Meet The Team

Dr. Tara Williams

Dr. Tara Williams is a highly accomplished professional in the field of education and consultancy, renowned for her expertise and guidance in helping students achieve their academic and career goals. With a Doctorate of Philosophy in Synthetic Inorganic Chemistry and over thirteen years of teaching experience, Dr. Williams provides expert support and mentorship to students, while also making a substantial impact in assisting students with disabilities. Her dedication and exceptional skill set have established Innovative Collegiate Consultants, Inc. as a trusted resource for students navigating their collegiate journey.

Caitlyn Costa

With over 12 years of experience in sales and a background in early childhood education, Caitlyn brings a unique blend of empathy, expertise, and enthusiasm to her role as Lead Sales Consultant. A former preschool teacher and proud mom of four, she has a natural ability to connect with families, understand their needs, and guide them with care. Caitlyn’s strong communication skills and upbeat energy help create a positive, supportive environment for every client she works with.

Courtney Richardson

Courtney has a BA in History and a Master of Science in Educational Psychology (both from the University of Georgia). She has been working with students for 13 years as a classroom teacher (Grade 8-12) and tutor. Her teacher certification is from the state of Georgia. She is also certified by Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate to teach History and Psychology.

Oliver Bahman

Oliver Bahman holds a B.S. in Business Administration with an Option in Accounting and a Minor in Economics. With over 3 years of tutoring experience, Oliver specializes in general business, accounting, economics courses, foreign languages (Spanish and French), college mathematics (algebra/pre-calculus), and K-12 general subjects, demonstrating proficiency in a wide range of subjects to provide comprehensive academic support.

Keomakara Tan

Keomakara Tan holds a B.S. in Applied Mathematics from UCLA and an M.A. in Mathematics (Applied Concentration) from CSUF. With approximately 10 years of math tutoring experience, Keomakara specializes in a wide range of math subjects including pre-algebra, algebra, trigonometry, business calculus, calculus, and more. She has been a part time instructor at Cal State University San Bernadino for Math CSET Tests.

Katie Sy

Katie Sy holds a BS in psychobiology and brain and behavioral health from UCLA and a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Chapman University. With over ten years of tutoring experience, Katie specializes in various subjects including psychology, biology, high school math, English, writing, executive functioning, and standardized testing (SAT, ACT).

Corey Shubiak

Corey started his career in the audit practice at PwC. During this time, he earned his CPA license in the state of New Jersey and was a recipient of the 2016 Elijah Watt Sells Award. This award is given to CPA Exam candidates who obtain a cumulative average score above 95.50 across all sections of the CPA exam. He worked in the Equity Research practice at Credit Suisse. In this role, he leveraged his expertise in financial statement analysis to conduct investment research for some of the largest and most prestigious investors on Wall Street. He has also worked with high-growth software-as-a-service (SaaS) startups, where he was tasked with building accounting operations from the ground up. Corey earned his Bachelor of Science degree from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), with a major in Accountancy and minor in Finance.

Daniel Gray

Daniel Gray Carson holds a B.S. in Mathematics with a minor in Computer Science from Stetson University. With nine years of tutoring experience, Daniel supports students across a range of college-level subjects including algebra, calculus, cryptography, differential equations, linear algebra, probability, and statistics. In addition, he offers tutoring in technical tools such as Excel, MATLAB, and SQL, helping students build practical skills alongside academic understanding.

Kat Perkins

Kat holds a B.A. in Psychology from UC Riverside and an M.A. in Psychology from Pepperdine University. She’s worked with students of all ages—from early learners to college level—and specialize in psychology, research, writing, and executive functioning. She’ll begin teaching in the 2025–2026 school year while pursuing a career in healthcare. She’s passionate about learning and dedicated to helping students build confidence, stay organized, and succeed academically. She believes in making the learning process engaging and fun, so students feel motivated and empowered every step of the way.

Karen Haffner

Karen Haffner With over two decades of experience in education, Karen Haffner is a seasoned instructional coach and STEM educator known for driving academic excellence through data-informed strategies, curriculum development, and professional learning leadership. She has presented at NCTM, and multiple state and local conferences, coached educators at multiple levels, and collaborated with organizations like the Texas Center for Educator Excellence. Karen brings a deep commitment to student success, teacher empowerment, and continuous improvement.

Victoria Tran

Tori holds a B.A. in Sociology from UC Irvine and is currently completing the final semester of her Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) at Chapman University. She has experience working with individuals, couples and families, with a background that includes crisis support, counseling experience, and academic support. She focuses on empowering students to understand their organizational styles, maintain balance in their schedules, and build confidence so they can achieve their goals in ways that feel realistic and manageable.

Sofia Bogoniewski

Sofia graduated from College of the Canyons in 2024 with associate’s degrees in biology, physics, and mathematics and is currently completing her undergraduate degree in Bioengineering at UCLA, where she has also been accepted into the Master’s program. She will earn her master’s degree in Spring 2027 and plans to attend medical school in Fall 2027. With over six years of tutoring experience and part of Innovative Collegiate Consultants since Fall 2025, she tutors biology, chemistry, physics, and math at all levels. She is also involved in research exploring self-cleaving RNA strands and membrane-less organelles known as condensates.

Jack Rogers

Jack has a BS and MS in chemistry from California State University, Long Beach and is continuing his education with a Doctorate in Philosophy in organic chemistry at the University of California, Riverside. He spent a few years teaching both general and organic chemistry at varying community colleges before joining the team at Innovative Collegiate Consultants. Jack also spent years working with students as a tutor for sciences and as a test taking strategist for the MCAT. Alongside tutoring chemistry, he can help students build foundational skills in their classes while pursuing their degrees!

Benny