Miguel Chavarria Arias, Operations Associate: Miguel joined Excel in 2012 as Excel-Chelsea's Operations Associate. He comes to Excel from Massachusetts Mutual Financial Group where he served as a Bilingual Customer Service Representative. He holds a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Costa Rica. Contact info: MChavarria@excelacademy.org
Sharon Cole, 5th/6th Grade Social Studies Teacher: Sharon joined Excel in 2011 as Excel Academy-Chelsea's founding 5th grade science and social studies teacher. She has experience as a fifth grade teacher in California and worked as a Teach for America corps Member. She holds a a Bachelor's degree in anthropology and French and francophone studies from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a Master's degree in education from Alliant International University. Contact info: SCole@excelacademy.org
Krista Fincke, 5th/6th Grade Science Teacher: Krista joined Excel in 2011 as Excel Academy-Chelsea's founding Teaching Fellow and will be serving as the 5th & 6th grade Science teacher during the 2012-2013 school year. Previously, she worked as a site coordinator at Tenacity, Inc. in Boston where she oversaw a school-based partner program serving students in an extended learning time school. She has also held positions as a student teacher and service learning volunteer with Rider Community Scholars and completed a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA. Krista holds a Bachelor's degree in elementary education and integrated science from Rider University. Contact info: KFincke@excelacademy.org
Sarah Gordon, ELL Specialist: Sarah joined Excel in 2009 and is currently Excel Academy-Chelsea's founding English Language Learner Specialist. Prior to joining the Chelsea founding team, Sarah was part of Excel Academy-East Boston team as an English Language Learner Specialist where she designed a comprehensive English curriculum for language learners in a pull-out setting. She has a history of educational work as a teacher's assistant in a first grade classroom in Maine, English language tutor in Spain, and as an academic mentor for Colby Cares About Kids. Sarah holds a Bachelor's degree in government and international studies Colby College. Contact info: SGordon@excelacademy.org
Elijah Heckstall, Dean of Students: Elijah joined Excel in 2012 as the founding Dean of Students. Before serving in this role, Elijah was first a Teaching Fellow through Citizens Schools' Teaching Fellowship, and then served as a 6th-8th grade Special Education Science Teacher in Boston, MA thru Teach for America. He holds a Bachelor's degree from Trinity College and a Master's degree in Education from Lesley University. Contact info: EHeckstall@excelacademy.org
Lauren Martes, 6th Grade Math Teacher: Lauren joined Excel-Chelsea in 2012 as a founding 6th grade Math teacher. Before joining the Excel team, Lauren worked at City on a Hill Charter Public School in Roxbury, MA as a Mathematics Teaching Fellow. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Fairfield University and a currently working on her Master's degree in Teaching from Simmons College. Contact info: LMartes@excelacademy.org
Keith Miller, Teaching Fellow: Keith joined Excel-Chelsea in 2012 as a Teaching Fellow. He has experience working in Weston Public Schools as both a substitute teacher as well as Special Education tutor. He holds a Bachelor's degree from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. Contact info: KMiller@excelacademy.org
Stephanie-Lee Morgan, Principal: Stephanie joined Excel in 2007 and is the Principal of Excel Academy-Chelsea. She is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the educational program including management of instructional staff, curriculum development and delivery, assessment development, promotion of school culture and school-family relations. Prior to serving in this role, Stephanie served as Excel-East Boston's 7th & 8th grade Dean of Students, the 7th and 8th grade Science teacher and as the head of the Science Department. Prior to Excel, she taught for three years in a New York City public, middle school through Teach for America. Stephanie holds a Bachelor's degree from Connecticut College and a Master's Degree from Pace University. Contact info: SMorgan@excelacademy.org
Zeke Phillips, 5th Grade English Teacher: Zeke is Excel Academy-Chelsea's founding 5th grade English teacher. Most recently, he was employed at Democracy Prep Charter High School in New York as a founding writing teacher. His background in education has led him to hold a variety of positions such as grade level chair, writing department chair, co-advisor, English teacher and English department co-coordinator. Zeke holds a Bachelor's degree in English from Amherst College and a Master's degree in education from Harvard University. Contact info: ZPhillips@excelacademy.org
Paulette Picardy, School Nurse: Paulette joined Excel in 2012 and is Excel-Chelsea and Excel-Orient Heights' School Nurse. She has extensive experience in pediatric health, having run the John Hancock Child Care Center in Boston, MA as a Program Manager for 20 years. She holds a Bachelor's of Science degree from Lesley College and a Master's in Nursing from Simmons College. Contact info: PPicardy@excelacademy.org
Samantha Schwager, Learning Support Fellow: Samantha joined the Excel-Chelsea team in 2012 as a Learning Support Fellow. Prior to Excel, she worked as a National Teaching Fellow at the Edwards Middle School in Boston through Citizen Schools. She holds a Bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College and a Master's in Curriculum & Instruction from Lesley University. Contact info: SSchwager@excelacademy.org
Sarah Truitt, Learning Specialist: Sarah is Excel Academy-Chelsea's founding Learning Specialist. She comes to Excel after serving as Teach for America corps member at Philadelphia Learning Academy South, an alternative high school. Sarah served as the school's founding special education teacher, the special education liaison, a member of the year round planning committee, and received the 2011 Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching. She holds a Bachelor's degree in politics from New York University and a Master's degree in secondary education from Chestnut Hill College. Contact info: STruitt@excelacademy.org
Brittany Vetter, 6th Grade English Teacher: Brittany joined Excel in 2012 as Excel-Chelsea's 6th grade English Teacher. A Teach for America alum, Brittany worked for two years in Denver as a 4th/5th grade Bilingual Teacher, and most recently as a founding 6th grade Reading Specalist and Data & Intervention Specialist at West Denver Preparatory Charter School. She holds a Bachelor's degree from Goucher College and a Master's degree in Curriculum & Instruction from University of Colorado-Denver. Contact info: BVetter@excelacademy.org
Julia Volynskaya, School Counselor: Julia joined Excel in 2012 and is Excel-Chelsea and Excel-Orient Heights' School Counselor. Julia has extensive counseling experience, having worked in the field for the past 11 years, including a 5 year term at Jewish Big Brothers & Big Sisters in Newton, MA. She holds a Bachelor's degree from Cornell University and a Master's in Social Work from Boston College. Contact info: JVolynskaya@excelacademy.org
Bridget White, Dean of Operations: Bridget joined Excel in January 2012 and is the Dean of Operations at Excel-Chelsea. She was a Teach for America 2007 corps member in Phoenix, Arizona, where she taught Jr. High Special Education at Conchos School in the Roosevelt School District for three years and served as the Special Education Liaison to the Conchos School Leadership Team. She has also worked on Teach For America’s Phoenix Institute staff as a School Operations Manager and with Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS as Manager of Youth Programs. Bridget holds a Bachelor’s Degree in World Politics from Hamilton College and a Master’s of Education from Arizona State University. Contact info: BWhite@excelacademy.org
Andrea Williams, Teaching Fellow: Andrea joined Excel-Chelsea in 2012 as a Teaching Fellow. Prior to serving in this role, Andrea first participated in City Year in New York City as a Positive School Climate Academic Coordinator at an urban middle school, and then most recently as a 9th grade reading teacher and office administrator thru the MATCH Corps at MATCH Charter High School in Boston, MA. She holds dual Bachelor's degrees from the University of California in English Literature and African & African American Studies. Contact info: AWilliams@excelacademy.org
Sarah Zdankiewicz, 5th Grade Math Teacher: Sarah joined Excel-Chelsea in 2012 as a 5th grade math teacher and Teach for America corps member. Prior to joining TFA as a instructor, she worked as a Manager of Professional Recruitment and National Outreach at Teach for America's Boston office. She holds a Bachelor's degree from Loyola University of Chicago. Contact info: SZdankiewicz@excelacademy.org
