Meet Our Teachers

Galina Karashchuk

Galina is a Director of the School. Galina holds a PhD degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.  Application of analytical skills and logical thinking to complex biological problems, according to Galina, is a key to solving those problems.  Observation and prediction help at the initial stages. Then, analysis, and modeling and prediction of possible outcomes, ultimately provide the answer to the functioning of the biological systems and the mechanisms of human diseases.

Galina's interest in math started at high school when she joined a special program with an advanced curriculum in math and physics.  During her high school years, Galina won numerous regional and state math competitions.  This experience was important to her decision to pursue studying math and physics at Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, where she earned a BSc and MSc in Applied Math and Physics with Honors.

As a mother of three children, Galina is convinced that good math skills are crucial for harmonious development, regardless of the career path a child may choose in the future.  In her free time Galina enjoys biking, ballroom dancing, and spending time with her friends and family.

Vitaly Sorkin

In Memoriam

Vitaly is the Founder of the School.  He is a passionate educator who wants kids to be inspired by knowledge and to become self-motivated learners.  Vitaly loves to teach and has volunteered hundreds of hours teaching not only math, but also science, investing, finance and accounting, strategy and consulting, and Russian language.  He has taught kids and adults, including corporate executives.

As a long-time finance and strategy executive, Vitaly brings real life into the classroom.  He works hard to develop confidence in kids and helps them tackle complexity without fear.  Vitaly wants kids to develop good learning habits, appreciate the value of hard work, and realize that many limits in life are self-imposed.

Vitaly has a special penchant for tests.  He developed a habit of crushing math tests in school and continued it in college.  In a memorable episode he also crushed the uniform CPA exam in 1994 when he received the Elijah Watt Sells award for getting the highest score out of  69,000 people that took the exam in the US.

Vitaly loves reading, learning piano when he has time, playing blitz chess, and learning anything new from Philosophy to History to foreign languages.  He also holds a Candidate Master rating in international checkers from the former Soviet Union.  

Vitaly holds a title of CPA and CFA; he completed the Harvard Business School Executive training program; he holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Bryant University; and attended Gomel Francisk Skorina State University (Belarus, former USSR) where he studied mathematics and physics.

David Griego

In Memoriam

David had over 20 years of teaching experience in both math and logic. This includes not only traditional topics from fundamentals up through calculus, but also test preparation. He was named National Teacher of the Year by the Princeton Review - an award based both on score improvement and recommendation rates.

David also had worked with youngsters as a private chess coach. His top students included a recent US representative in the World 14 (and under) Championship, and a National age group All-American. David himself was the National Junior High School Champion, the US Junior Open Champion, and a three-time New England Open Champion before the age of 21.

Another major field of interest for David was music, as he was a classically trained flutist. He had taught privately for over 10 years, and had performed in various chamber ensembles. While Bach and Mozart remained his all-time favorites (as evidenced by his ringtones), there was a special place in his heart for Blondie, the Pogues, and especially the Ramones.

David held a Sc. B. in Mathematics from Brown University, and had many pleasant and vivid memories of the wonderful teachers he’d had the privilege of studying with. This in turn had fostered an intense sense of responsibility for him to help youngsters reach their full potential in their areas of passion, and make the experience likewise memorable and joyful.

Yadin Rosen

Yadin has a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Brown University.  Originally from Israel, Yadin moved to the US in 2001 and has lived in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.  Yadin is very passionate about math -- he wants to convey to students of all ages that math is not only interesting in its own right, but gives anyone the power to tackle practical and real world problems with logical rigor.

In Yadin’s mind, math is not just about memorizing formulae and algorithms to solve specific, defined problems, but rather the art of training one’s mind to convert any problem or scenario into a workable structure that can be expressed and solved logically and systematically. Having gone through a standard mathematical education at public school for grades K-12, he feels that the generic curriculum provided to students there often ignores how nominally non-mathematical problems can be translated into the language of numbers and variables, and so be manipulated to give intriguing solutions that provide real-world insight.

Yadin seeks to make learning math fun for students, rather than a mechanical chore. In so doing, he believes that more students will suited for an enriching path in STEM fields, rather than being turned off from math at a young age, as he almost was during his pre-collegiate education.

In his spare time, Yadin enjoys spending time with his family and friends, engaging in long discussions (and often debates), and doing independent mathematical and scientific research to self-publish.

Samuel Freedman

Sam is currently pursuing a PhD in Mathematics at Brown University, with a focus on geometry and topology. Geometry studies the shape, size, and properties of spaces, and topology studies the properties of geometric objects that are preserved by stretching, twisting and bending. When doing math, Sam loves to draw pictures and sketches; for him, they are crucial for both problem-solving and understanding new and complex concepts. Sam engages with all levels of students in many different hats, from calculus instructor to organizer for a Math Circle community outreach program.

According to Sam, learning math is no different than learning any other foreign language: one has to speak it and hear it for many hours before the strange symbols, words and grammar begin to feel natural. Of course, math is the language of the universe, explaining everything from the laws of nature to the workings of all modern technology. This makes it a worthwhile language to study, both for its infinite applications and for its intrinsic beauty!

Sam is originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia, and he earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan with high honors in mathematics. His future plans are to continue studying and teaching mathematics in academia. In his free time, Sam enjoys crossword puzzles, playing piano, rock climbing, and spending time with his friends and family.

Natha (Bam) Singhasaneh

Bam holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. She is working as a design engineer, where she uses math to solve everyday problems. She works on interdisciplinary projects that require expertise in multiple fields, from engineering, to business, to design.

She is passionate about education because she believes there is much more to it than the acquisition of knowledge. She wants to help her students to be confident and curious. To her, the key to academic success is a genuine love for learning.

Originally from Thailand, Bam has been exposed to different cultures and systems. Because of that, she has grown to understand the importance of being equipped with a versatile toolkit and being adaptable. She wants her students to be able to put newly found knowledge into the context of the real world, and be ready to apply these skills when needed.

Bam started teaching in high school and has taught ever since. She has experience working with students of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities. When she was at Carnegie Mellon, she was trained as a Collaborative Learning Facilitator. In her classes, she establishes a collaborative environment and encourages students to support and learn from one another. In the past, she has taught Calculus, Differential Equations, SAT, English, as well as fundamental Mechanical Engineering topics. 

Bam loves to cook and has her own cooking blog. She also enjoys studying languages, watercolor painting, playing volleyball, and drawing free body diagrams. Bam has an affinity for efficiency, and can often be found inventing random hacks and gadgets.