Sammie joins Trinity after graduating with a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is well-versed in sculpture practices and has taught ceramic classes in Chicago, Illinois and Park City, Utah. Originally from the Midwest, Sammie has traveled internationally to participate in artist-in-residency programs, most recently at the Zentrum für Keramik in Berlin, Germany. When not in the classroom, Sammie enjoys visiting galleries and museums in New York City, cooking for friends, and exploring hiking trails in the Northeast. Sammie is thrilled to be a part of the Trinity community.

Kavita graduated cum laude from Columbia College with a double major in art history and economics. After graduating, she pursued a public relations career specializing in arts communications at Ruder Finn in New York City. She earned her MS in marketing from Northwestern University and joined EURO RSCG as an account planner. After having twins in 2007, Kavita and her family moved to India, where she founded an Indian classical music program for children called Little Ustaads. The program has been franchised internationally and has published four children’s books about the cities of India. Upon returning to the United States in 2009, Kavita joined her alma mater, Dwight-Englewood School, as its upper school admissions director. She is passionate about her South Asian roots and teaches classical Indian dance on the weekends. Kavita spends her free time experimenting in the kitchen joined by her twin sons, practicing yoga, and listening to podcasts.

Blair is a native New Yorker who grew up in Washington Heights but considers herself a Harlemite as she has been a resident of Harlem for twenty-four years. She is an ardent believer in independent school education, having attended one herself. Throughout Blair’s twenty-three year career in education, fourteen years of which were spent at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, she has been an elementary school classroom teacher, special subject teacher, admissions director, and a diversity, equity, and inclusion practitioner. She is the mother of two daughters, the loves of her life: Greer, twenty-three years old, and Willa, fourteen years old. Blair enjoys long drives with her daughters, as long as there is little traffic. She loves visiting different beaches in the tristate area and exploring New York City neighborhoods that she has not frequented (she has yet to visit Staten Island). Her all-time passion is binge-watching great television series of all genres, often making references or equating real-life experiences to a television scenario. Blair is always open to recommendations for new shows to watch. She is thrilled to join the Trinity community and excited to partner with administrators, faculty, staff, students, and families.

Samuel grew up in northern Vermont, graduating from the University of Vermont with a BA in pure mathematics. In “The Green Mountain State,” he founded a small organic vegetable and poultry farm that he co-owned and operated for two years. Samuel joins Trinity after relocating to New York from the San Francisco Bay Area, where he taught for nine years as an education specialist. While living in California, Samuel earned an MA in special education at Loyola Marymount University and started an at-home coffee roasting pop-up in Oakland. When not bothering his two cats while they try to nap, you can find Samuel producing original music in his apartment studio or perfecting his Neapolitan pizza dough recipe. He is excited to be a part of the learning support community at Trinity and to make New York City his home.

Gavinn was born and raised in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. He graduated from the Collegiate School, which he attended from grades three through twelve. He earned a BS from Syracuse University in public relations with a minor in communication arts. He previously worked in admissions at The Mountain School of Milton Academy, Westtown School, Princeton Day School, and Léman Manhattan Preparatory School. Prior to his fourteen years in admissions, Gavinn was a press officer in the office of New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr. and a corporate communications coordinator at Black Enterprise magazine. In his free time, he enjoys cycling, swimming, and road trips with his family. Gavinn looks forward to joining the Trinity community and returning to the Upper West Side.

Pam is a clinical psychologist, school psychologist, and licensed professional counselor who comes to Trinity after working at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy for the past fifteen years. Besides maintaining a small private practice, among her other professional experiences, she has worked at The School District of Philadelphia as its lead crisis prevention interventionist, has taught at the graduate level, and for fifteen years was a consultant to the Philadelphia Eagles. Recently, she started a monthly blog at Psychology Today on parenting and school culture. In her free time, she enjoys practicing yoga and aspires to become semi-fluent in French.

Chris graduated from Florida International University with a BA in psychology and minors in biology and philosophy. A native of Miami, he began his teaching career in 2007 as a sixth grade math and earth science teacher. Chris also served as a STEM and makerspace mentor to middle school students interested in robotics, coding, and technology. He strives to adapt his classroom and teaching practices to the world in which students live with the aim of generating a stimulating and relevant educational environment. During his free time, Chris enjoys reading classical works, painting, and experimenting with new culinary techniques.

Stephen is excited to join Trinity’s Performing Arts Department. Originally from Michigan, he spent the last eight years as a freelance lighting technician and head electrician at various off-Broadway theaters and event spaces in New York City. He enjoys Steampunk, board games, and playing the accordion. Stephen has served as a consultant with Trinity’s Performing Arts Department since 2015 and is excited to start his next chapter at Trinity.

Laura is a section cellist in the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra and a founding member of the Parlor City Celli Quartet. Her love of teaching began early in high school, when she started teaching private cello lessons to middle school students. In addition to her private cello studio, Laura has taught group strings and private cello lessons for three years in Trinity’s Performing Arts Department and in the afterschool program. Before joining Trinity, Laura completed her Suzuki teaching certification in cello at The School for Strings, a Suzuki-based music school in New York, and the Chicago Suzuki Institute. In her free time, she loves going on outdoor adventures, learning new languages, and playing strategic board games.

Emily is excited to join the Trinity community after graduating from Scripps College with a BA in politics and a minor in Middle Eastern and North African studies. While at Scripps, she served as president of an English language development program that focused heavily on the educational and linguistic transition of refugee children through tutoring mentorships. Emily was also active in student organizing spaces, spearheading political education workshops, lectures, and community building exercises that centered on a range of advocacy issues. Her educational practice and beliefs are rooted in the words and teachings of bell hooks. Building from hooks’ pedagogy, Emily is excited to contribute and grow in the joy, community, care, love, and inclusivity that is built and nurtured in learning spaces.

A Brooklyn native, Esrat joins Trinity after working as an assistant teacher at NEST+m lower school for the past two years. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in elementary special education at Long Island University. A passionate baker who is always looking for opportunities to experiment with new recipes and ingredients, Esrat occasionally takes pastry classes at the International Culinary Center. She is thrilled to join the Trinity community and is looking forward to the new school year.

Mark began his career in music at an early age playing the drums. After graduating from New York University with a degree in music technology, he became the head recording engineer for the Knitting Factory in New York City. In addition to Mark’s work as an audio engineer, he also taught advanced audio recording techniques at New York University. In 2005 Mark became a Blue Man in the Blue Man Group (ask him the story sometime). He has performed with Blue Man Group in theaters, arenas, and stadiums around the world as well as on live television, albums, and the concert video Blue Man Group, How to Be a Megastar: Live! After seventeen years, over 3,000 shows, and too much time away from home and his family, Mark decided to leave the stage and return to his audio visual career. In his spare time, Mark works on restoring his old house in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, plays drums, and occasionally jumps back up on stage with Blue Man Group. Fun fact about Mark: he was an answer on the game show Jeopardy! He is thrilled to join the Trinity community.

Zach recently graduated from Columbia College with a BA in history. He has served as the coach of Trinity’s debate team for the past five years and will be teaching classes on public speaking and debate. Zach grew up in New York and is excited to remain in the city. Outside of teaching, he enjoys painting, hiking, and cooking.

Zuri most recently served as an associate teacher at Trevor Day School. She earned a BA in sociology from Lehman College and is currently pursuing an MA in early childhood education and childhood education at Fordham University. Zuri is excited to be teaching in a first grade classroom at Trinity after several years of experience in pre-kindergarten classrooms. Zuri was raised in Brooklyn and currently lives in the Bronx. As much as she likes New York City, Zuri loves traveling internationally. She also enjoys playing video games, reading, cooking, watching anime, exercising, and learning German.

Ezequiel comes to Trinity after spending the past three years in IT support at a publishing company. He is a first-generation American and a native of New York City. When not working, Ezequiel enjoys spending time listening to music, playing the guitar, or making delicious meals in the kitchen. He is excited to join the Trinity community.

A life-long artist and educator, Amy joins the Trinity community following tenures in Illinois, Maine, and Massachusetts, the latter her childhood state. She earned an MFA in painting from The University of Chicago. Amy has travelled and studied widely and is passionate about the ways in which creative processes and people can emerge and connect. She enjoys physical activity of any kind, all bodies of water, exploring new places. connecting fantastic people to one another, feeding her loved ones, and becoming a regular at local cafés.

May joins Trinity after several years of client relations and IT management work in the legal field. She holds a BA in computer science and East Asian studies from New York University. May was born in Hong Kong and is fluent in Chinese. She resides on the Upper East Side with her daughter, Arya, her husband, John, and their two dogs, Coconut and Charlie. Her hobbies include trying new foods, traveling, and spending time with her family. May is thrilled to join the Trinity family.

Oluyai was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He was educated in New York City public schools, including Brooklyn Technical High School and The City College of New York, where he earned his BS in mathematics with a minor in secondary education. Upon joining Trinity, Oluyai will begin his tenth year of teaching mathematics. He has taught a range of topics from precalculus to calculus 1 as well as the IB math curriculum. In his free time, Oluyai is an avid Disney enthusiast, flag football player, manga reader, and anime watcher and gamer. He is excited to join the Trinity community.

Eden comes to Trinity after three years of teaching history at Hunter College High School. Prior to teaching at Hunter, she received a BA in history from Haverford College and an MA in the teaching of social studies from Teachers College, Columbia University. Eden loves taking long walks through the city, reading, listening to podcasts, thrift shopping, and eating (and occasionally making) baked goods.

Danielle joins Trinity with over a decade of work in higher education, most recently at the United Nations International School (UNIS), where she served as associate director of college counseling for the past four years. During her time at UNIS, she helped students and families navigate the various college admissions processes around the world. Danielle previously served as a founding member of the college counseling team at Success Academy High School of the Liberal Arts and as an admissions officer at Barnard College, her alma mater, where she received a BA in French translation and literature. In her free time, Danielle loves to travel, explore new restaurants in her Brooklyn neighborhood, and run a fantasy league for the show Survivor, which she plans to be on one day! She is thrilled to be a member of the Trinity community.

Will comes to Trinity after more than a decade of working as a learning specialist and special education teacher in New York’s independent and public schools. After receiving a BA from the University of Michigan, Will received an MSEd from The City College of New York. When he is not teaching, Will is an avid reader, writer, and pastry eater who looks forward to exploring the bakeries of the Upper West Side. He is thrilled to bring his love of teaching and learning to the Trinity community.

Zoe joins Trinity after graduating from the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education’s Integrated Bachelors/Masters (IB/M) Teacher Education program, where she earned a BS in elementary education and an MA in curriculum and instruction. Zoe has experience working with a variety of grade levels and received her teaching certification in New York and Connecticut. Most recently, she worked as a literacy interventionist in East Hartford, Connecticut, teaching students in kindergarten through second grade. Zoe is an avid baker and loves to run in Central Park. She is excited to live in New York City and is thrilled to be a member of the Trinity community.

Grant joins Trinity while finishing his doctoral dissertation on eighteenth century Caribbean “free ports” ( i.e., places where foreigners could enter and trade under low customs duties). He fell in love with history at a young age while visiting historical sites such as Independence Hall and Valley Forge with his family. After studying abroad in Brazil and graduating summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, Grant enrolled in the PhD history program at Columbia University. At Columbia, he spent five years teaching subjects ranging from the history of the Caribbean to the Atlantic slave trade to modern Europe. Grant has also conducted research in archives around the US; Seville, Spain; London, England; and Aix-en-Provence, France. Through tutoring and teaching high school students, he has developed a passion for pedagogy and fostering young minds to pursue empathy, analysis, and wisdom. Grant enjoys traveling, playing baseball, and exploring nature. A member of Trinity’s class of 2013, he is thrilled to rejoin the Trinity community as a faculty member.

Christian is a Latino, Bronx-born native with a passion for science. He graduated from Manhattan College with a BA in environmental science and a minor in chemistry. At Manhattan College, Christian conducted chemical research projects, published a paper in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Chemical Education, and worked as a peer mentor and coach creating workshops and lessons focused on essential college skills such as time management, study techniques, and test preparation. He also served as a tutor of general chemistry, environmental science, and precalculus and was a volunteer tutor at local middle and upper schools during the pandemic. Christian was president of Manhattan College’s American Chemical Society and a member of the Green Club, Fuerza Latina, and the Chess Club. Christian’s favorite hobby is cycling, with a goal of riding two or more trails every month in the city, a park, or the mountains. He has been an avid chess player since high school and also enjoys gaming, spending time with friends, watching the National Basketball Association (NBA), and traveling to his home country of Honduras. Christian hopes to inspire students to pursue a career in science and is excited to continue to learn and grow at Trinity.

Denisse was born and raised in Jamaica, Queens, where she attended York College. During her time at York College, she volunteered at an elementary school to help first graders develop their literacy skills, sharing her love of books with them. Prior to joining Trinity, Denisse was a preschool lead teacher at the One World Project in Brooklyn and at the Jackson Heights Early Learning Center in Queens. She is fluent in Spanish and enjoys incorporating this language skill into classroom lessons. During Denisse’s free time, she loves spending time with her family, exploring new city parks, and trying new cooking recipes. She is excited join the Trinity community.

David comes to Trinity after many years of teaching mathematics in higher education, most recently at William Paterson University. Although mathematics is a required subject that all students have been taking from an early age, David believes that the personal benefits of studying the subject may not be evident to everyone. Mathematics, he offers, represents the development of thought in precise terms and is, as a result, an accomplishment that emerges from capacities that all human beings share. By working on mathematics, David emphasizes, students encounter the possibility of realizing capabilities that they never knew that they had. He looks forward to working on mathematics with students at Trinity.

Laura joins the Trinity Lower School team with a rich background in teaching elementary learners domestically and abroad. After earning her BA specializing in elementary education, Laura spent five years teaching in the Middle East, at the American Creativity Academy in Kuwait and the Raha International School in the United Arab Emirates. During this time, she honed an inquiry approach to curriculum design and globally-oriented pedagogy. Most recently, Laura served as a second grade head teacher at Avenues: The World School in New York City, where she led a team in crafting high cognition, solution-focused teaching and learning. Outside the classroom, Laura enjoys walking her chocolate Labrador retriever, taking weekend trips to the Catskill Mountains, and sailing on the Long Island Sound with family and friends.

Georgia was born and raised in Massachusetts. She graduated from Bates College in 2021, where she earned a BA in politics. While at Bates College, she worked in various educational settings, from classrooms to nonprofit organizations. Upon graduation, Georgia moved to Austin, Texas, and worked as a third grade teaching fellow at an independent school. In her free time, Georgia loves to read in parks, go for long walks, listen to live music, and spend time with her loved ones. She is excited to move back to the Northeast and to join the Trinity community.

Krista was born and raised in the Philippines and has been teaching for over six years. She has extensive international teaching experience from kindergarten through the university level. In 2014, Krista was awarded a graduate student scholarship by the Korean government. She also participated in the US Department of State’s Teacher Exchange Program. Krista enjoys traveling and learning new skills. When she is not in the classroom, Krista spends her time reading or inventing a new recipe. She also enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and cycling and is a competitive board game player. Krista is excited to join the Trinity family and inspire students to achieve their goals.

Rodney was raised in North Carolina and grew up in a community that supported excellence in education and community service. After graduating from Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia, he earned a BA in international studies and political science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Rodney received an MDiv from Yale University and an MA in Anglican studies from Yale’s Berkeley Divinity School. After teaching and working in several Episcopal schools and parishes, he earned an MEd from Harvard University with a concentration in administration, planning, and social policy. Rodney enjoys traveling and spending time with his family and friends.

Born and raised in Queens, New York, Wayne is excited to join Trinity as its Middle Grades Teaching Fellow in Science. In 2021, he graduated from Colgate University with a BA in environmental studies. Wayne comes to Trinity after a year of co-teaching as a lower school associate teacher at Greenwich Academy. As a part of the Fellows Program, he is pursuing an MS in education from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. In his free time, Wayne enjoys trying new recipes, playing in pick-up basketball games, diving into a memoir, or catching a baseball game. He looks forward to immersing himself in the Trinity community and taking on various roles while learning as much as he can.

Miguel joins Trinity from The Masters School, where he taught literature and composition, Advanced Placement English, and American studies and also served as a class dean and English department chair. Previously, he taught history and English at the Branson School. Among his other teaching experiences, Miguel designed and taught courses in Latinx literature, sociology, and philosophy at Harvard College, Boston College, and the University of Houston and co-taught in the (MS)2 program at Phillips Academy Andover. While pursuing a PhD in ethics and literature at Brown University, he led discussion sections on Africana studies, politics and religious studies, and served on the editorial board of The Brown Journal of World Affairs. Miguel has also reviewed manuscripts for Theological Studies and has edited scholarly articles and books. His writings have appeared in African American Review; Aztlan: A Journal of Chicano Studies; The Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy; Spiritus: A Journal of Christian Spirituality; and Theological Studies. Miguel’s passions include fin-de-siècle decorative arts and fashion.

Anna comes to Trinity after graduating from the Bank Street College of Education with an MSEd in childhood special and general education. She was born and raised in Massachusetts and received her BA in psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. For the past three years, Anna served as an intern at the Bank Street Family Center and worked as an associate teacher at the Bank Street School for Children. Anna looks forward to bringing what she learned at Bank Street to Trinity and continue to grow her practice in a new setting. She enjoys working with students and their families to create a supportive, engaging, and fun learning environment for each child. Anna loves being outdoors, especially when she is able to be on the water or hike a mountain.

Mackenzie joins the Trinity community with eight years of experience teaching middle school science at the Rodeph Sholom School. While at Rodeph Sholom, she also served as a grade-level coordinator, a Spanish teacher, and coached volleyball and tennis. Originally from San Diego, she studied ecology and evolutionary biology at Yale University and earned an MA in environmental conservation education from New York University. Mackenzie has a passion for guiding young science students in their discovery of the natural world. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys spending time in Central Park, especially birdwatching with her young daughter, Violet. Mackenzie loves to garden, try new recipes, travel, and read novels. She is excited to join Trinity’s Middle School community.

Emily holds a BA in classics and English from Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota and an MA in English education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Originally from Iowa, she started her career teaching Latin in boarding schools and has taught Latin, English, and history in various New York City independent schools. Emily was the middle school humanities department chair at Dwight School. She enjoys reading, practicing yoga,
and traveling with her husband and two children. Emily especially loves when her family’s travels can incorporate her passions for history, running, and baseball. Emily is excited to join Trinity’s Classics Department.

Tom joins Trinity after serving seventeen years as the chief financial officer at The Buckley School. Prior to Buckley, he was the director of finance at City & Country School and held positions at Prep for Prep and Merrill Lynch. Tom has been an active volunteer in the independent school community for many years, including currently serving as a member of the finance committee for NYSAIS and the TIAA Select Client Advisory Council. Tom holds a BA in economics from Yale University and maintains ties to Yale by coordinating alumni interviews for students from Queens. A native New Yorker, he lives in the Bronx with his wife, two children, and two dogs. A lifelong Yankees fan, he also enjoys spending time with his family and taking his dogs on long walks. Tom is excited to join the Trinity community.

Josh comes to Trinity from the University School in Ohio, where he taught upper school English for two years. Before teaching high school, Josh spent six years at Duke University earning an MA and a PhD in English. When he was not at Perkins Library trying to laugh quietly at the novels of E.F. Benson, P.G. Wodehouse, and Angela Thirkell, he was reading Benson, Wodehouse, and Thirkell at home, laughing as loudly as he liked. Josh is excited to make New York his home. He is honored to join Trinity’s English Department and the Trinity community.

James has served as head coach of Trinity’s Boys Middle School Soccer, Girls Middle School Basketball, Boys Middle School Baseball, and as assistant coach of Trinity’s Varsity Boys Soccer, Varsity Girls Basketball, and Varsity Boys Baseball (entering his fourth season). He graduated from The College of Wooster with a BA in communication studies. James was a relief pitcher for a top Division III college baseball team playing in the 2018 Division III World Series. He coached youth travel team baseball for the New York Gothams and the Greenwich Village Little League ACEs, and helped run the P3 baseball summer camp and after school programs for The Pier, Park & Playground Association, a non-profit organization seeking to advance opportunities to play sports for children living in downtown Manhattan. After college, James worked for the Cleveland Guardians’ corporate offices before returning to New York City to pursue a career in education. He pitches and hits for the Brooklyn Dukes, a men’s league baseball team that plays in Central Park, Brooklyn, Queens, and Cooperstown, New York. James is a member of Trinity’s class of 2014.

Phillip comes to Trinity from Johns Hopkins University, where he earned a BA in mathematics and philosophy. At Johns Hopkins, he worked as an undergraduate teaching assistant for several undergraduate math courses and discovered that he loves teaching math and helping students succeed in their classes. Phillip also volunteered as a mentor for Science Olympiad at a middle school in Baltimore, where he mentored students working on the solar system and dynamic planets event categories. Before gravitating towards the beauty of mathematics and philosophy, he was intrigued by the vastness of the universe and studied astronomy rigorously. In 2016, Phillip earned an honorable mention as a US representative at the International Olympiad on Astrophysics and Astronomy. Phillip is passionate about making math interesting, relevant, and fun for young students and helping them understand math at a deeper level. When Phillip is not thinking about how to make math fun, he enjoys traveling, taking walks or runs, hiking, cycling, skiing, playing video games, writing essays, and trying new cuisines. Phillip lived in Korea as a child and speaks Korean and Japanese. He is pursuing an MS in education from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education and is thrilled to join Trinity’s Math Department.