Educators Dedicated to Your Success
Our team of dedicated NYC educators brings together deep subject expertise with a passion for building academic independence. We don't just teach subjects; we mentor students to become confident, self-reliant learners ready to tackle any challenge.
Tutor Spotlight
Edward Popovici
Co-Founder & Academic Director | Math, SAT/ACT & LSAT
Ed is an experienced educator and test-preparation tutor specializing in mathematics, SAT/ACT preparation, and the LSAT. He is a New York City high school math teacher and Math for America Fellow, a Columbia Law School graduate, a former attorney, and a 177 LSAT scorer.
Ed's tutoring is highly individualized and diagnostic. Rather than relying on a fixed curriculum or collection of test-taking tricks, he works to identify the underlying reasons a student is struggling—whether the issue is conceptual understanding, reasoning, timing, study strategy, confidence, or test-day execution. He then builds instruction and practice around that student's particular needs.
In mathematics, Ed emphasizes conceptual understanding alongside deliberate practice. His goal is not simply to help students complete the problem in front of them, but to develop the mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills that allow them to approach unfamiliar problems independently.
His test-preparation work follows the same philosophy. For SAT, ACT, and LSAT students, Ed combines content instruction, strategic practice, detailed error analysis, and performance data to develop an individualized preparation plan. His LSAT students have achieved scores in the 170s, and he has extensive experience helping high-scoring students refine their reasoning, timing, and test-day performance.
As Knowledge Tree's Academic Director, Ed also helps develop the company's instructional approach, evaluates tutors, creates academic resources, and works with tutors to ensure that Knowledge Tree's teaching remains rigorous, thoughtful, and genuinely personalized.
His ultimate goal with every student is the same: stronger performance today, but greater independence tomorrow.
Briana Williams
Senior Literacy Tutor / Literacy Specialist
Briana Williams is an experienced educator and tutor with a Master’s degree in early childhood education. She has an extensive background in music education, literacy instruction, and differentiated learning. She has designed and taught curriculum for students as young as three and through elementary school, and specializes in early literacy, phonics, reading, and foundational academic skills. Her approach combines evidence-based strategies, including Orton-Gillingham, with music and multisensory learning to make instruction engaging and accessible. Briana also has experience supporting neurodiverse learners and children with diverse learning needs. As the mother of a 3-year-old, she understands the importance of creating a warm, encouraging environment where children feel confident, supported, and excited to learn.
Lucy Wittenberg
Senior Math, Reading and Writing Tutor for Elementary & Middle School
Lucy is an experienced educator with over 15 years of classroom teaching in all elementary ages with a focus on 3rd-5th grades. In addition, she has 20 years of experience developing and providing professional development and one-on -one coaching to teachers to improve instruction in Kindergarten - 6th grade. Lucy earned a Masters in Elementary Education from Lesley University. In addition, she earned Certification in Middle School Mathematics that prepared her to coach middle school math teachers in the Boston Public Schools system. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Oberlin college.
Lucy believes that students learn best in a safe, comfortable environments that also challenge students at the edge of their current understanding- finding that learning edge is critical and something that Lucy finds through conversation, exploration, assessment and careful observation. She is comfortable working through homework assignments, reviewing tests, developing activities that teach missing foundational skills and concepts, or playing games that highlight significant ideas.
Lucy empowers students to develop foundational skills in reading, writing or mathematics because problem solving, reasoning and conceptual understanding are built upon the basics. Each tutoring session includes a review of past knowledge to build confidence and connection to new material. When a student understands why a process or procedure “works”, that understanding can be transferred and applied to more complex situations and problems, and that’s how deep conceptual learning happens. Whether solving a multiplication problem, building a character in a story or making an argument, it is critical to build solid reasoning based on evidence and a convincing argument.
Lucy’s tutoring sessions also focus on developing a student’s autonomy, metacognition , perseverance, executive functioning, and general “learning skills”: Can this student find a way to get started on a complex problem? Can the student check their work? Can the student articulate the differences between their first and final drafts ? How can assignments be broken down and prioritized? Does this student have solid time management skills? These skills are as indicative of success as content knowledge and truthfully, very satisfying to build.
Lucy spends time learning what each student requires as well as how each student learns best. She strongly believes that effective instruction is designed to best move that student forward. While content is critical; confidence, engagement and curiosity for learning are all woven into the work. More importantly, Lucy understands that students are known most fully by their family. Communicating with parents and family members about goals, strategies, hopes and wishes only increases the possibility of success in a tutoring relationship.