Our Team

Mr. Ramana Atmakuru

Teacher:

Stay-Ahead Mathematics, SAT Mathematics

Qualification:

Masters in Computer Science, Bachelors in Computer Science

Experience:

Ramana is the founder of Ramana Coaching Center and a professional software architect. He has a serious passion for teaching mathematics and helping students become successful. He has been teaching SAT and high school mathematics for over 12 years. He enjoys motivating students and helping them to perform their very best.

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Mr. Necmettin Yasar

Teacher:

Stay-Ahead Mathematics, SAT Mathematics

Qualification:

Master's in Systems Engineering, B.S. in Mathematics Education

Experience:

Necmettin Yasar holds a Master's Degree in Systems Engineering from George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia and a B.S. degree in Mathematics Education from Marmara University, Istanbul. He has served as a teacher for 8 years and school administrator for 5 years. Necmettin has a passion for teaching and enjoys helping students improve in STEM areas.

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Ms. Elizabeth Smith

Teacher:

Stay-Ahead & SAT (Reading & Writing)

Experience:

Elizabeth Smith received her bachelor of arts and her teaching certification at Francis Marion University, and she received her master's degree in English literature from Auburn University. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at Auburn as well, where she teaches Composition and studies medieval and early modern English literature. Elizabeth has been an educator for 8 years and has worked with students at elementary, secondary, and undergraduate levels. She has worked at Ramana Coaching Center since 2015.

Ramana Experience:

My experience teaching at RCC has generally been quite positive. I enjoy the flexibility of my schedule, and I really enjoy the opportunity to work with students one-on-one. Students at RCC tend to be highly motivated, which makes online teaching fun, productive, and rewarding.

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Ms. Quentona Mattocks

Teacher:

SAT (Reading)

Qualification:

Master's in Education - Educational Leadership from Wingate University. B.A. in English with a concentration in Mass Communications from Elizabeth City State University.

Experience:

I began teaching 8th grade English in 2004 at River Road Middle School in Elizabeth City, NC. I moved back to Charlotte in 2007 and continued teaching English at Piedmont Middle School in Monroe, NC. I have served as the English Department Chair, mentor to beginning teachers, team leader, and I am currently the 8th grade House Leader.

Ramana Experience:

I began teaching at Ramana Coaching Center in February 2017. I have a unique way of making each class engaging, teaching & motivating, all while forming lasting bonds with every student. I truly enjoy teaching at RCC and look forward to future batches.

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Ms. Melissa Ligh

Teacher:

Stay-Ahead & SAT (Reading & Writing)

Experience:

I have been in education for eight years and currently teach at Mooresville High School in Mooresville N.C. however, I worked in for several Fortune 500 companies as a manager and trainer for over 20 years prior. I graduated from Liberty University with a triple major in Psychology, Business, and Religion and earned a Master's degree in teaching from UNCC. I completed and published educational material through the North Carolina Governor School Action Research in Education Program and have also developed and published curriculum through Charlotte Teacher's Institute. I presented a Teacher/ted Talk in Charlotte a few years ago titled, "I Teach Screenagers" (which you may view on YouTube) and have continued to pursue my research in education through a digital age. Along with teaching, I work part-time for the North Carolina Public of Education test development and scoring programs and as a tutor with Ramana. I am also pleased to say that my students have always exceeded North Carolina Standards in growth and I consistently strive for success both with my students and personal goals. I am a mother of five amazing children and am currently pursuing my National Board Certification in teaching.

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Ms. Angela Simon

Teacher:

SAT/ACT (Reading & Writing)

Experience:

Greetings! My name is Angela Simon. I have been teaching in North Carolina for fifteen years. I have taught middle school, high school, Advanced Placement Language and Composition, and SAT/ACT prep. I was selected to represent Cumberland County as the 2012-2013 Teacher of the Year, have earned my National Board Certification, and hold a Master's Degree in Reading (k-12). I have been working for Ramana Coaching Center for almost a year and have thoroughly enjoyed helping students achieve their scholastic goals.

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Mr. Robert Brissey

Teacher:

SAT/ACT (Reading)

Experience/Qualification/Other Details:

I'm a doctoral candidate at Auburn University with a Master's in English from Clemson University and a Bachelor's in English from Francis Marion University.
I enjoy playing guitar and physical fitness.

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Mr. Markis Landis Gardner

Teacher:

Stay Ahead & SAT (Math)

Qualification:

Master's in Mathematics from University of Kentucky.
Master's in Education with Technology Focus from Moreland University.
4 years of master's level classes in Computer Science from Georgia State University.

Experience:

8 years of teaching in American Universities including University of Kentucky and Georgia State University.
8 years of teaching in International schools in China.
2 years of experience teaching online.
30 years tutoring experience.
8 years of training for AMC 8/10 and Kangaroo Math.
I mostly teach high school math, preparations for AP Calculus, SAT/ACT math, Python programming, and provide training for the math competitions.

Ramana Experience:

I am a new teacher with Ramana having only started in May 2021.

Why do I love teaching?

When I was in middle school and high school - I was a state and national competitor in Chess, Math and Computer Programming. I started tutoring in high school and never stopped. I loved helping students out. When I was in college every semester, I helped students in their math classes. I became a university instructor as soon as I graduated and loved it. Just seeing the students improve makes my day. I volunteered to teach the lower-level math classes to make sure they had the proper foundations because many students were failing Calculus because they didn't have a strong background in math. I love teaching and programming

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Ms. Courtney Ballard

Teacher:

Stay Ahead & SAT (Math)

Qualification:

Master of Education in STEM; Mathematics and Statistics Education Concentration from North Carolina State University (2020).
B.S. Double Major: Mathematics and Elementary Education from Campbell University (2013).

Experience:

I am a 2019 North Carolina State University Master Teaching Fellow Innovation Grant recipient, and have taught in the public school system since 2013 in 8th grade math, Math 1, Math 2, and Math 3. I have a passion for helping students become confident in their ability to do math and communicate their ideas of how to solve complex problems.
My students generally enjoy the interactive and collaborative class environment, and as a result demonstrate high growth in mathematics.
I have recently joined Ramana because I love teaching mathematics and I look forward to the opportunity to work with students in small-group and 1-1 settings.

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Ms. Haley Colpitts

Teacher:

Stay Ahead & SAT (Math)

Qualification:

M.Ed. Secondary Education.
B.S. Mathematics Education.

Experience:

Haley Colpitts graduated Summa Cum Laude from University of New Hampshire (UNH) in 2015, and in 2016 graduated with her Masters in Education with a 4.0 GPA, also from UNH. The following summer she taught Calculus and Precalculus in the Upward Bound Summer Program at UNH before starting her first teaching job in Bethel, Maine, where she has taught and coached high school mathematics for the last five years. This year, she is becoming a part-time teacher in a new district so that she can be at home more with her one-year-old son and take on more tutoring students.

Ramana Experience:

I decided to join Ramana because I love working one-on-one with students and teaching online.
It is a great program and I am happy to be a part of it!

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Ms. Ghada Agha

Teacher:

Stay Ahead & SAT (Math)

Qualification:

Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics 4-12

Experience:

I taught 10th grade Algebra II at Waller ISD, 8th grade math at Aldine ISD, and Algebra I at Katy ISD. I am currently a part-time online math teacher at Elevate K-12 in the morning, and Ramana Coaching Center in the afternoon.
As a teacher, I learn and grow continuously from interacting with my students and find new ways to enhance my methods every day.

Ramana Experience:

I began teaching at Ramana in November 2021.
I love teaching and enjoy using simple methods that show students how to work through math problems. I make sure they understand and feel confident about the concepts they're learning. I believe that keeping students motivated and engaged with the material is the key to effective learning.

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Mr. Richard Messer

Teacher:

Stay Ahead & SAT (Math)

Qualification:

Master in Education Secondary Math Education from UNCC Charlotte BA in Mathematics from Appalachian University.

Experience:

I have been teaching math since January of 1996. Most of those years were at the high school level. I did spend four of those years in the middle grades.

Why I became a teacher:

Great Question: I have always enjoyed school. About the only way to stay in school is to become a teacher.
What's great about school, every day you are given the opportunity to learn new things. Teachers have the responsibility of providing such opportunities to their students. Every year brings news challenges with each new group of students.

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Mr. Garrity Ward

Teacher:

SAT (Reading & Writing)

Qualification:

Bachelor's Degree in English from Francis Marion University. Masters in English Literature from Auburn University.

Experience:

Taught English Composition at Auburn University (1100 & 1120), Former tutor at Francis Marion University's Writing Center (2017-2019).

Ramana Experience:

I have taught both Reading and Writing at Ramana since July 2021. I like to discuss with my students their strengths and their perspectives on writing. While there are always certain texts to engage with, I try to personalize each lesson for their needs.

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