Beth Anderson, Executive Director

(email: banderson@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Beth Anderson is the Executive Director of the Phoenix Charter Academy.  For the last 14 years she has worked in a variety of administrative and development capacities in the fields of public education, public health and youth development, seeking to improve educational and economic opportunities for urban youth in Los Angeles and the greater Boston area.  Prior to leading the chartering process for PCA, Ms. Anderson was the Deputy Executive Director of the Media and Technology Charter High School in Boston and a Senior Program Director for Roca, Inc. of Chelsea.  Ms. Anderson is an alumna of Brandeis University, Harvard Graduate School of Education and Teach For America.  

Winston Benjamin, Recruitment and Retention Coordinator

(email: wbenjamin@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Winston Benjamin is entering his third  was born in Jamaica and raised in the Bronx neighborhood of New York City.  Mr. Benjamin was a Posse Scholar and attended Wheaton College in Norton, MA where he was a mentor to many young people of color. Most recently Mr. Benjamin was the Director of Teen Enrichment programs at the Hyde Park YMCA.  Mr. Benjamin is an accomplished debater, having won many awards in NYC and Boston.  He is excited to bring his youth development background to all Academy students. 

Kelly Bragan, Director, PCA Child Development Center

(email: kbragan@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Kelly Bragan is entering her third year at PCA.  She was born and resides in Lynn, MA. At the age of fifteen, she began working with children during the summer. She later realized that she was interested in the field of early childhood education. Mrs. Bragan graduated from North Shore Community College in 2001, earning a degree in Arts in Early Childhood Development. After graduation, she has continued working with children and began assisting with advocating for families. 

Stephen Chawner, Math Teacher

(email: schawner@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Mr. Chawner comes to Phoenix Charter Academy with experience in both special education and math.  Last year, he worked as a Learning Center Teacher at Wellesley Middle School, where he taught math to students with language-based learning disabilities as well as students on the autism spectrum.  While he enjoyed working with middle school students, Mr. Chawner most enjoys working with urban high school math students.  For the past two years, he has served as both a MCAS & SAT Math Preparation Teacher for Cambridge Housing Authority's Workforce Program.  Mr. Chawner's interest in working at a charter school originated from his experience as a summer school math teacher at Prospect Hill Academy Charter School, where he taught Algebra I, Algebra II, Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus.  He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Colgate University.  When he's not helping students understand math, Mr. Chawner enjoys exercising and checking out new Boston restaurants with friends and family. 

Amy Crismond, Development Associate

(email: acrismond@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Amy Crismond recently graduated from Elon University, located in North Carolina, in May 2008. She majored in International Studies and minored in Business, Political Science and Spanish. While in college, Ms. Crismond completed an internships with Habitat for Humanities where she had to coordinate campus involvement projects.  Upon graduation, she moved back to her home state of Massachusetts and joined PCA as an Intern.   Amy quickly distinguished herself, helping out with PCA's first graduation and creating many marketing materials for the organization.  She is now our first Development Associate.

Patricia Deo, General Science and Spanish Teacher

(email: pdeo@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Patti was born in New Jersey.  She came to Boston to study Biology at Boston University.  After college, Patti moved to South America and spent over four years teaching English as a Second Language in Chile and Ecuador, where she developed a love for both teaching and the Latin American culture.  Since returning to the U.S., Patti has obtained a Master's in Environmental Education and Secondary Biology Education at University of New Hampshire, and has taught science in an alternative high school education program. 

Thomas DeRosa, Math Teacher

(email: tderosa@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Thomas DeRosa was born and raised in New Jersey and graduated from Rutgers University in 2003.  After graduation, he joined Teach for America in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.  He has taught 8th grade US history, 5th grade math through Pre-Calculus at an alternative program for expelled students, and Algebra I.  He is excited about helping his students understand and enjoy doing math this coming school year.  In January 2008, Mr. DeRosa published the book Ten Cheap Lessons: Easy, Engaging Ideas for Every Secondary Classroom.  He shares more ideas and insights on his website, http://www.teachforever.com.

Acacia Fanto, Humanities Teacher

(email: afanto@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Acacia Fanto was born and raised in Brattleboro, VT and attended Oberlin for college where she received her B.A. in Politics (2001). Following college, Ms. Fanto moved to Boston where she earned her Masters of Education in Peaceable Schools from Lesley University (2004). While in graduate school, Ms. Fanto taught teen empowerment and citizenship education at Citizen Schools, and English/Writing at The Steppingstone Academy. From 2004-2008 Ms. Fanto was the 7/8 English Teacher at The Cambridge Friends School where her experiential curriculum concentrated on issues of social justice. This is Ms. Fanto's first year at PCA.

Lauren Galli, Operations Manager

(email: lgalli@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Lauren Galli majored in Criminal Justice and minored in Political Science and Sociology at Northeastern University.  Lauren has worked in various administrative positions in local companies over the past 10 years.  Most recently Lauren was the Youth Services Quality Assurance Manager for several DYS and DSS residential homes.  This is Lauren's second school year with PCA, growing from a front office manager to her current position.  Lauren is very excited to grow her role at PCA  while continuing to offer support for all of our students. 

Laura Gil-Sanchez, Front Desk Receptionist

(email: lgilsanchez@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Ms. Gil-Sanchez was born and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  She attended the University of Massachusetts-Amherst where she received her Bachelors Degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management in 2007.  While in school, she worked in different offices within the University and also during the summer time did a number of Management trainings to receive credit towards her degree.  After graduation, she stayed working for the hospitality industry for a year, and is now at PCA as our founding receptionist. 

Tristram Hewitt, Director of Finance and Operations

(email: thewitt@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Mr. Hewitt is entering his third year at PCA.  He began work at Phoenix Charter Academy as a founding humanities teacher in the 2006 to 2007 school year. He previously taught ESL in Mexico, and math and social studies at the Epiphany School in Dorchester, MA.   Mr. Hewitt received his B.A. in Social Studies from Harvard University in 2003 and his Ed.M from Boston  College in 2006.

Heather Hudson, Visual Arts Teacher (starting November, 2008)

Originally from Los Angeles, California, Heather received her BFA from University of Massachusetts, Lowell, with her concentration in painting and is currently finishing her MFA at Massachusetts College of Art and Design.  Heather has joined at PCA because she is deeply committed to transforming students' lives and communities through creative explorations of art disciplines such as drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, conceptual and performance art.

Julia Kumpf, Chemistry and Physics Teacher

(email: jkumpf@phoenixcharteracademy.org)
Julia Kumpf grew up in Medfield, Massachusetts and recently graduated from University of Massachusetts, Amherst with B.S. degrees in chemistry and physics and a minor in education. She spends her summers integrating urban and suburban children through outdoor education at a girl scout sailing camp on Cape Cod. Ms. Kumpf is very excited to become a part of the PCA community.

Nick LaRocque

(email: nlarocque@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Nick LaRocque graduated from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, ME in 2005.  At Bowdoin, he majored in history and minored in education along with playing four years of Varsity football and serving as a columnist for the school's newspaper.  After leaving Bowdoin, Nick spent two years serving as a full-time history teacher, coach, and dorm parent at the Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, MA.  Nick also served as the editor of the school's yearbook during his second year.  Nick left Eaglebrook in June of 2007 to pursue his Master's Degree in Special Education at Boston College.  During his program, he served as a student teacher at Brighton High School.  He finished his Master's program in August of 2008, and will work at Phoenix as a full-time Academic Support Services Teacher.

Casey Lawson, Humanities Teacher

(email: clawson@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Casey Lawson is entering his second year at PCA and teaches American history and governmental studies.  Casey grew up in Dedham, Maine and attended Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts.  He majored in History with an undeclared minor in political science.  He came to PCA after working with students of various ages in an alternative day-treatment program in Old Town, Maine.  Mr. Lawson.  He plans on attending graduate school to pursue a masters' degree in Education Policy.  Casey now lives in the Beacon Hill section of Boston.

Margaret MacPartland, Math Teacher

(email: mmacpartland@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Margaret McPartland hails from New Jersey, but has lived in the Boston area for over 20 years.   She received a Bachelors Degree from George Washington University and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Massachusetts in Boston.   Ms McPartland has taught math to youth and adults for over 15 years in a variety of non-traditional settings including a women's shelter, a substance abuse recovery program, a correctional facility, community-based organizations, Roxbury Community College, and most recently at YouthBuild in Cambridge.   In her personal time she enjoys practicing martial arts, jogging, biking, and watching football.

Nick Marston, Phoenix Through College Director

(email: nmarston@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Nick Marston began his teaching career in the New York City Teaching Fellows, a program designed to recruit teachers to understaffed, inner city schools.  After teaching English/Language Arts in Brooklyn for five years and gaining his Master's in Secondary Education, he moved to Boston.  Now entering his second year at PCA, Nick has moved out of the classroom to be the first Phoenix Through College Director.  Nick graduated with a degree in English from Davidson College.

Megan Mehr, Principal

(email: mmehr@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Megan Mehr graduated from Boston College in 1995 with a degree in Psychology and a minor in General Education.  Her teaching background includes two years at Mother Caroline Academy in Dorchester and seven years at Brooklyn International High School, a New York City public high school for immigrant students.  In 2005, Ms. Mehr joined a team of educators to start a new International High School in Brooklyn, where she became the Assistant Principal.  She has a master's degree in Education from the New School University, received her Administration and Supervision degree from Hunter College, and is a thesis away from a master's degree in American Studies from Columbia University.    Ms. Mehr joined PCA in 2007 as the Dean of Faculty. 

Sarah Miller, Dean of Student and Family Support

(email: smiller@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Sarah has worked at PCA for two years.  She received her undergraduate degree in Classical Civilizations from Oberlin College in 2002. It was after her college experience that she fell in love with the world of education while participating in Teach For America in rural Mississippi, an experience she misses daily. In 2005, Sarah moved to the Boston area to enter a Master's program at Harvard's Graduate School of Education, where she graduated from the Teaching and Learning Program at HGSE in 2006.

Mary Millsap, Humanities Teacher, English Language Learning Program Coordinator

(email: mmillsap@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Mary Millsap came to teaching through work in alternative education programs across the western United States, and has lived in 14 places in her adult life, including New York City, where she most recently lived on a sailboat with her husband. New York was also the place where she received much of her formal education, including a bachelor's degree from Sarah Lawrence College, a Masters in Poetry from the City University of New York, and a Masters in Teaching English as a Second Language from Long Island University. She is thrilled to be joining the great staff at PCA, where she will be a Humanities teacher and coordinator of the English Language Learner program.

Cecelia Pena, Assistant Teacher, PCA Child Development Center

Cecilia Pena was born in Dominican Republic.   She moved to New York for ten years, and decided to start a new life in Massachusetts with her husband and two children. Ms. Pena began working with children in 2001 at preschool program in Lynn, when she decided to study about early childhood education at North Shore Community College.  She enjoys working with children of all ages, but loves working with infants and toddlers.  Ms. Pena's hobby is working with computers.

Maruka Rivers, Social Worker

(email: mrivers@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Ms. Rivers is the founding school social worker/counselor for PCA this year. She is very excited to work at PCA and support students in meeting their academic and personal goals. Ms. Rivers has a background in social work and counseling and has worked with youth in residential, educational, and community settings. She completed her Bachelor's degree in Social Work at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and her Master's of Social Work at Simmons College School of Social Work in Boston.  Ms. Rivers can't wait to jump right into PCA's wonderful community of students, teachers, and staff!

Jeff Schneider, Humanities Teacher

(email: jschneid@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Jeff Schneider was born in Chicago, and raised in Braintree, MA.  He attended Swarthmore College, receiving a BA in History, with minors in Ancient History and Latin American Studies.  After graduating in 2005, Mr. Schneider moved to the Middle East, teaching IB/MYP History, Philosophy and Political Science at the American International School in Meden Hawally, Kuwait.  After two years at AIS, Mr. Schneider moved again to become the Director of Social Studies at Fundacion Liceo Ingles in Pereira, Colombia.  There, he lead courses on Modern European History, Islam, and Terrorism; as well as being a visiting lecturer of Political Science at Universidad Technologica de Pereira.  Finally, after three years of expatriate teaching, visiting over 34 countries, (and every continent but Antarctica), Mr. Schneider has moved home for his first year at PCA.

Diane Trueblood, Special Education Administrator

(email: dtrueblood@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Diane Trueblood holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Boston University and a Master of Education in Special Education from Lesley College. She is certified as a Special Needs Teacher K-12 and as an Administrator of Special Education (All Levels).  With twenty-one years of experience in the field of special education, Diane has worked as both a teacher and administrator at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. As a teacher Diane has worked in mainstream inclusion settings, sub-separate settings within the public school district, as well as sub-separate settings in private and alternative placements. As an administrator she has served in public and alternative settings, overseen out-of-district placements, and has now begun working with charter schools. For many years Diane has chaired Team Meetings where she has directed programmatic decision-making.

Sandra Vanquier, Assistant Teacher, Child Development Center

Sandra Vanquier, born in Stanford, CT, has resided in Chelsea for 17 years. She began working with teens and infants in 1999 for 3 years through Roca, Inc., and also as a youth minister with ages 5-14 at St. Luke's Church in Chelsea. She worked at Phoenix for our opening year and left to work as a dental assistant at a general pediatric dentist for three years. Ms. Vanquier is returning to Phoenix working as an Assistant Teacher in the Child Development Center. She has always loved children and has also had children of many ages around her most of her life. She is currently pursing a career in becoming a licensed massage therapist.   

Martin Vargas, English Language Learner Math Assistant Teacher, Recruiter 

(email: mvargas@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Mr. Vargas was born and raised in El Salvador.  After completing his degree in business at Polytechnic University in El Salvador, he decided to move to different country because he wanted to explore the world, and was concerned about the future of El Salvador, which was embroiled in a civil war.  He came to California in 1985, and later returned to El Salvador.  After working for the Federal Reserve Bank in El Salvador, he returned to the United States with his brother, who was earning a degree at U.C.L.A.  A job in manufacturing took him Kansas City, where he was inspired to earn another degree.  He attended Rockhurst University, where he received a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing.  Mr. Vargas began working at PCA in November 2006.

Lisa Weinstein, Science Department Chair, Biology and Health Teacher

(email: lweinstein@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Lisa Weinstein is entering her second year at PCA and is the Head of the Science Department.  Previous to PCA, Ms. Weinstein managed a K-12 Health Program serving two of Andover's Public Schools and built a variety of social justice, nutrition, and mental health programs for youth struggling in traditional educational settings. She will continue to use her expertise in science and health to design a rigorous science program that is both empowering and relevant to Phoenix Charter Academy's students. Lisa has a B.A. from the University of Michigan and a Master's Degree in Education from Boston University.

Noreen Yarwood, Humanities/ Theater Teacher

(email: nyarwood@phoenixcharteracademy.org)

Noreen Yarwood comes to Phoenix Charter Academy having recently received her Masters in Theatre Education from Emerson College, completing her teaching internship at Boston Arts Academy. She attended SUNY New Paltz where she received her B.A. in Theatre and Performance. She graduated in 2002 and worked as a professional actress in New York and Boston for several years before deciding to become an educator. Noreen's primary interests lie in using theatre as a tool to educate youth and to explore the issues of social justice.

Kevin Zampell, Maintenance Coordinator

Mr. Zampell is the school maintenance coordinator.  He is new this year at PCA and spent his summer making sure the move went smoothly to our new space.  Mr. Zampell has worked in a variety of capacities for local companies and is known to be able to fix anything.   He lives in Hamilton, MA.