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EXECUTIVE FUNCTION TUTOR AT EF TUTORS:

Hi, I’m Kate.

I support students in discovering that they are far more capable than they think by teaching them how to learn, not just what to learn.

I’m a former high school science teacher, tutor and gymnastics coach. These experiences provided the foundation for how and why I work with students as an executive function tutor now. My background in science taught me that the brain is built to grow and adapt, a concept I saw as a teacher when students were able to increase their abilities through implementations of good systems and plans. Coaching taught me that progress takes practice, patience, and someone genuinely in your corner.

I came to executive function coaching through a student who changed everything for me. He was bright, funny, and full of potential, and when I asked if he had studied for his test, he looked at me and said he didn’t know how. He wasn’t making excuses. He genuinely didn’t know. That moment made me realize that learning how to learn is a skill, and most students are never taught it.

Long before I was a teacher, I was a struggling student myself. My grades slipped in early elementary school, I couldn’t stay focused, and my mom had to step in and pull me from sports for a year to help me get back on track. I didn’t have the words for it then, but I was going through exactly what so many of my students face now. That’s part of why I show up the way I do.

Limited monthly availability

Kate’s Guiding Principles

Real growth starts with trust, the right tools, and a mindset that leaves room for progress.

These four principles shape everything I do:

Learning How To Learn

Most students aren't struggling because they're not smart. They're struggling because nobody taught them how to study. I take the time to teach and practice research-backed learning strategies so students stop guessing and start building real skills.

Connection Builds Trust

Before we tackle anything academic, I take the time to get to know the student, not just their struggles, but who they are outside of school too. That connection is what makes the work feel safe enough to try.

Fostering Autonomy

I don't hand students a system and tell them to follow it. I co-create plans with them so the strategies actually fit their lives. When students have a say in how they work, their confidence grows and they start becoming independent learners.

Mindset Matters

I intentionally celebrate small wins and reframe struggles as learning opportunities in every session. A student who believes they are capable will do things a student who doesn't believe in themselves never will.

Limited monthly availability

HOW I HELP MY STUDENTS NAVIGATE TOUGH SPOTS:

From Check out to Showing up: What Happens When a Student Feels Seen

I worked with a student both as his classroom teacher and as his tutor. He was struggling with motivation and couldn’t seem to get anything done, in class or otherwise. Here’s how we turned it around:

Started Small and Built Momentum

We didn't try to fix everything at once. In tutoring, we focused on getting small things done and celebrating those wins.

Each completed task was proof that he could do it, and that proof started to add up.

Found What He Actually Cared About

I got to know him well enough to learn what motivated him. There was a specific teacher he liked to visit, so I made it simple: get these things done, and you can go.

That small, personalized incentive was the first time he had ever completed anything in my class.

Kept Everyone in the Loop

His mom was the one who brought him to tutoring in the first place. I kept her updated on his progress after every session, what was working, what wasn't, and what we were adjusting.

That honest, consistent communication gave her realistic expectations and helped us keep adapting the plan until it clicked. The next school year, he would come find my classroom just to say hello. That's when I knew something had really shifted.

The Ultimate Goal:

The goal was never just to pass the class. It was to get him to a place where he believed he was capable because he had proved it to himself. That belief is what carries students forward long after the tutoring ends.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE:

"It's not that a student can't. It's that they haven't yet".

For me, success is a mindset shift. It’s the moment a student stops saying “I can’t” and starts showing themselves that they can. That shift shows up in small but significant ways:

Taking ownership of their own learning by asking for help instead of shutting down
Reflecting on what’s working and setting their own goals
Trying again after something doesn’t work, because they know it’s a learning opportunity (not a dead end)

Those are the moments that tell me something real has changed.

A little more about kate:

Outside of work, I like to say I have a lot of interests, even if I’m not a master of any of them. I love spending time with family, finding ways to help my daughter learn and have fun, staying active, reading and watching sci-fi, growing plants, cooking, baking, and learning about new scientific discoveries. If it involves learning something new, I’m probably interested.

My Hobbies:
Running, experimenting in the kitchen, propagating plants, and diving into anything science related.

Fun Fact About Me: 
I grew up skiing in Colorado and loved it so much that my daughter’s name is inspired by my favorite place to ski there.

Work With EF Tutors to Unlock Your Child’s Best Potential

Choosing the right support for your child is a big decision.

A 60-minute Momentum Session (limited availability) is the best way to see if we’re the right fit. It’s a chance to experience our approach firsthand and discover how the right partnership can bring calm, confidence, and progress back to your family.