Putney Directory

Language Department Chair / Spanish Teacher

Latin Dance Evening Instructor
Gund Dorm Liaison

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

Phone: 802-387-5566
Email: aalmazan-vazquez@putneyschool.org
Departments: Athletic Department, Department Heads, Faculty, World Languages

Putney Perspective: Over the years, I’ve enjoyed teaching intermediate and advanced Spanish classes, coaching an all-gender soccer team, and sharing my expertise in Latin dance as an evening activity. My accomplishments at Putney and beyond would not have been possible without an amazing group of present, past, and future students and faculty that make The Putney School a truly amazing place to grow and thrive both personally and professionally.

Background: I hold a Licenciatura in Teaching Spanish as a Second Language from Universidad Internacional UNINTER in Morelos, México and a Master’s in Latin American Studies from Cleveland State University. As an immigrant with 20 years of experience, I proudly represent the lively city of Cuernavaca, México.

Interests and Passions: My unique contributions, learnings, and unlearnings at the Putney School have invited me to present at renowned World Languages conferences, including the distinguished Massachusetts Foreign Language Association 2018’s “Best Workshop of State Conference.” I am a co-founder of the influential Minnesota Council on Teaching Languages and Cultures 2020 “BIPOC/Immigrant World Language Educators strand” and a sought-after featured speaker at The Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages 2021 in NYC. I’m also a recipient of the 2025-2026 VOCALE Vermont Distinguished Teacher of the Year” and “NECTFL Board of Directors, class of 2030.”

My classroom insights have had a lasting impact, and my testimonies and experiences led me to serve as the keynote speaker at the Greater Washington DC Association of Teachers of Foreign Language 2021 Spring Conference, the 2023 Vermont Foreign Language Association Spring Conference, and the Keynote Speaker for the Western Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy Awards 2023 Ceremony at UMass Amherst.

Building and Grounds Technician

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

College Counselor

New Boys Dorm Liaison

B.S. University of California, Davis
M.S. University of Washington, Seattle

Phone: 802-387-7352
Email: abaum@putneyschool.org
Departments: College Counseling

Putney Perspective: My work as a college counselor allows me to help students see past real or perceived limitations, problem solve, and recognize strengths and possibilities they sometimes have difficulty seeing in themselves. I believe in accountability, but I also believe students need room to make mistakes, learn from failure, and grow. I love being part of a vibrant school community, and I feel fortunate to work in a place where I can know students in many different contexts and support them as they grow. I have an occasionally over-the-top attention to detail, which means I’m often thinking a few steps ahead, noticing the small things, and helping students navigate the many details of the college process without losing sight of the bigger picture.

Background: I grew up climbing trees in Northern California and have called Putney home since 2012. I live here with my husband and our four children. My early work and education in conservation biology and biodiversity informatics taught me to notice patterns, ask questions, and appreciate the complexity of systems.

Interests & Passions: Outside of school, I enjoy hiking, cycling, yoga, and pretty much anything that gets me outside. I also love to cook and am always happy to spend time in the kitchen. One of my favorite things about life at Putney is not having to drive to work, especially when my walk takes me right through the dairy herd. Best commute ever.

Student Accounts Coordinator

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

Finance Associate

Phone: 802-387-7394
Email: mbonneau@putneyschool.org
Departments: Business Office

Math Teacher / 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, Faculty, Math Department

Putney Perspective: 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.

Background: I grew up on a farm and then attended SUNY ESF, where I earned a B.S. in Forest Engineering. After working for a few years in natural resource conservation I attended UMass Amherst, where I earned an M.S. degree in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Water Resources Engineering and a certificate in Fish Passage Engineering. I have been teaching at Putney since 2014 and still wake up excited to work with students!

Interests and Passions: I am an avid knitter and sewist, which has led me to sponsor many fiber arts project weeks and even an independent study in knitting. I am passionate about climate science and strive to be an active and informed climate citizen. I have participated in a remote field expedition to the Juneau Icefield in Alaska to collect geophysics data on glaciers through the PolarSTEAM program and the American Meteorological Society’s Project Ice, a program for educators focused on paleoclimatology and hands-on ice core lab experience!

History Teacher

JR Dorm Faculty

B.A. in History, Middlebury College

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

Putney Perspective: As a member of the Putney Community, I love to share my passion for history with students, lead and engage in rigorous discussion and reflection, and immerse myself in Southern Vermont life.

Background: I was raised in New Paltz, NY in the foothills of the Catskills. After attending an experiential semester program in high school I became inspired to pursue education as a potential career path. This led me to work in the outdoor industry as an instructor for Apogee Adventures and the High Mountain Institute where I guided multiweek bikepacking and backpacking trips for highschool students. After graduating with a B.A. in History from Middlebury College, I was eager to continue in the field and subsequently moved to Idaho where I participated in the Sun Valley Community School Teacher Training Academy.

Interests and Passions: I am an avid cyclist, skier, and general outdoor enthusiast. I enjoy nonfiction (usually history books) and making breakfast tacos whenever possible. I am also trying to explore more creative hobbies and am currently dabbling with small form watercolor painting!

English Teacher / Media Studies Teacher

Huseby Dorm Faculty

B.A. Media and Society, Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Phone: 802-387-6260
Email: jbruno@putneyschool.org
Departments: English Department, Faculty

Putney Perspective: As an avid reader, writer, and artist, I find immense fulfillment in the collaborative nature of working with students at the Putney School on their academic and creative practice. Teaching an Evening Art and being a live-in residential faculty member has also given me a greater appreciation for the student culture and an admiration for how hard working our students are. I look forward to learning something new from them every day.

Background: I was born in upstate New York and was raised in a combination of traditional and progressive boarding schools. My family has always lived and worked in education, so Putney feels like home. Prior to working at Putney, I was the photographer and social media manager for Allendale Columbia’s Summer LEAP program. I firmly believe in media’s ability to tell a story and move people to action, and am proud of the work I was able to do with LEAP. I also worked in the Putney School’s Summer Programs office for three years in a variety of roles before joining as full-time English faculty.

Interests and Passions: My journal is like another limb for me; it and my fountain pen go wherever I go. I love reading fiction and fantasy, and am currently working through Brandon Sanderson’s intimidating ‘Stormlight Archive’. If you see me around campus, ask me what I’m reading! I also love to paint in watercolors and practice plein air painting and sketching as a way to capture memories.

History Teacher / Interim Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

Huseby Dorm Faculty

Phone:
Email: ecarson@putneyschool.org
Departments: Faculty, History

Edward has more than two decades of experience teaching history and social studies in independent schools. He also has significant leadership experience as a department chair, dean, and residential life leader. A historian of race and religion in 20th-century America, he earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees in History and Biblical Christianity from Harding University. A nationally recognized AP History educator, published scholar, and frequent conference presenter, he combines deep content expertise with a commitment to student engagement, belonging, and community life. He will live in Huseby with his wife, Janette.

Marketing and Communications Content Coordinator

Phone:
Email: rchaffee-cohen@putneyschool.org
Departments: Communications

Director of Technology & Library Services / Co-Academic Dean

History and Humanities Writing
Research Teacher

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

Phone: 802-387-7324
Fax: 802-387-2305
Email: kchampney@putneyschool.org
Departments: Academic Office, Administration, Faculty, History, Library Department, Technology Department

Putney Perspective: 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.

Background: 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 .

Interests and Passions: 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.

Head Librarian

B.A. Tufts University
M.A. University of Washington
Ph.D. The Graduate Center, CUNY

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

Putney Perspective: In college, I discovered that learning more about a musical artist deepens my enjoyment and engagement with their music, a discovery that ignited a love for research, for asking questions, and for following all sorts of leads throughout books, articles, and archives. I’m inspired by Putney’s fundamental belief “to discover truth and grow in human understanding and knowledge of the universe,” because it’s so familiar to me and how I approach education and historical inquiry. I’m hoping to bring that same curiosity to students through their work in and exploration of the library.

Background: I grew up in the Boston area and worked in Harvard’s Loeb Music Library after college, before venturing west for grad school in Seattle and eventually settling into the New York City metro area. There I completed a Ph.D. in Musicology and American Studies, taught at many NYC-area colleges and universities, and worked with college faculty on both writing across the curriculum and instructional technology pedagogies, giving me my first taste of progressive educational tools. Most recently, I served as the director of technology at a K–9 independent school in Western Massachusetts, where I helped design curricula around digital, media, news, and AI literacy. At Putney, I’m especially interested in teaching information and media skills, helping students become stronger researchers, more critical readers, and more thoughtful users of technology.

Interests and Passions: I am obsessed with live music and see as much as I can, from avant-garde classical music at Yellow Barn to Grateful Dead cover bands at the Stone Church to big national acts at Madison Square Garden. I love mountain biking and snowboarding through Vermont, cooking and gardening, and spending time with my wife Rose and our dogs, Coconut and Ginger, at our home in Brattleboro.

Science Teacher

Hepper Dorm Faculty

Phone:
Email: jconnell@putneyschool.org
Departments: Faculty, Science Department

Justin brings more than twenty years of teaching experience across independent and public school settings, with expertise in physics, chemistry, environmental science, and experiential education. In addition to his classroom work, he has extensive experience in residential life, student support, outdoor education, coaching, and restorative practices. Justin will live in Hepper House with his wife, Lorraine, and his son, Elliot, who will be a 10th-grade student at Putney.

Desktop Support Specialist / Athletics Coach

Phone: 802-387-7300
Email: rcuerdon@putneyschool.org
Departments: Technology Department

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

Director of The 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@putneyschool.org
Departments: Faculty, World Languages

Director of Dance / Summer Arts Program Coordinator

Gray House Dorm Liaison

B.A. The George Washington University
M.F.A. New York University, Tisch School of the Arts

Phone: 802-387-7326
Email: adavies@putneyschool.org
Departments: Art Department, Summer Programs

ESOL Teacher / French Teacher / Spanish Teacher

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

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

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.

Admission Counselor

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

Putney Perspective: My days are full of surprises. I enjoy getting to know the natural world here — especially when mushrooms are abundant, birds are active, and foxes are running around the fields.

Background: 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 class as a math and science faculty at North Country School. After studying educational leadership with the Klingenstein Center (Teachers College Columbia University), I arrived at Putney, eager to learn and teach alongside curious students and knowledgeable faculty.

Interests: I’m likely to be found riding a bike, running a trail or skiing in the backcountry. I’m chipping away at a life goal to ride my bike 50 miles in all 50 states and hike all 115 peaks above 4,000 ft in the northeast.

Math Teacher

Heights Dorm Parent

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

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: 802-387-6223
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.

Admission Counselor

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

Director of Summer Arts

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: Administration, 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.

Math Teacher / Science Teacher

JR Dorm Faculty

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

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

Putney Perspective: 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 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.

Background: 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 M.A. 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.

Interests and Passions: I work with the Putney Fire Department as an Advanced EMT and EMS training officer. Besides that, I try to spend as much time as I can outdoors with my family snowboarding, fly fishing, surfing, paddling, or really anything else that gets us outside.

Director of Food Service

Phone: 802-387-6251
Email: agonzalez@putneyschool.org
Departments: Dining Services

Baker

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

Assistant Head of School for Student Life / Dean of Students

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

Chief Finance and Operations Officer

B.A. Saint Michael's College

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

Science Teacher

Keep Dorm Faculty

Phone:
Email: gharvey@putneyschool.org
Departments: Faculty, Science Department

Griffin brings a strong background in progressive, place-based environmental education shaped by Kroka Expeditions, Warren Wilson College, Bard’s Center for Environmental Policy, and Montessori teaching. His experience includes leading school gardens, ecology programming, permaculture studies, field-based learning, international environmental education, and student-centered outdoor programs. He has built garden infrastructure, taught sustainability and ecology, managed student interns, and developed educational travel and reforestation programs. Griffin is committed to experiential learning, environmental stewardship, student agency, and the integration of intellectual, practical, and outdoor work.

Adjunct Faculty, Science

Phone:
Email: dharvey@putneyschool.org
Departments: Faculty, Science Department

Danielle Harvey brings substantial high school teaching experience in biology, environmental science, and special education. She has taught honors and college preparatory biology, environmental science, biology, and algebra 1, with a strong focus on differentiated instruction and access for students of all abilities. Her work includes Montessori training, outdoor learning, hands-on labs, environmental clubs, beekeeping, interdisciplinary sustainability projects, field trips, and international experiential learning.

Admissions and Enrollment Coordinator

B.A. LIU Global
M.A. SIT Graduate Institute

Phone: 802-387-6201
Email: ihefele@putneyschool.org
Departments: Admission Office

Putney Perspective: I was first introduced to The Putney School when I moved to Vermont as a graduate student and lamented how I wish my experiential education journey would have started earlier—maybe even in high school. My advisor let me know of a progressive, experiential high school “just over the hill.”  It took a few years for me to come up the hill, first as a member of a local theater company rehearsing here. I’ve witnessed first-hand how faculty and staff at Putney can push you and challenge you, so I’m happy to be a part of that now as staff.

Background: I first discovered experiential learning as an exchange student to Germany in 2000 and I haven’t looked back.  My degrees were in experiential education interspersed with three years in Peace Corps Mozambique. Prior to coming to Vermont, I lived in Latin America, Africa ,and Europe, teaching ESL and drama. Now I live in Vernon, with my husband, two kids, and two dogs.

Interests and Passions: Languages and theater have been a passion of mine since as early as I can remember. Right now, I can speak five languages and am trying to learn Icelandic, which is my family’s favorite place to travel to on vacation. Outside of the local theater, I enjoy spending time with my kids and their passions or outside in the woods swimming or snowshoeing, depending on the season.

Director of the International Student Program / Spanish Teacher / ESOL Teacher

Gund Dorm Liaison

Law Degree - National Autonomous University of Honduras
M.A. Sustainable Development - SIT Graduate Institute

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

Putney Perspective: I have dedicated most of my professional career working with youth. Their curiosity, resilience, and fresh perspectives inspire me to keep learning and adapting. Each day I am grateful to be part of their journey as they discover their passions, develop their skills, and navigate the world around them. This is one of the big reasons why I work at Putney. Our community works hard to equip young people with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to take charge of their education and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

Background: 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. Since then, I have worked with youth development and language programs for the last two decades. I came to live in and love Vermont while studying at the School of International Training in Brattleboro.

Interests: I love traveling, learning about different cultures, arts and cooking. I am constantly learning new hobbies and discovering new things to do. I have a very strong passion for Latin American literature, music, foods, and Central American archaeology. Currently, I am a tea enthusiast who likes to learn different blends, brewing techniques, or the science of flavor profiles. I like to learn about embracing simplicity and celebrating the diversity of life.

Farm Manager

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

Phone: 802-387-6226
Email: nhoskins@putneyschool.org
Departments: Farm Staff

Chef

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

Carpenter

Phone: 802-387-6262

Email: bjewel@putneyschool.org
Departments: Plant Staff

Fiber Arts Teacher

Huseby Dorm Liaison

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

Development Data Systems Director

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

Putney Perspective: I’ve been part of The Putney School’s Alumni and Development team since 2006, working behind the scenes to keep our community informed, connected, and engaged. I enjoy streamlining complex processes through automation, occasionally teaching spinning, and helping with fiber arts. Most of all, I value the meaningful impact of our work and the opportunity to collaborate with students and colleagues.

Background: My database experience began in college, where I inventoried an extensive art collection for the audio-visual department. I went on to build a multifaceted career in development, technology, and operations—managing fundraising data, supporting network and phone systems, maintaining websites, and helping a large property-management nonprofit transition from paper to software. My professional path also includes time as a Vermont State Parks naturalist and a working fiber artist. Today, I am professionally certified in Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge NXT, present regularly at regional and national conferences, and co-organize the Raiser’s Edge user group that serves the Northeast.

Interests: Outside of work, I love fiber arts (especially alongside movies or Star Trek), tabletop and video games, and spending time with family and friends. I enjoy exploring the natural world, capturing time-lapse sky photography, and finding creative ways to render wax from our apiary. Above all, I aim to sprinkle kindness while standing firm for justice.

Mental Health Counselor

B.A. Communication Studies and Psychology, University of Rhode Island
Master of Social Work, Widener University

Phone: 802-246-7005 (Counseling Office)
802-289-3837 (Nurse on Call)
Email: ajohnston@putneyschool.org
Departments: Health Services

I am excited be a mental health counselor as part of the health and wellness team at the Putney School. It brings me great joy to know that I’m part of a community that truly cares about our students and not only sees them for the unique individuals they are, but thrives on this diversity to unite and strengthen our community.  I love getting to know all of our students in some capacity, and supporting them in their multifaceted needs and journey here on campus.

I am a native Vermonter, although I’ve lived along the Northeast coast. My knowledge and experience in the mental health field stems from both community-based and educational settings, and I have worked across a broad spectrum of client demographics. I enjoy focusing the love and energy in my field into our students here at Putney!

Housekeeper

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

Faculty Development Coordinator / Math Teacher

New Boys 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, Faculty, Math Department

Putney Perspective: 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 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.

Background: 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 four years in the energy industry. I returned to Putney in 2012.

Interests and Passions: I love dogs, reading, being outside, and my family.

Theater Director / Director of Evening Arts

B.S. New York University
M.A. New York University
Ph.D. University of California, Irvine

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

Putney Perspective: Theater at Putney is all about transformation and collaboration. The rehearsal room and the stage hold the power to transform individual perspectives and challenge modes of oppression. The process of embodying a character can be liberating as we try on new identities and exercise our ability to empathize with our characters, no matter how different they are from ourselves. We proudly produce boundary pushing plays and musicals.

Background: 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.

Interests and Passions: I enjoy performing in musical theater with the Wild Goose Players, illustration and embroidery, contemporary fiction and cooking.

Assistant Head of School / Co-Academic Dean

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: Academic Office, Administration

Putney Perspective: 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.

Background: I was an alpine skier at a ski academy in high school and went on to compete in college. Coaching skiing was my primary interest as a young teacher and most of what I understood about teaching came from my experience coaching. Outdoor education, particularly winter camping, taught me about leadership and all fed back into a pressing and recurring question, “How do people learn? What’s the role of experience in learning?” I studied English and writing at Breadloaf School of English and then Educational Leadership at Teacher’s College. I ran a semester program in urban studies near New York City called CITYterm that applied all my outdoor education training to expeditionary learning in the city. Putney’s commitment to experiential learning aligns with what I’ve learned about how learning happens through 40 years of teaching and coaching high school students. Both of my children are Putney graduates.

Interests and Passions: Outside of work I love to read, write, and walk with my husband, John, —and our dog, Wrigley.

History Teacher

Gund House Dorm Faculty

B.A. Fairmont State University
M.A. North Carolina State University
Ph.D. Stanford University

Phone: 650-739-3623
Email: glee@putneyschool.org
Departments: Faculty, History

Putney Perspective: What drew me to the Putney School was its dedication to student freedom and the value the school places on practical education alongside academic learning. I love that, as an educator here, I have a similar freedom to experiment and reinvent what the classroom experience can be. I am deeply interested in understanding how people think, learn, and grow. As a historian, particular questions drive the mode of learning I try to cultivate: What does it mean to be human? How can the storehouse of human experience inform and shape citizenship in the present? How can we know? As a teacher dedicated to awakening student wisdom, I am equally interested in cultivating self-awareness through mindfulness, self reflection, and deep looking at the interconnections, in both time and space, that shape us as human beings.

Background: I grew up in West Virginia and lived in North Carolina, California, Maryland, and Connecticut before coming to Putney. I became a stone mason after high school and have always combined practical labor with my academic pursuits; at Stanford, I built a stone mosaic on the back deck of my dorm and made my own bookshelves. A specialist in US Environmental History, I finished my doctorate in 2019. Afterward, I was a postdoctoral fellow at Yale for three years, where I taught courses on the global history of water. It is at Putney, where I landed in 2022, that I found my passion for teaching high school.

Interests and Passions: Mindful living, music (playing and listening), cooking, gardening, and spending time with my family.

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.

English Department Chair / English Teacher

Huseby Dorm Parent

B.A. Smith College

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

Putney Perspective: Putney takes students seriously as artists and intellectuals, and encourages them to chase the creeping edge of their curiosity.

Background: I graduated from Putney in 2011 and I was delighted to join the faculty here in 2023. Before returning to Putney, I spent seven years teaching English, art, and history in progressive schools in Massachusetts. It is wonderful to be back in Vermont, and at the school that seeded many of my core beliefs about education.

Interests and Passions: I love finding ways to make my daughter smile or laugh. I love watching my dog delight in the freedom of an off-leash hike. I love making little doodles of the people who bring me joy. I love getting dirt under my nails in a poorly-tended garden. I love to sew dresses I will never wear. I love to make big messes.

Medical Assistant

Phone:
Email: laurie.moore@putneyschool.org
Departments: Health Services

Tutor, Center for Teaching and Learning

Science Teacher

B.A. University of Massachusetts, Amherst
M.S. Antioch University New England

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

Putney Perspective: I strongly believe that students learn best when they have an active investment in their education and learn in an experiential way about the world around them. I also value being part of a close-knit community where everyone is expected to contribute and be themselves. I work at Putney because it incorporates these pieces, and gives students agency, with a balance of freedom and support, in figuring out who they are. As a tutor in the Center for Teaching and Learning, I love working with students to help them discover how they learn best.

Background: I grew up in the Boston area. During college, towards the end of my legal studies degree, through an Alternative Spring Break course I found myself more interested in experiential education than law, and finished up college by studying rural development in Thailand. I discovered a love for the outdoors after hiking the Appalachian Trail and spent my 20s farming, teaching environmental education, and doing trail work with high school students all over the U.S. I then decided to get my Master’s degree in Environmental Studies and Integrated Learning. After graduate school, I found my way to Putney, where I was the garden manager on the farm for about ten years. After a couple of years away, I’m back at Putney as a tutor in the CTL. After living on campus for many years, I now live in Dummerston with my husband and son.

Interests and Passions: My other interests include trail running, reading, growing flowers and vegetables, and fiber arts. I also love spending time outside with my family mountain biking, skiing, hiking, and camping.

Art Department Chair / Visual Arts Teacher

Phone:
Email: rmuller@putneyschool.org
Departments: Art Department, Department Heads, Faculty

Annual Giving and Development Coordinator

B.A. State University of New York at Albany
M.F.A Mills College

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

Marci grew up in New York on the border of Vermont and finally made it to the other side. She helps to coordinate the Annual Fund and other projects in the Development Office. Her youngest daughter is a current Putney student. When not at work, she’s likely to be in the woods, on the water, playing a racquet sport, or working on her own writing.

English Teacher / Humans in the Natural World Teacher / Basketball Coach

New Boys Dorm Faculty

Phone: 802-387-6260
Email: ddelarocha@putneyschool.org
Departments: English Department, Faculty

Payroll & HR Administrator

MA, Printmaking, Camberwell College of Arts, London UK
Postgraduate: Drawing Year Royal Drawing School, London, UK
BS, Plant Biology, University of New Hampshire (UNH)

Phone: 802-387-6225


Email: lniland@putneyschool.org
Departments: Business Office

Assistant Dean of Students / Director of Student Activities / Director of the Work Program

Phone: 802-387-6266
Email: hnorwood@putneyschool.org
Departments: Dean of Students Office

Digital Filmmaking Teacher

Phone:
Email: fnoyes@putneyschool.org
Departments: Art Department, Faculty

Frederic teaches digital filmmaking at The Putney School. He has taught at various private and public schools in NY and VT and worked in video production and television for over 30 years, teaching video skills to all age levels. Frederic worked on various films and productions as a line producer, audio recorder, and background actor. He enjoys a wide variety of music and hosts a weekly radio program. He loves participating in and discussing travel, history, pop culture and politics.

Director of Admission and Financial Aid

Phone: 802-387-6218


Email: pnoyes@putneyschool.org
Departments: Administration, Admission Office

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

Putney Perspective: I am convinced the time for The Putney School is now. Our mission – to stand for a way of life – is as profound today as it was at our founding in 1935. In an era of fragmentation, specialization, extraction, artificialization, and division, Putney offers a model not only for excellent academic preparation, but for what it means to be human. Putney students take responsibility for themselves and practice uplifting others. They grow their intellectual curiosity, assume agency for their lives, incorporate the arts and the natural world into their days, and address problems and take advantage of opportunities that arise from living in community.

Background: I’ve served as Putney’s head of school since 2022. Before returning to the Green Mountain State, where I did my undergraduate work at Middlebury, I spent a decade leading the High Mountain Institute in Colorado. Over the course of my school leadership journey, I’ve successfully led two transformative capital campaigns, helped develop multiple strategic plans, greatly expanded financial aid budgets, and overseen dramatic facilities transformations. Teaching has taken me into classrooms and onto backcountry trails, in the United States and internationally. Student-centered schools that promote student agency and leadership are my passion. I’ve also served on multiple independent school accreditation teams and as a consultant to the College Board, and I sit on the boards of directors of the Lake County (Colorado) Community Foundation and Bright Start Learning Center. Along with my undergraduate degree, I earned a master’s degree in history from the University of Colorado.

Interests and Passions: Outside of work, I spend time outdoors with my family, skiing, biking, hiking, and running. I love to cook, and struggle with a strange sense of obligation to read each week’s New Yorker cover to cover.

History Department Chair / History Teacher

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: Faculty, History

Putney Perspective: 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?

Background: 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.

Interests and Passions: 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: Faculty, Science Department

Putney Perspective: Putney believes in community and, therefore, in every member of the community. What keeps me here is the idea of learning new things and the joy of implementing projects.

Background: I’m Mexican. I’m a chemical engineer from Instituto Tecnológico de Zacatepec in Mexico. I teach math and science at Putney. I’m also one of the New Boys dorm heads, and a member of the Sustainability Squad.

Interests and Passions: 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.

Farm Assistant

Afternoon Activity Teacher

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

Chef

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

Plant Staff

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

Athletic Director / Sculpture Teacher

B.S. Bates College

Phone: 802-387-6243
Email: bquarrier@putneyschool.org
Departments: Art Department, Athletic Department, Faculty

Music Co-Director

B.M. in Music Education, Northwestern University

Phone: 802-387-7315
Email: jrae@putneyschool.org
Departments: Faculty, Music Department

Putney Perspective: I feel truly blessed to have landed at a progressive school that values a growth mindset, where students and teachers believe in the capacity to learn no matter the starting point. With a deep-rooted passion for both performing and educating, I am dedicated to guiding students on a musical exploration towards creativity and excellence. My mission goes beyond teaching notes; it extends to building confidence in each student and helping them discover and enjoy their unique voice. I love all aspects of the theater and am thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate on the yearly musical at Putney as well!

Background: I’m a music teacher and opera singer who taught voice lessons at Putney for eight years before joining as the music co-director. Through my background in vocal training, as well as clarinet, I aim to instill a love for the performing arts while empowering students to discover their individual strengths.

Interests and Passions: My summers are filled with work in a professional opera company, TUNDI Productions, that runs the Wagner in Vermont Festival in Brattleboro, VT each August. I wear many hats for TUNDI including executive director, set builder, artistic director, costume designer and diva.

Director of College Counseling

Noyes Dorm Faculty

Phone: 802-387-6227
Email: draffety@putneyschool.org
Departments: College Counseling, History

I attended Northfield Mount Hermon, earned a BA in history from Connecticut College, and completed an MA in liberal arts from St. John’s College in Santa Fe. I started my career as an educator at Link Community School in Newark, NJ, teaching U.S. History to 8th graders. At Olney Friends School, I expanded my role to college counselor. From there, I went to Elgin Academy where I became the director of college counseling. I have counseled hundreds of students from various backgrounds and parts of the world, who have matriculated at colleges and universities across the country and internationally. I believe each student should prioritize finding a college or university that will safely nurture the ongoing development of their character, abilities, and passions while encouraging them to pursue new experiences and challenges.

Vermont is the eighth state that I have lived in (CT, RI, MA, NM, OH, IL) and I am delighted to be back in New England. Outside of college counseling and history, I enjoy working out, books, comics, movies, numerous musical genres, and seafood.

Mailroom and School Store Manager

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

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

Putney Perspective: I started my journey at Putney in December of 2022. I’ve found the aspects of my job that are most meaningful are not so obvious. I appreciate that my role is casual; I get to be my authentic self and therefore the students are invited to be real with me as well. I hold a social space where students can feel safe and they get to make their own choices without judgement. I love that I act as a community resource connector and that I know everyone, students and adults alike, at least a little bit. I often feel that most of us are drawn to progressive and creative education because it means we get to be the mentors we wish we had when we were teenagers. I appreciate that my work environment is one where I can regularly practice the ways I can serve that objective better.

Background: I grew up in Westmoreland, N.H. and I will proudly remind people of that as often as is necessary. LFOD, if you know you know! I studied photography at MassArt in Boston, where I focused on analog processes, working with medium and large format cameras. I have been a volunteer teacher over the years at Insight Photography Project in Brattleboro. For five years I worked in the product design and development industry designing wall covering, baskets and other home decor for the global hospitality and retail marketplaces. I abandoned that career path to pursue a soul calling to organic farming and floral design in 2020. I started my own independent market and CSA scale flower farming business in 2022, named Lucia Rising Flowers. I have since transitioned away from the growing aspect to focus on wedding and event design but remain very invested in supporting local agriculture.

Interests and Passions: Curiosity, personal growth, self expression and laughter are my guides. Gardening, yoga, running, hiking, baking, sewing, reading, writing, tarot, recovery and other support communities, noodling around with my dog, Karma and more recently learning and expanding my competency in paganism, herbal medicine and oil painting.

Mental Health Counselor

Phone: 802-387-7393


Email: crodriguez-sciutto@putneyschool.org
Departments: Health Services

Carina brings extensive experience in psychology, counseling, mental health, and K–12 education. She has worked for more than 20 years as a psychologist and counselor in private practice, schools, agencies, and institutional settings, and has taught in private school environments for 12 years. She developed and implemented a new PK–4 Spanish program and has taught across multiple subjects and age levels. Fluent in Spanish, English, and Portuguese, Carina brings deep clinical insight, cross-cultural experience, language expertise, and a strong understanding of youth development to the school.

Math Department Chair / Math Teacher

Gund Dorm Liaison

B.A. Mathematics, Swarthmore College
M.S. Mathematics, Cornell University
M.Div., Harvard Divinity School
Ph.D., Religious and Theological Studies, University of Denver and Iliff School of Theology

Phone: (802) 579-8107
Email: grosenberg@putneyschool.org
Departments: Faculty, Math Department

Putney Perspective: What I love about teaching here is that I am able, and encouraged, to teach the way I’ve always wanted to: strong connections with students, lots of student choices, a focus on learning over grades, and a deep understanding over superficial learning. I love getting to know my students in and out of the classroom. I love challenging my students, and seeing them rise to the challenge. I love the ways students take ownership and leadership. Teaching here is so much fun!

Background: I grew up in Ohio and spent my college and initial post-graduate years slowly moving eastward.  I jumped from math to religious and theological studies (culminating in a my dissertation, a queer interpretation of the biblical Abraham and Sarah narratives), and then back to math.  Just before coming to Putney in 2022, I taught across town at Landmark College, where I acquired a deeper understanding and appreciation for neurodiversity.  I’m also a proud Putney parent.

Interests and Passions: Other things I think are fun: dancing (Morris, contra, tango, waltz, swing), learning circus skills, swimming (especially long open water swims), skiing, hiking, feeling useful, and playing strategy games with friends.

Music Co-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: 802-387-6220
Email: dross@putneyschool.org
Departments: Faculty, Music Department

Putney Perspective: 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 many more quirks in the years to come!

Background: 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.

Interests and Passions: 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.

Data Systems Manager

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

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

Putney Perspective: I joined the Putney School in the summer of 2007, starting in desktop support before the first iPhone was released. Over the years, my role has grown and changed along with the school and its technology, and I now serve as data systems manager. I’ve spent much of my time at Putney living in the dorms, where I raised my two children. For me, Putney has been much more than a place to work; it has been a significant part of my family’s life for nearly two decades.

Background: I grew up in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts, earned a B.A. from Marlboro College in Marlboro Vermont and an M.S. from the Marlboro Graduate Center. Before coming to Putney I worked in technology support at two other small schools in southern Vermont, also both on hillsides with white clapboard farmhouses and converted barns. Eventually I found my way to the Putney School here on Elm Lea Farm, with a farmhouse dating back as early as 1776.

Interests and Passions: Outside of work, I like to make things and spend time outdoors. I enjoy woodworking, hunting, camping and puttering on projects around the house. I’m happiest when my family and dogs gather around the fire pit on our property on a clear Vermont evening.

Gallerist for Michael Currier Gallery / Printmaking Teacher

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

Phone: 802-257-1577
Email: hschmidt@putneyschool.org
Departments: Art Department, Faculty

Putney Perspective: I’m an artist-teacher whose work currently combines intaglio, artisan papers, and oil paint to create richly textured prints. I’m interested in the possibility art has to effect personal and social transformation, and believe that learning to access one’s creative potential and then express it helps to bring about change in oneself and in the world.

Background: I received my B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College, where I concentrated in Fine Art, Sociology, and Religion. I studied at The Lacoste School for the Arts in Lacoste, France, and in Boston at The Museum School. I began my career as a social worker in New York’s South Bronx as an advocate for unhoused women and children. Upon moving to Vermont, I got an M.F.A. in sculpture at Vermont College of Art and continued to explore my interest in art and social justice for the next 25 years. I worked as a legal advocate for women at the Women’s Freedom Center. I taught at The River Gallery School for 24 years, and in addition to teaching adult studio classes, I served as the director of their Children and Teens Program. I’ve taught printmaking at the Community College of Vermont and currently teach printmaking and painting at The Putney School.

Interests and Passions: I co-created an expressive art class for at-risk teenage girls called Expresso, and taught art classes to people experiencing homelessness and incarceration through a program called Tapestry at the Brattleboro Retreat. I also facilitated paste-up installations on buildings comprised of student prints as part of an Art for Social Change program and facilitated the teaching of free classes at Art in the Neighborhood in Brattleboro. My sculptures and prints have been exhibited throughout the Northeast, and I have artwork in private collections in the United States and Europe.

Mental Health Counseling Intern

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

Health and Wellness Coordinator

Dorm Parent in Keep

BA in Business, Organizational Leadership

Phone: 802-387-7392
Email: jshaw@putneyschool.org
Departments: Health Services

Admission Counselor

Heights Dorm Faculty

Phone:
Email: csheedy@putneyschool.org
Departments: Admission Office

Cody has five years of experience in admissions work and shares a deep appreciation for progressive, independent education. He graduated from Wheaton College in Massachusetts, majoring in U.S. History and African/African American Diaspora Studies. Cody is eager to support prospective students and families, work with horses and the equestrian world, and connect with students in residential life. Prior to joining the Putney School, he worked and lived on Stoneleigh-Burnham School’s campus.

Director of Health & Wellness / Medical Director

Family Nurse Practitioner, Chamberlain University
M.S.N. Healthcare Policy, Chamberlain University
B.S.N. Florida International University

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

Putney Perspective: I first joined the Putney community in 2016 as a seasonal coordinator in the Health Office for Summer Programs. I moved on campus with my family in 2023 before joining the team full time in fall of 2024. I am dedicated to the health and safety of our community and helping students develop health literacy as they grow into young adults.

Background: I was born on the west coast of Florida before moving to Miami, Fla. in middle school, and ultimately graduating high school from nearby Vermont Academy. I began nursing at a large trauma hospital back in Florida and fell in love with neuroscience. I worked critical care, progressive care, and stroke response before making a transition to perinatal nursing. After moving to Vermont in 2015 I continued to develop skills in forensic nursing, school nursing, psychiatric care, and leadership before transitioning to advanced practice nursing as a local primary care provider. Today I use those skills to support the Putney community across health and wellness domains here on campus.

Interests and Passions: Outside of work, I enjoy reading, hiking, gardening, and spending time with my family and friends in the beautiful Vermont landscape.

Director of Development

B.S. University of Phoenix
M.S. Granite State College

Phone: (802) 387-6272
Email: mshriver@putneyschool.org
Departments: Administration, Alumni & Development

Putney Perspective
It’s an honor to bring my fundraising experience in higher education and the nonprofit world to my role as Director of Development. I love connecting with people, building community, and supporting institutions that shape thoughtful, engaged citizens. I’m inspired daily by the spirit of generosity at The Putney School and the “I will help!” mindset shared by students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and friends alike.

Background
I grew up in nearby Walpole, New Hampshire, and recently returned after many years in Massachusetts. It feels good to be back in my hometown—and even better to be working at a school as distinctive as Putney.

Interests and Passions
I find joy playing pickleball, riding my eBike with my husband Brian, and spending time with family and friends. We live up the river in Walpole with our daughter, three cats, and a hilarious flock of chickens.

Nurse

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

History Teacher / Soccer Coach / Basketball Coach

B.A. Union Institute and University

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

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.

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.

Payroll and Benefits Manager

Phone: 802-387-6225
Email: stennyson@putneyschool.org
Departments: Business Office

Lunch and 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.

Director of Marketing and Communications

B.A. Sarah Lawrence College

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

Putney Perspective: What drew me back to work at the school was Putney’s trust in and respect for young people and its commitment to real work and real learning. I learned by doing here as a four-year senior — those AM trips to the cow barn, deep-work focus during project weeks, and canoe trips down the Connecticut River had an enormous impact on my adulthood and on how I raised my own kids.

Background: I spent over 15 years in marketing and communications for technology companies, including leading global social media at Dell Technologies, before returning to Putney. I also run a leadership coaching practice, Pinecone Coaching, where I work with leaders and rising leaders in tech, education, and the nonprofit sector.

Interests and Passions: I love being outdoors, hiking with my dog Tully, spending time with my family, and reading.

Plant Staff

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

Assistant to the Head of School

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

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

Assistant Dean of Students / Director of Residential Life

Phone: 802-387-6256
Email: pwoodard@putneyschool.org
Departments: Dean of Students Office

I joined the Putney community in 2023, moving across the country to work here. I love Putney for fostering curiosity, community, and collaboration.

I’ve been working in admissions for eight years – I love building and developing relationships with families and helping them navigate through what can be an overwhelming journey.

Putney is a unique and special place that finds the right people at the right time. I look forward to seeing these young, talented minds embrace rigorous academics and evolve within their passions. Students here are confident and lead with honesty and curiosity. Each individual at Putney learns and creates while feeling seen, heard, and appreciated. I was drawn to Putney by the opportunity to collaborate with dynamic professionals, share my experiences and perspectives, and embark on new adventures.

Math Teacher

Old Girls Dorm Faculty

BS in Applied Mathematics with a focus in STEM Education

Phone:
Email: gyost@putneyschool.org
Departments: Faculty, Math Department

Putney Perspective: I love exploring the challenges of Mathematics from the perspective of logic, puzzle solving, and having fun with the mental exercise that comes with it. I have a deep love for board games, puzzles of all sorts, D&D, and have so much fun exploring challenges together like they are games. My recent background had me working with students as their mathematics teacher, but also as a mentor, coach, and outdoor guide. I find so much joy in watching students develop and grow in relationship to their mental, social, emotional, aesthetic, and physical strands of being.

Background: I came to Putney from the mountains of Western North Carolina, where I taught all sorts of math at a small non-profit private school that focused on Integral Education.

Interests and Passions: When I’m not teaching mathematics, you can find me playing music, dancing, climbing, running, playing volleyball, skiing, playing video games, hiking, backpacking, reading, or just relaxing with friends.

Photography Teacher

MFA Art Photography, Syracuse University
BFA Photography, College for Creative Studies

Phone:
Email: mzuhorski@putneyschool.org
Departments: Art Department, Faculty

Putney Perspective: My love of photography comes from a place of curiosity about the world around me, and I aim to pass this curiosity on to my students. In my classroom, photography is a means to ask social and philosophical questions, a way to express our interior lives, and a tool for learning to see with a greater sense of intentionality. I treat photography as an experimental activity, and in this I feel at home at Putney.

Background: I grew up in Dearborn, Michigan, and among my most important coming-of-age experiences was working as a volunteer lighthouse keeper when I was 17. I studied photography in college, and then moved to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where I worked varied jobs, from librarian assistant to wilderness trail guide, for the sake of supporting my art practice. Years later I moved to upstate New York to study photography at the graduate level, and in 2026 I was a participant at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. I’ve managed several photographic labs, have taught at a number of colleges in upstate New York, and have exhibited and published my work internationally. Through the years I’ve been dedicated to making photographs which stretch what it means to represent landscape and place.

Interests and Passions: When I’m not teaching I’m usually photographing or working in the studio. Otherwise I’m likely playing guitar, skipping rocks, at an art museum, reading philosophy, hiking, or visiting a bog or fen.

English Department Chair / English Teacher / Volleyball Coach

Keep Dorm Liaison

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