Magnolia, Queen Anne, & Ballard Tutors

Katey

I’m Katey (she/her), a teacher, writer, facilitator, and life-long student. My diverse interests and experiences are stitched together by a common thread: my words and my voice.

I received my Bachelor of Arts in Health and Societies with a minor in History from the University of Pennsylvania (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa). I also hold a Master of Public Health from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. As an undergraduate, I won the Society of the College Prize for the best thesis in my major. I was a Public Health Journalism Fellow during my Master’s Program, and upon graduation, received the Pauline Stitt Outstanding Graduate Student award.

Over the past decade, I’ve worked in the public health sector, publishing in a wide variety of formats and styles. I have served as co-author, editor, and communications consultant to researchers in 12 countries, translating scientific papers and technical information into digestible content for government officials, advocates, and the public at large. I’ve also helped to create and deliver popular education courses – weaving together lectures, healing circles, and embodied activities – to university staff, with a focus on (re)indigenizing higher education spaces. In the classroom setting, I volunteered for two years as an adult ESOL teacher and for a year as a 1:1 tutor with elementary age students in the School District of Philadelphia.

I am also a yoga teacher and bring my understanding of the body-mind to the tutoring space, encouraging learners to be present and engaged. I love supporting learners in identifying their strengths and telling their stories.

I am fortunate to call Northern Virginia, O’ahu, and Seattle (dᶻidᶻəlaĺič) home. Outside of my working hours, I enjoy spending time outside, curling up with a good book, and singing.

Alec

I am an educator, tutor, and current graduate student with over a decade of experience supporting students in developing their reading and writing skills, organization, and academic confidence. My passion for teaching stems from my upbringing in a family where education was highly valued, and my grandmother's work in special education deeply inspired me. This background has shaped my belief in the importance of relationships and curiosity in education and the need to meet each student where they are in their learning process.

My journey as an educator began at Stanford University, where I earned my undergraduate degree with a minor in education. This academic foundation was enriched through my service with City Year AmeriCorps, where I taught English and history to secondary students in East San Jose.

Following that, I became a team leader at AJ Tutoring in the Bay Area, specializing in English, writing, and reading comprehension. I had the privilege of guiding elementary, middle, and high school students through their academic journeys. In addition to tutoring, I managed a team of over 15 tutors, which helped prepare me to effectively support students from diverse cognitive, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds.

Most recently, I served as a student success coach in Anchorage, Alaska with the Anchorage School District. Currently, I am pursuing a graduate degree in school psychology at the University of Washington. This path has allowed me to further my dedication to supporting students with educational needs, such as dyslexia, ADHD, and autism.

Outside of tutoring, I enjoy outdoor activities like paddleboarding and fishing, as well as spending time with my dogs. I am excited to be a part of the Write Seattle team, where I can continue to support students in developing their writing skills and finding their unique voices. My educational philosophy emphasizes student-led, collaborative learning, and I look forward to working together to support students and families in reaching their learning goals!

Lachlan

Hi there, my name is Lachlan! I work primarily with Kindergarten through 3rd grade learners. I’m now in my fourth year of teaching, and I bring over a decade of experience working with kids from preschool through high school. I moved to Seattle in the fall of 2023 and have been energized by the city’s creative community-centered spirit. I grew up in Los Angeles, where I earned my B.A. in Urban & Environmental Policy at Occidental College. I am now completing my Master of Education at the UCDS Graduate School of Education.

I draw from a wide range of evidence-based practices to meet each learner where they are, helping them find a ‘just right’ level of challenge that feels meaningful, engaging, and fun. Whether we’re exploring letter sounds, discovering new spelling patterns, developing efficient handwriting habits, or practicing reading aloud, my goal is always to help build strong foundational literacy skills.

I take time to understand what inspires each learner! Figuring out which topics, activities, and routines capture their curiosity helps me to design learning experiences that inspire them to grow with confidence and joy. I value building strong and collaborative partnerships with families to support both learning and wellbeing. I look forward to chatting with you to see how I might serve as a
supportive guide in your learner’s literacy journey!

Christy

I taught public school English, yearbook, and ELD/MLL for a decade in the Los Angeles area. I focused on making writing and literature fun and accessible while also introducing students to age-appropriate grammar, rhetoric, literacy and lit analysis skills to support their learning. Since moving to Seattle in 2017, I have worked in teacher professional development at the Center for Professional Education, and also stayed engaged with the classroom by working as a WITS guest poetry teacher in Seattle Public Schools in 2018 and 2019 and as an adjunct writing and education instructor to both undergrad and graduate courses at SPU, both online and in person. I've also recently begun taking coursework in early literacy, and also enjoy supporting emerging readers, helping them gain confidence, text exposure, and resilience as learners.

Rachael

I am a graduate student at the University of Washington with a professional background in political organizing and Jewish education.

I earned my bachelor's degree in philosophy from Scripps College, where I was a finalist in their college-wide research paper competition, a fellow at the Scripps College Humanities Institute, and a peer tutor at the college’s writing center. As a tutor, I worked with students in one-on-one sessions to unpack and understand prompts, talk through their ideas, and effectively organize papers. I also built ongoing relationships with seniors working on undergraduate thesis projects, and led first year writing workshops with the writing center. After graduating with honors, I worked as a climate organizer with both secular and faith-based organizations, and taught students in grades 2nd-5th reading and writing in Hebrew. I am now a graduate student pursuing my PhD in communication at the University of Washington, where I continue to work with students on effective writing and public speaking.

Entering undergrad, I neither enjoyed writing nor believed I was any good at it. It wasn’t until my freshman year writing professor gave me the right mix of discipline and encouragement that I was able to see writing not as a source of frustration, but as a powerful tool for expression and persuasion. I love the opportunity tutoring gives me to share that same encouragement with other students, and I look forward to working with students of all ages on building their writing skills, confidence, and intellectual curiosity.

Blair

I am a teacher and creative writer with over five years of experience supporting students. The writing process is a source for curiosity and empowerment, and I like to show students how they’re already writers, and how writing enhances their creative and analytical skills. I look forward to helping middle schoolers, high schoolers, and college students gain confidence in themselves while they achieve their writing goals.

Recently I earned my MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Utah, where I taught undergraduate writing classes that covered argumentative and analytical writing, personal narrative, genre and media, and research skills. I earned my BA in Writing and Rhetoric from Hobart and William Smith Colleges where I held two peer tutoring positions — first as a Writing Colleague where I worked with students on the classroom level (like a TA), then as a Writing Fellow in the college’s writing center, where I met one-on-one with students from a variety of subjects and skill levels. I have also worked extracurricularly as a Common App college essay tutor, and my students have gone off to U Miami, Villanova, and the University of Denver. I am excited to keep working with students through Write Seattle across all stages of the writing process.

As a creative writer I am well-practiced in genres across fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, and multimedia forms like video essays, photo essays, and book design. I plan to use this variety of forms in my tutoring sessions, and show students how analytical writing is creative, and how creative writing is analytical. Outside of teaching, you’ll find me exploring the Puget Sound region with my camera and my journal, especially if there’s a ferry involved. Much of my creative writing is inspired by naval history and environmental studies, along with my past as a competitive sailor, so I am always looking to learn more about these things (and Seattle is an ideal place to do so!).

Patrick

First and foremost, I am a people person who believes that relationships are the foundation of any positive learning experience. I always take the time to get to know each of my students, discovering their unique learning styles, motivations, and strengths.

I earned my B.A. from Boston College, where I studied History and Political Science. I took undergraduate and masters-level courses where I learned how to dissect historical narratives and understand the choices that go into crafting every piece of writing. During my senior year, I also completed an honors thesis in the Political Science department and was inducted into the Cross & Crown honor society for my academic achievements and service to the community. I graduated magna cum laude in May of 2021 and was one of five Political Science students awarded High Honors.

Since graduating, I have focused my career on student empowerment, working as a tutor, youth advocate, and mentor. In the spring of 2021, I joined AmeriCorps and moved to Portland, Oregon, where I tutored youth experiencing homelessness in writing, reading, math, and science. This experience utterly transformed my approach to tutoring, challenging me to be a more thoughtful listener, a more adaptive communicator, and a more resilient advocate. I approach tutoring now as I did then—building trust with my students, adapting to their learning styles, and leveraging their strengths and motivations to propel them forward. In addition to tutoring, I currently work at a small non-profit in South Seattle connecting high school students with committed mentors, powerful learning experiences, and a supportive peer community.

Ultimately, I believe that we learn about writing to learn about ourselves. Writing is about more
than knowing where the comma goes or when to use a fancy word; it’s about thrusting our inner worlds outward. As writers, we use the levers of language to communicate our thoughts, emotions, and experiences to the world around us. In translating our inner world into something others can understand, I believe that we not only become better writers, but we also come to better know ourselves.