IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Trustees appoint Ramón Javier as next Head of School. Click here to read more.
Faculty & Staff
Representing a diverse palette of backgrounds and experiences, George Jackson Academy’s teachers, administrators and staff all share a common passion for GJA’s mission and its students.
ADMINISTRATION
Ramón Javier
Head of School
B.A., Williams College
Ed.M., Teachers College, Columbia University
M.A., Teachers College, Columbia University
Colleen Powers
Director of Student Support and High School Placement
B.A., Hamilton College
M.S., Columbia University
Nicole McCabe
Associate Head of School
B.A., Manhattan College
M.A., Fordham University
M.A., St. Peter's University
Cecily Elizondo
Director of Advancement
B.A., Sewanee: The University of the South
Larissa Floy
Director of Admissions and Enrollment
B.A., SUNY New Paltz
FACULTY & STAFF
Iman Aswad
Math Teacher
Music Theory Teacher
B.A., Colgate University
Arelys Cespedes
Cafeteria Staff
Mateo Flores
Program Assistant
B.F.A., Ithaca College
Michelle Lynch
Biology Teacher, Chemistry Teacher
B.S., Kennesaw State University,
M.F.A, Lesley University
Isaac Ortiz
Operations Manager
A.S., Technical Career Institutes
Francisco Roldán
Spanish Teacher
B.Mus., The New School
M.Ed., Lehman College
Jeff Tancil
Technology Teacher
B.A., Macalester College
M.A., University of
Pennsylvania
Dennis Barnes
Math Teacher
B.S., SUNY Cortland
M.Ed., Vanderbilt University
Alexey Cheremsky
Fencing Master Coach
Ukrainian State University of Physical Education and Sport
Molly Klema
Art Teacher
B.F.A., Pratt Institute
M.F.A, Seattle University
Douglas Marriner
Percussion Teacher
B.F.A., The New School
Master of Music, The Julliard School
Eugene Padayogdog '14
Humanities Teacher
B.A., Bates College
Ron Shvartsman
Math Teacher
B.A., Princeton University
Andre Theisen
Humanities Teacher
B.A., University of Notre Dame
Leon Bernsdorf
Band Teacher
The Julliard School
Anyolina Fernandez
Cafeteria Staff
Justin Lamport '17
Advancement Associate
B.A., Skidmore College
Doug McLellan
Math Teacher, Physics Teacher
B.A., Harvard University
M.A., University of California San Diego
Ella Piper
Humanities Teacher
B.S., Boston University
M.Ed., Boston University
Brandon Smith ’11
Advancement Coordinator
B.S., Alfred University
Andy Youn
Student Support Specialist
B.A., Queens College
M.S.W. Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College