New York City Metro Area

New York City Faculty My Learning Springboard's faculty is comprised of top-notch educators at every level from private, public, and charter schools as well as colleges, universities, and subject matter experts in their respective industries. Our faculty is based in the NYC metro area, including parts of Westchester and Long Island. Other locations include Washington, DC metro area, Northwest DC, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Potomac, and Rockville, Maryland; and Palm Beach County, Florida, including Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and Palm Beach. We are available for consultation, virtual tutoring and distance learning beyond these areas as well.

Laura Togut

October 10, 2014

Laura Togut graduated from Harvard University in 2008 with a degree in Economics. She currently works as a freelance food photographer and food tourism entrepreneur. Laura is also a regular contributor to the popular food blog Serious Eats.

For Laura, photography is a perfect blend of art and science. Learning the science behind exposure, light, and color will infinitely improve anyone’s photography, whether shooting on film, a digital SLR, or the phone in your pocket. But artistry can be learned as well – projects focused on composition and style bring out the best in a photography student’s eye.

Laura is also well versed in digital coaching, offering support in the full Microsoft Office suite (Powerpoint, Word, Excel, ect.) as well a some Adobe software (Lightroom and Photoshop). Laura is also proficient in all Google based platforms, including, Google Drive, Google Calendar, and Gmail.

Previously, Laura spent five years working in financial services consulting. During this time she honed her skills as a data analysis wizard and Excel ninja.

Laura also has experience tutoring middle and high school mathematics.

She firmly believes that a few simple tips and tricks can make Excel an indispensable tool for anyone, and a deeper knowledge of Excel will give students hoping to work in banking and consulting a decisive edge over their peers.

Laura has tutored in New York City since 2009. She is excited to work with students on math, photography, Excel, and internship/job preparation with My Learning Springboard.

When not working, Laura enjoys inventing new ice cream flavors and practicing aerial acrobatics. She keeps her ever-growing list of restaurants on a pretty intense spreadsheet.

Elizabeth Walters

October 1, 2014

A graduate of Smith College and Columbia University, Elizabeth Walters draws on years of experience as a writer, editor, certified teacher, writing consultant, and private tutor as she helps students succeed in reading, writing, and standardized tests. As a high scorer herself, with GRE marks in the 96th percentile for Verbal Reasoning and the 97th percentile for Analytical Writing, she knows how rewarding it can be to achieve one’s goals.

Elizabeth holds a BA in English language and literature from Smith and an MFA in creative nonfiction writing from Columbia, where she was awarded a prestigious fellowship to teach University Writing, Columbia’s first-year composition course. Her classes included sections specifically for international students and for students of non-traditional ages and backgrounds. After commencement, she has continued on at Columbia as a consultant in the university’s writing center, which serves both undergraduate and graduate students.

Before starting graduate school, Elizabeth spent several years teaching middle- and high-school English, reading, and standardized test preparation. She has worked with students on all skill levels, from remedial to on-level to honors students, and she has taught children with various exceptionalities, including ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, giftedness, and emotional/behavioral disorders. She has tutored both public and private-school students. She loves individual tutoring because she enjoys being able to customize lessons to help specific learners succeed. Before becoming a teacher, Elizabeth was a copy editor and reporter at the Concord Monitor, an award-winning newspaper in New Hampshire. She continues to work as a journalist; among the publications that have featured her pieces are the Times-Picayune, the Village Voice and the website of the Washington Post. She brings to her writing instruction her experiences as an editor of thousands of articles and as a coach for thousands of academic essays. She has edited dissertation chapters for students at institutions such as MIT, Columbia, and Washington University in St. Louis, in subjects as varied as inorganic chemistry, law, and forensic anthropology. No matter what the topic or genre, she prizes readability and clarity in writing, and she helps her students develop those qualities in their pieces.

Elizabeth’s favorite pastimes are reading, writing, and editing. She enjoys finding a favorite coffeehouse in each neighborhood where she tutors. She also enjoys playing her violin, hearing live music, walking around the city, and exploring the geography and culture of New York.

Neer Asherie

September 30, 2014

Neer Asherie is a full time, tenured professor of physics and biology at Yeshiva University where he teaches Introductory Physics (algebra-based), General Physics (calculus-based), Waves and Optics, and Biophysics.

Throughout Neer’s academic career he has been an active teacher and tutor, with students ranging in age from 14 to 50. His research focuses on protein phase behavior and self-assembly. Currently, he is working with undergraduate students at Yeshiva University to investigate the role of chirality (lack of mirror symmetry) in protein crystallization.

Neer has an eclectic educational background, studying in private and public schools and in both the American and British systems. He received his BA and MA degrees in natural sciences (physical) from Cambridge University and a PhD in physics from MIT. He is fluent in five languages, including English, Italian, Spanish, French, and Hebrew.

In addition to his scientific publications, Neer has authored a novel and several short plays.

Evelisse Mercado

September 22, 2014

Evelisse Mercado is a highly experienced and dedicated educator with over a decade of teaching expertise. Currently in her fifth year at the Valhalla Union Free School District, Evelisse has taught both first and second grade, and she presently serves as a second-grade teacher. Beyond the classroom, she is a Grade Level Leader responsible for planning curriculum, ensuring instructional alignment with the Next Generation Learning Standards, and supporting colleagues in delivering high-quality lessons. She also serves as her school’s ELA Data Analyst, where she drives instruction across the entire K–2 building by closely monitoring reading, foundational skills, and writing data to inform effective teaching practices.

Evelisse began her career as a Master Teacher in the New York City Department of Education, where she taught first, second, third, and fifth grade in both general education and Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) settings. She has extensive experience creating and implementing Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and supporting a wide range of student needs, including those with Speech and Language Impairments, Learning Disabilities, Executive Functioning Disorders, ADD/ADHD, Anxiety, and high-functioning Autism. She also taught summer school for four years at Mount Pleasant Blythedale Union Free School District, where she specialized in supporting students with diverse learning needs.

A reflective practitioner, Evelisse is committed to continuously improving her teaching methods. She personalizes learning for each student by building on their strengths while addressing areas for growth, which has consistently resulted in significant academic progress. Her ability to foster strong partnerships with families is at the heart of her success, creating a supportive and collaborative environment that helps every child thrive.

Evelisse’s experience extends beyond in-person instruction. She is adept at using online collaborative tools such as Zoom, Google Workspace, and other digital platforms to design interactive, engaging virtual lessons. Her students remain motivated and eager to learn—whether in the classroom or online.

Currently pursuing her second Master’s degree in School Building Leadership at City College, Evelisse continues to expand her expertise as both a teacher and educational leader. She believes educators serve as role models in and out of the classroom, and she is passionate about motivating and inspiring young learners to reach their fullest potential.

With her wealth of experience, data-driven approach, and commitment to personalized learning, Evelisse Mercado offers private tutoring that is engaging, effective, and tailored to the unique needs of every child.

Sara Levin

August 28, 2014

Sara Levin is currently a Private Tutor and teacher at PS 172 in Brooklyn, a high performing Blue Ribbon award winning school, where she has taught in both third grade general education and inclusion (ICT) settings. Sara received her B.A. from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. in 2005, with a major in Political Science and a minor in Spanish.

Sara then worked in advertising and media planning in New York City at Universal McCann and Allied Advertising, providing media plans and negotiating deals for print advertising for movie studio film releases. A career in education was always at the back of Sara’s mind. Eventually she realized how unfulfilled she felt working in advertising, and kept finding herself daydreaming about teaching, so she decided to go for it. She earned a Master’s in Childhood Education and Special Education from New York University in 2009.

While attending graduate school at NYU, Sara student taught in a second grade micro-ICT class within the ASD NEST program at PS 32 in Brooklyn where she provided instruction to high functioning children on the Autism Spectrum as well as general education students in an inclusion class. She also student taught in a fourth and fifth grade self-contained special education class at P.S. 212, where she learned a lot about the importance of structure and organization in the classroom. Both of these experiences taught her valuable lessons about differentiating instruction, tailoring teaching to the individual children.

In addition to teaching third grade for the past four years PS 172, Sara has been very involved in their curriculum development and implementation for reading, writing, mathematics, and social studies, as well as the school’s strong test preparation curriculum. She has experience working with programs such as EngageNY Math, GoMath, Everyday Math, Teachers College Reading and Writing Workshop, Fundations as well as with Math and ELA test preparation. She has worked with diverse learners within the special education community, English Language Learners, and gifted learners, and believes that every student can learn.

Sara believes it is up to the teacher to get to know each child and find the materials and teaching strategies to best support and teach each student. Sara also feels strongly about empowering each student and building confidence. Sara has used her strong communication skills to build relationships with colleagues and families within the school community.

Outside of the classroom, Sara loves to travel, ski and play tennis, read, try new restaurants and spend time with her friends and family in New York City and New Jersey, especially at the beach!

New York City Metro Area

Laura Togut

Elizabeth Walters

Neer Asherie

Evelisse Mercado

Sara Levin

Company Overview

School Planning

Private Tutoring

Test Preparation