Amanda Rodrigues

Founder and CEO

Amanda founded Lotus Premier Education to help each student develop confidence in their own unique identity and educational journey. She graduated from Harvard University with a Magna Cum Laude degree in English, International Relations, and Spanish. She wrote an honors thesis on American modernism, won three competitive fellowships, and is the author of two books. She received her master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education and Wharton Business school in Education and Entrepreneurship. She has been a mentor and educator for over fifteen years.

Leadership Team

  • Benjamin Pietrzyk

    Entrepreneurship Expert

    During Benjamin's career in education and entrepreneurship, he served as a founder, board member, program director and professor. Throughout this experience, he advised hundreds of companies and students in a variety of sectors. This advice has led to companies raising millions of dollars, winning international competitions and earning full ride scholarships. He draws his expertise both as an alum and professor at La Salle University and as a graduate of University of Pennsylvania's Master of Education Entrepreneurship. Since he was in high school, Benjamin has worked on various ventures to benefit the rural areas of the Dominican Republic. Through his work with Lotus, Benjamin advises select students on how to build ventures not only that help them get into their first choice university, but also can continue with them long after graduation. 

  • Samuel Powell

    Academic Tutor & College Counselor

    Samuel Powell is an experienced tutor and mentor originally from Westport, Connecticut. He completed his undergraduate degree in Economics at Harvard College. Since his junior year of high school, Sam has tutored students across virtually all major academic subjects and has taken and taught nearly every AP exam. He is highly experienced in standardized test preparation, including the SAT, ACT, and SAT Subject Tests, and has provided comprehensive mentorship in college admissions—supporting students with essay writing, application refinement, and interview preparation. In addition to his academic work, Sam is a classically trained cellist and former member of the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra, with international performance experience including a tour in South Korea. He is intellectually passionate about financial markets, enjoys playing poker in his free time, and recently completed a full marathon—driven by the same relentless optimism and endurance that define his lifelong dedication as a New York Knicks fan.

Meet the Team

  • Alex K.

    Accounting and Billing Director

  • Santiago S.

    Santiago S. holds a degree in Applied Mathematics and Economics from Harvard University and brings four years of experience tutoring students in mathematics, statistics, economics, and SAT preparation. He served as a course assistant for two years in Harvard’s renowned probability course, Stat 110, and authored a senior thesis in economics, graduating with high honors in his field.

  • Nanako S.

    Nanako S. is a fourth-year student at Harvard Medical School with over six years of experience tutoring students and achieving near-perfect scores on both the ACT and SAT. She earned her undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology from Princeton University and completed a Master's in Narrative Medicine at Columbia University. With expertise in standardized test preparation, she is excited to share her knowledge and support students in achieving their academic goals.

  • Rishabh G.

    Rishabh G. is currently a master's student of Biomedical Informatics at the Harvard Medical School. He completed his undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and Business Administration, with a minor in Data Science from UC Berkeley. He has tutored students for several years across subjects from biology, chemistry, and physics to data science and business. Rishabh also has a deep background in entrepreneurship and has successfully raised $2M+ in funding for his previous ventures. He is passionate about the intersection between technology and medicine.

  • Chelsea W.

    Chelsea W. earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard College, where she studied History and Economics and completed an honors thesis on the legislative history of drug sentencing laws. After independently preparing for the LSAT and achieving a perfect score, she was admitted to Harvard, Yale, and Stanford Law Schools. With years of experience as both a tutor and classroom instructor, Chelsea is deeply committed to helping students excel on the LSAT, craft compelling application essays, and build a successful admissions strategy. She will be pursuing her J.D. at Yale Law School.

  • Angelique H.

    Angelique H. earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard College, where she studied Economics, Theater, and Spanish. With years of experience as both a tutor and classroom instructor, Angelique has helped many students gain acceptance to their choice colleges by helping with their college application essays and SAT English scores. Angelique is excited to help more students maximize their potential during the college application process.

  • Karen L.

    Karen L. is currently a medical student with a passion for education and mentorship. She holds a master’s degree from Harvard University and earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago. With over five years of tutoring experience, Karen has worked with students across a wide range of academic subjects, standardized tests, college admissions, personal essays, and graduate school applications. She is deeply committed to helping students reach their full potential through personalized, thoughtful guidance

  • Michelle B.

    Michelle B. is an expert with a background in Quantitative Economics and Finance. She has over three years of experience working with students across a range of math subjects, standardized test preparation (ACT/SAT), and college admissions essay guidance. In high school, she founded and led a peer tutoring program, and has continued to independently tutor students, offering personalized academic support tailored to individual learning styles and goals.

  • Bria D.

    Bria D. is an expert in startup strategy, with 8 years of experience working at and around early to mid-level startups. From analyst roles to Chief of Staff, Bria has become an industry leader in scaling and growing partnerships, projects, and new ideas. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance and a Master's degree in Marketing.  Bria is the cofounder of Project Limestone, a Bahamian-based nonprofit focused on providing sporting and academic opportunities for young people in The Bahamas.

  • Sudhish S.

    Sudhish S. is an undergraduate student at Harvard, studying Integrative Biology, and has been tutoring for the past three years. He has taught a wide variety of subjects, ranging from SAT/ACT to AP Biology, Computer Science, Calculus, and more. He has a passion for teaching and, in high school, started a club to expand computer science education at his school. He has also been actively involved in research since high school, with a particular interest in cancer biology.

  • Seth B.

    Seth B. holds a degree in Computer Science from Villanova University and has extensive experience tutoring students in programming, mathematics, and science. He specializes in helping students master both foundational and advanced concepts through personalized instruction tailored to a wide range of academic levels and learning styles.

  • Clare P.

    Clare is a medical school student with a master’s degree from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Notre Dame. She enjoys tutoring in math and writing.

  • Catie M.

    Catie M. joined Marlborough School in 2019 as an AP Environmental Science teacher and now serves as the Head of the Engineering + Entrepreneurship Program. A native New Yorker with a background in Geology and experience as an environmental consultant, she leads courses such as Engineering + Invention for Impact and oversees both middle and upper school engineering offerings. Catie directs the Frank & Eileen Incubator + Accelerator Program, where she guides students through the design thinking process to develop their ideas and skills. She holds a BA in Geological Science from Rutgers University and an MAT from Montclair State University. Prior to teaching, she worked as a geologist in environmental consulting.

  • Catie A.

    Resume/LinkedIn Expert, Interview Specialist, AP Biology Expert, AP English Expert

  • Aisling L.

    Writing and Literature (all levels), AP English, College Essay and Admissions Expert, Resume and Interview Specialist, Entrepreneurship Mentor

  • Emma M.

    Physics and Math Expert

  • Jamie M.

    Performing Arts Advisor