BUA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Administrative Assistant
- Events Coordinator
Aiysha joined the Academy in January of 2013 and has brought to our community her strong organizational skills and a quick understanding of BUA's day-to-day functions. Prior to joining the Academy, Aiysha worked as an administrative specialist at Bank of America.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Visual Arts Teaching Assistant Institutional Advancement Intern
Alyssa Doust is the Visual Arts Teaching Assistant covering Design classes at BUA. Alyssa graduated in May of 2022, earning her Bachelors of Arts in Studio Art and Design from the University of New Hampshire, where she was a Division 1 Track and Field athlete, as well as the editor-in-chief of the university's student-run magazine. While earning her undergraduate degree, she worked on commission art and co-founded a New England-based arts and culture magazine. She culminated her studies by completing a semester-long service design project, which utilized ethnographic research and user experience design to develop an app for on-campus student parking. Alyssa's passion for critical-thinking, design practices, and art brought her to the BUA, where she aims to spread her enthusiasm for creativity, inclusivity, and design curiosity to the students.
Ariana Kelly graduated with a BA in Literature from Yale University, and with an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the Bennington Writing Seminars. She taught English and Creative writing for twelve years at the Harvard-Westlake School, in Los Angeles, and for the past two years at the Middlesex School. She is also a working writer, publishing essays, reviews, poems, and books. She is currently completing a memoir.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Faculty and Staff
- Music Teacher
Job Titles:
- Assistant Vice President for Artist
Carl Beatty began his career at Mediasound, a recording studio in New York City, which led to a successful freelance career. He has worked with a variety of artists, ranging from Sesame Street to the Ramones, Tom Jones to the B-52's, and Luther Vandross to Joan Jett, to name just a few.
In 1989, Beatty started a new phase in his career when he moved to Boston to teach engineering at Berklee. Fifteen years later, he shifted to his administrative tenure at Berklee, assuming the role of chief of staff in the Office of the President.
Beatty now serves as assistant vice president for artist and music industry relations. His professional history, both inside and outside of Berklee, has uniquely qualified him to act as a liaison between the college and alumni, artists, and music industry connections.
Carlos Martinez is from San Antonio, TX and received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas in San Antonio in the spring of 1998. He received his doctorate from Brandeis University in 2012. His dissertation entitled Cormac McCarthy and the American Absurd is a monograph on the author that treats themes associated with Southern and Southwestern American Literature. He has taught writing and literature courses at Purdue University, Brandeis University, Wheelock College, Boston University, Framingham State University, and Newbury College. His new writing project, an extension of his work on the dissertation, is titled Cormac McCarthy's Mexico and uses archival research to examine McCarthy's evolving representation of the US Mexico border.
Job Titles:
- Head of School
- Head of School at Boston University Academy
Chris Kolovos is the Head of School at Boston University Academy. Since joining BUA in the summer of 2020, Chris has led the school's evolution in ways designed to serve its exceptional students and build on the school's traditional strengths: a more global, diverse humanities curriculum that puts the Western canon in conversation with other traditions; a new academic schedule with later starts and longer class periods; a faculty evaluation and professional growth program; creation of a Director of Equity and Inclusion role; a significant increase in the numbers of faculty of color; learning opportunities for BUA students in departments and interdisciplinary centers at Boston University; emerging partnerships in the City of Boston; and a strategic vision guiding BUA's path to 2030. A dramatic rise in applications since 2020 aligns with Chris's commitment to ensuring that all families of exceptionally kind, curious, and capable students in the Boston area consider BUA as an option. Major increases in fundraising during Chris's tenure have also led to a significant expansion of professional development funding, renovations to all classroom spaces, and growth in financial aid - allowing BUA to admit every qualified applicant regardless of the family's ability to pay.
Prior to BUA, Chris served for seven years as the Associate Head of School at Greens Farms Academy in Connecticut where he oversaw the school's academic program. He began his teaching career at Belmont Hill School where he served for nine years as a history teacher, department chair, and Director of Global Education.
A son of Greek immigrants, Chris grew up in the Boston suburbs. He attended Roxbury Latin School and then Harvard College as a first-generation college student. He later earned a law degree at Harvard, while serving as Coordinating Editor of the Harvard Law Review. He lives outside of Boston with his wife Tracey, son Charlie, twin daughters Penny and Maggie, their dog Circe, and their cat Chester.
Job Titles:
- History Teacher Assistant Director of Equity & Inclusion
After receiving a BA in fine art from Connecticut College, Cristy Walsh began her creative career as a graphic designer for corporate design firms in New York, Austin and Boston. Since then, she's continued to design brand and identity work for local non-profit organizations. She serves on the board of Parent to Parent, a Winchester parenting organization that sponsors lectures by nationally recognized child development experts, and the board of Friends of Upper Mystic Lake, a citizens' group promoting healthy waterways.
Cristy has long been involved in her sons' schools with fundraising, organizing school activities and facilitating dialogue between faculty and parents. She is a current member of the Winchester High School Parent Faculty Association. Cristy is co-chair of civic beautification for the Winchester Home and Garden Club, which should provide ample gardening projects for years to come. She, her husband Rob and their two sons enjoy family meals, travel and rediscovering movies from the ‘80s. Their younger son is a member of the Class of 2022 at BUA.
Job Titles:
- Mathematics Teacher
- Mathematics Teacher Director of Discipline
Daniel Ford received his BA in Mathematics from Providence College and his MA in mathematics from Boston University. While at BU, his research focused on the field of Number Theory and worked with the PROMYS for Teachers summer program. Daniel also teaches Precalculus at Harvard Summer School. In addition to teaching, Daniel coaches the BUA Math Club, leads the BUA Chess Club at BUA, enjoys Harry Potter novels, and plays Frisbee-based sports.
Job Titles:
- Director of Athletics and Alumni Relations
Dave received his B.S. in Physical Education from Ithaca College and his M.A. in Human Movement from Boston University. His primary focus is on exposing students to athletic activities that promote good health and that can be enjoyed throughout life. Dave has been at BU Academy from the school's inception.
Job Titles:
- Director of Operations
- Finance
- Director of Operations and Finance at Boston University Academy
Derek Dettorre is the Director of Operations and Finance at Boston University Academy. Derek received his BA in Economics from Wesleyan University, where he was also a four-year player and Senior Captain on the baseball team. In his senior season, Derek was honored by being named to the NESCAC All-Sportsmanship Team. Currently, Derek is also an MBA candidate at BU's Questrom School of Business in the Social Impact program.
Derek comes to BUA from the Junior State of America Foundation, a national youth-serving nonprofit focused on providing civic education programming and experiential learning opportunities to high school students. He was most recently the Chief Operating Officer of JSA responsible for designing and implementing operational and financial strategies that would sustain JSA through a period of pivotal change.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of Institutional Advancement
Elisha came to BUA from the field of foreign policy in 2014. Previously, she served as Director of Programs and Communications at the Middle East Institute, a think tank in Washington, DC, and as Development Associate at Seeds of Peace, an international conflict resolution organization based in New York. Elisha holds a BA in Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures from Columbia University and an MA in Near Eastern History from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. She is an alumna of Boston's Commonwealth School.
Job Titles:
- History Teacher Coordinator of Experiential Learning
Job Titles:
- Interim Director of Admission
Gillian Lloyd will be joining the Institutional Advancement Team for a yearlong appointment as the Interim Director of Admission. She graduated with a BA from Middlebury College and an EdM from Harvard University. In addition, she studied at the University of Bath in England. Her professional experience includes over 12 years in college admissions and several years as a partner in the marketing consulting firm, MM&L Consulting. During these consulting years, Gillian managed market research projects, developed strategic marketing plans for colleges and non-profit organizations and initiated and developed marketing communication plans. Following her years at MM&L, Gillian was the Director of Admission and Financial Aid at two independent schools in the ISL-The Governor's Academy for three years and The Rivers School for 22 years. During her many years in the ISL, Gillian loved not only her work in admissions and as a member of the senior management team, but also the opportunity to serve as a faculty advisor. Gillian lives in Boston, is married, and has two adult children, one also living in Boston and one in Atlanta, GA. In addition to relishing her time with family and friends, Gillian enjoys hiking, cycling, travel and gardening.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Operations and Finance
Holly received her BS in Education from Penn State University and her MA in Organizational Leadership from The University of San Francisco. Holly has previously worked as an elementary teacher in grades 3-8, and as the Director of Educational Services at an independent charter school in the Bay Area. In her free time, she enjoys running, reading, traveling, spending time with her dog, and making things.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of College Counseling
Jessica earned her bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Adolescent Education from Elmira College. After graduating in 2013, she moved to Southern California to work in admissions at Claremont McKenna College. Having seen the curtains pulled back on the highly selective college admission process, Jessica moved to the other side of the desk as a college counselor at Milken Community School in Los Angeles. She is excited to continue building long-lasting relationships with students at BUA and to invest in a new community here in Boston.
Jessica is a native Vermonter who is happy to be back in New England closer to friends and family. She loves yoga, baking, dogs, and cheese (Cabot, of course!).
Job Titles:
- Director of Student Support and University Liaison
Job Titles:
- Mathematics Teacher Coordinator of Professional Learning and New Faculty Mentoring
Job Titles:
- Assistant to the Head of School and College Counseling Office Manager
Kailey Kennedy received her BS in marketing from Fairfield University and her EdM in curriculum and instruction from Boston University. After graduating from Fairfield University, Kailey joined Teach for America where she taught in Springfield, MA for two years. Before coming to BUA, Kailey spent one year as a special education teacher in Dorchester. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Boston, running, cooking, and catching up on reality television.
Kristin graduated magna cum laude from the College of the Holy Cross with a BA in Classics. She earned her MA and PhD in Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, where she focused her research on Euripidean tragedy. As a teaching fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, she taught Latin courses as well as a freshman writing seminar based on classical and modern rhetoric. Before arriving at BUA, Kristin also taught in the Classics department at Dickinson College, and was a member of both the English and Foreign Language departments at the Loomis Chaffee School. Since joining BUA in 2003, Kristin has taught Latin and ancient Greek; she also advises the BUA yearbook. Outside the classroom, Kristin enjoys singing with Chorus North Shore, knitting (slowly), skiing, and adding more books to her "to read" list on Goodreads.
Lisa Townley holds two degrees in Art Education: a Master of Fine Arts from Boston University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Vermont. She has been teaching visual art for over 15 years, most recently at Dexter Southfield in Brookline, MA and at the Rivers School in Weston, MA where she taught for nine years. Her passions in the classroom stem from interdisciplinary studies, with a particular focus on connecting learning to the visual arts. As an artist, Ms. Townley works in both two- and three-dimensional mediums, including drawing, painting, and ceramics. Her passions in art derive from the exploration of art mediums and free thinking. Ms. Townley teaches at the Danforth Museum in Framingham and is co-director of the youth girls' lacrosse program in her town.
Job Titles:
- Chemistry Teacher
- Chemistry Teacher Student Event Coordinator STEM Research Coordinator
Lizzy Karnaukh is from Princeton, NJ and received her Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry from Barnard College. She recently received her doctorate in Chemistry at Boston University, where she has taught numerous chemistry and scientific writing courses. Her doctoral work is on the use of quantum chemistry methods to study redox reactions in proteins and she has authored multiple research articles in scientific journals. Dr. Karnaukh teaches both chemistry and math at BUA. In her spare time, Dr. Karnaukh enjoys gardening.
Job Titles:
- Director of Development and Parent Engagement
Margo received her B.A. from Dartmouth College. She completed her EdM at Boston University in 2019, and received her MBA from BU's Questrom School of Business in 2022. In addition to her work in BUA's Institutional Advancement Office, Margo coaches BUA's cross country team, helps lead the outing club, and serves as a student advisor. In her free time, Margo enjoys hiking, skiing, and being outside.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Faculty and Staff
- Classics and History Teacher
Job Titles:
- Fellow
- Mathematics Teaching Fellow
Originally from North Carolina, Mato Seth completed his undergraduate degree from Yale in 2020. There, he majored in Biochemistry while also exploring passions in Mathematics, Literature, and Linguistics. Before coming to BUA, he spent two years teaching at Phillips Academy in Andover where he furthered a passion for helping young people through care, generosity, and most importantly, math! In his free time, he is a practiced volleyball and spikeball player, a cook of vegetarian dishes, and a lover of novels.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate Director of Admission
Meg joined BUA in the summer of 2017. Previously, Meg spent three years in the Admissions office at Austin Preparatory School, and has worked at the Pike School and Fay School as well. In her spare time, Meg enjoys exploring Boston, skiing, and trying new restaurants. Meg received her BA in American Studies and Studio Art from Muhlenberg College, and her MA in Education Policy, Planning and Administration from Boston University.
Job Titles:
- Partner at the Law Firm of WilmerHale
Mike Bongiorno is a partner at the law firm of WilmerHale in its New York office, where he defends securities litigation and enforcement matters on behalf of publicly traded companies and their officers and directors, and advises boards and board committees on various issues. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, and his daughter is a 2018 BUA graduate. Mike serves as the chair of the Advisory Board of the St. Mary's School, a local Catholic elementary school.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Faculty and Staff
- English Teacher
- English Teacher Director of Equity & Inclusion
Dr. Alvarez came to BUA following fourteen years at Trinity School in New York City, where she taught English and helped lead that school's DEI efforts as Equity & Inclusion Coordinator. Since arriving at BUA in the fall of 2021, Dr. Alvarez has been an inspiring teacher for 9th and 10th graders, a trusted advisor, club leader, and co-chair of the student-faculty Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.
In the fall of 2022, Dr. Alvarez stepped into the newly-created Director of Equity and Inclusion role at BUA. As BUA's inaugural Director of Equity and Inclusion, Dr. Alvarez works across constituencies - students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni - and lead the school's efforts to fully live up to our core values of community and inclusion. The work touches many areas of school life: student support, parent engagement, admissions, professional development, curriculum, pedagogy, hiring, and others.
Dr. Alvarez holds a PhD in English Literature and served as New York City's Regional Program Chair for The Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA). Her recent writing has appeared on JASNA's journal, Persuasions, and on the Instituto Cervantes at Harvard's Observatorio Reports. Dr. Alvarez's areas of research are British eighteenth- and nineteenth-century culture and literature. Other interests include the development of female friendships in Comparative Literature and female Spanish immigration to the United States.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Head of School for Enrollment Management and Institutional Advancement
Ms. Hakimi received her B.A from Trinity College (Hartford). She completed her Masters in Education Policy, Planning and Administration at Boston University in 2015, and received her Masters in Business Administration from BU's Questrom School of Business in 2021. She came to BUA from BB&N, her alma mater, where she worked at their lower school for several years. In her free time, Nastaran enjoys spending time with her friends and family, traveling, cycling, and exploring Boston.
A graduate of Oberlin College with a BA in Physics, Mr. Dent previously taught math and physics at Sacramento Country Day in Sacramento, California. In addition to teaching Math, Mr. Dent advises the Math Club.
Job Titles:
- Director of Course Planning and Classroom Utilization at Boston University 's Questrom School of Business
Norm Blanchard is director of Course Planning and Classroom Utilization at Boston University's Questrom School of Business. He earned his BSBA from Questrom in 1988 and an MBA in 1994. Norm's passions include hockey, baseball, music, and British history and culture. He lives in Reading with his wife, Maura, and younger daughter, Kerry. His older daughter, Joy, graduated from BUA in 2016 and now attends McGill University, where she studies music composition and linguistics.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Athletics and Athletic Trainer
Olivia earned her BS in Athletic Training from Boston University in 2019. After graduating, she worked at Northeastern University as an athletic trainer with Women's Swim and Dive, Women's Volleyball, Women's Soccer and Baseball. Olivia‘s clinical research interests surround shoulder and ankle injury prevention. She enjoys collaborating with her student athletes to create team specific injury risk reduction programs. Outside of BUA you will usually find Olivia in a yarn shop looking for crochet inspiration
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Admission
Before coming to BUA, Paula served as the associate admissions counselor and assistant dorm head at The Athenian School in Danville, California, and as a school counseling intern at the Josiah Quincy School in Boston's Chinatown neighborhood. She also served as an AmeriCorp Vista member in the pediatric neurology department at Boston Medical Center.
Originally from the Bay Area of California, Paula received her BA in American studies and human development from Connecticut College and her MA in school counseling from Boston College. In her free time, you can find Paula scrolling through Goodreads and buying one book too many, cycling, or cooking for her friends and family.
Job Titles:
- Director of College Counseling
Rob O'Rourke comes to us from Groton School, where he served as Associate Director of College Counseling since 2014, partnering with hundreds of students and families in the college process and forming deep connections with colleges and universities around the country and overseas. He served as the Director of Community Engagement with oversight of the school's service initiatives; leading global education trips to the Dominican Republic, India, and South Africa; and teaching an Ethics course to seniors. Before Groton, Mr. O'Rourke was a Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Georgetown University, playing a central role in that institution's undergraduate admissions program and gaining experience that has informed his subsequent work with high schoolers. He earned a bachelor's degree in Spanish and theology from Georgetown University. He later completed a master's degree in theological studies at Harvard Divinity School, where his coursework focused on contemporary American religions and public policy.
Rosemary received a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Duke University and a Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from Vanderbilt University. She was a Postdoctoral Faculty Fellow/Lecturer for two years at Boston University before she joined BUA. Rosemary also has extensive teaching experience as an undergraduate and a doctoral candidate. She has authored many research articles that have been published in various scholarly science journals. Rosemary served as BUA's interim head of school from 2018-2020; before moving into her administrative roles, Rosemary taught chemistry at BUA for six years.
Dr. Harrington comes to BUA from Phillips Exeter Academy, where he was one of three John and Elizabeth Phillips Dissertation Year Fellows in the 2020-21 academic year. He holds three degrees in English: a PhD from the University of New Hampshire, an MFA from the University of Central Florida, and a BA from the University of South Florida. He is most interested in literary theorists who study gender, sexuality, and nationality, as well as in works of graphic narrative, memoir, and contemporary essays. Dr. Harrington's dissertation is titled "Othered Ambitions: The Conflation of Homosexuality and Villainy in 20th Century American Media." In addition to his teaching, he has worked at the University of New Hampshire as a graduate licensing assistant and diversity consultant for the Advisory Board of Underrepresented Graduate Students. In his spare time, Dr. Harrington enjoys cooking and baking, knitting and weaving, reading the New York Times, listening to NPR, and going to museums-photography and sculpture are his favorite mediums.
Job Titles:
- Administrative Assistant to the Head of School College Counseling Office Manager
Sirena Davis joined BUA in 2019 after completing two years of service as a college adviser with The College Advising Corp. Sirena earned her BA from Denison University, where she majored in anthropology and sociology. During her time in college, she studied post-conflict resolution in Uganda and Rwanda. Sirena's passion to help and assist others brought her to this position at BUA. In her role as administrative assistant to the head of school, Sirena will assist with improving processes and organization from behind the scenes. Please don't hesitate to stop by to say "Hello."
Stacey joined the BUA after 9 years in the counseling field, the last 6 of which were spent as a School Counselor in the Reading Public School system. Stacey has degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Psychology and from Northeastern University in School counseling. Additionally, Stacey has a CAGS certification in School Psychology and a license as a Massachusetts Department of Education School Psychologist, and is a member of the National Association of School Psychologists.
Job Titles:
- Advancement & Digital Marketing Specialist
Tara joined the BUA team in 2021, after moving to Boston to pursue her goal of working in education marketing. She earned her BS in Marketing from The University of Colorado Boulder, and prior to joining BUA, she was a Marketing Specialist for Injectech, and previously a Marketing Associate for Cascade Relays. Outside of work, you can find Ms. Teslow painting, thrift shopping, or hitting the slopes.
Job Titles:
- Chemistry Teacher
- Chemistry Teacher Director of Student Life and BU Partnerships
Victoria Perrone earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Secondary Education from Emmanuel College in 2014. She earned her Master's in Education Leadership and Policy at BU in May of 2018, and her MBA specializing in Leadership and Organizational Transformation from BU's Questrom School of Business in 2021. Before joining BUA, she taught chemistry at Shrewsbury Senior High School. In addition to teaching chemistry, Victoria oversees all BUA student clubs and events, and develops connections and programming with BU departments across campus.