Meet the Team

Jamie Rodriguez

Jamie is the owner and founder of JBG Educational Group. She began working for one of the leading tutoring companies in New York City and has been tutoring within school systems throughout Massachusetts for the past thirteen years. In addition to running JBG Educational Group, she previously was on faculty at Lasell College and also consults with the Curry College PAL Program (specialty program for students with ADD/ADHD & language based learning disabilities), where she does diagnostic teaching and LD/educational assessments. She attended the honors program at University of Massachusetts Amherst for her undergraduate degree, Columbia University (degree in psychology with a focus on special education) for her Masters, and the College of William and Mary (degree in Counselor Education and Supervision with a focus on multicultural counseling) for her PhD. Jamie is responsible for all inner workings of the company. She handles all inquiries, initial assessments, and referrals of all students, and primarily does the majority of college & private school consulting. In her free time she enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and 5 children.

Sarah Waters

Sarah grew up in Weston Massachusetts and now lives in Medfield with her husband and three children. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a Bachelor of Arts in English. Sarah has held writing and marketing positions in publishing, recruiting, and career counseling firms.

Active on school committees, she recently served on a committee to examine the elementary school day. She was also part of a team who interviewed candidates and chose a new principal for one of Medfield’s elementary schools. She continues to sit on the Superintendent’s advisory council, where she has an opportunity to discuss topics relevant to students of all ages. In her free time, Sarah enjoys spending time with her family.

Kateri Chambers

Kateri Chambers enjoys collaborating with students, parents, teachers, and administrators to integrate student learning and fulfill academic needs. She holds degrees from Johns Hopkins University, Boston University, Peabody Conservatory, and Guildhall School in London. Kateri has been teaching as well as developing curriculum, training, and student support services since 2006. Her current work allows her to better serve her clients by keeping her finger on the pulse in dynamic educational environments.

Rebecca St. Mary

Rebecca grew up in Richmond, Virginia, and moved to Massachusetts to study Marketing, Communications, and Human Behavior at Babson College. After graduation, she spent years in the marketing research and advertising industries, conducting primary research to help organizations better understand their target audiences’ mindsets and connect with them in meaningful ways. Through her work on branding assignments for two Massachusetts universities, she discovered her passion for understanding the college selection and admissions process from both the student and university perspectives. Today, as a college consultant, she enjoys working with students to help them identify their best “fit” for the future and ensure that their unique brand voice comes through in their applications. In her free time, Rebecca enjoys traveling, taking her dog Finley on walks, and spending time with her family and friends.

Colleen Cook

Colleen received her Bachelor of Science in both Psychology and Public Health from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. After graduation, she started working at MEDITECH as an implementation specialist implementing healthcare software for hospitals all over the US. She is also a college ambassador for MEDITECH. Colleen is currently attending Boston University to earn her Masters in Social Work. Throughout her high school, college, and postgraduate years she has worked with children in many different capacities ranging from coaching them in sports, tutoring them in academic subjects, to providing guidance for some of life’s challenges. In her free time, she loves to spend time with family, work out, ski, and travel. One of Colleen’s favorite quotes is: “ The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”- Nelson Mandela

Christina Bolduc

Christina grew up in Guilford, CT and currently resides in Medfield with her husband and three children. She obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in Finance from Providence College in 2003. Christina has worked in business management and bookkeeping roles for over a decade. She has been a voice for pediatric cancer organizations and also volunteers as a religious education instructor. In Christina’s spare time, she loves to spend time with her family, garden and run.

Rachel Horwitz

Rachel attended The University of Rhode Island where she obtained her BA in English Language and Literature. Whether it’s reading through a great new book or exploring the world, Rachel has always loved learning. One of her greatest discoveries was realizing there’s something new to learn every day! Rachel has put that passion for learning to work by helping students achieve their academic potential in many school courses and on the SAT and ACT. She also loves assisting students in developing their college essays and other writing-based assignments. Recently, Rachel has been promoted within JBG to also offer her creativity as our Manager of Marketing and Scholastic Achievement.

Mike Malone

Mike attended Lehigh University and spent years working in the film industry before finding his true passion as a life coach and patient advocate. Mike has worked as a life and relationship coach on the in-patient and outpatient level for over three years and was the program director of a high-end sober living in Los Angeles. He uses a client centered approach to help individuals align with their ideal self professionally, personally and spiritually. Mike has years of personal and professional experience in recovery and spent time working as a mentor for dual-diagnosis clients. As a counselor, he has extensive experience working with adolescents and adults and is currently in clinical training for his Marriage and Family Therapy License at Antioch University in Los Angeles.

Dalena Nguyen

Dalena is a Massachusetts native and earned her bachelor’s degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from Northeastern University. She currently works as a research associate at a biotech company that develops T cell therapies for a variety of diseases, such as cancers and COVID-19. She enjoys travelling, cooking, playing sports, and dancing.

Emily Rubin

Emily Rubin is from New York City. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Comparative Literature from Hamilton College, a Master’s degree in Social Work from Hunter College School of Social Work, and is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (C.P.C.C.). Over the course of her career, Emily has worked at both nonprofit and for-profit organizations as a writer and editor, and she ran her own marketing copywriting consultancy for a number of years. She became a life coach in 2014 and has her own practice helping people of all ages to define and craft their ideal lives.

Emily spends six months of the year living in Oaxaca, Mexico, where she tutors children in English.

Cheryl Baressi

Cheryl Baressi, M.A., C.A.G.S. is a Licensed Educational Psychologist who administers neuropsychological evaluations for students, directs the Center for Self-Regulation and Resiliency, consults regularly with teachers and parents, and facilitates the special education team process. Her work with students is focused on building executive functioning skills including self-regulation, flexibility, planning and organizational skills, and study skills. Cheryl has spoken at conferences sponsored by Harvard’s School of Education Research Institute for Learning and Development about the executive function initiative which she has spearheaded at school. She has worked with Sarah Ward and was responsible for integrating The Zones of Regulation Program into the school culture. Cheryl has created webinars for parents on the subjects of raising a resilient child and implementation of the Zones of Regulation Program in the home setting. She has presented professional development to school staff, including An Anxiety Informed School based on Jessica Minahan’s work, author of The Behavior Code. Cheryl has an M.A. in Psychology and M.B.A. from Boston University and a C.A.G.S. in School Psychology from the University of Massachusetts.

Christina Skeldon

Christina graduated from Quinnipiac University with her Bachelors degree in Psychology and New York University with her Masters degree in School Counseling. After graduating, she worked in college admissions at a university in Boston. After this, she combined her passion for helping youth in a social/emotional capacity with her love for college admissions and became a Guidance Counselor at a local High School. She currently works for JBG as a College Consultant and Executive Functioning coach, pulling from both her experience and education to create and implement an individualized plan for each client.Christina grew up on Long Island, New York and currently resides on the South Shore of Massachusetts with her husband and two sons. In her free time, she likes to cook, run and have fun with her boys!

Josh Krill

Josh is a graduate of Brandeis University, where he studied physics, math, and Arabic. He resides in Boston. Besides physics, Josh enjoys many scientific disciplines, as well as history and languages. In addition to speaking conversational Arabic, he speaks Spanish and is learning Portuguese. As his father and grandmother were both teachers, Josh inherited their shared love of imparting knowledge onto others, and is excited to continue to do so. Josh enjoys travel, playing rugby, and spending time with family, friends, and his dog.

Goutam Sudhir

Goutam was raised in Mansfield, MA and currently lives in Franklin. In 2016 he graduated from Brandeis University with a BA in mathematics and economics during which he tutored a number of high school students in Geometry, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, and physics. After graduating, he spent two years working at Fidelity Investments as well as a boutique film studio. He is currently a Master of Science in Business Analytics candidate at Bentley University. In his spare time he likes to play soccer, basketball, kayak, hike, travel, and read.

Don Allison

Don Allison holds a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Mount Ida College, as well as a bachelor’s in finance and accounting from Villanova University. He has spent a lifetime in education and learning, and has a taught and tutored a wide array of subjects, including his current position as a Biology teacher at Notre Dame High School in Boston.

In addition, Don was an Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathology instructor at the Cortiva Institute in Boston for several years. He has also taught accounting, finance, computer science, sports marketing, and writing, among other subjects. He also volunteers as an ESL tutor and business mentor for low income families in Boston. His two dogs, Bowie and Nova, keep him busy during his off hours.

Vinesha Baker

Vinesha Baker was born in Brooklyn, NY, but has lived in Boston, MA for most of her childhood. Vinesha is a graduate of Columbia University in the City of New York, where she majored in Art History. While attending Columbia, she joined Peer Health Exchange as a Health Educator to teach health topics to ninth graders in New York City Public Schools. Vinesha first began tutoring in high school and has continued beyond college. She believes that every child can succeed in life if they are given an environment that fosters to their particular learning style. She has worked with the Math/Science UMass-Nobles Upward Bound Program for the past five years teaching math, tutoring students in other subject areas, and advising students through the college application process. Vinesha has recently become the Assistant Director of the program and loves that she can continue to help kids reach their academic goals. Outside of work, Vinesha enjoys oil painting, film-and-darkroom photography and visiting as many new art exhibits and galleries as possible!

Whitney Chandler

Whitney Chandler graduated from Michigan State University in May with an Animal Science Degree. She is originally from Needham, MA and is living there as she builds a resume for medical school. She excelled in all science classes throughout high school and college as well as psychology, maths, and grant writing. She led many study groups in her academic career and loves to spread the wealth of knowledge through helping kids of all ages learn. During her time at MSU she raised a puppy for Leader Dogs for the Blind and was involved in many other clubs. Her interests include watching sports, hiking, snowboarding, fishing, and traveling. She is organized, adventurous, compassionate, and driven and enjoys helping students build confidence and succeed.

Anais Karamousayan

Anais is from Natick, MA. She is currently a full time nursing student at MCPHS University in Boston. Anais will be graduating in spring of 2022 with an BA in Nursing and a minor in Psychology. She hopes to become a travel nurse and work in different locations internationally.

She is dedicated to the medical field and, eventually, would like to further her degree. Anais has a passion for learning and working with kids. She has worked as a personal care assistant for children with disabilities and has also been a nanny for many families. In her free time she likes to travel, spend time with her family, and be outdoors.

Reece Rivera

Reece was raised in the small town of Waterford in the central valley of California, and later attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), graduating with a B.S. in Computer Science Engineering and a concentration in Ancient and Medieval Studies. Each summer since 2014, he’s helped teach calculus to incoming freshmen of all backgrounds at MIT. Outside of that, he has tutored students from the middle school to high school level in math, history, and the sciences. Other than tutoring, he enjoys visiting museums (art and history), building computers (smaller the better), and playing tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons.

Tracey Kelly

Tracey grew up in Montgomery, MA and now lives with her husband and two children in Natick. Tracey graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Interpersonal Communications. After graduating, Tracey worked in the publishing industry in various positions including Marketing, Sales, and Events. In Tracey’s spare time she loves to go to the gym, garden, and spend time with her family and friends.

Erin Heffernan

Erin Heffernan is a third-generation resident of Scituate, MA. A graduate of Boston College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, she is a published author and journalist. She was the chief editor of Wheelock Magazine at Wheelock College before the College merged with Boston University. As a chief editor, she disseminated the College’s mission to improve the lives of children and families through education and social justice. Erin is now a ghostwriter of novels and memoirs and a mentor and guide to students writing college application essays. She contends that life is a journey, and to every journey there is a story. Erin is also a professional photographer and enjoys time spent with friends and family, especially her three children.

Robbie Trocchia

Robbie Trocchia was born and raised on the Jersey Shore and currently lives in Brooklyn, NY. He received his Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from Vassar College. After working in museums and restaurants for the past 7 years, he is excited to be returning to tutoring. You can find him reading on the subway, dancing with friends, hiking upstate and spending time with his family on the beach.

Karima Jackson

Karima Jackson is a New York native; she was born and raised in Harlem and has been living in Brooklyn for the past 5 years. She graduated from Columbia University in 2013 with a Bachelors in Latin American and Caribbean Studies with an Anthropology focus. While in undergrad she tutored high schoolers with the Double Discovery Upward Bound Program as well as taught history and dance classes. She also served as co-coordinator for MyNYC, a mentoring initiative in which Columbia students supported students through their college application process. Karima has always had a love of learning, and a passion for making information accessible. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching documentaries, listening to podcasts and making friends with every animal that crosses her path.

Cathy Farinacci

Cathy grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts and currently resides in Medfield with her husband and two children. She graduated from the College of the Holy Cross with a B. A. in Mathematics and Babson College with an MBA. She held numerous positions in Finance in large corporations before taking time off to raise her family. She most recently worked for Sturbridge Growth Partners as a Controller.
In her free time, Cathy enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family, friends, and dog.

Valda Gabriel

Valda Gabriel is a graduate from Lesley University, Cambridge MA. She was born in the beautiful Caribbean island of Dominica and moved to Boston 22 years ago. Upon arriving to the US she began working in the field of early childhood education and has developed a passion for the field and for teaching.

She believes that each child is an individual and is capable of learning. She also believes that she can make a difference in a child’s life and will continue to dedicate her time and skills to help every child succeed.

Abe Winterscheidt

Abe Winterscheidt graduated from Boston University in August 2022 with his MA in Economics and holds a BA in Economics and Government from the College of William & Mary. Beyond his degree work, he has a strong background in mathematics, chemistry, and a variety of other subjects. In his free time Abe is an author and photographer. The son of two teachers, he’s developed a strong sense of curiosity and a constant desire to pursue knowledge that he hopes to impart to others the way his parent have onto him.

Olivia Pijanowski

Olivia was raised in West Roxbury, MA, and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, earning her B.S. in Psychology Neuroscience. Since graduating, Olivia has been working at Massachusetts General Hospital and is currently a clinical research coordinator involved in research studies for individuals who have ALS. Additionally, she is currently finishing up a Masters in Biomedical Science at Tufts University. In her free time, Olivia enjoys going to spin class, yoga, watching live music and spending time outside!

Jack Levinson

Jack Levinson was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, where he currently resides. He received his Bachelor of Arts in English from Vassar College, where he also studied Art History and Political Science. Jack has worked as a 10th and 11th grade English teacher and also taught a course called College Readiness, a remedial class designed to help students tap into their talents and skills as they approached the college application process. He also has extensive experience working as a copywriter, with clients in a wide range of industries including art galleries, nonprofits, home goods companies, and wellness brands. Jack is passionate about writing and helping students find their individual voices.

Margaux Welsh

Margaux received her Bachelor of Science in Biology and Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. While at school, she worked as a writing tutor, an EMT-B, and a research assistant. She was also active in extracurriculars and held leadership positions in UMass Women’s Club Basketball and CHAARG. In her free time she loves to read, hike, travel, and do yoga.

Renee Korgood

Renee was raised in Merrick, NY, and graduated from Brandeis University in 2020 with a Bachelor’s degree in Politics and History and minors in French and Legal Studies. While at Brandeis, she participated in student organizing, civic engagement, and volunteering with a local housing organization. After working in nonprofits and campaigns, she joined JBG Educational Group to work with students and young people as she did as a camp counselor and tutor in New York. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, dancing, and playing board games with her friends. 

Sam Cohen

Sam Cohen graduated from Brandeis University in 2020, majoring in International Relations and minoring in Economics. While at Brandeis, Sam was president and captain of the academic quiz team, an editor and contributing writer for the journal of politics, and played for the ultimate frisbee team. In addition to tutoring JBG clients, he currently works as a Research Assistant for the American Institutes for Research in their International Development Division. In his spare time, Sam enjoys kayaking, spending time with his dog and playing the viola.

Tolu Afolayan

Tolu graduated from Boston University where he studied Physics and Computer Science. Along with science and technology, he is very interested in the humanities, from social sciences to history and philosophy. When he was a kid, he used to read history textbooks for fun. He speaks French conversationally, which he learned while living in Geneva, Switzerland. His father is a professor of history, and his mother is a psychologist, so he has extensive experience with educators and academics. He is a curious and inquisitive person, and he hopes to encourage the students he tutors to be curious and inquisitive as well.

Joel Seidner

Born in Bogota, Colombia, Joel has a bachelor’s degree in fine arts with a focus on sculpture from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. After graduating, he worked as a studio assistant for prominent artists in the city and then was employed by Harvard University, where he taught studio art courses for several years. Since then, Joel has followed his passion for the natural and built world, completing courses in landscape architecture and working in permaculture farms, weaving his passion for sustainability and place-making into his approach to the ecosystem and community resilience. Joel’s patient and observant demeanor has proven effective in helping people understand their potential and progress toward their goals. He has worked training therapy horses and a service dog. Joel shares his knowledge of art mediums with JBG Educational Group clients as they compile portfolios to best represent their artistic talent. In his free time, Joel likes to hike with his dog, paint landscapes, and nurture his growing plant collection.

Leah Soyer

Leah grew up in Needham and, in addition to tutoring for JBG Educational Group, is currently working in NY at a transition to independent living program for adults with developmental disabilities. Leah has a degree in elementary education from Goucher college and previously taught in a 4th grade classroom in Baltimore County. Her passion for teaching comes from a love for watching students grow and build their confidence as learners. In her free time she enjoys spending time outside, working with animals, and reading.

Katie Kraemer

Katie is originally from Wellesley, MA but now is living in New York City. She graduated from Colgate University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and is currently earning her MA degree in Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. After graduating from Columbia, she plans on pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology with a focus on working with children. In her free time, Katie loves to run, read, and spend time with her family and friends!

Katherine Waters

Katherine is a freshman at Syracuse University. She is studying Social Work and Psychology. As a JBG intern she is responsible for supporting marketing initiatives and doing research assignments for the JBG team. Katherine enjoys running, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends.

Megan Colleran

Megan is an incoming Junior at Medfield High School. She spends most of her time training with her competitive dance team, but in her free time, she also likes to read, go shopping, or hang out with friends and family.

Stella McDermott

Stella is a junior at Medfield High School. She runs on the school’s winter and spring track teams and spends a lot of her time running. She often volunteers at the Medfield Food Cupboard and the Unity Farm Sanctuary. She is the treasurer of Medfield Model UN and is on the Ms. Amazing committee. Over the summer, she works as a camp counselor at Camp Burgess and Hayward in Cape Cod. In school, currently she is most interested in psychology and history. When she isn’t busy, her favorite things to do are to travel and spend time with her family and friends.