Our Team
Joshua Heller
Founder
Educator | Curriculum | Operations
I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Brandeis University with a B.S. in Physics and minors in Mathematics and Philosophy. During this time, I worked in the high-energy physics lab performing research for the CERN particle collider and LZ dark matter detector. After college, I spent several years in Pittsburgh, PA as a private tutor and as Director of Operations at a test prep and college counseling company.
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Course-specific tutoring, standardized test prep, and general academic support all fall under my umbrella of competency. I work with students from elementary school through college at all levels of achievement. I am experienced with teaching to a diverse array of learning differences, including ADHD, OCD, anxiety, sensory disorders, and autism. I achieved perfect scores on the ACT (36) and SAT (1600).​ The wellbeing of our students is my constant priority, and I am committed to supporting each student and family with tenacity and optimism.
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In my free time, I am an artisan bread baker, aspiring woodworker, and enthusiastic rock climber. Like my students today, I am well-acquainted with the challenges of balancing academic responsibilities with social and personal ambitions. Tension between the momentum towards a brainy physics career and a desire for meaningful interpersonal service was a steady theme throughout my student years. During this time, my concerted hope was to find a role that unified the intellectual and relational sides of life. When I graduated college, I turned down offers for jobs in research and engineering in favor of tutoring. Since then, the moments I have shared with many wonderful students have resolved any uncertainty about my vocation as a teacher.
Zoe Heller
Founder
Educator | Onboarding | Outreach
I graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Brandeis University with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Psychology. During this time, I worked at Lemberg Children’s Center, a lab preschool and daycare; performed research at CoPE Lab, a neuropsychology lab focused on developing executive function in emerging adults; and planned youth events at a local synagogue. My interests in education, child development, Judaism, and event management inspired me to become an Innovation Specialist at Carnegie Mellon University through Hillel’s Springboard Fellowship. I led events large and small, including a 150-person conference, and ran and wrote curriculum for several classes, such as an all-levels Hebrew course.
At Spokes on a Wheel, I teach English, including high school applications, resumes, and remedial reading and grammar; Hebrew; Jewish Studies; and History. I officiate Bar and Bat Mitzvahs of current Jewish Studies students. Additionally, I work as the Hebrew Teacher for Camp Tawonga’s B* Mitzvah Program and as the Editing Specialist for Throughline Guidance, a college consulting company. Through my roles as Co-founder and teacher, I weave together a personalized curriculum based on a students’ individual development, subject mastery, and an encouraging and comfortable educational environment. My objective is to provide an exemplary professional service while fostering for families the feeling of a supportive village.
When I am not working, I enjoy writing novels and traveling and experiencing new cultures. I love to cook, especially soups that I make from scratch, and I have a fondness for quirky and heartful community gatherings, such as clothing swaps, women’s circles, and book clubs.
Jessica Kuzy
I graduated from Penn State University Smeal College of Business with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and a minor in Sociology. With a passion for storytelling and creativity, I bring an engaging and strategic approach to marketing projects. My favorite thing about marketing is the ability to bring a brand’s story to life and influence how consumers perceive it.
With experience in social media marketing in various roles that involve content creation and brand communication, I understand that effective marketing revolves around the consumer. At Spokes on a Wheel we prioritize making personalized solutions that work best for students and their families. Our services and tutoring approach has been crafted to fit the needs of our students.
I have learned through my academic and professional experiences that creating personalized solutions that are tailored to fit the needs of the individual resonate the most with the target audience.
In my free time, I enjoy going for walks outside, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.