Our faculty
Olga Serebrennikov
MathAltitude Co-Founder and Principal
Olga Serebrennikov holds a B.S./M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Moscow Technical University and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from WPI. She has extensive industry experience in the field of Telecommunications. Before opening her own school, Mrs. Serebrennikov taught mathematics for more than 10 years at WPI and at various after-school math programs in the Boston area. In 2016, she was awarded the IEEE-USA K-12 Stem Literacy Educator-Engineer Partnership Award for collaboration supporting the development of K-12 student math skills and their application in engineering. Olga teaches classes at all levels.
Boris Serebrennikov
MathAltitude Co-Founder
Boris Serebrennikov holds a B.S./M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Moscow State University of Engineering and an M.S. in Mechanical and Plastics Engineering from University of Massachusetts Lowell., and works as a Principal Scientist. He teaches upper level math classes at MathAltitude.
Karen Chandler
Assistant Principal
Karen Chandler earned a B.A. in Education from Boston College, and has over 30 years of experience in the field of education and office management. With a combination of teaching and administrative knowledge, she is heavily involved in the day-to-day operations of the school, interacting with students, teachers, and parents. Her strong organizational skills lend support to the flow of information in and out of the office. In addition, Karen coordinates the writing program.
Nathan Senecal
Math Competition and Science Curriculum Coordinator and Lead Teacher
Nathan Senecal earned a B.S. in Mathematics with a concentration in Pure Mathematics Summa Cum Laude from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He plays an instrumental role in the development of the high school curriculum, and teaches courses for students in grades 6-12. He is an enthusiastic instructor with a keen teaching style. He loves helping students explore the unexpected results and connections in mathematics, and helping them develop both the mathematical rigor and the curiosity and creativity needed to tackle interesting problems. As Math Club Coordinator, Nathan encourages students to think outside the box. His enthusiasm and love for math keeps students engaged in the learning process.
Liubov Smirnova
Lead Teacher
Luba Smirnova earned an M.S. in Engineering from Saint Petersburg Polytechnic Institute and began her career working as an engineer at the National Research Institute of Telecommunications in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Her passion and calling, however, was always teaching, and she taught middle and high school level math and physics for ten years at elite schools in Saint Petersburg. Luba is a dedicated and talented teacher and loves to challenge her students. There is a palpable energy in her classes. Luba recognizes the potential of each child, and enjoys bringing out the best in her students. They perform very well in math competitions. Luba teaches math courses at all levels.
Ian Carlson
Math and Chess Instructor
Ian Carlson’s education and experiences have given him a very broad and diverse skill set. He has a B.S. in Media, Culture & Communication from New York University, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, but math has always been his passion, and he chose computer engineering and mathematics courses as electives in college. Coming from a family of educators, it was only natural for him to pursue a career in teaching. While finishing his M.S. in education, Ian has been teaching in the public and private sector in Worcester. At MathAltitude, Ian teaches elementary and middle school classes, and chess. He encourages his students to explore challenging topics, and enjoys sharing his knowledge and love of math with a new generation of students at MathAltitude.
Dina Krotin
Math Instructor
Before joining our staff at MathAltitude, Dina Krotin taught at the elementary and middle school levels in Russia and Israel. With degrees from Minsk State Pedagogical Institute in Minsk, Belarus, and Achva College in Be'er-Tuvia, Israel, she brings her passion for teaching into classrooms in the U.S.and develops a special rapport with all of her students. Her patient and skilled methods keep students challenged, and her constant encouragement gives studens confidence to succeed. Dina teaches math courses for students from Pre-K through middle school.
Sylvia Bullock
Math Instructor
Sylvia Bullock brings a varied mix of talents to our students at MathAltitude. She has an M.S. in Mathematics from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and an M.S. in Education (Biology and Science K-12) from the University of Virginia. She has worked as a STEM Director, a Mathematics Editor, an Adjunct Math Instructor, and a Science and Math teacher. Her relaxed, unassuming manner immediately puts students at ease, and she effectively explains even the most complicated concepts so that students gain a solid understanding of the material. Sylvia teaches courses for middle and high school students.
Elena Kori
Math Instructor
Elena Kori earned a B.S. and M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a B.S. in Education from Kharkov State University in Kharkov, Ukraine. Before joining MathAltitude, she worked as a software engineer in industry in both Israel and the United States. Elena has always had a passion for teaching and is excited to share her knowledge and love of mathematics with the students at MathAltitude. Elena teaches middle and elementary level students.
Dale Pasino
Math Instructor
Dale Pasino is a dedicated and energetic educator with over 25 years of teaching experience working with diverse populations in public, private, and alternative schools, as well as college settings. He has an M.S. in Education from Northern Arizona University and a B.S. in Physiology from Michigan State University. He has a passion for teaching and has always been drawn to mathematics, teaching courses in junior high math and science and leading math clubs and camps, presently teaching in the Worcester Public School System. His analytical mind and good sense of humor are a great asset in the classroom. Dale teaches courses for middle school students.
Anna Perelstein
Math Instructor
Anna Perelstein has an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and Physics from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (Phys Tech). For the past ten years she has been teaching elementary and middle school students at an after-school math enrichment program in Boston. Anna enjoys teaching all grade levels since every age presents a different set of challenges, but she especially loves the enthusiasm of students in Grades 2-4. She feels that is the optimum time to begin to study “extra” math because that is when a child’s natural curiosity is at its highest. As an instructor at MathAltitude Anna teaches elementary through high school classes.
Charles Burns
Math Instructor
Mr. Burns has been working in the field of education for over 30 years. He has a B.S. in Mathematics from Worcester State University and a B.S. in Pharmacy with Distinction from the University of Rhode Island. He is a personable, enthusiastic instructor, adept at working with students to develop plans to improve critical thinking, study and organization skills and bolster knowledge of material presented in class. Chuck has taught students at the junior high, high school, and college levels and we are happy to have him working with our middle school and high school students. Chuck teaches math classes and SAT prep, and tutors various STEM subjects.
Cody Kingman
Math Instructor
Cody Kingman graduated from UMass Lowell with a B.A. in Math and a M.S. in Teaching. Cody is passionate about math and enjoys working with children of all ages and backgrounds, and especially embraces the challenge of working with those who possess certain learning disabilities. He has an innate ability to relate to students with educational challenges. Cody strives to engage with his students in a fun, creative manner in an effort to make the learning experience as enjoyable as possible. He is a sensitive, patient, and understanding teacher, and strives to always find the most effective ways for his students to advance both socially and academically. Cody teaches courses at the elementary level and middle school levels.
Polina Perelstein
Math Contest Coordinator
Polina Perelstein graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Psychology from Wellesley College. Inspired by her mother, Polina developed an interest in math as a child, and enjoyed creating worksheets for her mother’s math classes. Polina teaches math, ELA, and social skills to children ages 9-13 at the Center for Applied Behavioral Analysis in Worcester. Polina is a caring teacher who creates a positive learning environment in the classroom using creative, interactive methods to engage her students.
Matthew Walsh
Writing Instructor
Mr. Walsh is an MA/Ph.D. Teaching Associate at UMASS Amherst specializing in Early Modern Literature. He has a wide variety of educational experiences that he brings to the classroom. Working with students one-on-one and in large group settings, Matthew is conversant in all genres of literature as well as SAT/ACT preparation. As a Teaching Associate in UMASS Amherst's Writing Program, Mr. Walsh teaches the University’s first-year writing requirement. His students survey a range of genres, including personal, analytic, research-based, and civic writing, and are encouraged to play with the conventions of these various genres in their sensitivity to argumentative purpose and target audience. At Phillip Exeter Academy, Matthew taught courses in the reading and verbal subsets of the SAT, including the standard conventions of English and various reading and note-taking strategies in the context of the SAT’s series of standardized question and answer formats. Matthew teaches Creative Writing, Literary Essay Composition, and SAT English Prep to our middle and high school students.
Karen Higgins
Writing Instructor
Karen Higgins has a Master of Arts in Teaching from Clark University and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. She taught Language Arts for over ten years in the public- school sector, and joins MathAltitide as an instructor in our writing program. Her passion for writing excites even the most reluctant writers in the classroom. She places great emphasis on the importance of being an effective communicator, and utilizes a diverse mix of literature and activities to explore an in-depth study of writing. Karen teaches elementary and middle school classes and tutors high school students.