Meet Our Team

M.Ed Leadership, University of Pennsylvania; Post-grad Educational Psychology, Temple University; M.A. Dual Special Education & Elementary Education, Chestnut Hill College; B.A. Media Arts, Long Island University; CSP, SPEOS Photographic Institute of Paris; Adjunct Professor, GSE St. Joseph's University.

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Christopher F. Herman, M.Ed (2020)

Senior Leadership Team

B.A. Sociology, Boston College; M.A. Education, Columbia Teachers College.

Brad Battaglia

Upper Division Head & Director of College Counseling (2017)

B.A. Business Administration, CUNY Hunter College.

Mary Maisano

Director of Finance (1992)

B.S. Fashion Design, Syracuse University; Global Executive M.B.A., Georgetown University and ESADE Business School.

Kat Sullivan

Director of Enrollment Management & Marketing (2020)

B.A. Mathematics/Secondary Education; M.S. Elementary Education; P.D. Educational Administration and Supervision; doctoral coursework in Administration, St. John’s University.

William Vogel

Lower Division Head (1977)

Broad Leadership Team

B.S. Biology; completed graduate courses in cell biology and microbial genetics, and research on Lysly-TRNA synthetase activity in E. coli, St. John’s University. Licensed instructor of Medical Assisting & General Academics. Teacher of courses in EKG use and interpretation, phlebotomy, and urinalysis.

Marlene Dapice

Chair of the Science Department & Academic Advisor for Grade 9 (1989)

B.S. Physical Education, University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. M.S. Education, School Building Leadership, Administration and Instructional Leadership, St. John’s University

Flance Dervishi

Director of Athletics (2008)

B.S. Physical Education, College of Mount Saint Vincent, NY.

Michele Ferreira

Assistant Director of Athletics and Student Life Coordinator (2016)

B.S. Environmental Biology, Ohio University; graduate studies in Secondary Education, CUNY Queens College.

John Hale

Technology, Robotics & Schedule Coordinator (1997)

Kim Hayes

Afterschool Coordinator (2014)

B.A. Literature, Ramapo College of NJ; Certificate in Book Publishing; M.A. Early Childhood Education, New York University; NYS Certified Birth-Grade 6.

Paula James

Dean of Grades 1-3 (2009)

B.S. Finance, Boston College; M.A. American History, Fordham University. MEd, School Building Leadership, SJU, 2022

Richard Kruczek

Dean of Grades 9-10 (2002)

B.S. Elementary Education (Grades 1-6), Math Certification (Grades 5-7), St. John’s University; M.A. Literacy and Language Acquisition (Grades B-6), CUNY Hunter College; School Building Leadership Certification, St. John’s University.
Languages Spoken:
English, Spanish, French

Agustin Melara

Chair of World Languages Department & 10th Grade Advisor (2000)

Ana Mesias

Head Chef (2014)

B.A. English Iona College, M.A. Elementary Education, Adelphi University, Post Graduate Studies in Early Childhood, Queens College

Lauren Murray

Assistant Director of Pre-K For All Program (2022)

B.A. History/Secondary Education, Towson University; pursuing M.A. History, CUNY Queens College.

Sarah O’Sullivan

Dean of Grades 7-8 (1999)

B.A. History / Secondary Education, Hofstra University; M.S. School Building Leadership, St. John’s University.

Jacquelyn Renner

Dean of Grades 4,5,6 (2001)

B.A. Early Childhood Education, CUNY Queens College; M.S. Multilingual, Multicultural Education, College of New Rochelle; M.S. School Building Leadership, St. John’s University.

Eileen Reyes

Dean of Grades N-K (1986)

John Tocco

Director of Facilities (1997)

Masters Degree SJU NYS Certified Early Childhood Education

Maria Victora

Director of Pre-K for All Program (2014)

Administration Staff

M.S. Ed. Counseling Psychology, Hunter College Educational Leadership and Administration (Advanced Certificate), The College of Saint Rose Mellon Fellowship, African American Literature, Cornell University B.S. English Literature and Secondary Education, Hunter College Licensed School Counselor (NYSED) School Building Leader Certificate (NYSED) Licensed Teacher of English (NYSED)

Reshma Baig

School Counselor (2022)

B.B.A. Accounting, Berkeley College, President’s List; NYS Notary Public; Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional

Christine Haddad

Controller (2013)

B.A. Italian, CUNY Queens College; M.B.A. Finance, Fordham University

Mary Petruso

Executive Assistant to the Head of School (2004)

B.A. English/Government, Connecticut College; M.A. Journalism, New York University. Past President of NYSACAC, NACAC Board of Directors, and advisory panel member for The City University of New York and The College Board

Lisa Sohmer

College Counseling Associate (1996)

Elena Sokolova

School Nurse (2020)

B.S. Political Science University of Pittsburgh

Zachary Simpson

Development & Communications Associate (2022)

Faculty & Staff

Raymond Arias

Driver and Dining Staff (2021)

Monica Bonilla

Driver and Dining Staff (2021)

Jessica Caicedo-Marino

Dual Language Teacher (2021)

Herbert Carvajal

Maintenance (2011)

Ogier Castedo

After School Staff (2022)

Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Education (from New York University); New York Teacher Initial Certification in Mathematics 7-12 with Mathematics 5-6 Extension

Xin Yi Chen

Math Teacher and 8th Grade Advisor (2022)

Robert Daley

After School Staff (2020)

Ryan Daley

Classroom Assistant (2013)

Maureen DeGaetano

Classroom Assistant (2016)

Masters English Ed and Theatre

Christine Drayer

English Teacher (2022)

BA - Political Science, St. Francis College and M.S.Ed Master of Science in Educational Leadership, St. John's University.

Rory Duncan

Classroom Assistant and Driver (2021)

Euridice Eleftheriou

Classroom Assistant (2014)

B.S. in Physics from the College of Staten Island and the Macaulay Honors College. I have a M.A. in Astronomy from Boston University.

Daniel Feldman

Science Teacher (2021)

Bachelor of Arts, Double Major: Early Education, General and Special Education Speech Communication, Professional Teaching Certificate in Early child general education birth- 2 grade & 1-6 grade , Professional Teaching Certificate in special education in early childhood birth-2 grade, Masters in Literacy and Cognition

Laura Ganley

Pre-K Teacher (2012)

Angelica Gomez

Classroom Assistant (2014)

B.A. African Literature; M.A. English, University of Dakar, Senegal; Brevet de Technicien Superieur en Tourisme, Vocational School of Tourism and Hotel Management, West Africa; Berlitz Teaching Training Program.

Gabriel Gomis

French Teacher and 12th Grade Advisor (2005)

Bachelor's Degree in British and American Literature, and Secondary Education

Rui Guimaraes

English Teacher (2021)

Worcester State University B.A. in Elementary Education and Sociology, M.S. in Elementary Education

MaryRose Haddad

Language Arts Teacher (2022)

B.A. in English & Political Science, Queens College, CUNY, M.S.Ed Early Childhood Birth-2nd Grade, Hunter College, CUNY

Davina Hardyal

Pre-K Teacher (2019)

B.M. Jazz Performance, New York University; additional coursework, CUNY Queens College, Aaron Copland School of Music.

Thomas Heineman

Music Teacher (2008)

Lenny Herrera

Math Teacher (2022)

BFA Acting, Purchase College MFA Dramatic Writing, NYU/Tisch

Carl Holder

Performing Arts Teacher (2021)

Diana Jaramillo

Pre-K Teacher (2022)

Tierison Karathanasis

Pre-K Teacher (2022)

Maya Kohinoor Khabir

Classroom Assistant (2021)

Mosammat Khalid

Pre-K Teacher (2015)

Claudia Lopez

Dual Language Teacher (2022)

Michael Malone

Maintenance (1995)

B.S. Elementary Education, SUNY New Paltz; M.S. Special Education, CUNY Queens College.

Kristen “Ms. A” Manson

First Grade Teacher (1995)

Christian McCarthy

Math Teacher (2022)

B.A. in Psychology, Pace University; M.A. in Teaching Early Childhood Education/ Teaching Students with Disabilities Birth- Grade 2, Touro College.

Karina Mendoza

Pre-K Teacher (2016)

B.S Early Childhood Birth - 2.

Catherine Mesias

Pre-K Teacher (2014)

Joseph Mesias

Classroom Assistant (2015)

Juris Doctorate, Touro University Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center; American Bar Association; Bachelor of Science in Biology, State University at New Paltz
Langauges Spoken:
English, Spanish, Portuguese

Omar Maldanado

Campus Security and Maintenance (2016)

Brenda Nitti

Classroom Assistant (2016)

A.A. Art, Nassau Community College; B.A. Art History, Hunter College; M.A. Art Business, Sotheby’s Institute of Art.

Edward Orlowski

Fine Arts Teacher (2020)

Bachelor of Science in Biology from the City College of New York

Darien Ortiz

Science Teacher (2021)

Yaritza Perdomo

Pre-K Teacher (2021)

Hristina Petrova

Math Teacher (2022)

Johnny Quizphi

Classroom Assistant (2020)

Jaclyn Ramirez

Pre-K Teacher (2021)

Stefany Guzman-Reynoso

Dining Staff (2021)

Jorge Rodriguez

Driver (2020)

Cheyenne Romero

Classroom Assistant (2022)

Jeremy Romero

After School Staff (2022)

Mariela Romero

Classroom Assistant (2021)

B.A. Philosophy and the Liberal Arts, St. Joseph Seminary College; B.A., Philosophy, K.U. Leuven; M.A. English, Southeastern Louisiana University; M.A. Philosophy, The New School for Social Research; Adolescent English (Advanced CertiTcation), CUNY Hunter College (in process)

Anthony Greig Roselli

Chair of the English Department (2016)

Camari Sabal

After School Staff (2022)

B.S. Education / Special Education, SUNY College at Geneseo; M.S. Education / Early Childhood Education, CUNY Queens College; graduate coursework in Curriculum & Instruction, CUNY College of Staten Island and Long Island University.

Joanne Simeone-Vogel

Nursery Teacher (2014)

Selina Sultana

Classroom Assistant (2014)

Andrea Matute Vargas

Classroom Assistant (2019)

B.S. Economics, California Polytechnic State University; Art History, Mass. College of Art and Design and Harvard University School of Continuing Education.

Rachel Vidal

Third Grade Teacher (2017)

LaGuardia College Business Program.

Calogera Volpe

Nursery Assistant Teacher (2004)

Jalin Weaver

French and Spanish Teacher (2022)

Faith Wong

After School Staff (2022)

B.A. Early Childhood/Childhood Education and Psychology, Hofstra University; NYS CertiTed Birth-Grade 6; M.A. TESOL, Queens College.

Lauren Yandow

Kindergarten Teacher (2014)

B.A. Chinese Language and Literature, CUNY Hunter College.

Jie Yang

Mandarin Teacher (2011)

Evelyn Zamora

Pre-K Teacher (2022)

Garden School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, religion, ethnicity, age, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation in its hiring and promotion of administrators, faculty and staff, and in its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and financial aid programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.