Tutors

Michael E. Murphy was born in New York City and raised on Long Island. He received his BA from Providence College in Providence RI, majoring in Political Science and Economics. While working full time in the investment side of a bank, he received his Juris Doctor degree from the George Mason University Anton Scalia School of Law, followed by an MBA at Northwestern University. After completion of his MBA, Michael returned to George Mason University Law School to complete a Masters in Taxation (LLM). 

Michael’s work experience focused in the Wealth Management industry and he finished his career as a Senior Vice President and the National Director for Client Service at BNY Mellon, a responsibility which included 500 staff members, 22 offices in twelve states along with the operations group and other support groups, strategic planning and marketing.

His passion to address the challenges posed by dyslexia began with his son Christopher who was diagnosed with both dyslexia and ADHD. Michael became with his wife, co-President of the Fox Chapel School District’s parent support group advocating for learning disabled students in the district and later, became a Board member of Pennsylvania’s Education Law Center which engaged in both lobbying at the state level to support greater resources as well as in support of litigation to improve outcomes for learning challenged students at state schools.

Keith began his career as a tutor of students with learning disabilities at the Landmark School in Beverly, Massachusetts. He has been a vocational rehabilitation counselor in the states of New Hampshire, New York and Pennsylvania assisting individuals with disabilities to gain employment. Most of his career has been as a postsecondary disability services professional at two postsecondary institutions, Dickinson College and his alma mater Penn State University. At Penn State University, he was the Executive Director of Student Disability Services. Keith holds a B. A. in Liberal Arts from Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York, having majored in psychology. He completed graduate studies M.Ed., in Counselor Education, Rehabilitation Services from Penn State University. He also completed graduate training at Leslie University to qualify for teacher certification in Elementary Education in the State of Massachusetts. He has also qualified for certification as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Pennsylvania (both currently inactive).  His interest in assisting individuals with learning disabilities to realize their potential arises from his own difficulties learning to read and inspiration derived from educators who assisted him. Keith retired from Penn State University after 12 years in July, 2019. He lives in Ferguson Township with his wife, Karen, also retired. They have two daughters, Christine in Portland Oregon, and Kali in White Plains, NY. 

Schalyn Sohn is Director for the Integrated Master of Accounting program and an Assistant Teaching Professor in Accounting at the Smeal College of Business. Sohn is the Advisor for the Accounting Society Student Organization and Advisor for the MAcc Program Student Organization. Before joining Smeal, she taught at George Mason University, Northern Virginia Community College, and Strayer University.

Sohn graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Master of Science in Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame. She received the Academic Excellence Award and the Federation of Schools of Accounting Student Achievement Award from Notre Dame. She graduated with High Distinction from the Bachelor of Science in Accounting program from Penn State University at University Park and received the Senior Award: Dorothy M. Kelley Memorial Scholarship.

Sohn worked first as an accountant in the Assurance & Advisory Services for Deloitte & Touche LLP, then as a Senior Accountant with General Dynamics, and then as the Manager of Regulatory Reporting for E-Trade Financial before starting a limited liability company. Sohn received a patent for a parenting product in April 2014.