Our Staff
Center Director Linda Hong
As center director, Linda Hong has her hands full with all aspects of JEC, from managing finances and scheduling to meeting with parents and students. Her long career in the banking industry managing million dollar accounts, complying with legal regulation, and maintaining strong relationships with her clients, has made Linda an ideal center director. She keeps everything running smoothly and makes it look easy.
Linda earned a diploma in Credit Analysis from New York University and a degree in Economics from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Linda began working at JEC on a part-time, consulting basis, but when she witnessed first hand the tremendous progress of her own two daughters, she decided to dedicate her talents fully to the development and operation of JEC. Now, when students and parents walk in the door, Linda's is often the first smile they see.
Lead Math Instructor Jeff Barker:
Jeff Barker graduated from CornellUniversity with a degree in Geology before going on to earn a master's degree in Education from PaceUniversity. Jeff started his career as an educator working in economically depressed and underperforming schools in Phoenix, AZ, and Bronx, NY. Under his instruction and guidance, his students were able to raise their tests scores by as much as three grade levels in one year.
In 2006, attracted to the wild beauty of the Pacific Northwest, Jeff moved to Portland, Oregon, where he met up with JEC founder and President, Jonathan Whang, to start building the math side of JEC. He now divides his time between tutoring at JEC and teaching at HealdCollege.
During his leisure time Jeff plays trumpet in the Seventh Street Jazz Band, writes a column for the Cornell Alumni Magazine, competes on a winning trivia team, and camps and hikes with his dog MacGyver.
Lead English Instructor Ebonee Bell:
Ebonee Bell graduated from SmithCollege with a degree in English Literature and from Harvard Graduate School of Education with a master's degree in Education in 1998. She has taught high school English, Civics and Spanish and currently divides her time between Books 2 U (a program of the Multnomah County Library) and JEC. In her spare time she teaches health education classes to disadvantaged teens and practices calligraphy. She also enjoys singing in a choir.
English Instructor Riley Holland:
Riley grew up in Piedmont, California before moving to Eugene, Oregon where he earned a bachelor's degree in Philosophy with a minor in English from the University of Oregon. After graduating, and spending several months exploring Ireland and other parts of Europe, he returned to Oregon, this time to Portland, where he earned a master's degree in English from PortlandStateUniversity while teaching writing classes as a graduate assistant. Riley currently teaches and tutors at JEC and PortlandStateUniversity; when not teaching, he enjoys reading, running, playing guitar, and exploring the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.
Math Instructor Alicia Bedell:
Alicia began her college career at Saint Catherine University in Saint Paul, Minnesota as an art major, funding her education in part by tutoring other college students in math. What started as a way to earn money awakened in Alicia a love of math and science she hadn't before realized she possessed, and what had been an interim job to earn extra income, became a joy filled vocation. She gave up on her art major and enrolled in her school's Mathematical Science program.
Alicia continued to tutor for four years while earning her degree, and in 2006, with her Minnesota Teaching License in hand, she moved to Oregon and began teaching math at JEC. Missing the challenges of school, Alicia decided to use her free time to get a second degree in engineering and is currently enrolled at OIT.
In addition to her love of math and learning, Alicia enjoys camping, hiking, and just being outdoors. Much of her time at home is spent taking care of her family's goats, chickens, and four dogs.
