Meet our Team of Instructors & Tutors
Elizabeth
My name is Elizabeth and along with being the owner and founder of Illini Tutoring, I am the director of our programs for academic coaching and college app essay writing.
I've worked with middle school, high school, and college students for over 13 years. Currently my focus is on helping students learn how to express their fullest, most authentic selves so that they can find success in school, career, and life. I've helped over 1,000 students get better grades, get into college, and gain confidence in themselves.
I emphasize that there's nothing wrong with my students. School is very hard for students, for reasons beyond hard classes and GPA's. Students today are experiencing incredible anxiety, burn out, mental health problems, and uncertainty about the future. I work to affirm and validate my students so that they realize their value and worth, no matter what's happening at school. When students feel safe and supported, they can take concrete steps towards managing their anxiety, building their study skills, and improving their relationships with themself, their teachers and friends. Students gradually become more reliant on themselves as they learn to trust themselves and how to ask for help as they work toward their academic goals, which is why my programs in academic coaching and writing tutoring work!
I love working with students because I love helping other people realize that, yes, they really are able to reach their goals and build the life they want!
I work with students in-person and by Zoom Mondays-Fridays 1:30PM-6:30PM CST. I also see a limited number of students on Sunday afternoons for a premium rate.
I've worked with middle school, high school, and college students for over 13 years. Currently my focus is on helping students learn how to express their fullest, most authentic selves so that they can find success in school, career, and life. I've helped over 1,000 students get better grades, get into college, and gain confidence in themselves.
I emphasize that there's nothing wrong with my students. School is very hard for students, for reasons beyond hard classes and GPA's. Students today are experiencing incredible anxiety, burn out, mental health problems, and uncertainty about the future. I work to affirm and validate my students so that they realize their value and worth, no matter what's happening at school. When students feel safe and supported, they can take concrete steps towards managing their anxiety, building their study skills, and improving their relationships with themself, their teachers and friends. Students gradually become more reliant on themselves as they learn to trust themselves and how to ask for help as they work toward their academic goals, which is why my programs in academic coaching and writing tutoring work!
I love working with students because I love helping other people realize that, yes, they really are able to reach their goals and build the life they want!
I work with students in-person and by Zoom Mondays-Fridays 1:30PM-6:30PM CST. I also see a limited number of students on Sunday afternoons for a premium rate.
Elizabeth currently works with students on college application essay writing, college app essay writing, and advanced math tutoring. She created Illini Tutoring in August 2010.
Taso
I am the co-owner and a full-time tutor of Illini Tutoring. I am also the Test Prep director. I have been teaching privately for 13 years. I studied Chemistry and Music Composition at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. I am also a certified EFL teacher.
I work primarily with students who are preparing for the ACT, SAT, and PSAT, SSAT and I also work with students who need help in their math classes. I really enjoy tutoring students for the ACT, SAT, and PSAT because these tests are important for admissions. How well a student does on the SAT or ACT can help determine where they'll go to college. It can also help when applying for scholarships. Helping students with these high stakes tests is challenging and extremely rewarding. I love helping students find strategies that will work for them - my job is to help them reach their full potential.
I like running, watching and playing soccer, basketball, and a lot of other sports. I also play piano. I speak English, Greek and a little Spanish. My wife, Elizabeth, and I have two children.
I think I have the best job in the world because I work with some of the best kids and young adults in the world. I always look forward to meeting new students.
I work primarily with students who are preparing for the ACT, SAT, and PSAT, SSAT and I also work with students who need help in their math classes. I really enjoy tutoring students for the ACT, SAT, and PSAT because these tests are important for admissions. How well a student does on the SAT or ACT can help determine where they'll go to college. It can also help when applying for scholarships. Helping students with these high stakes tests is challenging and extremely rewarding. I love helping students find strategies that will work for them - my job is to help them reach their full potential.
I like running, watching and playing soccer, basketball, and a lot of other sports. I also play piano. I speak English, Greek and a little Spanish. My wife, Elizabeth, and I have two children.
I think I have the best job in the world because I work with some of the best kids and young adults in the world. I always look forward to meeting new students.
Taso is our Test Prep Director. He helps students prepare for the ACT, SAT, PSAT, and SSAT. He has been with Illini Tutoring since August 2011.
Sam
My passion for teaching and educating others goes as far back as I can remember. Throughout my years at school, I was always a student that others would approach if they did not understand a topic or wanted to know more about it. This was due to my patience and genuine desire to help them do better and improve themselves. This is how my relationship with many of my closest friends began.
While I knew that I wanted to be involved in helping others and making the future better, I entered the University of Illinois unsure of how to best do this. After a variety of experiences in both engineering and education, I decided that receiving my teaching certification would be the best way to allow me to help others in the future. My certification endorses me in all of the high school sciences: chemistry, physics, biology, earth science, and environmental science. I also have several years of experience working as a professional math tutor on material ranging from basic addition to calculus ll.
In my spare time, I enjoy playing soccer. I enjoy working as a team to accomplish our goals and watching the team grow over time as we improve both our individual skills and our ability to work with each other. I coach soccer in my free time as another way for me to help students live a balanced life and hopefully find something they can be passionate about.
I want to use my time here at Illini Tutoring to help students improve themselves in both the classroom and beyond. I believe that learning is a lifelong endeavor that rewards us as we turn every corner. I am excited to be able to work one on one with students in order to best address their needs and help them begin to see how awesome learning can be.
While I knew that I wanted to be involved in helping others and making the future better, I entered the University of Illinois unsure of how to best do this. After a variety of experiences in both engineering and education, I decided that receiving my teaching certification would be the best way to allow me to help others in the future. My certification endorses me in all of the high school sciences: chemistry, physics, biology, earth science, and environmental science. I also have several years of experience working as a professional math tutor on material ranging from basic addition to calculus ll.
In my spare time, I enjoy playing soccer. I enjoy working as a team to accomplish our goals and watching the team grow over time as we improve both our individual skills and our ability to work with each other. I coach soccer in my free time as another way for me to help students live a balanced life and hopefully find something they can be passionate about.
I want to use my time here at Illini Tutoring to help students improve themselves in both the classroom and beyond. I believe that learning is a lifelong endeavor that rewards us as we turn every corner. I am excited to be able to work one on one with students in order to best address their needs and help them begin to see how awesome learning can be.
Sam is a certified science teacher and he specializes in all levels of math through calculus II, physics, and high school chemistry. He has been with Illini Tutoring since May 2018.
Want to see your face on this page?
If you have the gift of teaching math and science, apply to join our team!
