SCHOOL LEADERSHIP - STAFF

Joan Sullivan, Principal

Teacher, the author of An American Voter: My Love Affair with Presidential Politics (Bloomsbury, October 2002), and now the principal and a founder of the Bronx Academy of Letters, Joan Sullivan (principal) has chosen to embark on a bold experiment in literacy education by making the written word her school's focus. The youngest of ten children, she grew up on a small farm in New Jersey. She majored in American Studies at Yale and, as an athlete, earned All-American honors in lacrosse. After college, she spent two years investigating police misconduct for the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board, then took a position on the advance team for Bill Bradley's 2000 presidential campaign. Before the opening of Bronx Letters in September 2003, she taught history at the Bronx School for Law, Government, and Justice in the South Bronx, where she founded and coached the girls' varsity basketball team.

Anna Hall, Assistant Principal

Before becoming the director of the Letters middle school program, Anna Hall, a former New York City teaching fellow, taught ninth and eleventh grade writing classes at Letters. During her tenure as a teacher at Letters, Anna led the development of a four-year cycle of writing courses and filled a number of administrative roles. In a long-ago, pre-teaching life, Anna worked as a speechwriter, copywriter, product manager, and research analyst. She studied literature at the University of South Carolina Honors College and the University of Kent at Canterbury, where she was awarded the 1996 T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry.

Anthony Abramson, Assistant Principal

Anthony Abramson was born and raised in New York City.
Anthony has been employed by the Department of Education for seventeen years. Anthony has primarily been employed in District 75, working with special needs students in several capacities, three years ago Anthony left district 75 and joined Bronx Academy of Letters as a dean. Anthony posseses a Bachelors of Professional Studies in Human services from Metropolitan College. Anthony also has recieved a Masters of Science from Mercy College in Education,and a Masters of Science in School Building Leadership, also from Mercy College.In his spare time, Anthony enjoys writing poetry, and playing and coaching atheletic events

Desiree Battaglia, Grade Team Leader

Desirée Battaglia (Writing) was raised in Uniondale, New York. After leaving her beloved Long Island, she attended college at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Though she had planned a major in Paranormal Psychology, Desiree realized her love for writing when she read Raymond Carver's "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love" in one of her sophomore English classes. She switched majors and graduated with a BA in English/Creative Writing. She shared her poetry at the Folger Shakespeare Library, and her short story "Better Homes and Gardens" was a finalist in the GW Review. She then went on to graduate magna cum laude with an MEd in Secondary Education/English from the same university. Since then, she's taught Honors English in Arlington, Virginia, British Literature in Boston, and written stories and test questions for Scantron state exams in San Diego. Most recently she taught literacy at IS 171 in East New York.

Elana Bell, Writer-in-Residence

Elana Bell, selected as the winner of the 2004 Stephen Dunn Poetry Award, is a 2007-2008 arts fellow at the Drisha Institute. A resident artist with the louderARTS Project, Elana has been a featured poet at Bar 13, the NuYorican Poets Cafe, Hunter College, Teachers and Writers Collaborative, The Bowery Poetry Club, Wow Café Theater, Cornelia Street Café, the Bronx Council on the Arts’ First Wednesday Series, and at the Indian Institute for Advanced Studies in Simla, India. Publications include: Words and Images Magazine, Houston Poetry Festival Journal, Parse, Clamor, Poetz.com and two chapbooks: Dreaming of Doorways and Name Carvings. She serves as the writer-in-residence for the Bronx Academy of Letters and also sings with the a cappella trio, Saheli.

Fred Benton, Science Department Chair

From summers spent in far-off distant lands
Has come your physics teacher for this year
He'll teach you to use both your mind and hands
Your brains he'll pack 'til they come out your ear

He's taught physics, both Intro and AP
And studied at Swarthmore and Stanford U.
He'll work to make the world easy to see
So you can tell with ease what's myth or true.

But most important above all is this:
That you learn science is more than just facts
For knowledge comes from more than muse's kiss
And statements must be backed up with your acts

For he who writes this meter and this verse
Will give you keys to flex the Universe

Marcel Bolintiam, Teacher

Marcel Bolintiam (ESL Reading & Literature) was born into a military family in Long Beach, California. He spent his formative years in Europe – Sicily, Spain and England – where he developed a passion for languages and adventure travel. After studying sociology at Hobart and William Smith Colleges (Geneva, NY), Marcel earned a master of city planning from the University of Pennsylvania where he specialized in affordable housing and nonprofit community development. He spent eight years in Washington, D.C. before embarking on a walkabout that led him to the world of teaching English as a foreign language in Spain, Mexico, and Boston, MA. Soon thereafter, Marcel joined The Knox School in St James, N.Y. as the Director of ESL and International Student Coordinator. However, it was his cotinued desire to work in underserved communities that led him to join the NYC Teaching Fellows and continue his career as an ESL teacher in NYC’s public schools. Marcel splits his free time between his wheaten terrier Ruskin and his graduate work at City College.

Raquel Cheney, Social Worker

Raquel was raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She recieved her Bachelors in Social Work from New York University and her Masters in Social Work from Fordham University. She has been a School Social Worker for 9 years in high schools in Westchester County and Albany, NY. She also has a second Masters degree in School Administration from College of New Rochelle.

Evelyn Díaz, School Secretary

Evelyn is the mother of a sixteen-year-old daughter and a nine-year-old son. She was born in Brooklyn, then moved to Puerto Rico, where she attended elementary school. In 1982 she moved back to New York, this time to the Bronx. She started as a seventh-grade bilingual student in Bronx Letters' current building, IS 183, then transferred to JHS 149 and graduated from Morris High School in 1988. Evelyn has been a school secretary for seven years and is interested in journalism and film. She is also a certified tax preparer for H&R Block.

Catherine Delazzero, Teacher 

Catherine (Writing) recieved a B.A. in English Literature from Oberlin College and an M.A. in English Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Prior to joining the staff at Bronx Academy of Letters, she worked for an educational nonprofit in Cape Town, taught adult ESL for the New York Public Library, and worked for her family's construction firm in the Hunts Point section of The Bronx. Most recently she taught twelfth grade literature and composition at Banana Kelly High School. She loves working with students and families, and in her spare time enjoys reading, running, and practicing yoga.

Sierra Freeman, Student Enrichment Coordinator

Sierra Freeman (Student Enrichment Coordinator) was born and raised in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. She was awarded a Posse Scholarship and graduated from Hunter College where she studied African/Puerto Rican Studies and English. Before coming to the Bronx Academy of Letters, Sierra worked in the Archives Department at the Center for Puerto Rican Studies. She was in charge of the collections of prominent Puerto Rican figures such as, Antonia Pantojia and Pedro Pietri. Sierra also enjoys writing and has freelanced for publications like, Columbia's Community Affairs Newsletter, Latina Style Magazine, The Indypendent, and Urban Latino Magazine. During her free time, Sierra loves to watch Bollywood movies and spend time with her French Bull dog, Cassius.

Shannon-A'lyce Jones, College Counselor

A native of Altadena, California I left my small town to attend New York University. There, I studied Psychology. I later enrolled at
Azusa Pacific University to study Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Family. As a part of my program I served as a counselor at the University Counseling Center and at a local elementary school. I also worked part time at the Frostig School as Admissions Coordinator. After receiving my Masters in Clinical Psychology, I moved back to New York; working as Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions at New York University. Later I worked as a College Counselor for an after school program called Groundwork for Success.

Marco DeLeon, Teacher

Marco was born and raised in the South Bronx. He earned his bachelor's degree in Human Services from St. John's University, his Masters in Social Work from Yeshiva University and completed his Masters in Education in June of 2007. Marco has worked with at-risk young people and their families as well as with the developmentally disabled for nearly 20 years. He held several positions with the nationally recognized programs of Father Flanagan's Boys & Girls Town, including several years as the New York Site Executive Director. His years of professional work have been paralleled by his work in Youth Development, Community Organizing and Youth Ministry.

Derek Dubossi, Teacher

Derek (Earth Science) was born and raised in Virginia Beach, VA and attended Purdue University to study atmospheric science. After graduation he decided to pursue education instead of a profession as a meteorologist. He taught Earth and space science for two years at Lake Taylor High School in Norfolk, VA. A desire to be involved in comparative and international education attracted him to accept a role as a U.S. Peace Corps. volunteer in South Africa in 2003. For two years, he worked with the South African government implementing a new national education curriculum in a post apartheid era. Currently, he is earning a masters of arts degree in science education at Columbia University's Teachers College.

Elana Eisen-Markowitz, Teacher

Ms. Eisen-Markowitz (American History) was born and raised in Washington D.C. and Takoma Park, MD. She moved to Boston for college but never liked Massachusetts very much. Ms. Eisen-Markowitz majored in American Studies at Tufts University, where she spent her time as a Neubauer Scholar working on various independent research projects around the world (Mexico, Argentina, South Africa), as well as co-teaching a course for college freshmen about racial identity, and playing Soccer and Ultimate Frisbee. She took a break from college to work at a Haitian immersion middle school in Cambridge, MA and then returned to Tufts to complete a M.A.T. in History for secondary schools. Just before moving to New York to teach Bronx Letters' lovely eleventh graders, Ms. E-M taught both U.S. and Global History at Somerville High School in Somerville, MA (which she will miss, but not enough to stay in Massachusetts...).

Ameer El-Mallawany, Teacher

Ameer Kim El-Mallawany (Literature) is living in exile from his homeland of Ohio, and from his respective mother and fatherlands, Korea and Egypt. He earned his Bachelors in Film Studies at Yale University and has most recently returned from teaching on a reservation in Northwestern New Mexico. In college, he was an active artist and artistic activist: tutoring and teaching in local schools, working at the admissions office, the Asian American Cultural Center, and Schools of the 21st Century, DJ'ing a weekly radio show, performing as a part of the Asian American writing and performance group, Jook Songs, running a reading group for the Alternative Incarceration Center in Bridgeport, CT, serving as an Residential Advisor for Asian American freshpeople, and staying active in the various communities he called his own. Today, he is thrilled to be at Bronx Letters amongst such creative and thoughtful students and staff. He also is an assistant football coach at South Bronx High School.

Jeffrey Garrett, Coordinator of Student Affairs

Mr. Garrett hails from St. Paul, Minnesota where he developed a love for two things, learning and football. He headed east to Dartmouth College after high school where he was a starting defensive tackle on the football team. He majored in Government, but his studies both in and out of class focused primarily on issues of social
justice. It was this exciting combination of academic study and political activism that lead him to pursue a career in education. After college Mr. Garrett worked as an Admissions Officer for Dartmouth before heading to the Harvard Graduate School of Education to earn his Master's degree. Before coming to Bronx Letters Mr. Garrett taught 10th grade Global History in East Harlem for 2 years. He currently teaches 12th grade US Government.

Andrew Hara, Teacher

Andrew Hara (Global History) was born and raised in the Bay Area of Northern California. At age 7, he tied for third place in his school's poster-making contest. As his reward, he was allotted $50 worth of books that would be donated to the school library in his name. He elected to use all of the money on copies of his then favorite book, The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. According to his mother, young Andrew wanted all students at Hilltop Elementary School to avoid leading boring and meaningless lives like the book's main character, Milo.

This remains Mr. Hara's attitude today as a history teacher at Bronx Letters, and it has carried into his experiences playing competitive basketball in Japan, working Upward Bound programs in Santa Barbara, CA, and Burlington, VM, researching public education in indigenous villages of the South American Andes, and most recently teaching at high schools in Boston and the Dominican Republic. Mr. Hara completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at Tufts University. There he spoke at his college graduation in 2004 and received the Ann Mulcahy Service in Education Award in 2005.

Casey Harris, Teacher 

Casey Harris (Living Environment) originally hails from New York City, where trips to the Museum of Natural History as a young boy sparked his interest in science and the environment. After graduating from Tufts University with a degree in Environmental Studies and Anthropology, he worked on a public health study at Tufts University School of Medicine before returning to New York. After working as an environmental consult for four years, he realized that office life was not for him and joined the New York City Teaching Fellows program. It is Casey's lifelong passion for writing that first attracted him to Bronx Letters. His other interests include music production, record collecting, and a deep love of baseball. He is nearly finsihed with his master's degree in Education at the City College of New York.

Erin Hill, Grade Team Leader

Because Erin Hill (Literature) had Hall of Fame English teachers in junior high and high school, she studied English Education at Taylor University in Indiana, where she was an academic All-American volleyball player (she hit the books harder than the ball) and the Outstanding Student Teacher of the Year in 1997. An AP English teacher, volleyball/basketball coach, and student teacher supervisor for the last eight years in Ohio and Tennessee, she brings a love of literature, film, travel, and sports to the Bronx Academy of Letters. 

Rachel Hudelson, Teacher

Rachel Hudelson (6^th Grade Math) is originally from Minnesota and moved to New York City to join the Teaching Fellows. She previously taught vilon in Minneapolis and 5th and 2nd grades at P.S. 89, an elementary school in Queens. Rachel has studied in Cuba and Nicaragua. In her free time, she likes to run, hike, cook, and make pottery. 

Paul Joudrey, Teacher

Paul Joudrey's (Chemistry) interest in the natural world started as he played around his parents' farm house in Tiverton, Rhode Island. When he was six, his family moved to an apple orchard near Mansfield, Ohio, where he helped his parents keep the small business running. He studied chemistry and biology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, graduating cum laude in May 2005. Paul discovered his passion for teaching while participating in the Americorps program, during which he taught healthy eating habits to youth living in East Cleveland. This eventually led him to be accepted by Teach for America and the New York Teaching Fellows. His desire to leave the Midwest and move to New York led him to choose the Fellows program. He is very excited about teaching in the Bronx.

Antoine Jumelle, Teacher

Antoine Jumelle teaches literacy at the Bronx Academy of Letters and has been since September of 2006. As a graduate of Yale University with a degree in Political Science, Antoine has always found few things to be as thrilling as arguing. He has a passion for debate and has been a member of a debate team in both high school and college. In addition, Antoine loves to entertain others whether it is through dance, comedy or writing. He also loves to talk which made becoming a teacher a natural choice for him. Antoine was born in Louisiana and raised for most of his life in Oklahoma, though his accent, strangely, does not sound southern at all. He previously held a position as a mentor in Boston, MA and now works with the New York City Teaching Fellows earning his master's in the art of teaching. He one day hopes to achieve a doctorate in education.

Mitra Lucas , Advisory Chair

Mitra Lucas (Writing) believes writing is in her blood; she inherited her craft from her grandmother, who still attends weekly writing classes at ninety years old. Growing up on a small vineyard in Lodi, California, Mitra paid her way through college by helping her family make wine. All the hard work paid off and she earned her master's degree in urban education from the University of California, Berkeley. While teaching high school in San Francisco last year, Mitra visited Letters and knew she wanted the chance to work with such incredible students. Mitra is a member of the National Writing Project and Writers' Corps and continues to work with educators across the country to develop best teaching practices.

Amy Matthusen , English Department Chair

Amy Matthusen (Literature) studied comparative literature and anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and was awarded a Hilldale Grant and the Jane Goodard Award for Academic Achievement. She has an MA in English literature from the University of Oregon, where she taught college composition. She also earned an Master of Science for Teaching English from Pace University. Amy previously worked in publishing as a marketing manager at Routledge and was a fiction editor at The Northwest Review.

Jared Mayer (Athletic Director) 

Jared Mayer (Physical Education) was most recently the physical education teacher at Oakwood Friends School in Poughkeepsie, New York. In addition to his teaching experience, he was a varsity soccer player at Springfield College and served as the group leader and activity director at Pierce Camp Birchmont in New Hampshire for the past three summers.

Raymond Miles (Math Department Chair)

Math teacher with over 25 years experience has been with Bronx Academy of Letters since it first opened its doors in 2003. He hopes to be here for many more years to come.

Shannon O'Grady , Teacher

Shannon O'Grady (6^th Grade ELA) grew up in New York City, before heading to Yale where she studied English and rowed on the Varsity Crew. She then taught and coached in Connecticut for a year before heading to Brown to get her Master's in Teaching; from there, she started teaching high school English here in the Bronx. She comes to Bronx Academy of Letters after three years at Bronx Leadership Academy II; she is very excited to be teaching the inaugural sixth grade class at Bronx Academy of Letters!

Shannon Oatey , ELL/Special Education

A lover of languages and cultures since a high school trip to France, Shannon Oatey now works with multilingual students at Bronx Letters as an English as a Second Language teacher. After growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, she went east for college, graduating summa cum laude from Dickinson College with degrees in French and Education. She continued her studies, earning an MA in French Studies from NYU and an Ed.M. in International Education from Harvard. In addition to being a student, she has had remarkable learning experiences while teaching English in Japan, French in Pennsylvania, Spanish in Boston and ESL in several cities. Also a thespian, Shannon founded the drama program at TechBoston Academy and continues that work at BAOL.

Kelly Overton, Librarian

Kelly Overton was born in South Carolina, lived in California long enough to lose her accent, and then returned to grow up in South Carolina. At Hampshire College she studied poetry, history, literature, and education. After college she fell in love with North Carolina, where she helped start a teen-run radio show, worked as a high school English teacher, and finally found her calling as a librarian...yes, a librarian! Before coming to Bronx Letters, Kelly worked as the teen librarian at the Mott Haven branch of the New York Public Library. After much searching, learning, and working in and around the South, Northeast, and now the South Bronx, she is very happy to have found the Bronx Academy of Letters.

Matthew Pilarski , Teacher

Matthew Pilarski (Literature) was born in the mitten state in the late 1970's. He has been living and teaching in New York City for the past five years. Prior to working at Bronx Letters, Matthew worked at MS 306 in the Highbridge section of the Bronx and at The Louis Armstrong Middle School in East Elmhurst, Queens.

Matthew recieved his degree in English Language & Literature from the University of Michigan and a Master of Arts in Secondary English Education from New York University.

In addition to his responsibilities to Bronx Letters, Matthew adjuncts at Pace University and is a Selector for the NYC Teaching Fellows.

Kadion Phillips, Data Specialist

Hailing from Portland, Jamaica, Kadion Phillips comes from a long line of teachers and yet was sure he would never become one. After receiving his B.A. in Physics from Middlebury College, he moved to NYC with his wife (also a teacher) and joined the technology support staff at Bluefly Inc.

After his brief stint in the private sector, his passion for both Physics and Technology compelled him to join the NYC Teaching Fellows Program through which he has received his Master's in Science Education. When he's not troubleshooting or searching craigslist, you can find him wrestling his two young sons or on the golf course

Gloria Plaks , Teacher

Gloria Plaks is a native New Yorker who attended New York City public schools, including the Bronx High School of Science, and graduated from Wesleyan University with a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics. Since graduating, she taught in the public school system, worked in the Program Department of Girls Incorporated and became the Finance Associate at Harlem Educational Activities Fund. After a few years outside of the classroom, she chose to return. She received a five-year fellowship with the Math for America program. This program made it possible for her to complete her Master's in Mathematics Education in a year from Teachers College, Columbia University, and to enter the classroom. Mrs. Plaks enjoys the challenges of teaching and learning mathematics with the students of the Bronx Academy of Letters.

Arturo Ramirez , Teacher

Born in Ecuador, South America, I moved to the United States with my family just as I was beginning high school. I attended Brooklyn Technical H.S. in Brooklyn while growing up in the Washington Heights section of upper Manhattan in NYC. Fordham University was my choice for my undergraduate as well as my graduate university studies. I obtained a Bachelors of Arts in bilingual education as well as a Masters of Science in Education, and began teaching for the NYC Board of Education for three years. After the NYC experienced, I lived in Central America, and worked my way towards South America. I returned to Ecuador and taught for five years at the Inter-American Academy, an international school in the coastal city of Guayaquil. Now I am, once again, back in New York City for three more years to finish my PhD in Educational Policy. During the next two years, I will teach 10th grade Global History at the Bronx Letters and will also be one of the 11th grade advisors.

Sendhil Revuluri , Math Department Chair

Sendhil helped found Bronx Letters as its first math teacher, and now co-chairs the math department. Besides his teaching responsibilities, he has also served in a number of administrative roles, including program chair, data manager, chair of the School Leadership Team, and host school liaison to the CUNY Teacher Academy. Sendhil has contributed to various programs dedicated to improving math education, including the UA Math Practitioners’ Collaborative, the Petrie Institute for the Advancement of High School Math Education, the MetroMath Teacher Leaders program, and the Park City Math Institute. He co-taught an education course at Hunter College and was recognized as a Newton Master Teacher by Math for America in 2006. Before joining Bronx Letters as a New York City Teaching Fellow, he was an executive director of equity trading at UBS. He studied mathematics and physics at the University of Chicago, where he was a member of the University's team for the Putnam Mathematics Competition and part of 1994's College Bowl National Championship Team.

Meghan Shore , Teacher

Meghan Shore graduated from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. She was a member of her college dance team and cheerleading squad. After college, she taught elementary school in Fort Lauderdale, Fl for four years. This past summer, Meghan relocated the "The Big Apple" and will continue her teaching career here at Bronx Academy of Letters as a sixth grade teacher.

Nicole Smith , Teacher

Nikki Smith (6^th Grade Humanities) has been an educator for ten years. After graduating from Kean University with a BA in Education, she went on to teach at the Sussex Avenue School in her hometown of Morristown, New Jersey. At Sussex Avenue School, Nikki began an after school fitness program, built an indoor river with a grant from the Morris Education Foundation, and created an open mic poetry/ coffee house for elementary students. Wanting to be part of a writer's community, Nikki was accepted into the City College of New York's Creative Writing Program, where she graduated with an MA in English. She was a featured reader at City X-Posed and is published in Promethean 2005.She has also taught World Lietature and English at City College, Borough of Manhattan Community College, and the College of New Rochelle. Nikki moved to New York two years ago because she fell in the love with the diversity of the people. She hopes to bring her love of literature and history to her students at Bronx Academy of Letters.

Sarah Snyder , Teacher

Sarah Snyder (6^th Grade Science) comes to Bronx Letters from the Teachers College at Columbia University, where she earned an M.A. in Secondary Science Education specializing in Earth Science. Her love of geology has taken her from dating billion year old rocks in the Blue Ridge Mountains to mapping the rocks of Sardinia, Italy to educating students in Acadia National Park. Ms. Snyder is thrilled to combine her love of teaching and science in the classroom this year with the inaugural 6th grade Letters class.

Christina Soriano, Teacher

Christina Soriano (Art) grew up in Long Island, New York where her first Kindergarten painting, "The Sunhouse," still hangs in her childhood home. Her artwork has sold to benefit Artists Space in Soho and has shown at other non-profit venues.

Jessica Steinberg, College Counselor

Jessica Steinberg studied at Fordham University, where she received her master's degree in Counseling and Personnel services. She worked for four years at Learning for Life, a nonprofit educational program. This gave Jessica the opportunity to teach college and career-preparation workshops to high school students in all five boroughs. This also allowed her to focus all of her energy on her ultimate goal of helping New York City students get into the colleges of their choice. In her spare time, Jessica enjoys playing competitive volleyball and travels every chance she gets.

Deborah Tishfield, Social Worker

Deborah Tishfield studied psychology at Binghamton University and went on to receive her master's in Social Work at Boston University in 2000. She has dedicated her studies and career to working with adolescents and their families. Prior to joining the staff at Bronx Academy of Letters, Ms. Tishfield worked as a clinician in various parts of the New York City child welfare system and in the field of chemical-dependency treatment. She feels that writing is an essential tool for self-expression and often uses it in her work with adolescents

Timothy Thompson , Teacher

Timothy Francis Thompson (Math) joined Bronx Letters after five years of service in the Navy. He was the electrical systems officer aboard U.S.S. John Young in San Diego and counter terrorism officer at NATO headquarters in Naples, Italy. Tim joined NYC Teaching Fellows when he returned to his native New York. He studied history at Notre Dame and he holds master's degrees in human relations and secondary school math education from the University of Oklahoma and Pace University, respectively. Tim resides on Manhattan's Upper East Side, and in his spare time he enjoys jogging in Central Park, soccer, choral singing, and traveling.