What connections from Haverford have made a lasting impact on your life?

I really love my career in education. Since I have worked in many different schools with many students and colleagues, I learned that teachers, school staff, and school administrators can all have a powerful impact on students' lives by simply being decent people with integrity who authentically care about their students. These educators are the ones who build connections and make a lasting impact on those students with whom they interact. It's important to be fair, consistent, and show that you have passion for what you teach or coach or for any other role you play in the school because every role matters. From this perspective, there are many staff at Haverford I really appreciate in reflection. Mr. Jim worked in the fieldhouse, maintained uniforms and gym attire along with numerous other operations in the athletic department. Most importantly for me, he always just checked in to see how I was doing. I always looked forward to seeing him because I knew I would be greeted with a smile and some encouragement. He attended our games. I remember that he was recognized at an assembly, and he received a standing ovation from the entire high school community. I had great English teachers: Mr. Kopp, Mr. Hallowell, Dr. Peck, Dr. Erskine, and Mr. Stambaugh. They all helped me grow as a person and as a writer, which has been incredibly valuable. Ms. Cleffi was a phenomenal teacher and mentor. Coach Tryon helped me grow as a leader on the soccer field and played me alongside my brother, Rich, aka Fuzz, who was the captain my freshman year. I later coached my high school soccer team at Science Leadership Academy at Beeber for five years. Coach Nostrant and his coaching staff were awesome. The success of the lacrosse program and their powerful legacy has been no accident. Nostrant brought values of work ethic, discipline, teamwork, and a love for competition that infected each one of his players. I'm grateful I picked up a lacrosse stick my freshman year. There are other staff I am missing, but these types of connections are what have made a lasting impact.

What lessons from The Haverford School do you bring to your current work?

I mentioned above the value of being an effective reader and writer. I think the ability to independently read and write critically is even more important today with AI rapidly developing. Rather than relying on apps to write for you, I believe it is that much more important to be able to read, understand your own perspective in balance with the perspectives of others, especially conflicting ones, and be able to express yourself. I believe Haverford helped me with a foundation as a writer, which then was further developed as a student at Penn State where I majored in English Education. I then taught English and writing for 10 years in Philadelphia. As a school leader today, details matter. Reading carefully and communicating effectively makes a difference in being able to develop a vision with a community and put it into action.

What do you find most rewarding about your work?

The mission of a school is inherently rewarding work if you let it be. One way to think about our work is that the outcome should be engaged, caring, and thoughtful community and family members, and this matters regardless of the community in which you serve. Teaching and leading in schools is hard, especially when you do not have all of the resources you need, but committing to the work in a way that supports young people to be the best version of themselves is amazing to be a part of. 

What has your career in education taught you?

I've learned and continue to learn a lot. Perhaps most importantly, I have seen repeatedly that all students and all people have the capacity for brilliance and joy in their own lives in their own way. When we have this understanding, it requires us to maintain high standards and commit to learning how to reach and engage all of our students, which is fun, important work.