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
​
​