Top-Rated Math Test Prep Programs – Mathnasium of 4S Ranch

Youngkun's journey in education began with his pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in Pure Mathematics at Revelle College, University of California San Diego (UCSD). However, his passion soon shifted towards math education, prompting him to change his major to focus on secondary education. Since 2013, Youngkun has been actively involved in tutoring and various educational initiatives, demonstrating his commitment to education both within and beyond academia. 

In January 2015, Youngkun became an instructor at Mathnasium, driven by a desire to make a direct impact on students' mathematical experiences. His dedication and leadership abilities quickly became evident, and by late 2017, he had transitioned to the role of Center Director. His continued success led to his promotion to Director of Operations in early 2023, where he now oversees multiple Mathnasium centers, including those in San Diego, Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, and Cincinnati. 

Youngkun firmly believes that every student deserves to approach math with confidence. He is a staunch advocate of the Mathnasium method, which emphasizes a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and aims to eliminate the fear of math that often impedes student progress.  

Committed to fostering the personal and professional growth of both instructors and students within his region, Youngkun strives to create an environment where learning math is a positive and empowering experience. 

Karen is a powerhouse in the world of education, with a mission to make math click for every child. Karen’s career in education began in 2004 when she noticed her son was falling behind academically and wanted to help him and students like him get the best support available. Karen earned her master’s and teaching certificate and became a classroom teacher. During her years of teaching, she worked as an interventionist and district liaison for math curriculum and instruction. 

After nearly a decade working in schools, Karen shifted gears to supplemental education in 2013 and opened the doors to her first Mathnasium franchise. Karen's first learning center has been recognized as a top performing location for several years in a row. 

In addition to the work she does at her learning centers, Karen has served on the Mathnasium Franchise Advisory Committee, where her influence has been instrumental in shaping the company's direction and curriculum. Her efforts have led to the frequent adoption of new curriculum and student management systems, ensuring Mathnasium offers the best possible tools to help students excel and instilling confidence in her leadership.   

Some of Karen’s achievements include:

• Franchise Business Rockstar: Karen was nominated by Mathnasium headquarters as the top performing family-owned business representing our brand and was selected by the Franchise Business Review to receive the Franchise Business Rockstar award in 2023. 
• Artichoke Award: The Artichoke Award is a prestigious internal accolade created by Mathnasium’s founder, Larry, and is dedicated to one franchisee at the franchise’s annual convention. The artichoke represents that at the core of the franchisee’s business is their heart surrounded by layers of excellence, a perfect metaphor for Karen's contributions. 
• Exceptional People Award: Karen was recognized for building a team of exceptional educators that drove great results for Mathnasium students.

Today, Karen and her family own a network of Mathnasium Learning Centers, empowering K-12 students to unlock their full math potential.

Libby brings a dynamic blend of leadership, education, and community spirit to her roles as Director of Marketing at Mathnasium.

Prior to joining the Mathnasium team full time, Libby attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where she was the Captain of the UCLA Spirit Squad and traveled the country as the school’s mascot. This multifaceted experience allows her to connect with a wide range of people and fosters a collaborative and engaging atmosphere in her work. In addition to her bachelor's degree from UCLA, Libby holds a certificate in School Management and Leadership from the prestigious Harvard School of Education and Business School.

Some of Libby’s exceptional achievements include:

• Best Overall Marketing in North America: Libby was recognized as the first ever recipient of this award because of her outstanding community and school engagement, media integrations with local news, and overall ambassadorship for the brand.
• Best Assessment Improvement Award: In a franchise of over 1,000 learning centers, Libby’s location showed the best educational results for students overall.
• Local Business Person of the Year: An award voted on by local business owners based on the value of the person’s contributions to their network.

A key member of the Mathnasium team since 2017, Libby is dedicated to creating a positive and enriching learning environment for all students.

Evan's journey at Mathnasium began in 2013 as an Instructor. His passion for math education stemmed from his own academic journey. In elementary school, Evan overcame challenges in math with supplemental support, ultimately excelling and earning a spot in the accelerated program by high school. Fueled by a desire to help others experience similar success, Evan pursued a bachelor's degree in business management at Texas Tech University. Upon graduating, he leveraged his education and Mathnasium experience to excel as our Director of Human Resources.

Evan is relentlessly committed to providing exceptional customer experiences. His passion for understanding and meeting the needs of our students and their families drives him to continually seek out new knowledge and strategies. From staying on top of industry trends to immersing himself in educational podcasts and webinars, Evan is always on the forefront of customer service best practices. His dedication to creating positive and lasting relationships with our students and their families is evident in everything he does. 

Evan recognizes that happy employees who are thoroughly trained and fully engaged with the work they’re doing produce the best results. Evan hosts weekly trainings and has built continued education programs to empower our team to continue to best themselves. His work was recognized by our headquarters and he was invited to help build national training programs to benefit our entire franchise network. 

Some of Evan’s achievements include:

• Top Workplaces: The Mathnasium team was anonymously surveyed by a third party company, Energage, and the results earned us the coveted gold badge for workplace satisfaction. Mathnasium was recognized as a top ranked workplace in local publications. 
• Best Tutoring / Learning Center: Evan’s Mathnasium learning centers were recognized by local families as the best resource for tutoring in Living Magazine’s reader’s choice awards. 
• World’s Best Dad: According to his wife and two little kids, Oaklee and Everett.

Steve is the proud co-owner of multiple Mathnasium Learning Centers in Southern California, Arizona and Texas. Steve retired in 2018 from Petco, where he served as the Chief Stores Officer. He also served as the Treasurer and a Board Member of the Petco Foundation, a leading supporter of animal welfare organizations nationally. He now works full-time with his wife, Karen, two children, Libby and Evan and their terrific Mathnasium teams. Steve believes Mathnasium not only builds students' math skills, but also helps build their self-confidence. The Mathnasium method of teaching students math, the unique and customized curriculum for each student and the passionate team of instructors ensures that every student succeeds, whether they are catching up, keeping up or getting ahead!