palm Beach and Broward County School Districts and is ESOL certified. Ariel is passionate about education and is recognized in the field by Cambridge Who's Who for her work with youth robotics and engineering. She is currently completing her last year of her Bachelor's of Science in Nursing degree at Florida Atlantic University.
Hsuan Christman
Mandarin Chinese
Hsuan was born in Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China, and has lived in England, Albuquerque, Saudi Arabia, New York City, the Caribbean, and Hong Kong. She graduated from Ling Tung Business College, where she majored in Business Management. Hsuan attended Ipswich College in England, where she majored in Art, and also attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. She is now employing her language skills as a private Mandarin Chinese tutor and translator.
Marilyn Daly
Humanities
Marilyn is a native South Floridian and graduate of the University of Miami, where she received a B.S. in Broadcasting, with a minor in French and Political Science. Her honors included: Mortar Board, Golden Key, Rho Lamda, and Bowman Merit Scholar. She holds an M.S. in Social Science Education from Florida International University, and taught at F.I.U. as an adjunct professor.
She has been called upon by Miami Dade County Public schools to choose county wide standard books and to prepare social studies bowl competition questions. She is also a Law Studies teacher, and a Certified Florida Bar Paralegal.
Marilyn is fluent in Spanish, and has taught in both the public and private sectors of education for over 20 years, tutoring in upper levels such as, A.P. Government, Economics and American History.
Linda DeMayo
Test Prep, Math
Linda graduated from Montclair State University Magna Cum Laude in 1978. From there she worked for 5 years on Wall Street in International Institutional Security Sales. After raising her two children, who graduated from NYU and University of Miami, she embarked on her true passion- tutoring young people in Mathematics. Since that time she has expanded to tutoring all sections of College Test Preparation Exams. She moved to South Florida in 2003 and continues adding subject areas to her resume. She loves animals, water sports, yoga and tennis.
Elena Diaz
Elementary Education
Elena is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University, where she received her Bachelor’s Degree magna cum laude in Elementary Education. She completed her M.A. in Bilingual TESOL Studies in May 2011. She loves reading, traveling, teaching, and listening to music. Elena also enjoys traveling abroad and teaching English in other cultures.
Tom DiVito
Math, Science
Tom recently completed his Master's degree in Biological Anthropology at Florida Atlantic University, where he taught anthropology and philosophy. He graduated from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, with a B.S. in Biology, minoring in Animal Behavior. As an undergraduate, Tom volunteered as a guide at the Buffalo Zoo, which sparked his passion for teaching. Since joining PTS, Tom has taught college level Math, Science, Humanities, Writing, and SAT/GRE preparation.
Nicole Fielder
Math, Science
Nicole grew up on Long Island and attended SUNY Syracuse to earn her B.A. in Environmental Science and Forestry. After completing college, Nicole moved to Tampa to study at the University of South Florida. There, she received her graduate certificate in medical biochemistry, microbiology, and immunology. In Jensen Beach, Nicole taught biology, physical science, and integrated science and coached women’s volleyball. Nicole lives with her husband Trent, her boy/girl infant twins, and her two dogs.
Elizabeth Gillespie
English, History, Spanish
Liz holds a M.A. and a B.A. degree in English with a minor in Spanish Language and Culture. She currently is working on her M.S. in International Economics. She has experience teaching at both the high school and university level, and currently tutors a variety of subjects, including English, Spanish, History, Economics, and Government. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, traveling, cooking, and spending time with her friends and family.
Henry Haduck
English, Japanese
For nearly 20 years, Henry has taught English Language Learners (ELL), various test preparation courses, and many other subjects both in the U.S. and abroad. Henry has taught beginning and intermediate Japanese and Japanese culture at the college level. Henry has held upper-level management positions with some of the largest retailers in America, and has also worked as a technical trainer and language consultant domestically and internationally. Henry received his Bachelor’s degree in Japanese from California State University, Los Angeles, and his Master’s degree in Education/TESOL from Grand Canyon University. He has begun work on his Doctorate degree in Education.
Susanne Hale
Humanities
Susanne taught English and ran drop out prevention programs in New York City and South Florida before starting her own editing company. She has a BA in English from SUNY Albany and a Master's degree in education and creative writing from New York University. Susanne recently completed her first novel. She enjoys tutoring all students in English and History.
Carolyn Herman
Math, Science
For over thirty years, Carolyn has enjoyed tutoring all ages and subjects. She has held positions as an Adjunct Math Professor at Rowan University, High School Math Teacher, High School Science Teacher, State Exam Evaluator (FCAT, NJ, etc.), and Florida DOE DVR Consultant working with learning disabled young adults. For her undergraduate work, Carolyn obtained several scholarships and graduated with an Honors Bachelor of Science Degree in Math (Summa Cum Laude). For her honors Program Thesis she chose a Biological Application of a Mathematical Model, "Multiple Pool Analysis of Metabolic Kinetics" for the Mt. Sinai Hospital Medical Journal. After graduation, Carolyn held engineering and programming positions for many years from several companies including Symbol Technologies (Applications Engineer) and Reuters LTD (Senior Systems Analyst). She obtained her Mathematics Masters Degree while working in this field full time. Most recently, she attended Rutgers University for her Chemistry Degree.
Martine Heureux
French
Martine is a native French-speaker and tutor. Martine earned a Master in Law from the Catholic University of Louvain-la Neuve, Belgium, and she has also enhanced her education with different trainings in coaching and communication at ICHEC, Brussels, Belgium. After 17 years as a manager at Zurich Insurance Company, she focused herself on her studies of English, Spanish, and Dutch. In Florida, Martine is teaching French to several students and is is highly dedicated to seeing them achieve their goals.
Mary Hurst
Spanish
Mary was born in Connecticut and grew up in the Berkshires in Norfolk, Connecticut, home of the Yale Art School, where she and her seven siblings participated in summer art lessons and attended the summer concerts at their music shed. She received her BSED in Spanish with a minor in English from the University of Georgia and received her Master of Science degree in Spanish at Central Connecticut State University. She taught all levels of Spanish and reading for many years in private and public schools at the middle school, high school, and college level and had the opportunity to visit Spain, Mexico, and Costa Rica with her students. Mary moved to Ocala, Florida in 2011 where her daughter and son-in-law own a horse farm and train polo ponies. She is now tutoring, writing, and engaged in nature photography in the Ocala area.
Todd Jackson
Math, Science
Todd holds a B.S. in Biology from Vanderbilt University, an M.S. in Entomology from the University of Georgia, and a Ph.D. in Biology from Vanderbilt University. While in graduate school he worked as a Master Teaching Fellow for Vanderbilt’s Center for Teaching as well as serving as a tutor to the Athletic Department.
He has done academic research in the deserts of Baja California, the prairies of central Kansas, and the tomato fields of Northern Florida. More recently, he has become involved as a consultant with renewable energy projects in South Florida. He is currently a Biology professor at Palm Beach State College.
Patty Jeffery
Spanish, Latin
Patty is a native of Cali, Colombia, and has been in Florida for 15 years. She graduated in 2005 from Florida Atlantic University and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. In 2010 she completed the "Pathways to Teaching Program/Transition to Teaching" at Florida Atlantic University and became a Florida Certified Teacher. She has tutored home-schooled students for the past 5 years, while working part time at a law firm. In her spare time she enjoys reading law novels, working out, and visiting her children in New York, Boston, and Arizona. Her educational philosophy is summed up by the Fredrick Douglass quote, "It is better to build strong children than to repair broken men."
Nancy Jones
Elementary Education
Nancy recently retired from a 25-year career in the Palm Beach County School District, where she taught students at all grade levels. Holding an undergraduate degree in Education from Penn State University, Nancy also earned a Master’s degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Human Development and Guidance. She has held teaching positions in Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey, and, in Italy, with the Department of Defense schools. In retirement, Nancy is currently completing college level classes necessary to begin a course of study in Occupational Therapy. Leisure time finds Nancy poolside or beachside. She especially enjoys water aerobics, and is a certified Water Exercise instructor as well.
Shani Kagan
Math, Science
Shani has both a B.S. in Biology and in Chemistry with honors and is planning to enroll in a Ph.D. in Chemistry. Shani has over 10 years of experience teaching and tutoring all over South Florida, from elementary to college level Chemistry, Math and Sciences. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, traveling and listening to music.
Sharon Keenan
Humanities
As a native of Canada, Sharon has spent most of her adult life in the U.S. where she was employed for many years in the high tech industry as an educator and developer. With undergraduate and graduate degrees in education (concentration in teaching and learning) from Lesley University and The Harvard Graduate School of Education, plus Massachusetts’ certifications in TEFL and TBE, Sharon has been teaching and tutoring in the Social Sciences/Humanities since 1999 in the metropolitan Boston area and online as adjunct faculty for institutions of higher education. In her spare time she continues volunteer work in literacy assessment and writes/maintains social media for some Boston area animal rescue groups.
Michael Kolozsvary
Upper-Level Math & Sciences
Michael has worked with Private Tutoring Services since 2004, focusing on biology, chemistry, calculus and physics. He also helps prepare students for standardized tests including the SAT, ACT, GRE, MCAT, DAT and select AP exams. He holds a dual BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology and Psychology, as well as a minor in Spanish, from Tulane University in New Orleans. He also holds a Masters in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Tulane where he is attending medical school. A pioneering tutor in our Academics Abroad program, Michael has worked with students traveling across the country and in Europe.
Anna Kuan-Celarier
Math, Science
Anna spent most of her life in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. After going to Montreal, Quebec to complete her B.A. in International Development Studies with a minor in Russian at McGill University, she returned to DC to spend several years working in biomedical research and as a tutor to grade school students. She completed her M.S. in Physiology and Biophysics at Georgetown University in June 2011, and worked as a medical assistant in obstetrics and gynecology until moving to Miami to join PTS. Anna enjoys travel, learning new languages, photography, and dance, and hopes to attend medical school in the near future.
Sylvia Lang
Science, Math, Spanish
Sylvia has been teaching in various capacities, ranging from tutoring, substitute teaching, and working for resident treatment programs for at-risk youths to private boarding schools since 1996. Most recently she completed her doctorate at the University of Florida in Soil and Water Sciences, which allows her to teach at the university level. She finds teaching science to students of all ages fascinating, challenging and very rewarding.
Kim Le
Science, Math
Kim is a native Texan and has lived in Florida since 2009. She is an honors program graduate from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, TX and holds a B.S. degree in Computer Engineering. Kim has acted as a mentor/tutor at Por Vida Academy and has also volunteered as a tutor for the Caridad Center’s Learning Enrichment Program. After completing her pre-requisites for medical school, she has decided to join Private Tutoring Services and its vision to brighten young minds while pursuing a graduate medical education. She loves to zumba, spend time with her family and devotes her time weekly as a volunteer at Hospice by the Sea.
Shannon Merlin
Humanities
A native of Massachusetts, Shannon graduated from Fordham University with a B.A. in Political Science and a certificate in Peace and Justice Studies. She tutors American and World History, Government, Political Science, and English. She is currently pursuing her love for fiction writing. In her spare time she enjoys running, tennis, reading, and spending time with her husband, Mark, son, JP, and their two dogs.
Paul Minden
Latin
Ever since Paul graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna cum Laude from Brown, his enthusiastic teaching style has been highly successful in such diverse environments as Saint Ann's in NYC to public schools in Eastern Europe, from sixth graders through college level and beyond, special needs through Advanced Placement. Paul enjoys training in mixed martial arts, studying languages, and trail running with his faithful hounds.
Debbie Moroney
Science, Math
Debbie started teaching at environmental education centers around the country where she led students on nature walks on the beach and through forests and wetlands. While living on a sailboat and traveling throughout the Caribbean, she taught Marine Biology and Oceanography. After five years of living abroad, she moved to Florida to teach middle and high school science at a private school. Debbie holds her Bachelor's degree in Chemistry with minors in Mathematics and Psychology, a Master's degree in Niology, a Teaching Certificate from the State of Florida, as well as a US Coast Guard Captain's License and PADI Divemaster Certification.
Marla Netzer
Humanities
Marla Netzer is a resident of Gainesville who currently holds a California teaching certificate and a letter of eligibility to teach in Florida. She has tutored many students ranging from third grade to college over the years. While working her way through college at Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA, Marla received her B.A. in English, with a minor in TESOL. Marla enjoys creative writing, reading and being with her two small children, Nico and Evelyn.
Atsuko Noguchi
Japanese
Atsuko Noguchi is a native to Japan, who moved to the U.S. in 2004. After graduating from college in Japan, Atsuko worked in a trading company as a private secretary to the president as a translator. She then founded and ran a language academy in Nagoya, Japan. In the U.S., Atsuko earned her Master's degree in Education from Oklahoma City University and became a certified Japanese instructor and translator.
Connie Orell
Elementary Education
A certified Wilson Reading Specialist, Connie has tutored elementary and middle school students since 2003. Prior to joining Private Tutoring Services, Connie worked as a guidance counselor and elementary teacher in the Broward County School System for 18 years.
Scotch Peloso
Physics, Math, Humanities
Scotch grew up on a sailboat off of Sanibel Island. After finishing his degree in Physics at the University of Alabama, he decided to balance out his education by obtaining additional degrees in Communication, specifically Film, and American Studies. Scotch is a voracious learner and enjoys sharing his knowledge with students of any age. He currently resides in Palm Beach, where he is active in community affairs and sits on the town board.
Christine Pettus
Spanish, English
Christine was born and raised on the Alabama Gulf Coast. She obtained her BS in Spanish and English Education before spending two years teaching English to university students in Changsha, China. During her summer and winter vacations, she traveled to Chang Mai, Thailand and Cleveland, IN, to participate in intensive courses with Lee University in order to earn her M. Ed. Christine has recently completed her M.A. in Spanish Literature and is enjoying teaching at Montclair State University in New Jersey and tutoring students in Spanish. For fun, she reads, spends time biking or walking outdoors or walks to the nearby commuter train for a quick day trip to Manhattan.
Colleen Putman
Humanities
Colleen is a native Floridian who graduated from St. Michael's College in Burlington, Vermont with a B.A. in Art History and minors in French and Theology. Currently living in New York City, Colleen spends her time traveling, tutoring, and running her own photography business.
Elizabeth Ramsay
Humanities
Elizabeth has a BA in English and is currently enrolled in an MFA program for Writing. She has been a middle and high school teacher of English, Creative Writing and Reading for ten years and enjoys working with students to increase their understanding of language, literature and how it relates to them.
Nate Rolfe
Tutor
Nathan Rolfe attended the University of California at Berkeley as an undergraduate studying engineering for two years before transferring to the University of Georgia where he finished his degree in Physiology Sport Psychology. He now lives in Wellington, FL and is married to Haylie Jayne, a professional rider and trainer. In his spare time, Nate is working on becoming a professional golfer.
Rosalind Roystone
Spanish
Rosalind received her Masters in Education from the Universidad de Carabobo, Valencia, in Venezuela and received her B.A in Hispanic Studies (Spanish and Portuguese) from University College, Cardiff, Wales, Great Britain. Before moving to Florida, Rosalind served as Academic Director of EF International Language School in Boston for five years.
Sandee Ryder
Humanities
Sandee’s diverse career includes substantive ventures in education, public administration, communications, business and sales. A high honors graduate from the University of Florida, Sandee’s background in education targeting traditional and nontraditional learners spans both public and private spheres. Her experience in Marion County, Florida, includes the oversight for design and development of countywide employment and training programs at the secondary and post secondary levels; participation in the creation of a fully accredited private, pre-school, elementary and middle school and tenure on the Board of Directors and consultant for establishment of a distance learning foundation.
Vanessa Sagarese
Spanish, Music, Art
Vanessa was born in Madrid, Spain. She is Dutch by nationality but is half Ecuadorian as well. She received her Bachelor of Music Degree in Vocal Jazz from Florida Atlantic University. Her passion lies in international culture, history and languages. She speaks six languages and has lived in Europe, South America and North America. She has worked as a Performing Musician, Art Teacher, Choral Director and a Museum Curator.
Riegan Sage
Math, Science
Riegan graduated with honors from both the University of Southern California with a BFA in theatre and the University of Miami with an MBA in Management Science Consulting and Marketing. She is passionate about teaching and communicating effectively. She has tutored for several years successfully leading the way for students to higher grades. Although grades are very important in this ultra competitive academic environment, a student’s wellbeing and capacity to learn are paramount in Riegans tutoring style; true success is built on the complete package of understanding, implementation, and results.
Diane Saul
Elementary Education
Diane was born in Philadelphia, and has wanted to teach from an early age. When she completed her B.S. and Master’s in Education she taught in Philadelphia, New Jersey and Florida for over 40 years. Diane has helped to write reading curriculum and tutored in that area during her summer breaks. She continues to work in neighborhood schools with students needing extra help.
Schwartz, Ronald
Maths, Statistics, Computer Science
Ron received a B.A. degree from Case-Western Reserve University, an M.A. from John Carroll University, and a Ph.D. from Akron University. He has instructed mathematics classes at Wayne State University, computer science classes at Cleveland State University, and statistics and quantitative methods classes at Florida Atlantic University and Shenandoah University. Ron has consulted for American Greeting Card Corporation and Gould Inc. He has authored/co-authored over six titles in statistics, data analysis, and multivariate analysis. Refereed publications were achieved in The American Statistician and The Journal of Statistical Simulation and Computation.
Sheila Shaigany
English, Social Studies, Math, Science
Sheila graduated from Northwestern University in 2004, where she received a B.S. in Theater. She has worked as a professional actor in New York City, where she performed in several off-Broadway shows, TV/Film productions and an 8 month national tour. In 2007, she began working for Private Tutoring Services, where she tutors students in a wide variety of subjects including English, Social Studies, Geometry, Algebra, Calculus, Physics, Biology and French. In 2008, began taking classes at CUNY Hunter College, where she is now attending medical school.
Eileen Shernoff
English, Math, Social Studies
Eileen is an enthusiastic teacher with many years of varied experiences in the academic world. Prior to joining the Private Tutoring Services team in 2010, Eileen provided multi-grade level instruction in both English and Math at Yale Academy in North Wales, PA. She is also experienced at test preparation and has helped students succeed with assessments including TOEFL and SAT. Eileen is passionate about education and is dedicated to her students. Her years in the classroom and in one-on-one sessions have provided her with a wealth of scholastic tools and resources.
Mary Sholl
Art
With a BFA in illustration from Columbus College of Art and Design, Mary tutors a wide range of studio art courses, from traditional drawing and painting to digital arts. Mary also works as a freelance inventor and toy designer. She has worked in the toy industry as a product developer for over twelve years, with clients including Disney, DreamWorks, Marvel and FOX. Mary lives in West Palm Beach with her two-year-old daughter and husband, Jason.
Steve Small
Elementary Education, Reading Specialist
Steve holds a B.A. degree in Political Science and History from Fairleigh Dickinson University and an M.A. degree in Education as a Reading Specialist from Manhattan College. He has been a passionate educator for over 30 years. He lives and works in the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts and in South Florida. Steve enjoys karate, dancing, many forms of exercise, music, writing and reading poetry.
Cynthia Sulzberger
Elementary Education, Reading Specialist
A native New Yorker, Cindy worked as a reading specialist at the Dalton School in Manhattan and The Ross School in East Hampton, NY, Cindy holds a B.A. from Duke University and a Master’s in Reading Specialization from Bank Street College of Education. She now resides in Palm Beach and Southampton, NY and is an avid horseback rider who enjoys competing at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida.
Courtney Tie
Humanities
Courtney received her B.A. in English at the University of Florida, and completed her J.D. at the University of Miami School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in the State of Florida. She has worked in both the public and private practice of law, and continues to be heavily involved with the Palm Beach County Bar Association and the Palm Beach Chapter of F.A.W.L. (Florida Association of Women Lawyers). Courtney specializes in tutoring in the humanities, with a focus on English and History.
Sean Uthe
Physics, Math
Sean grew up in the mountains of Maryland, where he went to school and graduated valedictorian. He has a B.S. in Physics with a minor in Mathematics and a M.A. in Teaching from Frostburg State University. Upon graduating, Sean knew he wanted to teach, but also wanted a change in location. He then relocated to Myrtle Beach, SC and fell in love with living on the coast. After teaching high school in South Carolina for two years, Sean moved further south to Florida where he is living a happy, healthy, and productive life.
Mary Voigt
Elementary Education
Mary is a native New-Englander, born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut by her Italian-American parents. Mary attended Albertus Magnus College in New Haven and earned a B.A. degree in French with a minor in Classics from Ohio Dominican College in Columbus. Her teaching career spans thirty-five years in both public and private schools from middle school through senior high school in Ohio, Connecticut, Illinois, and Florida. Mary has many years’ experience teaching home-schoolers and students who come to Private Tutoring Services, sharing her knowledge and love of Latin.
Suzanne Walter-Geissler
Math, Science
Suzanne received a B.A. in Biology from Oberlin College, B.M. in Violin Performance from Oberlin Conservatory, and a M.M. in Violin Performance from Florida State University. While performing lecture solo recitals as well as performing with Atlantic Classical Orchestra, Palm Beach Pops and other orchestras, Suzanne taught Biology/Marine Biology and coached Track & Field at South Fork High School. After moving to West Palm Beach, Suzanne co-founded a Suzuki based music school for children ages 2-18 years old where she is the current president of the teacher's organization, Suzuki Association of South Florida. Suzanne continues to perform in S. Florida and direct the music school while she is tutoring. For fun, Suzanne enjoys running, sailing, studying languages, traveling, fencing, and ballroom dancing.
John Waters
Science
Born and raised in Colorado Springs, John attended Western State College of Colorado, earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology, specializing in Ecology and Wildlife Management, with minors in Chemistry and Political Science. John later earned his Master’s of Environmental Management from Duke University, specializing in Coastal and Environmental Law and Policy. He then managed the National Sawfish Encounter Database at the Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida. John is currently working on his first scientific articles for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
