Sam grew up in Santa Cruz, CA, where he first worked as a math tutor at the age of 16. (The student was a referral from his father, a math tutor).  After graduating from UCLA,  Sam served as a political fundraiser, a private English teacher in Spain, and a leader of enrichment learning programs in New York.  In 2013, Sam completed his graduate studies in education and returned home to California.

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Sam loves working one-on-one with young people to help them achieve their goals, and he has spent over 8,000 hours working with hundreds of students over the past decade. Sam’s areas of expertise include test preparation, college essay coaching, and AP history. He thinks that the most important–and rewarding–part of being a mentor is being curious about your students and getting to know them as unique individuals.

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Aside from education, soccer has been a major part of Sam’s life longer than any other endeavor.  Highlights of Sam’s 30-year career as a player and fan have included being coached by all-time great Johann Cruyff, attending the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, and teaching a class on the geography of soccer.  Sam’s other interests include reading comic books in Spanish, disc golf, and spending time with his wife and son.

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