We believe the best learning and growing takes place when a student feels safe, supported, and empowered.  That’s why our tutors create an environment of trust, respect, and high expectations. Our model of one-on-one learning across subject areas allows our tutors to establish unique relationships with students and families, enabling them to be trusted mentors, teachers, and coaches.

LTLS tutors connect with youth as people first and students second, and base our mentorship on the recognition that students have individual interests, needs and skill sets. We allow the necessary time and space to enable students to develop trust and an ability to communicate their needs. This allows tutors to recognize and support different facets of students and help them discover unrealized potential. As rapport with students evolves, we teach, model, and develop dynamic methods for varying content, remaining focused on the student as an individual.

At Liddane Tutoring & Learning Services, we work tirelessly to hire and maintain dynamic, unique, and empowering educators. Our team includes computer scientists, individuals who teach jewelry-making classes, a punk-rock band member, a high school basketball coach, and much more. Liddane tutors are real people with a real compassion to co-create a safe, support, and empowering environment for students. We encourage students to bring their whole self to their learning, just as our tutors do so in sessions. Every tutor is thoroughly vetted, and must pass a full FBI background-check. To learn about our tutor pairing process, click here.

Below is a list of our current tutors, including their background, and subject areas.

Andrea

Andrea Liddane has been providing her services as a private tutor, and as an educational consultant since 2001. She works with families, students, entire school communities, and other working professionals. After an instructive tenure as a teacher in the public education system, she founded Liddane Tutoring & Learning Services with the belief that she could help students succeed by combining relationship-building with creative strategies. She works with students on project management, academic research and writing, college admissions essays, and organizational skills. Her students range from first grade to college-level and include those who succeed through standardized learning and those with learning differences: ADD/ADHD, language processing difficulties, dyslexia, reading comprehension issues, and dysgraphia. She is available to support students and families through one-on-one dialogue, meetings with school administration, assessment of psychological evaluations, and, most importantly, establishing rapport and trust with youth.

Andy

Andy loves discovery and sharing knowledge with others, especially in math and physics. He has tutored students of all ages from elementary through undergraduate and graduate students, but he especially likes working with high school students. He believes that learning happens best when there is safe space to ask questions and make mistakes, so cultivating trust with students is his first priority. Andy has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and a B.A. in Chinese Language and Culture from Washington State University and a master’s degree in Technology and Policy from MIT. After finishing school, he worked as an electrical engineer developing software used by electric utilities around the world to monitor and control the electric grid. Andy’s recent reading interests include stoicism and moral psychology. He enjoys being active with hobbies like soccer, running, hiking, biking, and yoga.

Areas of Concentration: math and physics

Anika

Anika holds an M.S. in Mathematics from Tufts University and additionally has a background in computer science and physics.  She has a decade of experience tutoring middle school through undergraduate level students. At Tufts University, she was head TA for Introduction to Algorithms and Discrete Mathematics classes. She additionally tutored and supported students needing help with organization and study skills. When tutoring math, she encourages students to understand the theory behind formulas and tries to incorporate doodling wherever possible. When not tutoring, she enjoys coding, playing computer games, and traveling the world in search of new and delicious food.

Area of Concentration: math (advanced)

Anne

Anne discovered her passion for working with youth as an AmeriCorps volunteer and has made teaching a part of her life ever since. She earned her B.A. in Political Science and her Master of Public Administration from Iowa State University. Anne brings a diversity of experience from traveling the country as a consultant. She has worked with every level of government, including tribal nations. She specializes in writing, speech, organizational skills, leadership development, and project management. Anne has taught youth, college students, professionals, and retirees, but she particularly enjoys working with middle school and high school students. Her favorite activities include band, martial arts, hikes, board games, and family Olympics. Her favorite subject is Shakespeare; she can also be found teaching or performing in Seattle theater.

Areas of Concentration: reading and writing, civics, humanities

Catherine

Catherine holds an M.A. in English Literature from the University of Texas at Austin and comes to us having wrapped up a 16-year, deeply-rewarding career as a teacher of high school English. The last 11 of those years were spent at University Prep in Seattle where she developed a semester-long, intensive reading comprehension and writing course that was the academic highlight of her career. Catherine is excited to apply what she learned as a teacher, mentor, and advisor to her role as a tutor, and she looks forward to helping build student confidence in reading and writing skills, academic research, organization, and college essay writing. Predictably, her primary hobby is reading, though she also loves baking, eating what she bakes, and playing with her funny, curious young son.

Areas of Concentration: reading and writing

Chelsea

Chelsea holds a BA from the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. Although a far cry from her film major, she delights in her job as an Instructional Assistant for a special education classroom in a Seattle elementary school, where she initially started as a reading tutor. Chelsea is also a painter and spends her free time studying color and interior design. Above all, she is enthusiastic to share her love of learning. It’s her very favorite thing to do!

Areas of Concentration: elementary ed, reading, and writing

Chris

Chris received his B.S. in Kinesiology from Western Washington University, followed by his Masters in Prosthetics and Orthotics from the University of Washington. As a former quiet and shy person, he hopes to create an empowering environment during his appointments that celebrates who a person is. He focuses on interpersonal relationships to help others achieve their goals. In his free time, Chris enjoys rock climbing, playing basketball and soccer, and being in the mountains or traveling the globe with friends and family.

David

David is a native Chicagoan. He graduated with a B.A. in History and a minor in Philosophy from St. Meinrad College in Southern IN. He also earned an M.A. in Education from DePaul University in Chicago. He taught elementary school in Phoenix, AZ and loved it. He found it to be exciting to pass on his love of learning and the importance of being a responsible individual. David’s philosophy of education is to be kind, fair, and consistent with all his students. He carried on his love of learning and enjoys tutoring students on a one-on-one basis. He values social justice issues. His hobbies include reading, collecting books, volunteering at a local historical society as an archivist, and photography.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth earned her B.S. in chemistry with a minor in Women’s Studies at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She has industry experience through the Virginia Tech’s Enology Lab where she supported the East Coast wine industry. In 2009, she moved to Seattle as an Americorps volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. During this time, she joined Liddane Tutoring & Learning Services, discovering her true passion for helping students discover tools for independent learning. Her extensive and diverse background allows her to engage students at many levels. Currently, she is also a working as a PM for Amazon.

Jules

Jules is adventurous, reflective and globally minded. She was born here in Seattle but grew up in Shanghai, China, where she attended an International School and learned Mandarin. She is half Brazilian, speaks Portuguese, and spent a full year of college studying abroad in Lisbon, Portugal! Jules graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a B.A. in Global Cultural Studies and is particularly interested in arts, culture and education. Her experiences abroad have ultimately emphasized the importance of engagement with one’s community; Jules is inspired by tutoring and building supportive, meaningful relationships with students. She began tutoring math and SAT prep in 2014 and has interned at an international nonprofit organization focused on transformative education. Jules is also passionate about soccer, playing piano, and being outdoors.

Areas of Concentration: foreign language (Portuguese), math, and test prep

Julia

Julia holds an M.A. in English Literature from the University of Texas at Austin and a B.A. in English Literature from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College. Passionate about the sciences as well as the arts, Julia began tutoring math and physics to college students while still in college herself. After moving to Seattle, she amassed a decade of experience tutoring math and sciences at the middle and high school levels. Julia is also an accomplished jeweler who teaches jewelry making classes at numerous local colleges and art centers. She loves figuring out how to break down the learning process into digestible chunks for her students whether for solving a chemistry homework problem or making a ring.

Areas of Concentration: math, science, and Spanish

Liam

Liam graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in both Biology and Spanish from Tufts University and has a strong background in Chemistry and Physics. He is beginning a career in medicine, starting with becoming an E.M.T. in Seattle. In high school, Liam discovered a love of tutoring and brings a pragmatic approach to learning languages, sciences, and enhancing study skills. In his free time Liam enjoys reading, hiking in the woods, and playing bad piano cover songs.

Luther

Luther holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from Columbia College Chicago and an M.F.A in Poetry from Washington University in St. Louis. He is the author of Touched (Sibling Rivalry Press, 2018) and has been named a Windy City Times Chicago: 30 Under 30 Honoree.  In his first year of graduate school, he started The Shade Journal, a poetry journal for queer writers of color. Over the last several years, he has sat on many editorial boards, including The Offing Magazine, where he is currently the Executive Editor. Someone who believes in the importance of community, education, and equity, he is currently working on an online database for queer poets of color. His work has been published or is forthcoming in POETRY, New England Review, Hayden’s Ferry Review, TriQuarterly, Four Way Review, and others. He is currently a columnist at Frontier Poetry.

Maddie

Maddie Kappel earned her bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in history from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree in English from Georgetown University. She fell in love with teaching writers of all ages while working as a Graduate Writing Associate at Georgetown and has gone on to work as a professional editor, teach English Language Arts at an International Baccalaureate school in Atlanta, and head up her school’s English department. A recent Seattle transplant, Maddie teaches writing at UW’s Robinson Center and joined the LTLS team as a way to support students in a personalized, one-on-one setting. While reading and writing are her first loves, she has cultivated a nerdy fascination with science through amateur astronomy and untold hours of documentaries. She enjoys relaxing at a yoga class, stressing while watching college football, making up excuses to travel, all things outdoors, and any food situation involving tortillas.

Areas of Concentration: reading and writing, history, science (anatomy)

Matthew

Matthew graduated from the University of Washington with a B.A. in Mathematics and minors in Applied Mathematics and English. He tutored at the University of Washington the year following, working closely with student athletes while studying for FSA exams. In his free time, he enjoys creative writing and reading foreign novels of varying quality.

Areas of Concentration: math, English, creative writing, and test prep

Maura

Maura earned her B.A. in Education at Seattle University. She also holds an M.B.A. with a concentration in Global Leadership. She taught History, Economics, American Literature, Eastern Civilizations, and Math in both public and independent school systems for 18 years. Later, she left the classroom to work for the Teacher Leadership Program at the Gates Foundation. There, she trained teachers in project-based curriculum. Maura has worked as adjunct faculty at Seattle Pacific University and was also part of the teaching staff for a course called Media and American Democracy at the Harvard University School of Education. Maura believes that great teaching relies on two things: relationship building and being able to find the individual key that helps each student to reach their full potential. “There is nothing better than helping students achieve that ‘ah-ha’ moment and working with them to ingrain the tools that allow for continued success.” Recently, Maura founded a social purpose corporation, In Concert with Good, teaming music artists with nonprofits in the cities on their tour stops to raise volunteers. She also has three sons and two amazing grandsons.

Areas of Concentration: history, economics, American literature, math

Monica

Originally from Bremerton, Monica graduated from the University of Puget Sound, where she studied biochemistry and mathematics. She discovered her love of tutoring through peer mentoring in high school and working as a teacher’s assistant in college. As a tutor, she has found her “dream job.” She finds her students endlessly fascinating and hilarious, and values the opportunity to develop long-term relationships with her students and their families. Monica also spends time in the pottery studio, cooking, and dreaming of travel.

Areas of Concentration: science, math, and test prep

Nicolette

Nicolette has worked with youth in a variety of academic and athletic settings. She began tutoring by working with high school students as part of the STRIVE program and continued to build her experience as a peer educator in college, where she specialized in business and math courses. As lead tutor, she also trained and mentored new tutors. Her approach to tutoring has been informed by her work in the insurance industry, where she held a variety of roles, including that of a customer experience consultant. On the court, Nicolette has coached basketball for high school and college students and played for the school team at Carroll University, where she received her B.S. in Mathematics.

Pauly

After growing up in a rural town in southern New Jersey that is known for its lovely beaches, Pauly earned a B.S. in aerospace engineering and a minor in applied mathematics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He is a former Boeing engineer, an expert in advanced math, and has a passion for a wide variety of things from rocketry to helping others through education. Pauly believes in aligning his behavior with his values and leads by example.  Since he enjoys encouraging students’ inherent potential to learn and succeed, he finds tutoring especially rewarding. Pauly is creative, fun and humorous in working towards these ends. His hobbies are cycling, hiking, running, reading and community service.

Areas of Concentration: math and science

Admin Staff

Sarah M.

Sarah recently graduated from Seattle University where she earned a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Business Administration. For as long as she can remember, she has been abnormally organized and some of her fondest memories are of playing “office” as a child. Sarah tries to read every day in order to keep up her intellectual chops before eventually applying for a Masters in either Sociology or Public Administration. While her interests lay predominately in gender and sexuality studies, she also enjoys strolling around Green Lake, attending art and comedy shows with friends, and learning how to cook.

Shannon

Shannon earned her Bachelor’s degree from Western Washington University in both German Language and Literature and Cultural Anthropology. After graduating, Shannon spent 5 years in the field of International Education; first helping people around the world find their own international work opportunities, then working at a college in Seattle providing immigration and academic guidance to international students. In an interest to pursue something more creative professionally, she’s shifted careers and now works in the field of Interior Design and loves that she is able to continue her previous work in the field of education here at LTLS. In her free time, she can often be found weaving tapestries in her home studio.

Adjunct Staff

LB Kussick

LB Kussick is the owner of Kussick College Coaching.  She is a Member of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA) and the Seattle Area College Consultants (SACC). LB works with students in assessing personal, academic and financial criteria for determining “best fit” colleges. She provides guidance and planning through the college research phase, college visits, essay writing, application completion and through all the small and large decisions along the way.  She recently spent two years as a volunteer college coach at Chief Sealth High School with the College Access Now program, where she worked with first generation and low income students, coaching them through the college application process.  Currently, she is a volunteer college coach for the AVID program at Shorecrest High School. LB is also a member of the Washington Women’s Foundation, a grant making organization, where she has sat on the Education, Human Services and Environment Pooled Grant Fund Committees. As the Executive Director of PEPS for nearly seven years, she developed her love of supporting parents and their families through critical transitions.

LB received a certification in Independent Educational Consulting (IEC) through UC Irvine, and a Bachelors degree from Brown University.  She has a college aged son and daughter who both attended Roosevelt High School in Seattle, a husband she met at Brown and who did his graduate studies at the University of Washington, and a Goldendoodle who just squeaked by Kindergarten!

LB has and is currently working with students and families from Roosevelt, Ingraham, Nathan Hale, Ballard, Garfield, Chief Sealth, Shorecrest, Woodinville HS, Tesla STEM in Redmond, Blanchet, Holy Names, Seattle Prep, University Prep and from outside WA State as well.  She has a special interest in working with students with unique talents and learning differences.

Areas of Concentration: college prep