Experience the Difference

Curriculum Detail

Select A Department

School Level

Department

Mathematics

Faculty

Amber Gaudet

Upper School Math Department Chair and Teacher

(832) 204-5900

Queens College New York - B.A.
University of Northcentral at Arizona - M.Ed.

agaudet@emeryweiner.org

2016
Bio
Amber came to EWS in 2016 after being in public school for 10 years. Before EWS, she taught for several years in both middle school and high school. She is currently co-leading the math department’s transition to Emery Math with Jacob Guidry. Amber also coaches Middle School Girls Soccer, leads the Tikkun Olam Club, coordinates the Upper School’s Math Lab, or plans events for the faculty. In her free time, she competes in trail races and triathlons, surfs, camps, cooks, and travels with her family.
Dana Aboulafia

Assistant Head of Upper School

(832) 204-5900

University of Texas at Austin - B.S.
University of Texas at Austin - B.A.

daboulafia@emeryweiner.org

2003
Bio
Dana joined EWS in 2003. Before joining EWS, Dana taught in a public high school and in a private Jewish day school, both in Houston. She was the recipient of the Rav Preida Award for Teaching Excellence at EWS in 2015. Dana is currently the Assistant Head of Upper School and teaches Calculus. She is also the Grade Level Coordinator for the twelfth grade. Dana enjoys spending time with her family, power walking, watching reality TV shows and sports (especially the Texans) and volunteering at the Houston Food Bank.
Jacob Guidry

Upper School Math Teacher

(832) 204-5900

Tulane University - B.S.

jguidry@emeryweiner.org

2007
Bio
Jacob joined EWS in 2006. He currently teaches Calculus II, Calculus I, Statistics, Trigonometry and Finite Math, and Pre-Calculus. He has also taught Algebra II and Geometry at EWS. Jacob has attended multiple conferences, chiefly the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, that allow him to show his love of math to his students. Before joining Emery/Weiner, Jacob taught math at private schools in Houston and his home state of Louisiana. In his free time, Jacob enjoys studying the mathematical principles behind games of chance. However, above all else, Jacob enjoys exposing his two young children to the wonders of crawfish, Mardi Gras, and the New Orleans Saints. Who Dat?!
Jacob Kesten

Rice University - Master's

jkesten@emeryweiner.org

2025
Bio
Jacob joined EWS mid-year in 2025 to help with Calculus III and Integrated Math II Honors courses. He obtained his undergraduate and graduate degrees all from Rice University, where he specialized in Algebra and Category theory, taught Calculus II, and was involved with the Center for Teaching Excellence. Before returning to Rice for the PhD program, Jacob taught Precalculus and Calculus II at a private boarding school in Maryland.

In addition to math, Jacob especially enjoys cooking, particularly Cajun food from his home state of Louisiana, and traveling, either with his family, to practice the Russian language, or to scuba dive.
Cheryl Magzen

Upper School Math Teacher

(832) 204-5900

University of Texas at Austin - B.S.

cmagzen@emeryweiner.org

2004
Bio
Cheryl joined EWS in 2004. She currently teaches Calculus and Pre-Calculus. In previous years, she has taught courses in Advanced Calculus, Statistics, Advanced Pre-Calculus, Honors Geometry, Geometry, and Algebra. Prior to joining the Emery/Weiner community, Cheryl taught both Advanced Placement and On-Level courses at a large, local public high school. Cheryl holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Mathematics and graduated with honors from The University of Texas at Austin. While at The University of Texas, she participated in the UTeach program and earned her secondary teaching certification in mathematics. Cheryl has received several honors, one being selected as a member of Who’s Who among America’s Teachers. In her spare time, Cheryl loves spending time with her children, as well as dancing and swimming.
Gabriella Novak '18

Upper School Math & Technology Teacher

(832) 204-5900

University of Rochester - B.S.

GNovak@emeryweiner.org

2022
Bio
Although Gabby joined EWS in 2022, she has been a familiar face in the community since entering the Upper School as a student in 2014. After graduating from EWS in 2018, she attended the University of Rochester, studying statistics and computer science, and earned a bachelor’s degree in 2022. Gabby brings timely expertise and perspective on the teaching and learning of statistics and technology at the university level and their application in the workplace. In her free time, Gabby enjoys creating recipes with liberal usage of “some” as a unit of measurement, sewing her own clothes, and keeping her coding skills sharp.
Julia Zhu

Rice University - Master of Arts
Drexel University - Masters
University of Science and Technology Beijing, China - Bachelor of Science

jzhu@emeryweiner.org

2025

The Emery/Weiner School

9825 Stella Link Road Houston, TX 77025
Phone: (832) 204-5900 Fax: (832) 204-5910

A private, pluralistic Jewish, college-preparatory middle and high school serving grades 6-12.
Click here for more information.