Our Team

  • First Job: Babysitting     

  • Favorite Food: Tacos

  • Favorite Emoji: ☺️

  • Hometown: Livingston, NJ     

  • Hobbies: Hiking, trying new foods/restaurants, paddle boarding, going to the beach

  • Superpower she wishes she had: Time travel or teleportation    

  • Fun Fact: She has lived in 6 different states all over the country!

Mrs. Sophie Cooperman is a kind and enthusiastic educator. Ms. Sophie is currently the Tutoring Manager at HI IQ Learning. Sophie oversees a team of dedicated tutors, providing guidance, training, and support to ensure they deliver the highest quality instruction. Beyond her managerial duties, Sophie is deeply invested in the success of every student who walks through HI IQ Learning’s doors. Over the last 7 years, Sophie has worked with students, grades PreK-9, in both schools and clinics. Within these settings, Sophie has successfully taught and tutored many subjects to both special needs and neurotypical students with a variety of academic backgrounds. She takes the time to build rapport with students and their families, building trust and instilling confidence. Sophie ensures that both students and tutors receive the support they need to excel.

Sophie Cooperman - Tutoring Manager

Cierra Loura - School Contract Program Manager

Cierra has a background in working with preschoolers and school aged children, as well as administrative support in educational consulting. She currently serves as the liaison between HI IQ Learning and various Title I and school-contracted support programs, working in collaboration with schools across the state of Hawai’i. She has a passion for education and helping to ensure all students are empowered to cultivate a positive, life-long relationship with learning!

  • Hometown: SF Bay Area (East Bay)

  • Hobbies: Freediving, photography, and spending time with the 'ohana

  • Superpower she wishes she had: To fly

  • Fun Fact: My nick-name is CiCi

  • First Job: A baby shoe fitting specialist at the mall  

  • Favorite Food: Pizza with an obnoxious amount of pepperoni

  • Favorite Emoji: ✨

Madison Badua - Marketing & Commercial Programs Manager

Miss Madi has a Bachelor of Psychology with a focus on child and youth studies from the University of San Francisco. She has always loved working with children and has been a dance instructor for several years. She is the current Marketing Manager and Operations Assistant . 

  • Hometown: Kalihi, Hawai’i   

  • Hobbies: Dance, K-Pop, puzzles, & pickleball

  • Superpower she wishes she had: Teleportation     

  • Fun Fact: I have two pet turtles

  • First Job: Children’s Discovery Center      

  • Favorite Food: Hot Pot

  • Favorite Emoji: 🫶🏽

Sarah Helms - School Contract Program Specialist

Miss Sarah Helms has worked with children of all ages as a coach, tutor, instructor, and mentor. In college, her studies revolved around economics and photography, which gave her a unique perspective on problem solving and intuitive learning. Her photography and other creative endeavors have taught her the importance of patience, a trait that is invaluable in the field of education. As the School Contract Program Specialist, she works to create beneficial curriculum for Title 1 students. As a tutor, she works individually with students to fill in learning gaps and guide them toward success.

  • Hometown: Norwalk, CT

  • Hobbies: Photography, rock climbing, tennis, watching sunsets

  • Superpower she wishes she had: Invisibility (it would make me a better photographer)

  • Favorite Food: Mom’s cooking

  • Favorite Emoji: 😮

  • First Job: Soccer referee

  • Fun Fact: I hate eggs

Teresa Purugganan - Lead Administrative Assistant

Ms. Teresa Purugganan is a poet-writer, and has been a teacher, PreK to high school, in various settings and around the world for the past 14 years, specializing in ELA, EFL, Reading, and Creative Writing. She is currently the team’s Lead Administrative Assistant. Born in Canton, Michigan, she’s taught English and Reading in Thailand, English and Art in Spain, and has lived and worked here on O’ahu, teaching English Language Arts both in the classroom and online since 2018. Teresa is a creative and intuitive educator, adapting to the needs of each learner through a project-based, learner-centered approach. She is a mama to a two-year-old and a bonus mama to an 11-year-old, a 22-year-old, two dogs, and two kittens.

  • Hometown: Canton, Michigan

  • Hobbies: Doodling, beach, lo’i, and hiking days with the fam, learning design & languages

  • Superpower she wishes she had: Omnilingualism (understanding and speaking any language)

  • Favorite Food: Tinolang manok!

  • Favorite Emoji: 🙋🏽‍♀️

  • First Job: Babysitting 👶🏽

  • Fun Fact: Got a fun, neurospicy brain 🧠

Angela Feng - Administrative Assistant

I was born and raised here on Oahu and I am an administrative assistant for HI IQ Learning. I am currently a student at UH Manoa with a major in Marketing. I love to try new cafes and new dessert spots. I am also currently on a mission to try every matcha on the island!

  • Hometown: Honolulu

  • Hobbies: Baking & Sudoku

  • Superpower she wishes she had: Photographic Memory

  • Favorite Food: Sushi

  • Favorite Emoji: 🧸

  • First Job: Cashier at a KBBQ Restaurant

  • Fun Fact: My favorite fruit are peaches

Jessica Sawai - Administrative Assistant

Jess graduated from the University of San Diego with a Bachelor of Arts in Behavioral Neuroscience, and is currently pursuing her Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology at Chaminade University. She currently works as an administrative assistant at HI IQ Learning. Jess loves surfing and enjoys watching sports in her free time. She also likes to spend time with her dog, Leila, who also serves as her favorite study buddy.

  • Hometown: Mililani, Hawai’i

  • Hobbies: Surfing, listening to music, and trying new cafes/restaurants

  • Superpower she wishes she had: Talk with animals

  • Favorite Food: Spicy ahi

  • Favorite Emoji: 🤓

  • First Job: Health room aide

  • Fun Fact: I learned how to surf when I was 3

Our Tutors

Learn more about our amazing tutors!

Cris Haas

Raised in both Mexico and Honolulu, Mr. Cris is bilingual and holds dual citizenship. He graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a Bachelor of Arts in Physics and a minor in Astronomy, complemented by a liberal arts degree from Kapiolani Community College. He is fluent in English and Spanish, and also speaks Portuguese. Known for his patience and personable nature, Mr. Cris is passionate about helping others, particularly in the field of math.Currently, Mr. Cris works part-time at the Bishop Museum, where he operates complex machinery and presents shows at the Planetarium, explaining astronomical concepts to diverse audiences.

Mr. Cris’s dedication to helping others shines through his tutoring experience at UH Manoa, where he informally assisted classmates with math and physics problems. His background as a parkour instructor at Precision Parkour further showcases his ability to teach and inspire people of all ages, from kids to seniors, in gymnastics and climbing skills.

Jacob Frankel

Mr. Jacob Frankel was born and raised on the Big Island and O’ahu and later attended college in Western Massachusetts. Mr. Jacob has experience working with upper level students in the public school system in Chicago and as a wilderness trip guide teaching kids leadership skills in Minnesota. Mr. Jacob loves helping students to connect with their natural intelligence and curiosity, so they can experience the joy of learning. He believes that learning happens best when students feel seen, heard, and empowered.

Juliana Chang

Ms. Juliana Chang was born and raised in Oahu and graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a Masters in Electrical Engineering. She has previous experience working with students ranging from intermediate to upper level mathematics. In her free time, Ms. Juliana enjoys spending time with friends and family, going hiking, and playing pickleball. As a tutor, she understands that there are various learning styles and looks forward to assisting students reach their potential and gain confidence in their abilities.

Kyle Woo

Mr. Kyle is currently a graduate student at UH Manoa. He is attaining his Master’s in Communication Sciences & Disorders and intends on becoming a school-based speech-language pathologist. Kyle has always wanted to work in the educational field and give back to the community by providing others the high quality of education and care that he received when he was younger. Mr. Kyle understands that every child learns differently and teachers are sometimes unable to attend to the different needs of their students. Therefore, through HI IQ Learning, Mr. Kyle hopes to be of service in helping your child learn through personalized services and care.

Tasman Mattox

Ms. Tasman Mattox is passionate about meeting students where they’re at and creating an environment where learning is fun. She previously taught English in Fuzhou, China to students of all ages, and tutored writing, reading, and language arts at the university level. She has worked with children in classrooms, childcare centers, and homes. In addition, Ms. Tasman has experience tutoring mathematics through the 6th grade level. She prides herself on her compassion, adaptability, and curiosity. Tasman looks forward to working with students and parents to create a beneficial and enjoyable learning path.

Sarah Helms

Miss Sarah Helms has worked with children of all ages as a coach, tutor, instructor, and mentor. In college, her studies revolved around economics and photography, which gave her a unique perspective on problem solving and intuitive learning. Her photography and other creative endeavors have taught her the importance of patience, a trait that is invaluable in the field of education. As the School Contract Program Specialist, she works to create beneficial curriculum for Title 1 students. As a tutor, she works individually with students to fill in learning gaps and guide them toward success.

Samantha Pinera

Ms. Samantha was born and raised in Manila, Philippines and is a current undergraduate at University of Hawai’i at Manoa, majoring in Biology. She graduated from Hilo Community College with an Associates in Natural Sciences and has worked as a peer mentor and teachers assistant for the Community College STEM Center. Ms. Sam enjoys acquiring new hobbies and is currently learning to crochet and make bracelets out of embroidery thread. Ms. Sam was influenced by her fun and creative childhood education, focusing on STEM and Art, in the Philippines, which combined holistic and experiential learning strategies. She developed an interest in Biology, and now aims for a career in Pediatrics as a result of her experience in childhood education. She would like to apply those same methods of learning to her passions of teaching and is eager to help young learners.