Faculty and Staff

Shaant Avanian

11th/12th Grade Math Teacher

savanian@codmanacademy.org

Shaant teachers Algebra II and Pre-Calculus.  He earned a BA in Economics and Pyschology at New York University and holds a Masters in Science degree in Math Education from St. John's University.  He taught mathematics for five years in New York City at the High School of Graphic Communication Arts, a large public high school in Manhattan.  While he spent eight years in Belmont, MA, he spent the last ten in Manhattan and still feels like a New Yorker.  When not delving into the mysteries of math, Shaant enjoys going to the movies, traveling, and a good game of ping-pong.

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Emily Barbara
Special Education Coordinator
ext. 143
ebarbara@codmanacademy.org

Emily is the Special Education Coordinator at Codman Academy. A native of Massachusetts, she is a graduate of Hood College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and American Studies, and the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia, where she completed her Masters of Education in Special Education. Emily spent much of her career teaching 11th grade English and World History in Northern Virginia, working with both general education students and students with disabilities in the inclusion classroom, before joining the Codman community three years ago.

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Shalaun Brown
Office Manager
ext. 101
snbrown@codmanacademy.org

Shalaun joined Codman in June 2008 as Office Manager, bringing eight years of experience having worked in Boston Charter Schools at the elementary and middle school level. Prior to joining Codman Academy, Shalaun was the founding Office Manager at the Edward W. Brooke Charter School serving two years and then four years as the school's Program Manager. Shalaun was also the founding Office Manager at the Frederick Douglass Charter School. She has also worked at several Boston area adolescent group homes in varied office administration capacities and direct care.
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Thabiti Brown
Principal (Founding faculty 2001)
ext. 118
tbrown@codmanacademy.org

Thabiti is a graduate of Brown University (BA in American Civilizations) and Teachers College - Columbia University (MA in Social Studies). He has taught at the Beacon School in New York and at the International School of Panama. His special interest is in schools as community and family centers. Thabiti is a recipient of a 2005 Educator Award from the Milken Family Foundation.  He is a member of the Codman Square Health Center board of directors.  In 2011, he was awarded a Lynch Fellowship for Boston school leaders affiliated with Boston College Graduate School of Education.
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Elizabeth Butler
9th Grade Science Teacher
ext. 131
ebutler@codmanacademy.org

Liz earned a BS in Biology and a BA in Japanese from George Washington University as well as a Master's in Japanese Studies from the University of Cambridge in the UK. She taught Biology for short time at Charlestown High School in Boston before returning to the UK where she taught middle and high school science for two years. She is now happy to be at Codman teaching 9th grade physical sciences.
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Meg Campbell
Executive Director & Founder (2001)
ext. 103
mcampbell@codmanacademy.org

A.B. Harvard (History & Literature), M.S. Wheelock College (Early Childhood & Elementary Education), C.A.S. Harvard Graduate School of Education (Social policy).   Meg serves on the Boston School Committee where she co-chairs the School Quality Work Group.   She is the 2013 recipient of  the Grand Circle Travel foundation's highest award: the Lewis Changing People's Lives Award and a 2009 Barr Foundation Fellowship. She was the founding Executive Director of Expeditionary Learning  and  Lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is the author of two collections of poetry: More Love (Midmarch Arts Press, 2012) and Solo Crossing (Midmarch Arts Press, 1999) as well as an editor of Split Verse: Poems to Heal Your Heart (Midmarch Arts Press, 2000) and Literacy All Day Long (Kendall Hunt, 2000).   Meg was a founding board member of the Margarita Muniz Academy, a dual language BPS high school, and of the Boston Women's Heritage Trail.  She recently served on the Boston Public Library Compass Committee.  Meg has lived in Dorchester over 30 years, where she raised two daughters.

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  Sydney Chafee
  9th Grade Humanities Teacher
  ext. 112
  schaffee@codmanacademy.org

Sydney came to Codman Academy from the Citizen Schools National Teaching Fellowship, where she taught eighth graders, coordinated the Boston Public Library's citywide Homework Assistance Program, and earned a Master's in Education from Lesley University. Before that, she graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with a concentration in women's history and writing. Sydney is also a certified self-defense instructor and was a 2011 Fund for Teachers fellow.
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Danielle Denufrio
9th Grade Mathematics Teacher
ext. 115
ddenufrio@codmanacademy.org

Danielle teaches the ninth grade Algebra course.  Beginning in 2008, she worked at Codman Academy as Inclusion Specialist.  As a participant in a Colorado Outward Bound course, Danielle carries a great appreciation for the philosophy and pedagogy of Expeditionary Learning. She earned her Bachelors Degree from Union College in New York.  When she is not at school, Danielle enjoys hiking, art and travel.
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Shelby Derissaint
Social Worker
ext. 117
sderissaint@codmanacademy.org

Shelby is a social worker at Codman Academy. She was born and raised in Boston. She is an alum of Simmons College where she graduated with a Masters degree in Social Work. Shelby's job mainly includes crisis intervention, individual counseling, group work, and providing an array of resources. In her spare time she loves to play soccer, go to the movies, and spend time with her family/friends. Shelby's goals are to learn more about herself by reflecting on who she is, what she wants to do, and where she would like to end up.
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Mark Destler
Director of Tutorial and Title One
ext. 108
mdestler@codmanacademy.org

Mark Destler has worked in the Massachusetts public schools system for thirteen years in a wide range of capacities. In the summer of 2000, he left his job teaching 8th grade English and reading in Duxbury, MA to join The MATCH School as a founding teacher and administrator. In four years at MATCH, he served a technology coordinator, lead teacher of student life, and as lead teacher of literacy. Inspired by the power of individualized instruction, he left MATCH to build Tutors for All programs dedicated to bridging the achievement gap one student at a time. As consultant and then as Director of Title One and Tutorial at City on a Hill, he built programs that closed the achievement gap between African-American students at CoaH and Caucasian students state-wide. As Director of Tutorial and Title One at Codman Academy, his programs have contributed to a similar effect. His work in public education has given him a deep understanding of and respect for the work that goes on in classrooms throughout Massachusetts. At the same time, however, it has convinced him that the deep needs of under prepared adolescents can only be met through individualized instruction and that the federal work-study system offers a uniquely affordable opportunity to do this.
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Evan Didier
Data Coordinator and Special Projects Associate
edidier@codmanacademy.org

Nora Dowley
Dean of College and Alumni Advising
ext. 106
ndowley@codmanacademy.org

Nora graduated from Bowdoin College (BA Government and Legal Studies, minor Education) and earned a Master of Education (Risk and Prevention) from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She took her teaching certificate to the Booker T. Washington Public Charter School for the Technical Arts in Washington, D.C. where she taught history and coached the girls basketball team. She then traveled to Alexandria, VA and taught history and coached basketball and soccer at the St. Stephen's and St. Agnes High School. Nora also spent several summers with the Upward Bound program at Wesleyan University serving as a college advisor, teacher, and mentor. She is thrilled to be serving Codman as the Dean of College and Alumni Advising.  In 2010, Nora was recognized by the national organization, Colleges that Change Lives (CTCL), as a Counselor that Changes Lives. When not at Codman, Nora enjoys delicious gluten-free food, playing basketball and running.  She is especially passionate about Broadway musicals.
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Tawanna Fulton
Academic Support Coordinator
ext. 113
tfulton@codmanacademy.org

Lenward Gatison II

Wellness Director

lgatison@codmanacademy.org

 

Lenward graduated from the University of Massachusetts – Boston with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2011.  A collegiate athlete, he played varsity ice hockey for the Beacons.  In 2010, Lenward was a summer intern with Performance Fitness and Training.  In this capacity, Lenward functioned as the Assistant Manager for Collective Brands, Inc. corporate gym where he trained and prepared participants for the Corporate Challenge and the Spartan Race Challenge.  After graduating, Lenward became a personal trainer at Bally’s Total Fitness and the Dorchester YMCA.  He is passionate about health and fitness in our community.

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Lisa Graustein
Internship Coordinator & Librarian
lgraustein@codmanacademy.org

Lisa graduated from Harvard with a degree in Social Anthropology and a teaching certificate in Social Studies from the Harvard Ed School. After a year of teaching in the Arlington School system, Lisa taught for four years at City on a Hill Charter School and then taught at New Boston Pilot Middle School. From 2003-2006, Lisa served as the regional youth director for the Quakers in New England. She spent the first part of 2007 teaching and doing HIV/AIDS education in rural southern India before returning to Dorchester and teaching at Codman. Lisa sits on the boards and advisory committees of a number of local non-profits.
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Joan Green
Saturday Teacher
joangreen@gmail.com

Joan Green is a dancer, choreographer, and visual artist. She founded the Cambridge Performance Project and co-directed Back Porch Dance Company, an interracial, intergenerational company of women who performed throughout the New England area from 1990 to 2001. A lifelong visual artist, Joan spends part of each year painting in Jamaica and had a solo show of watercolors painted there in 2001 at the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center. In 2005, she was awarded two commissions which hang in the new clinical wing of Childrens Hospital Boston, and in 2006 she had two paintings commissioned by Childrens Hospital Boston at Waltham. Joan will be having a solo exhibit of her paintings of dancers, together with a dance performance including her choreography at the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center in June, 2007. She currently teaches dance to adults and elders, and performs with the Elder Ensemble of Prometheus Dance.
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Marni Jacobs
9th Grade Science Intern, Tufts University
mjacobs@codmanacademy.org

Marni graduated from Williams College in June 2012.  She is now participating in an MAT program at Tufts University and will be a teaching intern in Codman Academy's 9th grade physical science class.  She plans to start teaching high school physics next year and is excited to learn from Codman's faculty, staff, and students.
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  Lybroan James
  School Leadership Intern, Harvard University
  ljames@codmanacademy.org

Lybroan is a Master's candidate in the School Leadership Program at Harvard University Graduate School of Education.  Lybroan comes to Codman Academy via Los Angeles, where he gained 15 years of teaching experience in the area of mathematics.  He has taught all math subjects from Algebra 1 to Calculus.  Lybroan will function as a principal intern at Codman and looks to create a math and business focused charter school when he returns to Los Angeles.  He is very excited about working with faculty and students, and he looks forward to becoming a member of the Codman family.
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Jeff Kirby
10th Grade Mathematics Teacher
ext. 122
jkirby@codmanacademy.org

Jeff has been a Geometry teacher since 2004 after graduating from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with an SB in Mechanical Engineering and a concentration in Education. His professional interests include differentiated instruction and the use of assessments to inform instruction in order to meet the needs of individual students. When not teaching, Jeff enjoys running, bicycling, and playing basketball.
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Penny Lawrence
Special Education/Reading Teacher
ext. 119
plawrence@codmanacademy.org

Penny has a BA from Radcliffe College, a Masters in Classical Civilization from the University of Minnesota, a Masters in Public Administration from San Diego State, and a Masters in Education from Wheelock College. Penny taught in the Multiple Intelligence Program in Gloucester Public Schools and is now retired. She loves to sing and lives in Wenham, Massachusetts.
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  Dawn Leaness
  Director of Development
  ext. 152
  dleaness@codmanacademy.org

Dawn graduated from Princeton University with a BA in International Politics and certificates in Gender Studies and Latin American   studies. Prior to joining Codman Academy's development team, Dawn worked in foundation grant-making for The MENTOR Network and the Barbara Lee Family Foundation, focusing on youth and women in politics program areas. Dawn serves on the Board of Princeton University's Class of 1969 Community Service Fund and the Quebec Labrador Foundation and volunteers with the Big Sister Association. In her free time, Dawn enjoys running (and coaching track and cross country), cooking, and teaching Pilates.
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Haley Malm
French Teacher & English as a Second Language Coordinator
ext. 150
hmalm@codmanacademy.org

Haley teaches 11th and 12th grade French at Codman. She is also Codman's the English Language Learning Coordinator. She has Bachelor’s degree in French from Vassar College and has lived in southwestern France, Corsica, and Tunisia. Before joining Codman, she spent time traveling and teaching English abroad, then returned to the US to pursue a Master's in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at Boston University. She did her student teaching at The English High School in Jamaica Plain, then taught English as a Second Language and Social Studies at Fuller Middle School in Framingham for two years. Besides a passion for languages, she loves writing, cooking, and writing about cooking!
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Brian McCarthy
Humanities Higher Learning Institute Teacher 
bmccarthy@codmanacademy.org

Brian is the Humanities teacher in the Higher Learning Institute and has previously served as both an apprentice in the H.L.I. and as an Inclusion Associate during his time at Codman. He graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a BA in English Teaching and an MAT When not teaching, Brian enjoys performing music and skating his tail off at his favorite local hockey rinks.
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Brendan O'Connell
Dean of Students
ext. 142
boconnell@codmanacademy.org

Brendan earned a BA in History from Fordham University and an MA in Educational Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University. He taught Humanities at Codman for four years and especially enjoyed working with the Huntington Theater Company and helping students as they prepared to perform monologues on stage.  His current interests include baseball, marriage, tucking in his shirt, and honoring shared spaces. He is happy to be the crew leader for the Hampton University Crew and is looking forward to their trip to Merrowvista in late September.
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Christina Pecce
Music Instructor
christinapecce@gmail.com

Christina is a graduate of Hofstra University (BS in Music Education) and currently studying at Boston Conservatory (MM in Opera Performance). She gained a tremendous amount of experience teaching a cappella music in New York working as President and Musical Director Sigma'Cappella. As an arranger, performer, and educator, she is overjoyed to be given the opportunity to inspire emotion and learning through music. Christina is very excited to be a part of the Saturday team at Codman Academy.
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Allison Poirot
11th Grade Humanities Teacher
ext. 144
apoirot@codmanacademy.org

Allison Poirot is a graduate of Bennington College, with a BA in Community Studies and a MA in Teaching. She has taught history, psychology, and other humanities courses at several schools in the Greater Boston area. Her adventures include cooking baked macaroni and cheese for 300 people at Seeds of Peace International Camp in Otisfield, Maine; teaching Chinese teachers of English the Paul Bunyan story in Fuzhou, China; paying her rent by making puppets in Portland, Oregon; and traveling with friends and students. She is passionate about localism, global diplomacy, and mochi ice cream. She has been looking for a school with a strong sense of community for a while and is happy to finally find it in Codman.
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Maggie Sachs
10th Grade Science Teacher
msachs@codmanacademy.org

Maggie graduated from Stanford University with a BA in Anthropology and an MA in Religious Studies (Islamic Studies). For her degrees, Maggie undertook ethnographic research in the Sea Islands of South Carolina as well as the Western Desert of Australia, and finally traveled to India to complete her thesis on a Sufi community in Delhi.  Maggie is very excited to return for her second year at Codman in the role of Inclusion Associate. As a former member of the Stanford women’s lacrosse team, Maggie enjoys all types of athletics, and will coach the girls’ soccer and softball teams this year.
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Ed Yoo
11th and 12th Grade Science Teacher
eyoo@codmanacademy.org

Ed teaches 11th and 12th grade Science at Codman.  He is a graduate of Harvard (BA and MA in Biology) and the Teacher Education Program - Harvard Graduate School of Education (M.Ed.).   In his spare time, he enjoys practicing Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and hanging out with his pitbull rescue, Truffle.   Ed is excited to be the Crew Leader for Stillman.  He is also looking forward to another year of photographing the theatrical and athletic performances of our amazing students.