top of page

Our 
Story

The seeds for Pivot were planted several years ago after helping our friends' son recover from a hard freshman year. His success was encouraging and sparked a desire to offer more opportunities for other students to excel.

This desire grew deeper as Covid changed the landscape of education. Learning during the pandemic not only required skills that many students didn't have but it often became less structured & rigorous. As a result, most current high-school and early college students are often ill-equipped to handle the rigors of collegiate-level learning.

We believe that with the right tools and accountability, any student can succeed and thrive.

Meet The Team

Nathaniel Thom, PhD
Untitled - August 22, 2026 at 17.04.25-2.png
Co-Founder, Neuroscientist & Wheaton College Professor

My name is Nate Thom and I love neuroscience, academia, and helping students succeed. I had an exceptional high school experience but struggled mightily in college; this experience is the foundation for my passion for college coaching. I leverage the research I've done on stress and performance with Marines, Navy SEALs, and elite adventure racers to teach students how to perform well in college, grow in their ability to regulate their own learning, and develop the character and habits necessary to flourish as emerging adults. I have spent the last 15+ years mentoring college students and am eager to help your student thrive during college.

EDUCATION

BS Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2002

MS Exercise Science, University of Georgia, 2005

PhD Exercise Science, University of Georgia, 2009

Post-doc, Naval Health Research Center, 2013

Sarah Thom, MA
Co-Founder & Project Manager

Hi! I'm Sarah, a speech language pathologist who loves weightlifting, hot coffee, and poetry. I enjoy connecting with college students one-on-one, drawing from my own challenging college experience. My empathy and therapy background fuel my passion for mentoring students and helping them adjust and thrive academically.

EDUCATION

BS English, Wheaton College, 2003

MS Speech Language Pathology, University of Georgia, 2008

IMG_20190902_113432_edited_edited.jpg
bottom of page