We are a team of dedicated educators who are invested in your child’s success.

It makes all the difference when a student feels seen and understood, not just as a learner, but as a person.

Meet our Founder & Director

Maya Liran’s passion for teaching began at Washington University in St. Louis, where she was a Pre-Medical Peer Tutor and Organic Chemistry T.A. She quickly developed a talent for identifying the source of a student's struggles and adapting her teaching style to fit each individual's unique learning needs. Having experienced school-related anxiety herself, she understands how emotional barriers can hinder learning and how to create a calm and supportive learning environment.

After graduating, Maya taught at a NYC Jewish Day School and tutored additional students in school subjects and standardized test prep, developing a strong focus on providing executive function support. Maya later attended NYU School of Medicine, pursuing a career in pediatrics, but was ultimately drawn back to education, following her desire to support students in reaching their fullest potential.

Upon returning to teaching at NYC private schools, Maya expanded her tutoring practice, building a team of exceptional educators who share her deep commitment to student success. Now, she leads the UpLevel Tutoring process from the first consultations, working with parents and learning specialists to understand students’ needs. After connecting students with a perfect-match tutor, Maya remains actively involved – collaborating with tutors, parents, school learning specialists and teachers to ensure a comprehensive, individualized approach that helps each student thrive.

Meet the team

Areas of Expertise:
English, History, Writing, AP Lit and Lang, College Essay & Application Support, Executive Function Coaching

Elizabeth Brus is a former long-time classroom teacher at a number of schools including Avenues and Poly Prep. With nearly 20 years of experience (13 of those in the classroom), Elizabeth is also a published fiction author and works as a curriculum writer. She has developed history, English literature, and writing curricula for national charter networks, and is currently working for a start-up that uses AI to develop courses for college students around the world.
Elizabeth loves working with teenagers at a time in their lives when they're hungry for inspiration and direction. She firmly believes that a strong foundation in reading and writing sets up ALL students to be stronger communicators, better critical thinkers, and more empathetic members of society.
When she's not working, Elizabeth loves spending time with her two children, working on her novel, and traveling.
Elizabeth Brus holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Columbia University and an MFA from the University of Edinburgh.

Areas of Expertise:
Executive Function Coaching, College Consulting, Test Prep, School Subject Support

Emily guides families through each stage of the college admissions journey – from building a personalized list of schools to crafting standout essays, preparing for interviews, and navigating waitlist appeals. She has edited over 1,000 college admissions essays in her time as a college counselor and helped students gain acceptances to top-tier universities, including UChicago, UPenn, Northwestern, UCLA, and more. A former instructor for college freshmen in Columbia University’s Writing Program, Emily brings a research-based and student-centered approach to writing.
When it comes to test prep, Emily reframes standardized tests as puzzles to be solved—not measures of intelligence or speed. She helps students see that achieving their dream score isn’t about being “smart enough” or “fast enough,” but about believing in their ability to solve the puzzle with a calm, open mind. Her approach helps students release anxiety, embrace mistakes as learning tools, and develop the problem-solving mindset necessary to reach their target scores.
Outside of tutoring, Emily is a passionate theatergoer who can be found at Broadway, Off-Broadway, and even Off-Off-(Off!)-Broadway productions across the city.
Emily holds a bachelor's degree from Brown University and an MFA from Columbia University.

Danielle is a passionate and experienced Mathematics and Science tutor with over 10 years of private and in-school tutoring experience and is a published scientific researcher.
Danielle believes that helping students to build confidence is at the center of their learning journey. Danielle helps them to develop their intuition, improve their ability to ask meaningful questions and adopt diverse problem-solving strategies. Danielle finds great fulfillment from tutoring and connecting with students and especially loves mentorship and the social-emotional learning aspect.
Outside of tutoring, Danielle is a multi-instrumentalist and loves to hike with their Swiss Shepherd, Luna.
Danielle holds a dual Bachelor's degree from UCLA in Chemistry and Physics.

Areas of Expertise:
Math, Science

Jennifer has over 10 years of tutoring experience, with a background in classroom teaching.
Jennifer spent four years teaching all levels of high school science in NYC public schools, which has provided her with a deep understanding of the challenges students face in these subjects. Her teaching philosophy centers on a student-centered approach, aiming to inspire critical thinking, curiosity, and confidence. She believes in tailoring lessons to each student’s unique needs, fostering a growth mindset that empowers students to succeed.
Outside of tutoring, Jennifer has a passion for cooking and baking, and is an avid reader.
She earned her undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis, followed by a Master's in Teaching, and is currently pursuing her MD.

Areas of Expertise:
Spanish, Hispanic Culture

Leigh is a dedicated mathematics teacher at an NYC private school and is also a tutor and learning enthusiast with extensive experience teaching grades 1-10. Leigh specializes in middle and high school math.
Leigh has a strong background working with students of diverse learning needs, including those with learning differences, ESL backgrounds, and organizational challenges. Leigh’s greatest fulfillment comes from witnessing a student’s transformation — when their confidence soars and they realize their full potential. Leigh’s teaching philosophy is rooted in meeting students where they are, fostering trust, encouragement and creating a safe, fun learning environment. She believes in personalized instruction, adapting her approach to match each student’s unique learning style and needs.
Outside of teaching and tutoring, she is passionate about yoga, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and spending time outdoors and traveling.
Leigh holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematical and Scientific Computation with a Biology emphasis from the University of California, Davis.

Jorge Valdiriz is an Upper School Spanish/Hispanic Culture teacher and advisor at Trevor Day School, where he has been teaching since 2016.
Jorge has over twenty years of teaching experience. After teaching ESL for eight years at American College in Mexico, he became the English Development Coordinator and Language Consultant at Softtek S.A De C.V. He moved to New York in 2012 and taught Spanish at Queen Sofia Institute and Instituto Cervantes. Jorge comes from a family of teachers and loves connecting with his students to keep tutoring sessions fun and upbeat, especially through the use of humor.
When Jorge is not teaching or tutoring, he likes to perform and record music and enjoys building and repairing guitars at the famous Richie’s Guitar Shop
Jorge earned his Baccalaureate Degree from the Universidad Regiomontana in Monterrey, Mexico,

Areas of Expertise:
Executive Function Coaching, Math, Science, Coding, Hebrew

Areas of Expertise:
Test Prep, Math, College Essay Writing, AP Psychology

Levi has been teaching and tutoring for over a decade and has tutored over 100 SAT and ACT students. He was also an English Language Arts teacher for high school sophomores, focusing on critical reading and personal narrative writing.
Levi has extensive experience providing steady emotional support to students in high-pressure academic environments. Pulling from his work as a psychotherapist, Levi attunes to his students' psychological and emotional states, moving between curiosity, humor, and frankness to promote learning and confidence.
Levi enjoys reading, running, backpacking and learning about neuroscience.
Levi holds a BA from Stanford University and a Master of Social Work from Columbia University.

Matthew has tutored for nearly a decade. With over 4,000 hours of tutoring experience, he has worked extensively with students with various learning differences and IEPs.
For Matthew, tutoring is about much more than helping students maximize their test scores. He helps students overcome comparison traps and self-doubt, while teaching them practical planning skills and strategies for academic success. Matthew finds that his students often already have all the skills that they need to be successful; they just need support in realizing what they are already capable of. Matthew finds great joy in the tutoring process.
During the pandemic, Matthew homeschooled a family of three for a calendar year. When Matthew is not tutoring, he enjoys exploring parts of the 5 boroughs that he hasn’t visited before, or spending hours perfecting a new pasta sauce recipe.
Matthew earned his Bachelor’s degree from Northwestern and his Master’s degree from NYU.

Areas of Expertise:
Test Prep, Math, AP Bio

Areas of Expertise:
Executive Function Coaching, Writing,
College Essay & Application Support,
Career Counseling, Interview Preparation

Dr. Vibhakumari Solanki is a published academic author and educator specializing in Writing and Executive Function coaching. She also has experience with curriculum writing and career counseling, helping individuals across various industries to identify their strengths, set career goals, and navigate their professional growth.
Dr. Solanki works with students across NYC and Westchester private schools and top colleges. She has extensive experience supporting neurodiverse individuals, including those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
Dr. Solanki empowers individuals to build confidence and self-advocacy skills that foster curiosity, critical thinking, and lifelong learning. She is committed to nurturing supportive learning environments to be inclusive of all learners.
Outside of coaching, she explores literature, cultures, and languages to deepen her global perspective.
She holds a Bachelor’s in English Language and Literature and a Master’s in Adolescent Education from Pace University and a Doctorate in Education from Northcentral University.