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Our Focus

Like any mission-driven organization, we’re guided by a set of principles and beliefs. We keep ours close in mind when we create new technologies and craft our client experiences.

Crafting a personalized & proven approach to learning

Matching every student to an appropriate certified teacher
Fostering trust with a focus on relationships
Creating customized, research-based learning plans

Focusing on empowerment & confidence

Nurturing the Whole Child: academic and emotional
Helping students, parents, and teachers to embrace challenge
Celebrating shared values about education

Creating the tools for an ever-improving experience

Designing reports for schools that increase transparency
Developing resources for teachers that make their jobs easier

Our Team

Founders

Braintrust’s founders bring a combination of educational bonafides, demonstrated business acumen, and the laser-focused parental insights that come from raising 5 kids between them. Mara and Jen empathize with parents and teachers alike, and have the expertise to cleverly solve the most pressing problems facing educators and the families they support.

Jen Mendelsohn

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Jen loves nothing more than quarterbacking a business opportunity and spent 15+ years selling enterprise tech before Braintrust. Her professional development comes from cultivating relationships and bringing opportunities to fruition. Jen’s competitive spirit borders on the unhealthy, fortunately there is a charm to her relentlessness.

Mara Koffmann

Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer

Mara is a problem solver. She’s spent her entire professional career helping students and families understand and overcome their most difficult learning obstacles. No matter how seemingly intractable the problem, Mara relishes rolling up her sleeves and finding effective – and fun! – solutions that will help students achieve their full potential.

Sales Leadership

Our dynamic sales team members are seasoned professionals who are dedicated to shaping the future of education. We’re passionate about delivering innovative, high impact tutoring solutions that empower learning and growth. With a deep understanding of educational needs and a commitment to excellence, our team is here to make the best quality tutoring accessible to everyone, driving positive change in the world of learning.

Amy Ambatielos

Director of Educational Partnerships

Amy is an educator at heart. Before booking HGTV shows or producing CNN packages, she was a classroom teacher. Teaching through the pandemic, Amy became acutely aware of the overall gaps in students’ learning. She joined Braintrust to help close those gaps in schools and districts where the loss is most prevalent and the need for support is greatest.

Megan Bertrand

Director of Educational Partnerships

Megan began her career in education through Teach for America, teaching 3rd-grade science in Detroit. She went on to earn her Master’s and served as a K–12 Vice Principal in Miami-Dade. Megan’s leadership extended nationally as Chief Academic Officer, where she designed STEM programs and supported districts across the country. Outside of work, she loves animals, enjoys beach volleyball, and cherishes time with her family.

Kyle Albani

Sales Development Representative

Kyle brings over a decade of sales experience across B2B and B2C roles to Braintrust, with recent success in edtech and SaaS. At FEV Tutor, Kyle led K–12 outreach, trained new BDRs, and sourced dozens qualified meetings. Kyle thrives in fast-paced environments and takes pride in driving revenue while mentoring others. Outside of work, he enjoys all things sports, beach life, and time with his golden retriever, Oliver.

Board of Advisors

Our advisors are seasoned experts who provide us critical insights and advice to help us improve our programs, explore new opportunities and accelerate our growth by stimulating robust, high-quality conversation.

Jay Russell

Advisor

Dr. Russell is Executive Director of The Windward Institute, whose mission is to increase childhood literacy, and a Yale faculty member at the Yale Child Study Center. Previously, Jay served for 13 years as head of The Windward School and for 11 years as superintendent of schools in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. In 2019, he was named Distinguished Leader in Education by Education Update.

Dr. Brock Eide

Advisor

Dr. Eide is a leading expert in the fields of dyslexia and brain-based learning. He and his wife authored the internationally best-selling book The Dyslexic Advantage (2011) as well as The Mislabeled Child (2006); and founded the 501(c)3 non-profit Dyslexic Advantage, one of the world’s largest online dyslexia communities.

Peter Bencivenga

Advisor

Peter is an industry titan with deep edTech experience. Peter is CEO of PrepScholar, which provides personalized and effective online test preparation programs. Prior to PrepScholar, he taught high school for over a decade in New York City public schools and worked on technical integration initiatives for the NYCDOE before co-founding DataCation. He’s also held roles as Chief Academic Officer of IO Education and President of Operoo.

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