Our Team

Art of Problem Solving was founded by Richard Rusczyk in 2003 to create interactive educational opportunities for avid math students. Richard is the author or a co-author of 7 AoPS textbooks and a past Director of the USA Mathematical Talent Search. He was a participant in National MATHCOUNTS, a three-time participant in the Math Olympiad Summer Program, and a USA Mathematical Olympiad winner (1989). He received the World Federation of National Mathematics Competitions Paul Erdös Award in 2014. He graduated from Princeton University in 1993, and worked as a bond trader for D.E. Shaw & Company for four years. AoPS marks Richard's return to his vocation - educating motivated students.

In 2014, Glen founded a learning center in Morrisville, North Carolina, that two years later became the first AoPS Academy campus. Glen served as the National Director of AoPS Academy until his retirement in 2019. He has experience as a college math professor, statistician, and expert SAS programmer. He has been a professional math tutor for many years, and specializes in training academically-advanced and high-performing math students. Glen is a graduate of Duke University and holds a graduate degree in statistics from Boston University.

Shanika has over 11 years of experience in education as a teacher, instructional and school leader in the city of Newark. She got her start in education with Teach For America (Greater New Jersey) after graduating Magna Cum Laude from Amherst College. She's excited to work at AoPS because she gets to engage with high quality content that brings both joy and rigor to the classroom. From her very first day with AoPS, she noticed that the culture (across departments) is dedicated to building a product that elevates the student learning experience, and she's grateful to be on the frontlines teaching with and leading a site of dedicated, life long learners. While there is so much to love about working with students, what Shanika loves most is seeing the triumph students express when experiencing a breakthrough or overcoming a challenge! Shanika describes her teaching style as student-centered. This means that students do the heavy lifting through techniques like guided discourse, inquiry based projects, and, when necessary, a little bit of direct instruction from the teacher.

Cassandra has over nine years of teaching experience with Montgomery County Public Schools and a strong background in education and literacy instruction. Throughout her career, she has focused on helping students strengthen their reading comprehension skills, engage more deeply with literature, and build confidence as readers. She is passionate about creating enriching learning experiences that foster curiosity, critical thinking, and a lifelong love of reading. She was drawn to AoPS because of its commitment to helping students think critically, challenge themselves academically, and develop a genuine love of learning. She is especially excited about working with motivated students in an engaging environment that encourages curiosity, creativity, and deeper thinking. She would describe her teaching style as supportive, engaging, and student-centered. Students and colleagues can expect her to create a positive learning environment where everyone feels encouraged to participate, ask questions, and challenge themselves while building both confidence and independence.

Mary loves to teach 7th grade Science with an emphasis on hands-on learning. Science uses all students' talents: mathematic, language, logical, and artistic. AoPS mentors students to use their talents to solve problems and create solutions, which are the skills students really need to develop for lifelong success. Mary brings enthusiasm and experience to AoPS after teaching many years of Science camp. She looks forward to building designs and solving problems at camp this summer, creating an engaging learning environment where students can explore scientific concepts through active experimentation and creative problem-solving. Her approach emphasizes making science accessible and exciting for all learners.

Nicholas Wang is a Master's student at Courant Institute at NYU studying mathematics. He has experience as a teaching assistant for university courses and math camps including AwesomeMath. He took AoPS courses starting in elementary school for competition math and credits those classes with significantly shaping his mathematical development. Excited to give back to the AoPS community, Nicholas is enthusiastic about working as an instructor. His teaching emphasizes methods of thinking and flexibility. Rather than simply showing students the steps to solve a problem, he helps them understand how to figure out those steps from scratch. This approach builds both strong problem-solving skills and genuine mathematical confidence.

NovaLee recently earned her master's degree in Instruction and Curriculum: Mathematics from Kean University, building on hands-on experience through student teaching, tutoring, and a variety of classroom settings that deepened her love for making challenging math concepts approachable and engaging. She was drawn to AoPS for its focus on curiosity, problem-solving, and encouraging students to see math as something to explore rather than memorize. Students can expect an enthusiastic, patient teacher who celebrates effort, values curiosity, and wants everyone to leave each class understanding not just how something works — but why it works.

Jacquelyn is a tutor/teacher of all math subjects covered up to calculus while also being a graduate student at Montclair State University studying mathematics. What drew Jacquelyn to AoPS Academy is how they encourage students to think outside the box and approach math with curiosity and confidence. Jacquelyn encourages students to actively engage with problems rather than passively receive information by using questions to help them develop their own problem-solving strategies, fostering independence and critical thinking.

Daniel has had an illustrious and diversified career path since graduating from Fordham University with a bachelor's degree in Mathematics in 2008. From a hospital lab to a home remodeling sales rep, Daniel has finally come to a job that he can call home. Daniel is excited to jump into AoPS Academy with both feet. In a short amount of time he has already passed his enthusiasm of chess and math to the highly motivated students, and he is very excited to continue to do so. Daniel has shown an eagerness to not only teach, but to learn from his colleagues, hoping to absorb and adapt any and all best practices. Students and colleagues can expect to see high energy, versatility, and overall good vibes.

Julia Sean is an experienced educational leader and literacy specialist with expertise in instructional coaching, curriculum design, and data-driven improvement. She has led literacy initiatives and professional development for teachers and school leaders, driving measurable gains in student learning and instructional quality. She is constantly looking for ways to push kids academically and is excited to be able to have deeper conversations with students about literature at AoPS. She takes the work seriously, but not herself. She tends to ask many questions and listen very attentively as students answer.

Anthony began his career as a visual artist and has since become an educator and perpetual student of mathematics and computer science. He is deeply interested in the intersection of machine learning (ML) and medicine and completed MIT Professional Education’s certificate in Applied Data Science and ML with a concentration in the health sciences. Anthony is pursuing a B.S. in Applied Mathematics at NJIT, he received an A.S. in Mathematics Summa Cum Laude from HCCC, and a B.F.A. from the National Academy of Design. His creative background informs his common-sense approach to learning and problem-solving. He is passionate about AoPS’s dedication to inventive mathematical thinking. To Anthony, it feels rewarding to lead the process of demystifying math for students. He believes the world’s future depends on the next generation of scientists and mathematicians.

Kaitlyn got her associate's degree in mathematics education in 2022 and her bachelors in mathematics in 2024. She is currently in her first year of pursuing a master's degree for mathematics at Montclair State University with the aim to become a graduate mathematics professor. Kaitlyn has always been captivated by the types of problems taught at AoPS and how they differ from the traditional problems with their intense aim at whole concept understanding. She recognizes that every student approaches concepts differently and the creativity that students bring to the classroom never ceases to amaze her. She considers herself an interactive instructor who loves to have dialogue and teamwork. She believes that students learn best when they are being actively engaged and challenged with a variety of problem types and activities.

Chris's lifelong love of words and stories led him from a BA in Theater at Long Island University to work as a journalist for numerous newspapers, magazines, and websites, and ultimately to a career as a professionally published children's author. It was as an author that he discovered working directly with children on school visits was his favorite part of the job, and has been teaching writing classes and workshops for years since. For Chris, the highlight of being an instructor is helping students unlock and engage their own creativity, and seeing that moment of pride when they are able to discover a solution on their own. He was drawn to AoPS for the opportunity to work with students who are as enthusiastic about learning as he is. He likes lively classrooms with energetic, highly interactive lessons, and is always open to trying new things in an effort to get the best out of every student.

Quincy received his Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Drew University and is currently a graduate student and research assistant at Rutgers University School of Public Health Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. He was drawn to AoPS by its challenging and unique approach to providing students with excellent academic skills. After years of teaching and tutoring, Quincy still feels that there is nothing quite as rewarding as seeing the light come on when a student understands a new mathematical concept. His teaching style is interactive, celebrating each student's individual strengths and ensuring that every student feels comfortable in the classroom.

Feven Negussie is a graduate of Barnard College, where she studied political science and history. During her time in college, she worked as a teaching assistant for an eighth-grade class in a rigorous program and discovered that she enjoyed teaching and working with young students. She is drawn to AoPS Academy because it offers her the opportunity to work with talented students exploring subjects that intrigue her. Because of her childlike wonder at learning and discovering new things, she enjoys working with students who share these same qualities. Feven believes that the most powerful learning occurs through engaging, shared experiences of storytelling. Stories bring topics of study to life and connect with students on a deeper level.

Mansi Patel holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Secondary Education from The College of New Jersey and has over four years of experience teaching mathematics in various educational settings. She was drawn to AoPS by its commitment to developing students' problem-solving skills and its innovative approach to teaching mathematics. Her teaching style is characterized by differentiation, the integration of technology, and a focus on fostering critical thinking, logical reasoning, and problem-solving skills.

Courtney Scott is a certified elementary education teacher with a certification in K-6 from Montclair State University. She has taught second grade, fourth grade and fifth science and social studies. What drew her to AoPS is their dedication to enhancing student knowledge and success. She believes students should feel valued, supported, and recognized through all of their trials and triumphs in their work. Her teaching style combines active and collaborative learning. She believes students work best in engaging and peer discussion collaboration.

Michelle has been a secondary classroom English teacher for over 10 years. She was drawn to AoPS because of the high expectations that are set, the community created, and the opportunity to work with like-minded learners. Michelle enjoys working with students. She builds rapport with them and guides them by helping them apply what they are learning in the classroom to the real world. She has an involved and engaging teaching style that draws in students and makes learning relevant to them and the world around them.

Michael Williams has developed his career around a strong commitment to mathematics instruction, student achievement, and continuous improvement in teaching practice. He prioritizes discussion-based instruction, real-world application and fosters student ownership of learning. His classrooms reflect a belief that deep understanding comes from active engagement, critical thinking, and meaningful discourse. What drew him to AoPS was its unapologetic focus on deep mathematical thinking and problem-solving. He is most excited about the opportunity to facilitate rich mathematical discussions and push students beyond surface-level understanding. He enjoys creating spaces where students grapple with complex problems, explain their reasoning, and learn from one another. He would describe his teaching style as rigorous, student-centered, and highly intentional, focused on pushing for deep conceptual understanding, not just correct answers. Students can expect to be challenged and supported at the same time, with a high bar set while creating a safe environment to take risks, make mistakes, and grow.