Meet our Tutors and Team
Tutors and Mentors
Our Tutors are highly qualified subject experts from Oxford, Cambridge, and other leading academic institutions, who are on the cutting edge of research in their fields.
We take pride in selecting Tutors who are accomplished, intelligent and inspirational, but that’s not all.
OxBright Tutors must also be passionate about their subjects, sensitive to every learner’s need, engaging over Zoom, enthusiastic, open, reliable and creative. They care about giving every student a transformative experience – sparking a student’s interest, boosting their confidence and preparing them for a successful future in their chosen subject.
Meet some of our tutors below.
Benjamin White
MChem (Hons)
Ben is researching the uses of nanotechnology in oncology with the aim of improving patient outcomes in chemotherapy. He is working towards his DPhil in Engineering at Oxford University, having completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Bath.
With lots of tutoring experience, Ben loves sharing his passion for Engineering.
Tuscany Parkin
BA LLB (Rhodes), BCL (Oxon)
Tuscany holds a Masters of Law from Oxford University, and is now reading for an MPhil in Legal Philosophy at Oxford, focusing her research on the philosophy of contract law.
Originally from South Africa, she holds a BA in English Literature and an LLB Law from Rhodes University. She is passionate about sharing her interest in Law with the next generation of lawyers.
Rahul Radia
BA (Oxon)
Rahul is a 5th year medical student at the University of Oxford with a first class degree in medical sciences. Academically, his interests include cardiovascular physiology and surgery.
He has conducted research at the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics in Oxford surrounding the relationship between sleep and metabolism, and he loves to share his research with young people.
The OxBright Team
The OxBright team – founded by husband and wife team Jamie and Dr Sophie Dear – have been running summer programmes for teenagers for over a decade, and are passionate about giving students inspirational academic experiences.
By inspiring and empowering young people to think critically, and giving them the skills to seize new opportunities, OxBright equips students to thrive in a changing world.
At OxBright, we give students the tools, community, inspiration and motivation to achieve ambitious goals and to approach the future with confidence rather than trepidation.
Read more about our principles and worldview here, and meet the team below.
Jamie Dear
Jamie, our Founder and Co-Director, has founded and run educational ventures for the past 15 years, including a decade spent heading up summer schools. After completing his studies at Oxford University, he founded OxFizz, a social enterprise that offers university preparation services to students, with all profits being donated to charitable causes. To date, OxFizz has raised over £1m for charity. Jamie is also the former chair of Jacari, an Oxford University children’s charity that offers free tutoring to non-native English speakers.
Dr Sophie Dear
Sophie studied Medicine at Oxford University and is now a consultant doctor. In addition to her medical career, she is the founder of Psyched Up for Medical School, a programme that aims to inspire and support students interested in psychiatry by providing structured work experience opportunities. Sophie is also a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Leadership and Management Fellowship scheme. Alongside her husband Jamie, Sophie has run education ventures for the past ten years.
Lavinia Abell
Lavinia, our Co-Director, is responsible for overseeing the delivery of OxBright programmes. She read Classics at the University of Cambridge, graduating from Jesus College. She has previously served on the Trustee Board of Oxfordshire Youth, a prominent charity that supports the skills development of young people in and around Oxford, as well as serving as a Governor for a primary school in Cambridge.
Jo Cruse
As our Head of Schools, Jo brings a wealth of experience to the OxBright team. Her career in education includes a tenure as a teacher at one of the UK’s leading schools, where she also served as a university admissions advisor. Having held senior leadership roles in various educational organisations, Jo is deeply committed to empowering young people to reach their full potential. She is a member of the Founders4Schools Educational Impact Council and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Sophie Parker
Our Head of Content, Sophie, is responsible for our blog and our student resources. She graduated from University College London, where she read English, and has experience volunteering for several community tutoring charities. Sophie currently volunteers for two charities – Bookmark and Doorstep Library – helping disadvantaged children to learn to read.
Ameya Kamath
Ameya, our Head of Education, leads our academic team of Tutors and Mentors. Ameya graduated with First Class Honours in Economics from University College London, and then took his Masters in International Education from Harvard University. Since graduating, he has consulted for several youth education initiatives around the world, including Teach for India, UNICEF and Young Leaders for Active Citizenship.
Stephanie Lester
Steph supports OxBright students and parents before, during and after their online programmes, and is passionate about giving every student an inspirational experience. Originally from South Africa, her background is in Communications, and previously she worked as a student adviser for teenagers in Johannesburg.
Hurry — Book Your Spot!
Ready to take the next step towards your future? Apply now and secure your place in our award-winning online summer school.