Our Tutors

A random sampling of our 60+ tutors...

Steve Gretz

[SAT & ACT, General Subjects]

A Bergen County native, Steve is a working musician with a   wide creative streak and an offbeat sense of humor. He specializes in SAT prep and armchair political punditry. Steve has a B.S. in Marketing Management from Grove City College; he is currently a full-time tutor.

Ken Markham

[SAT & ACT, Math, Science]

Ken now resides in NJ having taken the long road here via jobs in Holland, Zimbabwe, Australia and India. Apparently he was trying to find his way home, but got confused between Newark, NJ and Newark, UK. Ken specializes in Math and Sciences, and Standardized Tests, but can easily be diverted into discussions on literature, poetry and motorcycle racing.

He is a professionally registered mechanical & production engineer, with an MBA from Aston University in the UK.

Ranita Pekarsky

[SAT & ACT]

Ranita grew up in Bergen County. She is currently working towards her Ph.D. in school and clinical psychology. She has received her B.A. in Psychology from Brandeis University and a Masters of Arts in general and clinical psychology from New York University. She is currently a full-time tutor for BrainStorm.

Kristen Reidlinger

[SAT & ACT]

Kristen was born in New York City, but has lived in Ramsey for most of her life. Her hobbies include reading, cooking, playing games, learning new things, drinking tea, and shopping. She loves rock and roll, and her dog is one of her favorite people. Kristen currently works as a part time tutor for BrainStorm.

Anna Scanlan

[SAT Verbal]

Anna has lived in Wyckoff for the past thirteen years and is a graduate of Ramapo High School. She enjoys running, reading and traveling. Anna is a recent alumna of Emory University in Atlanta, GA where she received a bachelor of arts degree in psychology. She is currently pursuing a master's in social work at Hunter College in New York City. Anna is a part-time tutor for BrainStorm.

Janine Tokarski

[K-6 All Subjects, History, SAT Verbal]

Janine was born and raised in Bergen County. She enjoys going to the beach, reading a great book, and is currently taking Ballroom & Latin dance lessons. She has a Bachelors degree in Education/ History from Southeastern University, and is working on a Masters Degree in History at Montclair State University. Janine is currently a full time History Teacher at Becton Regional High School.

Jack Grimes

[SAT/ACT, Poly. Sci/US Gov/Philosophy]

Jack Grimes is a Tufts University alum (go Jumbos!) with B.A.'s in Philosophy & Political Science. A NJ native, Jack is a highly sought-after tutor of standardized tests and humanities subjects.

Kristen Lindstrom

[Biology & Organizational/Study Skills]

Kristen is a Ramsey native a currently teaches Biology full-time at Pascack Valley HS. She graduated from Rutgers U. with an Animal Science degree and is currently pursuing an M.S. in Education. She says her love of music is "all-encompassing," as is her love of animals-- she has owned guinea pigs, snakes, fish, horses, rabbits, dogs, and various other "critters." She currently tutors for BrainStorm part-time.

Kyla Gizzi

[SAT & ACT, General Subjects]

Kyla was born in Brooklyn, raised in Waldwick, and is back in the area after spending four years in Chicago, where she attended Northwestern University and received her B.A. in Art History and European Studies. She is currently working towards her M.A. in Costume Studies at New York University, and is trying to figure out how she can spend the rest of her life as a student. She enjoys traveling, learning about art, and shopping. Kyla is a part-time tutor for BrainStorm.

Andrew Maryniuk

[SAT & ACT, General Subjects]

While a Bostonite by upbringing, Andrew is the scion of a long line of Bergen County luminaries and is now happily settled back in his old hometown of Franklin Lakes, surrounded by family.  He's a good listener, a heck of a proofreader, a die-hard creative type, a deft SAT taker, and hopes to never, ever stop learning.  Andrew graduated in 2007 from Union College with a B.A. in Anthropology.

Christian Gonzalez

[SAT & ACT, General Subjects]

Christian is a writer, director and actor.  He has produced several shows off-Broadway and tours with his troupe, Splinter. Christian also tours internationally as an artist lecturer and social activist.  He has a B.A. From Fordham University in American Studies with a concentration in Philosophy and Visual Arts.

Sean Faulkner

[SAT & ACT, General Subjects]

Sean is a world traveler. He was born in Japan, raised in Passaic, and has volunteered with the Peace Corps in Micronesia. Sean traveled to Africa and hopes to do pursue a Master's Degree in Kenya within the upcoming years. He has a heart for serving, teaching, and helping in any way he can. With a BA in Social Work he specializes in motivating students to realize the significance of their education and take the necessary steps to succeed. Sean can help in tutoring Math, English, and/or Ping-Pong.

Yi-Fen S. Li

[SAT & ACT, General Subjects]

Yi-Fen grew up in North Jersey and graduated from Brown. In addition to working at a competitive intelligence consulting firm, she lifeguards and tutors part-time. Her interests include the arts, the beach, culture, food, sun, swimming, travel and working out.

Jenny Lederer

[SAT & ACT, General Subjects]

Jenny is a Midwesterner who was raised in the rural cornfields of Michigan, lived in Chicago for a decade, and relocated to Mahwah with her "local" husband in 1994. She is a full-time elementary school teacher who is certified to teach English through 12th grade. She is currently completing a Masters in Liberal Studies. She loves growth...whether it is in knowledge, art, music, or in her year-round flower pots.

Cheryl Anderson

[General Subjects (Elementary-High School), Verbal SAT]

Cheryl, devoted to raising her four sons, ages 6 to 16, thrives on the energy, challenges and life lessons she greets. Her home is filled with warmth, pranks, smelly cleats and a lively kitchen!  Cheryl received Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Delaware, and furthered her education with Montessori Training.  Her love for children and continued learning is contagious!

Eric Wieghaus

[SAT & ACT]

Eric is a Boston College graduate with a B.A. in History, and will be pursuing a graduate degree in the field of law. When he's not tutoring, which he does full-time for BrainStorm, he loves to play sports, travel, read, and listen to music.

Corinne Cricco

[SAT & ACT, General Subjects]

Corinne is a Bergen County native but has been living in Hoboken for the past two years. She received her BA in Psychology and specialized in Pre-Medicine and Behavioral Analysis at Rowan University. She is currently working towards finishing her MS in Neuroscience and Education from Teachers College- Columbia University and finding the motivation to finish her medical school applications. Corinne enjoys cooking, traveling, tutoring and spending time with her loved ones.

Tim Murphy

[SAT, ACT, GRE, Chemistry, and Math]

Tim holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry and economics from Holy Cross and a master's degree in education from Penn State.  A graduate of Don Bosco Prep, he was a member of the cross country and track teams. He continued his competitive running in college and periodically runs in local road races.  Among his other interests are golf, basketball, and sudoku. Tim currently teaches chemistry at Parsippany High School and tutors for BrainStorm on a part-time basis.

Heather Foldessy

[SAT & ACT Verbal; Study Skills]

Heather grew up in Allendale and now lives in Manhattan.  She majored in English and Communications at Villanova University and has her MBA in Marketing from Iona College’s Hagan School of Business.  She also has a Master’s Certificate from Villanova University in Applied Project Management.  Heather is an avid Iona College basketball fan and a follower of Penn State football and volleyball.  Favorite pastimes include teaching art to children, international travel, current events, pumpkin picking, and holiday decorating.  Heather is a part-time tutor for BrainStorm.

Jennifer D'Elia

[SAT, ACT & COOP]

Jen, a Saddle River native, graduated from the University of Scranton with a degree in Philosophy.  She is currently a Realtor with Coldwell Banker in Allendale.  In her free time, she can usually be found drinking tea, reading, running, playing guitar, attempting to teach herself how to play the drums, learning random trivia, planning her next adventure, or doing crossword puzzles.

Ashwin Nariani

[SAT, ACT, ASVAB, Math, Sciences, History]

Ashwin graduated from George Washington University with a BA in Psychology. He is a very dynamic and animated individual with a passion for learning. He is looking to utilize his unique experiences and numerous interests to establish a strong base for teaching