Our Team

Claire Griffith manages and administrates all the Direct Hits PSAT, SAT, and ACT courses. Since 2004, over 1,500 students have participated in the Direct Hits prep courses. As part of the process, Claire counsels students and their parents on the best approaches to the tests and ensures that classes meet student and parent expectations. In consultation with the Direct Hits teachers, she prepares the course materials. Based on her experience with how students best learn, Claire guides the Direct Hits team in revising and improving the Direct Hits Core and Toughest Vocabulary books. Her younger son is currently a freshman at Texas Christian University, so she has current professional and personal experience with the college admissions process. A former Wall Street equity trader, Claire holds a BA in Economics from Sweet Briar College.

Ted Griffith is the project manager of Direct Hits Publishing, overseeing book production, the website, and related marketing activity. Ted created the Direct Hits Core and Toughest Vocabulary book strategy and implementation plan along with the trademark, logo, and branding elements. He has periodically taken the SAT and ACT and thus has first-hand experience with the test content. He holds a BS in Economics from Vanderbilt University and an MS in Finance from Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Management.

Elizabeth Cook has led the math instruction for the Direct Hits PSAT, SAT, and ACT classes since 2009. She received a BS in Computer Science from Georgia Tech and a MS in Math Education from Georgia State University. She has been an advanced math teacher at an Atlanta private school and is now teaching part-time since the birth of her first child. She gives Direct Hits students a thorough review of the math topics covered on the tests and teaches strategies to help them maximize their scores.

Gavin Drummond, PhD, has been teaching high school English at The Westminster Schools since 2004. He received a BA (First class) from Cambridge University, attended Rice University on the C.D. Broad exchange program, and earned his MA and PhD from Emory University, where he specialized in British and Irish literature. As a PSAT, SAT, and ACT tutor, he enjoys the challenge of supercharging Direct Hits students' performances. He has been honored as a STAR teacher in Georgia. Dr. Drummond hails from the UK, has three children, and enjoys reading and playing the piano in his spare time.

Mary Catherine Lindsay is the social media coordinator for Direct Hits. She manages the Twitter account and writes posts for the blog. She also helps write examples for the Direct Hits vocabulary books. A grammar aficionado and pop culture connoisseur, she enjoys writing clever examples for vocabulary words in the books and in social media posts. Mary Catherine graduated from Wake Forest University with a BA in English and a minor in film studies.

Susan Maziar has a BS in Biology from Emory University. She worked for a test prep company in Atlanta for several years and is now a private tutor for the critical reading and writing sections of the PSAT, SAT, and ACT. Popular with students, she has helped many significantly raise their scores. To ensure that she is absolutely current, Ms. Maziar regularly takes both tests. Keenly aware of what it takes for students to be successful on these tests, she brings her skills and knowledge to her work teaching the English, reading, and essay portions of the Direct Hits courses. She has also contributed to the recently released Direct Hits vocabulary books.

Jane Saral holds a BA in English from Duke University and a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University. Over thirty-six years, she taught English in independent schools in England, Maryland, and Atlanta. She has been honored as a STAR teacher in Georgia. Jane has been an AP reader and received an Advanced Placement Award from the College Board. Since her retirement, she has been a private tutor for the PSAT, SAT, ACT, and AP English tests. She has helped hundreds of students raise their scores significantly. She brings her knowledge, teaching skills, and enthusiasm for words and grammar to her work on the Direct Hits vocabulary books and in the English, reading, and essay segments of the Direct Hits courses.