Admissions Coach

Kevin Chaves has been a Spark Prep admissions essay coach since 2016. He holds a PhD from Stanford University in Religious Studies, with a specialty in Continental Philosophy, phenomenology, and interpretation theory. While at Stanford, Kevin worked as a writing tutor at the Hume Center for Writing and Speaking, and has over 7 years of experience teaching and tutoring writing both for academics and admissions.

Writing/IELTS/TOEFL Instructor

Peter is Spark Prep's writing/IELTS/TOEFL Instructor. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature from San Francisco State University and further enhanced his qualifications with a TEFL and TESOL Certificate in 2011. He brings over a decade of experience in teaching IELTS and communication English. His extensive teaching career spans various educational settings, including universities, high schools, and secondary schools in Hanoi. Peter has also imparted his expertise in business English to several companies and taught communication English at numerous English centers, including his own. With a solid academic background and a passion for English education, Peter is committed to helping students achieve their language goals.

Writing Instructor & Admissions Coach

Sam is Spark Prep's writing instructor and admissions coach. Sam has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Northwestern University. Currently pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Pennsylvania, she is double majoring in Non-profit Leadership and International Education, deepening her understanding of holistic learning environments. Boasting over 5 years of hands-on experience, Sam has mastered the art of providing effective writing instruction to students navigating the complex world of college applications.

IELTS Instructor

Ngoc Anh is Spark Prep’s IELTS Instructor. She completed her Master degree at University of Salford in 2016 and has been working as an English teacher at a private school in Hanoi ever since. Ngoc Anh has extensive teaching experience both in the class and in private one-on-one tutoring. With her dedication and keen eyes for detail, she strives to help students achieve their desired band score within the shortest period of time possible by creating an exciting yet productive learning environment.

IELTS/TOEFL Instructor

Thuy is Spark Prep's IELTS and TOEFL tutor. She has her master degree in Professional Studies in Education, and was awarded New Zealand Government Aids Scholarship. She has been working in English for Specific Purposes Department in Hanoi University since 2006. Her major areas of teaching are English and International Studies. Apart from regular work at the university, she also involves in training programs of the Ministry of Education in enhancing English capacity and teaching competence of English teachers nationwide.

Writing Instructor

Ginny is a writing instructor at Spark Prep, based in Hong Kong. She holds a BA in Economics from Northwestern University and has six years of English tutoring experience. She is an avid reader and poet, and is currently writing her first book.

Instructor

Charles is one of Spark Prep’s class instructors in Saigon. He holds a PhD from Philippine Christian University in Strategy Management, and a master degree in Public Economic Management and Finance from University of Birmingham. He has been teaching for more than 10 years at university level, and is loved by many of his students.

Academic Coach

Nicole has over 10 years of private tutoring experience. Prior to joining Spark Prep, she served as an SAT/SHSAT instructor with KAPLAN Inc. Nicole specializes in helping students with their writing skills primarily across English, History, and College Applications. When she is not tutoring Nicole is a professional recruiter and career coach. She is also an accomplished actress having appeared off-broadway and in several Netflix and Amazon films.

SAT/ACT Instructor

Neil tutors all sections of the ACT, SAT, and all levels of math. Before working with Spark Prep he taught middle and high school students topics fundamental to careers in engineering and math.

Admissions Coach

Viet Anh is a University Admissions Coach at Spark Prep. He has 5 years of experience in admissions coaching and has worked with 100+ high school students from diverse backgrounds, helping them land offers at multiple prestigious American universities (such as Harvard, Princeton, Duke, Amherst, Middlebury). He is also a Career Coaching Manager at Career Pass Institute, where he coaches Vietnamese college students in the US on their job & internship application process. He had working experience at Boston Consulting Group (top 3 global management consultancy), where he advised top-tier clients in banking, private equity, insurance and energy. Viet Anh holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Financial Economics and Electronic Music from Wabash College.

Admissions Coach

An Nguyen is a current Admissions Coach at Spark Prep. As a former school counselor, she worked with high school students, both in Vietnam and the U.S., to help them strategize for their high school careers as well as for their college research and application. Additionally, she has taught courses dedicated to self-exploration, goals setting and future planning. She hopes to inspire students to explore and grow during the admissions process, and consequently to thrive during and after college. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Education from Mount Holyoke College, and a Master’s in Prevention Science and Practice (Adolescents Counseling) from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Currently, she is pursuing a PhD in Education at Johns Hopkins University.

Academic Coach

Jacob studied Architecture at UC Berkeley before working in private equity and as an executive during the first tech boom. Prior to business school, he was a policy researcher. He serves as Country Manager in Singapore and works on our curriculum development and pedagogy team.

Admissions Coach

Noah is a licensed social studies teacher with additional experience in college admissions coaching and SAT tutoring. Outside of Spark Prep, Noah teaches IB/IGCSE history and economics at an international school in Shanghai. He graduated from Columbia University with a BA in Economics and Political Science. During summer and winter breaks, he also helps run field programs throughout rural China that connect high school students with local organizations that aim to preserve traditional culture, develop local economies, and conserve natural habitats.

Admissions Coach

Joon has worked for over a decade in test prep, admissions counseling and career mentorship for high school, university, and graduate school students. He holds an MBA from Columbia University, a B.S.E. in Finance from the Wharton School, and a B.A. in Economics with a Philosophy minor from the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania. Besides education consulting, he has more than 30 years of experience in Finance and Risk Management at global corporations in New York, Los Angeles, Houston, and China.

Admissions Coach

Phat graduated from Yale University with a bachelor's degree in Economics. He has three years of experience as a strategic consultant for international technology companies such as Intel, Schneider, and Siemens. Additionally, he has five years of experience helping high school students in Vietnam develop strategies for building strong university applications to study in the U.S., successfully guiding many students to gain admission to institutions such as the University of Southern California, the University of Michigan, Duke University, UNC-Chapel Hill, Mount Holyoke, New York University, and more.

SAT/ACT Tutor

Phuc serves as Spark Prep's SAT and ACT tutor. He holds a BS in International Business and management from Dickinson College and an MS in Business Analytics from Temple University (Pennsylvania, USA). With over 5 years of teaching experience, Phuc has expertise in SAT, ACT, Economics, and Computer Science. He got 1560/1600 on the SAT and 34/36 on the ACT.

SAT/AP/STEM Tutor

Minh is a Spark Prep's SAT/AP/STEM tutor in Saigon. He holds a PhD in Engineering and MS in Mechanical Engineering from Keio University (Japan), BA in Physics and BS in Mechanical Engineering from Bucknell University. He has been teaching Engineering at Fulbright University Vietnam.

Admissions Coach 

Ostin Fam is an Admissions Coach at Spark Prep. A Freeman Asian Scholar, he earned a BA degree with High Honors in Film Studies at Wesleyan University. He worked at UNESCO Vietnam for 2 years as Program Director for educational projects. His other work partners include Channel News Asia, Art Basel and Nowness. Ostin’s films have been featured and awarded at numerous international film festivals. With his experience in writing and storytelling, he seeks to discover and explore each student’s unique narrative that might be otherwise left unnoticed.

Chief of Staff

Ha is Spark Prep's Chief of Staff. She has a Master's degree in Applied Economics and Statistics from Clemson University, South Carolina. She has extensive experience working in education in the US, Australia and Vietnam.

Head of Admissions Planning and Activities Coach

Tran is the Head of Admissions Planning and Activities Coach at Spark Prep. She holds a B.A. in International Relations with a minor in Public Relations, an M.S. in Global Marketing Management from Boston University and an MSE in Education from University of Pennsylvania.

Currently, she is pursuing a graduate degree at University of Pennsylvania. Tran has extensive experience in the fields of communication and education, having worked as a branch general manager, strategist, and mentor. She has a passion for writing and also works as a freelance content writer. Drawing from her own experiences of applying to and studying in the US since high school, Tran is well-equipped to assist students in completing their applications on time and adjusting to school life abroad.

Head of Marketing and Business Development

Hien holds a Bachelor's degree in International Politics & Diplomacy, with a minor in International Communications from the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and a Master's in Marketing with Luxury Brands from the University of Lincoln in the UK.

Hien's professional path has been closely intertwined with the education industry. Her roles have ranged from marketing to education consulting and promotion, representing her deep appreciation for the transformative power of education. As the Head of Marketing & Business Development at Spark Prep, Hien is at the helm of marketing activities, admissions, strategic partnerships and more. She's commitment to driving excellence in education & business through collaborations and conversations that align with Spark Prep's mission of providing top-tier education. 

Marketing and Operations Support Officer

Tram holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business (Marketing) from Swinburne University of Technology and is currently pursuing her MBA at the Swiss School of Business and Management Geneva.

She is passionate about education and youth development. Tram believes that every student deserves the opportunity to shine in their own unique way, and she is committed to contributing to Spark Prep as a trusted companion, helping students unlock their full potential and confidently grow on their path to personal and academic success.