Kirstin Fowler-Liu, MAT, MA, BA

Managing Director & Founder

Kirstin Fowler-Liu graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts and continued her education at the University of Manchester (Sotheby’s Institute—London), earning a Master of Arts in Contemporary Art (2:1 with Merit). During her time in London, Kirstin’s professional endeavors emphasized writing and reading critically and primary-source historical research.

Upon her return to Pittsburgh, Kirstin pursued her passion for teaching formally and earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from Chatham University.  During this time, she developed a deep knowledge of educational pedagogy. Her ability to turn theory into practice allowed Kirstin to become a successful teacher and tutor focused on foundational skills, enrichment, and personalizing learning for all students.

Kirstin taught academic and honors World & American history at Upper St. Clair, North Allegheny, and Fox Chapel Area School Districts and English 9 & 11 at Upper St. Clair. She spent several years as a freelance curriculum writer and video producer for Social Studies and English/Language Arts courses, has written innovative, research-based articles for the Learning Bird educator’s and administrator’s blog, and is a key contributor to a variety of national common assessments (TX, CA, FL, DE, STAAR, AP) and teacher licensing exams.

In addition to serving as managing director for KEFTutoring for over a decade, Kirstin has been an interviewer and Chairperson of Duke University’s Alumni Admissions Committee in London, Pittsburgh, and Chicago. She works for HMH in the Professional Services division, where she is a Senior Implementation Manager and leader in the EdTech space.

PA State Certifications:
7-12 Social Studies (Certificate of Excellence), 7-12 English
Please inquire for further information.

PA State educational clearances are available upon request.

Miriam Wertheimer, MAT, BS

Director of Curriculum (Emeritus)

Mimi Wertheimer graduated from the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York, with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Health and a double minor in Medical Anthropology and Psychology. After completing her bachelor’s degree, Mimi returned to Pittsburgh to attend Chatham University, where she earned a Master of Arts in Teaching and a Pennsylvania teacher certificate in Elementary Education: K-6. Mimi completed her student teaching at Propel McKeesport in Kindergarten and spent three years teaching 6th-grade English Language Arts at Propel Pitcairn. While at Propel, Mimi developed a curriculum for 6th-grade ELA and Social Studies based on data from PSSA assessments. Mimi has worked as a lead teacher and supervisor in the pre-kindergarten program at Carriage House Children’s Center. She is the Director of Student Instructor Development and K-12 Community Partnership for the Leonard Gelfand Center for Service Learning and Outreach at Carnegie Mellon University.

Mimi has worked with KEFTutoring since 2016 and, in 2017, stepped into an administrative capacity, serving as KEFTutoring’s Director of Curriculum. This role tapped into her broad knowledge base, ranging from organizational management to elementary mathematics, and requires constant post-secondary research and analysis. Incorporating her knowledge of curriculum design with student-centered teaching practices, she worked with our Managing Director and tutors to ensure that our programs remained focused on student achievement.

Mimi has stepped back as a tutor and focuses on her work at Carnegie Mellon University. Her contributions to the KEFTutoring team and its development are a tribute to her knowledge and teaching abilities. She will continue to support our team in an advisory capacity.