MEET OUR STAFF
BILL AMES: Bill graduated from Columbia University where he received numerous academic honors and scholarships, as well as athletic awards – including induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame. After Columbia, Bill served in the Peace Corps in Brazil, taught high school, and created a non-profit company that provided leadership and success skills seminars for high school and college students throughout the country. He became a highly regarded motivational speaker for students, parents, and teachers throughout the Bay Area, Ohio, and New England.
Bill founded Ames Seminars in 1993. He is well known for his unique skills as a test-prep tutor for motivated students – students have come from as far away as Oregon to be tutored.
LEAD TEACHERS/MASTER TUTORS
MAGGIE BERTERA: Maggie is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a degree in Biochemistry. She has years of experience tutoring math and science. Besides teaching our classes, Maggie stays busy with her young family.
KIM CARPENTER: Kim is a graduate of Cornell University and holds California Teaching Credentials for grades K-12. She has taught high school English for six years, including four years in Asia at American and International Schools. Kim has also coached high school girls' soccer and volleyball in addition to teaching Sunday School classes for the past ten years.
CHRISTIE CLARK: A University of Oregon graduate, Christie holds an M.A. in Education and has taught math, science, reading, and writing for twelve years. Christie has tutored SAT, science, and math since she started teaching in 1998, and has been teaching SAT prep courses at Ames Seminars since 2000. A gifted teacher, Christie has helped us write our SAT curriculum.
MEGAN deVRIES: Since completing her B.S. at UC Davis, Megan has spent time teaching K-12, working in the business world, and being a whitewater river guide. After a stint as director of a tutoring company, she began her own tutoring business. She teaches our SAT and ACT Prep Seminars.
CONRAD DRINKWATER: Conrad graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, with a B.S. in Biology. He began private tutoring for science courses while in college, and now brings this knowledge to high school students. During his time with Ames, he has tutored not only science courses but Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra 2 plus all sections of SAT/ACT. Outside the academic arena, Conrad is passionate about sports and is currently pursuing personal training with a career in dentistry planned for the future.
GREG ENHOLM: Greg earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's in economics from the University of Florida. He worked for the Wisconsin utility regulatory commission and then joined a Wall Street investment bank's stock research department where he advised institutional investors worldwide on electric utility stocks. In 1992, he established his own financial advisory firm in Oakland CA, selling it in 1998. He has been a high school math teacher since then teaching in both public and private schools. He taught SAT Math Prep at The Athenian School for several years.
HEATHER FEENEY: Heather currently teaches writing at John F. Kennedy University and enjoys tutoring students in all subjects relating to language and the written word. She hails from Albuquerque NM. After high school, her college choice brought her to California, where she earned degrees from Sonoma State and the California College of the Arts.
KATE GAFFNEY: Kate graduated from Brown University with a degree in Computer Science and Economics. After a successful career managing large-scale software development and implementation, Kate went back to school to earn teaching credentials in math and science. At Ames, Kate brings her expertise and passion for teaching to SAT classes as well as tutoring all levels of math through SAT level 2 subject tests. When she's not busy helping students, Kate enjoys time with husband and two children, a son gearing up for the SATs and a daughter headed off to Harvard this fall.
MATT HEWES: Matt earned his B.S. in Astrophysics from UC Santa Cruz and holds a single subject teaching credential in Math/Physical Science from Chapman University. He has taught and tutored at a number of middle school and high schools in Algebra1, Geometry, Algebra2, Pre-calculus, Calculus, and Physics. He currently tutors all Math and Physics including SAT-Math at Ames. Matt is passionate about Physics and is to this end, is writing a book on various concepts of modern Physics.
PATRICIA HIERRO: Patricia has been a high school and junior high teacher since 1986. She earned her B.A. from Thomas Aquinas College, her teaching credential from Cal State Dominguez Hills, and her M.A. in Theology from the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology. At Salesian High School, she was chair of the Math Department. Patricia has taught with Ames since 1998.
HELEN INGERSON: Helen is a Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude graduate of Harvard University and holds California teaching credentials at both the elementary and high school levels. Helen has done private and small class tutoring for the SAT for several years and has also tutored the SAT II Literature exam. She has quite a bit of experience herself with standardized tests, having taken the graduate admissions tests for business and law school, gaining admission to Columbia Law School before leaving to pursue her MBA.
DEVRAH LAWVER: Devrah earned her B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, where she was a proud member of the Cal Band. She went on to receive her teaching credential from Chapman University. She holds a single-subject credential in English, History, and Music, and is also CLAD certified. She earned her Masters in Education from Chapman University as well. Devrah has been teaching 7th and 8th grade core at Stone Valley Middle School since 2003.
JENNIFER NOACK-SMITH: Jennifer graduated with honors from Claremont-McKenna College and earned her teaching credential in Math at Chapman University. A high school teacher, she has taught Pre-Algebra, Algebra, and Algebra II. In addition, she has coached girls' and boys' volleyball and girls' basketball teams. She teaches the math classes for our PSAT and SAT Prep Seminars.
TRUNG TIM NGUYEN: Tim holds a double B.A. in Molecular and Cell Biology, with an emphasis in Immunology and Integrative Biology from UC Berkeley. He recently received an M.S. in Exercise Physiology from San Francisco State University. For the past six years, Tim has worked with students K-12 as a tutor, mentor, and teacher, covering basic through advanced math and science courses. He is also currently a health and wellness coordinator working with youth with Aspergers, ADD, and learning differences.
ZACH PINKERTON: Zach graduated from Colorado State University with a B.A. in both English and Political Science. He received his teaching credential in Secondary Education from Saint Mary's College of California and teaches English at San Ramon Valley High School. He is an experienced ropes course leader and tutor.
PAUL ROGERS: A Santa Clara University graduate with a B.A. in Theater Arts, Paul has taught for the last 30 years in grades 1 – 12, including 10 summers teaching an SAT Prep class at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco. He has taught math in grades 6 – 11 and English in grades 6 – 10. He currently teaches math at MIT Academy. Paul teaches our PSAT and SAT Seminars.
STACY SANDERS: Stacy earned a B.S. in Mathematics from Harvey Mudd College and an M.S. in Engineering from Stanford University. A proud graduate of Ames Seminars SAT Prep, Stacy is thrilled to pass on her enthusiasm and knowledge from 10 years of teaching experience. When not at Ames, you might find Stacy working as a business consultant, teaching art, or dancing or singing her way across the stage of the Regional Center in Walnut Creek!
CARLYN SCHEINFELD: Since graduating from UC Santa Cruz with a Masters in Education, a multiple subject K-8 and two single subject High School credentials, Carlyn has taught Language Arts and History at public schools and summer college preparatory programs and tutored at local community centers in the East Bay. She specializes in working with gifted students and students with diverse learning needs to ensure equitable education for all her students.
ROBIN SPRING: Robin graduated with distinction and departmental honors from Stanford with a B.A. in English and a minor in Communications. She earned an M.A. in Journalism from the University of California, Berkeley. She has had careers as a free-lance writer and then as a marketing executive working on Visa's Olympic sponsorship. In addition to teaching our PSAT and SAT classes, Robin currently teaches Honors and regular English at Northgate High School.
NENAD ZAGORAC: Nenad graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.S. in Chemistry with honors and currently is in a Graduate program in Atmospheric Science at UC Davis maintaining a 4.0 GPA. He brings seven years of solid tutoring experience in all levels of high school and college math courses (including Statistics) plus Chemistry, SAT and ACT Math/Science, AP Calculus and AP Chemistry. Nenad is very involved in his research project with UC Davis involving Atmospheric Weather patterns in Latin America.
ASSISTANT TEACHERS/TUTORS
CAROLINE LEE: Caroline recently graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.S. in Integrative Biology. She has enjoyed tutoring middle school and high school students throughout her college years. Caroline is skilled at tutoring math and science (Subject Chemistry included) plus SAT Math section. She has recently taken her MCAT and hopes to enroll in medical school next year.
AMANDA VISSERING: Graduated from Bard College with a B.A. in Liberal Arts. She focused her studies on visual art, contemporary women writers, and composition theory and pedagogy. A Bard College Writing Fellow, she worked two years as a peer writing tutor for the Bard Academic Resources Center before graduating and relocating to the Bay Area. She has also taught art and theater at The Putney School Summer Programs and Mohave Community College.
JENNA ZACK: Jenna obtained her B.A. in Anthropology with Magna Cum Laude honors and currently is in the process of getting her single subject credential in History in January 2012. She has experience in tutoring middle school and high school history, AP U.S. History plus English essay writing.
COLLEGE COUNSELORS
BK CROCKER: BK, a graduate of San Diego State and the UCLA Program in College Admissions, has been assisting students with all aspects of the college admissions process for the past five years. Committed to helping families identify where they have control in the admissions process, BK empowers students and their families to make informed and thoughtful decisions at every stage of this dynamic and increasingly competitive process. When she's not hard at work helping students identify ideal college matches, BK spends time with her husband Jim and two college-age daughters, one at the University of Oregon and the other at Lewis and Clark.
DOROTHY SIVAZLIAN: Combining a love of sciences with an interest in behavior, Dorothy graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in biological psychology. After managing and selling her own communications and graphics firm, Dorothy went on to earn her professional certification in College and Career Planning from UC Berkeley. She brings dedication and expertise in counseling students to plan, prepare for, and identify colleges that best match their interests and abilities. From curriculum planning through application essays, Dorothy clarifies and facilitates the college admissions process for students and families.
OFFICE STAFF
SARAH AMES: Interim Center Director
BETH WILHOUR: Program Manager
Kaitlin Crocker