Putney Directory

Spanish Teacher and Language Department Chair

Boy's Soccer Head Coach
Latin Dance Evening Instructor
Noyes Dorm Faculty

B.A. Universidad Internacional UNINTER
M.A. Cleveland State University

Phone: 802-387-6240
Email: aalmazan-vazquez@putneyschool.org
Departments: Athletic Department, World Languages

Me llamo Abelardo Almazán-Vázquez. Soy de México. Soy profesor de Español.

I was born and raised in the beautiful town of Cuernavaca Morelos, México. I hold a B.A. in Teaching Spanish as a Second Language from Universidad Internacional UNINTER in Cuernavaca, México, and I also earned a Masters in Spanish and Latin American Studies from Cleveland State University.

I coach the Boy’s Soccer team, and I teach Latin Dance (Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Cumbia).

I’m proud to say that my experiences in life have been amazingly embraced years and years of Putney students. A place like this truly values what one has to offer. It’s unlike other schools because I’m able to actually do what I love, the way I like, without too many boundaries and restrictions.

Curiosity brought me here. The constant opportunities to reinvent myself as a human being keep me here. It’s incredible how much you can grow and learn with every class.

I also serve as one of the Diversity Committee members. I’m proud to give a strong voice to our students from underrepresented and minority groups. One of my goals has always been to find opportunities to create dialogues across the divide and build bridges, not walls.

College Counselor

B.A. Smith College

Phone: 802-387-7325
Email: KBaldwin@putneyschool.org
Departments: College Counseling

Putney is a place deeply connected to the land and to making human connections. It is a place for young people to nurture their spirits as well as their minds. It has been a privilege to be surrounded by these seasonal forces of nature and human exploration; shifting and growing together.

Director of Admission and Financial Aid

B.A. Tufts University
M.A. Columbia University Teachers College
Ed. M. Columbia University Teachers College
Ed. D. Columbia University Teachers College

Phone: 802-387-6218
802-387-6219 (Admission Office)
802-387-6278 (Fax)
Email: jbarrengos@putneyschool.org
Departments: Administration, Admission Office

Putney is a community of learners that offers permission for us each to be ourselves and to pursue our best selves. Like the startling quality of the beautiful Vermont sky, I am often delighted and surprised when I run into this generous reality again and again

Before my service at Putney, I worked at Moses Brown School, Milton Academy, CITYterm at the Masters School, Miss Porters School, and The Independent Day School. They are all caring schools that pursue excellence in their work with children and families. And they deploy varied educational designs in their work. Putney’s difference centers on its purpose; we’re all about creating a space through which students can take substantive responsibility for themselves and their community. At Putney, leadership means actually participating and voting as members of our admission committee, or on our board of trustees. Most schools are afraid of sharing authority with students and we see it as a terrific vehicle for their learning and responsibility.

Dance Program Director

JR Dorm Faculty

B.F.A. SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance

Phone: 802-387-7326
Email: jbatten@putneyschool.org
Departments: Art Department

Gray House Dorm Faculty

Phone: 802-387-6241
Email: abaum@putneyschool.org
Departments: Adjunct Faculty

Plant Staff

B.A. Marlboro College
M.A. Marlboro College

Phone: 802-387-6231
Email: pblair@putneyschool.org
Departments: Plant Staff

I graduated from Marlboro College with a Master’s degree in philosophy in 2009. I greatly enjoy working with material objects, attending to the nuts and bolts (literally) of the school, and helping whenever I can. For me, I consider every day Work Day.

The community at The Putney School feels like a large, extended family, with all the ups and downs, joys and sorrows that one would find in any large family.

Student Accounts/Accounts Payable Specialist

Phone: 802-387-6270
Email: mbliznak@putneyschool.org
Departments: Business Office

Math Teacher and Cross Country Coach

Huseby Dorm Faculty

B.S. State University of NY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
M.S. University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Phone: 802-387-6247
Email: lbrennan@putneyschool.org
Departments: Athletic Department, Math Department

I came to Putney as a teaching intern out of grad school for civil engineering.  Once I settled in here I fell in love with the school and the profession. Helping a student get past a math-phobia or to gain new appreciation for math is the BEST!

I haven’t taught anywhere other than Putney and I’m not sure I ever could. The way we approach teaching math is unique and challenging and I feel strongly that it is truly beneficial to the students.

I have a BS in Forest Engineering from SUNY ESF and an MS in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Water Resources Engineering and a certification in Fish Passage Engineering from UMass Amherst.

Mental Health Counselor

Phone:
Email: jbuser@putneyschool.org
Departments: Health Services

John Buser joined the team at the Putney School in 2022.  He  is a certified alcohol and drug abuse counselor. He works health services department as a counselor. John has 30 years of experience working with teens in a variety of settings, including hospitals, communities, and Schools. John was the recipient of the Kathy Fionda Award which is given out by the Vermont Association of Student Assistance Professionals. He enjoys working with teens and helping them to make changes in their lives, offering support and watching them grow.

John and his wife Nicole live off campus and are busy raising their son Jack. In his spare time, John loves racing bicycles and does yoga and skiing to help stay fit.

Director of Technology & Library Services, History and Humanities Writing & Research Teacher

B.A. University of Massachusetts, Amherst
M.L.I.S. University of South Carolina

Phone: 802-387-7324
802-387-2305 (fax)
Email: kchampney@putneyschool.org
Departments: Administration, History, Library Department, Technology Department

I’ve been at The Putney School since 2009 leading the Library and Technology programs, teaching the junior year Writing and Research class and sophomore world history, coordinating the ninth-grade seminar, and overseeing the Pond Hockey afternoon activity. I am deeply dedicated to helping students learn how to understand history, pursue a research question, and create a well constructed argument. 

I was born and raised in Eastern Massachusetts and spent my college years in the Pioneer Valley around Amherst. After working as a technical writer for an electronics company, I spent twelve years in Maine, first working as a National Endowment for the Humanities fellow for the Maine Folklife Center doing audio preservation, folklore and oral history work, and then as a Librarian and Technology Director at John Bapst Memorial High School in Bangor. It was while at John Bapst, teaching economics and digital art in a very traditional environment, that I found myself drawn towards project based learning and progressive teaching methods. This natural inclination led me to The Putney School .

Outside of work, I hike, garden, play music on a daily basis and generally take advantage of the beautiful Southern Vermont landscape with my faithful English Setter Aesop.

Assistant Director of Development

B.A. Dartmouth College
M.Ed. Antioch University New England

Phone: 802-387-6248
Email: ccuerdon@putneyschool.org
Departments: Alumni & Development

Tutor, Center for Teaching and Learning

Mountain Biking Instructor

B.A. Kenyon College
Ed.M. Antioch New England Graduate School

Phone: 802-387-6223
Email: mdall@putneyschool.org
Departments: Athletic Department, Center for Teaching & Learning

French Teacher

White Cottage Dorm Liaison

B.A. Middlebury College
L.E.A., ESIT
D.E.S.S. Université de la Sorbonne

Phone: 802-451-6806
802-387-2305 (fax)
Email: jdanielski-chatal@putneyschool.org
Departments: Department Heads, World Languages

Plant Staff

Phone: 802-387-6231
Email: jdavey@putneyschool.org
Departments: Plant Staff

History Teacher, Long Fall Coordinator, and Rowing Coach

Noyes Dorm Liaison

B.A. Mount Holyoke College
M.A. Michigan State University

Phone: 802-387-6226
802-387-2305 (fax)
Email: kdawley@putneyschool.org
Departments: Athletic Department, History

I loved working with students at Michigan State, a massive university where I taught lecture classes with 100 kids, but I wanted more time to work with more closely with students, so I thought about working at a boarding school. That’s when I found Putney – it had rowing and knitting and cows and I thought I’d found heaven. I’m continually surprised by the incredibly cool work I get to do with students. It’s so amazingly awesome to teach and create curriculum and work with students in surprising and super interesting ways.

ESOL, French, and Spanish Teacher

Licence d'Anglais, Bordeaux University, France
Maitrise d'Anglais, Bordeaux University, France

Phone: 802-387-6233
Email: mderouault@putneyschool.org
Departments: International & ESOL, World Languages

Director of College Counseling and 12th Grade Class Dean

Gray House Dorm Liaison

B.A. College of the Atlantic

Phone: 802-387-6227
Email: jdesmaisons@putneyschool.org
Departments: College Counseling

Putney somehow manages to brilliantly balance progressive thought, meaningful action, community intention and artistic celebration. Each individual is seen, heard, valued and challenged to be his or her best self.

Before working at Putney, I would visit once a year as a college admissions counselor. Every year I found myself more and more drawn to the place and the people. What keeps me here is the authentic, creative, forward-thinking, and joyful nature of all that happens in this community.

I studied psychology at Stanford University for two years before transferring to College of the Atlantic where I finished my degree combining literature, psychology and the arts. After starting a family, I worked as an associate director in college admissions for ten years.

While pursuing my graduate degree in counseling, I realized that I was much more interested in working directly with teenagers on the high school side. Guiding students through the complex, and sometimes overwhelming, process of figuring out what follows high school, is work that is meaningful and rewarding, particularly with the students who very intentionally choose to be at The Putney School.

Director of Center for Teaching and Learning

A.L.B. Harvard University
M.Ed. Harvard University Graduate School of Education

Phone: 802-387-6223
Email: mdoherty@putneyschool.org
Departments: Center for Teaching & Learning

I was attracted to the Putney School because I wanted to work in an educational community where differences are respected, embraced, and seen as resources to be used, not obstacles to overcome. 

At The Putney School, we embrace and celebrate diversity, including neurodiversity – the idea that there is great variation in how we learn and process information. Here we know there is no average learner, there is no normal. 

I have worked with students who learn differently for almost thirty years. The brain is a highly dynamic organ and I am fascinated by the neuroscience of learning. Adolescence is a critical stage of brain development. I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to work with Putney students to help them understand how to shape their brains during this incredible period of neuroplasticity.

Interim Facilities Manager

B.S. Johnson State College

Phone: 802-387-6231
Email: mdoran@putneyschool.org
Departments: Plant Staff

After many years working in environmental consulting, mountain resort planning and permitting, and property management, it was time to put life behind a desk aside and take on a new challenge. The you-never-know-what-the-day-will-bring nature of maintaining The Putney School’s buildings and grounds has proved to be a rewarding change and a pan of the beautiful vistas all around campus is sufficient to alleviate the stress from most any day.

Science Teacher, Boy's Lacrosse Coach, and Girl's Soccer Coach

Keep Dorm Faculty

Phone:
Email: tdowling@putneyschool.org
Departments: Athletic Department, Science Department

Being new here, my days are full of surprises. I’m currently enjoying to get to know the natural world here – mushrooms are abundant, birds are active, foxes are running around the fields.

As a teacher, I began as an environmental/outdoor/ecology educator working along the coast of Maine for nearly five years. I entered a more traditional classroom as math and science faculty at North Country School. After studying educational leadership with the Klingenstein Center (Teachers College Columbia University) last year, I just arrived at Putney eager to learn and teach alongside curious students and knowledgeable faculty. Outside of the classroom, I’m likely to be found riding a bike, running a trail or skiing in the backcountry. I’m chipping away at life goal to ride my bike 50 miles in all 50 states and hike all 115 peaks above 4,000 ft in the northeast.

Nurse

Athletic Trainer

Phone: 802-387-6254
Email: sdunbar@putneyschool.org
Departments: Health Services

I am a perpetual student, mom, gardener, home chef, athletic trainer, nurse, health coach and EMT. I love to travel, learn about different cultures, spend time outdoors and be active. I love Vermont and all the beauty that surrounds us here.

My first visit to The Putney School was in 1993 to visit my sister who was a student here. After that I lived in the area and had many friends that worked and lived at The Putney School. I was always amazed by how welcoming the community was and is. As someone who has attended and worked in schools most of my life, I have been intrigued by the progressive education model of Putney and the important role that the students play in running the school and making decisions about their education.

Summer Programs Head of Residential Life

Health Office Manager
Old Boys Dorm Faculty

Phone:
Email: redgeworth@theputneyschool.org
Departments: Adjunct Faculty, Summer Programs

Registrar

B.S. Emerson College

Phone: 802-387-7321
Email: melliott@putneyschool.org
Departments: Academic Office, Registrar Office

Theater Tech Director

Evening Woodworking Teacher

Phone: 802-387-6063
Email: tellis@putneyschool.org
Departments: Art Department, Plant Staff

Tutor, Center for Teaching and Learning

B.A. Keene State College

Phone:
Email: cfairchild@putneyschool.org
Departments: Center for Teaching & Learning

After helping roommates, friends and neighbors with their math homework, I realized that I needed to become a math teacher.

I have a background in horse training and Centered Riding, I am bit of a horse whisperer… and a kid whisperer, too. My students say, “it just makes sense when you explain it.”

Whatever it is, I don’t scare my students, I make them laugh and they learn without fear of judgement.

I graduated from Putney School, and when I was ready to teach, I knew I didn’t want to teach anywhere else. Putney’s fundamental beliefs are my beliefs. I think that the Putney experience works because I see incredibly fine young men and women graduating off the hill, year after year.

New Boys Dorm Head

Phone:
Email: mfarthing@putneyschool.org
Departments: Dean of Students Office

Academic Dean and Math Teacher

B.S. University of Wisconsin

Phone: 802-387-7352
Email: kfealstaub@putneyschool.org
Departments: Academic Office, Administration, Math Department

Tutor, Center for Teaching and Learning

Assistant Girls Soccer Coach

B.A. University of Pennsylvania

Phone: 802-387-6223
Email: aferry@putneyschool.org
Departments: Center for Teaching & Learning

The strong sense of community is what brought me to Putney, and the opportunity to work with such interesting students, and such a dedicated and competent team of faculty and staff is what keeps me here.

Putney embraces and celebrates students’ varied interests and diversity of learning styles, which I really appreciate.

I continue to be surprised by the beauty of this campus. As the seasons change each year I am inspired by this wonderful and natural setting. I am also continually inspired by the creativity of the students.

I grew up in Philadelphia and went to college at the University of Pennsylvania where I played soccer and got a B.A. in Environmental Studies in 2009. After college, I lived in Wyoming and worked as a tutor and soccer coach for some time before moving to Vermont in 2013.

I love spending time with family and friends, playing soccer, snowboarding, gardening, and finding other reasons to be outside. I live with my lovely wife and wonderful daughter in Westminster West.

Admission Counselor

Phone: 802-387-6203
Email: hflower@putneyschool.org
Departments: Admission Office

Summer Arts Admissions Manager

Evening Arts Animation and Digital Design Teacher

B.A. University of Central Florida
M.F.A. Miami International School of Art & Design

Phone: 802-387-7335
Email: dfolgar@putneyschool.org
Departments: Art Department, Summer Programs

Garden Manager

Phone:
Email: dfoth@putneyschool.org
Departments: Farm Staff

Alumni Relations Manager

White Cottage Dorm Faculty

B.A. Kalamazoo College
J.D. University of Minnesota

Phone: 802-387-6273
802-387-6277 (fax)
Email: afrye@putneyschool.org
Departments: Alumni & Development

I knew as soon as I discovered Putney that I wanted to work here: it’s the natural beauty of the place, the authenticity of the people, the combination of idealism and dirty fingernails of its educational vision. I stay because I continue to feel connected to all of those things. From the food to the reflective and educational conversations during our opening meetings every year, to the purposeful nature of our work with the students, Putney is exceptionally REAL.

This is a good life.

I’m a Michigander who has happily relocated to the welcoming hills of southern Vermont. I am most happy when I’m outdoors, whether moving through the world on a bike, on a surfboard, on skis, or in the water, thwacking a tennis or softball, walking with my dog, or simply reading and listening to the birds. The Putney students and alumni give me many things to love about my work, and because they are always changing and growing and asking good questions, they keep that work interesting and engaging, for which I’m very grateful.

Assistant Farm Manager

Phone:
Email: tgangle@putneyschool.org
Departments: Farm Staff

Math Teacher

Old Boys Dorm Liaison

B.S. Marlboro College
M.A. Marlboro College

Phone: 802-387-6247
Email: dgarcia-galili@putneyschool.org
Departments: Math Department

I’ve spent my life looking for community and trying to build it; it brought me here as a student and it keeps me here as a teacher.

Everyone here, students and adults alike, wants you to to succeed. Whether you’re a kid or a teacher, everyone here is rooting for you.

Putney is different from the other schools where I’ve worked because at the highest level (administration, board) the school believes that the kids mean well, want to learn, and if we can mostly get out of their way and just offer some gentle guidance, they’ll do good things. Teachers often think that elsewhere, but it’s great to see it as a driving force in the institution.

I grew up in New Jersey and Israel. In my sophomore year of high school I came to Putney as a boarding student. After graduating, I worked at Mount Snow, attended Marlboro College where I worked for their Outdoor Program and completed a degree in physics with a focus on astronomy and computational methods. From there I continued to work in outdoor education for the better part of a decade before coming full circle. My old advisor from Putney helped me get a taste of classroom instruction, and after deciding that it was a good fit I completed my MA in Marlboro College’s Teaching for Social Justice program. My wife and I moved onto campus in the fall of 2015, and we now live in the same dorm as I did when I first arrived here as a 16-year-old student.

Food Service Director

Phone:
Email: agonzalez@putneyschool.org
Departments: Dining Services

Dean of Students

Phone: 802-387-6242
Email: tgreenidge@putneyschool.org
Departments: Dean of Students Office

Gift Officer

Phone: 802-387-6272
Email: ahall@putneyschool.org
Departments: Alumni & Development

I love learning about people and hearing their truths. I enjoy getting people excited and educating them about new things, especially ideas that I am passionate about. I am an artist at heart, however my passion flows as I begin my journey here at The Putney School. So few individuals get a chance to experience their life’s purpose and walk the path of their soul journey. I am an exception. I did not search for Putney. Putney found me, presenting itself as an embracing community with a universal awareness of individuals authentically growing into themselves, a home away from home, and a space for all to continue walking their journey. It feels fulfilling to be on this path of uplifting philanthropy in service to The Putney School.

Director of Finance

B.A. Saint Michael's College

Phone: 802-387-7302
802-387-6277 (fax)
Email: sharkins@putneyschool.org
Departments: Business Office

English and Humans in the Natural World Teacher

New Boys Dorm Faculty

Phone:
Email: lhodgman@putneyschool.org
Departments: English Department

Spanish Teacher

Phone:
Email: CHodgman@putneyschool.org
Departments: World Languages

I was born and raised in Honduras, Central America. I graduated from the school of laws and practiced law prior to moving to North Carolina in 2002. I first began working with youth in the USA as an Americorps member working with College Foundation of North Carolina and minority groups to promote access to higher education. I came to live and love Vermont while studying at the School of International Training and graduated with a Masters in Sustainable Development with a concentration in Monitoring and Evaluation. I then returned to North Carolina and worked for almost a decade with youth leadership projects for a social justice organization and then made a career change into university research. After a few years of coordinating and assisting research at UNC Chapel Hill, I decided to go back to my loving roots: working with youth! I am very excited to be part of a very artistic and multi-talented community here at The Putney School.

Director International Student Program and ESOL Teacher

New Boys Dorm Liaison

B.A. Miami University
M.A.T. School for International Training

Phone: 802-387-6233
802-387-2305
Email: lholmes@putneyschool.org
Departments: Admission Office, International & ESOL

History and Humans in the Natural World Teacher

B.A. Oberlin College
M.A. Union Institute and University

Phone: 802-387-6226
Email: nhoskins@putneyschool.org
Departments: Department Heads, History

Director of Summer Programs

B.A. Hampshire College

Phone: 802-387-6234
802-387-6216 (fax)
Email: thowe@putneyschool.org
Departments: Summer Programs

Plant Staff

Phone:
Email: OIselin@putneyschool.org
Departments: Plant Staff

Carpenter

Phone: 802-387-6262
Email: bjewel@putneyschool.org
Departments: Plant Staff

Plant Staff

Phone: 802-387-6231
Email: hjohnson@putneyschool.org
Departments: Plant Staff

I’m one of the housekeepers here at Putney. I am a mom of three kids who enjoys watching movies, 80s rock, and taking photos, sewing, reading, watch movies, and spend time with my family and friends.

Development Database Manager

bCRE-Pro Blackbaud University
A.S. Northwestern CT Community College
B.S. Southern Vermont College

Phone: 802-387-6217
Email: ejohnson@putneyschool.org
Departments: Alumni & Development

Elizabeth’s fundraising career started in 1995, working with The American Chestnut Foundation. Her behind-the-scenes role in Putney’s development office has kept her quite busy since she started in 2006. She can be described as a passionate employee, wife, mother of a middle schooler, sister, aunt, friend, tree hugger, and fiber artist. Elizabeth loves sprinkling kindness while standing firm for justice. She is professionally certified in the use of Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge, a frequent presenter and one of four organizers for the regional RE user group that services northern New England, and is active in the Blackbaud Community.

She is grateful to help out where she can by sharing and absorbing knowledge with this amazing team. She finds working for a school that is changing the world by educating authentic individuals with a strong commitment to the well-being of the larger community incredibly satisfying.

Fiber Arts Teacher

Huseby Dorm Liaison

Phone: 802-387-7320
Email: mjohnson@putneyschool.org
Departments: Art Department

Math Department Chair and Math Teacher

Keep Dorm Liaison

B.A. Williams College
M.S. University of Washington, Seattle
Ph.D. University of Washington, Seattle

Phone: 802-387-6247
Email: mkeim@putneyschool.org
Departments: Department Heads, Math Department

I teach at Putney because here I have the opportunity to teach math the best way I know how, rather than the way everyone does it.

I grew up in Minnesota, came to New England for college, and started teaching high school math in Guinea. Then I came to Putney for round one: (1999-2001), followed by graduate school in quantitative ecology and then by four years in the energy industry. I returned to Putney in 2012.

I teach math because the experience of watching someone use their brain to figure something out is one of the most beautiful things in the world, and I don’t mean beautiful in a metaphorical way, but in the most concrete sense.

I love dogs, reading, being outside, and my family.

Director of Theater and Director of Evening Arts

BS New York University
MA New York University
Ph.D. University of California, Irvine

Phone: 802-387-7332
Email: GKessler@putneyschool.org
Departments: Art Department, Other Programs

I have worked as an actor, performance artist, playwright, director, and educator in New York City, Los Angeles, and Vermont. Before coming to Putney I taught at Temple University, Marlboro College, Neighborhood Schoolhouse and New England Youth Theater. I have been seen in local productions with Main Street Arts and the Wild Goose Players. I live in Dummerston with my partner and our adorable goats. I am excited to share my love of theater with the students here at Putney.

Dean of Faculty and English Teacher

B.A. Williams College
M.Ed. Teachers College, Columbia University
M.A. Bread Loaf School of English, Middlebury

Phone: 802-387-7328
Email: kknopp@putneyschool.org
Departments: Administration, English Department

I believe that experience is the best teacher. My classroom offers endless cycles of experience and reflection, practice and feedback. I am interested in how to cultivate both creativity and critical thinking as students find their authority as learners. Writing—the generating, exploring and constructing of ideas with language—is an essential tool for all types of progressive education. Agency is at the heart of happiness, so helping students authorize their own learning is joyful.

Health Services Coordinator

Phone: 802-387-6221
Email: fladd@putneyschool.org
Departments: Health Services

Admission Counselor

B.A. Pitzer College

Phone: 802-387-7313
Email: mlampriere@putneyschool.org
Departments: Admission Office

History Teacher

Old Boys Dorm Faculty

Phone:
Email: glee@putneyschool.org
Departments: History

English and Media Studies Teacher

B.A. Trinity College
M.BA. University of Hartford
M.F.A. Vermont College of Fine Arts

Phone:
Email: slee@putneyschool.org
Departments: English Department

Why Putney:

“The answer I wish I’d given during my interview is very simple: This is the education I wish I had during my high school years.  I came close to it, but what I appreciate most is that the education here at The Putney School expands beyond the classroom encouraging an ongoing learning among both faculty and students.  Additionally, I’ve known about The Putney School for all of the years that I have lived in Southern Vermont and I’ve had nothing but deep admiration for the model and level of education here!”

Shanta Lee is a writer, photographer, journalist whose work has been featured in The Massachusetts Review, PRISM, ITERANT Literary Magazine, Palette Poetry, BLAVITY, DAME Magazine, The Crisis Magazine, Rebelle Society, and is one of the writers for the Ms. Magazine Blog.  Shanta Lee’s photojournalism and art criticisms have been featured on Vermont Public Radio (VPR.org) and her investigative reporting has been in The Commons weekly newspaper covering Windham County, VT.

Shanta Lee is the 2020 recipient of the Arthur Williams Award for Meritorious Service to the Arts and 2020 and named as Diode Editions full-length book contest winner for her June 2021 debut poetry compilation, GHETTOCLAUSTROPHOBIA: Dreamin of Mama While Trying to Speak Woman in Woke Tongues which has received an honorable mention for the Sheila Margaret Motton prize and has been reviewed by the  Poetry Foundation (written by Ryo Yamaguchi) and Seven Days (written by Skye Jackson).  Her contributing work on an investigative journalism piece for The Commons received several New England Newspaper & Press Association (NENPA) awards for her journalism work.

Shanta Lee gives lectures on the life of Lucy Terry Prince (c. 1730-1821) — considered the first known African-American poet in English literature — as a member of the Vermont and New Hampshire Humanities Council Speakers Bureaus. She is the 2020 gubernatorial appointee to the Vermont Humanities Council’s board of directors and has a solo photography show, Dark Goddess, being featured in the Manchester, VT gallery, Southern Vermont Arts Center in August – September 2021.

Shanta Lee has an MFA in Creative Non-Fiction and Poetry at the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She has an MBA from the University of Hartford and an undergraduate degree in Women, Gender and Sexuality from Trinity College. To see more of Shanta Lee’s work, visit Shantalee.com.

More about why I create/artist statement:

“I love extending an invitation into my world and passions through my photography, poetry, and prose. Across my broad range of skills, I most appreciate surfacing the unseen.

What is someone’s story under the surface of their face and presentation? What is forgotten to human memory that should be reclaimed? Or, most simply, how can I share the sense or soul of a place with someone who may not ever travel there?

It comes down to nurturing my hunger for curiosity while encouraging others to dive down their own rabbit holes of curiosity.”

Nurse

Phone: 802-387-6221
Email: mlillie@putneyschool.org
Departments: Health Services

Registered Nurse
Pronouns: She/her/hers

I came into school nursing about 7 years ago after a decade of hospital nursing. I was unsure where this path was going to lead me, but I am pleased to say I have never been happier. I grew up in Stockholm, Sweden and Putney is the first workplace that parallels my love and philosophies around the natural world, a holistic lifestyle, and adventure, much like my upbringing.

When I’m not working with Putney students and their families, I am usually found outdoors on top of a mountain, near the ocean, or in my kitchen with my husband and three children. We live on our family farm in Rockingham, VT.

Ceramics Teacher

B.A.A. Boston University

Phone: 802-387-6244
Email: nlindenfeld@sover.net
Departments: Art Department

What brought me to Putney was a phone call in March 1998 asking if I would be willing to fill in for the ceramics teacher who got ill and had to stop teaching. I had been a full-time potter in Brattleboro and the idea of teaching ceramics to teenagers at this infamous progressive high school intrigued me so I said yes.

What keeps me here 25 years later is the rush that comes from facilitating the discovery of young people’s creativity, sharing my passion for clay, giving back what I have learned and accomplished, continually learning from my students, and being in a growth-ful, stimulating, challenging environment among vibrant young people.

In 1983, I co-founded the Brattleboro Clayworks, a potter’s collective in Brattleboro, Vt. Since then, I have been a professional potter offering a line of colored clay items. In 2004 I set up my own studio in my home in West Brattleboro where I currently do my clay work.

I have also taught a number of colored clay workshops at craft centers around the northeast where I have had the opportunity to share my enthusiasm for the unusual and exciting technique involving working with colored clays.

Science Teacher

Keep Dorm Liaison

B.A. Temple University
M.Ed. Temple University

Phone: 802-387-6253
802-387-2305 (fax)
Email: glittledale@putneyschool.org
Departments: Science Department

I’m a former dairy farmer, bicycle frame builder, art restorer and jewelry maker. I got an undergrad degree in physics with a math minor as an adult, followed by masters in teaching secondary school science and math.

I graduated with the Putney class of ’76, worked as the farm manager from 1986-1990, and have been teaching science here since 1998.

What surprises me about this place is its generosity of spirit.

Putney has the courage to do things differently. Placing importance on a wide range of endeavors, students work with their hands as well as minds, often integrating the two.  Most importantly, students here are encouraged to develop genuine agency.

Director of Communication and Marketing

B.A. Smith College

Phone: 802-387-6258
Email: dmadden@putneyschool.org
Departments: Administration, Communications

Desktop Support

Phone:
Email: jmaiocco@putneyschool.org
Departments: Technology Department

Assistant Childcare Teacher

Phone: 802-387-8585
Email: hmccormick@putneyschool.org
Departments: Daycare

Development Associate

A.B. Princeton University

Phone: 802-387-6213
Email: kmccorvy@putneyschool.org
Departments: Alumni & Development

No amount of prose could adequately encapsulate the visceral joy I feel while in the Green Mountain State. And no place synthesizes and distills the ethos and practice of what drew me here quite like The Putney School.

Whether art, science, performance, introspection, exercise, leisure, work, support, or simply existing as a person in this world, The Putney School is a place where you can do it, whatever ‘it’ is, to the fullest extent.

I have spent time working with music, design, nature, policy, and governance. I now work in a place where I can, and must, do them all. It is truly a gift to work in the Development Office at The Putney School.

Executive Chef

Phone: 802-387-6230
Email: dmiller@putneyschool.org
Departments: Dining Services

Visual Arts Teacher

Keep Dorm Faculty

Phone:
Email: rmuller@putneyschool.org
Departments: Art Department

Sculpture Teacher

Noyes Dorm Faculty

B.A. The American University of Paris, France

Phone:
Email: rnava@putneyschool.org
Departments: Art Department

Plant Staff and Director of the Work Program

Phone: 802-387-6231
Email: hnorwood@putneyschool.org
Departments: Other Programs, Plant Staff

Head of School

B.A. Middlebury College
M.A. University of Colorado Boulder

Phone: 802-387-6211
Email: dobrien@putneyschool.org
Departments: Administration, Head of School's Office

History Teacher and History Department Chair

Noyes Dorm Liaison

B.A. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
M.A. University of Montana
Ph.D. University of Montana

Phone: 802-387-6226
Email: poconnor@putneyschool.org
Departments: History

I came to Putney because the school embodies my core values as a teacher: trust in students, an emphasis on exploration, and a commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration. My goal in all courses is to help students pursue the big questions that matter to them. Along the way, they will begin the humbling, lifelong process of confronting history’s biggest questions: what suffering has engendered our privileges? What has been lost that cannot be recovered? What can we learn from the past to lead just lives?

Before I came to Putney, I taught courses on the history of capitalism, law and politics, and slavery and emancipation at the University of Montana. I have mostly focused on American history, but I am always pushing myself to learn about other areas and topics.

I began my career teaching secondary English, and I am delighted to work with teenagers again. When not teaching, you can find me riding my bike around town, baking bread, and listening to sad old country songs.

Nurse

Phone: 802-387-6221
Email: mogden@putneyschool.org
Departments: Health Services

Science Teacher

White Cottage Dorm Faculty

Phone: 802-387-6253
Email: rolivan@putneyschool.org
Departments: Science Department

Putney believes in community and, therefore, every member of the community.
Hola, I’m Rosi, I’m Mexican. I’m a chemical engineer from Instituto Tecnológico de Zacatepec in Mexico. I’ve been at Putney for four years. I teach Math and Science. I’m also one of the New Boys dorm heads, and member of the Sustainability Squad.
I love weaving, traveling, and exploring different cultures and foods.
Improving waste management systems is one of my main interests. I’m a board member of the Rich Earth Institute, an organization that works with fertilizer from urine to create clean rivers and sustainable farms.
What keeps me here at Putney is the idea of learning new things and the possibility of implementing projects. 

Chef

Phone:
Email: cowensby@putneyschool.org
Departments: Dining Services

Huseby Dorm Head

B.A. UCLA
M.A. UC Santa Barbara
PhD. UC Santa Barbara

Phone:
Email: toyewole@putneyschool.org
Departments: Adjunct Faculty

English Department Chair and English Teacher

Huseby Dorm Faculty

B.A. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
M.A. Bread Loaf School of English, Middlebury College

Phone: 802-387-6260
Email: zparker@putneyschool.org
Departments: Department Heads, English Department

I love how there is no such thing as a classic Putney student. Each community member becomes fully themselves here–but there is no “type.”

I came to Putney as an intern right out of college but moved on after a year to teach in Boston. After that, I traveled and studied in Central America for a year before landing in Istanbul where I taught in a bilingual Turkish school for a while.

Always on the lookout for another adventure, I couldn’t resist an invitation to help launch a new semester program, so I joined the founding faculty at the High Mountain Institute in Leadville, CO.

A couple of years later, with the arrival of my daughter, the pull of living near grandmothers became powerful, and I found myself back in Vermont–where I have remained, more or less, ever since, raising my family, teaching at Putney, and putting down roots.

I miss living outside of the US though, and recently we spent a year adventuring and teaching in Almaty, Kazakhstan. I love literature as much as I love exploring other places and languages (after all, it’s more or less the same thing!) and in the summer can often be found floating in cold water, reading a book.

Plant Staff

Phone:
Email: kpeknik@putneyschool.org
Departments: Plant Staff

Teacher, Elm Lea Childcare

Phone: 802-387-8585
Email: awhaley@putneyschool.org
Departments: Daycare

Putney’s commitment to finding joy in the natural world, in hard work and in the creative process brought me here and keep me here. 

Associate Director of Admission

B.S. Bates College

Phone: 802-387-6243
Email: bquarrier@putneyschool.org
Departments: Admission Office

Director of Counseling Services

Pronouns: she/her/hers

LICSW, CADC
B.A. Washington University in St. Louis
MSW Washington University in St. Louis

Phone: 802-387-6268
Email: mreuter@putneyschool.org
Departments: Health Services

Meredith is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Since earning her Masters’ of Social Work in 2006, she has practiced in a variety of settings, including therapeutic boarding schools and residential treatment programs, outpatient substance abuse treatment programs, and in a therapeutic independent day school. Her clinical interests include adolescent anxiety and depression, substance abuse, and trauma-informed therapeutic approaches. She has extensive training in Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Experiential Education.

School Store Manager

B.F.A. Massachusetts College of Art & Design

Phone: 802-387-6264
Email: lrichard@putneyschool.org
Departments: Business Office

Math Teacher

Noyes Dorm Faculty

Phone:
Email: grosenberg@putneyschool.org
Departments: Math Department

Assistant Music Director

B.M. & B.A. Keene State College
M.M. Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University
A.D. Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University

Phone:
Email: dross@putneyschool.org
Departments: Music Department

It has been really wonderful to work closely with some really gifted, self-motivated, and passionate young people. The students here keep me energized for music. Putney has a musical heart and you can see that in the sing program and in the flurry of daily life in the music building.

I am continually surprised by the down to earth traditions of Putney. From the farm to the costumed parade with a giant puppet to the hand-drawn diplomas… I anticipate learning of many more quirks in the coming year!

I grew up in New England and after spending some time away in Baltimore and Los Angeles, I was happy to return. I have been involved in music my entire life and have worked in classical and jazz, in concert and recording, performing as well as mixing and engineering, and the whole time I have been actively teaching and in education. I am so lucky to work in music that it is difficult to separate work from play. In my free time, I have an interest in literature and philosophy which I pursue as a hobby and have also been known to swing a ping-pong paddle from time to time.

Tutor, Center for Teaching and Learning

Phone:
Email: mroussi@putneyschool.org
Departments: Center for Teaching & Learning

Data Systems Manager

B.A. Marlboro College
M.S. Marlboro Graduate Center

Phone: 802-387-7306
Email: msardinas@putneyschool.org
Departments: Technology Department

Printmaking Teacher

B.A. Sarah Lawrence College
M.F.A. Vermont College of Fine Arts

Phone:
Email: hschmidt@putneyschool.org
Departments: Art Department

English Teacher

Old Girls Dorm Faculty

Phone:
Email: hseguin@putneyschool.org
Departments: English Department

Baker

A.A. Culinary Arts, Newbury College

Phone: 802-387-6230
Email: adougan@putneyschool.org
Departments: Dining Services

Chinese Teacher

B.A. Shanghai Theatre Academy
M.F.A. Vermont College of Fine Arts

Phone: 802-387-6240
Email: csilver@putneyschool.org
Departments: World Languages

I value Putney’s environment of learning. Teaching takes place by doing, everyone works to set a good example for themselves and for others around them.

This place is filled with love, caring, synergy and creative energy. There is room here for each individual to grow and shine. Creativity is fully supported and cultivated.

English Teacher

B.A. Columbia University
M.A. Bread Loaf School of English, Middlebury College

Phone: 802-387-6260
Email: jsmith@putneyschool.org
Departments: English Department

My husband Randy and I came to Putney in the fall of 1999 as an adventure! We have stayed because we love the school and way of life.

I love that everyone at Putney — every adult and every adolescent — is both a student and a teacher.

I grew up in Seattle, Washington, and learned to love hiking, skiing, climbing and being outdoors even in the rain. For me a good day is any day spent outdoors. I was a late bloomer as a reader, but it is one of my favorite pastimes now along with cooking and gardening.

My most recent obsession is the Boston Bruins and NHL hockey. Along with my husband and 13-year-old son, we spend a lot of time cheering our team! For me, following the Bruins through the season is like reading a great novel: being surprised, delighted and grieved by the twists of the story and character development.

As I begin my 20th year at The Putney School, I am as excited as ever to begin a new school year!

Assistant Head of School/ CFO

Phone: 802-387-6245
Email: rsmith@putneyschool.org
Departments: Administration, Business Office, Head of School's Office

I came to The Putney School by chance, but the strength of the community has kept me here for nearly 20 years. People are really passionate about the school.

I was born in Seattle and lived in the Northwest most of my life. I graduated from the University of Washington, survived the DotCom boom, came to Putney for one year in 1999 and never left.

I live in Goodlatte with my wonderful wife Jenny, and amazing son Emmett.

Director of Elm Lea Child Care and Early Childhood Educator

Phone: 802-387-8585
Email: rosie.smith@putneyschool.org
Departments: Daycare

Communications and Marketing Manager

B.F.A. Maryland Institute College of Art

Phone: 802-387-6238
Email: lstewart@putneyschool.org
Departments: Communications

I originally came to Putney for an internship with Summer Programs. Immediately, I knew this was a place I wanted to continue to work at rather than just in the summers. I fell in love with the landscape, school, and community and ended up staying here.

Every day in my job is different, I am constantly moving around campus, working with faculty, staff, and students. I feel so fortunate to have a unique hand in documenting what goes on at the school from day-to-day. 

Horse Program Manager

B.S. University of Vermont

Phone: 802-387-2150
Email: cstickney@putneyschool.org
Departments: Farm Staff

I’m a lover of children and animals. I live for my family and the joy I get from sharing with students the physical and emotional bond that can exist between humans and horses, not to mention the amazing feel of connecting with a horse by riding it. 

Farm Manager

Girls' Basketball Coach

B.A. Union Institute and University

Phone: 802-387-4730
Email: pstickney@putneyschool.org
Departments: Athletic Department, Farm Staff

I was raised on a family farm in Saxtons River, and came to teaching mid-career. I enjoy the contrasts between the finite world of agriculture and the infinite opportunities in the classroom.

At Putney, I have the opportunity to work in agriculture within a vibrant learning community. My dreams have come true.

Lunch/ Dinner Chef

Phone: 802-387-6230
Email: jtevolini@putneyschool.org
Departments: Dining Services

The captivating green mountains and the people brought me here, along with the farm to table attitude and the organic thought process brings a real community feeling.

I was born in a small town in southern Italy came to America in 1965, living in southern Connecticut until the mid-80s and working in restaurants, colleges, and institutions. I moved to Vermont in 1985 and have been at The Putney School since 2005.

Music Director

New England Conservatory of Music

Phone: 802-387-6220
Email: ethomas@putneyschool.org
Departments: Art Department, Music Department

I am thrilled to have a chance to add my voice to the Putney community along with my son. William, Hercules (our Great Dane), and I will be on campus for the first time this fall term.  Several convergences bring us to Putney. My sister’s children graduated from here, and I was very impressed to discover Putney’s progressive teaching approaches when I visited the campus for their dance recitals, art shows, and graduations. When I was teaching at Phillips Andover, one of my mentors, Sue Lloyd, was a graduate of Putney and author of The Putney School, a progressive experiment; we built our Andover world music curriculum with suggestions from Sue’s expertise. It is exciting to be at the source of her inspiration. Who wouldn’t want to be in a place where the entire community makes music together?

Old Girl's Dorm Faculty

Phone:
Email: jtribuna@putneyschool.org
Departments: Other Programs

Science and Humans in the Natural World Teacher

Gray House Dorm Faculty
Faculty Trustee

Phone: 802-387-6237
Email: averney-fink@putneyschool.org
Departments: Science Department

Art Department Chair and Photography Teacher

Michael S. Currier Gallery Coordinator

B.A. Brown University

Phone: 802-387-6249
Email: lweinstein@putneyschool.org
Departments: Art Department, Department Heads

Acting Assistant Dean of Students

M.F.A. Savannah College of Art and Design
B.F.A. Spelman College

Phone:
Email: KWhite@putneyschool.org
Departments: Dean of Students Office

Director of Diversity and Equity

Math and Science Teacher
Keep Dorm Liaison

B.A. Hunter College
Ph.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Phone: 802-710-7006
Email: awhite@putneyschool.org
Departments: Math Department, Science Department

Librarian

Old Boys Dorm Faculty

B.A. Union Institute and University
M.L.I.S. Simmons College

Phone: 802-387-6229
Email: swiles@putneyschool.org
Departments: Library Department

Our family was drawn to Putney 14 years ago just before my second daughter was born. We loved the idea of living in the hills of Vermont in an intentional, international community that focused on sustainability, the arts, and community.

I was born and raised in Vermont and while I’ve lived away at various times of my life, I have always returned. I am an avid reader and knitter. I have two children who are both students at Putney.

Assistant to the Head of School

Old Boys Dorm Liaison

B.A. William Smith College
M.S. Antioch University New England

Phone: 802-387-6211
Email: kwolfe@putneyschool.org
Departments: Head of School's Office

Director of Development

Phone: (802) 387-6261
Email: kyannatos@putneyschool.org
Departments: Alumni & Development

It is an honor to be serving Putney, a school I so deeply believe in, in this role, at this time. A previous Putney chapter included teaching dance, heading the arts department, and directing the evening arts program. Previous chapters have also included being director of the arts at another independent school, teaching dance in a multitude of settings (from colleges to community centers), as well choreographing and performing nationally and internationally. After years of inner-city teaching (in NYC and LA), it is a privilege to be on Putney’s bucolic hill working to ensure access for all who wish to call it home. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with and learn from all within the Putney community, to collaboratively lift up and support Putney into the future. Thank you.

Science Teacher and Science Department Chair

Keep Dorm Liason

Phone: 802-387-6237
Email: dzweig@putneyschool.org
Departments: Department Heads, Science Department

I love working with teenagers (especially Putney students) because they give me hope we are truly capable of “achieving a society worthy of the name.” My students push me to be a better teacher, but also a better person. One of the most important aspects of my pedagogy is that if you give students the proper resources, just a little guidance and a real sense of agency, then they are capable of way more than most adults would ever assume.

English Teacher

Keep Dorm Liason

Phone: 802-387-6260
Email: nzweig@putneyschool.org
Departments: Department Heads, English Department