Specialists
Navigating the academic world can be challenging. Sometimes you may need a little extra assistance. Whether you need an Academic Coach, Educational Therapist, Private School Admissions Consultant, or College Counselor –we’re here to help.
Meet Our Staff
Lisa Marfisi
University of Pennsylvania, BA
Philadelphia College, BSLisa has been a professional in education in Los Angeles since 1991. She was the Director of Admissions K-12 at Wildwood School and Echo Horizon School. She also worked at the Archer School for Girls, PS #1, and Westside Neighborhood School. Lisa’s experience has given her an understanding of what schools are looking for and enables her to help parents navigate the admissions process from an insider’s point of view. Lisa has been helping families with the admission process for 19 years. She is a former steering committee member of ESAD (Elementary School Admission Directors).
Dr. Lauren
Monash University, Melbourne Australia, Ph D
Indiana/Purdue University, MSMT
Pacifica Graduate Institute, MA Counseling
University of Hawaii, BA summa cum laudeDr. Lauren has assisted hundreds of students to succeed in test prep, writing, and academic support over the last 20 years. Through personalized instruction, catered specifically to the student’s strengths and weaknesses, Dr. Lauren helps students achieve academic excellence. She designs customized test preparation for students studying the ACT/SAT, ISEE/SSAT, GRE and TOEFL tests and has excellent results. Dr. Lauren works with a variety of students from different countries, backgrounds, and ability levels, catering her study plans to ensure each student reaches their highest ability. Dr. Lauren has led the test prep department for a national company in Medford Oregon, owned her own SAT test prep center, and headed Academic Achievers’ test prep department since 2014.
Rob Stone
Harvard University, MA
Colorado College, BARob Stone has been working as a teacher/advisor for over 20 years. He has trained teachers, published articles in education journals, presented at educational conferences and lectured at graduate schools of education. His primary focus has been middle school students, especially in developing skills and building work habits to prepare them for high school. Rob works with students on meta-cognition and understanding their own learning, building effective study habits, time management and organization skills and executive functioning issues. He helps to empower students in a direct, but compassionate way, and serves as a sounding board and advisor to help parents understand their child’s learning, strengths and shortcomings, and school experience through an academic and social-emotional lens.
Wendy
Pepperdine University, MA Ed
California State at Northridge, BA, Elementary Ed
University of California, Riverside, Ed.Therapy Certification
CA State Teaching CredentialWendy is a Learning Specialist and Executive Functioning Coach with more than 20 years of experience supporting children and adolescents as a teacher, tutor, and educational specialist. Throughout her career, Wendy has taught at several independent schools, including Hollywood Schoolhouse, Pilgrim School, Curtis School, and John Thomas Dye School. As a Learning Specialist and trained Executive Function Coach, she works one-on-one with students to support executive functioning, literacy, writing, and remedial math skills. Her work includes reviewing and interpreting psychoeducational testing, conducting informal assessments, developing targeted intervention plans, and collaborating closely with parents, therapists, educators, and school teams to ensure cohesive student support. By prioritizing both skill development and emotional wellbeing, she helps students strengthen self-esteem, build academic confidence, and develop a more positive relationship with learning.
Dr. Bibi
Loyola Marymount University, PhD Ed
Columbia University, MA, Psych.
University of Pittsburgh, BA, NeuroscienceBibi is an Educational Therapist and Learning Specialist with over 10 years of professional experience. She provides one-on-one services for students with a wide range of learning disabilities and differences including dyslexia, ADHD, Pervasive Development Disorders as well as the development of individualized educational and treatment plans. Dr. Pirayesh also offers a Cognitive Brain Training Program which addresses Attention, Memory, Logic/Reasoning, and Processing to ensure students are working at the top of their abilities.
Kris S.
University of Denver, M.Ed.
Emory University, MBA
University of Michigan, BFA
CA Reading & Literacy Credential
CA Specialist Moderate to Severe Credential
CA Primary Multiple Subject Credential
CA Cross-cultural Language & Academic Development CertificateKris currently works for the Los Angeles Unified School District as a special education teacher. However, she has taught every level of education from elementary, middle school, high school, community college and university providing her a unique perspective. As a special education teacher, she currently instructs English to students with an array of disabilities and manages a caseload of students. She is responsible for all individual education plan activities including the development of student IEP present levels of performance, goals and accommodations, management, meeting facilitation, and assessment. Through education and certification, Kris utilizes her literacy expertise to determine the source of reading challenges and provides systematic literacy instruction bolstering student phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills. Additionally, she is a member of the LAUSD University Reading & Literacy Added Teacher Credentialing Program instructional faculty.
