B.A. University of Massachusetts - Amherst | M.A. Sposato Graduate School of Education
Janice Abel joined Boston Collegiate in August of 2022 as a 7th Grade ELA Teacher. She was born in Boston but was raised in Brockton, Massachusetts. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she majored in English language arts and minored in education. She went on to enter the teacher residency program, Sposato, where she earned her master’s in effective teaching.
Nancy Acuna joined Boston Collegiate in September of 2021 as the accounting manager. Born in Bronx, New York, but raised in Boston, Nancy attended Curry College, where she studied business management. Nancy enjoys spending time with her daughters, reading, watching and playing sports.
B.S. University of Wisconsin
Bridget Adam joined Boston Collegiate in 2003 after completing her education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She currently serves as the 6th grade mathematics teacher and holds a position on the Boston Collegiate Board of Trustees.
B.S. Northeastern University
Emily Arlauskas joined Boston Collegiate in August of 2019 as an 8th grade mathematics teacher. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Northeastern University, where she majored in mathematics and cultural anthropology. She grew up in South Boston and graduated from Boston Collegiate in 2014.
B.A. Bridgewater State University | M.Ed. Fitchburg State University
Greg Arthur was born, raised, and lives in South Boston. He received his bachelor’s degree in English language arts secondary education from Bridgewater State University in 2018 and earned his mater’s degree from Fitchburg State University in 2021. Before Boston Collegiate, Greg was an instructional aid at the Eliot K-8 School in Boston. He loves listening to music, making people laugh, and keeping a positive attitude for his students.
B.A Amherst College | M.Ed. Boston College
Melissa Aybar taught English and served as Department Chair at the Epiphany School before joining Boston Collegiate in 2022. She was born and raised in Boston and enjoys warm days and good books.
B.A. Williams College
Caleb Balderston joined Boston Collegiate in 2022 after ten years at the Academy of the Pacific Rim (APR) in Hyde Park. During his time at APR, Caleb taught math, coached STEM teachers, and served as the high school principal. Prior to APR, Caleb taught math in Chicago during his time as a Teach for America corps member there. He lives in Cambridge with his family.
B.S. Brandeis University | M.Ed. Harvard University
Bruce Baptista joined Boston Collegiate in 2022. Previously, he spent three years at Roxbury Prep Lucy Stone as the Dean of Students. Prior to that, Bruce completed his master’s degree in school leadership at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Bruce grew up in Dorchester, Massachusetts and enjoys giving back to the community.
B.A. Trinity College | M.Ed. Boston University
Lenny Bautista joined Boston Collegiate in 2017 after earning his master’s degree in educational leadership and policy at Boston University. Lenny has previously worked with children as a social worker, coach, SPED paraprofessional, physical education teacher, and assistant dean.
B.A. Clark University
Johanna Bogard is a 2010 Boston Collegiate alumna. Johanna brings five years of teaching experience and more than 10 years of community service and community involvement. Johanna has worked with a wide variety of children in Boston, serving many schools and communities in the neighborhood. Johanna has worked in Roxbury, Mattapan, and Jamaica Plain. Johanna graduated from Clark University in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in history and a concentration on race and ethnic relations.
B.A. Southern Luzon State University | M.S. National Teacher's College
Jomar Laila Carabot was born and raised in the Philippines. He received his bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education Major in Physical Science from Southern Luzon State University in 2011 and earned 39 units in Master’s in Science Education and Comprehensive Examination passer from National Teachers College in 2019. Before joining Boston Collegiate Charter School, he was a senior high school teacher at the Philippines. He loves traveling in different places, listening to music, watching movies and keeping positive attitudes in all he does.
A.S. Urban College of Boston
Leah Charles earned an associate’s degree in early childhood education and is currently working on her bachelor’s degree at Boston University. She has worked in the education field under a host of different roles, from teacher to education supervisor and, most recently, as an applied behavior analyst.
Kanilla Charles is an alumni of Boston Collegiate Charter, Class of 2019. After graduation, Kanilla went on to become a published author, having her poems published in an anthology in 2021. Kanilla is currently working toward her B.A. in History with a Concentration in Black Studies.
B.S. University of Connecticut | M.Ed. Boston University
Claudia Chavez joined Boston Collegiate in 2018 as a Teach for America corps member. She received a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Connecticut. Claudia earned a master’s degree in curriculum and teaching from Boston University.
A.A. Massasoit Community College | C.P.N. Quincy College
Jennifer Chery-Dorelas joined Boston Collegiate in 2020. She has over 14 years of nursing experience working in various areas of the community. Prior to joining, she was a nurse instructor teaching certified nursing assistant/home health aide students at a local nonprofit organization. She enjoys helping her community while providing exceptional care and promoting healthy lifestyles. She is also fluent in Haitian Creole.
B.S. University of St. Joseph | M.A. University of St. Joseph
Lauren Cianciaruso joined Boston Collegiate after teaching at Franklin Academy in East Haddam, Connecticut. There she taught a self-contained high school humanities class as well as other student support services. Lauren earned her master’s in special education with a focus on autism spectrum disorders at University of Saint Joseph in Connecticut.
B.A. University of Massachusetts - Boston
Dasan Cinelli graduated from Boston Collegiate in 2016 and graduated from University of Massachusetts Boston in 2021 with a B.A. in Economics. He rejoined the Boston Collegiate family in 2021 as a high school Mathematics teacher. He has a huge love for basketball; he played five years of varsity basketball at Boston Collegiate and for all four years of his college career. He also loves to listen to music and watch anime.
B.S. Fitchburg State College
Prior to joining Boston Collegiate, Jonathan Clark spent four years as the assistant director of admissions at Bentley University, where he focused on minority recruitment and special event planning. Prior to that, he spent three years teaching fourth grade in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, before spending six years at Lawrence Academy in Groton, where he worked in the offices of admissions and student life. Jon devotes a part of his summer to a local day camp and during his free time, he speaks to junior high and high schools students about college admissions.
B.A. Providence College
Rodney Coleman joined Boston Collegiate in 2002 as the health and physical education teacher before becoming athletic director and then the middle school dean of students. Rodney spent a year teaching K-5 physical education in Milton Public Schools and also worked as a teacher and teaching assistant at Health Careers Academy Charter School.
B.A. Providence College | M.Ed. Boston University
Sarah Currell received her bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education from Providence College and a master’s degree in reading education from Boston University. She is very glad to be a part of the Boston Collegiate community!
B.A. University of Massachusetts - Amherst | M.Ed. Cambridge College
Nadia Cyprien returned to the Boston College after 10 years of serving as special education administrator and principal in Boston. Prior to that, Nadia began her career at the Boston Collegiate as a teacher and special education administrator.
B.A. Suffolk University
Sean Daly is a Boston native, who graduated from Suffolk University with degree in journalism. Teaching real African history and literature is his calling and he wants to help students on that journey. Music, basketball, and hiking are some of Sean’s hobbies outside of work and he likes to incorporate them as much as possible in the classroom.
B.S. University of Massachusetts - Amherst | M.Ed. University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Kate Darling joined Boston Collegiate after serving as a middle school and high school science teacher at the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School in Orange, Massachusetts. In addition to teaching, Kate served as a member of the RTI implementation team and yearbook advisor. As a graduate of the UMASS Bridges to the Future Program, Kate has focused her work on meeting the needs of at-risk populations.
B.A. University of Wisconsin | M.Ed. The College of St. Rose
Kathryn Downes’ first introduction to the charter world was the summer of 2009, when she spent the summer as an intern with Boston Collegiate. Katie then trained with the MATCH Teacher Residency and taught 7th grade ELA at Salem Academy Charter School. After earning a master’s degree in literacy and a reading specialist license, she joined Boston Collegiate in 2015.
B.F.A. Loyola University - New Orleans | M.F.A. Washington University
Jenny Dubuisson originally joined Boston Collegiate in 2005 and returned in 2015 as a high school art teacher. She has taught art and design to students of all ages throughout her career. In her own art, she explores drawing and building objects that examine physical and abstract spaces.
B.S. Salem State University | M.Ed. Sposato Graduate School of Education
Duna Dumel joined Boston Collegiate in 2021. A Boston native, she received her ba chelor’s degreefrom Salem State University in 2013. She previously worked at a boarding school in Rhode Island and as a tutor and student teacher at Match Community Day School. She received a master’s degree from the Sposato Graduate School of Education in 2015 and has been teaching with the community groups for the past four years.
B.A. Suffolk University| M.A. NYU
Donyka joined Boston Collegiate in Spring 2023 after spending time as a Data Associate for the East Harlem Scholars Academy charter school network in New York City. She has a bachelors degree in Sociology and holds a MA in Education and Social Policy from NYU.
B.A. Rhode Island School of Design | M.A. Massachusetts College of Art
Michael Eder is an accomplished artist who has also taught art in an afterschool program through Massachusetts College of Art. Michael joined Boston Collegiate in 1999 and founded both the art club and the arts council. Previously, Michael taught art to high school students in New Orleans, Louisiana.
B.A. Bucknell University
Courtney joined the Boston Collegiate community in the fall of 2019 as a paraprofessional for the middle school after realizing that working with youth, the future leaders of our world, is his passion. Previously, he worked as a therapeutic mentor and department coordinator for a child welfare program in Boston for three and a half years. He considers himself extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to, not only work closely with the youth, but more specifically, the youth of the community he’s always called home, having been born and raised in Dorchester, Massachusetts. This year he will be starting his new role as a 6th-grade History teacher and is looking forward to fostering curiosity, creativity, and self-esteem and more, as he teaches about the great civilizations of our ancient world.
B.A. Bates College| M.A. Columbia University
Brian rejoined Boston Collegiate Charter School in 2023 after a two-year teaching stint in San Francisco Public Schools. Before teaching in San Francisco, Brian taught 6th-grade math at the lower school for three years. He got his start in education in Jacksonville, Florida, in 2011; he spent three years teaching high school math and four years as a high school assistant principal. Brian attended Bates College as an undergrad and has an M.A in educational leadership from Columbia University.
B.A. Haverford College | M.A. College of New Jersey
Kim Everett joined Boston Collegiate in 1999. Kim previously taught English and Social Studies at the Tobin Community Middle School for five years. Kim also worked as an ESL instructor both at Roxbury Community College and in Namibia, Africa.
B.A. University of Massachusetts | M.A. Eastern Nazarene College
Pete Ferrara joined Boston Collegiate in 1999. In addition to serving as Dean, Pete taught English and coordinated the school’s athletics and Saturday School programs. Before joining Boston Collegiate, Pete spent 11 years teaching at St. Peter’s School in South Boston.
B.S. Suffolk University
Alexandra Fils-Aime joined Boston Collegiate in 2009 after beginning her career in education at the Uphams Corner Charter School as the Faculty Support Coordinator and as a tutor at Roxbury Preparatory Charter School. Ms. Fils-Aime is part of the Parent Board for the Paul Robeson Institute for Positive Self-Development where she writes the quarterly newsletter. While an undergraduate, she began coaching middle school girls’ basketball and continues to coach today.
B.A., Boston College | M.A., Boston College
Marcial Flores is a native of Honduras and a Brighton High School graduate. He attended to Boston College where he obtained a B.A. after completing a double major in English Literature and Spanish Literature. He was accepted to Boston College’s the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures graduate program and was awarded a Teaching Fellowship which granted him the opportunity to pursue and complete his M.A. in Spanish American Literature and Culture. Marcial has been teaching Spanish for many years; he has taught at Needham High School, Boston College and Northeastern University. He joined the Boston Collegiate’s World Languages Department in 2017.
B.A Bridgewater State University, M.Ed Boston College
Bio forthcoming.
B.A Special Education
Monica Frederickson is so excited to be a part of the Boston Collegiate community! She was raised and lived on the South Shore of MA and she received her B.A. in Special Education from Eastern Nazarene College in 2018. Before Boston Collegiate, she spent 2 years as a special education teacher and 2 years as a paraprofessional. She loves building relationships with her students and fostering a positive and inclusive classroom environment.
B.A. University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth | M.S.W. Boston College
After graduating Boston College with a degree in Social Work, concentration in Children, Youth and Families, Erica Fulton began working in local non-profits. She has worked with children and families in the local communities for the past five years. Erica provides short- and long-term counseling using ITCT, CBT, Group Therapy, Solution Focused and Motivational Interviewing. In addition, Erica offers outreach and referrals for families to outside service providers in the Boston community.
B.M. Ithaca College | M.M. Northwestern University | M.S. SUNY College Buffalo
Katie has spent much of her career starting and developing school music programs– both here in Massachusetts and in the Middle East. Holding Masters degrees in both Music Education and Educational Leadership, she is excited to bring her experience to Boston Collegiate and looks forward to making music with all members of the Boston Collegiate community.
Judi Ann Gaine joined Boston Collegiate after previously working for Quincy Public Schools as a special education paraprofessional for seven years.
B.A. Willamette University | M.A. Willamette University | MDiv. Harvard Divinity School
Max George joined Boston Collegiate Charter School in 2004 as our 9th and 10th grade Global Studies Teacher. After serving as Head Soccer Coach and a Grade Level Leader, Max transitioned to being our Director of College Programming in 2009. Prior to working at Boston Collegiate, Max served as the Assistant Director of Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement Program in Boston. Originally from California, Max relocated in order to complete a Master’s of Divinity Degree at Harvard. He also earned a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Religion and a Master’s of Teaching from Willamette University, in Salem, OR, where he did his first teaching before moving to Massachusetts.
B.A. Boston College
Soon after earning his B.A. in English & Film Studies from Boston College, Mr. Gilbert became a teaching intern in Grade Five at the Chestnut Hill School. Searching for more leadership opportunities, he then became a curriculum developer for the King School in Stamford, Connecticut. Over the span of three years, he created various courses in filmmaking, graphic design, and web development for his Computer Science & Digital Applications Department. After returning to the Boston area, Mr. Gilbert has invested his time and resources giving digital literacy consultation for multiple academic institutions. A filmmaker in his spare time, Mr. Gilbert frequently collaborates with other artists in the area to produce creative work.
B.A. Colby College
Jed Graboys joined Boston Collegiate in August 2023 as a 6th grade science teacher. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Colby College where he majored in Sociology. He grew up in Chicago but decided to move to Boston after enjoying his time working as a Patient Care Technician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
B.S. North Central University
Prior to joining Boston Collegiate, Kaili Grandville spent over six years working in college access programs in Minnesota’s Twin Cities. She is passionate about a student’s ability to look forward to their future. She has dedicated her career to supporting students in learning about post-secondary pathways, collecting as many options for themselves as possible, designing a post graduation game plan, and the implementation of that plan.
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Taeko Gupta joined Boston Collegiate in the Fall of 2022. Prior to teaching, she worked with students of all ages in different capacities with the common purpose of fostering community through learning and cultural exploration. When she is not in the classroom, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, and being in nature.
B.A. Tufts University | M.A.T. Simmons College | M.A. Simmons College
Erica Hafferkamp originally joined Boston Collegiate as the librarian in 2011 and has taught 5th grade ELA since then. Before coming to Boston Collegiate, she worked at the MATCH Charter Public Middle School and completed an M.A. in Teaching and Children’s Literature at Simmons College. She loves children’s and young adult literature and is always happy to provide a book recommendation (or two, or three…).
M.S. Massachusetts Institute of Technology | B.A. Wesleyan University
Erin Hardy joined Boston Collegiate in 2023 after working for 20 years as a researcher and data scientist in quantitative social and educational policy, working at leading research institutions including NORC at the University of Chicago, Brandeis University, and the Harvard Kennedy School. As a researcher, Erin used quantitative methods to examine issues of racial and ethnic equity in U.S. children’s educational opportunities and to evaluate related policies. She is beyond excited to bring her training in data science and quantitative reasoning, along with her love and passion for math to the Boston Collegiate learning community. Erin grew up in nearby Quincy, MA and is a proud graduate of the Quincy Public Schools. When she is not daydreaming about logarithms, she can be found on a long distance run or trying to convince her three children that math is fun.
B.S Mathematics, Wagner College | M.A Mathematics, Boston College.
Peter Herbst has taught high school math in Massachusetts for more than 15 years. He enjoys integrating arts and technology into his lessons. He received his teaching certification from Boston University. When not teaching, Mr. Herbst enjoys drawing, cooking, and painting.
B.A. Ohio Wesleyan University | M.A. Tufts University
Jenny Herron is thrilled to serve as the Theatre Director and Arts Coordinator. Prior to Boston Collegiate she worked in off-Broadway theatres in New York City and later taught 10th grade English in rural North Carolina. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Theatre and Performance Studies from Tufts University. She loves the arts in all their forms, and feels unbelievably lucky that she gets to spend her days making art with the students of Boston Collegiate!
B.A.- Emmanuel College| M.A.- Mt. Holyoke College
After earning her Bachelor’s degree in English and Secondary Education from Emmanuel College, Ayanna went on to teach 6th-8th English Language Arts for 6 years in Boston. In 2023, she graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a Masters of Art in Teacher Leadership. She is passionate about fostering collaborative and supportive learning spaces that allow students to be their authentic selves.
M.F.A San Francisco State University
Susanna Kittredge comes to Boston Collegiate after nine years as a special educator Medford. She loves learning how people learn and helping all students access the curriculum. Before becoming a teacher she earned a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University with a focus on poetry and is active in the Boston area poetry community.
B.F.A. University of Connecticut
Sarah Kronisch has her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Connecticut. Sarah has been passionately teaching theater since 2012. She has instructed in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Hong Kong, Connecticut, Washington, and Greece! Sarah believes the skills naturally taught through theater education directly correlate with vital life skills today’s students need to be successful. She feels honored to do this work.
B.A. Dennison University | M.B.A. Boston University
Rachel Langer joined Boston Collegiate in July of 2021 after serving as the Codman Academy Charter Public School Director of Development for seven years. She graduated in 2013 from Denison University with a B.A. in psychology, English, and education. In 2018, she received her M.B.A. from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business, where she focused on social impact and leadership and organizational transformation. She was born and raised in the Boston area and has volunteered with many nonprofits, including serving on boards for Girls In Tech and Bottom Line.
B.A. Wesleyan University | M.Div Harvard Divinity School
B.S. Miami University of Ohio | M.Ed. Wright State University
Alissa Long graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education from Miami University of Ohio majoring in Special Education with a minor in French. She went on to earn a Masters in Educational Leadership from Wright State University in Ohio. She taught a combination of fourth grade, Special Education, and ESL during her time as a public school teacher in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is trained in the Orton-Gillingham multi-sensory language approach. Alissa has worked as a rules based multi-sensory reading teacher at Boston Collegiate and a Student Support teacher.
B.A. Bucknell University | M.Ed. The College of New Jersey
George Long graduated from Bucknell University with Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and religion. He earned a Masters in Secondary Education (English) from The College of New Jersey. He previously taught English and African American history, served as a dean of students, an athletic director, and a three-season coach over the past 30 years.
B.A. Merrimack College
Abner has joined Boston Collegiate upon graduation from Merrimack College. At Merrimack, Abner had various volunteer experiences in middle schools throughout the Merrimack Valley along with community services in homeless shelters, nursing homes and preschools. Additionally, he has provided behavioral and instructional services to young individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) on the principles of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). He enjoys watching and playing baseball, exploring different places, reading and sleeping!
B.A. College of Our Lady of the Elms
Yiriam Lopez joined Boston Collegiate in 2014 after completing her Bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology, Education, and Psychology at Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts. Prior to Boston Collegiate, she worked with children in various settings such as youth groups, recreational camps, and the Boys and Girls Club of Brockton. She has served in the roles of In-House Substitute/Office Assistant and Operations Coordinator before becoming Middle School Operations Manager.
B.S. Appalachian State University | M.Ed. University of Washington
Amanda Kay Loring joined Boston Collegiate in 2013 after completing a Masters in Education Policy degree at the University of Washington in Seattle. Amanda Kay brings two years of teaching and community relationship building experience through a rare Teach for America opportunity in rural Louisiana. She has served in the roles of executive assistant, operations manager, and director of operations at Boston Collegiate before landing in her current role as chief operating officer.
B.A University of Massachusetts Lowell | M.Ed University of Massachusetts Education
Bio forthcoming.
B.A. Psychology
Daelyn Marrow is excited to join the Boston Collegiate community as a Teacher for America Corp Member after gaining teaching experience in the Greater Boston Area and completing her education at Suffolk University. Daelyn is currently a graduate student at Boston University.
B.A. Saint Michael's College | M.A. Universidad de Las Americas Puebla
Caitlin McHugh joined Boston Collegiate in 2015 after working for eight years in international schools in Mexico. Most recently, she worked as the ELL Specialist and team leader at the American School Foundation in Mexico City. She has a Masters in Applied Linguistics from the Universidad de Las Americas Puebla and Bachelors degrees in Elementary Education and Spanish from Saint Michael’s College. She is a certified Spanish-English translator from UMass Boston. In addition to teaching, Caitlin has contributed to various publications about language learning and bilingual schools.
B.S. Vanderbilt University
Heather McLeod is a Boston area native and joined Boston Collegiate in 2021 as the History Department Chair and AP U.S. History instructor. She received her B.S. from Vanderbilt University in Secondary Education and History in 2011 and she is currently working on her Master’s in Education Psychology at Harvard University. She has a passion for modernizing the way history is taught and studied and firmly believes in the social-emotional value in education.
B.A. Curry College
Kim Misci joined Boston Collegiate in 2003. Previously, Kim worked at North Shore Music Theater in both Group Sales and the Education Department, where she did choreography work for summer education workshops.
B.S. University of Massachusetts - Amherst | M.A. Concordia University Irvine | M.S. Concordia University Irvine
Rhode Moise joined Boston Collegiate in the Fall of 2021. She recently obtained her Master of Science in Exercise Science at Concordia University Irvine. In the past, she has worked with children in various settings such as camps, local youth groups, and most recently as a director of a Boys & Girls Club.
B.A. Emmanuel College | M.Ed. University of Massachusetts Boston
Nadiya Monestime returns to Boston Collegiate after working as a 10th Grade Humanities Teacher in Boston Public Schools for the 18-19 school year. Prior to that, she worked at Boston Collegiate as a Student Support Teacher, Middle School English Teacher, and Principal Intern.
B.A. Dartmouth College | Ed.M. Harvard Graduate School of Education
Sarah Morland joined Boston Collegiate in 2003 and has served as Science Department Chair, Science Coach, Director of Data Analysis, and Science Teacher to grades five through nine prior to becoming High School Principal. As a Director of School Support at the Achievement Network, Sarah coached school leaders and teachers to understand and use formative assessment data to improve instruction. Prior to joining the Boston Collegiate staff in 2003, Sarah taught Science in Reading, Massachusetts and at the Kent School in Connecticut.
B.A. History and Literature, Harvard University | M. Phil. Irish Theatre and Film, Trinity College Dublin
Beth Newhall joined Boston Collegiate Charter School in July 2021 as the Director of Development Communications and Operations. Previously, she worked in fundraising at GBH, the largest content producer for PBS. She began her fundraising career at a small nonprofit working to build the grassroots climate movement. Prior to fundraising, Beth worked for nearly ten years in educational publishing.
B.A. College of the Holy Cross | M.A. Loyola Marymount University
Megan Noyes has been the Middle School Principal since 2016 and has been working at Boston Collegiate since 2009. She taught 7th grade ELA at BCCS for five years before transitioning into school leadership in 2014 when she held the role as Director of Instruction for Humanities and World Languages for two years. Prior to Boston Collegiate, Megan served as a Teach For America corps member and taught 7th grade ELA for two years at Markham Middle School, located in Los Angeles, California.
B.A. Southwest Baptist University | M.A. Northwest Missouri State University
Nicole O’Hern joined Boston Collegiate in 2015 after teaching adult English language learners for six years at the YMCA International Learning Center in Boston. At the YMCA ILC, Nicole also served as a program coordinator/education counselor for a federally funded program that provided free English classes for immigrants. Prior to her work experience in Boston, Nicole earned her certificate to teach high school English in Missouri, and lived in Indonesia for a semester as part of her Intercultural Studies degree. She later volunteered to teach English with St. Louis’s Immigrant and Women’s Refugee Program while earning her Master’s degree in Teaching English Language Learners from Northwest Missouri State University.
B.A. Dickinson College | M.A. University of Massachusetts - Boston
Jenna Ogundipe joined Boston Collegiate in 2002. She has taught history to grades six through eight, served as History Department Co-Chair, Dean of Administration, High School Principal, and Chief Academic Officer. Before coming to Boston Collegiate, Jenna taught history at the Metropolitan Treatment Center in Roslindale.
B.S., Universidad de Antioquia | M.Ed, Boston University
Yuliana Palacio is from Colombia. She studied foreign languages teaching at Universidad de Antioquia. After graduating, she worked as an English and French teacher in public schools in her home city, Medellin. In 2018, she came to Boston and completed her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. Recently, she was teaching high school Spanish in the Boston area and co-founding an educational nonprofit in Colombia called ConEducación.
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Bio forthcoming.
B.A. University of Massachusetts - Boston | M.Ed. Northeastern University
Porsche joined Boston Collegiate in 2021. Prior to joining Boston Collegiate, Porsche worked for the Boston Public Schools (BPS) in a variety of administrative roles including director of operations for special education and project manager in the Office of Social Emotional Learning and Wellness. In these roles she was responsible for supporting the students of BPS operationally by providing support to senior leadership, oversight of budgets and working closely in developing policies and strategy. Porsche earned her bachelor’s degree from UMass Boston and her master’s degree from Northeastern University. Porsche is currently completing her Masters in Education in School Counseling at UMass Boston.
B.A. Skidmore College | M.A.T. Teachers College, Columbia University
Alice Quarantello joined Boston Collegiate after teaching at Believe Southside Charter High School in Brooklyn, New York, where she taught academic literacy and tenth grade English. Prior to teaching, Alice worked at the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., in New York City.
B.A in Sociology, Framingham State University
Antonia Peretti joined Boston Collegiate as an intern in the summer 2022 and started full time in the fall of 2022. Antonia graduated from Framingham State University with a bachelors degree in sociology and a minor in psychology. When Antonia is not at Boston Collegiate, you can find her on the softball field as coaching softball is her passion.
B.A Amherst College
Michael Purvis grew up in Boston and attended Boston Collegiate Charter School, from which he graduated in 2017. He enjoys playing chess, poker, and other table-top games.
B.A. University of Massachusetts, Lowell
Nicquela Roach joined Boston Collegiate in August of 2023 as a High School Student Support Teacher. She received her bachelor’s degree from University of Massachusetts Lowell, where she majored in psychology and minored in criminal justice. She is currently pursuing a master’s in social work at Regis College. Nicquela Roach was born and raised in Boston and graduated from Boston Collegiate in 2017.
M.Ed Harvard University
Caroline Rose is joining Boston Collegiate after earning her Ed.M. from Harvard Graduate School of Education. Previously, she taught Latin at Washington Latin Public Charter School in Washington D.C. In addition to teaching, she coached cross country and track and taught yoga. She also completed a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Indonesia.
R.N. Simmons College | B.S. Boston University
Jen Ryan joined Boston Collegiate in 2013 after working as a substitute school nurse in the Revere Public School district. Prior to going back to school at Simmons University to earn her BSN, she spent seven years working as an academic administrator in the departments of Biology and Marine Science at Boston University. In addition to her nursing and education experience, Jen also has a bachelor’s degree in Television from Boston University and spent time working in theater administration.
B.S. Stanford University | M.B.A. Yale School of Management
Jan Saglio joined Boston Collegiate as Senior Financial Advisor in 2014. Jan has been a Chief Financial Officer in innovative social ventures in housing, healthcare and technology. She has an M.B.A. from the Yale School of Management and attended Stanford University as an undergraduate. Jan serves on the board of the Boston Public Market Association.
B.A. Bridgewater State University
Sony joins Boston Collegiate after working at the Watertown Boys & Girls for three years where he started off as the Athletic Director and became a Senior Program Director. As a first-generation college graduate in a Haitian family, Sony is grateful for all the opportunities that school has provided where he could combine his passions for sports and youth development. Those opportunities included an internship at the Carlos Pacheco Elementary School in New Bedford, a two-year mentoring position at Brockton High School, and a teaching service-trip at St. John’s Anglican Primary School in Belize. Sony is looking forward to building positive relationships with the students here in his new role as the High School Physical Education and Health Teacher!
Malia Sample is starting her first year with Boston Collegiate in August 2022, and she is incredibly excited to join the BCCS team! Malia grew up outside of Washington D.C. and is a recent graduate from the University of Virginia where she obtained both her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology and her Master’s of Education in Kinesiology for Individuals with Disabilities.
B.S. Villanova University | M.Ed., University of Notre Dame
Brendan Shea joined Boston Collegiate after two years of being a Teaching Fellow through Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education and teaching middle school science at Little Flower Catholic School in Mobile, Alabama. While in Mobile, he spent time coaching basketball, soccer, and ultimate frisbee, as well as being an advisor for the school’s Scholar Bowl team.
B.A. Lafayette College| M. Ed Boston University
Annika joined the Boston Collegiate Community in 2023. Annika holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Lafayette College and a Masters in Education from Boston University. Annika grew up in Wilton, Connecticut and moved to Boston in 2020.
B.A. Lafayette College | Ed.M. Boston University
My name is Annika Sheehan and I attended undergraduate school at Lafayette College where I received my Bachelor of Arts in sociology and then went on to get my masters in school counseling from Boston University and recently graduated this year. I grew up in Wilton, Connecticut and moved to Boston in 2020.
B.A. Bridgewater State College | M.A.T. Johns Hopkins University
Courtney Smith has been the Lower School Principal at Boston Collegiate since 2010. Prior to school leadership, Courtney has previously taught 8th grade ELA in our middle school, and high school English in Baltimore, MD. Courtney has been a Boston College Lynch Leadership Academy Fellow (Cohort IV), and is currently engaged in a Certificate in School Management and Leadership through Harvard Business School and Graduate School of Education.
B.A. Harvard University | M.Sc. London School of Economics and Political Science
Tiffany Soto joined Boston Collegiate in July 2019. Prior to joining Boston Collegiate, she led school operations, data, and enrollment at UP Academy Boston for three years. Tiffany began her career as a strategy consultant at The Parthenon Group in their Boston and London offices, where she worked for education and private equity clients in the U.S. and Europe. Tiffany earned her bachelor’s degree from Harvard and her master’s degree from the London School of Economics.
B.A Hobart William Smith Colleges | M.S.Ed Boston University/Wheelock College
Marcia Soden received her Bachelor’s degree from Hobart-William Smith Colleges. She received her M.S.Ed in Special Education from BU/Wheelock College. She was trained in Wilson Reading by Barbara Wilson and certified in 1998. She enjoys spending time with her family and grandchildren, and at the gym.
B.A. Kenyon College | M.Ed. Charles Sposato Graduate School of Education
Laule’a joined Boston Collegiate in 2018, and has been working in Boston schools since 2011. Prior to moving to Boston, she taught in Dhaka, Bangladesh as a Fulbright Fellow and taught hands-on science to 6th graders at outdoor school in her home state of Oregon.
B.A. University of Connecticut
Neva Taylor joined Boston Collegiate in August of 2022. She completed her undergraduate degree in Sociology and Urban Studies at the University of Connecticut and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree at Harvard University.
B.A. University of Massachusetts Boston | M.Ed. University of Massachusetts Boston
Before joining Boston Collegiate, Deidre worked at Neighborhood House Charter School as a fellow for the last two years. She is a 2015 graduate of the Teach Next Year Program and is eager to gain experiences necessary to become a dynamic English teacher.
B.S. University of California Riverside
Connor Tom grew up in the sunny valleys of Southern California. He received his bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from University of California, Riverside, and is pursuing his master’s degree from Harvard University. Before Boston Collegiate, Connor was an instructor at Roxbury Prep Mission Hill. He loves to dance and engage with his students.
B.S. Northeastern University | M.B.A./M.S.A. Northeastern University
Tatiana Torres joined Boston Collegiate as Director of Finance in September 2019. Prior to joining Boston Collegiate, Tatiana worked as the controller for Bay State Physical Therapy for 12 years.
B.A. Harvard College
Meaghan Townsend studied English at Harvard and is excited to teach American Literature at Boston Collegiate. Through the Harvard Teacher Fellows program, she is now earning her Masters in Education. Her hope is to connect all students with a type of reading and writing that they love. Meaghan enjoys biking, hiking, and good surprises.
B.S. Florida International University
Leslie Valentin joined Boston Collegiate after working in the hospitality industry for over seven years. Leslie’s background and experience include operations management and customer service.
B.F.A. Art Institute of Boston/Lesley University
Christine Vardaro joined Boston Collegiate in 2016 after operating a licensed in-home daycare in Dorchester for 14 years. Christine also served as a Graduate Housing Manager at MIT prior to opening her daycare.
B.A. Bard College | M.A. Simmons College
Maisie Veeder returned to Boston Collegiate in 2007 after four years away. Maisie taught high school English at BCCS for three years and served as English Chair. Prior to joining the Boston Collegiate staff, Maisie taught English in Dartmouth, Massachusetts.
B.A. Bridgewater State University
Lauren was born, raised, and currently resides in Dorchester. She graduated from Boston Collegiate in 2013 (go, Hurricanes!), and received her bachelor’s degree in English Language Arts Secondary Education from Bridgewater State University. Before Boston Collegiate, she was an executive director at Project D.E.E.P. in Dorchester. She loves traveling, yoga, and helping her students be the best versions of themselves!
B.S. University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Jim White joined Boston Collegiate in 1999. Previously, he spent three years teaching middle school math and science at Boston Renaissance Charter School. Jim has completed graduate courses in Inorganic Materials Chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
A.B. Princeton University
With a Politics major and a Teacher Prep minor from Princeton University focusing on education policy, teacher preparation, and civics education, Zyan’s true passion lies in fostering equitable and innovative teaching practices, education reform, mentorship, leadership, and career readiness skills. He aims to create classrooms and schools where students are seen, empowered, challenged, equipped, and invigorated. He is excited to join BCCS for his first year while obtaining his master’s and having just finished teaching 6th-grade Ancient Civilizations.
M.A.T. Rhode Island School of Design | M.S. Tufts University
Dorie joined Boston Collegiate 2016 after working as an Art Teacher, Artist and Special Needs Assistant for many years. She is an enthusiastic maker with experience in adaptive technology and the intersection of art and technology through laser cutting and 3D printing. She holds a Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy from Tufts University and a Masters of Art in Teaching from Rhode Island School of Design.
B.A. Barnard College
Gallant Zhuangli (Silverglade) is currently pursuing a M.Ed. in teaching 5th-12th grade history and social sciences at Harvard University. Previously, she facilitated Sports Social Justice, as well as Social and Emotional Learning, workshops at a youth athletics nonprofit. Her past lives include working in Social Impact PR, as a literacy tutor, a public speaking coach, fitness instructor, and substitute teacher. She completed, in 2020, her history B.A. at Barnard College in New York City.
