I am a graduate of The University Of Maryland (with a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries Management) and of Fuller Theological Seminary (with a Master of Arts in Theology). For the past 37 years, I have devoted my life to Christian service among the poor and diverse communities in Guatemala, California, and Oklahoma City.I especially enjoy teaching English (ESL/ELL), Spanish, and History. My focus in teaching is to help students achieve their goals and to expand their skills for a more productive life. As a teacher, I introduce my students to balance the more advanced questions of each subject with the practical need to focus on the main points.

I'm from Costa Rica, Spanish is my native language. I'm also a US citizen. I've been teaching Spanish for many, many years. Had my own 2 language schools. At the present time I'm teaching at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Teaching is my passion, my student's success is my reward. I really care about every student I have the opportunity to help. We succeed together. Negative thoughts don't exist in my vocabulary and are not allowed on my student's vocabulary either. Let's do this!

I am a person of honesty and high integrity, very positive, and a gifted teacher. I completed my undergraduate degree at Scripps College in Claremont CA, where I obtained my BA in Biology. Completing Scripps, awarded me opportunity to write manuals for multiple high-end Fortune 500 Companies, like the Coca-Cola Company, Oracle, Ernst & Young and Motorola. Recently, I completed a Masters degree from Fuller Seminary in Theology and Ministry. My background also includes approximately two years as a Substitute Teacher.By profession, I inspire, empower and motivate individuals on who they are and how to think positively. My personal journey is rooted in a narrative of promotion from the pit to the palace and acheiving my goals in the face adverse of adverse conditions and against all odds. You can win!I am extremely optimistic and look forward to empowering and inspiring you to advance one more step towards your educational and professional goals!Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go... Only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be. - Karen Ravn

Teaching is not only a profession of mine but also a passion. I taught chemistry at the high school level for three years before desiring to go back to school myself to further my education in theology. Other than teaching I was also a youth counselor and sports coach. I truly feel led to teach and coach and am convinced that my abilities and gifts are best suited for communicating to others and helping them grasp what is needed to be learned so that the individuals I tutor can be successful in what they have desired to do. I endeavor to find new was to convey information and I see it as an art and calling. I see social media as a way to do this as well as I regularly enjoy tweeting interesting ideas and posting blogs over my recent writing projects and passions. All of my hobbies center around the joy of teaching and communicating. So, again, teaching is my passion and calling. I am looking forward to helping you achieve your goals!

All are capable of learning new and wonderful information. My calling in life is to assist those who desire to learn by listening to where they are and understanding where they would like to go.

I graduated from Rice University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Post-graduation, I was a Consultant in Deloitte Consulting's Strategy & Operations practice for four years. Most recently I decided to change my career and am currently pursuing a MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from Fuller.I am most interested in tutoring math (middle school, high school, SAT/ACT, GRE, AP Statistics) for many reasons. My affinity for math dates back to my childhood - I've always been intrigued by it. Because of this interest, I participated in various math competitions and excelled in classes and on standardized tests. I wanted to share my passion with others and so started tutoring peers as early as middle school. Although I graduated from Rice with a BA in Psychology, my time with math did not end there. I took Differential Equations and various statistics courses as electives (for fun)!My tutoring experience includes informal tutoring of peers throughout my lifetime, private tutoring of high school students during college, teaching at a private high school during college, and mentoring peers and new hires during my time with Deloitte.As people think differently, I believe in adapting my teaching style to fit each student. Because of my varied professional background, I am able to explain problems from different angles; this allows students to choose the method they personally find most logical.In my spare time, I enjoy rock climbing, hiking, swing dancing, interesting discussions, and traveling (I have been to over 20 different countries in the last 5 years)!