Instructors

Dominican University of California
Bachelor of Arts: English

Dominican University of California
Masters of Arts: Humanities, Emphasis in Literature

Brittney recently moved to the Lake Tahoe area from the Bay Area. She grew up in Sonoma County but was excited for a change in scenery. She has been working in education for several years and loves to work with students in English, reading and writing. She completed her BA at Dominican University of California and loves the school so much she decided to pursue her MA there. This experience led her to teach reading to all age groups and start private tutoring for college students while she went to school full-time. After graduation, Brittney was offered a tutoring position in Mill Valley and grew to love after-school/test-prep tutoring while also broadening her subject areas. This is where she began to tutor mathematics to a wide age range of students and really engage herself in the learning process. Brittney finds it fun and interesting to work with students on their logic and watch their critical thinking develop at different points in their education. Her favorite part of tutoring is the relationships she builds with students as they cultivate a positive connection with education and learning. She is extremely excited to work with the students in the Tahoe area through Tahoe Tutoring.

In her free time, Brittney is an avid reader and writer. Her favorite authors are J.R.R. Tolkien and Edgar Allen Poe. They have inspired her own writing; she has been published four times. When she isn’t reading or writing, Brittney is outside among the trees or spending time with her niece and nephew, making Tahoe the perfect place to live for her.

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.

St Cloud State University
Bachelor of Science: Elementary Education and Reading

St Cloud State University
Master of Science: Early Childhood Education and Family Studies

Renee was born and raised in Minnesota. There, she studied Early Childhood, Reading and Elementary Education at St. Cloud State University. She completed her student teaching abroad in Germany through Moorhead State University and was hired by the Department of Defense Dependent Schools as a second-grade teacher. As grade level chair, she facilitated numerous programs to enhance an understanding of and appreciation for German culture.

Renee was recruited as an educator in Northern Nevada upon her return stateside. She has many years of experience in both public and private schools as a primary grade educator, reading specialist, and literacy resource. Renee has studied and successfully implemented Barton methods with students needing developmental support, including those with dyslexia.

Renee’s greatest joy is derived from helping students find their strengths and learning styles to help them become invested in their own education and learning, especially in the areas of literacy, writing and math. She has a wide array of expertise in many different programs to facilitate this process.

Renee is looking forward to working with the families in Tahoe to help them achieve their educational goals.

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.

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

University of California Santa Barbara
Bachelor of Arts: International Relations & Spanish

Sierra Nevada University/University of Nevada Reno
Master of Arts: Teaching (in progress)

Jesi has several years of tutoring experience with multiple grade levels, mainly middle and high school. However, she is excited about working with students of all ages, from kindergarten to 12th grade. Currently, Jesi is a K through 8th grade Spanish teacher at SELS Elementary and Middle School in Truckee, CA. Jesi is very passionate about speaking Spanish and studying various cultures. She wholeheartedly enjoys motivating students to love learning, challenge themselves, and discover their own passions. 

In 2010, Jesi received a BA in Global Studies and Spanish from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She’s currently working on her Master of Arts in Teaching at the University of Nevada, Reno. Alongside finishing her master's, she is working toward her multiple-subject teaching credential and single-subject credential in Spanish. She’s also currently an ESL instructor at Tahoe Family Solutions in Incline Village, two nights a week, helping adults to continue their education in English. Most recently, Jesi worked at North Tahoe High School from 2019 to 2022 as an Instructional Assistant in the Resource Center, helping students with Individualized Education Plans in all subjects. 

Jesi is a born and raised Tahoe local who grew up in Alpine Meadows and currently lives in Reno. She loves world travel and being adventurous! In her free time, Jesi can be spotted enjoying the local Tahoe Truckee outdoors by skiing, playing soccer, hiking, biking, paddle boarding, and camping with her friends and family. 

University of California, Berkeley
Bachelor of Science: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Ian graduated from Berkeley in Chemical Engineering in 2019 and recently returned from Switzerland where he worked on a biology PhD at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. He conducted cancer research for the past few years at MIT, Berkeley and EPFL, as well as a few pharma companies. He now splits his time between Palisades Kids Ski School and Tahoe Tutoring, sharing his enthusiasm for the mountains and science with the next generation. His primary aim is to help students see the beauty in the natural world whether through a conservationist or scientific lens. His free time is spent making friends laugh and finding freedom in the hills. 

Oral Roberts University
Bachelor of Science: Mathematics

Pierce has several years of teaching experience as a math teacher in his home state of
Pennsylvania, spanning multiple grade levels and subject areas within middle and high school.
While completing his degree, Pierce also worked as a tutor with Varsity Tutors.

Right now, Pierce is a virtual teacher of Algebra II at Wooddale High School in Memphis, TN.
The virtual space has given him a unique opportunity to reach underprivileged students and
provide them with the quality education they truly deserve. However, Pierce’s passion for
interpersonal relationship and the student-teacher bond have driven him to pursue another,
in-person role with Tahoe Tutoring. Pierce fully believes that math doesn’t need to be scary, and
enjoys showing his students anyone can achieve their goals, no matter how impossible they
seem.

Pierce grew up outside Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he rode bikes in the countryside with
his friends, read books and learned to play guitar. While attending college in the Midwest, Pierce
fell in love with travel, which brought him across the country to where he currently lives in Tahoe
City. In his spare moments, Pierce can be found fixing, modifying, or driving his cars through the
mountains.

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.