PCS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Technology Instructor & Integration Support Specialist / Ithaca College
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Head of School
- Associate Head of School / Indiana University, B.a. Columbia University
Alex Shaurette was appointed Associate Head of School in 2020. He joined Professional Children's School in 2013 as Head of Upper School, and was Associate Head of School for Academic Affairs from 2018 to 2020. Alex earned a B.A. in Secondary Education/Social Studies from Indiana University and a Master's degree in Education Leadership from Columbia University, Teachers College. He also attended the Independent School Leadership Institute at Peabody College, Vanderbilt University as well as the Principals' Center at Harvard Graduate School of Education. As a teacher and administrator, Alex has been working in education for 20 years. Just prior to PCS, Alex worked at the Dwight-Engelwood School where he served as Learning Specialist and Class Dean.
Alyssa was elected to the Board of PCS in 2023 and is a member of the Governance Committee. She is a partner at Sidley Austin LLP, where she specializes in alternative investment funds and complex transactions. Alyssa is the Chair of Sidley's Latin American Working Group. She actively represents Accion International and Women's World Banking in impact investing projects in emerging markets on a pro bono basis. Alyssa has an A.B. in philosophy from Harvard College, a Diploma of Advanced European Studies from the College of Europe and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. Alyssa and her husband Mauricio raised two daughters in Manhattan who are studying at Williams College and UCLA. She is an avid open water swimmer and skier. Alyssa loves traveling, visiting museums and going to the theater.
Amanda Bhalla is a strategist and practitioner in the areas of organization and culture change; employee experience; and employer branding. She is currently a Managing Director at Goodwin Procter, a global law firm, where she oversees the Goodwin Experience for its lawyers and professional staff. The Goodwin Experience is principally focused on ensuring that members of the Goodwin community experience the firm as a place where they can do engaging work, develop in their careers, be appreciated and recognized, achieve balance and wellness, and feel a sense of inclusion and belonging.
Prior to joining Goodwin, Amanda worked for over 10 years at Prophet, a global transformation consultancy, where she was a Partner and a leader in its Organization & Culture practice. At Prophet, she led multidisciplinary, global teams to advise clients and design compelling, creative solutions to drive human-centered transformation.
Amanda earned her BS at Duke University, majoring in Economics and minoring in Chinese. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Amanda was elected to the Board of Trustees in October 2018.
Amy Crate has been involved in the building and marketing of brands and nonprofit organizations for over 20 years. She is known for her innovative approach to creating unique, revenue generating opportunities for nonprofit organizations through corporate partnerships. Amy has served in senior marketing, communication, and advisory roles for Carolina Herrera, Mikimoto, New Yorkers for Children, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and American Ballet Theater among others.
Amy began her career in advertising at Saatchi & Saatchi, BBDO, and DDB Worldwide where she helped create award winning advertisements for General Mills, Johnson & Johnson, New York Lottery, and Visa. She later had the opportunity to collaborate with Schering Plough and Veterans Aimed Towards Awareness to educate millions of veterans about their risk for hepatitis C and to encourage testing.
Amy dedicated a large part of her career to working closely with child welfare organizations focusing on awareness, development and corporate partnerships. She currently serves on the Youth Villages Massachusetts Board of Directors and she is a founding Board Member of Think of Us. Amy serves on the Board of Trustees of the Professional Children's School in New York City.
Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Amy moved to New York City to attend the Professional Children's School to pursue a career in acting. She graduated cum laude from Barnard College at Columbia University, where she earned a BA in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. Amy currently resides in New York City and Hamilton, Massachusetts with her husband and four stepchildren.
Anthony attended PCS from grades 8 through 12, graduating in 2000. He began performing professionally at the age of 11 and has since appeared in opera, concert, recital, film, and on Broadway. He is a GRAMMY winner, a recipient of the 2020 Beverly Sills Award from the Metropolitan Opera, a winner of the 2020 Opera News Award, and Musical America's 2019 Vocalist of the Year. Costanzo has appeared with many of the world's leading opera houses including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, English National Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Glyndebourne Opera Festival, Dallas Opera, Teatro Real Madrid, and Finnish National Opera. In concert he has sung with the New York Philharmonic, The Cleveland Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Berlin Philharmonic, NDR at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, and the London Symphony Orchestra, among others. He also just finished a London run of his show "ONLY AN OCTAVE APART" with fellow performer Justin Vivian Bond. Anthony was elected to the PCS Board of Trustees in 2022 and serves on the Institutional Advancement Committee.
Ashley Torres joined Professional Children's School in 2019 as a prep cook with FLIK in the school's cafeteria. She spent two years in that position and although she loved cooking for the students and staff, she preferred to join the PCS team directly. She was hired as the Professional Children's School Head Receptionist in August 2022.
Job Titles:
- Registrar
- Assistant to the Associate Head & Head of Upper School
Bob Musiker has worked in US and international education management for over 40 years. He is a founder and owner of Summer Discovery and Summer Institute for the Gifted (SIG), a pre-college enrichment organization that partners with several prestigious universities to operate their high school and middle school summer programs.
Charlotte is a best-selling author, successful businesswoman, and dedicated volunteer who devotes much of her time and efforts to charitable organizations. She served on the PCS Advisory Council from 1988 until her election to the Board in 1990. Charlotte was a member of the Head Search Committee in 1994-95 and was named the first Lifetime Trustee upon completing her third term as trustee in 1999. She has been a member of the Board of Trustees of New York-Presbyterian Hospital for over 30 years and is involved in a number of committees. She was named Trustee of the Year in September 1989 and in 2001 was elected as Vice Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, the first woman selected for this position. She also serves on the Board of Overseers of Weill Cornell Medical College and has served on the Board of the Rogosin Institute since 1993. Her first book, "Charlotte Ford's Book of Modern Manners" (Simon & Schuster 1980), became an instant best-seller. Less than a decade later, public demand for an updated version resulted in another best-seller, "Etiquette, Charlotte Ford's Guide to Modern Manners" (Crown 1988). Lyons Press published Ms. Ford's latest book, "21st Century Etiquette" in 2001. She is the recipient of numerous honors and recognition including the American Cancer Society's Mother of the Year (with her sister Anne), United Hospital Fund's Distinguished Trustee Award and the American Jewish Congress's Louise Waterman Award. Charlotte has one daughter and four grandchildren and maintains homes in New York and Sun Valley, Idaho.
Job Titles:
- Head of Middle School & Alumni Liaison / Middle School Advisor
- Head of Middle School Alumni Liaison
Dania Nauholnyk joined Professional Children's School in 1992 as a Middle School and Upper School Science teacher. She was appointed Head of Middle School in 1996 and added the role of Alumni Liaison to her work in 2017. She is thrilled to be working with our students because they inspire with their drive to pursue their passions and with their love for learning. She continues to teach science in the Middle School.
Danielle has served as an ESL, English and History teacher in public and independent schools in New York City, and comes to PCS from the United Nations International School where she served as Middle School Librarian. In addition, she is an Adjunct Instructor in ESL and Educational Skills at Fashion Institute of Technology. Danielle has edited, researched and co-authored curricula for organizations such as the New-York Historical Society, Simon & Schuster, Inc., and as a member of the Curriculum Educator Consultant Team at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. She is a research fellow at Rutgers University where she is earning her second Master's degree in information science. A classically trained soprano, Danielle enjoys performing, imbibing music of all varieties, studying languages, working with animals, and traveling the globe.
Denise is "a proud PCS Alum, class of 1969." She attended PCS for high school while studying for a career in ballet. Upon graduation I joined the Joffrey Ballet and enjoyed a 17 year career as a principal dancer. Denise joined the PCS Board of Trustees as an Alumna Trustee in 1987. In 1997 she became the Chairman of the Board and served in that capacity for 10 yrs. She retired from the Board in 2014, and was named an Honorary Life Trustee in 2020.
Diane was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2006. She currently serves as Secretary of the Board, a position she also held from 2014 to 2016. She is a past Vice Chair and has served on the Governance Committee since 2006, serving as co-chair of the committee from 2007 to 2016. Diane has extensive human resources experience, most recently as Senior Vice President at Random House, Inc. Prior to that Diane was a senior vice president of human resources for the music division at Time Warner; Warner Music Group. She serves on the Board of the Bottomless Closet, a non-profit providing career coaching and training for women transitioning to the workforce, and was President from 2009-2012 and then Chair from 2012 to January 2015.
Don joined the Board in 2005. He is chair of the Audit Committee and co-chair of the Governance Committee and a member of the Finance Committee. Don's son William, a visual artist and musician, graduated from PCS in 2006 and from Wesleyan University in Connecticut in 2010. Until he retired in 2003, Don had been a partner in the law firm of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy for 25 years, specializing in corporate and securities law. He recently retired as Chairman of National Conveyors Company, Inc., a privately-held engineering and manufacturing firm. He has served on the Advisory Committee to the Trustees of the Convent of the Sacred Heart School in New York (3 years), co-chaired with his wife, Susan, the Kent School Parents Fund (2 years) and was a member of the Connecticut College Parents Committee (4 years). He is active in Princeton alumni affairs, having served a five year term as Class Agent for his Class of 1964 and is now serving a second five year term as Class Secretary. He holds a B.A. from Princeton University, an LL.B. from Yale Law School and an LL.M. from NYU Law School. He and Susan live in Manhattan. In addition to Will, they have a daughter, Katherine, who graduated from Connecticut College in 2007 and is currently a teacher in San Francisco. (August, 2020)
Job Titles:
- Head of School
- Head of School / State University of New York
- Head of School at Professional Children 's School
Dr. James Dawson has served as Head of School since 1995. He received his Ph.D. in Behavior and his B.S. in Biology at the State University of New York at Albany. Dr. Dawson is past president of the Board of Trustees of the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) and continues to serve on the Health Insurance Program Advisory Council. He is a past trustee of The Brearley School and The Spence School. Prior to his appointment at PCS, Dr. Dawson served as Head of Upper School at The Spence School from 1988-1995.
James has served as Head of School at Professional Children's School since July 1995. He received his Ph.D. in Behavior and his B.S. in Biology from the State University of New York at Albany where he also served on the faculty. James was elected to the Board of Trustees of the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) in November 2013 and currently serves as President; he served one year as Vice-President from 2015-2016 and he continues to serve on the Membership Committee; in 2014, he was also elected and continues to serve on the NYSAIS Health Insurance Program Advisory Council, the governing body of the NYSAIS Health Consortium. He was a trustee of The Caedmon School from 2012-2015, at The Brearley School from 2009-2011, where he served on the Development and Affordability Committees, and at The Spence School from 2000-2008, where he served on the Personnel and Long Range Planning Committee, the Diversity and Student Life Committee, and was Chairman of the Head Search Advisory Committee during Spence's two-year national search in 2005-2006. He served two years (2006-2008) as Secretary of the Board of Directors of the HMAE, the oldest National Association of Independent School's organization for heads of school, with over 100 active members who are heads of girls and coed schools along the Atlantic coast, along with over 50 affiliate and associate members from throughout the nation. He was co-Chair of the HMAE national conference in Princeton in November 2010. James served as a member of the Educational Advisory Committee for the American Boys Choir School in Princeton, New Jersey from 2009-2010. He is a past director and President of the Board of Directors of the New York City Guild of Independent Schools. He was as a member of the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) Professional Development Committee and served on the faculty of the Beginning Teachers' Institute. He was selected as a member at large of the Heads Network (formerly the National Association of Principals of Schools for Girls (NAPSG)) Council from 1998 to 2000. James was a member of the Advisory Board of The Mountain School in Vershire, Vermont; he served on the Middle States Association of Independent Schools, Commission on Secondary Schools; and he served as Chair of a five-year NYSAIS evaluation team in 2008 and as Chair of a decennial NYSAIS evaluation in October 2015, both teams assigned to independent day schools in New York City. Prior to his appointment as Head of School at PCS, he served as Head of Upper School at Spence from 1988-1995. A long-time advocate for people with HIV and AIDS, he was the Director of Development for the Hands of Hospice 1990 Designer Showhouse in Sharon, Connecticut and frequently spoke about HIV and AIDS to high school students at other independent schools from 1998-1999.
Job Titles:
- Global Chief Operating Officer
- Head of Client Strategy
Eleena Melamed is the Global Chief Operating Officer of Distribution and Head of Client Strategy for Carlyle, a Global Investment Firm with $400 billion of assets under management. She is also Co-Chair of the New Products and Distribution Committee and a member of Carlyle's Operating Committee.
Prior to joining Carlyle, Eleena was most recently at KKR where she was the Head of Business Strategy for the Client and Partner Group and a Product Specialist in the Customized Portfolio Solutions Group. In addition to her business strategy focus, Eleena oversaw a portfolio of KKR's multi-asset Strategic Partnership Investments, including product design, portfolio construction, relationship management, and investment implementation. Prior to KKR, Eleena was at Bridgewater Associates where she was Chief of Staff to the Head of the Client Service Department and an Associate Client Advisor for the firm's key strategic partners. Eleena began her career as an investment professional in Lehman Brothers' Private Equity division. After Lehman's bankruptcy, Eleena remained at Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc, where she worked on the restructuring and sale of Lehman's Principal Investments, Private Equity, and Hedge Fund portfolios.
Eleena received her bachelor's degree in Political Science from Columbia University where she graduated with departmental honors, summa cum laude, phi beta kappa, and as Valedictorian of her class.
Eleena is a former ballerina with the American Ballet Theatre and trained for ten years at the School of American Ballet before being invited to join the Company at the age of 17. Throughout her career, she worked with legendary choreographers and directors including Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp, Mark Morris, Christopher Wheeldon, and Kevin McKenzie. She also appeared in film and television, including Columbia Pictures' "Centerstage" and Nova's documentary, "Dying to be Thin." She is currently on the Board of the Professional Children's School.
Erica is the mother of Lucette Panush, who graduated from PCS in 2016. She is currently the Co-Director of Admissions at The Abraham Joshua Heschel School and served there as Alumni Affairs Coordinator from 2012 to 2016. Prior to this she was an active parent volunteer for 12 years. Erica's career includes serving as Assistant Project Director at the Center for Children and Technology, Assistant Executive Director at PBS Learning Link, and Program Information/Viewer Services Coordinator at WNET/Thirteen. Erica studied dance for 25 years and currently serves on the Board of Directors of The American Tap Dance Foundation. She was Managing Director of Dances Patrelle (1990-1993) and then served on that ballet company's board from 1993-2011. Erica is a past board member of Project Ezra, a social service agency on the Lower East Side and served for several years on The Spence School's Alumnae Board. Erica graduated from The Spence School and received her B.A. from Wellesley College. She and her husband, David, have two daughters (one in college and the other a recent graduate) and live on the Upper East Side.
Job Titles:
- Audit & Assurance Partner at Deloitte & Touche LLP
Erin was elected to the Board in December 2019. Her daughter, Deirdre, graduated from PCS in 2018. Erin is an Audit & Assurance partner at Deloitte & Touche LLP and is the Global Audit & Assurance Clients & Industries leader and the President of the Deloitte Foundation. She previously led Deloitte's US Telecom, Media & Entertainment Audit & Assurance practice. Erin has significant experience leading audits for global companies and has extensive experience with industry-related complex transactions, accounting issues, SEC registrations and compliance matters. Erin is a member of the Board of Directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC and serves on the Advisory Council of the Anne Welsh McNulty Institute for Women's Leadership at Villanova University. She earned her Bachelor's degree from Villanova University and an MBA from the Columbia Business School.
Ernestine Byer-Tyre began teaching science at Professional Children's School in 2001. She earned a B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She earned her Doctorate in Chiropractic from Life University. Ernestine earned her NYS teaching certification in Biology for grades 7-12. In addition to teaching Biology, Advanced Biology and Chemistry at PCS, Ernestine is an Upper School Advisor, is co-chair of the DEI Committee, and is the MLK Assembly Coordinator. Ernestine is an avid Carolina basketball fan. She lives on Long Island and has three daughters.
Isaac S. Greaney is a partner in Moses Singer's Litigation practice group. Isaac focuses his practice on commercial litigation and disputes, with a concentration in securities litigation, and the defense of securities enforcement investigations. Isaac was formerly a partner in the litigation group of Sidley Austin in New York. He lives in Mamaroneck with his family, which includes 5 children, ranging in age from 7th to 12th grades. Mr. Greaney has been active in Swim Across America, a community based organization that raises money to fight cancer, the Mamaroneck Schools Foundation awarding grants within the school district and is a volunteer basketball coach. He was elected to the PCS Board of Trustees in July 2021.
Job Titles:
- Business Office & Admissions Coordinator
Jeffrey Laguzza started teaching English at PCS in 2004. He earned a B.A. and M.A. at Binghamton University.
Job Titles:
- Mathematics / Marist College
Job Titles:
- Physical Education & Middle School Health Advisor / St. Leo College, B.a. Hofstra University
Kevin Rodd has been teaching Physics and Science at PCS for the past 20 years with a combined 32 years teaching Physics in secondary schools. He obtained his Bachelors degree from Excelsior College and his Masters in Secondary Education from New York University. Prior to becoming a teacher, he was an active duty member of The U.S. Navy SeaBees - Engineering corp in various countries around the world. Kevin is a theater enthusiast and a vocalist / actor and performs in a local chorale group as well as in various regional musical theater productions.
Job Titles:
- Music / University of Louisville, B.M. Arizona State University
Laura Inman is a soprano, conductor and educator based in New York City. Her love for music and singing has led her to win three Grammy awards with Phoenix and Kansas City Chorales, and is a member of the Ireland-based vocal ensemble Anúna where she has performed extensively in Europe, China, and Japan. Laura is an active freelance singer and conductor, maintains a private voice studio, and she is currently the head of the music department at Professional Children's School where she co-directs musicals, teaches Vocal Techniques/Chorus, and Poetics of Music. Inman sings with Mark Morris Dance Group, Bach Vespers series at Holy Trinity and NYC Concert Chorale which performs regularly with New York Philharmonic. Inman was most recently featured on the American cast album recording of Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz's Hunchback of Notre Dame. Dr. Inman also serves as the Children and Youth Choirs Director at St. Michael's on the Upper West Side. Prior to PCS, she has taught at BASIS Brooklyn, Georgia Tech University, Arizona State University, and Arizona School for the Arts in Phoenix. She holds degrees in Voice and Music Education from University of Louisville and Arizona State University, where she also completed her DMA in Conducting.
Job Titles:
- Director of Admissions
- Director of Admissions / Lehigh University
Lori Gigliotti Murphy has 20+ years of independent school admissions experience, leading recruitment efforts at several independent schools in the northeast before joining Professional Children's School. Lori received her B.A. in English and Theater from Lehigh University and trained and performed extensively as an actress and vocalist in New York City. She is the co-founder of several theater and film producing organizations, including a New England performing arts summer conservatory.
Marian Brown was elected to the PCS Board as a parent trustee in December of 2020. Marian's daughter, Natalie, graduated from PCS in 2022 and also studied at the School of American Ballet while at PCS. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Marian is a longtime book publishing professional who specializes in publicity and marketing. Marian has worked with many distinguished authors including Salman Rushdie, Sebastian Junger, Anne Lamott and Lesley Stahl. She is currently an associate director of publicity at Henry Holt, a division of Macmillan publishing. She has also worked as an advisor to the Jewish Book Council. A lifelong New Yorker, Marian resides with her family on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. (11/2023)
Job Titles:
- Director of Community Engagement Assistant Director of Institutional Advancement
Meghan joined the Institutional Advancement office in 2021, after spending nine years in arts programming and development at Wingspan Arts. Meghan earned her B.A. in Theatre (Acting & Secondary Theatre Education) from the University of New Hampshire, and has been a teaching artist, producer, and actor at various institutions in New York City and New England. She was the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Underling Productions for 7 years and continues to offer pro bono consulting services for small arts organizations. Meghan is currently pursuing an M.S. in Nonprofit Management & Philanthropy from Bay Path University, expected to be completed in 2024.
Melanie Harris is a graduate of Professional Children's School. She trained at the School of American Ballet and studied ballet while attending PCS. Melanie received her Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Organizational Communications from Emerson College. She has spent over 15 years as a private equity professional focused on Investor Relations. She is currently the Head of Marketing & Investor Relations at Centerview Capital, a private investment firm focused on the consumer and technology sectors. Melanie has served on the Board of Trustees since 2015 and was elected Board Chair in 2019.
Job Titles:
- Network Administrator
- Network Administrator / New Jersey Institute of Technology
Job Titles:
- Director of Finance
- Director of Finance / Minnesota State University
Paul Q Kane was appointed Director of Finance in 2019. Prior to joining PCS, Paul was the CAO at The International Preschools for 10 years after serving as the Business Manager at Marymount School of New York for five years. Paul has a B.S. in Accounting from Minnesota State University, a B.S. in Education from the University of Idaho and he earned his MA from Gonzaga University.
Job Titles:
- Mathematics / New York University
Rachel Soyk has her Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from New York University and her Master of Sciences degree in Pure Mathematics from the City College Of New York. Rachel has taught math to hundreds of students over the past 16 years. Outside of PCS, Rachel continues to work with Lexicon Academics as a math tutor/teacher and with CCNY as an adjunct Mathematics instructor. Prior to full-time teaching, Rachel was an analyst in Jersey City. Rachel has traveled to over 25 countries and lived overseas during 2014-2015 (studying abroad) and 2017 (volunteer work in Asia). Besides her love of math and traveling, Rachel is an avid runner and will be completing 3 major Marathons this fall (Berlin, Chicago, and NYC). She is hoping to get more into ultra running come 2023!
Job Titles:
- Director of Human Resources
Job Titles:
- Director of Technology
- Director of Technology / Northeastern University
Reem Abu-Amara was appointed Director of Technology in 2021. Prior to joining PCS, was Director of Technology at the City and Country School in New York City for many years. She has her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Northeastern University in Boston, her Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies from Emerson College, and her Master of Arts degree in Education from New York University. Her work prior to City and Country included work in communications for the Carrington Company, and in web design for New York University's Department of Educational Communications and Technology. She has experience in strategic planning, network and information systems, productivity applications, and is a leader in supporting faculty to develop their technical skills.
Job Titles:
- Principal of Friends Seminary
Robert (Bo) Lauder is the 35th Principal of Friends Seminary, an independent K-12 Quaker school, in New York City. Bo is in his 22nd year at Friends, previously serving as Upper School Principal and Dean of Students at Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C. Bo started his career at the Virginia Episcopal School as a Dean and music teacher. At Friends, Bo has led construction and renovation initiatives that have transformed the entirety of the School's campus; launched and concluded two Capital Campaigns that went substantially over goal; and oversaw the creation of a comprehensive Arabic language program. Bo is a graduate of Auburn University and University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He is the past President of the New York City Guild of Independent Schools and is an active member of the Heads Network, The 1911 Group, the National Arts Club and Soho House. Bo's fellowships include the Joseph Klingenstein Institute at Columbia University and a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities which allowed him to travel to Vienna to study the paintings of the composer Arnold Schoenberg. Bo is in his 38th year as an independent school educator. In his spare time he gardens, visits museums and galleries and reads.
Job Titles:
- Night Time Head Custodian / Security Coverage
Sarah Barlow joined us after a long tenure at LREI: The Little Red School House and Elisabeth Irwin High School where she taught humanities, was the English Department Chair for many years, and created the Eighth Grade Social Justice Project, the middle school's capstone experience. She has presented her social justice work in various education conferences around New York City and beyond. Prior to her time at LREI, Sarah worked at her former high school, the Albuquerque Academy, teaching English to grades 8, 9 and 11. She also taught English as a new language to recent arrivals in Dharamsala, India, the seat of the Tibetan Government-In-Exile, where she also worked for His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Environment Desk. More recently, she was chosen to serve on the English Language Arts Advisory Board of Facing History and Ourselves, an organization for schools around the world that uses lessons of history to challenge teachers and their students to stand up to bigotry and hate. Sarah attended Occidental College where she earned her BA in English and Comparative Literature and then went on to receive her Masters in Teaching English from Brown University. She has had the good fortune to travel extensively, is the proud mother to a sixth grader, loves living in Brooklyn while she misses the food of her home state of New Mexico, is an avid reader, and is currently gearing up to get back on the yoga mat.
Mme. Krasnow has extensive experience as an educator, and has held French and theater teaching positions in New York, at Rutgers Prep in New Jersey, at Temple Bat Yahm in California, and has taught English to students in China and France. Mme. Krasnow earned her BA in French language and literature and minor in Japanese language from Vassar College, and completed a Master's degree in Romance Language and Theater Studies at Université d'Avignon and a MFA at the Yale School of Drama. Mme. Krasnow is fluent in French and Spanish, conversationally fluent in Japanese and German, and in addition to her passion for teaching, also plays piano, is a playwright, and a competitive fencer.
Job Titles:
- Head of Upper School Advisor / Kutztown University
Sarah earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, her Master of Arts in Dance Education from New York University, and her Certification in School Management and Leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education/Harvard Business School. As an arts educator, Sarah is passionate about elevating the arts to a scholarly level and developing robust interdisciplinary curricula that meaningfully integrates the arts with other academic disciplines, provides students different avenues of understanding, and allows for unique demonstrations of learning. A lifelong dancer, Sarah's technical training is rooted in classical ballet and modern dance. Over the course of her career, she has performed, taught, and choreographed both locally and internationally, including as the co-artistic director of her own modern dance company for 10 years.
Prior to PCS, Sarah served as Department Chair of Upper School Arts and Integration, Grade Dean, and Director of the Dance program at The Chapin School.
Simone Fitz Zeko, the mother of a student at PCS, was elected to the Board in 2023. She is a passionate supporter of performing arts, as well as young artists who require flexible learning options to balance their academic and professional endeavors. Simone currently is the Chair of the Board of Directors for Dances Patrelle, a non-profit ballet company that has created more than 50 original ballets. Additionally, she holds multiple
leadership roles with Zeko Partners, LLC, a global financial advisory and consulting firm. Simone is a graduate of Fachhochschule Trier in Germany where she earned her master's degree in business and French.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of the Baryshnikov Arts Center
Sonja Kostich '90 is Executive Director of the Baryshnikov Arts Center, an arts complex founded by Mikhail Baryshnikov in 2005. She is the former Chief Executive & Artistic Officer of Kaatsbaan Cultural Park in Tivoli, NY. In her professional dance career spanning over 20 years, Sonja danced with American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, Zurich Ballet, White Oak Dance Project, and in multiple projects with Peter Sellars and Mark Morris. She holds a BBA in Business Administration and a Master of Arts degree in Arts Administration from Baruch College. She worked at Goldman Sachs in the Finance Division and has held arts administration posts at New York City Center and the Mark Morris Dance Group and was a co-founder of the OtherShore Dance Company. Sonja was elected to the PCS Board of Trustees in September 2022.
Sonya was elected to the Board in December 2021. She is the Co-Founder and Head of Corporate Services for iiWisdom, a company building connectivity between public companies and their institutional investors. Sonya graduated from Duke University and attended Harvard Business School. She has served as Director, Strategic Planning with The Geppetto Group, Vice President, Marketing for Youth Intelligence and Director, Consumer Marketing with Time Inc. Sonya is a past trustee of the Head-Royce School in Oakland, CA. She and her husband Darren have two sons and one daughter, Natalie, who attends PCS.
Stephanie was elected to the Board in 2007. She is President and CEO of Girls, Inc., the organization that inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold through direct service and advocacy. Prior to joining Girls Inc., Stephanie was the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the WW Foundation and was Head of The Brearley School from 2003-2011. She received her B.A. in French Literature from Wellesley College and her Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures from Harvard University. Prior to Brearley, Stephanie served as Assistant to the President of Mount Holyoke College and was Secretary of the College and Adjunct Assistant Professor of French. She has taught French at Wellesley College and later at Dartmouth, where she also served as Assistant Dean of the College. She currently serves on the Boards of NYSAIS, Humanity in Action, and Code Nation, and is on the advisory board of Culture of Respect. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Guild of Independent Schools, was Secretary of the Head Mistresses Association of the East, and served on the Executive Council of the National Association of Principals of Schools for Girls (NAPSG).
Job Titles:
- Director of Performing Arts & Summer Academy
Vincent Sagona has been a professional actor in theatre and film for 25 years and the drama teacher at Professional Children's School for 22 years. Vincent earned his MFA at Brooklyn College where he studied with F. Murray Abraham and spent 2 years in advanced scene study with the world renowned acting teacher, Uta Hagen. Through his extensive acting work in the professional theatre, Vincent has honed his craft in numerous productions playing such roles as; Happy in Death of a Salesman, Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Fr. Flynn in Doubt and the critically acclaimed one man show, My Italy Story for which he earned a Star Ledger Peter Filichia Best Actor nomination. As a current member of The Writer's Group, a New York based theatre workshop, he has become part of a process by which scripts are tested, reworked and presented on stages across the country. These experiences have enabled him to impart first hand knowledge of the challenges of acting in a variety of settings as well as the realities of being an actor for hire. Vincent has a deep appreciation for the importance of ensemble and, perhaps most importantly, he believes that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Job Titles:
- College Advisor & Upper School History / University of Minnesota
William Hirt was appointed College Counselor in 2006. Mr. Hirt earned a B.A. and a B.S. from the University of Minnesota. He spent two years as a Peace Corps member in Cameroon before earning an M.A. in Education from Columbia University. He joined the Professional Children's School history department in 1989.