This week, our new faculty and staff members gathered on the mountain to learn the ropes of IMS. We are thrilled to welcome this fun and talented group of new faculty and staff to the IMS community.

Three new members have joined our leadership team this school year. Dr. Scott Erickson began in July as our Interim Head of School. He brings with him more than 25 years of experience as an educator and leader. 

William Wagner has also joined our leadership team as our Chief Financial Officer. William has more than 15 years of non-profit finance and development experience and is a strong advocate for the arts after working for many years as a professional dancer. We are excited to have him at the helm as we finalize the construction of our new performing arts center and continue to enhance the student experience. 

Our leadership team welcomes Trésor Kayumba as our Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EIB). Tré is the Co-founder and director of Yabantu Inc., a non-profit in Fairfield, CT which serves disadvantaged communities and develops EIB training programs for organizations, as well as skill-building for students. With his extensive EIB and classroom community experience, we know Tré will enhance our work to ensure all students feel known, valued, and reflected in our curriculum and teaching.

 

LOWER CAMPUS

On our Lower Campus, we welcome Kiana Johnson as our new Lower School Physical Education teacher. Kiana will also be coaching Varsity volleyball on the Upper Campus. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University at Buffalo and a Master’s degree from Purdue University and has a background in teaching special education.

Cate Sinclair, IMS alumni (‘16), returns to our mountain as our new assistant teacher in Pre-K. Cate is a recent graduate of Endicott College in Beverly, MA with a bachelor’s degree in education with a concentration in Early Childhood Education. 

Morgyn Gasperini will also be joining the Lower Campus as our new first grade teacher. Morgyn has been teaching second grade at Undermountain Elementary School in Sheffield, MA for the past two years. Prior to that, she served as both a long-term substitute and educational support professional in the southern Berkshire regional school district. Morgyn has her master’s degree in elementary education from American International College and a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Connecticut State University. 

 

UPPER CAMPUS

Nate Hutchins joins the IMS athletics department, coaching and serving as an athletic trainer to support Athletics Director Max Abendroth. Nate will live on campus, working as a dorm parent, serving as an advisor, providing administrative assistance, and substitute teaching support on the Upper Campus. Nate has a bachelor’s degree in health services and a Master’s degree in athletic training from the University of New England.

Amy Kissel will be teaching English and History on the Upper Campus. She has a Master’s degree from Columbia University’s Teaching College and taught English and History in NYC for over 30 years. A native New Yorker, Amy recently relocated to South Egremont, Massachusetts with her family.

Marissa Teator will be teaching math and science on the Upper Campus (grades 7-9), working as a coach, dorm parent, and advisor. Marissa most recently worked as the Husbandry Supervisor and a Zookeeper at the Millbrook Zoo. Marissa has also served as an Associate Research Specialist at the Cary Institute. Marissa has a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Science from the College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Alex Weyerhaeuser will teach science and English on the Upper Campus. She will also be an academic advisor and work residentially. Alex earned her Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies from Yale University and her Master’s in Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment. She most recently worked at The Forest Dialogue and as a teaching fellow at the Yale School of the Environment. 

In addition to our talented new faculty, we have several new members joining our administrative teams:

Sheri Wright has joined our business office as our new Accounts Receivable Coordinator. She has two decades of experience working in healthcare administration and received her business degree from Purdue University.

Dr. Zachary McClain has joined our health department as our new Medical Director. Dr. McClain’s clinical work includes the full spectrum of adolescent health including primary care, reproductive health, eating and feeding disorders, medical management of depression and anxiety, and care for LGBTQ youth.

Ben LeStage will be joining our admissions department and working as a coach, advisor, and dorm parent on campus. Ben is a recent graduate from St. Lawrence University with a major in government and a minor in statistics.

Gwyn Foley joined us at the end of last school year as our Associate Director of Communications and Marketing. Gwyn is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz with a bachelor’s in Film and Digital Media Production. Prior to joining IMS, she worked as a video editor and producer in the film, theater, and sports industries. 

Other faculty and staff that joined us mid-school year include Lindsay Daniels, IT Support Technician & Campus Security Officer, Laura Strachan, School Nurse,  Avery Scoville, Upper Campus Math and Science teacher, Dana Domenick, Upper Campus English and History teacher, and Judith Gafney, Learning Specialist.

 

NEW ROLES

Heather Adams is stepping into a newly created role as Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement and Director of Advancement Services. Sarah Smith has the new title of Assistant Head of School for External Relations/Director of Institutional Advancement. Amanda Halloran is now the Lower School Daily Program Coordinator & Director of Afterschool. And Liz Hodosy, Senior Associate Director of Admissions is adding the position of Director of Financial Aid to her role. 

We are grateful for the continued growth of our IMS community and look forward to introducing our exceptional new team members to our students this fall.