Meet Our Team
Creating a Brighter Future Together
Preparing for the brightest future, Elevate College Prep and Consulting provides unparalleled dedication and commitment to students and their variety of needs, passions and dreams. Explore this page to learn more about our teachers.
Jennifer Lee, Ed.M
CEO, Founder, Education Counselor
Jennifer Lee received her Masters in Education (Ed.M) at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. After completing her BA in Psychology at UC Davis in 2008, she taught English to students from Kindergarten through 8th grade while helping run Genius Academy. During her time at Genius Academy, Jennifer has promoted the development of well-rounded children who love learning, emphasizing high academic expectations while cultivating usable life skills through fun programs that apply the knowledge students have learned.
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Jennifer’s mission in education is to help children reach high standards in academic achievement, but also to promote the importance of leadership, public speaking, critical thinking, and other 21st century skills, preparing students for college and beyond. Her educational philosophy has shaped Elevate’s mission of fostering well-rounded students with genuine passions and interests rather than perfectly performing robots. Through Elevate, Jennifer hopes to help students discover and pursue their interests in a way that is beneficial for their college profiles, shifting the public view of a “good student” away from purely grades and test scores in favor of cultivating unique and passionate individuals who possess the soft skills that are critical for success in school and in life.
Sarah Jensen
Counselor, Executive Assistant, Essay Writing Coach, Tutor
Sarah Jensen joined Elevate in 2021, and since then, she has helped high schoolers with Chemistry, Math, Physics, English, college essays, and academic counseling. With college essays, she prioritizes bringing out students’ individual voices and experiences in a way that is uniquely them.
Although she graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in English, Sarah’s preliminary studies in Chemical Engineering have proven useful in assisting high schoolers with Chemistry and Physics. Her background in creative writing helps her recommend effective ways to practice and reframe narrative and analytic writing alike. Sarah’s literary interests include modern Asian American writing and the interaction and intersection between author and narrator. She enjoys reading fiction (especially books about books, mythologies, and queer coming-of-age stories) and speedrunning Stardew Valley, and is currently penning her first novel.
Laurie Lande
Counselor, Essay Writing Coach
Laurie Lande developed her writing and editing skills in her decade spent working for The Wall Street Journal in Washington, D.C., Hong Kong, and Singapore, as well as for Bloomberg News. The skills she gained as a journalist, including interviewing, collaborative writing, and editing, help her guide the college application process. Since leaving journalism, Laurie received her Certificate in College Counseling from UCLA Extension in early 2020 and attends the annual UC Counselor Conference and Western Association for College Admission Counseling (WACAC) Conference every year to learn the latest news in admissions directly from colleges and counselors. She also visits a minimum of 10 new college campuses each year on counselor tours. Laurie's two sons graduated from Georgetown University and UC San Diego, and she also has a daughter in middle school.
Riya Shrivastava
Project Manager, SAT/ACT Tutor
Riya joined Elevate in 2025 as a Project Manager and SAT/ACT Tutor, bringing with her a passion for personalized guidance and a track record of helping students raise their SAT/ACT scores and find confidence in their college applications. She graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a B.S. in Business Administration and a minor in Human-Computer Interaction and has years of professional experience in Marketing and Project Management.
At Elevate, Riya specializes in one-on-one SAT tutoring using proven strategies and works closely with students to help them brainstorm, develop, and launch meaningful personal projects that make their applications stand out. She believes the college admissions process is as much about authenticity as it is about strategy—and she’s here to help students navigate it with both.
When she’s not working with students, you can usually find Riya taking long walks with her dog and a good audiobook in her ear, completing her goal of trying every Buldak ramen flavor under the sun, or hosting movie marathons with friends and family.
Erik Wang
Tutor
Erik Wang is a current undergraduate at UCLA studying Political Science and Psychology. He primarily works to tutor history and English, and he enjoys helping students gain stronger writing skills and build critical thinking. Erik is very passionate about watching students grow academically and develop confidence in their educational abilities. Outside of tutoring, Erik loves playing basketball, listening to music, and eating different cuisines.
Eddy Eskandari
Tutor
Eddy Eskandari is an experienced Physics and Calculus educator with over 40 years of teaching experience in the U.S. and internationally. He specializes in AP Physics, AP Calculus AB & BC, Pre-Calculus, Algebra, and Geometry, and has taught students across middle school, high school, and college levels.
Eddy is passionate about making complex physics and mathematics concepts clear, logical, and engaging. He helps students build strong problem-solving skills, conceptual understanding, and confidence in STEM. He has prepared students for AP exams and competitive physics programs through structured instruction, targeted practice, and exam-focused strategies.
He currently teaches mathematics at Stratford Preparatory School, teaches summer mathematics at The Harker School, and tutors high school students in AP Physics and advanced mathematics. Eddy has also supported college-level students in math and physics at West Valley College and San Jose City College.
Eddy holds a B.S. in Physics and is a published author in physics education, with multiple books and articles focused on improving students’ understanding and enjoyment of physics.