About
Hello, My name is Kiara, but everyone calls me KJ! I am a San Francisco native turned Austinite! I moved to Austin in 2017 after receiving my Bachelors in Finance and Management. After eight years of being a corporate accountant, I’m excited now to be the 6/7 and 12 grade math teacher here at Great Minds.
I started tutoring back in 2008 as a senior in high school tutoring freshmen. I continued tutoring all throughout college working with grades 4-10. Math has always been my favorite subject, and I hope the students grow to love it as much as I do.
After working in corporate, I found that I don’t like working in an office setting and am always excited when I get to work with kids. It warms my heart hearing about their school day and the excitement they have when they do well in a class that they struggled in. I’m excited to be at Great Minds doing something I truly love. I’m not only going to be teaching but learning so much from the students.
I also come from a small school setting, attending private school from 5-12 grade with 52 students in my graduating class – and still in contact with 75% of them. Having the 7:1 student teacher ratio is what I appreciate about Great Minds. I believe getting that one-on-one time is something every student needs to prepare them for success.
Outside of math, I am a food and fashion blogger. I have attended over fifty fashion shows during both LA & New York Fashion Week. My food blog sparked after working as a restaurant host and learning some culinary skills. During my free time, I’m hiking with my pup, Zoe, or trying out new restaurants with friends. I can’t wait to share some of my passions with the students and learn about theirs.
Thank you to the parents for trusting me to help your child succeed in math. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of the tribe because it truly takes a village! Now let’s have an amazing school year!