Meet the Founders

Vanessa Passalacqua

Hi, I’m Vanessa! I am one of the co-founders of BookSmart Tutoring, which Raf and I founded in 2016. Tutoring has always been my passion, and I have dedicated my education and professional career to learning how to best support students. I hold an HBSc in Life Sciences from the University of Toronto, an MEd in Developmental Psychology and Education from OISE, and an MA in Child Study and Education from OISE, where I also earned my Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) qualifications. Currently, I am proud to work as an elementary school teacher while continuing to bring my expertise to our tutoring services. My goal is to ensure every student I work with feels supported and empowered in their learning journey.

Raf Chowdhury

Hey, I’m Raf! I started BookSmart Tutoring with Vanessa in 2016, and it’s been an incredible journey! I studied Nanotechnology Engineering at the University of Waterloo, and I’ve been tutoring math and physics for over 12 years now. Drawing on my experiences as both a student and a tutor, we’ve worked together to develop an approach tailored to meet each learner’s individual needs and empower them to succeed.