Our Team
Brought together by a shared love of teaching, the Next Step team delivers top tier education for affordable prices. We prioritize a wholistic approach and teach out students how to present themselves well. Brought together by a shared love of teaching, the Next Step team delivers top tier education for affordable prices. We prioritize a wholistic approach and teach out students how to present themselves well. Brought together by a shared love of teaching, the Next Step team delivers top tier education for affordable prices. We prioritize a wholistic approach and teach out students how to present themselves
Brihad Arun
The University of Edinburgh
MA in Mathematics
Brihad is an educator and data scientist who holds a master’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Edinburgh. With a strong background in advanced mathematical theory and real-world data analysis, he brings both precision and practical insight to his teaching.
In his professional work as a data scientist, Brihad applies mathematical reasoning to solve complex problems, an experience that informs his clear, application-driven tutoring style. He specializes in helping students build strong conceptual foundations while also developing efficient problem-solving strategies. Brihad is known for breaking down intimidating material into manageable steps and adapting his approach to each student’s learning style. Students appreciate his patient, encouraging demeanor and his ability to connect abstract math concepts to real-world contexts, making learning both engaging and effective.
Areas of expertise: ACT, SAT
Kat Smith
Columbia University
MA in Political Science
Kat is currently a political science student at Columbia University with a strong focus on activism and the study of war theory. Their academic work combines political theory, international relations, and ethical analysis, giving them a nuanced understanding of global conflict and power structures.
Kat brings this interdisciplinary perspective into their tutoring, helping students think critically about complex texts, arguments, and historical contexts. They emphasize clear reasoning, strong writing, and the ability to articulate well-supported positions. With a passion for education as a tool for civic engagement, Kat creates sessions that are thoughtful, challenging, and supportive. Students value Kat’s intellectually engaged approach and their ability to connect academic material to real-world political and social issues.
Area of expertise: College Admissions
Natalie Naylor
New York University
MA in English and American Literature
Natalie is a graduate student currently pursuing a master’s degree in English at NYU. She earned her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley, graduating with honors and a strong academic foundation in literary analysis and critical writing.
With four years of experience in writing tutoring, Natalie has worked closely with students across a range of skill levels and academic contexts. Her teaching emphasizes clarity, structure, and developing an authentic voice in academic and personal writing. Natalie is especially skilled at guiding students through essays, research papers, and college application writing with thoughtful, constructive feedback. Students value her supportive, detail-oriented approach and her ability to help them make consistent, meaningful improvements in their writing.
Areas of expertise: Writing, College Admissions
Lu Agnew
UC Berkeley
BA in Philosophy and Art Practice
Lu Agnew is a New York–based educator and creative professional who graduated from UC Berkeley with a double major in Philosophy and Art Practice, earning honors and a 3.9 GPA. They achieved a 1570 SAT score, including a 770 in SAT English/Reading & Writing, reflecting strong analytical and communication skills. Lu has professional experience in creative industries, including refining illustrations with generative AI at a tech startup and working as a set designer for clients such as Chanel and Hugo Boss. These experiences shape a practical, innovative approach to teaching and learning.
As a tutor, Lu focuses on building student confidence, teaching effective strategies, and helping learners reach concrete academic goals through clear feedback and structured practice. They support high school and undergraduate students in SAT Reading & Writing, SAT Math support, college essays, and writing-intensive coursework, and are known for calm, encouraging, and results-oriented sessions.
Area of expertise: SAT, College Admissions
Alex Ozonoff
Duke University
BS in Biology, Minors in Chemistry and Music
NYU Grossman School of Medicine Class of 2029
Alex is an educator and biomedical researcher who holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Duke University, with additional training in chemistry, music, and computational analysis. With a strong interdisciplinary background spanning the life sciences, quantitative reasoning, and real-world clinical research, he brings both rigor and perspective to his teaching.
In his professional work as a Postgraduate Associate at Yale School of Medicine, Alex applies data-driven thinking to clinical and translational research, an experience that directly informs his clear, application-focused tutoring style. Furthermore, with extensive experience in statistical analysis from work at the National Organization of Rare Disorders (NORD) and the Yale University Clinical and Translational Research Accelerator (CTRA), Alex has a deep understanding of the current research landscape, as well as both the quantitative and qualitative skills required to succeed within it.
He specializes in helping students build strong conceptual foundations while developing efficient, test-ready problem-solving strategies in subjects such as biology, chemistry, and quantitative reasoning. And with success both in the college and medical school admissions process, Alex is uniquely equipped to present concepts learned in the classroom, skills developed through extracurriculars, and innate personal characteristics to align with the priorities of admissions committees at Top 20 schools and beyond.
Alex is known for breaking down complex, intimidating material into intuitive steps, all while emphasizing conceptual understanding and discouraging brute memorization. Students value his patient, encouraging demeanor, his bubbling personality, and his ability to connect abstract concepts to real academic and real-world contexts.
Area of expertise: SAT, ACT, College Admissions
