Our Teachers

Allis brings a fresh and innovative approach to coding education, pushing the boundaries of traditional STEM teaching. Having recently graduated from Massachusetts College of Art with a B.F.A. in Sculpture, she integrates her passion for traditional art practices, coding, and 3D design to foster creativity in her classroom. With a solid background of over four years working with children in robotics programming and Lego activities, complemented by more than a decade of experience in child care, she is dedicated to cultivating a deeper understanding of the world for young minds. During her leisure time, she finds fulfillment in activities such as 3D printing, machine embroidery, and reading.

Ben is pursuing his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at Columbia University. He started his journey in STEM at a coding camp in sixth grade and hasn't stopped programming since. Ben has done web development and database management on a professional scale, and enjoys training younger engineers in his university makerspace on 3D printers, hand tools, and heavy machinery. In his free time, Ben leads Columbia University Formula Racing, a club dedicated to designing, building, and racing Formula One inspired racecars. He also plays lots of Minecraft.

Betsy’s relationship with coding began as a high school student when she began using HTML and CSS to manipulate and restyle myspace pages. This embedded a love for code and design that stuck. Later she went on to receive an associate degree in computer simulation, as well as a bachelor's degree in computer animation and motion media to support those passions. Betsy is a huge proponent of getting kids involved in STEM, especially young women. Her work with children reaches from teaching groups to nannying one on one, always with an air of creativity and inclusivity. Here at the Penguin Coding School she teaches Scratch, Minecraft, Python, and Robotics.

Cheyenne recently graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science. She has over 6 years of experience working with kids of all ages teaching STEM subjects, with a focus in coding and programming. Her passion for coding began as a kid with the first computer that her dad brought home in the 90s. Because of those early memories in her life, she loves to teach kids coding and spark that interest in them as well. She believes that learning how to code opens up the brain to endless possibilities of creativity and problem solving skills. Her favorite programming languages are Python, C++, and JavaScript. In her free time she loves to paint, collect rocks, and complete jigsaw puzzles.

Christian graduated from Skidmore College with a Bachelor’s in computer science and philosophy. He found his passion for teaching coding in his senior year as a peer tutor, and has pursued his love for computer science education since. Christian believes that to understand a subject, you must be able to teach it to a kid, and he takes that to heart! His favorite classes to teach at Penguin Coding School are Python and Roblox, and enjoys developing new projects and games for his students to create while he is not teaching. In his free time, Christian is an eSports competitor and loves the outdoors.

Dong Mei has been working with Penguin Coding School since graduating Connecticut College in 2019. She studied Human Development and Computer Science, two of her passions which she has happily been able to combine while working here. Dong Mei spent her free time throughout high school and college working with children of all ages. She loves to teach students and work with them to challenge and expand their creativity through coding.

Erika is a coding enthusiast and STEAM lover. She graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges with a bachelor's in Biology and Computer Science. Her coding journey began in 2015 with a fun Java class and she wishes to give her students the same fun experience in their class! When she is not teaching the next generation of coders and scientists, you can find her spending time with her dog, binging on an exciting series, or practicing aerial silks. Erika loves hands-on projects and finds joy in the little things. She believes having fun while learning is best and thinks kids should never be afraid to ask questions!

Eva graduated from New York University where she received her B.A. in Environmental Studies with a concentration in STEM education, and has been teaching STEM subjects, including coding, biology, environmental science to grades K - 8 for three years. In college, she discovered the joys of teaching through her work at Sprout Up, a nonprofit organization that partners with public elementary schools throughout the country and focuses on promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the STEM fields. She is currently in the process of pursuing a Masters in Childhood Education and obtaining her teaching certification. In her free time, Eva enjoys painting, drawing, and hanging out with her dog and two cats.

Gwyn has been working with Penguin Coding School since her move from Indiana to Massachusetts in 2022. She received a B.A. in Computer Science and an M.A. in Emerging Media Design & Development from Ball State University, which she channels into her love for creating video games. At Penguin Coding School, Gwyn’s favorite part of teaching is hearing student’s ideas and helping them bring them to life! Well, that and the songs, jokes, and smiles that her students come to class with every week. In her free time, Gwyn loves to go hiking with family or stay in, sewing while fending off her cats, Minnie, Clementine, and Nandor.

Giselle got her undergraduate degree at Barnard College, majoring in Sociology and minoring in Psychology and Education Studies. She currently teaches Minecraft, Scratch, Lego Robotics, and Python! She loves incorporating creativity into the classroom and makes sure her students have room to explore and find joy in learning. In her free time Giselle loves to do art and spend time with friends.

Jariely currently attends New York City College of Technology. She is pursuing her bachelor’s in computer information systems and minoring in business. Ever since she was introduced to coding and programming her junior year of high school, she was instantly hooked and started internships immediately to learn as much as she could. She has always enjoyed working with kids because she came from a big family, and she strongly believe they absorb knowledge like “straws”. In her past 4 years working with kids, it has been a joy to see the creativity and problem solving skills they showcase every day. Some of her favorite things to do are walk her dog and bake sweet treats at home.

Karissa recently graduated from the University of Vermont with a B.S. in computer science. Her love for teaching began when she helped to teach swimming lessons at 10 years old. Ever since then she has wanted to be a teacher. She loves to show her students the limitless possibilities they can create with coding and loves to encourage creativity in every lesson. In her free time, she likes to hang out with her pets, a dog and two cats, play video games, and watch tv.

Kathleen has 4 years of experience as a elementary classroom teacher and training to become a Web Developer, working with technologies such as HTML, CSS and Javascript. She is a proponent of the growth mindset in how she encourages her students to approach their lessons. She believes that with dedication and hard work a student can cultivate a love of learning and resilience that will serve them their entire lives. When she is not coding or teaching at Penguin Coding School, she volunteers as an ESL instructor.

Loren graduated from Carleton College (BA, Physics) and is a competitive coder. He started tutoring STEM classes after college -- everything from multiplication tables to partial differential equations -- and loves the excitement he sees on a student's face when a challenging concept suddenly makes sense for the first time. Eureka! When Loren is not teaching coding he is gardening or coding up a solution to the latest math problem on Project Euler.

Luis received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Columbia in 2020, and has been teaching math and coding to K-12 aged students ever since. In college, he discovered the joys of teaching through showing his peers to play and record music, coordinate shows, and DJ. He can't help but share his excitement about making programs and websites that do cool things, which is why he enjoys teaching Python, HTML, CSS, and Javascript. He lives in Brooklyn, and rides his bicycle and plays guitar in his free time.

Lyndsey graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2019 with a degree in psychology and a passion for STEM education. After college, she taught middle school math in Washington DC and coached robotics club for three years. In 2022, she moved to New York City to start graduate school at Teachers College, Columbia University and found Penguin Coding School as a perfect place to continue working with kids and spreading wonder and joy through STEM learning.

An MIT graduate, Sarah is a computer science educator with three years of experience teaching middle school students everything from coding with Scratch and Python to creating 3D models online. Her favorite activities are those where students get to be as creative as possible! Outside of the classroom, she loves to bake, read, and learn new hands-on skills.

Serenity is getting a B.A. in Computer Science, Economics (dual major) with a Math minor. She goes to Pace University NYC through the Pforzheimer’s Honors College. She got into coding through an ad she got watching Youtube in high school, and the next year she joined her school’s FIRST Robotics team. You can say she was influenced. She believes that coding knowledge can be used in any field or industry and is essential in this changing world. In her free time, you can catch her running, trying new ramen spots, playing Sudoku, cuddling her two cats, or volunteering at her church. Serenity teaches Scratch, Minecraft, Python, and Robotics. 

Stephanie has been teaching coding since she was in 6th grade. She is currently pursuing my Computer Science Masters Degree at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. She currently lives in Ohio.  In total, she has 8 years of in Minecraft/Block Based Coding experience, 4 years of HTML/CSS ex, 3 years of Base C/C++/C#, and almost 2 years of Python experience. She hopes to get to know her students and learn some programming together!

Twilla is pursuing her Computer Science degree at St. John’s University with a minor in Business. She started working with kids at age 15 in Georgia, and after relocating to New York years later, she had a lot of experience under her belt. Twilla loves to build programs that stem from creative ideas and positive imagination. On the side, Twilla is heavily involved in music as a producer, audio engineer, and recording artist.

Yineiry is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science while minoring in Mathematics. She's been coding since elementary school and started working at Penguin Coding School in 2021. As a woman in STEM, she takes pride in making sure the kids have fun while learning. She enjoys teaching JavaScript, Roblox, and Minecraft, but her favorite coding language is Python. She has earned the title of the "3D print queen" because the kids are filled with joy upon receiving their 3D prints. Yineiry is committed to continually improving her proficiency in coding languages, making it her ongoing goal. During her free time, Yineiry loves to crochet, read, and likes to try out different restaurants.

Yumio started Penguin Coding School in 2016 after spending over 15 years in the tech industry in the San Francisco Bay Area. Having worked at numerous companies in Silicon Valley, he witnessed the power of computer programming and the influence that coders wield in creating products and services that have transformed the world. He is the founder of Yahoo! Answers, the world's largest free Question and Answer service used by hundreds of millions of people. His experiences in the Internet industry taught him the importance of understanding coding - even if you never intend to be a programmer. He believes passionately that ANYONE CAN CODE - and is working to spread that belief to as many people as possible. Yumio received his BA from Williams College and Masters and Ph.D. from Harvard University in Business Economics.

Zhiyu holds a M.A in Cognitive Science from Columbia University and a B.A. in Psychology from Purdue University. Her journey into coding began in college when she taught herself R and Python to tackle complex research projects. She is passionate about education, and has worked with a broad spectrum of learners: from leading lessons for preschoolers to introducing second graders to Social Emotional Learning and tutoring high schoolers in statistics and psychology. The most rewarding moments for her come from seeing her students light up as they push past challenges. Beyond teaching, Zhiyu enjoys playing video games, writing songs, and creating digital art.