Ashley started tutoring when she was in 10th grade and ever since then, she has continued the passion of sharing her knowledge. She joined YDM as a tutor to help students understand math concepts, overcome fears related to math as a subject, and make learning math easier & more fun. An interesting fact about Ashley is, that when she was pursuing her Master’s degree in Ireland, she was a movie cast “extra” and got to be part of the Game of Thrones series, the Vikings series, and the movie Normal People! Ashley now lives in San Jose, California along with her husband. Maybe Hollywood will be her next stop!

Brian is a graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in Packaging Science. Brian has substantial experience in tutoring & mentoring and also has his own nonprofit, the Brian Forte Foundation. Brian played a big part in helping YDM become established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and served on our founding board of directors. In his spare time, he enjoys mentoring youth, running, and reading.

Clement is currently a sophomore in high school and strives to be an electrical/aerospace engineer. In his free time he enjoys reading all sorts of books, producing music, learning about new topics and helping others to achieve their goals. As a part of YDM he is excited to use his video editing skills to help promote an important cause!

Hi there, I’m Deepti. By day, I’m a dedicated software engineer, with a master’s degree in Computer Science from Georgia Institute of Technology, but my most cherished role is being a mom to my spirited 4-year-old daughter who keeps me constantly on the move. Beyond motherhood, I find solace in the soothing melodies of Indian classical music, and I’m known to whip up culinary creations that leave my foodie husband delighted. On cozy evenings, you’ll often catch me engrossed in gripping crime dramas, accompanied by a steaming cup of coffee. I’m thrilled to be a part of the YDM team and contribute to their impactful mission.

Edgar is a first-generation Mexican American who grew up in Houston. He’s a Global Scholar student at Lone Star College with plans to further his studies at UT Austin / Rice University, and aspires to earn a PhD degree in Computer Science and Neuroscience. He’s a bilingual speaker as his first and preferable language is Spanish. He’s a known underground music producer that collaborates with successful Mexican/Spanish artists in the Houston/California area in the Mexican Regional genre. Edgar hopes to help and grow the YDM organization, as math is one of his favorite academic subjects and he likes to help those who require assistance when learning new information.

Fun fact: Erin’s very first job was as a math tutor. Based in New Orleans, she has been using her passion for mentorship and volunteering to serve on the board of a local charity. Erin has been using that experience to help YDM’s board of directors, and she played a big part in YDM becoming established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. In her spare time, Erin enjoys hiking, travel, gardening, and learning the ukulele.

Jason is a Clear Lake High School student who enjoys math, coding, and physics. He started competitive math in 6th grade and is a 2-time AIME qualifier. In his plentiful free time, he enjoys coding random Python projects, playing with (harassing) his two siblings, and laughing.

Favorite quote: “You can do anything with Python in 2 lines of code… as long as the first line starts with ‘import'”

Kat joined YDM as a high school senior and dual-enrolled college student majoring in mathematics. After being a math tutor, she authored Math Quick Reference Handbook: Algebra II to Calculus III. In her free time, Kat enjoys ballet, cooking, and playing with her pitbull Everest. Kat helped YDM design its tutoring & academic coaching program, and has also helped us identify student organizations for YDM’s volunteer outreach. Kat continues her studies at Stanford University.

Khoa is currently a student enrolled in Houston Community College to complete his prerequisites prior to transferring to MD Anderson. In his spare time, Khoa enjoys playing his guitar, singing, watching chemical experiments on Youtube, and playing basketball.

My name is Krisha Ruparel and I’m currently a senior at Seven Lakes High School in the Houston area! Some of my passions are art, coaching basketball, and doing karate. I am the Junior Board Treasurer for YDM and have been a part of this amazing nonprofit for over 6 months now. In my free time, I like painting and reading books on investing and behavioral finance. In college, I intend on majoring in finance or applied economics with a specialization in alternative investments such as art galleries and real estate.

Lance is a medical student at the University of Houston College of medicine. In his free time, Lance enjoys weightlifting, watching movies, travel, and playing sports. Lance joined YDM’s outreach team and has helped YDM build community partnerships with other institutions and community leaders. Lance is a proud graduate of Prairie View A&M University and is extremely passionate about seeing people from diverse backgrounds accomplish their dreams.

Fun Fact and quote: Lance’s first job was preparing burgers on a food truck at a marina. “It is not about where you begin, it is about where you finish.”

Mia graduated from Louisiana Tech university with their B.S. in Chemistry and now works as a chemist helping clients apply and analyze chemical data. After tutoring their younger brother and countless students as a teaching assistant, they realized that teaching is something they want to continue for as long as they can. They live in the Houston area with four very animated birds, a lazy cat, and their fiancé. Mia’s hobbies include reading, running, slasher movies, sudoku, and spending time with friends and family.

Michelle is a software engineer, holds a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics from UTSA, and also volunteers for Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council. Michelle speaks English, Spanish and French and her favorite things are Tex-Mex food, music and travelling! She lives in Humble, TX with her 3 children, husband and dog.

Patrick graduated from Georgia Tech with a bachelors degree in chemical engineering before beginning his career, where he has enjoyed actively helping others develop as engineers. As part of the tutoring team at YDM, he has been helping students develop their skills and comfort with math. In his free time, Patrick enjoys reading, hiking and playing Dungeons & Dragons. Patrick also serves on YDM’s Technology Team, which has also helped him to gain some practical experience in another career field as he’s been considering a switch from chemical engineering to a software profession.

Rose studied Mathematics and Neuroscience at Agnes Scott College, followed by graduate studies in Computational and Applied Mathematics at Rice University. She works in software/technology, designing systems and processes to support planning, portfolio optimization, financial analysis, and project execution. Rose has lived and worked in five countries across four continents, and she is passionate about Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. She practices yoga and recreational partner acrobatics, and she also has a cat named Sasha. Rose has helped YDM design its tutoring and academic coaching program.

After a brief 2-year stint as a high school math teacher in Ohio, Ryan realized his passion was in software engineering. Although he is still passionate about math and helping students, he is much happier coding from home with his wife (Alexa) and pug (Bosco) at his side. Ryan loves hiking, playing tennis, team trivia, and especially walking and playing with Bosco. Ryan has helped YDM as a strategic advisor and used his teaching experience to guide the core principles we focused on during our initial tutoring program design.

Sarah is a proud Rice Owl with her undergraduate degree from Rice University in Kinesiology and a double major in theater. She has her clinical doctorate in physical therapy from Texas Woman’s University—Houston and worked as an acute care physical therapist for four years with Harris Health, frequently performing wound care, post-surgical and ICU mobility evaluations, and neonatal developmental evaluations. Sarah is very passionate about advocacy and education, frequently volunteering her time to provide mentorship to students. Having been born in Costa Rica, she enjoys practicing her Spanish, traveling, and learning about various cultures and languages. Her dogs Bo and Blaise are her pride and joy. They all enjoy spending time outdoors. One other fun fact about Sarah is that she led the design of YDM’s logo.

Sharon is a math academic specialist at Michigan State University. She guides the YDM team using her 32 years of experience connecting young people with impactful mentors and academic coaches. Sharon’s many roles have included Director of Mathematics in MSU’s Charles Drew Science Scholars Program, math instructor at MSU’s summer Engineering and Science Success Academy, and tutor liaison for Mask Memorial Academic Coaching Program. Sharon holds degrees in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University and Mathematical Science from Clemson University. Her abundant experience as a supporter of math learners helped YDM design its core program to be student-centered and include the blend of tutoring & academic coaching, which has proven to be highly effective.

Spencer is a proud Arkansas Razorback, where he earned his BA in economics. Spencer later graduated from Harvard Law School, where he focused on business law. While there, he helped teach the first-year course “Principles of Economics” to Harvard freshmen and sophomores. Spencer has a passion for teaching, and he has helped students succeed in the classroom and on high-stakes standardized exams. He currently lives in Houston, TX with his wife Allison, who is pursuing her doctorate of dental surgery.

Stacie holds a bachelor’s degree in Special Education and taught K-4 students for 4 years. She lives in Houston, TX and spends her time raising her 5 young children and doing volunteer work with different organizations such as YDM, Mormon Women for Ethical Government and Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services. She enjoys reading, spending time outside with her husband and kids and exploring Houston.

Thor is an engineer from Rice University. In his spare time he enjoys playing Gaelic football, hiking, and trying to keep his plants alive. He helped YDM design its initial virtual tutoring program.