Instructors

San Jose State University
Bachelor of Arts: Child Development

University of California, Santa Barbara
Master of Education: Teaching Emphasis

Angie is passionate about teaching and recognizes the potential in every child. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development from San Jose State University, and went on to earn her Masters of Education Degree and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from the University of California at Santa Barbara. As a dedicated classroom teacher for the past 18 years she has given instruction in math, reading, and writing to kindergarten, 3rd grade and 5th grade students. She developed an after school peer tutoring program in order for students to receive individualized instruction and additional support. Her goal as an educator is to develop lifelong learners who never give up and strive to do their personal best. Having relocated from the Bay Area, Angie has taken advantage of the outdoor activities the Tahoe region has to offer. She can be found skiing, boating, hiking with her dog, and spending time with her family

James Madison University
Bachelor of Science: Mathematics, Secondary Education

San Diego State University
Master of Science: Statistics

Katie McConaghy is a statistician, mathematician, educator, and entrepreneur. She graduated from James Madison University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics and Secondary Education in 2003. She then went on to complete a Masters Degree in Statistics at San Diego State University. After graduating in 2005, Katie followed her passion for statistics into the actuarial science industry. She worked for an actuarial consulting firm specializing in non-life insurance. After spending almost three years gaining knowledge and experience she decided to take the leap back to academia. Since 2008 Katie has made education her main focus.

Katie founded High Tide Tutoring (HTT) in San Diego in 2009. High Tide Tutoring is a private tutoring company that strives to meet the needs of students everywhere. Since moving to Tahoe in 2010, she’s continued to manage HTT in San Diego from afar and expand her tutoring services to Tahoe. After hearing the needs of her community, Katie decided to open Tahoe Tutoring (TT) in August of 2017. Tahoe Tutoring provides a physical location for students to visit and receive the help they need for all their learning needs.

In addition to managing HTT and TT, Katie keeps her teaching skills sharp, working as an online college professor for various US colleges. She is passionate about education and strives to break down geographic limitations to meet the academic needs of students across the country.

University of Colorado, Boulder
Bachelor of Arts: English

University of San Diego & National University
Teaching Certification programs

Creating joyful, individualized learning environments has been Mary Lynn’s primary emphasis as a teacher, tutor and coach. Meeting student/family aspirations, needs, and expectations, while listening to the learner, and constructing together an individualized, joyful, methodology for accomplishing those goals has been her approach to teaching. She started teaching when she was fourteen and asked to teach swimming and coach the 6 and under swimmers for the Woodland Swim Team in Walnut Creek, California. Later while  attending the University of California, Berkeley and then transferring to the University of Colorado, Boulder to play tennis on the women’s tennis team, she graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder with a B.A. in English.  After marrying, and while raising their children, she  taught K-3 reading development, phonics, tennis, and Reader’s Theatre, and coached the USTA Junior Tennis Team for the City of Poway from 1986-2000.  During that time Mary Lynn also attended credentialing programs in California at the University of San Diego and National University in order to be credentialed to teach multi-subject elementary K-5, multi-subject middle school, and high school English, ESL paralegal studies, and honors/AP English.  Since 2000, she has taught Junior English and P.E. at Marian Catholic High School, ESL at Escondido Unified School District, Adult School, tutored at the  Rancho Bernardo Huntington Learning Center, and when her and her husband moved to the Reno/Tahoe area, she taught a multi subject middle school combo class 6^th-8^th grade at Triad School in Reno for 2 years. Mary Lynn loves to read novels, historical fiction, Ecopoetry, and learn all about the natural history of the Sierra Nevada.  When not teaching, reading, or playing pickleball, you can find her donating her time giving  docent tours and field trips at the U.C. Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center which, like Tahoe Tutoring, is a fascinating place where you can learn something new every day.

University of New Hampshire
Bachelor of Arts with Honors: English, Secondary Education

Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)
Cambridge University: International Learning Center in Paris, France

Sierra Nevada College
Master of Arts, Education: Administrative Leadership

Patrick McConaghy has been a language aficionado since his college days at the University of New Hampshire where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in Secondary Education.

While abroad studying in Europe, Patrick compared his native tongue to the subtle nuances of British English in London and fine tuned his French speaking skills in Paris. He has also studied Latin, Spanish and Italian. Having lived in China for one year, he can speak conversational Mandarin.

Patrick has been meeting with students in the Tahoe area since he arrived in 2008. He supported international students at Sierra Nevada College with language and life skills. He also worked with Truckee Meadows Community College in town, serving the needs of non-native speakers. In addition, Patrick worked at Tahoe Expedition Academy, teaching English and supporting students with learning challenges.

From kindergarten to high school to college, Patrick possesses a unique ability to assess student needs and help them meet their goals. In addition, he excels at helping students feel comfortable while learning and makes sure they have fun. With an attention to detail and a passion for punctuation, Patrick will challenge you to fine tune your grammar skills. He enjoys editing papers and helping students find their true voice in writing. If you need assistance expressing your ideas or just cleaning up an essay, Patrick is the tutor for you.

Macalester College
Bachelor of Arts: Geology

Claire was born and raised in Seattle, Washington before moving to St. Paul, Minnesota to attend school at Macalester College. There she studied Geographic Information Systems, Geology, and Statistics. At Macalester she participated on the softball team, worked as a teaching assistant for the geology department, and was a bookseller at the Highlander Bookstore. Claire moved to Lake Tahoe in early 2023 and has fallen in love with the Sierra Nevada. Claire loves to go climbing and has a goal to summit all the peaks in the Tahoe Basin.

University of Nevada, Reno
Bachelor of Science: Chemistry

California Institute of Technology
Master of Science: Chemistry

Michelle is a dedicated instructor with over a decade of private tutoring, teaching, and leadership experience. She is a chemist by training, having earned a BS in Chemistry from the University of Nevada, Reno, and MS in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology before starting her teaching career. She has taught math and science at all levels from middle school to college and successfully coached the Science Olympiad team at her last school to the national tournament. Her particular focus is helping students develop strategies to improve critical thinking and build confidence. Outside of work, Michelle enjoys spending time with her family and three dogs hiking, paddleboarding, and watching movies and home improvement shows.

University of California, Davis
Bachelor of Science: Chemistry

Madison was born and raised in Kings Beach, California. She attended UC Davis, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry and working as an undergraduate researcher in a rotational spectroscopy lab. She has spent two years as a mosquito and vector control assistant in the local area and has returned home after graduating in 2025. Madison loves to play volleyball and soccer and enjoys being outdoors and drawing. 

University of California, Davis
Bachelor of Science: Mathematics

Nicolaus Winfield Smith grew up in Fairfield, California. In high school, he was the captain of the water polo and swim teams and went on many backpacking trips while earning his Eagle Scout rank. He went to UC Davis and graduated with a BS in Mathematics. While in Davis, he tutored peers and friends in math and science. He also coached water polo and played for the club team at UC Davis. During college he also worked multiple canvassing jobs for nonprofits in Sacramento. He moved to Reno, Nevada in late 2021 and is eager to work with students in the Tahoe area. Outside of the classroom, Nicolaus enjoys watching and reviewing movies and television shows.