StudyWise Tutors

StudyWise has experience working with all learning abilities. We take pride in making the process fun while still holding students accountable for themselves. Our focus is on building self-esteem and self-confidence in order for students to feel like they can succeed. We combine experience, imagination, and a passion for teaching to provide your child with the highest quality tutoring.

Each student has her own private tutor to assess areas of need and implement tailor-made lesson plans and strategies.

Amy Dishlip

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Amy Dishlip
Founder of StudyWise Tutoring 2007
Bachelors (Exercise Science) University of Puget Sound
Masters (Education) Portland State University
Current Teaching License

Amy Dishlip, founder of StudyWise Tutoring in 2007, is a Portland native with 20 years academic coaching experience. She earned a B.S. in Exercise Science from the University of Puget Sound and a Master of Education from Portland State University. She holds her teaching license in Health education and has coached gymnastics, volleyball, track, and dance.

With such a diverse background, Amy has the ability to holistically look at each student to determine what areas are impacting school performance. Amy’s greatest strength is forming strong connections with students and families, which adds to the success of her students. She has extensive experience working with students who have learning challenges, ADHD, and anxiety disorders, as well as accommodations, 504 plans and IEPs. In addition, Amy has coached many parents through the challenges they face with teenage students.

When she’s not coaching, you will find Amy hanging out with her daughter, Zyanna. Zyanna follows in her mom’s footsteps and is a “girlpreneur”. She has her own business making dog treats! Both Amy and her daughter enjoy connecting with the community and going on new adventures together.

Mary Passler

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Mary Passler
Academic Coach
Bachelors (English) Concordia University
Teaching Certificate Concordia University

Mary Passler earned a B. A. in English and a Teaching Certificate from Concordia University, Irvine in 2000. She has been teaching students ever since in a myriad of settings including traditional, public, private, alternative, and online schools, camps, workshops, group study sessions, and one-on-one academic coaching and tutoring both in person and virtually.

With decades of experience in professional editing and writing, Mary teaches students how to write and communicate clearly and effectively. For the past 15 years, Mary has supported and encouraged middle school, high school, and college students through academic coaching and writing tutoring.

Mary has extensive experience in supporting students with a wide range of learning challenges including those with ADD/ADHD, reading and auditory processing disorders, anxiety, and autism spectrum disorder. She strongly advocates for and works to enhance the educational experience of students with IEPs and 504 plans.

Mary helps students navigate all aspects of academics including AP, Honors, IB, and online classes. In addition, she has supported numerous homeschool/alternative education students.

Mary is passionate about teaching people how to learn and how to love to learn. By approaching each student in an individualized and integrated way, she helps students organize, prioritize, break down tasks into manageable steps, set and meet realistic goals, strategize study sessions, establish effective study habits, improve assessment scores, and develop self-management and self-advocacy skills. Mary’s goal is for every student to learn to ultimately enjoy their own unique educational journeys and become lifelong learners.

When she isn’t working with students, Mary spends time with her husband, kids, and dogs on adventures in nature in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Liz Houghton

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Liz Houghton
Academic Coach
Bachelors (Education & Mechanical Engineering) Oregon State University
Masters (Business) Portland State

Liz has 14 years experience tutoring grade school through college students. She has Bachelor’s degrees in Education and Mechanical Engineering from Oregon State University and a MBA from Portland State University. Her teaching license endorsed her to teach advanced math.

Liz has a passion for life-long learning, sharing knowledge, fostering students’ intellectual, social, and emotional growth. She has worked with TAG students, IEP students, and students who became anxious with just the mention of math or a spreadsheet. At all levels, her focus is on strong mathematical foundations, conceptual understanding, and technical communication. Liz’s goal is to help students improve their confidence & study skills, so they can build on it and advocate for their own education now and in the future.

Liz’s favorite hobbies are paddle boarding, softball, walks on the beach, board games and reading to her children.

Amy Lombardo

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Amy Lombardo
Academic Coach
Bachelors (Psychology) Stockton University
Masters (School Counseling) Monmouth University

Amy Lombardo earned her B.A. in Psychology from Stockton University and a Master’s in School Counseling from Monmouth University. For the past 11 years, Amy has been a high school counselor, working with students with their academics, social-emotional well-being, and post-secondary plans. She has experience supporting students with 504 plans and IEPs. Amy is also a life coach, helping teens and young adults with their academics, career planning, and self-awareness.

Amy is passionate about guiding others with their life journey and helping them find their voice and inner self. She is an agent of change in shaping the next generation.She has experience helping students with college planning, using platforms; such as Common App, Naviance, College Board Big Future, and career planning. Amy enjoys spending time with her three tween daughters, going on nature walks, and going out for dinner on Friday nights with the family. Amy is bilingual in Spanish and enjoys her mom’s Spanish cooking!

Memet Canka

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Memet Canka
Academic Coach
Bachelors (Literature; Minor Dramatic Theater) City University of New York
Master’s (Special Education/English: to be completed Spring 2023) City University of New York

Memet has his B.A. in Literature with a Dramatic Theater Minor. He has been teaching for over four years and tutored grades 3 – 10 for two years. He specializes in Language Arts, Writing, Theater, & Acting. He is a forward-thinking educational professional who plans to complete his Master’s in Special Education 7-12 and concentration in English in May 2023.

Memet has success working with underrepresented populations and students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. He is a talented communicator focused on building sustainable relationships with administration, faculty, staff, and families to advance institutional and student needs. Memet’s engagement with students encourages the development of critical thinkers, life-long learners, and creative problem solvers in the 21st century. Conversant in Albabian.

Sam Payne

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Sam Payne
Academic Coach
Bachelors (Art and Art History) Hampshire College
Masters (Fine Art: drawing and painting) University of Washington
Studied Mechanical Engineering and Mathematics at CUNY Publications in biomedical engineering and art

Sam has a B.A. in Art and Art History from Hampshire College and an MFA in drawing and Painting from University of Washington. After a career exhibiting artwork in New York City, he enrolled in the CUNY Mechanical Engineering program. While at CUNY he worked for a biomedical engineering research group and was first author on the published paper – “An interactive visual interface for the determination of similarity patterns in the Fourier spatial frequency spectrum of laser speckle” He has taught college level courses and tutored students of all ages in a range of disciplines including mathematics and art.

He also enjoys leading wilderness adventure camping expeditions and ecological kayak tours. Most recently he has been working with the neuro-diverse community, including students with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, and cognitive delays.

Kayla Roush

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Kayla Roush
Academic Coach
Bachelors (English) Elizabethtown College
Masters (Education: Curriculum and Instruction to be completed soon) Clarks Summit University

Kayla is in her eighth year of teaching middle school reading and ELA, and she earned her Bachelor of Arts in English Education from Elizabethtown College in 2013. She is currently earning her M. Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Clarks Summit University and has a certification in trauma-informed practices.

Working one-on-one and coaching students is where Kayla shines. Her strengths include organization and time management, and she is easily able to help motivate and transfer these skills to her students. She has worked with a diverse array of students from third grade on up through twelfth which allows her to naturally connect with the students she works with.

When she’s not teaching or coaching, Kayla can be found baking or cooking, listening to or playing music, exercising, reading, and traveling.