Our Teachers

Steph Downey

Head Educator and Founder of Emerson Education

Meet Steph Downey, Founder and Lead Educator at Emerson Education

Steph Downey is a dedicated educator with over two decades of classroom teaching experience at the high school level. Steph graduated from Brown University in 2001 with a dual degree in International Relations and Religious Studies. While at Brown, she competed in the Heptathlon, earning All Ivy status in 2000, and All Eastern Conference in 2001. She earned her Master's in Divinity in 2005 from McCormick and her teaching credential in 2006 from NDNU. 

High School Teacher:

Steph worked at Los Altos High School from 2005 to 2015, where she taught European History AP, World Studies, Civics, US History, ESL and AVID. Through teaching AVID, Steph learned about the college counseling role. Steph was recognized for her excellence as an educator by her students as Wholistic Teacher of the Year and by the Los Altos Masons as Teacher of the Year. Her students routinely scored in the top 95% in writing on the European History AP exam. Her AP exam scores regularly exceeded the national average with approximately 50% of her students earning the top score of 5 on the AP History exams. By comparison, the global average scores typically hover around 10% for a 5. 

During the pandemic Steph transitioned to Sacred Heart Prep, where she taught World History, US History, US History AP and Comparative Government AP.  The experiences gained during this period were invaluable and contributed to the vision that eventually led to the founding of Emerson Education in 2024.

Founding Emerson Education:

Steph founded Emerson Education out of a deep commitment to providing a nurturing, challenging, and inspiring learning environment. Education is not just about transferring knowledge; it's about fostering a love for learning and empowering students to realize their potential. Steph now supports students in the college application process, and in AP History. She loves empowering kids to tell their unique and wonderful stories about the forces which shaped them through the college application process. It is always a joy for her to witness a student's growth.

Margaret Bennett

Expert English Educator and College Counselor

Meet Margaret Bennett, English Teacher and Essay Coach at Emerson Education

Margaret (she/her) is excited to help students use words to capture the magic and magnificence of their lives in their college application essays. Margaret is a graduate of Stanford University with a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Education. She loved working with her high school English students for over twenty years where her focus was the teaching of writing. While it was her day-to-day interactions with her students that brought her the most joy, she also served as course team lead and department chair, supervisor and mentor to new teachers, WASC Coordinator, school leadership team Coordinator, and head coach for the Cross-Country and Track teams. 

As a college essay coach, Margaret strives to help students write in their authentic voice. Available for asynchronous and live coaching over Zoom, Margaret will provide honest, compassionately worded feedback about what is working in the essays as well as suggestions for revision.  She prides herself in providing the “why” for each of her comments and will give editing suggestions (and models/examples) related to both content and expression. She wants every student to leave each coaching session feeling empowered and excited about revising. 

Margaret  lives in San Jose, CA with her husband who is a recently retired high school social studies teacher. She has two sons, one is a graduate of UC Davis and is a software engineer and the other is a graduate of Princeton where he was also a starter on the men’s soccer team. He is currently pursuing a Masters of Science in Marketing at Santa Clara University. 

While her sons were young, Margaret worked as an independent consultant with Creative Memories helping busy people to capture their stories and memories in photo books. As a top leader in the country with Creative Memories, she wrote and presented several speeches at the national conventions. When she isn’t working with students, or spending time with her family, she loves gardening, reading (YA as well as whatever her book club recommends), hiking, traveling and photography. 

Brady Hislop

Stellar AP Statistics, Algebra and Geometry Teacher

Meet Brady Hislop, High School Math Teacher at Emerson Education

Brady graduated from the University of Idaho with his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, before moving on to complete his PhD in Mechanical Engineering at Montana State University. During his bachelors Brady tutored first year mathematics students in precalculus, trigonometry, Calculus and Calculus II.

Brady has served as a teaching assistant for an Engineering statistics course that closely mirrors AP Statistics. During this teaching assistant period Brady gained extensive experience providing one-on-one mentorship as well as larger review sessions. In addition but he's extensively trained in multiple statistics disciplines.

Brady is passionate about giving back to the next generation of students by inspiring them to push beyond their perceived limits. As a tutor Brady aims to create individual plans to help each student achieve their goals.

Lise Karna

Compassionate Spanish and French Teacher

Meet Lise Karna, Spanish and French Teacher at Emerson Education

With 20+ years of experience as a classroom language instructor and tutor, Lise works with middle, high school, college students and adults on their path to language fluency at all levels of Spanish and French, through AP exams and beyond!  

Lise offers on-line and in-person classes tailored to each student's schedule and particular needs.

A mother to three grown children, Lise taught Spanish at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, California for 10 years.

As a mother and an educator, Lise knows personally the stress high school students can experience as they prepare for and navigate the college application process. While students grow, mature, and learn to work through academic challenges, feeling overwhelmed in a class can adversely impact their confidence and ability to succeed.

For some students, language learning is a joy, while for others it's a struggle, reduced to a graduation requirement they endure.

Lise guides students while presenting them with tools, techniques, and a can-do approach as they garner confidence, engage at their max capacity, effectively reducing feelings of helplessness and adding a dose of joy and laughter to the process.

Students will receive the best language tutoring possible, learn to appreciate and perhaps love the world of possibilities that knowing another language provides, and experience empowered learning to maximize their grades as well as grow their love-of-learning, to be carried forward beyond school where speaking a second language is pivotal in their life journey.

Cambria Mullerleile

Compassionate Chemistry and Physics Teacher

Meet Cami Mullerleile, Chemistry and Physics Teacher at Emerson Education

With 9+ years of experience as a classroom science instructor and tutor, Cami works with middle, high school, and college students as they progress towards their learning goals. Ms. Mullerleile is a credentialed teacher in the state of California, and has a masters in Science Education. She has taught in both public and private schools and has honed her skills as a curriculum writer to meet the needs of her diverse learning population. She is a master of her craft. Ms. Mullereile as a passion for empowering students through personalized tutoring sessions. With a background steeped in mathematics, chemistry, physics, and scientific modeling, she brings a wealth of practical experience and a knack for problem-solving to every tutoring session. She has spent years honing her skills as an independent study credentialed teacher at Visions in Education Charter School in Carmichael, California, where she designed engaging curriculum materials in environmental science. Her approach emphasizes critical thinking and analytical skills, essential for tackling complex problems. Her journey includes teaching roles at San Juan Unified School District and Elk Grove Unified School District, where she specialized in physics and chemistry, respectively. These experiences have not only deepened her subject matter expertise but also equipped her with diverse instructional strategies to cater to individual learning styles. Whether students grappling with physics or deciphering the periodic table, Ms. Mullerleile is here to help. Her tutoring sessions are tailored to each student's learning needs, fostering a supportive environment where students can thrive academically.

When she is not teaching, you can find Ms. Mullerleile outside enjoying nature. She loves rock climbing and has climbed El Capitan in Yosemite. She also likes mountain biking and golfing. 

Gregory Morris

Passionate Math Educator, Coach and Mentor

Meet Greg Morris, Math Teacher at Emerson Education

Mr. Morris graduated from UC Davis and earned his teaching credential from Holy Names. With 15 years of classroom teaching experience, Mr. Morris has been a dynamic force in mathematics education. From foundational subjects like Algebra and Geometry to advanced courses like Calculus and Statistics, his versatility in teaching various levels showcases a deep understanding of mathematical concepts. Mr. Morris is currently teaching at Caesar Chavez Middle School. Previously he taught at Sacred Heart Prep and for Oakland Unified School District giving him a tremendous range of experiences in the field of education. Mr. Morris works tirelessly to help bring out the best in his students. 

Coaching and Mentorship:

Beyond the classroom, Mr. Morris has devoted 20 years to coaching and mentoring students in athletics. Whether on the football field or track, he empowers students to strive for excellence, teaching them valuable life skills such as teamwork, discipline, and resilience.

Financial Acumen:

Besides teaching and coaching, Mr. Morris started his professional career as stockbroker and financial advisor. He brings a practical understanding of financial concepts into the educational setting. This adds a distinctive layer to his ability to prepare students for the real-world application of mathematical principles. Mr. Morris has founded two non-profit organizations and two small businesses. This experience demonstrates his leadership, initiative, and commitment to making a positive impact both within and beyond the educational realm.

As a math teacher, coach, mentor, and visionary, Mr. Morris continues to make a profound impact, creating a legacy of critical thinkers and maximizing the academic and athletic potential of the students he serves.