Meet the Learning Support Team

Kellie Zaremba (she/they/theirs)
Associate Director of Learning Support

Kellie (she/they/theirs) has a decade of experience teaching writing at both the high school and undergraduate levels. Patient and understanding, Kellie prides herself on helping to push students to develop and expand on their written communication skills. A New England native, Kellie holds a B.A. in English Literature from Trinity College, a M.A.T. in Secondary English Education from Tufts University, and a M.S. in Written Communication from NLU. In her free time, she enjoys camping with friends, cooking, cross stitch, reading, checking out local literary and LGBTQ+ events, and fostering dogs. Email: kzaremba1@nl.edu.

Kevin Sparrow (they/them/theirs)
Manager of Learning Support

Kevin Sparrow (they/them/theirs) has been working professionally as a writer, editor, and educator since 2008 and with National Louis since 2016. They received an MFA in Writing from School of the Art Institute of Chicago and received the 2014-15 MFAW Teaching Fellowship from SAIC. They also work with different theatre groups in the city as a playwright and Literary Manager. Kevin enjoys both creative and academic writing, and they love to help other people develop their writing skills and their voices. Email: ksparrow1@nl.edu. Schedule an appointment with me.

Maleek Richardson (he/him/his)
Senior Math Support Specialist

Maleek Richardson (he/him/his) has worked as a mathematics tutor since 2013. From Algebra and Calculus to Partial Differential Equations and Analysis, he has helped many students succeed in their most challenging courses. In 2017, Maleek graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. Since then, he has tutored hundreds of students to succeed in their math classes and continues to do so at NLU with pride! When he is not doing math, Maleek enjoys spending time with friends, traveling and eating food from around the world, and playing videogames. Email: mrichardson14@nl.edu. Schedule an appointment with me.

Michael Ordower (he/him/his)
Math Support Specialist

As someone who used to be "bad at math," Michael (he/him/his) now understands that "bad at math" is an illusion. He believes that nearly everyone (including you, dear reader) is secretly a mathematical genius lying dormant. Accordingly, Michael has accepted the following mission: to help students conquer feelings of mathematical inadequacy. He has a BA in mathematics and Spanish (Amherst College, 2015), as well as a BS in computer science (University of Illinois at Chicago, 2020). He has worked on and off as an educator since his sophomore year of high school, both privately and through various academic institutions. His hobbies include doodling, playing guitar, and providing unsolicited life advice to friends and family. Email: mordower@nl.edu. Schedule an appointment with me.

Moshe Rubin (he/him/his)
Senior Math & Computer Science Support Specialist

Moshe (Rhymes with "Kenosha", he/him/his) is the dedicated Math Support Specialist at Kendall College at National Louis University. Moshe is a Chicagoland native and has been tutoring math and science subjects since he was in high school. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Physics from The University of Illinois at Chicago. When he is not with the Learning Support team, Moshe also works as a Teaching Assistant in NLU's Computer Science department. Outside of NLU, Moshe can usually be found coding, exploring the city, or playing his piano. Email: mrubin8@nl.edu. Schedule an appointment with me.

Benjamin Page (he/him/his)
Computer Science Support Specialist

Benjamin (he/him/his) has recently graduated from NLU's CSIS program, with two years of experience as an educator. He received a Bachelor's in Computer Science and Information Systems from NLU, with substantial work in Elementary Education as well. He is enthusiastic about coding and troubleshooting and is happy to help with anything Computer Science-related. Email: bpage5@nl.edu. Schedule an appointment with me.

Galen Turoci (he/him/his)
Math & Computer Science Support Specialist

Galen Turoci (he/him/his) got his degree in Computer Game Design from UC Santa Cruz, in the process becoming highly proficient in the fields of computer science, math, teamwork, and written & verbal communication. He has had a passion for game development since he was little, and spends much of his free time working on game projects in the hopes of becoming a self-employed independent game developer. His other hobbies include playing games, practicing archery, and training in Krav Maga. He has two wonderful cats, Phantom and Guenhwyvar, that he will show you pictures of if you ask. Email: gturoci@nl.edu. Schedule an appointment with me.

Tracy Kaske (she/her/hers)
Senior Writing Support Specialist

Tracy (she/her/hers) received a Bachelors of Arts degree in English with minors in Psychology and Leadership from Eureka College. During her time as an undergraduate student, Tracy served as a peer tutor for the college. Tracy also spends her time working as a Teaching Assistant for Northwestern University's Center for Talent Development. In her free time, Tracy enjoys biking, reading, and binge-watching shows on Netflix. Email: tkaske@nl.edu. Schedule an appointment with me.

Carlos Alverio (he/him/his)
Writing Support Specialist

Carlos’ (he/him/his) passion for putting words on paper led to his earning a BA in Professional Writing and an MFA in Creative Writing. This in turn has kept him traveling between the creative arts and academia. He has developed projects for graphic novel publishers, video game designers, and literary journals. Carlos’ time in academia includes work with Columbia College, Northwestern University, the Chicago City Colleges, and Instituto del Progreso Latino. In recent years, he has branched out into developmental editing, helping to guide non-fiction books to reach publication. These diverse experiences fuel his love of words to both feed and challenge the imagination. Promoting multi-culturalism, self-advocacy, and critical thinking are all core values he looks forward to bringing to his work with the Graduate scholars of National Louis University. Email: calverio@nl.edu. Schedule an appointment with me.

Lana Bogdanich (she/her/hers)
Writing Support Specialist, ELL/ESL Strategic Initiatives

Lana (she/her/hers) is the ELL/ESL Strategic Initiatives and Writing Specialist at NLU. She has worked as an assistant professor teaching English and English as a Second Language since 2009 in Chicago and California. After graduating from The Evergreen State College with a B.A. in liberal arts, her love of learning languages inspired her to complete a M.A. in Linguistics and Teaching English as a Second Language at Northeastern Illinois University. She is grateful for the connections she makes with students from all over the world and learning about their lives and learning styles. Lana teaches towards equity and inclusion and strives to practice culturally-responsive teaching. Email: lbogdanich@nl.edu. Schedule an appointment with me.

Alex Kessler (he/him/his)
Writing Support Specialist

Alex Kessler (he/him/his) is a writer and educator living in Chicago, IL. He received his M.A. in Literary Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2021. In addition to teaching several writing and literature courses over the years, he has coordinated various prison education programs in West Virginia (Appalachian Prison Book Project) and central Illinois (Education Justice Project). His work has appeared in The Vault of Culture and The Albion Review. When he isn’t supporting students at NLU, he is listening to music, playing jazz guitar poorly, or reading.

Email: akessler3@nl.edu. Schedule an appointment with me.

Alyx Chandler (she/her/hers)
Writing Support Specialist

Alyx Chandler (she/her/hers) is a writer, educator, and former journalist from Alabama who specializes in creative writing. She received her MFA in Poetry from the University of Montana, where she was the Richard Hugo Fellow and taught rhetoric and poetry courses. She is a Poet-in-Residence for Chicago Poetry Center, where she teaches poetry to elementary students in CPS schools. She also facilitates poetry workshops over Zoom for teenagers in Montana who are incarcerated or in youth homes through Free Verse Writing Project. Alyx loves plants and reading, and she cares immensely about improving mental health awareness and empowering people through writing. She has poems published in Greensboro Review, SWWIM, Bear Review, and elsewhere. More writing can be found at alyxchandler.com.

Email: achandler9@nl.edu. Schedule an appointment with me.

Rebekah Trefilova (she/her/hers)
ELL & Writing Support Specialist

Rebekah (she/her/hers) has been an ELL/EFL professional for over a decade.  Her profession has allowed her to work in a variety of contexts and countries, thus “home” has included China, Egypt, Japan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and South Korea.  Rebekah received her MA TESOL from the American University in Cairo.  As a newcomer to the Chicago area, Rebekah loves to explore the city and surrounding areas.  Her daily “calm moment” is spent with a strong cup of coffee and the New York Times Connections game.

Email: rtrefilova@nl.edu. Schedule an appointment with me.

Moon Abbott (they/them/theirs)
Tutor Coordinator

Moon Abbott (they/them/theirs) is a non-binary creative with a focus in writing and filmmaking currently based in Chicago, IL but originally from the metro-Detroit area. Their creative work often examines the concepts of gender and sexuality from various, authentic, and historical perspectives. They have a Bachelor’s Degree in Cinema Art + Science with a Minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Columbia College Chicago. Their portfolio includes a plethora of award-winning short films, screenplays, stage plays, and published articles and analyses. They are also the co-founder of a Chicago-based film festival called New Generation Filmmakers Forum. Email: mabbott3@nl.edu. Schedule an appointment with me.