Dwight-Englewood is delighted to announce our newest faculty and staff members for the 2024-2025 academic year. Learn more about each of them below.
Natalia Arbelaez joins the D-E community as a 4th-grade Leave Replacement Teacher. She has been teaching for more than seven years and says she is dedicated to fostering a love of learning in her students and creating a supportive and engaging classroom environment. Natalia earned her Bachelor’s degree in Special Education from Kean University and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Montclair State University.
Valerie Berrios is the Content Strategy Manager on the Communications & Publications Team. Her experience includes overseeing the strategy, development, editing, and publishing of a wide range of digital and traditional content for leading organizations. She has also worked as a freelance writer and is the author of a nonfiction book published by Hearst Books. Valerie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications, with a focus on Journalism, from the University of South Florida.
Emma Brandow will be teaching high school Latin and serving as an assistant coach for varsity cross country this fall. She attended the Brearley School in Manhattan from lower to middle school and New York City’s Riverdale Country School for high school. Emma majored in Classical & Mediterranean Studies at Vanderbilt University with a minor in Chinese and Italian. Post graduation, Emma taught Latin for four years in Dallas, TX, to 6th-, 7th-, 8th-, and 10th-grade students. While teaching in Texas, she also completed a Master’s in Education at Southern Methodist University.
Amanda Burnett is an English Language Arts educator in her sixth year of teaching. She has dedicated her career to empowering students and has taught in Harlem and the Bronx, where she cultivated a deep appreciation for diverse voices and perspectives in literature. Amanda is an alumna of the University of Cambridge and Relay Graduate School of Education in New York City. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Education at Vanderbilt University.
Dylan Bryant joins the D-E community as the Dean for the Class of 2028. For the past seven years, he served as the Head Chemistry Teacher at the Churchill School and Center, a K-12 day school in New York dedicated to supporting students with language-based learning disabilities. During his time at Churchill, Dylan also mentored new assistant teachers as the Coordinator of the Assistant Teacher Support Program. He also spent several years as the Upper School Equity & Inclusion Coordinator, where he led various initiatives to foster a more inclusive school environment.
Amanda Carstens-Potts is the new Upper School Attendance Officer and a D-E parent (’37). She has more than 19 years’ experience in Administration and Management, during which she was tasked with inspiring, motivating, and training highly successful teams of employees. Amanda received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology/Anthropology from Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, IL, and advocates for individuals with autism and Sotos syndrome.
Jason Dargan is the new Assistant Director for Student Life. He is a proud alumnus from the D-E Class of 2015. After graduating from the Upper School, Jason attended Syracuse University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion. Following his studies, he served as a student success coach with City Year, an AmeriCorps program. During this time, he worked in various New York City Public Schools, supporting faculty and helping students in their academic and socio-emotional development. After a brief hiatus, Jason returned to City Year as a recruiter, a role he held for the past two and a half years.
Candace Ho joins this year as a Long-Term Substitute Teacher. She comes to us by way of Hong Kong, having earned a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and spending two years immersed in bilingual studies of Mandarin Chinese. Most recently, Candace taught second grade at the Singapore American School.
Zamin Khan is a Maintenance Technician with more than 20 years of experience in the field. Zamin says he is always willing to take on new challenges and assist with any projects, and he enjoys interacting with people.
Anthony Martorell is a neuroscientist specializing in Alzheimer's disease therapeutics and joins Dwight-Englewood’s Upper School to teach Integrated Biology and Chemistry II. This will be his fifth year teaching high school science. Anthony says he is passionate about creating a personalized education system that fosters curiosity and critical thinking.
Meghna Mathur is a Kindergarten Co-Teacher with a decade of experience in early childhood education. She holds a degree in Child Psychology from Southern Methodist University. Meghna’s professional journey includes teaching at Stevens Cooperative School in Hoboken, NJ, and a background in art and textile design.
Scott Murphy will teach Physics and AP Physics at D-E. He previously taught Physics and Math in Shanghai, China; New York City; and Philadelphia. Scott will also be an Assistant Coach for the Varsity Girls Volleyball team. Scott earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Physics and his Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Maryland. He received the Knowles Teacher Initiative Fellowship in 2008 and completed a certificate in Education Administration from Drexel University in 2019.
Joshua Paik joins the Maintenance staff as an HVAC Technician. Josh says he’s looking forward to meeting his new colleagues on campus and assisting in any way he can.
Lambratu “Bree” Rahaman joins as a Lower School Teaching Assistant. Bree says she enjoys being a lifelong learner and is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Education at Saint Peter's University. She was previously a Substitute Teacher in D-E’s Lower School before working as a Recruiter for Apple. Bree earned a Project Management Certification and Human Resources Management Certificate from Rutgers University.
Kat Sanford is the Middle/Upper School Librarian. She has spent nearly a decade in education and says she enjoys not only answering questions, but also providing students with the skills and tools they need to find the answers themselves. Kat has a degree in English from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and comes to D-E from a school in Westchester, where she served as the Director of Library Services for six years. She was also a volunteer for the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps. Kat is looking forward to getting to know the students at D-E and encouraging a love of independent reading.
Dena Silver joins as a Part-Time Math Specialist for grades 6-10. She graduated from William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ, with a dual Bachelor of Arts in English and Secondary Education. She also holds a Master of Education in Reading and Mathematics. Dena says her years of experience, including Learning Technologies coursework, has fueled a passion to help struggling math students discover, retain, and apply basic mathematical concepts to prepare them for subsequent stages of their education and careers.
Kimberly Situ is a Preschool 4 Teacher in the Lower School. She has more than 10 years’ experience working with young people in various settings, including schools, youth programs, and community initiatives. Seven of those years have been focused on early childhood education. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Tufts University and Master of Education in Early Childhood Education from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA.
Adam Slee is the Dean of Performing Arts. He holds a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on Theatre Pedagogy from Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Theatrical Arts for Stage and Screen from Utah Valley University. With more than 16 years of experience in teaching and leading in arts education, Adam says he has witnessed the profound impact that arts education can have on students' educational development both in the United States and abroad.
Justin Weiner joins as a History Teacher in the Upper School. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in History from Ithaca College and a Master of Arts in Social Studies Education from Manhattanville University. Justin says he is focused on fostering the skills that his students need to become excellent creative, independent, and deep thinkers.
Molly Wozniak says she is excited to join the D-E team as the Human Resources Administrator whose responsibilities include onboarding new employees. She has worked in Human Resources for four and a half years and received a certification in Human Resources Management from Montclair State University.
Annie Yoo joins as a Lower School Assistant Teacher. With a background in art education and a genuine love for teaching, Annie says she is passionate about creating a dynamic and supportive environment where students can explore their creativity and develop a lifelong love for learning. She graduated from Parsons School of Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design and from New York University with a Master’s degree in Art Education.