USA Gifted IvyMind Academy
“Excellence isn’t a goal — it’s a mindset we mentor.
At USA Gifted IvyMind Academy, we believe every gifted learner deserves more than academic success — they deserve purpose, challenge, and mentorship.
We specialize in gifted enrichment, academic coaching, test prep, and strategic college guidance from Pre-K through 12th grade (and beyond).
Whether your children dream of the Ivy League, early college entrance, or simply want to love learning again — we’re here to help them thrive.
Inspired. Valued. Mentored.
Based in Houston | 
Now enrolling for Fall 2025
Katy Doan is the Founder & CEO of USA Gifted IvyMind Academy, a visionary educator and executive leader with over 22 years of experience in global finance, business strategy, and educational advocacy. She serves as CFO/Vice President of Finance at a $32B multinational corporation, leading strategic expansion across 98 U.S. locations and 20 international M&A deals.
Katy holds an Executive MBA from Rice University, a Master in Accounting, and is pursuing a Master at Harvard and The Emerging CFO program at Stanford. She is also a doctoral researcher in Educational Leadership, with a focus on gifted education, equity, and academic excellence.
As a parent of a Mensa-certified gifted child, Katy understands both the potential and the challenges facing high-achieving students and their families. She founded IvyMind to provide personalized academic coaching, college consulting, and gifted enrichment rooted in excellence, empathy, and mentorship.
Katy is a globally recognized PMI (Project Management Institute) and NAGC (National Association for Gifted Children) speaker and has presented at national conferences on topics ranging from project finance to AI in education.
She is also an award-winning classical vocalist, author, and active community leader with deep roots in both Vietnamese and American cultures. Her work has earned her honors such as “100 Women to Know in America” (JP Morgan Chase), “Female Executive of the Year” (Stevie Awards), and “Business Elite 40 under 40.”
With USA Gifted IvyMind Academy, Katy’s mission is to inspire young minds, empower families, and transform futures — one student at a time.
Services
Our Services
01.
ACADEMIC TUTORING PROGRAMS
“At IvyMind, we don’t just tutor — we unlock legacies.”
Personalized lessons for students from Pre-K to 12th grade
- Reading & Writing (Pre-K to 12)
Foundations in phonics, comprehension, grammar, and essay writing - Mathematics (K to Calculus)
Basic math, pre-algebra, Algebra I/II, Geometry, Pre-Calc, AP Calculus - Science (Grades 6–12)
Biology, Chemistry, Physics tutoring - Social Studies & History
U.S. History, Government, World Geography, and AP courses - Homework Help & Academic Coaching
Daily or weekly support to boost classroom performance and GPA
02.
GIFTED ENRICHMENT & TALENT DEVELOPMENT
“From Gifted to Guided – We turn Talent into Transformation”
Designed for advanced learners, gifted students, and honors-level scholars
- Gifted Bootcamps (Summer / Winter)
Creative writing, debate, logic puzzles, STEM challenges, public speaking - Math Olympiad, Spelling Bee, Science Fair Coaching
- CogAT, GT Screening Prep (Grades 1–6)
Assessment prep for Gifted & Talented programs (public/private) - Custom 1-on-1 projects for academic portfolio or competitions
03.
TEST PREPARATION PROGRAMS
“We raise the bar not for grades, but for greatness”
Proven strategies, practice exams, and coaching for competitive exams
- GMAT / GRE / SAT / ACT Intensive Prep
Diagnostic test + small group or 1-on-1 coaching - PSAT / STAAR / MAP / ISEE / SSAT
Standardized test support for private school and gifted placement - AP Exam Reviews
Calculus, Biology, Chemistry, English Language/Lit, U.S. History
04.
COLLEGE ADMISSIONS & ESSAY SERVICES
“IvyMind Students don’t compete. They lead.”
Ivy-tier coaching by professionals with real college admissions insight
- Essay Coaching Packages
Common App + Supplemental Essays with multi-round editing - Full Application Strategy Packages
Timeline planning, school list, resume, interview prep, and scholarship navigation - Transfer & Graduate School Application Support
Essay coaching, SOP, LOR review, and career fit analysis
05.
PARENTS & FAMILY PROGRAMS
“We cultivate brilliance with purpose, not pressure.”
Empowering parents to raise strong, curious, and competitive students
- Parent Workshops
Understanding giftedness, building academic confidence, college pathway planning - Academic Coaching Sessions
For families seeking personalized guidance beyond tutoring - Vietnamese-English bilingual consultation
Available for immigrant families navigating U.S. education
Why Choose US?
expert coaching, family support, & future-focused results
Expert-Led & Family-Centered
Our programs are founded by a nationally recognized executive and researcher — and powered by a team of experienced educators who are also parents of gifted children. We understand both the data and the heart.
2. Personalized Pathways for Gifted Growth
From diagnostics to college admissions, every student receives a tailored learning plan designed to challenge, nurture, and accelerate — not just to meet grade-level standards, but to unlock full potential.
Results-Driven, Mission-Focused
With award-winning leadership, Ivy League-level coaching, and strategic mentorship, we don’t just raise test scores — we prepare students for bold futures, meaningful impact, and lifelong excellence.
Testimonials
What Our Students Say?
Katy CPA Services is excellent and skilled at what they do. They completed Quickbooks setup, tax returns and bookkeeping services. Katy is very fantastic; she is very thorough and great with communications in her CPA Services, very responsive. We use their Services last 2 years and continue to come back this year with bookkeeping, accounting, financial statements, cryptocurrency reconciliation with gain/loss calculation, business advisory, tax form preparation & tax return. Five-star service. Highly recommended.
Katy is talented, creative, responsive, high attention to detail & pleasant to work with. She is in charge of our complex Cryptocurrency reconciliation from 2014 to now, calculating Gain & loss, preparing tax form, doing Loan analysis…With her CBP-Certified Bitcoin Professional Certificate and her knowledge in investment, cryptocurrency, bookkeeping, accounting, finance, tax…, she is a great help for the whole team. Five-star service. Highly recommended
Katy CPA Services has provided us with consistent, thorough bookkeeping cleanup, Chart of accounts, accounting, financial statements, internal audit and Zoho software migration services. Katy provides guidance when needed but also keep things as simplistic as possible, with lots of effort to make IT-HenHouse on track. We sent her an appreciation gift – the Buttery Caramel & Finery Pecans in Pure Milk Chocolate – it is a memorial treat from our childhood - with her name: KATYDIDS. We are grateful for her help and glad that she is on our team.
Katy is in charge for the Migration project from Sage, DacEasy accounting system to Quickbooks Online: clean up Chart of Accounts; identifying & using data migration tools to extract, condition and load data to Quickbooks; training personnel on using Quickbooks… I thoroughly enjoyed working with Katy and recommend her services to anyone needing accounting services.
Great work! Appreciate the quick return for Financial Modeling for Energy Project. We need a detailed & complex Financial Model suitable for Debt, Equity, and Tax Credit Investors around an energy projects in North America, Katy did a very good job. She is very creative, responsive and smart. Highly recommended.
We need financial advice to take actions before closing the year for both my personal investment and my business. Katy did great accommodating this job in a very short time and completed it in a very limited given time as we were approaching deadline shortly. She listened and understood what my needs are and created a report with different scenarios. She worked on this job with all her knowledge about C Corp Tax Regulations, Accumulated Earnings Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Retirement Plan, Wealth Management, Charitable Remainder Trust… Highly recommended.
This project is to complete bookkeeping, auditing, financial statements, book closing & file back taxes since 2017 to present. We need expertise in payroll, accounts receivable, filing monthly taxes in Sage and Xero accounting platforms. Katy did a very amazing job with her knowledge in Cash/Accrual based accounting, tax preparation, California State Tax rules for SMB. She helped to figure out lots of variances, error in our system and fixed it, always provided the best solutions and explained clearly to help to avoid the same errors in the future. Five-star service. Highly recommended
References
“I always found Katy Doan’s professional, well-organized, and exhibiting a strong work ethic. As a Senior Accountant (Fixed Assets), Katy never misses an opportunity to increase her knowledge throughout workshops, seminars, and platform training. I quickly recognized that Katy was a step above most who have been in this position here at the City of Baytown. She was a self-starter who required little supervision. The pride she has in her profession shone through in every work product she completed. She effortlessly completed all tasks and truly made this crucial work look easy. It was this type of performance that gave me the impression that she would move up the ranks within our organization in no time at all. We definitely miss her angel voice as a professional singer.”
“As an Accounting Manager, Katy is smart, hardworking, creative and dedicated. She just has 2-day training with a mess of accounting system, but after a month, she made everything professionally in her own way. She did all tasks that are not in her job description. At the first time I saw her, I knew she is the one right away. She cleaned up all accounting software, collection, invoices… and especially helped to do the auditing for the tax filing from previous years and get money back. We love to have her in our team and still keep in touch for every Easter crawfish party & voluntary, charity activities.”
“As the CEO’s Executive Assistant & Financial Analyst Manager, Katy has consistently performed her duties with competence and often goes extra mile, doing more than expected. She willingly accepts new assignments and whenever she can, ever ready to help others. Cheerfulness, calm and dependable describes best her character. Katy’s stellar academic achievement rubs off in her problem solving and her decision-making skills. Dedicated to the task at hand, she completes them in a timely and conscientious manner. As a strong communicator, when a task requires inputs beyond hers alone, she is able to “rally the troops” to assist. This is probably the best evidence of her leadership skills. She is also a strong table-tennis player, I try so hard to be even with her in some games.”
“As a Project Accounting Manager, Katy is a very good leader with strong negotiation skill which helps to cut cost for our projects. Careful, detailed-oriented, clever and flexible are all I can describe about her. She is a remarkable talent, with an eye for not only for the trees but also for the whole forest, more matured than her age. Katy has always taken her role seriously and is passionate about her results. Beyond her passion on driving performance, she is a natural leader, and fights hard for her beliefs. She has a very effective personal style and will be looked for continued executive leadership in different roles.”
“As a Finance Manager, Katy has very high Motivation, Maturity, Self-Discipline and Leadership skills. She is very diligent and hard study. Katy always tries her best to achieve higher goals, because she knows how to reach out past her boundaries. She is one of the most disciplined and punctual person I’ve ever known. Her ability to work efficiently under stressful conditions and nerve-wracking deadlines speaks volumes about her hard work, determination and composed demeanor. Katy is a compassionate human being with praiseworthy perseverance and ambition with lots of great contributions to our company.”
“Katy is my close friends in the Catholic choir for more than 7 years. She was phenomenal at everything that she did in choir. She always performed tasks assigned by our Choir Director thoroughly and completely. Not only she finished her tasks with precision, she did them with passion. One such example is when she was assigned to plan activities for a choir camping trip, she planned them in such a way that every member is involved. By the end of the day, everyone had so much fun. But more importantly, everyone felt closer to God and each other. On a personal level, she is super caring and willing to sacrifice what she can to help others. One touching example is when she offered me one of her kidneys when my kidneys failed. I was super happy to know that I have such a good friend like Katy Doan. She is very reliable and always performs her duties with enthusiasm. Best of all, she deeply cares about her work.”
“Katy is a person of impeccable character. Other than professional skills in different areas, Katy has a special touch which is very valuable for a company: “kind and warm-hearted nature”. I remember one instance in a special event that she was invited to sing, she always enthusiastically signs up without the slightest hesitation, eager to help in any way from party organization to cooking food to others. She also organized different charities to collect money for orphan in Vietnam. People with good heart is always making the team stronger no matter of which purposes. By nature, Katy is a perfectionist that impress and bring enthusiast to others. It could be a result of special training school for the Gifted children in Vietnam that she had been educated from. She is a very talented chef, a great singer, a well-performed Master of Ceremonies, a 2020 elected Beauty Queen. Everything she touches, everywhere she goes, I can see happiness, fun and performance.”
“Ms. Katy is my Professor, she is one of my favorite Professors who gave not only me but my whole Math-Computer Science class good memories. We had a great first impression with Ms. Katy, she is the youngest Professor who was invited by the Vice Principal right after she got graduated from University with Honors. She has a great teaching skill which makes us love being in her class, she is smart, beautiful and warm-hearted. She told us lots of stories about how to be successful, be happy and be ourselves which inspires us when we study abroad with scholarships. We are so happy that now we are in the US and we can celebrate Reunion party whenever we want. She is more than a friend, more than a teacher, she is a counselor, a leader that we love so much.”
Ms. Katy is the Professor who gives us the unforgettable memories with her fashionable style and remarkable personality. She’s always stylish, strong, smart and funny which makes the whole class love to be in her class. She’s not the traditional Professor, she teaches us more than the knowledge in the books, she shows us how to become a useful, happy & successful person when we grow up with lots of experience she shares. She’s not only good at teaching, working, she is super clever at numbers, a great singer, a good cook… We always gather at her house every Lunar New Year and Teacher’s Day, we talk, we sing, we play games… as real friends. There are no boundaries between us, we just like sister and brother.”
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