Phil Pine
President & Co-Founder
As an undergraduate at Princeton University, Phil tutored students in preparation for the SAT. He taught American and World History at Princeton High School and The Dalton School before pursuing his MBA at the Wharton School of Business. Since founding CapEd, Phil has taken the actual SAT many times, spent thousands of hours researching and writing educational curricula, and published a prominent SAT book. By providing financial aid and running pro bono programs for hundreds of underserved students along the Baltimore-Washington corridor, Phil has made sure that access to education is a top priority at CapEd. He sits on the advisory boards of the National Cathedral Scholars Program and Bridges at St. Paul's.
Debbie Pine
Co-Founder
Debbie has a BA in Economics from Trinity College in Connecticut and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business. During her years at Wharton, Debbie co-authored the business plan for Capital Educators with Phil. She also worked in admissions, gaining considerable insight into all aspects of the application process. That experience provided the foundation for our Virtual Admission™ college application workshop. Debbie continues to teach classes, manage the finances, and do strategic planning for CapEd.
Matt Mangelsen
Vice President & Program Director
Before life at CapEd, Matt grew up in South Carolina and majored in International Relations and Chinese at the University of Pennsylvania. He started teaching CapEd classes on weekends as an undergrad, and came on full time when he graduated in 2009. Throughout his career, Matt has participated in every facet of our programs, from instruction, to administration, materials development, and business strategy. When he’s not at work, he spends time with his two children and beloved bicycle.
Michelle Han
Program Director
Before Capital Educators, Michelle went to school at New York University and majored in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics. During this time, she worked at several elementary schools and tutored students in public schools as well as test prep centers. Once graduated, she worked as a test prep teacher in her hometown in Pennsylvania until moving down to Virginia in 2022. In her free time, Michelle enjoys bouldering and playing with her adorable cat.
Pat Mahon
Vice President of Operations
Originally from small town Pennsylvania, Pat joined the CapEd team in 2019 as a part-time teacher, while pursuing his undergraduate degree at Georgetown University. At Georgetown, Pat majored in Psychology and Economics and captained the Men’s Club Volleyball team. After graduation, he joined the staff full-time as the Baltimore area Program Director. Pat has enjoyed his elevated role at the company, especially helping families navigate the difficulties of the testing process. While he isn’t teaching, Pat spends his time running, playing disc golf, and exploring new restaurants in the DMV area.
Nick Moen
Program Director
A DC native, Nick attended a CapEd course as a student before ending up as a program director. Nick studied at Oberlin where he majored in Computer Science and Theater. When not working, Nick enjoys playing at his local game store and writing.
Andy Schmegel
Lead Instructor
Hailing from Jackson, MS, Andy joined the CapEd team as a program director shortly after moving to the DMV in late 2017. Before beginning his CapEd career, Andy taught high school Algebra and Calculus, coached a state championship XC and Track team, and ran his own private tutoring business. These days Andy spends his free time running and playing board games. He is also the proud father to two handsome cats, who all his friends agree are his best quality.
April Albertine
Director of Technology
Dr. April Albertine began working for Capital Educators in 1998, when she was hired as one of our first math instructors. After graduating from Georgetown University, she worked for several years as the Director of our Rockville courses before transitioning into a more technical role. As our primary software engineer and statistician, April designed the software that we use to diagnose students’ strengths and weaknesses based on their practice exams. In her current role as the Director of Technology for CapEd, she continues to develop our diagnostic software to reflect the changing SAT, while overseeing all behind-the-scenes technical aspects of our courses. April juggles these responsibilities while simultaneously raising three young children and maintaining her historic house.