UPPER SCHOOL

Faculty

The majority of Ross faculty hold advanced degrees in their specialty areas. They hail from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds, thereby adding to the rich tapestry of a Ross education.

Teachers develop close relationships with students, providing a caring and supportive environment where academic excellence, social skills, self-esteem, and respect for others are fostered through cooperative learning and personal development. Small class sizes ensure that each student benefits from mentor relationships with their teachers.

Upper School Faculty

For a complete list of Ross faculty, staff, and leadership, visit our Employees page.

  • A passionate educator who believes deeply in Ross School’s commitment to the whole child, Mark first joined the Ross community in 2002. During the next eight years, he was a high school English teacher, the Chair of the English Domain, and, from 2006–2010, the Director of the High School. After being immersed in Ross’s global curriculum, Mark decided to experience international education, and in 2012, he moved to Germany where he was the Middle and High School Principal at the International School of Hamburg. He then moved to the Czech Republic, where he spent seven years as the High School Principal at the International School of Prague. In 2019, Mark moved to Kobe, Japan, where he was the Middle and High School Principal at Canadian Academy. Mark rejoined Ross in 2022 and is excited to again be a part of such a unique and dynamic learning community. Mark earned his B.A. from Wesleyan University, his M.A. from San Francisco State University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Buffalo.

  • Born in Dallas, TX, Matthew has a B.A. (1983) from Rollins College and both Master of Arts (1985) and Master of Philosophy (1994) degrees from NYU. He has taught Cultural History at Ross School since 1997. He taught in tenth grade for many years and now serves as Team Leader and Cultural History teacher for twelfth grade. His electives include Advanced European History, Current Events, American and International Politics, and Social Theory of Marvel Comic’s X-Men.

    Matthew has three children, Margaret ’06, Alex ’07 and Hayden ’12, all alumni of Ross. His wife Alison was a longtime and well-loved early childhood educator at Ross. Matthew enjoys skiing, yoga, driving his Morgan three-wheeler, and spending as much time as possible with his family, especially his grandson Hugo (Ross Class of 2036).

  • Kim has been a part of the Ross community since the Fall of 2008, teaching in Grades K–4 at Ross Lower School. She transitioned to the upper school in 2013 as the Grade 10 Science teacher. Kim holds degrees in Biology and Chemistry as well as a secondary education teaching certification. Prior to joining the Ross community in 2008, she developed and taught high school science courses for a private school in Harrisburg, PA.

  • studentsupport@ross.org

    Carl grew up on a farm in Upstate New York, graduated from Saint Olaf College in MN, and eaned his M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Temple University.

    His career path spans over twenty years of working with students in wilderness settings, urban and rural schools, and experiential, special, and general education. He has served as a counselor in non-profit organizations, public schools, and a drug treatment facility.

    Carl maintained a private practice near his home in Sag Harbor prior to joining Ross School, where he now enjoys a position focused on respecting the role of mental health in supporting students alongside a team dedicated to facilitating student success in a dynamic, creative, and challenging environment.

  • Jennifer received her degree in Mathematics from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. She spent 10 years teaching in the public school system in New Jersey before joining the Ross community in 2006 as a Grade 10 mathematics teacher.

  • Diana received her Associate's Degree in Liberal Arts from Suffolk Community College, her B.S. in Physical Education from Coastal Carolina University, and her M.A. in Liberal Studies from Stony Brook University.



    Prior to Ross, Diana worked at Longwood Middle School as a teaching assistant and volleyball coach, where she led her team to become the 2022 Co-League Champions and received Coach of the Year awards at both the JV and Varsity levels.



    Her goal as a wellness teacher is to inspire and educate her students so that they are motivated and equipped to live an active and healthy lifestyle. During her spare time, Diana likes spending time with her children, traveling, and playing beach volleyball. She also coaches beach volleyball for Suffolk County SWAT Beach Volleyball.

  • Carrie Clark first joined the Ross School faculty in 1999 as a Cultural History teacher for its first junior class (Class of 2001). She now serves as the Dean of Cultural History and the Grade 11 team leader. She has led and facilitated multiple workshops on Ross curriculum and pedagogy on and off campus, in the United States, and abroad. She loves working with high school students, and in 2003 she received the Courtney Sale Ross Teacher of the Year Award. Carrie earned her B.A. in history from UCLA and her MA at SUNY Stony Brook. Prior to teaching at Ross, she worked as a master teacher and curriculum specialist while serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger and Belize, and as an instructor at Southampton College and SUNY Stony Brook.

  • Kayla holds a Master’s of Education in Human Sexuality. She has worked in schools from East Harlem to San Diego and is excited to be back on Long Island, at the school where she completed her student teaching, to educate the young people in the community she grew up in. 

    Kayla is deeply committed to empowering young people with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate their health with confidence. Passionate about fostering bodily autonomy, understanding consent, and building healthy relationships, Kayla aims to create a positive, inclusive environment where students can learn to thrive as happy, healthy, and fulfilled individuals. 

    Kayla’s teaching philosophy is centered around violence prevention and harm reduction. Through teaching young people about topics such as pregnancy and STI prevention, reproductive health, relationships, identity, body image, and consent, she aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.

  • collegecounseling@ross.org

    Heather comes to College Counseling with great depth and breadth of experience as an educator. Since 1999, Heather has taught all levels of high school mathematics at Ross, was a curriculum editor for Ross Institute, and also held the position of Dean of Mathematics. As a longstanding member of the senior team, a senior project mentor, and as an advisor, Heather has worked closely with many students as they transition to college.

    Previously, Heather worked at Chase Manhattan Bank in Global Education as an AVP where she led the implementation of the first self-paced learning programs and was a curriculum writer and trainer. Heather earned her BS at SUNY-Albany in Mathematics, MA from NYU Steinhardt School in Educational Communications and Technologies, and is currently working on an Advanced Certificate in College Counseling through UCLA.

  • Grace Dow is a Literature Teacher within the ESOL department. She has been teaching at Ross School since 2022, working with students in Grades 8–12 at Ross Upper School in East Hampton.

    Grace received two degrees from Kutztown University—a bachelor’s in the science of education with a concentration in English and a master’s in education with a focus on literacy. While studying, Grace was a member of the Kutztown University field hockey team, and she remains involved in the sport by coaching for a local club team.

    Prior to Ross, Grace worked at Reading Central Middle School in Reading, PA, as a reading specialist for Grades 5–8.

    In her spare time, Grace enjoys reading, fishing, swimming, and practicing yoga.

  • As an educator, writer, poet, and fine and performing arts lover, Redel believes strongly in a holistic approach to education. He holds two master’s degrees, one in Education from Southern

    New Hampshire University and another in Applied Linguistics from European Atlantic University in Spain. Teaching the Spanish Language is his passion and making connections between cultures and people has been his long-term life goal. Ross School and Long Island are the perfect places for him

    to continue developing, enjoying, and celebrating these foundational aspects of a World Language Program, as well as being part of an evolving learning community.

  • studentsupport@ross.org

    Lisa has spent the last 45 years in elementary and secondary education, working with children from nursery school through twelfth grade. She earned her AAS degree in early childhood education from Bennett College in 1970. Her first eight years of teaching were spent teaching kindergarten in Buffalo, NY, at the Elmwood-Franklin School. During the summers, she took graduate courses at Southampton College, which focused on learning styles and the need for differentiating the way material was presented to students in the classroom.

    In 1978, Lisa moved to New York City's Buckley School, where she taught first and third grades. She continued to develop her interest in understanding the needs of the learning-disabled student through coursework at Hunter College and specially designed courses with established speech/language specialists. In 1992, she moved to the East End permanently, teaching at the Hampton Day School/Morriss Center until its merger with Ross School in 2006. While at Hampton Day, Lisa was the Elementary Division Head, a classroom teacher for Grades 1–4, a sixth-grade math teacher, and a School Test Coordinator. From 2003–2006, she was the Learning Coordinator at Morriss Center, helping teachers develop differentiated curriculum for students with learning needs. Lisa has extensive admissions experience, having developed the evaluation tools for admissions while at the Elmwood-Franklin School, Buckley School, and Hampton Day School. She has training in Junior Great Books, Project Charlie, and Mel Levine's School's Attuned, and has served on several accreditation committees for the New York State Association of Independent Schools.

  • Linda received her B.A. in Mathematics, with a concentration in Secondary Education and a minor in History, from the College of Mount Saint Vincent, Riverdale, NY in 1993. Here she was awarded both the Teacher Education Graduation Medal and Service Graduation Medal. She is a member of the Education National Honor Society and the National History Honor Society. Linda continued her education at Fordham University, where she obtained an M.S. in curriculum and teaching in 1994. In 1997, Linda taught math to high school students at St. John’s Preparatory School, Astoria. In 1998, Linda started at Ross School, where she has taught multiple levels of mathematics, becoming the Grade 10 team leader in 2013. In the same year, she received the Courtney Sale Ross award for Teaching Excellence.

  • Amy Kalaczynski is a Wellness teacher specializing in yoga, Vedic meditation, ayurveda, and pilates. She teaches Grades 9–12 at Ross Upper School.

    Amy received her undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota and continued her wellness studies at the Nosara Yoga Institute in Nosara, Costa Rica, and at an ashram in Rishikesh, India. Amy is also the founder of the Montauk Meditation Club. Her intention is to provide students with the tools and techniques to live a happy and healthy lifestyle. In her spare time, she enjoys playing tennis and cooking healthy meals with her family.

  • Sirwan Kakarash has been a Cultural History Teacher at Ross School since 2021. He teaches Grades 9 and 10 at the Upper School in East Hampton. Sirwan received his bachelor's degree in history from St. Bonaventure University and his master’s in government from Johns Hopkins University. Prior to joining Ross, Sirwan taught history at the British International School in the Kurdistan Region.

  • collegecounseling@ross.org

    Stacey serves as a Counselor/College Counselor at Ross School. She joined the Ross community in the summer of 2022 after working as a School Counselor in the public school setting since 2018. Stacey was born and raised on Long Island and attended high school in Suffolk County. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology at Stony Brook University and her postgraduate degree in school counseling at LIU Post.

    From a young age, Stacey has been passionate about working with children in the educational system. She looks forward to expanding, learning, and sharing her knowledge here at Ross. Stacey is currently in the process of obtaining her LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor) certification. She plans to utilize this degree both in and outside the Ross community.

    In addition to joining the Ross counseling team, Stacey is excited to take on the position of Varsity Cheerleading Coach alongside colleagues, where she will draw on her 10+ years of dance/cheer experience to guide the Ross School Cheerleading Team.

  • Amanda grew up in East Hampton and began studying classical piano at the age of 5. She attended Messiah College where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education, with a concentration on piano performance and vocal pedagogy and a minor in vocal performance and pipe organ performance. She then returned to East Hampton where she taught choral and instrumental music at East Hampton Middle School while pursuing her Masters in Education degree from Stony Brook University.

    She has been the Musical Director, Vocal Director, Rehearsal Accompanist and Collaborative Pianist for many local theatre, musical groups and many schools in the local area. Amanda currently is the Music Director at the First Presbyterian Church of Southampton, NY. She also is the Music Education Director and Co-Founder of South Fork Performing Arts. She continues to coach vocalists and provide musical direction for many local professional organizations and musicians.

    She firmly believes that the Performing Arts is for everyone! Therefore she knows her role isn’t to just educate those students who are continuing on in the Performing Arts, but rather to cultivate an environment in which the love of the Performing Arts becomes the rule, not the exception.

    Outside of her professional world she is a mother to 3 amazing sons, a grandmother to a wonderful 1 year old granddaughter and has been married for 25 years to a wonderful musician as well.

  • Alexis Martino began teaching photography at Ross School in 1999 and also currently serves as Dean of Field Academy. She has led students on numerous international, media-based trips.

    Alexis attended the London College of Printing, studying art history, photography, and printmaking. She went on to attend Parsons School of Design, where she received her BFA in photography and distinguished herself by receiving the Leica Medal of Excellence in Photojournalism. Alexis was a freelance photographer for several years while also shooting and directing the documentary “Home Is Where the Street Is,” which focused on Manhattan’s Lower West Side (Meat Market) in the late 1980s.

    Alexis then studied at the American Film Institute, earning a certificate in cinematograph, and after completing her education, she directed and produced “Where I’m Coming From,” a program that taught filmmaking to inner-city children and gave them an opportunity to direct and shoot films on their own visions and dreams. She also founded Mosquito Hawk Gallery in 2007, which was dedicated to showcasing emerging artists with an eye for the edgy and contemporary aesthetic. Alexis continues to show her art in gallery settings.

    Other awards and recognition Alexi has received include the following: Featured presenter at PIEA Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada in April 2004; Chairperson, 2002 Society of Photographic Education Northeast Regional Conference, November 2002; Honorable Mention, Photographic Teacher of the Year Award, Santa Fe Workshop, NM, 2002 and 2012; Presenter, “Using Process Books,” NAIS Conference, Chicago, IL, March 2006; Ross School Teacher of the Year Award, 2012.

  • Ria Maxwell returns to Ross after an 11-year tenure at Miami Country Day School. In 2013, she moved to Miami to work as a Grade 4 teacher, where in 2014, she became the Dean of Faculty/Director of Human Resources followed by her appointment to Chief of Staff and Director of Strategic Initiatives in 2022.

    Prior to this, Ria taught classes in grades 4–9, and high school English electives. After teaching at Hampton Day/ Morriss Center School, she went to The Winsor School in Boston where she taught English for grades 6 and 7. She was also asked to lead the Middle School Health team, where she wrote advisory and health curriculum for grades 5–8. She was co-chair of The Teaching and Learning Committee charged with designing in-house professional development, a new employee evaluation system, and restructuring the discipline policy for middle school. In 2008, she was selected to be a teaching fellow at Harvard University for two years. In 2009, Ria relocated back to East Hampton where she taught Grade 5 at Ross School. In 2010, she moved Grade 8 and she became Middle School Coordinator in 2012. Ria returns to Ross to teach Grade 7 and 8 English and is excited to be back in the classroom, working directly with students again.

  • Before coming to Ross, Amy taught for two years at an international school in Flushing, NY. She received her M.A. in 2015 from Stony Brook University in TESOL along with a certification in teaching writing. She obtained her BA in English from St. Joseph’s College in NY with an initial certification to teach grades 7–12. During that time, Amy was a part of the swim team, swimming for four years and competing at Rutgers University for championships. Amy likes to stay active with yoga, dance, barre classes, roller skating, hula hooping, biking, and anything that keeps her young at heart.

  • Cameron Miller is the Grade 11 and 12 science teacher as well as the Advanced Environmental Science teacher at Ross. Cameron received an undergraduate degree in Biology at the University of Vermont in 2016 and a master's degree in science education at Rutgers University in 2018. Cameron has been an educator since 2019 and has taught both middle and high school science. Previously, Cameron taught in New Jersey and, most recently, in Michigan before returning to the Hamptons. In any spare time, Cameron enjoys crocheting, baking, and reading.

  • Deborah earned her degree in Elementary Education from Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. She spent many years teaching elementary grades in rural New Hampshire prior to joining Ross. Deborah has presented at numerous conferences on the topic of Early Literacy. She currently teaches both Cultural History and World Languages & Literature at Ross School.

  • Jon received his BFA and MAT/MFA in painting and education from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) then worked as a sculptor, painter, and professor in Baltimore and Manhattan. In 2011, Jon moved his studio to Bridgehampton, NY and joined Ross School as a Visual Arts teache, where he has developed new programs in figurative sculpture, woodworking, and metalworking. Jon is a self-proclaimed art addict, and his passion for working knows no limits. He has always had a drive and attraction to the arts, and as a child often tried to make art out of anything. Looking back, he loved Legos, model making, painting, Van Gogh, swimming, playing in the woods, working with his hands, James John Audubon, street art, and taking apart yard sale finds to figure out how they were assembled. Mulhern's most recent group show included works by Jackson Pollock and Ellen De Kooning. His work has also been exhibited at many galleries including the Peter Marcelle Project, Sara Nightingale Gallery, Art Southampton, Guild Hall, Southampton Art Center, and George Billis Gallery.

  • collegecounseling@ross.org

    Lisa has been helping students through the college application process at Ross for 20 years. As founder of East End Test Prep and Counseling, Lisa began her career preparing students in New York City and the Hamptons for success in all areas of college admissions testing. In the last eight years, she has worked as a college counselor, guiding students through all aspects of the college admissions process. Lisa has been featured in both The New York Times and New York Magazine. She is a graduate of Stuyvesant High School and Wesleyan University.

  • Maria received her BA with a double major in Mathematics and Art & Art History from Colgate University, and her master's degree in Mathematics Education from RPI. Maria spent one year as the mathematics intern at Emma Willard School before beginning her career at the Ross School, where she taught middle and high school math from 1999–2006. Maria then chose to focus on being a mother to her two daughters while continuing to teach math as a private tutor. She is thrilled to be back at Ross teaching high school mathematics.

  • Tamara Salkin joins Ross as the Performing Arts Theatre Teacher for Grades 1 through 12, spending time on both campuses. Tamara obtained her master’s degree in Theatre Education from the City College of New York, where she graduated magna cum laude. She has taught in schools and theatre organizations throughout New York City and the East End. In 2017, she co-founded South Fork Performing Arts (SFPA), a non-profit children’s performing arts education organization on the East End. As SFPA’s theatre education director, Tamara produces and directs plays and musicals and teaches theatre workshops throughout the year. She is committed to guiding all students in finding and owning their creativity and encouraging them to use the skills gained in theatre to be kind, conscious, critical thinkers across all their academic subjects and lives. In her free time, Tamara enjoys spending time with her children, Ben (Grade 3) and Abe (K), reading, writing, and traveling.

    “Anyone can do theater, even actors. And, theater can be done everywhere, even in a theater.”

    –Augusto Boal

  • Dale received her B.A. in Dance, Drama, and English Literature from Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania. She performed as a clown and tightwire walker with the Big Apple Circus in New York before moving to Paris on a Fulbright Grant in 1980 and performing in theaters throughout France. She also served as Administrator and later Director of the Experimental Theater Wing of New York University in Paris. Dale taught Circus Arts for Actors at New York University, and then took a turn in her career, receiving an MLS from Queens College, University of New York, and becoming Head of Children's and Young Adult Services at the John Jermain Library in Sag Harbor. Dale has been at Ross School since 2000 (including two years at Ross Global Academy) and is Director of Information Resources and Dean of Senior Projects.

  • Annabel Smith is a teaching associate at Ross for the 2024–2025 academic year. Annabel graduated with honors from the University of Southern California with a degree in Communication and Media Studies. She then went on to complete the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs, where she studied policy and political science, in addition to teaching writing and poetry to incarcerated students. She is thrilled to advance her skills as an educator this year and contribute to Ross's unique community as a house parent.

  • Samantha Smith is an Upper School Spanish teacher at Ross. She uses her outgoing personality to create lessons that inspire her students to learn the Spanish language. Samantha began her language career teaching corporate English and Italian in Buenos Aires, Argentina, while studying to perfect her Spanish. She went on to pursue a Doctor of Modern Languages in Italian and Spanish through Middlebury College. Her Doctoral Dissertation, “La Rivoluzione Futurista: Emancipazione Del Rumore, Esaltazione Jazz Band,” explores the influence of American Jazz Music on Italian Futurist Music from 1908–1934. She defended her dissertation in both Italian and Spanish.

    Samantha hopes to help her students genuinely fall in love with the Spanish language and the multitude of Spanish-speaking cultures. In her spare time, she enjoys studying the bible, speaking Italian and Spanish, studying French, and enjoying the Hamptons and NYC with family and friends. She also returns to her other passion, vocal and violin performance, whenever she can.

  • Anna received her BS in environmental science from Wheaton College, IL, and her M.A. in French Literature from San Francisco State University. Prior to coming to Ross, Anna taught for several years in Paris and the French West Indies, and led wilderness adventure expeditions for middle school and high school students throughout the southwestern United States. Anna has also worked in the nonprofit sector, helping to manage sustainable agriculture and HIV education programs in Tanzania.

  • Mark earned his BA in Psychology at Wheaton College and his M.Ed. in special education from Vanderbilt University (1999). While at Vanderbilt, he worked in the Reading Clinic and was published for work on the Peer Buddy project. He has also taught at Hunters Bend Elementary School in Franklin, TN, where he worked as Lead Teacher of the Special Education Department and coordinated services with specialists and therapists for students with special needs.

  • Mami, a native of Japan, joined the Ross community in 2008. After receiving degrees in English Language and Literature, Anthropology, and Speech Communication, she lived and taught in the US, Japan, China, the Philippines, and Spain. She has taught ESOL, Mandarin Chinese and Japanese, as well as communication courses such as Public Speaking and Nonverbal Communication to a wide range of learners. She has a deep passion for language-learning and exploring new cultures, and is an avid scuba diver and environmentalist.

  • Mark earned his BA from Williams College and his M.Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania. Mark began teaching at a Quaker school in Philadelphia after graduating from Williams College, with the idea that he would teach for a year and then move on to a “real” career. That was 30 years ago. Mark is blessed with a talent for motivating middle school students and respecting them as thinkers and writers. He returned to his roots on the East End in 2000.

  • Aaron joins the Ross Community as a Teaching Associate and Boarding House Parent. He graduated from Yale University in 2024 with a degree in English Language and Literature. As a Teaching Associate, Aaron is very excited to serve students and faculty in the Ross English department. Whether faced with a poem or novel, Aaron is fascinated by the careful practice of close reading and loves to uncover how modern authors masterfully infuse words with the emotions, rhythms, and absurdity of life. He also hopes to frequent the Ross pottery studio. Aaron has nine years of ceramics experience, managing a studio and teaching at Yale for three. To him, clay can sometimes tell stories that words just can’t.



    As a House Parent, Aaron joins the Ross Boarding program with three years of Residential Life experience. He worked for Yale Summer Session as a counselor for two years and then served as a Residential Director of the program in 2024. He also served as a First-year Counselor (FroCo) at Yale, welcoming and guiding the incoming class of students to their new collegiate lives. Aaron can’t wait to make the Ross boarding houses feel like homes for every student.

  • Cathy joined Ross School in 2014 as Dean of Wellness. Her interest in wellness education is shaped by her curiosity regarding the role of contemplative and reflective practices in helping to develop social, emotional, cognitive, and physiological resilience in young people.

    Cathy grew up in South Korea, Iran, and Malawi. She studied English literature at Ewha Womans University in Seoul and received her MA in Education in Intercultural Communication from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining Ross School, Cathy worked at Walnut Hill School for the Arts as Director of International Programs and at Northfield Mount Hermon School as Director of Multicultural Community Development.

    As a yoga and mindfulness teacher, Cathy hopes to create the space and avenues for young people in the increasingly complex world to understand their strengths and abilities through self-awareness and insight. Cathy is a certified Kripalu Yoga teacher and trained to teach mindfulness in schools. She also enjoys and values strength and movement training, as well as listening to audio books, cooking, and traveling with her family.

  • Paul is a historian of technology who received his Ph.D. in media studies from the University of Texas at Austin. His research includes the formation of industrial healthcare and telecommunications design, and his writing has appeared in 'The Journal of Design History,' 'Design Observer,' 'Flow,' and 'Film History.'