Our Expert Educators are here to help.
Our hand-selected educators are not just experts in test prep and tutoring, but also exceptional all-around academic coaches and mentors with a deep passion for helping students thrive. When paired with one of our Expert Educators, your student is getting not just a tutor, but their new number-one advocate and guide at a critical point in their life. Our educators understand that their job goes beyond tutoring, helping students work towards not just mastering the academic skills required to succeed in college, but to becoming a more confident, empowered, and self-sufficient person.
Josh is not only the founder of Vertical Prep, but one of its most committed and impassioned educators. Josh has been working with students of all ages as a private educator and test prep tutor since 2018, specializing in comprehensive SAT and ACT prep, Math and English subject tutoring, AP Exam Prep, College Essay Writing, and Executive Function Coaching.
Most of Josh’s students are of middle or high school age and have sought long term relationships. Josh strives to be there for his students through their entire high school careers, from Algebra 1 freshman year up through standardized test preparation and college essay writing.
Josh highly values the success of his students. He enjoys getting to know each and every one personally, and he looks forward to acting as their guide and advocate as they progress through this important part of their lives. As their personal academic coach, Josh is committed to challenging them to think critically about the material they are learning in a way that sparks their curiosity and interest beyond what is possible in a traditional classroom setting.
Josh Woratyla
Founder & Head Educator, Vertical Prep
Elynna Y.
Expert Educator
SAT/ACT, AP Bio, AP Chem, AP Comp Sci, Math, English/Essay Writing
Elynna is a highly experienced and engaging educator who has been tutoring for over ten years, working with students of all ages. While the majority of her experience is in SAT and ACT prep, Elynna is also an exceptional Math, English, and Science tutor, with a comprehensive understanding of the core principles of AP Biology, gained from her experience in undergrad as a Biology major at Washington University, St. Louis, and a current graduate student in Human Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh.
Elynna is set to complete her PhD in the Spring of 2026. She loves sharing her graduate school experience with those of her students interested in research. Elynna seeks to inspire and support her students throughout their academic journey.
Outside of tutoring, Elynna enjoys rock climbing, video games, riding her motorcycle, and spending time with her husband and baby.
Jacy T.
Expert Educator
SAT/ACT, AP Physics, AP Calculus, AP Lit, AP Lang, AP History, Math, English/Essay Writing
Jacy believes that every student has the potential to excel–they often just need the right map to get there. While her own academic journey took her from Yale in undergrad to Cornell for her Masters and PhD candidacy, her favorite part of education has always been being there when a difficult concept finally clicks for a student.
Jacy is a multitalented educator who loves helping students with a variety of coursework. From high-level Physics to coaching a student through the creative soul-work of college essay writing, she focuses not on memorizing facts, but on helping students understand the ‘why’ behind them.
Jacy knows firsthand that standardized tests are puzzles that can be solved by learning the logic behind the exam questions. Increasing her own ACT score to a 34 back in high school, and recently achieving a 1580 on an official 2025 SAT exam, Jacy has an in-depth understanding of how to use strategies to help her students achieve that same success, building their confidence and autonomy along the way.
When Jacy isn’t helping her students, she enjoys spending time decorative journaling, scuba diving, and watching Taylor Swift concerts!