Our Team
kelly hughes milodragovich
Owner | Director of Client Relations | Post Secondary Education Advisor
Kelly was born and raised in Montana and had first-hand experience with extensive college scholarship work while trying to fund her undergraduate degree. After earning significant funding through scholarships, she graduated from the Davidson Honors College at The University of Montana with degrees in English and Political Science. At that point, Kelly channeled her love of teaching and education into a tutoring and college preparation business. While the company’s primary goal is to improve academic skills in preparation for college and beyond, Hughes College Prep also aims to help the student grow and develop in terms of self-esteem, connection to the community, and interdisciplinary application of their knowledge.
When not working with her clients, Kelly spends time traveling and relaxing with her husband, Sam, and their two daughters.
katie cotner
Director of Educational Services
Katie was born and raised in Whitefish, MT. She attended the University of Montana for both her undergraduate and graduate education. She has a Bachelors in Psychology with a teaching certificate in Secondary Education and Special Education. She also has a Masters degree in School Counseling. Previous to her Director position at Hughes College Prep, she was a teacher and school counselor for 10 years. In her free time Katie enjoys spending time with her husband and two boys.
Feel free to email Katie at katie@hughescollegeprep.com
sam milodragovich
Director of Outreach | Post Secondary Education Advisor
Samuel has his BA in History and minors in Political Science and Geography with an emphasis in Central and Southwest Asian Studies from The University of Montana. He has worked with Hughes Tutoring since its inception and initiated our international outreach efforts. Sam works with students on the full range of college preparation services, but he specializes in the fields of study skills assistance and writing.
Sam is a voracious reader and, though he is one of the few members of our team without an English degree, his page count and vocabulary rival all of ours. He also enjoys the outdoors, gaming, and spending time with his wife, Kelly, and their two daughters.
elizabeth howard
College Athletics Specialist | Post Secondary Education Advisor
Elizabeth holds a BA in English and Sociology from Washington University in St. Louis, and a MA in Psychology from The University of Montana. As a mother of three boys, Elizabeth joined the Hughes team in 2012 after experiencing our services as a client. She works with students on the full range of college preparation and application elements, and also consults with clients specifically in the areas of Collegiate Athletics and Writing.
When not tutoring, Elizabeth volunteers as a Missoula Writing Coach and enjoys hiking, cooking, gardening, and competitive tennis.
lisa teberg-johnson
Post Secondary Education Advisor
Lisa is based in Helena, Montana. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology and English from the University of Montana. Her background includes experience in higher education teaching English composition and college success courses. Lisa enjoys reading, traveling, hiking, and gardening.
hallie lopuch
Post Secondary Education Advisor
Hallie is passionate about kids, planning & organizing. She has a BA in Organizational Communications from the University of Montana and a diverse background in business. She also worked in the public school system as an Administrative Secretary before transitioning to managing her two daughters’ online/homeschool education during their middle school/high school years. After supporting her oldest daughter through the college and scholarship application process to the just-right fit, she is excited to put her interests to work in helping others find their right fit. She loves helping people feel informed and successful and enjoys researching, organizing information, and making things happen. Hallie also works, volunteers & travels with her daughters’ dance studio and their performance and competition teams. Her most favorite thing is spending time with family.
mary miller
Post Secondary Education Advisor
Mary Eleanor Miller was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. After traveling the country and living in several states, the Universe decided to settle her in Missoula, Montana. Mary has a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Photography and a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a Masters in Counselor Education from the University of Montana. Prior to working for Hughes she was a high school counselor in the Bitterroot Valley.
When she’s not researching college admission requirements or asking her students if they need a snack, she enjoys reading, doing crossword puzzles, and watching old episodes of Star Trek.
jamie peeler
Post Secondary Essay Advisor and Editor
Jamie was raised in North Carolina and completed her higher education back East before relocating to Missoula, Montana. She holds a B.S. in Biology from Duke University and a M.S. and Ph.D. in Geography from Penn State University. She worked at the university writing center while completing her Ph.D., where she developed a dedication to helping students access higher education and share their personal experiences through storytelling. More recently, she was a college application reader for a U.S. flagship university, which provided her with a behind the scenes look at the selective college admissions process.
In her free time, Jamie is busy keeping up with her energetic dog and teaching herself how to gravel ride and cross-country ski.
simon silverstein
Math Academic Advisor | Test Prep Advisor
Simon Silverstein grew up in Missoula and graduated from Hellgate High School. A former Hughes College Prep student, he finds math wonderfully captivating and cannot wait to help others. Along with tutoring, he is extremely fond of coding and will be completing a year of web development before pursuing a degree from Case Western.
During his spare time, you can find Simon at the tennis courts slowly learning how to hit a decent backhand.
estrella pallis-bonadurer
Academic Advisor
Estrella Pallis-Bonadurer is originally from Missoula, MT. She spent her first year of college at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. before deciding to finish her degree closer to home. She now attends Montana State University where she is pursuing both a Geography and a Spanish degree. She is a firm believer that education opens up a world of opportunities - professionally & socially - and is grateful for all that the academic world has provided her. Because of this, she is passionate about helping students achieve their goals academically.
In her free time, Estrella enjoys hiking, reading, spending time with friends, and listening to Taylor Swift.
malia chevalier
Academic Advisor
Malia was born and raised in Hawaii. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Indiana and a Master’s in Physics from the University of California, Riverside.
During her Master’s she taught nuclear science to undergraduates and analyzed data from the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Lab. She joined Hughes College Prep to share her passion for learning as a math and physics tutor.
Malia enjoys hiking, cooking, travel, spending time with family and reading.
shay pederson
Academic Advisor
Shay is originally from Southern California and is currently going to the University of Montana to study Mathematics Education with a minor in Sport Psychology. She is also a student-athlete, running Cross Country and Track for the Griz. Coming from a long line of educators in her family, Shay finds that education is one of the best forms of communication that can bring people together and form bonds.
In her free time, Shay spends a lot of time on the trails, running laps on the track, and making coffees.