About The Grove

A New York City community learning program open to every learner — where people grow together.

What is The Grove?

The Grove is a community learning program by Big Apple Coaching LLC. We believe that meaningful learning happens when people come together around shared curiosity, in a setting that's welcoming, engaging, and grounded in real expertise.

Our classes are for adults who want to build practical skills, explore new interests, and connect with others in their community. Every class is informed by evidence-based pedagogy, shaping how instructors plan, teach, and adjust to the way different people learn. Each instructor brings professional credentials and genuine passion for the subject.

The name says it all: a grove is a place where things grow together, in community, rooted in the same soil. That's what we're building.

A note on our classes

The Grove offers community classes for adult personal enrichment. Our classes are non-credit-bearing and are not part of any accredited degree program. Participation does not result in academic credit, professional licensure, or certification, and is not a substitute for formal academic, vocational, or professional education. The Grove is operated by Big Apple Coaching LLC and is not an accredited educational institution.

Meet the Founder

Joseph Amodeo

Founder and lead instructor at The Grove. Doctoral student in education policy at the University of Illinois with master's degrees in rehabilitation counseling, public administration, political science, and religious studies, plus eight professional credentials and over a decade of teaching experience at the college and professional level.

Education

Doctoral student, Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign — concentrations in Human Resource Development and in Diversity and Equity in Education
M.S., Rehabilitation Counseling, University at Buffalo
M.P.A., Public Administration, Marist College
M.A., Political Science, University at Albany
B.A., Religious Studies (summa cum laude), University at Albany

Credentials

Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC)
Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD)
Certified Case Manager (CCM)
Board Certified Coach (BCC)
Certified Career Counselor (CCC)
Certified Employment Support Professional (CESP)
Certified Vocational Evaluation Specialist (CVE)
Senior Certified Professional, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM-SCP)

Professional Experience

Joseph is the founder of The Grove and CEO of Lincoln Square Coaching, a New York provider of workforce development and vocational rehabilitation services. From 2014 to 2016, he served as adjunct professor of political science at St. Francis College in Brooklyn, where he taught state and local government and comparative metropolitan politics — an examination of how urban politics unfolds across metropolitan areas internationally. Earlier in his career, he spent more than 14 years at a major New York City human services nonprofit with an annual budget exceeding $125 million, where he led all marketing and communications and designed professional development and e-learning programs reaching more than 1,400 employees per year. He has also built faculty development programs that help college educators bring fresh, practical approaches into their classrooms.

His research examines how career practitioners in vocational rehabilitation and workforce development make sense of their role and the people they serve, and how that sense-making either supports or stands in the way of person-centered practice. He has presented at the Commission for Case Manager Certification Symposium, the Academy of Human Resource Development International Conference, Applied Behavior Analysis New York City, the American Political Science Association Annual Meeting, and the Law and Society Association Annual Meeting. His work in political science has been published in World Medical & Health Policy, a peer-reviewed journal.

Teaching Approach

Joseph's classroom practice reflects his research interest in person-centered learning: instructors plan and adjust to how each learner actually thinks, and treat every learner as a capable adult with something to bring to the room. At The Grove, he teaches How America Works, History at Large, and The Design Studio — classes that reflect lifelong interests in civics, American history, and creative design.

Connect with Joseph on LinkedIn

Who The Grove Serves

The Grove offers adult education classes in Midtown Manhattan. Whether you're a learner exploring on your own or a community partner looking to collaborate — here's what we offer you.

Individual adult learners

The Grove is built for the way you learn. Small groups, time for questions, and instructors who teach without rushing. Bring your interests, your way of working, your pace. We meet you where you are.

Community partners

The Grove collaborates with libraries, museums, social service agencies, and community organizations to bring meaningful programming to the people you serve. Co-hosting, referrals, group registrations, and excursion partnerships are all welcome — reach out and we'll find a fit.

Our Instructors

Every class at The Grove is taught by an instructor with genuine expertise in their subject. Meet the people who bring our classes to life.

Amanda Berkson

New York-based theater artist and music producer trained in dramatic arts at Muhlenberg College, with credits in Off-West End producing, Equity workshop direction, and performing arts education.

Education

B.A., Theatre, Muhlenberg College

Professional Experience

Amanda is the co-founder of Berkson Productions, a theater development company focused on bringing new theatrical work to New York audiences. Her recent credits include Associate Producer of By The End of Tonight, in development for an Off-West End run in late 2026 under lead producer Michael Lamon, and Assistant Director to Will Nunziata on the November 2025 Equity workshop of the new musical Dubbo Championship Wrestling, presented by Amas Musical Theatre and the White Plains Performing Arts Center. She has also served as a consultant on scripts and screenplays and has led workshops and developmental readings for new theatrical works.

As a music producer, Amanda trained under Tony and Grammy Award-winning producer Michael Moritz Jr., and has since worked as a music producer for independent artists. Her earlier career includes a season as a Teaching Artist and Apprentice at a performing arts day camp for ages 7-18, where she designed curriculum and supported production work in choreography, staging, and youth instruction.

Teaching Approach

Amanda teaches as a working artist, drawing directly on her experience in professional theater and music production. At The Grove, she teaches Music Production and The Playwriting Process — classes built on hands-on craft where every session moves learners closer to a finished piece of work.

Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn

Tate McElhaney

Actor and member of Actors' Equity, trained at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music — one of the country's top musical theater conservatories — with professional regional credits at Westport Country Playhouse, Theatre Aspen, Aspen Music Festival, and Cincinnati POPS.

Education

B.F.A., Musical Theatre, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM)
Pre-College training, Pittsburgh CLO Academy of Musical Theater

Credentials

Actors' Equity Association (AEA) member

Professional Experience

Tate earned his Equity card at Westport Country Playhouse, performing in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella as Jean-Michel alongside Tony Award winner Cady Huffman. His other professional regional credits include Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Righteous Brother) at Theatre Aspen, Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd) at Black Rock Theater, Master Class (The Stagehand) at Aspen Music Festival starring Phylicia Rashad, and Ragtime (Admiral Peary) at Cincinnati POPS. Since moving to New York, Tate has also directed and produced two productions at The Green Room 42, CUT! and Her Name is Barbra.

Tate's craft training reflects the CCM conservatory tradition: integrated study across voice, acting, and dance with named faculty in each discipline. He has also participated in master classes with leading industry figures including Rachel Hoffman, one of New York's top musical theater casting directors, and the Broadway Dreams Foundation, working with performers including Christopher J. Hanke and Annette Tanner.

Teaching Approach

Tate teaches as a working actor, bringing the disciplines of his conservatory training and the experience of professional performance into the studio. At The Grove, he teaches Center Stage — a hands-on class in acting and theater arts held at Open Jar Studios, the same Broadway rehearsal center used by professional productions.

Nicolette-Marie Tsialas

Transition Specialist with a B.S. in Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology from George Washington University, working at the intersection of applied psychology and adult skill development.

Education

B.S., Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, George Washington University

Credentials

Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology

Professional Experience

Nicolette-Marie is a Transition Specialist at Lincoln Square Coaching, where she works directly at school partner sites and provides one-on-one career counseling and development services to adults preparing for the working world. Her earlier work includes an internship at Psychological Facts PLLC, where she developed specialized guidebooks and six-week wellness programs supporting clients in managing anxiety and improving social skills, and a long tenure as a peer tutor — a role that gave her direct practice breaking complex material into manageable, actionable steps.

Teaching Approach

Nicolette-Marie's teaching is practical and grounded in her training in cognitive neuroscience and her applied experience helping adults build habits and routines that fit how they think. At The Grove, she teaches Productivity Tools & Software, a survey course on the apps, tools, and methods adults use to organize their time and work.

Connect with Nicolette-Marie on LinkedIn

Sarah Tancer

Clinical social work candidate at Hunter College with a B.A. in Psychology and Early Childhood Education from Tulane, certifications in crisis counseling and youth mental health, and direct teaching experience across early childhood, elementary, and after-school settings.

Education

M.S.W. candidate, Clinical Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups track, Hunter College
B.A., Psychology and Early Childhood Education, Tulane University
Liberal Arts Certificate in Gender-Based Violence Studies, Tulane University
Study Abroad in Developmental and Child Psychology, DIS Copenhagen

Credentials

Crisis Counselor, Crisis Text Line
Youth Mental Health First Aid certified

Professional Experience

Sarah brings a background in education, youth development, and mental health support to her work at The Grove. She has taught and student-taught across early childhood and elementary settings in New Orleans, designed and led after-school art and STEM programming, and spent multiple summers as a head counselor and one-on-one support staff at Sunrise Association, working closely with children navigating complex medical, developmental, and emotional needs. She is currently completing a clinical social work internship at Westchester Square Academy in the Bronx.

Since early 2025, Sarah has worked as a Transition Specialist at Lincoln Square Coaching, where she supports young adults building the skills, confidence, and self-knowledge needed to step into adult life.

Teaching Approach

Sarah's teaching reflects her belief that learning is most powerful when grounded in real relationships, honest conversation, and respect for each learner's experience. At The Grove, she co-teaches The Design Studio, a hands-on class in visual design with Canva.

Yaakov Gottlieb

Filmmaker, photographer, and visual journalist with a B.A. in Journalism and Creative Writing from Northwestern University, co-founder of NYG Studios, and current video producer at Dune Security.

Education

B.A., Journalism and Creative Writing, Northwestern University

Professional Experience

Yaakov is the co-founder of NYG Studios, where he develops and produces film and digital content across documentary and branded formats. His visual journalism work has taken him from capturing landscapes in Iceland to working as a visual journalist in Buenos Aires and across the United States, documenting real-world stories and moments as they unfold.

Yaakov currently produces and manages video content at Dune Security, supporting marketing, sales, and investor communications. His work there integrates AI-driven workflows to streamline production, and he collaborates closely with leadership to translate technical concepts into polished, client-facing content.

Teaching Approach

Yaakov teaches photography as a working practitioner: he emphasizes curiosity, observation, and the discipline of seeing — the same habits he brings to his journalism and documentary work. At The Grove, he teaches Life Through the Lens, an introductory photography course that combines compositional instruction with hands-on shooting in and around New York City.

Connect with Yaakov on LinkedIn

Our Teaching Philosophy

Five commitments that shape every class we teach.

Every class is built around doing, not watching.

You won’t find lectures here. In The Design Studio, you make something every session. In How America Works, you visit City Hall. In Center Stage, you’re on your feet from the moment class begins. Our classes are designed so that every person in the room is actively engaged, creating, exploring, and contributing. Learning happens through the work, not around it.

Every class is built around doing, not watching.

Taught by people who love what they teach.

We recruit instructors who are passionate educators and genuine experts in their subjects. People who have taught at the college level, performed on professional stages, and built careers doing the very things they teach. They bring the same energy and craft they’d bring to any classroom, anywhere. And they design every class so that every person in the room can participate, contribute, and succeed. Because that’s what every learner deserves.

Taught by people who love what they teach.

We go where learning lives.

Our classes don’t stay in one room. We visit museums, rehearsal studios, local businesses, City Hall, and cultural institutions across New York City. These community excursions aren’t extras tacked onto a curriculum. They’re central to how we teach. The city is our classroom, and we use it.

We go where learning lives.

The best classrooms are the most diverse ones.

The Grove is intentionally designed for adults who love to learn. That intention shapes everything: small groups so every learner is known, time and patience built into every session, and instructors who teach without rushing.

The best classrooms are the most diverse ones.

We measure success by what stays with you.

We don’t give grades. We don’t hand out certificates. What we care about is whether you leave each class having learned something real, felt something new, and connected with the people around you. The kind of learning that changes how you see yourself and what you believe is possible.

We measure success by what stays with you.

Our Values

Everything we do is shaped by what we believe about people and learning

Community

Learning is better together. The Grove exists because people grow when they're in the company of others who are curious too.

Curiosity

Every class starts with a question worth exploring. We believe the desire to learn something new is its own qualification.

Dignity

Every learner is treated as a capable adult with their own strengths, experiences, and ways of working. Our classes are people-centered — built on respect, not assumptions.

Expertise

Our classes are taught by instructors with genuine passion for their subjects and a desire to make learning engaging and meaningful.

Belonging

The Grove is a place where people feel welcome, seen, and valued, a community, not just a classroom.

Community

Learning is better together. The Grove exists because people grow when they're in the company of others who are curious too.

Curiosity

Every class starts with a question worth exploring. We believe the desire to learn something new is its own qualification.

Dignity

Every learner is treated as a capable adult with their own strengths, experiences, and ways of working. Our classes are people-centered — built on respect, not assumptions.

Expertise

Our classes are taught by instructors with genuine passion for their subjects and a desire to make learning engaging and meaningful.

Belonging

The Grove is a place where people feel welcome, seen, and valued, a community, not just a classroom.

Ready to join us?

Browse our classes or get in touch to learn more.

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