Who we are

Cardamom Prep is a small business founded by four educators and entrepreneurs with diverse experience at leading test prep companies, innovative ed tech start-ups, and in the classroom. Our shared vision is rooted in equity, access, and empowerment, and a belief that quality education should be both rigorous and inclusive. Together, we bring a fresh approach to learning that combines deep industry knowledge with a commitment to student-centered solutions. As a team, we’re building something different: a company where educational excellence meets real-world relevance, and where every learner has the tools to succeed.

Meet the Founders

  • Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

    With more than 25 years of experience in education, publishing, and digital learning, Mary Beth Garrick brings a rare blend of strategic leadership, operational excellence, and a deep understanding of how students learn best.

    She has served in senior leadership roles at several leading education companies and ed tech start-ups, overseeing product development, curriculum strategy, and cross-functional team management. Her work included directing the design and launch of comprehensive test prep and core curriculum courses, integrating AI into learning tools, and ensuring every product met rigorous pedagogical standards. She has also played a key role in securing investment funding and aligning product vision with stakeholder expectations.

    Throughout her career, she has led the production of hundreds of educational titles and digital products—ranging from textbooks and video lessons to interactive practice tools and LMS-integrated study materials. As a longtime executive at one of the largest educational publishers in the U.S., she managed teams of designers, editors, and technology experts, and was responsible for complex operations including global distribution, vendor partnerships, copyright compliance, and accessibility initiatives.

    With a background in literary studies, creative writing, journalism, and law—and a career that spans editorial leadership, product design, and executive strategy—she is passionate about transforming education through inclusive, student-centered innovation. When she’s not working, she’s reading, cooking, traveling, exploring the outdoors with her husband and their dogs, or obsessively following her favorite NBA team.

  • Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer

    Jonathan Chiu is an experienced educator, curriculum developer, and former biomedical research scientist with a passion for helping students succeed through high-quality instruction and innovative learning resources. As a co-founder at Cardamom Prep, he is committed to creating inclusive, intellectually honest, and academically rigorous materials that challenge students while making them feel welcomed and supported. He develops engaging, results-driven test prep content and works directly with students in both one-on-one and group tutoring settings.

    His teaching approach is grounded in years of research-backed instructional design and a deep understanding of standardized testing, combined with a commitment to ensuring all students of every background have access to meaningful, equitable learning opportunities.

    Previously, he served for several years as the National ACT and SAT Content Director at one of the world’s leading educational publishers, where he led a multidisciplinary team in curriculum development and the creation of multimedia instructional tools, shepherding the company through an SAT design change in 2016. He also designed and delivered nationwide online professional development and certification programs for instructors.

    Over the course of a 23+ year career, he has delivered more than 18,000 hours of personalized instruction and hosted more than 90 seminars and webinars for students, families, school administrators, and businesses.

    Before transitioning into education full-time, he was a Senior Scientist in Biomedical Engineering at Stonybrook Technology and Applied Research (STAR), where he conducted advanced laboratory and clinical research on biodegradable scaffolds and drug delivery systems. He has published multiple papers in peer-reviewed journals, including Annals of Surgery and Biomaterials.

    At Cardamom Prep, he continues to combine deep content knowledge with a student-centered, mission-driven approach to support learners at every stage of their academic journey.

    When not mentoring students, Jonathan finds joy in watching, coaching, or playing football (NFL and NCAA), basketball (NBA), and baseball (MLB). A self-described foodie, he also finds happiness in creating (or at least attempting to create) dishes such as red velvet tiramisu and anything that is barbequable. 

  • Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer

    Lindsey Bradley brings over a decade of diverse experience across education, operations, and business leadership. With a career that began in the classroom and evolved into executive strategy, she bridges mission-driven impact with operational excellence. 

    Before co-founding Cardamom Prep, she was a dedicated educator at the Girls Athletic Leadership School in Los Angeles, where she implemented innovative, movement-based learning strategies and spearheaded initiatives to enhance digital literacy and equity in education. Her background in teaching, honed through her work with Teach For America, gave her a strong foundation in training, performance management, and data-informed decision-making, all skills that now guide her work in the business sector.

    In the business world, she has held a range of leadership roles, including Director of Operations and Recruiting & Development Manager, where she scaled teams, developed internal systems, and managed remote workforces of 800+ contractors. She is known for her ability to streamline operations, build strong cross-functional teams, and drive strategic planning through forecasting, budget management, and performance metrics.

    Today, as COO, she oversees the full scope of company operations, including financial planning, HR, and payroll. Her work focuses on building sustainable processes and scaling operational strategy to support organizational growth. She holds deep expertise in operations, SaaS, HR, leadership development, and data analysis, and is passionate about creating inclusive systems that foster both efficiency and impact. 

    Lindsey utilizes her Master’s in Urban Education coupled with her MBA to execute a strong commitment to the education space and in particular, equity, innovation, and sustainable leadership.

    Outside of work, Lindsey is a self-proclaimed foodie and enjoys trying new restaurants as often as possible. Lindsey loves spending time with her family and traveling as often as possible.

  • Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer

    Craig Patches leads the visual and creative direction of the brand across all platforms. With more than two decades of experience in design and production, he brings deep expertise in illustration, animation, and multimedia storytelling to the company’s print and digital products.

    As CCO, he is responsible for shaping the company’s visual identity—from building the brand from the ground up to guiding the creative vision behind social media, marketing, and educational content. He plays a key role in product development, leading the design of high-quality, accessible materials that reflect the company’s values and engage diverse audiences. His creative insight is also central to strategic decision-making, helping steer the company’s growth and direction.

    Other past roles include leading the creative development of large-scale educational products (at ed tech companies and start-ups), managing production pipelines, designing branding systems, and overseeing cross-functional teams to ensure consistent quality across print and digital platforms. His experience also includes creating marketing collateral, developing character-driven visuals, implementing streamlined workflows, and introducing tools and templates that elevated both efficiency and brand cohesion.

    A graduate of the California Institute of the Arts with a BFA in Film/Video, he combines artistic vision with technical skill and operational experience. His work is guided by a belief in storytelling as a tool for connection, clarity, and education.