New 2019-2020 faculty and staff prepare for life at Beaver

2019-2020 new faculty

Get to know our newest faculty and staff members – joining Beaver in the 2019-20 school year – below:

Whitney, Upper School Science TeacherWhitney Koch – Upper School Science
I’m coming from … BC High School
When I’m not at work you can find me … walking my two dogs, George and Chet or running, biking and rock climbing!
TV show I’m binging onMindhunter and Stranger Things. Really anything true crime or science fiction
My favorite thing about Boston is … it’s so close to so many amazing places to get outside. Typically on the weekends I leave the city and spend lots of time outdoors
Book I’m reading / Podcast I recommendThe Nature Fix (all about the impact of nature on our physiology) and listening to The Clearing (true crime podcast)
My favorite color is … purple
My favorite food is … anything that brings people together! I love cooking for people and sharing meals
My favorite animal is … there is no such thing as my favorite. But, one of my coolest animals is Libby the Bearded Dragon!
Coffee or tea? YES


Maurice Hill, Associate Director of Admission and Financial AidMaurice “Mo” Hill Jr. – Associate Director of Admission and Financial Aid
I’m coming from … Worcester Academy
When I’m not at work you can find me … studying for law school, watching mindless television, whale watching, or being the best chef in my family
TV show I’m binging onThe Boys (on Amazon Prime)
My favorite thing about Boston is … Dim Sum at China Pearl
Book I’m reading / Podcast I recommendYear of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
My favorite color is … red
My favorite food is … lobster
My favorite animal is … I have two: the whale and the elephant (check out my office)
Coffee or tea? Tea (Starbucks Iced Peach Green Tea Lemonade)


Joel Zavala – Upper School Spanish
I’m coming from … Boston College High School
When I’m not at work you can find me … repairing my old house
TV show I’m binging on30 Rock
My favorite thing about Boston is … trying ethnic restaurants
Book I’m reading / Podcast I recommendWorkLife with Adam Grant and Malcolm Gladwell
My favorite color is … green
My favorite food is … Vietnamese
My favorite animal is … dogs
Coffee or tea? coffee AND tea


Bethany EddyBethany Eddy – Costume Designer and Costume Shop Manager
My favorite thing about Boston is … The MFA
Book I’m reading / Podcast I recommend … listening to The Dresden Files on Audible
My favorite color is … purple
My favorite food is … ice cream
My favorite animal is … otters, but the BVR kids have dubbed it to be Unicorns
Coffee or tea? Why not both?


Sadie

Sadie Weinberger – Upper School History
I’m coming from … Beaver, where I’ve been since last November! Before that, coming from Providence Public Schools
When I’m not at work you can find me … salsa dancing in Rhode Island
TV show I’m binging onThe L Word
My favorite thing about Boston is … FoMu vegan ice cream
Book I’m reading / Podcast I recommendJoyful Militancy by Carla Bergman and Nick Montgomery
My favorite color is … the color of ferns
My favorite food is … fresh figs
My favorite animal is … a bear
Coffee or tea? coffee in the morning, tea at night


AlixAlix Etienne – Assistant Director of Admission
I’m coming from … Fayerweather Street School
When I’m not at work you can find me … watching boats in the Boston Harbor from LoPresti Park
TV show I’m binging onThe Boys, Chefs Table, and anxiously awaiting GoodEats: The Return with Alton Brown
My favorite thing about Boston is … the fall. Nothing beats fall colors and sweater weather
Book I’m reading / Podcast I recommend … currently reading Hippie by Paulo Coelho and listening to Throughline, The Daily, Passing Through, and Hey, girl
My favorite color is … to wear – grey, on walls – blue, the real answer to the question purple
My favorite food is … mac n cheese
My favorite animal is … Slow Loris
Coffee or tea? tea


Michael SansoniMichael Sansoni – Choral Director
I’m coming from … Tsukuba, Japan (just north of Tokyo)! But I lived in Boston before I was there
My favorite thing about Boston is … walking around Jamaica Pond
Book I’m reading / Podcast I recommendOn The Clock: What Low-Wage Work Did To Me and How it Drives America Insane by Emily Guendelsberger
My favorite color is … PRINTS
My favorite food is … Ten-don: Tempura fried shrimp, sauced, and layered over a bowl of Japanese rice
My favorite animal is … my cat Olive
Coffee or tea?  home-prepared drip coffee with beans from Counter Culture or Tandem


VladVlad Derisier – Dance Choreographer
I’m coming from … Beaver. Prior to that, I was working for a health insurance company
When I’m not at work you can find me … the nearest OrangeTheory Fitness, teaching at FireBeat Dance Studio or taking a class at the Dance Complex
TV show I’m binging on … just finished Dark and looking for a new adventure
My favorite thing about Boston is … how easily you can see so much of the city on foot
Book I’m reading / Podcast I recommend … Spectacular Failures- tru The Truth for radio style storytelling
My favorite color is … teal
My favorite food is … ice cream
My favorite animal is … dogs all the way
Coffee or tea? usually coffee


Melinda ChingMelinda Ching – Upper School Math
I’m coming from … City on a Hill Charter High School
When I’m not at work you can find me … in the mountains
TV show I’m binging on … I don’t watch too much TV. But New Girls is hilarious. Gilmore Girls is my all-time favorite
My favorite thing about Boston is … the rock climbing community
Book I’m reading / Podcast I recommend … I love listening to Radiolab. They always have such interesting stories!
My favorite color is … at the moment, I love teal. But I’m a big fan of red too
My favorite food is … Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, etc)
My favorite animal is … I loveeee dogs!!
Coffee or tea? Both. I love coffee, but sometimes it makes me too jittery. Chai tea is great. Dirty chai tea is the perfect mix for me


WrenWren Huston – Upper School Math
I’m coming from … Beaver. Prior to that, Cheshire Academy
When I’m not at work you can find me … playing tennis or practicing the piano
TV show I’m binging on … Serena William’s MasterClass
My favorite thing about Boston is … being near family and friends
Book I’m reading / Podcast I recommendThe Signal and The Noise
My favorite color is … green
My favorite food is … anything pesto
My favorite animal is … the elephant
Coffee or tea? depends on the context!


Brian MacKenzieBrian MacKenzie – Upper School English
I’m coming from … Uxbridge High School, where I worked as GSA advisor and English teacher
When I’m not at work you can find me … spending time with my family, hiking in New Hampshire, on the basketball court, or trail running in the woods somewhere
TV show I’m binging onCheers
My favorite thing about Boston is … Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr.
Book I’m reading / Podcast I recommendSeason of Life by Jeffrey Marx
My favorite color is … blue
My favorite food is … what’s in front of me
My favorite animal is … bear
Coffee or tea? iced coffee, cold brew, black

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