About Us
Partner with Golden Advantage and our professional tutors to unlock your educational potential
Get to Know Golden Advantage
Take a moment to meet Jennifer and learn the story behind Golden Advantage Education. Our approach is all about clarity, consistency, and helping every learner move forward with confidence. This video gives you a straightforward look at who we are and how we guide our students to meaningful results.
Our Mission
At Golden Advantage our mission is to empower students through personalized, high-quality tutoring that builds confidence and academic success. We are committed to supporting families with both expert instruction and valuable resources that strengthen the learning process. One of our core goals is to connect clients with trusted tools, strategies, and professionals that advance their educational pursuits.
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Our Company
Jennifer Golden founded Golden Advantage Education in 2010 to address her growing waitlist for Orton Gillingham instruction. She began by hiring other Orton Gillingham tutors and reading specialists who share her passion and dedication. Today, Golden Advantage Education offers tutoring in all core academic areas and test prep. Browse through our extensive list of qualified tutors.
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Our Founder
Jennifer has been a Special Education Teacher and Reading Specialist since 2021 and an Orton Gillingham Certified Specialist since 2003. She has taught all grade levels, from elementary school to high school. Currently, Jennifer is teaching in a middle school as a Language Arts Resource teacher. In addition, she has been tutoring in the area of Orton Gillingham since 2001.
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Adrianne Freidman
Mrs. Adriane Freidman holds a B.A. in Literature and Secondary Education from Ramapo College and an M.A. in Applied Linguistics from Montclair State University. Since 2012, she has taught English at both the high school and middle school levels, including advanced courses. Certified in ESL, she has supported English language learners throughout her career. Mrs. Freidman has also tutored for The Princeton Review and Huntington Learning Center, specializing in SAT preparation.
Ariana D’Amato
Ariana is a dedicated educator with a master’s degree and dual certification in elementary and special education. She has spent the last nine years teaching various grades, with a focus on first grade. Her true passion lies in helping young learners develop foundational reading skills, which inspired her to pursue the Orton Gillingham Teacher Certification at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Arlene Rodgers-Non
Arlene has been teaching for 27 years. She holds a Masters degree in special education and a Masters degree in educational leadership. She also holds a principal, supervisor, special education, and learning disability teacher consultant certifications. Arlene also holds an Orton Gillingham Certification from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Barbara Goodman
Barbara holds a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University and a master’s in teaching from William Paterson University. She is certified K–5 and has experience across all elementary grade levels in both general and special education. Barbara has also taught fifth grade French and specializes in supporting students in reading, writing, and math. As an assistant teacher, she enjoys collaborating with colleagues to help students become confident, independent learners.
Belia Hernandez
Belia is a bilingual educator with over 20 years of experience and a master’s degree from Bank Street College. She teaches first grade in Montvale, NJ, and holds an Orton-Gillingham Certification from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Belia uses programs like Wilson and Fountas & Pinnell, along with study skills strategies, to support all learners. She is passionate about creating meaningful learning experiences that build independence and confidence.
Bianca Archetto
Bianca Archetto is a Special Education teacher in Bergen County. With over 10 years of experience in the field, she brings a wealth of knowledge and dedication to her work. Bianca holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, a Masters degree in Special Education, and is currently pursuing her middle school math certification at Montclair State University. Her journey in education continued when she obtained her Orton Gillingham certification through the 2 year program at Fairleigh Dickinson.
Cara N. Anan
Cara N. Anan is a family law attorney and adjunct professor at the County College of Morris, where she helps students build strong writing skills and confidence. She earned her J.D. from New York Law School in 2020, where she co-led the Courtroom Advocates Project, supporting clients in domestic violence courts. Cara holds a B.A. from Drew University and previously clerked for the Hon. Richard W. English in Monmouth County. She is passionate about guiding students in their academic and professional growth.
Chelsea Capone
Chelsea is a compassionate educator with over 14 years of experience and a strong background in English education. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Fairfield University and a Master’s in Teaching English (K–12) from Montclair State University. Chelsea specializes in supporting students with reading, writing, and math skills, while also helping them develop effective study strategies, executive functioning, and note-taking techniques to enhance their overall learning.
Chris Csengeto
Chris is a certified Special Education Science teacher with over 20 years of classroom experience. He specializes in making challenging subjects like Chemistry and Physical Science easier to understand and more engaging. Whether you’re looking to boost your grades, prepare for exams, or build long-term confidence, he will tailor each session to meet your specific needs. He also offers support with study skills, homework help, and test prep.
Christina Nestory
Christina is a certified Reading Specialist, Special Education teacher, and Dyslexia Specialist with a master’s in literacy. She is also certified in Orton-Gillingham through IMSLEC and recognized by CERI as a Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Specialist. Christina currently works in Bergen County and teaches as an adjunct instructor at William Paterson University. She offers virtual tutoring with a focus on targeted reading intervention.
Christine Mayers
Christine Mayers is a veteran Social Studies educator with 20+ years of experience teaching World and U.S. History, African/African American Studies, and AP African American Studies. She holds a B.A. in History from Hunter College and an M.A. in Educational Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Christine tutors Social Studies and English, specializing in college applications and scholarship essays. She is also certified in the Orton-Gillingham approach through Fairleigh Dickinson University, supporting older learners with fluency and comprehension.
Courtney Ross
Courtney is a certified special education and elementary teacher with seven years of experience, currently teaching fifth grade in Leonia, NJ. She has also taught grades four, seven, and eight. Courtney earned her undergraduate degree from Springfield College and a master’s in Literacy from William Paterson University. She is a certified reading specialist and completed a two-year Orton-Gillingham certification through Fairleigh Dickinson University. Her teaching emphasizes a structured, systematic, and interactive approach to support student growth.
David Rosenbaum
David is a passionate tutor with a degree in Astrophysics from the University of Florida and over seven years of experience. He specializes in high school and college-level science, including chemistry, physics, biology, and test prep for the SAT, ACT, and MCAT. Originally planning to attend medical school, David discovered a love for teaching and chose to continue tutoring full-time to help students achieve academic success.
Desirée Baroody
Desirée Baroody is a certified Orton-Gillingham Teacher with over 800 hours of experience. She received her M.A.T. from TCNJ in 2015, Orton-Gillingham certification from FDU in 2020, Special Education certification from FDU in 2021, and recently became a Certified Structured Dyslexia Specialist. Desirée carefully tailors instruction to each student to ensure maximum growth. She has tutored students using Orton-Gillingham in grades K-12.
Ellen Attanasio
Ellen is a dedicated English teacher with a master’s degree and dual certification in New Jersey and New York. Over the past 26 years—21 of them at Westwood Regional High School—she has taught mostly high school freshmen, with earlier experience in 8th grade. She enjoys helping students understand literature and develop their unique writing voice.
Elzbieta Biernacka
Elzbieta has been in the field of education for 14 years. She has a bachelor's degree From Caldwell University in Secondary Education with concentration in Social studies and Master’s degree in Special Education along with a Teacher of Special Education certificate. In 2018, Elzbieta moved on to pursue another Master’s degree in Social Work with school social work concentration from Rutgers University. Elzbieta completed her Orton Gillingham Teacher Certificate through Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Emma Pecoraro
Emma is a dedicated high school chemistry teacher with over 12 years of experience. She has taught both general and honors chemistry, helping students build confidence and succeed academically. In addition to classroom teaching, Emma tutors high school and college students, tailoring support to individual needs. Her teaching journey began at a Kumon Learning Center and as a swimming instructor for all ages, showing her lifelong commitment to education. Emma creates a supportive, inclusive environment where chemistry feels approachable and achievable for every student.
Erica Stravato
Erica Stravato is a dedicated special education teacher with extensive experience supporting students with autism and other disabilities since 2007. She holds a Master’s degree in Education from Manhattanville University and is certified in Orton Gillingham reading instruction through Fairleigh Dickinson University. Her teaching background includes leading self-contained classrooms in NYC’s District 75, teaching in private school settings, and currently serving as a Basic Skills Instruction and Resource Room teacher
Jack Fein
Jack is a tutor with over 60 hours of volunteer experience tutoring students in both Java and Python, providing both beginner and intermediate programmers the skills they need to start their career in computer science. He was a counselor in training at a computer camp last year, where he spent 3 weeks teaching students 1:1 various programming topics, ranging from the basics of how variables and strings work to data structures and algorithms used in college-level courses
Jacqueline Barbiere
Jacqueline is an experienced educator with 18 years in the field and over a decade of providing specialized, multisensory Orton-Gillingham instruction to students ages 5–21. She is a certified Dyslexia Therapist and ABA Therapist, with experience teaching in one-to-one and small group settings across homes, schools, and communities. Jacqueline currently works as a Reading Interventionist, delivering Orton-Gillingham instruction to students in grades K–6.
Jamie Lynch
Jamie has been an English teacher for over 28 years. She has a Masters Degree in Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her teaching philosophy recognizes students as individuals, people who come with different learning styles. She makes an effort to increase the students’ confidence and appreciation in the areas of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Jamie strives to validate students’ strengths and identify students’ lower performance areas.
Jessica Cooley
With experience tutoring students from kindergarten through postgraduate levels, I specialize in reading comprehension, academic writing, thesis development, and test prep. My background as a middle school ELA teacher, curriculum designer, and instructional coach equips me with research-based strategies tailored to each learner. Whether building foundational literacy or refining advanced writing, I strive to foster confidence, clarity, and a lifelong love of learning.
Jessica Carroll
Jessica is a certified K–5 educator with a bachelor’s in Family and Child Studies and a master’s in Special Education, both from Montclair State University. She began her career teaching third grade reading and writing, then moved on to teach Kindergarten. After earning her master’s, she became a special education resource teacher for grades K–5. In 2022, after completing her Orton-Gillingham training through Fairleigh Dickinson University, she transitioned to her current role as a middle school reading specialist, supporting students in grades 5–8.
Jessica Desimone
In 2020, Jessica obtained a Master of Arts in Teaching from Montclair State University as well her teaching certifications for Teacher of Students with Disabilities (P-12) and Elementary Education (K-6). She absolutely loves teaching elementary school students in all subjects, but she admits that LA is her favorite. She loves to find different methods that help a student have that “lightbulb” moment. She enjoys balancing fun with learning!
Jim Belluzzi
Jim is a Certified Special Education Teacher specializing in Algebra I and Pre-Algebra. He has over 25 years of experience teaching in the public school system. Jim earned a bachelor’s degree from Iona University as well as a Masters degree in Special Education from Fordham University. His experience as both a teacher and a former coach allows him to motivate students and take complex concepts and present them in a way that is easy for students to understand.
Jodi Stellacci
Jodi Stellacci joins us in bringing over 30 years of teaching experience. Jodi has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Rider University(1987) and she also has a Teacher of the Handicapped certification from William Paterson back in 1992.She has taught within resource room programs, providing small group instruction. She has been privileged to work with elementary, middle and high school students. Her speciality is working with students in the area of reading, writing and executive functioning.
Joe Oettinger
Joe is a fully certified and experienced NJ biology and chemistry teacher, with a Master’s degree in science education. Most recently, his skills have been enhanced by completing a number of graduate level courses toward a math teacher certification. He has more than 24 years experience teaching and tutoring math, science, and test prep subjects to students of all levels and ages.
Joseph Zakhary
Joseph is a highly experienced and patient educator with nearly 20 years of teaching and tutoring in math. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Florida Southern College and a master’s in Educational Technology, graduating with a 3.75 GPA in his field and a 4.0 in his graduate studies. Joseph teaches a wide range of subjects, including Algebra I & II, Geometry, Trigonometry, Precalculus, and AP Calculus, as well as SAT and ACT prep. His students consistently excel, with his AP Calculus class achieving some of the top average scores in the nation over the past decade.
Joy Kuchinsky
Joy is a seasoned special education teacher and certified Orton-Gillingham specialist with over 30 years of experience helping students become confident, capable readers. She holds a B.A. in Special Education, an M.A. in Elementary and Early Childhood Education, and advanced certification from the Center for Effective Reading Instruction. A member of the International Dyslexia Association, Joy provides individualized, goal-driven instruction tailored to each student’s needs. She builds strong relationships with both students and families and offers both in-person and virtual tutoring.
Karley Churuti
Karley is a high school English teacher with a degree in English and Secondary Education from East Stroudsburg University. Since 2017, she has been helping students develop their reading and writing skills, with a special passion for teaching writing as a process. While at ESU, she worked as a writing tutor, which inspired her teaching approach. Karley has also taught SAT Prep, focusing on test-taking strategies that benefit students across all subjects. Though she currently teaches high school, she enjoys working with students of all ages to build confidence and academic success.
Keri Maher
Keri is a certified elementary and special education teacher with 14 years of experience working with students in grades K–8. She earned her undergraduate degree in Communication Disorders from Springfield College and recently completed her master’s in Educational Leadership. Keri discovered her passion for teaching during an internship with a school-based Speech-Language Pathologist. She is also Orton-Gillingham certified through Fairleigh Dickinson University and is known for creating individualized, engaging lessons while building relationships with her students.
Kim Seisz
*Available in Summers Only* Kim is a certified special education teacher with a master’s from Rutgers and over a decade of experience. She began her career in Hoboken and has spent the last nine years as a Resource Room teacher in Oakland Public Schools. Orton-Gillingham certified through Fairleigh Dickinson University, Kim has used the approach in both her classroom and private tutoring since 2016. She is available for tutoring during the summer only.
Laurel Lahullier, M.E.D.
Laurel is a passionate special education teacher with 13 years of experience and a master’s in Educational Leadership, including Supervisor, Principal, and Superintendent certifications. She began her career as a paraprofessional, later teaching in both private and public school settings. Laurel is trained in Orton-Gillingham, ABA, and Fundations, and is well-versed in multisensory reading instruction. She tailors strategies to meet each student’s unique needs and works to instill a love of reading, writing, and grammar in every learner.
Lori Farquhar
Lori is a dedicated special education teacher with over 21 years of experience supporting students with learning disabilities from kindergarten through high school. She has worked in In-Class Support, Resource Room, and Self-Contained settings, and is a certified Orton-Gillingham specialist, using the method in both school and private tutoring. Lori’s passion for teaching is deeply personal—she is also a parent of a child with learning and reading challenges. This dual perspective allows her to connect with students and families on a meaningful level, both academically and emotionally.
Louis Nemeth
Louis is a dedicated educator with over 12 years of experience teaching a wide range of math subjects. He holds a degree in Civil Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology and a graduate degree in Mathematics Education, blending a strong STEM foundation with effective teaching strategies. Currently teaching at Cresskill High School, Lou has experience in everything from Algebra to AP Calculus. As a tutor, he also specializes in SAT/ACT prep and enjoys helping students build confidence and reach their full math potential.
Lynn Sac
Lynn was born in Newark, New Jersey. She is a native Spanish speaker, with Spanish being her first language. She studied in Barcelona, Spain at La Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. In 2009 she received her associates in Science from Bergen Community College. Later in 2012 she received her Bachelor's degree in Spanish with a minor in Psychology from Drew University. Lynn has also completed her post-Baccalaureate in Education from Caldwell University. Later in May 2022 she graduated from Caldwell University with a Masters Degree in Curriculum & Instruction.
Mark Sarnov
Mark is pursuing a bachelor’s in Elementary Education and Mathematics Teaching at The College of New Jersey, expected in June 2026, followed by a master’s in Special Education in 2027. He has served as a drop-in math tutor at TCNJ for a year, assisting with courses from algebra and calculus to advanced subjects like geometry and abstract algebra. Mark has also been a teaching assistant for an elementary math methods course, giving him diverse teaching strategies. He aspires to become a district math specialist, supporting both advanced learners and those needing extra help.
Mary Beth Alepa
Mary Beth is a certified educator with 22 years of experience teaching K–3 and ESL across New Jersey, Georgia, and Florida. She holds a degree in Elementary Education from Seton Hall University and is a certified IMSE Orton-Gillingham Instructor and Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Interventionist. Mary Beth currently works as an Academic Support Instructor for grades K–5, helping students build skills in ELA and math to succeed in the mainstream classroom.
Nina Jacobs
Nina is a master tutor with a BA in English and Secondary Education from William Paterson University and an MA in Special Education from NJCU. She taught English and reading at Passaic High School for 17 years and Lincoln Middle School for five before retiring. Nina now tutors to keep her passion alive, specializing in English, reading, and test prep for the SAT, ACT, and Accuplacer. She provides personalized, strategic instruction tailored to each student’s needs and excels at helping with essays, grammar, study skills, and organization.
Owen Ross
Owen is a dedicated Mathematics and Special Education teacher since 2018, with experience in resource, in-class support (CP Inclusion), and LLD classes. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a dual B.S. in Mathematics and Secondary Education from Springfield College. Owen holds two master’s degrees—Educational Leadership from Montclair State University and Special Education from New Jersey City University—both earned with Magna Cum Laude honors. He was honored as the 2022–2023 Indian Hills Teacher of the Year.
Patty Chiaviello
Patty is an experienced educator with 19 years in the field. After earning her master’s degree, she began as a Writing Coach at Montclair State University before teaching 7th grade Language Arts in Clifton, NJ. Since 2012, Patty has taught grades 6–12 at Cresskill High School, where she was named Teacher of the Year in 2019. She specializes in tutoring all sections of the SAT and ACT, helping students master test strategies to reach their full potential. Patty values building strong relationships and tailors her teaching to meet each student’s unique needs.
Robert Matthews
With 15 years of educational teaching background in all content areas, Robert holds a Special Education Certification with concentrations in mathematics. He has a proven track record for exceeding his students educational expectations (upwards of 300%) as set forth by his school district. He has worked with struggling students from grades K-9 in all content areas. He is the king of differentiation and loves to find ways to help students of all abilities learn various concepts.
Sarah Huster
Sarah is a passionate educator with a master’s degree and dual certification in elementary and special education. She has taught students across grades K–7 in both inclusion and resource-room settings. She is passionate about helping students develop strong foundational literacy skills, a commitment that led her to earn Orton-Gillingham certification through IMSE. Likewise, her dedication to fostering conceptual and procedural math skills guided her toward advanced training in effective, research-based math instruction.
Todd Hamilton
Todd Hamilton has been working in education for 11 years and has 8 years of experience as a successful tutor. Todd is a River Dell graduate, and is very familiar with Genesis and Power School. He has experience working with Special Ed students and has patience to work with people of different levels. Todd is great at both Math and English, and is looking to help students from grades 3 to 12 become successful and more organized. Mr. Hamilton has proven that he can help students with Word Problems, Algebra, Geometry, Reading Comprehension, Writing and so much more. Please consider Todd Hamilton when selecting a tutor who cares about your child's education.
Willa Rudy
Willa Rudy is a certified Orton Gillingham Specialist, receiving her degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Willa has her MAT In Education and her Teacher of the Handicapped certification. She has over 27 years of teaching experience with various ages and she loves working with children!
Zainab Shafir
Zainab is a certified special education teacher with over 13 years of experience. She holds a bachelor’s in Elementary Education and English Writing and a master’s in Special Education from William Paterson University, along with certifications in Supervision and TESOL. Zainab is Orton-Gillingham certified through Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she now teaches as an adjunct professor. She specializes in evidence-based, multisensory instruction rooted in the science of reading, supporting students with language-based learning differences, including dyslexia.