Meet our Expert TEAM

Meet Luke

Founder and Director | ACT, SAT & AP Specialist

Pathways of Potential is owned and operated by expert educator Luke Staszak, who brings over a decade of classroom experience teaching AP US History. Luke routinely helps students gain 7+ points on the ACT, 250+ points on the SAT, and earn top scores of 5 on their AP exams. An annual AP US History grader for the College Board, Luke has personally evaluated over 10,000 AP essays.

  • Masters in the Teaching of History (MAT), University of Illinois Chicago

  • Bachelors in Communication Arts (BA), University of Wisconsin-Madison

  • 10+ years teaching AP US History in selective-enrollment high schools in Chicago Public Schools.

  • Alumni Advisor to the Teaching of History Program, University of Illinois Chicago

Luke is a dedicated and involved member of Chicago’s North Shore educational and business communities including the Winnetka-Northfield-Glencoe Chamber of Commerce. He and his wife, Claire Staszak, co-own the nationally recognized interior design firm Centered by Design with a location in Glencoe.

Meet Lewis

Subjects: ACT, SAT, AP PREP & ACADEMIC COACHING

Lewis graduated with honors from Roosevelt University with a Bachelor of Musical Arts, minoring in arts & public policy. Prior to joining Pathways of Potential, Lewis served as an ACT/SAT tutor with Compass Education, building a strong track record of helping students raise their scores to meet and exceed their goals.

In addition to standardized test prep and AP US History support, Lewis brings extensive instructional and mentoring experience from his time as an Adjunct Professor and Academic Advisor at Roosevelt University. His tutoring approach balances implementing effective, evidence-based test strategies with personalized content support, helping students feel confident on test day. Outside the classroom, Lewis is an accomplished cellist and theatre artist who has performed in venues across Chicago, including the Goodman Theatre and Steppenwolf. He also enjoys classic and sci-fi literature, film, and tennis.

Meet SHRIA

Subjects: ACT, SAT, AP PREP SPECIALIST

Shria is a top-tier test prep specialist with over half a decade of tutoring experience and 99th-percentile scores on both the SAT and ACT. Currently studying Computer Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, she has worked with students across all ability levels to strengthen core academic foundations while mastering high-impact test strategies.

Shria’s tutoring style is highly individualized and interactive. She focuses on identifying each student’s unique learning profile, building targeted sessions around skill review, pacing, and diagnostic practice. In addition to comprehensive ACT and SAT prep, Shria provides expert subject tutoring in AP Calculus AB/BC, AP Statistics, AP Computer Science A & Principles, AP Seminar, AP Research, and AP World History. Her ultimate goal is to build self-reliant, confident problem-solvers.

Meet Emily

Subjects: ACT, SAT, AP Prep specialist

Emily is a senior at Northwestern University studying Molecular Neurobiology and a graduate of the North Hollywood Highly Gifted Magnet program. Outside of tutoring, she serves as a mentor through Big Brothers Big Sisters, conducts medical research, and works as a Medical Assistant with physicians at Northwestern Medicine and Lurie Children’s Hospital.

Her extensive background in advanced STEM coursework gives her a sharp, analytical approach to mastering the ACT and SAT. Emily specializes in helping students build test-taking confidence across all sections of the ACT/SAT, as well as providing expert subject support for AP Biology, AP Psychology, and AP Calculus.

Meet Lauren

Director of operations

Lauren leads operations and client experience at Pathways of Potential, ensuring every family has a seamless, supportive, and well-organized experience. She brings a wealth of expertise to the team as a former advertising and operations executive managing complex projects for Fortune 100 and 500 companies.

Her background in streamlining systems and managing high-level accounts makes her the perfect fit to oversee client onboarding, scheduling, and day-to-day operations. Outside of work, Lauren lives in Highland Park with her husband and two daughters.