Meet Our Team!

Directors

Tutors

Advisory Board

Directors

Alyssa Kwon

Aya Sleilaty

Benjamin Katz

Hi! I’m Aya, and I’m the Vice President of Stepping Stone Tutoring. I am a senior at Bethesda Chevy-Chase High School. I love science classes, such as biology and chemistry, and hope to pursue a career in medicine. I’m also passionate about art. Outside of academics, I am a part of multiple clubs, leading two. I believe in fighting for what’s right and have been doing so through as a member of the Women’s Club and the founder of the Middle Eastern and North African Student Union. Some of my hobbies include reading books, watching movies, and painting. I am so excited to work with you all and help you in any way possible!

Hi, I’m Ben Katz, Director of Operations at Stepping Stone. I’m a junior at Bethesda Chevy-Chase High School, where I'm enrolled in the IB diploma program, a member of the Varsity Track team, and part of the Speech Forensics Team. My favorite classes include IB Physics, BC Calculus, and IB Anthropology. I love music, especially playing guitar and piano, and enjoy playing basketball or working out with my friends at the gym. I volunteer at Nourishing Bethesda to support others in need. I am passionate about helping others achieve academic success and look forward to the opportunity to support students this year at SST!

Hi! My name is Alyssa Kwon and I am the President of Stepping Stone Tutoring. I am a senior in the STEM Magnet program at Montgomery Blair High School and have been a part of the Stepping Stone team for the past 2 years. I swim competitively year-round and I am a captain for the school swim team. I love reading, Sudoku, playing the clarinet, and anything with matcha. My favorite subjects are math and chemistry. From teaching swim lessons over the summer to helping my siblings with homework, I am very passionate about working with youth. I'm so excited to work with you all this year!

Nethaka Jayatilake

Cindy Qiu

Noa Mergi

Advisory Board

2020-2022 Executive Directors

Sumin Choi

Tharindi Jayatilake

Hi! I’m Sumin, the founder and advisor for Stepping Stone Tutoring! I graduated from the STEM magnet program at Montgomery Blair High School and I currently attend the Vanderbilt University with a major in cell biology and genetics. In my free time, I enjoy crafting, golfing, and biking to chase sunsets. As the former President of SST, I’ve gained insight from various students, tutors, and staff and learned a lot about leading an organization. I hope to use my experience to help SST grow and reach more people in our community. I’m excited to continue my work with Stepping Stone and so grateful for our wonderful team!

Languages I Speak: English, Spanish, and Korean

Hey! I’m Tharindi Jayatilake. I'm an advisor for Stepping Stone and I graduated from the STEM magnet program at Montgomery Blair High School. I currently go to the University of Maryland - College Park. My favorite subjects include biology, journalism, and statistics. I have volunteered and taught students at the MCPS elementary-level summer program. I’m excited to use that experience to help grow Stepping Stone. I was the former Vice President of Stepping Stone Tutoring, and I really enjoyed the experience of running the organization and helping students grow. I look forward to continuing my work with Stepping Stone Tutoring!

Languages I Speak: English, Spanish

2022-2023 Executive Directors

Anushka Poddar

Hi, I'm Anushka! I'm the former President of Stepping Stone Tutoring and an alumnus of the STEM magnet program at Montgomery Blair High School. I am passionate about math and science and in the future, I hope to pursue a career in medicine. I've also been studying Spanish in school for the past 6 years and I love learning both the language and the culture. Outside of school, I enjoy listening to music, playing guitar, and doing Indian classical dance. I also volunteer at Howard University Hospital and serve as the captain of the Blair Debate Team, where I compete and mentor students in public speaking and debate. Through tutoring, I hope to build connections with students and help them grow in the subjects they are studying. I am very excited to meet and work with you all!
Languages I Speak: English and Spanish

Arnav Poddar

Hi! I’m Arnav, and I'm the former Vice President of Stepping Stone Tutoring. I am an alumnus of Montgomery Blair High School. I have a passion for STEM, specifically physics, computer science, and math. I am currently taking multivariable calculus and linear algebra, and am planning on taking the highest level of computer science courses offered at Blair next semester. Outside of academics, I am an active member of the school’s robotics team, in which I am project lead. In my first three years of high school, I was a participant on both the county and national level debate teams for Blair. In the future, I plan on studying computer science with an application in physics or astronomy. Some of my hobbies include guitar, frisbee, and biking. I’m very excited to be part of Stepping Stone, where I am able to help students learn more about what they are passionate about.

Tutors