OUR INSTRUCTORS

Our instructors share one common trait: a wealth of experience both inside and outside the classroom. They understand the importance of competitive test scores, a strong academic standing, and solid communication between student and teacher. Our students are well-rounded, ambitious, and inspiring. We're proud to say our instructors possess the same qualities.

Though a number of our instructors do teach at the high school and college level, we  do not consider this a requirement. And we've never felt this is a disadvantage. Day in and day out, we see the limitations of both the private and public school systems in New York City, and how established curriculums can prepare students for some, but not all, of the challenges students face. If we were licensed teachers, we would not know what we know. If schools provided the services we provide, we wouldn't have created this company, and you wouldn't be visiting this website.

As you will read below, no member of our staff specializes in only one area. We pair students with the most qualified instructors, all of whom:

are 99th percentile scores on the tests they teach are capable of providing rigorous course content that mirrors in-class assignments and tests have mastered instructional techniques for analytic writing, high-order reading comprehension, exam prep, note-taking, and executive function support. are familiar with a broad range of learning disabilities and will reach out to other members of our staff when a student requires additional support.

The biographies of our instructors are below.

Mark Losinger Prior to founding City Smarts in 2005, Mark created instructional courses for 3 major test prep organizations. He is currently an instructor at Baruch College, designing the Continuing and Professional Studies Department's GRE and GMAT courses.  A graduate of Hunter College with a degree in English and Political Science, he assists students in a wide array of subjects: from mathematics and chemistry to writing, history, and literature. An accomplished test taker, he has worked with hundreds of students and has a vast knowledge of admissions opportunities for prospective high school, college, and graduate students.

Danielle Florio Danielle is a co-founder of City Smarts. She has taught reading comprehension and math for over 5 years, and now designs and instructs the SHSAT and Test Math Review workshops through the Continuing and Professional Studies Department at Baruch College.  Over the years Danielle has cultivated solid standardized test prep methods. She tailors her lessons to suit the needs of her unique students.  Her knowledge of math and reading issues is extensive.  Her Organization & Time Management Program helps students attain their academic goals.  She holds a BA from Purchase College, SUNY.

Nicole Scala Nicole has partnered with City Smarts since 2008. She specializes in mathematics, reading, and writing instruction for middle- and high-school level students. Prior to joining City Smarts, Nicole spent four years organizing an after-school tutoring program for middle school students, where she worked one-on-one and in classroom settings with students struggling in math, writing skills, and organization. She earned a B.S. in Economics from Fairfield University and has spent the past six years working in financial services in both commodity and equity markets.

Dan Kirkeby Dan has worked professionally as a tutor since 2006. He specializes in math and science for high school and college students, and has had great success working with students on everything from algebra and biology to calculus, physics, and stats. In addition to tutoring, Dan has taught three years of SAT math classes to Stuyvesant and Brooklyn Tech students, as well as numerous LSAT classes. Recently, he completed a GMAT math review book for an expanding test-prep company.

Melissa Axelrod Melissa has taught Spanish in a variety of capacities. She taught middle school Spanish in Massachusetts as well as at the Claremont Preparatory School in downtown Manhattan. For the past three years she has been a private Spanish tutor and has served as a programmatic manager at a non-profit in Manhattan. She has a Masters in Spanish Language from Middlebury College and has studied and lived in Spain for over 2 years. Melissa currently works for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. She is a true Spanish culture connoisseur and enjoys sharing her passion for the language and culture with others.

Michael Gsovski Michael is a Brooklyn-born New Yorker. He graduated Stuyvesant High School with honors in 2006 and in 2010 received his B.A. in Economics from Northwestern University. After graduation, he spent a year teaching ESL in China, where he learned a great deal about the strengths and shortcomings of various teaching models. He is currently available to tutor the SAT, SHSAT, ISEE, Chinese and writing along with AP and Regents social sciences and history. As a tutor, he favors an informal style that allows students to move quickly and thoroughly through subject matter, guided by honest and helpful instruction. He is thrilled to be teaching in New York City again, perhaps the best place in the world for a curious mind.

Thomas Dolan Thomas graduated from Yale University where he majored in History and International  Studies. At graduation, he received the Stanton Wheeler Award for outstanding artistic contributions.  He has worked as a private tutor since 2007 in the following disciplines: test prep (SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT), the humanities (French, Histories, composition) and college guidance. In addition to his work as a tutor, Thomas works as a freelance editor and vocalist.

Stephen Cedermark Stephen has been serving New York City youth in both the private and public domain since beginning his studies at the Steinhardt School of Education, Culture and Human Development at New York University in 2001, where he privately tutored students grades 5-12 in subjects such as English, French, and Math. He has worked as an adult-education ESL instructor with Americorps in 2005, as well as with ESL students in private schools.  In the spring of 2008, Stephen received his MA from Teachers College, Columbia University. He currently works within a French dual-language curriculum for the NYC Department of Education.

Samuel Perwin Sam first began his tutoring career as an undergraduate at Harvard working at The Writing Center specializing in helping ESL students write papers. Since then he has had a long and winding tutoring career working for some of the most prestigious tutoring companies in New York City and beyond. Sam specializes in college admissions prep and standardized tests including the SAT, ACT and SAT II subject tests in Biology, Spanish, and Literature. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard with a degree in Literature and a citation in Spanish. In addition to his tutoring skills, Sam is an accomplished actor, singer, playwright, and published author, and he is thrilled to be joining the CitySmarts team!

Jessica Taylor Jessica is starting her fourth year teaching at one of the top high schools in New York City.  Specializing in World History, Jessica is passionate about teaching young adults to love learning about history and sharing their opinions about past events. She believes that essay writing and test taking skills are important, but that enjoying learning is even more paramount.   Jessica teaches students to question history and use critical thinking skills, while relishing the process.

Jersey Walz Jersey Walz works with City Smarts as our Italian-language specialist. Jersey was born in New York City and raised in Rome, Italy. She received both a B.A. and B.F.A. from Purchase College in Creative Writing and Photography respectively. She currently works at Cooper Union as a part-time darkroom technician and teacher's assistant in black and white photography, working with students both in groups and individually.

Jay Dixit Jay Dixit studied psychology at Yale University and graduated cum laude with distinction in the major. He got his start as a a tutor teaching SAT and LSAT in the classroom and has been working as an SAT tutor in New York for more than ten years. He also tutors high school academic subjects such as English, history, social sciences, and physics. Jay brings to City Smarts his wealth of experience as a writing tutor, helping students with papers and essays for school, coaching them through the college admissions process, and assisting them with application essays and personal statements. In addition to being a tutor, Jay is also an award-winner journalist for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Rolling Stone, and Wired, and a former Senior Editor at Psychology Today.

Graham Bishop Having taught elementary school for two years at P.S. 13 in Brooklyn through Teach for America, Graham is no stranger to solving the difficult academic problems struggling students face.  His time in the classroom taught him that each student requires a slightly different approach to learning and that only when an educator has a holisitc understanding of a students strengths and weaknesses can he or she engage that student, and, in turn create an effective educational plan with ambitious yet achievable goals.  Upon leaving the classroom Graham attained a Masters in Climate & Society from Columbia University.  He holds an MA in education from Pace University, and two B.A.'s from UCSB.  He is passionate about education and sustainability.