Elina’s philosophy of education is rooted in respect. As the Polish-Jewish physician, author, and educator Janucz Korczak wrote, "Children are not people of tomorrow, but people today. They are entitled to be taken seriously. They have a right to be treated by adults with tenderness and respect, as equals." 

A firm advocate of integration of the mind and the heart, Elina holds a profound belief in taking care of both the cognitive and the affective aspects of the self. This is crucial for the child to thrive, grow as a human being, and become an emotionally healthy, self-fulfilled adult. 

Elina is a former electrical engineer with lifelong passions for architecture, art, and science. Mathematics, with its beauty and wonder, has been a beloved area of interest her entire life. For the past seven years, Elina has been teaching at the Russian School of Mathematics in-person and virtually. She has also successfully tutored students privately in high school math and standardized tests prep, and taught several courses at the Northwestern University Center for Talent Development. 

As a mathematics educator, Elina ensures that her students gain mathematical mastery and confidence. She seeks to impart the sense of joy and beauty of mathematics to her students and to allow them to see math as a means of understanding the world. 

While still in graduate school, Elina worked at the Center for Identity Potential under the guidance of Andy Mahoney. Coming back to the practice fulfills her dream of working with the children who need this special approach the most.