Alex Lipoff
Founder & Tutor
Founder of GiftEd Philly, Alex Lipoff has become one of the most sought-after tutors and academic consultants in Philadelphia. Alex began his career in education in post-Katrina New Orleans, where he worked to develop effective STEM after-school programming, and became active in delivering educational services to students in underserved communities. He later worked as a teacher at a private boarding school in Princeton, NJ where he taught English literature, creative writing, and discussion-based seminar courses. Alex is a trained psychotherapist and educator who uses his background in both fields to help students understand the connection between how they feel and how they learn.
Brandon Miller
Tutor
Brandon Miller began tutoring when he was in the 7th grade in rural West Tennessee. However, it wasn’t until he was in his last year at The University of Virginia that he knew he wanted to dedicate his life to educating youth. Since graduating from UVA, he has taught in the School District of Philadelphia for over 13 years, earned his master’s and doctorate from The University of Pennsylvania, where he continues to teach courses on education. Brandon uses his continued experience teaching in high schools everyday and his connection to the most respected and contemporary research on educational practices to create a welcoming learning environment for all his students.
Natasha Labbé
Tutor
Natasha began tutoring others in 9th grade in Boston, Massachusetts. She always knew that her heart belonged to instructing young people, especially after teaching a media literacy course to middle-schoolers in her junior year at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Natasha went on to join Teach For America, teaching in Philadelphia Charter schools, while attending the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. Natasha currently teaches Middle and Upper school Latin at Germantown Friends School. Although Natasha’s first love is building relationships with students, she dedicates a lot of time and love to reading, caring for her urban oasis, and traveling.
Cait Fellmeth
Tutor
Cait has been passionate about working with children for as long as she can remember. She graduated from Penn State with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and began her teaching career in Philadelphia. Her experience inspired her to pursue a Master’s degree in Special Education and a certification as an ESL instructor. She has been teaching for nearly a decade with experience in Kindergarten through fourth grade, including Learning and Autistic support. She currently teaches in the Lower Moreland Township School District in a Kindergarten inclusion classroom.
Andrew Friedman
Tutor
Andrew currently works at a market research company in Center City, Philadelphia and Bala Cynwyd, PA. Andrew received his Bachelor of Arts from Lehigh University, where he studied both Commercial Real Estate and Global Studies. Andrew is a results-based tutor who tailors his approach to meet the needs of his students. Having been heavily involved in both clubs and sports at The Haverford School, Andrew understands the difficulty that students face in time management and organization.
Molly Rothschild
Tutor
Molly began tutoring when she was in elementary school and has continued working with young people ever since. She has experience working with all age groups, from elementary school students to adult learners. Molly earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Tufts University and began her teaching career in Nyamata, Rwanda, where she worked teaching English and literature at an all-girls secondary school. She then earned her Masters of Science in Education from Johns Hopkins University while beginning her career with DC Public Schools. Molly is currently an English teacher in DC and a third-year fellow of the Urban Teachers Program. In her free time she enjoys reading, running, and spending time with her family.
Chanel Ward
Tutor
Chanel began her career in education in Philadelphia, where she was raised as a child. Chanel served as an elementary school teacher and as a school leader for a decade before joining faculty at Relay Graduate School of Education, where she currently teaches General Pedagogy and Elementary Methods to graduate students. Chanel is eager and excited about tutoring because while she deeply enjoys working with adult learners, her first love is in driving academic and socioemotional outcomes with children. Before becoming an educator, Chanel went to Barnard College of Columbia University, earning her Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies; later, she completed her Master of Science in Education at University of Pennsylvania. Chanel teaches from the heart and enjoys travel, scuba diving, and the arts.
Luke Reitz
Tutor
Luke currently teaches fifth grade English Language Arts at a progressive charter school in North Philadelphia. He began his teaching career three years ago at a turn-around charter school in Camden, NJ. Luke earned his Master of Arts in Teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education, and his Bachelor of Arts in Geography & Urban Studies, and Spanish Literature, from Temple University. Luke has spent over a decade working with K-12 students, and his time at Temple built his passion for working towards educational equity. Luke has taught a myriad of elementary content, from early phonics to young adult literature. In his free time he loves hiking, camping, traveling with his wife, and playing bass in bands of all genres.
Janine Pierantozzi
Tutor
Janine currently is an Elementary Reading Specialist at a charter school in West Philadelphia. She is originally from New York, where she completed her undergraduate studies in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education with a concentration in Spanish at The State University of NY at New Paltz. Janine began her teaching career in 2012 in Camden, NJ where she was a lead Preschool teacher and model classroom with the district for 3 years. Following that, she taught Kindergarten for two years in West Philadelphia until she transitioned into her new role as a Reading Specialist in August, 2017. Janine earned her Master’s of Education in Reading, Writing, and Literacy, along with her Reading Specialist certification in 2017 from The University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. Janine has traveled extensively working with nonprofits and supporting with literacy related work in both Uganda and Guatemala. Janine is passionate about issues related to education equity, critical literacy pedagogy, and early literacy development. She is also a part time writer with an Educational Consulting agency where she writes literacy curriculum. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, traveling, and being outside, biking, running, and hiking with her dog Marlo.
Julie Wilen
Tutor
Julie is a proud graduate of The University of Maryland, where she earned her bachelor's degree in Education. She holds certifications in Middle School Math, Elementary Education, and Special Education. After a few years of teaching math to middle school students, she saw the inherent value of supporting all levels and types of learners so she earned a Master's degree in Special Education from Arcadia University. Julie taught in the traditional school setting for ten years, but now focuses her efforts on working with GiftEd, where she is able to apply her extensive knowledge of diverse learning abilities and instructional solutions. Her ideal learning environment includes purposefully planned creativity for her students where a typically objective subject like math can come alive in fun and relatable ways. Julie and her husband reside in Philadelphia with their adorable twins, Sloane and Jesse, and can always be found having fun and making family memories.
Kelly Najdawi
Tutor
Kelly is currently the K-12 English Language Arts Curriculum Specialist at Renaissance Academy in Phoenixville, PA. She graduated from West Chester University in 2008, earning a Bachelor of Science in Education with a Middle School English Language Arts Certification. Her teaching career began in 2008 as the seventh and eighth grade English Language Arts teacher. While teaching, Kelly earned the role of Upper School English Language Arts Curriculum Leader, and then in 2016, she transitioned to her current role as the K-12 English Language Arts Curriculum Specialist. Kelly’s true passion in teaching lies in the moments of collaboration and engagement where the best critical thinking is developed. Her current position allows her to work with students of all ages as well as teachers of all grades and courses. This daily connection to the curriculum, students, and teachers allows Kelly to keep her finger on the pulse education, curriculum, and best practices in an ever-changing field. Kelly is a lifetime resident of Radnor and currently resides in Wayne with her husband, where she can be found taking her Dalmatian, Tomhanks, for a walk, or renovating her 1889 historical home.
Maggie Economos
Tutor
Maggie is currently a Special Education Kindergarten teacher in Northern Delaware. She obtained her Elementary Education Bachelor’s degree and Masters in School Leadership at Wilmington University. She is certified to teach K-6th grade General Education and K-12th grade Special Education. She is originally from Lewes, Delaware, where she led a preschool classroom for three years and then an Inclusion Kindergarten classroom for an additional three years. Maggie is highly dedicated to her students, as she is engaged in supporting clubs at her school such as Girls on the Run and Optimist Club. She uses creativity and determination to find what works for all of her students, and will do the same for yours! In her free time, she enjoys hiking, running, and traveling.
Gabmara Álvarez-Spychalski
Tutor
Gabbie Álvarez-Spychalski always knew her passion was working with and supporting children. She graduated from The Ohio State University with her Bachelor's in Spanish and Master's in Foreign and Second Language Education. She began her career with Columbus City Schools, before moving to the greater Philadelphia area. With 15 years of teaching experience, she has spent the last 8 working at The Baldwin School where she serves as a Spanish Teacher, Grade 7 Dean, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Co- Chair. As an educator, Gabbie leads with warmth and empathy.
Shay Reitz
Tutor
Shay has served as an educator for nearly a decade--as a teacher, instructional coach, instructional leader, and consultant. She has taught World Languages and Science to Middle and High School students, and has coached teachers in every subject area. Shay also runs a coaching and consulting business focusing on professional and academic outcomes. She builds strong connections with students, families, and teachers in order to understand their personal and professional goals and reach them together. Coming from a place of empathy and understanding, Shay listens to each individual's needs and tailors a clear and manageable path forward. Shay believes in authentic, differentiated instruction that is responsive to student growth areas and strengths. Shay is an alumnus of Temple University ('12) where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in French and Geography and Urban Studies, and the University of Pennsylvania ('14) where she earned her Master of Science in Urban Education. This Fall, Shay has earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Arcadia University ('20), specializing in adult learning theory. She uses her research skills and educational background to stay abreast of evidence-based practices and deliver strong content and learning opportunities for all clients.