Meet Our Team
Crystal E.
Hailing from University of Chicago, Crystal has a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Human Development and a Master of Arts in Teaching. She's applied these credentials for years in the education sector, from a public classroom setting to public and private Montessori schools. Crystal also has a passion for music and any type of learning. She believes that mindset and perseverance are the keys to success and can be developed in any student.
Edguelza C.
Completing her doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology at the University of East Anglia, Edguelza brings a wealth of experience in education, child development, and psychology to Rise along with admissions savvy, having worked as an Admissions Officer for King’s College London. She's also served as a teaching assistant for SEND students and is passionately committed to helping students thrive in their chosen paths.
Karl I.
Karl began his journey with a degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Tartu, moving into the education sector post-Oxford with roles as a SEN teacher, an educational consultant, and a high school teacher in schools from Estonia to Dubai to Australia. With his multinational experience, Karl brings a nuanced perspective to Rise; he believes students grow most when challenged to accomplish more than they think possible.
Gala R.
Featuring stints with Walt Disney and Sesame Street, Gala's applied her education in Communications and Cinema Studies to deep engagement with younger students. Based in Dubai, Gala's served as an international educator at several private American schools, teaching students, implementing new educational policies, and developing school curricula. Gala draws on her colorful history to engage and educate students with any interest or background.
Paula T.
As a dual Rise and Core Strategist, Paula brings a wealth of expertise on US university admissions to the Rise team. Alongside her Crimson work, Paula is an active volunteer with NGO Liter of Light and a passionate advocate for social justice, combining these passions with her background in Child and Adolescent Mental Health to make a difference in children's lives, preparing them not only for admissions but also to positively impact their world.
Julia B.
Julia joins us from a four-year stint with Outward Bound, where she trained in experiential learning, using the outdoors as her classroom. She also served as an SAT tutor and counselor for international high schoolers visiting the US, gaining familiarity with the rigors of US admissions and candidacy preparation. Julia brings extensive experience teaching goal-planning, time management, and holistic growth to her work with Rise.
Meet our tutors and mentors
In addition to our Strategists, the Rise team includes 90+ tutors and mentors who deliver 1:1 tutoring for Rise students and instruction on Crimson's extracurricular courses designed for 11-14 year-olds.
Entrepreneurs, athletes, published authors, and much more, these tutors are top performers in their fields and serve as inspirations as well as subject coaches for our Rise students!
Michael
Michael graduated from Harvard University with a B.A. in Philosophy and Government.
As a high schooler, Michael was involved in student government as his class president and school-wide vice-president. He was also the senior editor of his literary magazine, vice president of his school's chapter of the National Honor Society, a member of Key Club and Drama Club, and a varsity football and track athlete.
With Rise, Michael instructs our 1:1 courses for Entrepreneurship and Speech and Debate.
Audrey
A scholar and musician from the USA, Audrey has studied music, East Asian studies, politics, and communication.
After winning a Watson Fellowship, Audrey launched a yearlong, self-designed project surveying musical manifestations of multiculturalism in China, Indonesia, and Turkey, continuing with a fully funded PhD program in ethnomusicology at Harvard.
Audrey instructs Crimson Rise students through 1:1 Speech & Debate, Social Entrepreneurship, and Foundation ECL courses.
Chibudom
Chibudom is pursuing a BSc in Computer Science at University of Warwick, having earned an English Baccalaureate for GCSE and achieved 10 A*s and 2 As. She also took the International Baccalaureate during sixth form, building a wealth of subject-specific knowledge she now tutors students in.
Chibudom instructs Crimson Rise students via English, Spanish, Math, General Science, and Physics tutoring as well as the 1:1 Coding course.
Talvin
Talvin is a Molecular Biology student at UCL, Vice President of Projects at Consulting Society, and a member of the Entrepreneurs and Free Hype societies. Talvin placed in the top 3rd percentile for his Coding A-level.
With a broad interest in STEM and academic interests in Artificial Intelligence, disease, and immune response, he inspires students to find passion in their studies.
Talvin instructs Crimson Rise students through Biology and Chemistry tutoring as well as the 1:1 Coding course.
Taylor
Taylor is a seasoned Crimson ECL Mentor. She studied Near Eastern Studies at Princeton, earning a certificate in History and Practice of Diplomacy, serving the equestrian and sailing teams, and acting as a News Writer for the Daily Princetonian.
In high school, Taylor was a theatre performer, varsity golf co-captain, and founding officer of her school's chapter of Junior Civitan International.
Taylor instructs Crimson Rise students via the 1:1 Entrepreneurship and Foundation ECL courses.
Quinton
Quinton dove headfirst into NYU CAS’s core computer science courses and NYU Steinhardt's "Teaching of Computer Science" course.
Before deciding to teach full time, he worked as a Software Developer at QTUltrasound, a medical device company in the SF Bay Area. Quinton is also the creator of Nostlan, an app that has thousands of active users and 330 stars on Github.
Quinton instructs Crimson Rise students via the 1:1 Coding course.
Eric
Eric is studying at Columbia University, double majoring in Economics and Political Science with interests in Venture Capital and Public Policy. He is a Committee Director for Columbia Model United Nations and an Assistant Scoutmaster in Boy Scouts of America; Eric also helps blind people run road races and is an avid rock climber, hiker, and backcountry skier.
Eric instructs Crimson Rise students via 1:1 Entrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneurship, Speech & Debate, and Foundation ECL courses.
Eva
Eva graduated from Princeton’s Department of Molecular Biology summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa and first in the course.
Currently a medical student in Cambridge’s Graduate Medicine course, Eva has served as a healthcare volunteer, a peer academic advisor, and an undergraduate course assistant. She has delved into neuroscience, mathematics, and public policy and supports Rise students as an ECL Foundation Mentor, preparing them to build leadership projects in high school.
Claire
Claire is an undergraduate at Princeton University. When she’s not studying policy in the School of Public and International Affairs, she spends her time acting and producing student theatre on campus and editing news articles for The Daily Princetonian.
Claire was involved with debate and political advocacy in high school and presently works for an affordable housing non-profit.Claire instructs Rise students as an English & Social Studies tutor as well as through several 1:1 Rise courses.