Joanna Bersin

After spending her college years at Duke studying Neuroscience, Joanna decided to forgo med school and change the world by revolutionizing education. In addition to her duties as a Teaching Assistant, she writes SAT content for Knewton's verbal course and designs many of the quiz questions seen on the pretests and retests.

A native of Newburgh, New York, in the heart of the picturesque Hudson River Valley, Joanna spent years tutoring disadvantaged and learning disabled students. Her love of helping others led her to take a leadership role at Hoops Express, a non-profit centered on tutoring inner city athletes.

When she wasn't long-jumping for the Blue Devil track team, Joanna found the time to take full advantage of one of the country's most advanced and prestigious science facilities. Whether working in Duke's brain stimulation laboratory, studying marine biology on a sailing laboratory off the coast of Australia, or designing and building a solar powered car (which she later drove halfway across the country), she constantly had her finger on the pulse of socially relevant technological advances.

At Knewton, Joanna takes great pride in making classes enjoyable and entertaining. She is always on the lookout for a new leap forward, and right now she's in peak form: revolutionizing the classroom experience through Knewton's innovative adaptive learning platform. back to top

Brigidette Crowe

While studying biology and computers at Rutgers, Brigidette was hired as a tutor/site manager for the Princeton Review. So began her love of teaching. She eventually expanded her tutoring subjects list to include the SAT I and II, Trigonometry, Algebra, Biology, and Computers. In addition to tutoring, she took on a career as a web developer.

Always possessing a strong independent streak, Brigidette decided to branch out and start her own web development company six years ago--but while she enjoyed building websites and DVDs, she began to miss her days as a tutor/teacher. To share her love of teaching and knowledge of the business world, Brigidette set out to become a GMAT teacher and yet again expanded her tutoring repertoire. Her near perfect GMAT score helped her secure a position at Knewton. Along with her teaching and business skills, her technology skills prove to be very useful in the Knewton classroom.

All work and no play is not the way Brigidette likes to live her life. So when she isn’t working, she can be found traveling, running, swimming, kickboxing, and playing a little ultimate frisbee. back to top

Cole Entress

Rumor has it that, in Texas, everything is large, and Cole Entress' test scores are no exception. In high school, he earned a 1500 on the SAT, 800 SAT II Writing, 790 Physics, 770 Math, 5s on AP Biology, US History, English Composition, Psychology and Calculus, the highest possible scores on top level Bio, English and History International Baccalaureate exams. Bribed to leave native soil with a full scholarship, he graduated magna cum laude from Dartmouth (majoring in Genetics and Philosophy), proving that you can live large even in a small state. The East Coast also introduced Cole to two of his ongoing and intangible love interests: improv comedy and freestyle rap battling (note: at rap competitions, Cole has commanded a pay rate so high that he could work off the national debt with a mere 316,000 years of continuous rapping).

Cole discovered he could marry his academic prowess and improvisational facility through teaching. So, bored by the stifling easiness of competing with other Ivy Leaguers for grades, he signed on with Teach for America to teach Biology and College Prep to some of Chicago's most underserved students. During his two years in the classroom, Cole earned a Master's in Teaching and learned a lot of lessons about inequity that go beyond test scores. Nothing stopped him from scoring in the 99th percentile on the GMAT (760) when he signed on with Knewton. You can take the boy out of Texas...

These days, Cole hones his expert test knowledge and love for teaching as a Teacher and Content Developer at Knewton. While his days are now filled designing skills questions, creating instructional concept videos and redefining ways to engage students, he still finds time to rock the microphone. In fact, if you ever find yourself in New Jersey, the Tex-pat will be happy to showcase his considerable talents. See ya'll in class. back to top

Jose Ferreira

Jose has been creating industry-leading test prep courses since the early 90s, at one point re-engineering the enitre course architecture of the nation's largest test prep program. Now he's doing everything that traditional brick & mortar test prep courses can't—better content, better teachers, better technology.

Jose is the only person to develop strategies that forced a major test-maker to remove questions from an exam. On one GRE question type, by ETS' own admission, Jose "broke the code and published it, so we are removing the questions from the test."

Next, Jose cracked ETS's computer-test scoring algorithm, forcing the test makers to revise the scoring rubric and altering the way they conduct testing today. He also proved that computerized tests were highly susceptible to cheating, forcing ETS to suspend service for months to improve them. Jose's contributions to the field of test prep have been so disruptive that ETS took to calling him "the Antichrist."

Jose graduated from Carleton College with a B.A. in philosophy and received his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He previously worked at a major test prep company and at Goldman Sachs. He holds multiple perfect scores on each of the major standardized tests. back to top

Alvin Hough

According to his mother, Alvin told her in fourth grade that he would go to Harvard. As promised, Alvin graduated in '06 from Harvard with a degree in Earth and Planetary Sciences and went on to Georgia Tech, where he earned his Master's in Meteorology in December 2008.

While TAing in Atlanta, Alvin realized just how much he enjoyed teaching eager students in a very intellectual setting. It also helped that numerous students told him that he was the best TA they'd ever had. Upon his move to New York in January 2009, he learned about Knewton through other Harvard alums working there, and the rest is history. A 760 on the SAT II Writing complements Alvin's perfect math scores on both the SAT and GRE and near-perfect math scores on the GMAT and SAT II.

When not within the walls of the Knewton studio, Alvin freelances as a pianist—he's been tickling the ivories for 20 years. He is also continuing his meteorological pursuits, working with local weather personalities in New York en route to launching his dream career: becoming the first-ever singing weatherman. In the meantime, feel free to tune in to Alvin for your weekly Knewton forecast of angle bisectors, gerunds, and factorials. back to top

Dave Ingber

Teaching is part stage performance, and for Dave Ingber it's the role of a lifetime. A graduate of Harvard University with a degree in English Literature, Dave has devoted the last few years to his two loves, the Broadway stage (okay, off-Broadway) and teaching.

Along with his work as a guitar, swimming and tennis instructor, Dave has taught and tutored hundreds of students on the SAT, ACT, and GMAT. His near-perfect SAT scores complement perfect SAT II Writing and AP results.

As a writer, Dave has had three musicals produced here in New York. He is currently working on his fourth, a project tackling the elusive subject of Fantasy Football. As a performer, Dave has visited more than 30 countries with a jazz singing group—and he regularly performs with the longest running off-Broadway improvisational comedy show in New York City.

Now he entertains Knewton students with brilliant instructional techniques and high-energy classes. We think Dave's best performances are the ones he saves for his classes here at Knewton. back to top

Brad McIlquham

Know any good lawyer jokes? How about the one about the law school grad who turns his back on corporate life to run a gang prevention initiative? Brad McIlquham has heard that one, matter of fact, he wrote it. Two years helping high school dropouts and ex-cons get out of gangs, get their lives back on track, and get serious about college—taught this teacher and trainer a few things. Mostly, he learned a valuable lesson about education—it needs to be better for everyone.

With a B.S. in Business (from Miami University) and a J.D. (from DePaul University), Brad McIlquham was already serious about education. As one of the highest rated LSAT, GMAT, GRE, and SAT teachers for the nation's largest test prep company, Brad helped students prepare for academic success while establishing himself as an expert in the classroom. Now Brad McIlquham is serious about changing education. He believes it should be better, and that it should reach all types of students.

As Faculty Director here at Knewton, he is responsible for training our superstar instructors, and cultivating our impact on underserved students in underfunded schools. As an instructor, he is constantly striving to make his classes impactful as well as engaging. What do you call a lawyer trying to make education available to everyone? At Knewton, we call that a revolution... and we're not joking. back to top

Doug Pierce

As far as rockstars go, Doug Pierce will be the first to admit he's D-list (at best). Let's face it: Playing the drums in your older brother's Patsy Cline cover band isn't the most glamorous gig in town. Luckily, Doug has found a way to channel that creative energy into teaching.

With a B.A. from Connecticut College, a Master's in Politics from NYU and a year's worth of Ph.D. coursework in Political Science at Rutgers University under his belt, Doug is no stranger to hard work, preparation, and writing. In fact, he's written text books on the GMAT, GRE, and TOEFL—all of which have been published. Additionally, Doug has taught and trained thousands of students and teachers while working for some of the leading test preparation companies in the industry.

While you may never read Doug's political queries on A Fourth Face of Power (to be presented at the Midwest Political Science Conference in Chicago in the spring), and he may never fully achieve true rockstar status, we here at Knewton are huge fans of the way he makes students feel like they want to stand up and cheer. back to top

Chris Rosenbaum

In the race to revolutionize education, Chris Rosenbaum is a leader of the pack. Chris developed a love of running after graduating from Penn State, where he earned a degree in Management and International Business from the Schreyer Honors College. He has since run marathons in Dublin and Anchorage for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training. Running spread to other forms of racing as Chris entered several competitive cycling events, including a 140-mile ride to spread awareness about multiple sclerosis.

Ninety-ninth percentile GMAT scores have led Chris to run more than just races. He was one of the highest-rated teachers at the nation's largest test prep company. Over the course of his career, Chris has prepared hundreds of students for the GMAT, GRE, LSAT and SAT.

As Director of Development at Knewton, Chris is always positioning us to find more effective ways of communicating concepts and ideas to our students. His fast-paced, highly-stylized classes are quickly becoming the gold standard in online instruction. He's designed and conducted events for our students halfway around the world in Kiev and Moscow, and closer to home in Boston and Philadelphia.

At Knewton we may be constantly pushing the finish line forward, but Chris will make sure we get there in record time. back to top

Alex Sarlin

More than a decade spent playing and designing literacy games has done wonders for Alex Sarlin. Alex's love of making education fun and engaging has led him to positions with PBS, The New York Times, Scholastic, the Brooklyn Historical Society, and now here at Knewton, where he hopes to change education by connecting with more minds than he ever thought possible.

While studying Sociology at Cornell, Alex constantly sought out ways to reach people. He directed plays, published poetry, pursued an amateur career in karaoke, and even wrote for the Cornell Lunatic (it's a nationally recognized humor magazine). While living in China and the UK, and traveling throughout the world, he constantly sought out learning opportunities. Searching for something more, Alex took his 99th percentile GRE score and enrolled in Columbia University's Teachers College.

While pursuing his Master's in Instructional Technology and Media (which he insists isn't just a fancy way of saying video games for nerds), Alex began integrating his love for entertainment into education. As a tutor he pushed students to achieve through computer simulations and software applications. As a game designer he created instructional tools using trivia and physical challenges. And, as a Content Developer at Knewton, Alex is once again merging innovative technology with engaging instruction. Just what is he playing at? Making education interactive and exciting, like it should be. back to top

Evan Siegel

Evan graduated magna cum laude from Harvard with a degree in linguistics, and was thrilled to discover that his esoteric degree actually has a practical application: teaching the GMAT at Knewton. Over the past ten years, Evan has worked as a teacher in expository writing, ESL, Spanish, and Hebrew—and has also served as a track coach, led meditation workshops, and given seminars for adolescents on bullying, self-esteem, and stress management. He has tutored autistic kindergarteners, Harvard PhD candidates, and everyone in between. Evan has become adept at devising strategies to make otherwise complex and difficult material accessible and fun. He has also read and edited over a thousand MBA application essays.

In addition to his duties as a teacher, Evan is a professional actor. He has performed leading roles in various musicals throughout the northeast, and has appeared in film and on television. Evan's exceptional diction and presentation skills have joined forces with his stellar test scores (800's on SAT Verbal, SAT II Writing, and SAT II Spanish, and 5's on AP Spanish, English, and American History) to mold him into a vibrant and highly effective teacher.

On most nice days you can see Evan tearing north on his beloved Time VXR full-carbon racing bike, fantasizing about being on the Tour de France. back to top

Dahn Tamir

Looking for a sure bet? In test preparation it doesn't get much more certain than Dahn Tamir. When one of the leading test prep companies needed someone to bail out two of its largest, and failing, markets they turned to Dahn—a former superstar teacher. Within months he executed an aggressive plan focused on excellent instruction, dynamic course offerings, engaging student experiences, and perhaps most importantly: a robust new standard for hiring, training and developing talent. As a result, Dahn's regional markets grew at an unprecedented pace.

While earning a degree in Logic and Philosophy from UCLA and Cal-Berkeley, Dahn researched the effectiveness and balance of standardized tests for the former Director of Admissions of Harvard University. With a perfect 180 LSAT and a 99th percentile GMAT, Dahn enrolled in the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, while starting-up his own online jukebox company.

Over his career in education, Dahn has taught several thousand SAT, GRE, GMAT and LSAT students and trained several hundred teachers and staff members at the world's largest test prep companies. He developed the basic skills curriculum for more than 10,000 students in the City College of New York system and helped American Express produce a world-wide training program for their customer support centers. Yet he is most proud of successfully teaching his mother-in-law to use email. back to top

Effie Wang

Every great teacher walks into the classroom with a wealth of eclectic experience. Born in Shanghai and raised in Louisville (by way of Toronto), Effie has a unique perspective on the needs of students around the world. Her default tongue is English, but she is equally comfortable in her native Mandarin, or in the perfect French she sharpened in Lyon. One thing is certain: Effie Wang loves to talk, and lately she's been talking about how Knewton is transcending the geographic limitations inherent in education.

Effie arrived at Knewton from the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned her Master's in Education in addition to a B.A. in Economics and Psychology. She also spent a year working with students at the Community College of Philadelphia. Effie now develops content for Knewton, cultivates international accounts, and teaches Knewton courses offered in Mandarin.

Effie is dedicated to making premium education available to everyone in the world. Perhaps it's this desire to synthesize knowledge that produced 99th percentile scores on both the SAT and the GRE. Then again, maybe she just has a desire to appreciate the way others see the world, and to make learning technologies accessible to every member of the global village. back to top

Chris Wu

Over the years, Chris Wu has accrued an impressive collection of concussions. Despite this, he managed to graduate as valedictorian of Wayne Hills High School. He then attended Princeton University, where he earned a BSE in Computer Science. Chris's deep-rooted passion for math and puzzles helped him score a 1560 on his SATs. In addition, he scored 800s on the Chemistry, Physics, Math IIC , and Biology SAT IIs, as well as a 780 on the Literature exam. He also earned 5s on the AP Calculus AB, BC, Physics B, and Chemistry tests. After scoring a 770 on the GMAT and a 166 on the LSAT, he decided to impart his test-taking acumen and tutoring experience to students at Knewton.

Chris has a special insight which makes him uniquely qualified to teach the verbal section of the GMAT. On his first day of school, he was sent to a special class called “English as a Second Language." English is his first language. Not grasping the concept that languages can be different, he naturally responded to all adult inquiries in Taiwanese. It was two weeks before this was corrected, and to this day, he believes he was expelled from ESL for not speaking Spanish.

Chris enjoys various hobbies that include snowboarding, cooking, fantasy football, and the consumption of exotic foods. He hopes his new interest in Jiu Jitsu will not add to his list of head injuries. back to top

Rich Zwelling

Rich is a man of many passions. He grew up in Houston, Texas, where he frequently indulged in barbecued brisket and Tex-Mex. He attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts for both choral and violin performance, and he also plays viola, piano and guitar.

After scoring a 1520 on the SAT (including 800 on Math), he went to Duke with plans of being a scientist or engineer. Then his right brain took over, and he became interested in filmmaking and film criticism, eventually attending the USC School of Cinema-Television. The school's application required the GRE, which gave him another chance at standardized-test glory; he scored a 770 on the Verbal and another 800 on the Math. He most recently earned his Masters in Journalism from NYU with a concentration in Cultural Reporting and Criticism, and he writes film reviews and blog entries for various webzines.

Along the way, Rich began teaching at a major test-prep company, where he scored 760 on the GMAT. He found that he loved going over silly math problems, and he genuinely enjoyed the feeling of imparting knowledge onto others (and feeling competent in doing so). This led to his current venture at Knewton, and he's thrilled to be a part of a burgeoning company with such a unique approach to test prep. Rich also plays tennis competitively and has been known to evangelize Roger Federer's talent to anyone who will listen. He's completed a half-marathon and several triathlons, all while fundraising for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. back to top