Our Tutors
All of Vogel Prep’s instructors have master’s degrees, and more than half of them have doctoral degrees. They all have years of successful teaching experience, a passion for teaching, interesting life experiences, and a variety of teaching styles that make students responsive, challenged, and excited to learn. Your student's education is too important to trust it to anyone less than a qualified, certified instructor.
Tucker holds a BA in German studies and linguistics from the University of Arizona; subsequently, he completed an MA in ESL, also at the University of Arizona. During his studies, he had a chance to study German, French, Spanish , Dutch, Mandarin Chinese, Navajo and Tohono O'odham (in addition to his native English). This language study has given Tucker a rich understanding of the nature of English, its roots, and language in general. For the past 6 years, Tucker has worked as an English teacher, mostly at the collegiate level, and he has a large amount of experience helping students to prepare for the rigors of college writing. Additionally, Tucker is a three time Jeopardy! champion.
Montye holds a doctorate degree in Ethnic Studies and American Literature from the University of California, Berkeley. He specializes in 19th and 20th century American literature and American poetry. Montye has published numerous scholarly articles in the fields of American literature and American history, and is an accomplished researcher and writer. He holds a bachelor's degree in English from California State University, Long Beach. He taught on the faculty at Arizona State University for eleven years before leaving the university to co-found a consulting firm, the Institute for Common Environments, LLC. Montye enjoys teaching students of all ages, and coaching students to compose well-written and compelling essays. He has 14 years of experience at Vogel Prep as a Master Tutor in English Literature, World and US History, and SAT/ACT Test Prep. He has helped many students get 4s and 5s on their AP exams and assisted students in creating essays that give college admission officers an inside look at what makes your student so special.
Les is a former U.S. Army officer and son of a career U.S. Army veteran--the sixth of seven children. He attended eleven different schools in the U.S. and abroad from 1st through 12th grade. Les has earned advanced degrees in Composition, Literature, & Higher Education and in Rhetoric. While teaching at Oregon State, he also served at that school's Center for Writing & Learning. Granted a Ph.D. by Penn State, Les taught at the U.S. Naval War College and instructed composition and literature as an Academy Professor at West Point, working across the curriculum to integrate effective writing into the sciences. As Director of Composition, he also developed and directed the West Point Writing Program, incorporating best practices for teaching composition. Les was recruited by the Educational Testing Service to assess student advanced placement writing. A lifelong learner, Les has additional degrees in Science and Business. He is also a certified mediator.
“Working with students one-on-one at Vogel Prep during the past 14 years has been very professionally rewarding. I have been able to help students set and reach their academic goals through homework help and test preparation sessions. Many times, the rapport established between tutor and student one-on-one empowers a previously disorganized unsuccessful student to achieve more than they ever thought possible. Organizational skills and an academic plan leads to success and achievement, both in the short run and the long run. A good match between a Vogel Prep tutor and a struggling student truly has the potential to change a student’s approach to learning, their life goals, and their life trajectory.” —Malcolm
Sam is currently a mathematics teacher at North Canyon High School. He was elected by the PVUSD Governing Board in 1988 to serve as the Department Chair of the Math Department at North Canyon HS. He believes that all students can learn with the proper guidance and works tirelessly to that end.
He holds a Bachelor's in Mathematics from ASU and a Master's degree in Education from the University of Phoenix. He has taught all levels of math including AP Statistics, AP Calculus, and Topics in College Algebra. He worked as an AP Statistics reader for several years most recently in June of 2020. Has been an adjunct instructor at Paradise Valley Community College and worked as a Department Chair for the Mathematics department for the last 8 years.
Simo received his Ph.D from Caltech in 1995 majoring in chemistry. He has worked internationally at various universities and his research has focused on aquatic chemistry. Simo has supervised numerous Masters and PhD students during his career and he has published extensively. He has received teaching awards for his teaching excellence and enjoys teaching chemistry, math and physics. He is very personable and liked by his students, while he also challenges them with various interesting classroom examples and homework and exam problems.
Jared earned an MS degree in physics in 2009 for research into novel applications of quantum theory in condensed matter physics. Since then, he has worked as an independent physics consultant for electronic hardware design and as a subject matter expert in physics for software design. In addition to his pursuits in the technology sector, he has continued to teach college and high school students as a private tutor in physics, mathematics, and engineering. His love for teaching physics and math, his thorough and detailed understanding of important concepts, and his unique talent for communicating those concepts make Jared an outstanding tutor for physics and math students at all levels.
Michelle graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1998 and then served as a Quartermaster officer stationed both in the US and Europe. She deployed with the 1st Infantry Division to Kosovo in 1999 and while there was named a Paul Harris Fellow from Rotary International for her work with the local villages and schools surrounding Camp Bondsteel. After earning her MEd and PhD, Dr. LaVicka taught French, History, Economics, and Mathematics for 7th-12th grade students before moving to the college classroom to continue mathematics instruction while chairing the college’s Mathematics and Science department. A perpetual student, she also earned an MBA and continues her academic and research pursuits as a dissertation coach and Q-methodologist. An avid traveler, she has visited and explored over 130 countries on all 7 continents.
Hannah earned a Bachelor's of Science in Civil Engineering and a Master's of Science in Fire Protection Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts. She currently works as a Fire Protection Consultant and is a Certified Fire Protection Specialist. Her job brings her to unique project sites ranging from Alaska to Florida. Hannah loves fire protection engineering because it combines math, physics, chemistry, and even the skills of a lawyer sometimes. She gets to communicate directly with fire departments and help educate clients and other tradespeople about life safety. Hannah’s favorite subject to teach given her engineering background is math. In her spare time, Hannah enjoys hiking the mountains of Arizona and paddleboarding with her friends.
Kendra holds a BA in History and an MA in Curriculum and Instruction, both from University of Denver. Her graduate studies focused on Gifted Education and STEAM at an innovation school. She is a highly qualified and certified secondary teacher in English and Social Studies. While she spent the past seven years teaching Language Arts and Social Studies in middle school, she has taught students from kindergarten to twelfth grade. She specializes in building students’ executive functioning, especially for those who learn unconventionally! In her spare time, she enjoys creating art, reading voraciously, and gaming with friends.
Ali received his M.A. in Math Education from Claremont Graduate University in 2013. Having worked as a math educator since 2014, he recently transitioned into the actuarial profession. He still has a passion for helping others succeed in math and is excited to be part of the Vogel Prep team. His extensive experience allows him to provide students with a variety of the most effective methods and approaches. In his free time, Ali enjoys spending time with his family and watching sports.
Dana holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a Master of Science in Chemistry from Northern Arizona University. Her research has been centered on quantifying heavy metal contamination on the Navajo Nation, as well as exploring the application of nanofiltration techniques for removing heavy metals from polluted water sources. Prior to her current role, Dana served as a member of the faculty at Northern Arizona University, where she instructed general chemistry courses and oversaw laboratory activities for a duration of one year. Committed to fostering student success, Dana is deeply passionate about supporting learners in their academic pursuits. Outside of her professional endeavors, Dana enjoys hiking, baking, and spending time with family.
Riley holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. Since acquiring it, he has worked in the Telecommunications and Utilities industrial sectors, and is now bringing his Engineering experience to Vogel! As for educating others, Riley brings over a decade of experience teaching children in the form of a Martial Arts after-school program, working to not only build self-defense and athletic skills, but strong character in his students. His two career paths, now converging, have resulted in a tutor who is patient, insightful, encouraging, and always ready to learn more. On the personal side, Riley is an enormous nerd, fond of all forms of games in particular - card, board, and video. Look forward to his jolly personality, well-practiced etiquette, and confident support for your child's unique needs!
Career Opportunities
If you have a master's degree, have teaching experience, and are interested in joining the top-notch educational staff here at Vogel Prep of Scottsdale, then visit our careers page for more details.
