Our Team
Leadership
Alexis A.
Founder / CEO
Alexis A.
Frequently quoted by U.S. News & World Report, Alexis founded Prepped and Polished to help elementary, secondary, college-level, and adult students maximize their comprehension and overall growth in a variety of subjects. While tutoring for several small and large commercial test prep companies, Alexis envisioned founding his own independent educational service run entirely by educators whose passion for education acted as the primary driving force behind its pedagogy.
Alexis and other members of the Prepped and Polished team have collectively traveled one hundred thousand miles to educate students in person, working with well over a thousand families. Described by students as engaging and effective, Prepped and Polished’s teaching philosophy has helped students of all ages gain confidence, maximize their academic potential, and achieve dramatically improved grades and test scores.
Said by one of his clients:
“I have know Alexis personally and professionally for over 25 years. Since we met at the University of Michigan until now with my daughter receiving tutoring from his company, Alexis has always approached life with a great drive for success, empathy and compassion for others as well as enthusiasm to find the joy and humor in whatever he does. With these attributes and outlook coupled with his pride for his Puerto Rican family and traditions, Alexis has always looked for and drawn to him a diverse group of individuals in his life. For example, through the Big Brothers/Big Sister program he has served as a big brother to a young man from Cape Verde for over 15 years and truly treated this individual as family. In college, Alexis tutored students at the local middle school and this passion to help young persons evolved into his successful business which has not only tutored 1000s of kids but also employed many tutors and grown into a global Social media platform that brings together experts to help students and families cope with countless issues that confront families. Alexis is a shining example of how one can have great business and personal success and have a tremendous impact to the community”.
Alexis is a certified school guidance counselor for grades Pre-K through 12th with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Film from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; furthermore, he acquired a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (a US News ranked top-five Counseling Psychology program). He also spent his junior year living in Seville, Spain through the Cornell, Pennsylvania, University of Michigan study abroad program. He completed a two-day seminar in Executive Function disorder, a one-day seminar on Advanced Strategies to Improve Executive Function Skills, and even a 15-hour online course in Study Skills: Strategies to Support Executive Function all through the Landmark School Outreach Program in Beverly, Massachusetts.
Alexis regularly gives speeches regarding tutoring, test preparation, and student learning challenges to parents and professionals at schools and conferences across the U.S. These schools/conferences include, but are not limited to, the SEPAC organizations in Dover, Sudbury, and Wayland, MA; the IECA; CollegeWeek Live; the National Test Prep Association (NTPA); and the BIPOC Business Owner’s Panel presented by the Wisconsin Alumni Association. Alexis also writes and produces videos for his educational blog and podcast, which has over 300 videos and 1 million views/listens.
Some notable guests who appeared on the Prepped and Polished podcast include ex-NBA player and motivational speaker Chris Herron as well as the New York Times Best Selling Author and frequent CNN guest Frank Bruni. Alexis leads SAT Math Strategies and SAT Strategy Secrets Workshops at various local high schools while also administering the ACT-SAT Test Prep Selector Diagnostic and Evaluation at several college fairs.
A Dedicated Tutor and Leader
Alexis is a member of professional organizations such as the University of Michigan Alumni Association (Alumni Student Recruiter), the Wellesley Community Children’s Center (Board of Directors), the Charles River MetroWest Chamber of Commerce (Scholarship Committee), the Wellesley Public Schools Cell Phone Task Force, the National Test Prep Association (NTPA), the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), and also non-profit organizations such as Bridge over Troubled Waters, Mass Mentoring, Community Servings, and Recovery Works. He has been an active member of the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America since 2003 and was nominated in 2010 as one of the final five finalists for Big Brother of the Year.
Alexis ran in three Boston Marathons from 2012-2014, collectively raising 15,000 dollars for two youth mentoring programs, Mass Mentoring and Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America. In 2020 and 2023, Alexis was honored to be named one of the 50 most influential business people of color in the Charles River MetroWest Region of Massachusetts.
Tracy S.
Office Director
Tracy S.
Tracy joins Prepped and Polished as an experienced Office Manager and Executive Assistant. Over a 23 year career she has worked in the Middle East and the UK. She was an EA for a major Management Consultancy company, and worked as an Office Manager for 2 startups. Tracy and her family moved to the USA in 2011 and she now brings her skills to Prepped and Polished. She lives in MetroWest and is a keen gardener. Tracy is also an avid cook and enjoys hiking with her husband and dog.
Diane F.
Creative Specialist
Diane F.
Diane is a graphic designer and illustrator and has worked with many small businesses and organizations to establish and support their visual identities. She earned her BFA in Illustration from Syracuse University. Her portfolio includes a broad spectrum of marketing and promotional materials, and custom invitations and stationery.
While she enjoys running, hiking, and watching true crime documentaries, Diane is happiest when spending time at Lake Winnisquam and wandering southern Maine beaches with her family. She especially loves cheering on her children during their many extra-curricular activities.
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Admissions Consultants
Abbie M.
Essay Coach
Abbie M.
Abbie graduated summa cum laude from UMass Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management in 2024 earning a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Operations & Information Management and a certificate in Business Analytics. She is currently pursuing her Master of Education at Boston University where she also works as an Academic Advisor in their Questrom School of Business.
Throughout her time in undergrad, Abbie had several teaching assistant roles where she helped students one-on-one to master the material in the given subject. In this role, Abbie also helped students build their organization, time management, and study skills, which she has found are all essential components to making a student feel grounded and successful in their work. Abbie offers a flexible and personalized approach, and carefully analyzes each students strengths to find a learning method that best supports them. She believes that learning should be fun and not stressful, and aims to create an environment that students enjoy coming to!
In her free time, Abbie enjoys being outdoors and staying active by hiking, biking, and going on leisurely walks. She also enjoys coloring, painting, reading, and spending time with her two cats. Abbie is also a fierce mental health advocate and is a proud volunteer for the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention.
April M.
Essay Coach
April M.
A Massachusetts native, April studied English and film at Boston College, graduating magna cum laude. After working in educational publishing for two years, she went on to teach freshman composition at the University of Southern California while completing her master’s degree in professional writing. Over the years, she’s worked for several tutoring organizations, providing support in various subject areas, including language arts, reading comprehension, social studies, and college essay writing.
Additionally, April is a trained executive function tutor who helps students improve their skills in planning, organization, and time management. She truly enjoys helping individuals of all ages hone their writing aptitude and discover a love for reading.
Today, April works primarily as a professional screenwriter. Along with her husband, she’s had two feature films produced and sold and optioned material to multiple major production companies and studios. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, visiting London, practicing pilates, and spending time with her husband and their four lovably rowdy cats.
Cassidy R.
Essay Coach
Cassidy R.
Cassidy is currently getting her Master’s degree in English Education (MAT) at Bridgewater State University, and has received a Bachelor’s Degree in English (with a Minor in Secondary Education) from Framingham State University. She is currently an English (ELA) teacher at a high school, where providing scaffolded and individualized lessons for students is a vital part of her work.
Cassidy has experience working with students grades 6-12 for over four years. She believes that learning is a collaborative effort that is balanced between teacher instruction, paired/group collaboration, and individual work. She especially loves working one-to-one with students, as it gives ample time to learn the student’s learning style and what teaching style works best for them; learning must involve a variety of lesson plans and formats, and Cassidy upholds this value through her flexible teaching style.
Helping students grow in their reading, writing, and critical analysis skills is a passion of hers, and Cassidy will provide a variety of ways to approach analyzing and creating an argument about a text.
Outside of work, Cassidy enjoys reading Mystery novels, especially by Agatha Christie, and spending quality time with her friends and family.
Cheryl R.
College Consultant
Cheryl R.
Cheryl is an experienced school counselor and seasonal application reader with more than twenty years of expertise in secondary education, college admissions, and student advocacy. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to guiding students and families through the academic, social, and postsecondary planning process with clarity, compassion, and professionalism.
Cheryl holds a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (C.A.G.S.) and a Master of Education in Counseling from the University of Massachusetts Boston, and she earned her undergraduate degree from Northeastern University. She is licensed in School Counseling (5–12) in Massachusetts and Arizona.
In addition to her counseling experience, Cheryl has served as a seasonal application reader for highly selective institutions, including the University of California, San Diego; the University of California, Irvine; and the University of Southern California.
With a career grounded in student-centered advocacy and admissions expertise, Cheryl brings seasoned insight, integrity, and a holistic perspective to every educational setting she serves.
In her free time, Cheryl enjoys exercising, traveling, reading, and spending days at the beach with her husband and dogs.
Francis B.
Essay Coach
Francis B.
Francis is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Catholic Theology at Boston College. Before this, he completed both a B.A. in Political Science and Theology and an M.A. in Theology and Religious Studies at John Carroll University, as well as an M.T.S. from Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry. Between graduate degrees, Francis dedicated two years of service to CityYear, where he tutored and mentored high school students in geometry and helped them develop studying and organizational skills.
Francis specializes in aiding middle school, high school, and college students with reading comprehension, essay writing, and crafting personal statements and college application essays. As a student who once struggled with reading and writing, he enjoys building students’ self-confidence while developing important academic and life skills.
Francis lives in Worcester with his wife, two daughters, and father-in-law. When he is not studying or tutoring, he enjoys taking walks with his family, cooking food, backpacking, and watching anime.
Jane A.
Essay Coach
Jane A.
Jane graduated magna cum laude from Boston University in 2023, with a degree in Biology and Neuroscience. During her time at BU, she worked closely with students in both one-on-one and classroom settings, tutoring first-generation college students through the Newbury Center and teaching general biology and general chemistry lab courses for two years.
These experiences shaped Jane’s student-centered approach to tutoring. She believes that students learn best when they feel supported, understood, and confident in their ability to improve. In her work with her current students, she focuses on breaking down complex material into clear, manageable steps and helping students develop effective problem-solving strategies they can use independently. Jane’s priority is helping students recognize their own progress and capability, so they build confidence not just in the material, but in how they approach challenges
Jane is pursuing a Doctor of Medicine degree, with an interest in primary care and cardiology. Outside of tutoring, she enjoys baking and trying different recipes, running, hiking, and skiing.
John C.
Essay Coach
John C.
John is an accomplished educator and communicator having taught in a variety of settings from lectures to small groups to one-on-one. With an understanding of how we learn he helps the student to identify and process information from a perspective of what is important and how it relates to the whole. Drawing on the individual students’ unique abilities, experience, and understanding to digest and consider material in a way that makes sense and is easy to remember. He teaches practical tools to alleviate anxiety around test taking and performance, helping build self esteem through success. His goal is to help students to think critically, improve their focus and attention, increase retention and recall, and reduce the associated stress.
His areas of expertise in tutoring are in the sciences including biology, math, chemistry, physics. He also has a love and passion for language and writing, with accomplishments in technical and creative writing and enjoys teaching and coaching writing skills. Native fluency in Spanish.
Growing up in a small northern New Jersey town just outside of New York City, John distinguished himself as a scholar and an athlete. He attended college at Harvard University and graduated with a degree in biology and a particular interest in neuroscience. He spent a year at the C.S.I.C. in Madrid, Spain researching neurodevelopment before attending Yale University School of Medicine where his interests focussed on cardiovascular medicine. Returning to Boston, he completed his postdoctoral training in medicine and cardiovascular medicine at Boston University Medical Center before practicing as a heart rhythm specialist. He later worked at Nashoba Valley Hospital before stepping away from the practice of medicine and has been writing and mentoring college students with an interest in healthcare and biomedical careers.
He has gained expertise in meditation and is happy to share tips. An avid runner with a growing expertise in fitness and a particular interest in endurance training and longevity. Rock climbing, snowboarder. Otherwise, he is usually writing, reading, or playing guitar.
Kari P.
Essay Coach
Kari P.
Kari graduated from Harvard University with a degree in Economics and has worked in a range of fields from management consulting to yoga. As a parent of two, she sees the daily stressors on kids and the need for compassionate guidance to foster organizational skills and responsibility.
She has taught social emotional learning and mindfulness classes to middle and high school students, and is trained in both Learning to BREATHE, a mindfulness-based stress reduction program for adolescents, and the Mindful Schools curriculum. Kari helps students learn strategies to accomplish their goals while thriving as human beings.
In her free time she enjoys running, hiking, and solving crossword puzzles.
Kerry W.
Essay Coach
Kerry W.
Kerry is an esteemed educator, literacy coach, and instructional leader with over 33 years of experience inspiring readers and supporting literacy at all levels. Passionate about books, learning, and community engagement, she is excited to contribute her expertise to the team at Prepped and Polished. She enjoys developing personalized materials to meet the specific needs of her students. Kerry served for 10 years as an ELA curriculum resource specialist and adjunct professor, along with many other positions providing curriculum development and training.
Kerry’s educational philosophy is rooted in the conviction that all students are capable of learning and thriving when provided with a safe, inclusive environment and high standards. Her pedagogy is designed to cultivate critical and independent thinking, encouraging discourse on equity and social justice issues. Ultimately, she is a dedicated advocate, working to ensure every student has access to the resources needed for success through academic coaching, counseling, and mentorship. Kerry has mentored educators, facilitated professional development, and led school and district-wide initiatives in curriculum, assessment, and inclusive learning design. These experiences have taught her the importance of listening carefully, offering thoughtful recommendations, and creating welcoming environments where everyone feels supported. Kerry’s work in schools, coupled with her experience as a writing and essay coach and as an adjunct professor underscores her lifelong commitment to literacy and community learning.
In her free time, Kerry is an avid reader who enjoys staying active with biking, hiking, pilates, and pickleball. She also likes to relax at her mountain home in Colorado.
Lauren K.
Essay Coach
Lauren K.
Lauren is a dedicated tutor with over 12 years of tutoring experience across a diverse range of math, science, and test preparation subjects. With her experience, she brings a wealth of expertise to every session. Her passion for teaching is fueled by a deep understanding of these subjects and a genuine desire to see her students excel.
Lauren has successfully guided countless students towards academic success and confidence in their abilities. Through personalized instruction tailored to each student’s unique learning style and goals, she strives to make complex concepts understandable and accessible. Lauren’s patient and supportive approach creates a positive learning environment where students feel empowered to explore, ask questions, and overcome challenges.
With a commitment to continuous improvement and a track record of success, Lauren is dedicated to helping students unlock their academic potential and thrive in their studies.
Lisa G.
College Consultant
Lisa G.
Lisa G. has been a college admissions mentor and essay coach for 15+ years. She formerly worked for a scholarship nonprofit that connects high school students with full scholarships to top colleges, where she has read hundreds of college applications with a keen eye for selecting finalists for elite schools. She loves working with students on developing personal essay topics and helping them hone their voice through writing. She has worked for several small practices that focus on one-on-one college admissions coaching and essay preparation.
Lisa has a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a MFA from California College of the Arts. She is the senior managing editor for two medical journals from the New England Journal of Medicine. She is also a published writer. She lives in the Boston area with her husband and dog.
Stormont S.
Essay Coach
Stormont S.
Storm graduated from Purdue University with a bachelors degree concentrated in English literature. In his time there, he had worked as a tutor at the campus writing lab, the Purdue OWL, assisting other students, both at undergraduate and graduate levels, with the development of their writing skills.
After graduation, Storm worked as a reading and writing tutor at C2 Education for three years. He taught students writing analysis and composition through college essay tutorials, academic coaching, and test preparation (SAT, ACT, ISEE, SSAT, and HSPT). He also worked as a substitute teacher for two years, so he has practiced classroom management in both middle school and high school settings.
Storm’s teaching style is founded on building rapport and applying scaffolding strategies. He aims to learn the personal strengths of a student and build upon their experience, and he intends on students coming away from every session with a stronger sense of content comprehension and personal expression. He is confident working with students from grades 5-12 and the college level.
Storm trained in ballet for eight years, participated in the Purdue Contemporary Dance Company through his undergraduate years, and now enjoys watching Boston Ballet performances in his free time. Further, he will occasionally be found visiting local museums with his partner, proofreading his peer’s creative writing, and learning new recipes in the kitchen each
week. He encourages others to be lifelong patrons and performers of the arts.
Suzanne C.
College Consultant
Suzanne C.
Suzanne received her Master’s degree in Education from UMass Boston and has worked as a middle school Special Education teacher for the past 17 years. Throughout her teaching career, she has also taught summer school to elementary and middle school students, after school math club to 4th and 5th graders, provided home-hospital tutoring and coached volleyball, cross country and spring track. Suzanne also tutors test prep and executive function coaching & college admissions privately to middle school and high school students. She enjoys assisting her students with their transitions to further their education.
Suzanne holds a professional teaching license in Mild to Moderate Disabilities PreK-8 and a Sheltered English Immersion Endorsement. In her teaching role, Suzanne has worked with both regular education and special education students within the general education classroom setting and has taught specialized literacy, math and executive function classes.
In her spare time, Suzanne enjoys traveling and making candles and essential oil products. Suzanne is compassionate, patient and has a good sense of humor.
Tim C.
College Consultant
Tim C.
Tim is a graduate of Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts with a Bachelor’s of Science in Physics. At Wheaton, he also completed minors in mathematics and astronomy, was a peer tutor for the physics department, and was the principal investigator on a NASA-partnered research project analyzing microwave radiation being emitted from Ganymede and its correlation with the surface geology.
Currently, Tim is working at his alma mater as an Assistant Director of Admission where he represents Wheaton College at college fairs and high school visits across New England and reviews application materials for admission to the College. Tim is also working on publishing his research he completed during his undergrad in competitive planetary science and geophysical research journals.
Tim is passionate about helping others with navigating academia whether it is at the middle school, high school, or college level both on the admissions side and the coursework side.
Outside of work and tutoring, Tim loves to play tennis, read, watch Boston sports, and care for his plants and cat.
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