Faculty Biographies
Administration
R.J. Hawley III, Executive Director
rjhawley@brookewood.org
Last Spring marked the start of R.J. Hawley’s fifth year as Executive Director of both Brookewood and The Avalon School. As a former Assistant Headmaster at both schools he brings a deep knowledge of the schools and a broad range of administrative skills to the extensive business and planning responsibilities of both institutions.
R.J. came to Avalon in 2003, following two years at The American School in Switzerland (TASIS) and prior to that he was a teacher and administrator at The Heights School in Potomac, MD for seven years.
During his 25 years in independent school education, he has taught journalism and ethics and a wide range of science and mathematics courses, and also garnered extensive experience as a college counselor both here and in Europe.
R.J. is a graduate of Georgetown University, where he studied biology and philosophy and began his intensive exploration of Aristotle’s works on man. He completed his Master of Science in Educational Administration at Trinity Washington University in 2013.
He and his wife, Kristen, and their five children, Maggie (Brookewood ’19), Will (Avalon ’20), Alec (Avalon ’24), Clare (Brookewood ’25), and George (Avalon ’36) live in Silver Spring, MD.
Richard McPherson, Headmaster / President
rmcpherson@brookewood.org
Richard McPherson helped found The Avalon School in 2003 after more than two decades of experience in the independent school education of young men. He is the former headmaster of The Heights School, an independent day school for boys in grades 3-12, located in Potomac, Maryland. Under his leadership, enrollment rose from 270 students to 460, and the number of Advanced Placement Scholars grew from three to 32. He also led the school through an ambitious building and improvement program of more than $3 million, providing an excellent foundation for shepherding Avalon and Brookewood through the coming years.Rich assumed the role of headmaster at Brookewood School in July 2016, in addition to his administrative duties as president. Rich is also teaching AP Calculus, Geometry, and Algebra.
A graduate of Harvard College (’79), Rich taught for two years before pursuing a career as an actuary in New York, where he held positions at Coopers & Lybrand and Metropolitan Life. In 1984, he was named an Associate of the Society of Actuaries. That year also marked his return to his true vocation – education. Prior to assuming the position of Heights’ headmaster in 1997, Rich taught a variety of courses, coached a host of sports and led the 1991-92 varsity basketball team to a top-twenty ranking in The Washington Post. He was the recipient of a National Endowment of the Humanities fellowship at Harvard in 1988, where he studied Aristotle’s natural philosophy.
A native of Massachusetts, Rich is a devotee of author G.K. Chesterton, poetry, the Boston Red Sox, and mathematical conundrums. He, his wife Janice, and a selection of their six children -Avalon graduates Matthew (’10) Gil (’11), and John Paul (’13), as well as Michael (’17), anddaughters Anne Marie and Maggie (Brookewood ’16), and a rotating roster of internationalstudents, reside in Clarksburg, MD.
Joseph W. McPherson, Academic Provost
Middle and Upper School Teacher
jwmcpherson@brookewood.org
The former headmaster of The American School in Switzerland (TASIS), Joe McPherson returned to the U.S. in 2005 to help guide the development of The Avalon Education Group strategic plan and oversee the creation of the Brookewood School for Girls.
Prior to his tenure at TASIS, Joe served at The Heights School for 29 years, thirteen as headmaster. He joined The Heights in 1972 following two years in the Philippines where he studied economics at the Center for Research and Communications. Joe was instrumental in establishing The Heights’ Potomac campus in 1978 and led the school’s evolution into a thriving independent school encompassing grades 3-12. Following his tenure as headmaster, he was named provost and focused his expertise as an administrator on long-range planning and teacher development.
Joe was the founding headmaster of Brookewood at its inception in 2006. Along with the difficult duties of opening and heading a new school, he taught Latin and sometimes history throughout his service as headmaster. Joe stepped down from headmaster in May of 2016 and is now serving as academic provost and teaching two history classes.
A graduate of Harvard College (’70), Joe also holds a J.D. from Georgetown University School of Law. He and his wife Madlyn live in Silver Spring, MD. They are the parents of six grown children and grandparents of many grandchildren.
Charmie Vince, Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations
cvince@brookewood.org
Charmie Vince, was a founding administrator for the Brookewood School from 2006 to 2013. She returns to the school communities with exciting plans for advancement and alumni events. After a recent update to the database management system, she captured alumni contact information from all branches of the school communities, including the Thomas More Institute in preparation for the Avalon and Brookewood Founders Feast Reunion.
Charmie received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Santa Clara University. She has used her degree in business and communication to serve Catholic schools and parishes in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Diocese of San Jose, Diocese of Springfield, MA. and most recently served as Director of Religious Education for a parish within the Diocese of Oakland.
She and her husband, Bob, live in Glen Echo, MD. They are the parents of Charmi Ellaine (Brookewood ’10), Tommy (Avalon ’13), Serena (a founding member of Brookewood ’16), Their granddaughter, Charmi Faustina is 2 years old and expects a baby brother in November.
Ellen M. Clifford, Associate Director of Advancement and Communications
eclifford@avalonschools.org
Ellen Clifford, an Avalon founder, stepped down from her role as Assistant Head of School for Advancement in July, but will continue her work part-time as Associate Director of Advancement. She will remain coordinator of the Autumn Auction and the Spring Gala, and resume her role as editor of the Avalon~Brookewood magazine, which will be re-introduced this fall.
A development professional for 25 years in independent schools including Harbor School, Bullis, and The Heights School, Ellen also served for 12 years as a senior writer and editor at the U.S. Agency for International Development, and as a production associate and publicist for the Washington Bureau of ABC News, on Capitol Hill in both the U. S. House and Senate, and as special assistant to the co-chairman of the Republican National Committee. Her work in education includes six years as an independent school trustee and board chairman.
The mother of two grown daughters (her youngest married a former Avalon teacher in 2011), Ellen lives in N. Bethesda, MD.
Barry Stohlman, Business manager
bstohlman@brookewood.org
Barry Stohlman is a native of Bethesda, Maryland. He attended Archbishop Carroll High School and then earned a Bachelor of Philosophy degree from Catholic University of America in 1988.
While at Catholic University Barry met an Italian exchange student, Laura Pellizzoni, who he eventually followed back to Italy and married. Barry lived and worked as a master cabinetmaker in Northern Italy for nine years. Their first three children were born in these years in Italy.
In 1998, Barry and Laura moved their growing family back to USA. He has been self-employed as a custom cabinet maker and more recently as a general contractor, running his business for the past twenty years. He joins The Avalon School as Business Manager, bringing his years of experience in running businesses.
Barry and his wife of 28 years, Laura, have 8 children. To date five of their children have graduated from Avalon or Brookewood - Matteo, Bill, Marta, Cecilia and Paolo. Their son, Francesco is a student at Avalon and daughters, Maria and Monica are students at Brookewood School.
Barry keeps himself busy outside of the office raising pigs and other various farm animals for meats. He is particularly passionate about all things related to Italian cured meats. If you are looking for some of the best locally raised prosciutto or salame, you need look no further.
Helen Williams, Director of Admissions and Administration
hwilliams@brookewood.org
Helen Williams is the director of admission and administration at Brookewood. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in psychology/sociology at Upper Iowa University. Helen was a military spouse for 17 years prior to her husband retiring. Before she became the director of admission and administration, she volunteered at both Avalon and Brookewood for six years. Her particular role currently has given Ms. Williams the chance to get to know and enjoy Brookewood girls everyday, which she deeply appreciates.
Outside of administration, she is the middle school swim team coach. She also coordinates Homecoming, Prom, and graduation. She enjoys swimming and an occasional triathlon in her spare time. She resides in the town of Kensington with her daughter Katie (Brookewood ‘20), and her son Cort (Avalon ‘18).
Glencora Pipkin, Director of Marketing and International Relations; AP and PSAT Test Coordinator, College Counselor
gpipkin@brookewood.org
Glencora Pipkin, previously a high school English and elective teacher, works in Brookewood's administration as Director of Marketing and is a college counselor, registrar, and test coordinator. She came to Brookewood in the fall of 2011 after receiving a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Dallas in 2007 and a Master's degree in English from Duquesne University. She has a broad range of teaching experiences including two years at Duquesne University, a year abroad teaching ESL in Normandy, France, and three years of teaching English and communication at Brookewood.
A dancer since 10 years old, Mrs. Pipkin loves to teach and take dance classes when she has a free moment. Currently, her husband Chris (a professor of Medieval Literature), her son and two daughters keep her busy outside of work duties.
rjhawley@brookewood.org
Last Spring marked the start of R.J. Hawley’s fifth year as Executive Director of both Brookewood and The Avalon School. As a former Assistant Headmaster at both schools he brings a deep knowledge of the schools and a broad range of administrative skills to the extensive business and planning responsibilities of both institutions.
R.J. came to Avalon in 2003, following two years at The American School in Switzerland (TASIS) and prior to that he was a teacher and administrator at The Heights School in Potomac, MD for seven years.
During his 25 years in independent school education, he has taught journalism and ethics and a wide range of science and mathematics courses, and also garnered extensive experience as a college counselor both here and in Europe.
R.J. is a graduate of Georgetown University, where he studied biology and philosophy and began his intensive exploration of Aristotle’s works on man. He completed his Master of Science in Educational Administration at Trinity Washington University in 2013.
He and his wife, Kristen, and their five children, Maggie (Brookewood ’19), Will (Avalon ’20), Alec (Avalon ’24), Clare (Brookewood ’25), and George (Avalon ’36) live in Silver Spring, MD.
Richard McPherson, Headmaster / President
rmcpherson@brookewood.org
Richard McPherson helped found The Avalon School in 2003 after more than two decades of experience in the independent school education of young men. He is the former headmaster of The Heights School, an independent day school for boys in grades 3-12, located in Potomac, Maryland. Under his leadership, enrollment rose from 270 students to 460, and the number of Advanced Placement Scholars grew from three to 32. He also led the school through an ambitious building and improvement program of more than $3 million, providing an excellent foundation for shepherding Avalon and Brookewood through the coming years.Rich assumed the role of headmaster at Brookewood School in July 2016, in addition to his administrative duties as president. Rich is also teaching AP Calculus, Geometry, and Algebra.
A graduate of Harvard College (’79), Rich taught for two years before pursuing a career as an actuary in New York, where he held positions at Coopers & Lybrand and Metropolitan Life. In 1984, he was named an Associate of the Society of Actuaries. That year also marked his return to his true vocation – education. Prior to assuming the position of Heights’ headmaster in 1997, Rich taught a variety of courses, coached a host of sports and led the 1991-92 varsity basketball team to a top-twenty ranking in The Washington Post. He was the recipient of a National Endowment of the Humanities fellowship at Harvard in 1988, where he studied Aristotle’s natural philosophy.
A native of Massachusetts, Rich is a devotee of author G.K. Chesterton, poetry, the Boston Red Sox, and mathematical conundrums. He, his wife Janice, and a selection of their six children -Avalon graduates Matthew (’10) Gil (’11), and John Paul (’13), as well as Michael (’17), anddaughters Anne Marie and Maggie (Brookewood ’16), and a rotating roster of internationalstudents, reside in Clarksburg, MD.
Joseph W. McPherson, Academic Provost
Middle and Upper School Teacher
jwmcpherson@brookewood.org
The former headmaster of The American School in Switzerland (TASIS), Joe McPherson returned to the U.S. in 2005 to help guide the development of The Avalon Education Group strategic plan and oversee the creation of the Brookewood School for Girls.
Prior to his tenure at TASIS, Joe served at The Heights School for 29 years, thirteen as headmaster. He joined The Heights in 1972 following two years in the Philippines where he studied economics at the Center for Research and Communications. Joe was instrumental in establishing The Heights’ Potomac campus in 1978 and led the school’s evolution into a thriving independent school encompassing grades 3-12. Following his tenure as headmaster, he was named provost and focused his expertise as an administrator on long-range planning and teacher development.
Joe was the founding headmaster of Brookewood at its inception in 2006. Along with the difficult duties of opening and heading a new school, he taught Latin and sometimes history throughout his service as headmaster. Joe stepped down from headmaster in May of 2016 and is now serving as academic provost and teaching two history classes.
A graduate of Harvard College (’70), Joe also holds a J.D. from Georgetown University School of Law. He and his wife Madlyn live in Silver Spring, MD. They are the parents of six grown children and grandparents of many grandchildren.
Charmie Vince, Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations
cvince@brookewood.org
Charmie Vince, was a founding administrator for the Brookewood School from 2006 to 2013. She returns to the school communities with exciting plans for advancement and alumni events. After a recent update to the database management system, she captured alumni contact information from all branches of the school communities, including the Thomas More Institute in preparation for the Avalon and Brookewood Founders Feast Reunion.
Charmie received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Santa Clara University. She has used her degree in business and communication to serve Catholic schools and parishes in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Diocese of San Jose, Diocese of Springfield, MA. and most recently served as Director of Religious Education for a parish within the Diocese of Oakland.
She and her husband, Bob, live in Glen Echo, MD. They are the parents of Charmi Ellaine (Brookewood ’10), Tommy (Avalon ’13), Serena (a founding member of Brookewood ’16), Their granddaughter, Charmi Faustina is 2 years old and expects a baby brother in November.
Ellen M. Clifford, Associate Director of Advancement and Communications
eclifford@avalonschools.org
Ellen Clifford, an Avalon founder, stepped down from her role as Assistant Head of School for Advancement in July, but will continue her work part-time as Associate Director of Advancement. She will remain coordinator of the Autumn Auction and the Spring Gala, and resume her role as editor of the Avalon~Brookewood magazine, which will be re-introduced this fall.
A development professional for 25 years in independent schools including Harbor School, Bullis, and The Heights School, Ellen also served for 12 years as a senior writer and editor at the U.S. Agency for International Development, and as a production associate and publicist for the Washington Bureau of ABC News, on Capitol Hill in both the U. S. House and Senate, and as special assistant to the co-chairman of the Republican National Committee. Her work in education includes six years as an independent school trustee and board chairman.
The mother of two grown daughters (her youngest married a former Avalon teacher in 2011), Ellen lives in N. Bethesda, MD.
Barry Stohlman, Business manager
bstohlman@brookewood.org
Barry Stohlman is a native of Bethesda, Maryland. He attended Archbishop Carroll High School and then earned a Bachelor of Philosophy degree from Catholic University of America in 1988.
While at Catholic University Barry met an Italian exchange student, Laura Pellizzoni, who he eventually followed back to Italy and married. Barry lived and worked as a master cabinetmaker in Northern Italy for nine years. Their first three children were born in these years in Italy.
In 1998, Barry and Laura moved their growing family back to USA. He has been self-employed as a custom cabinet maker and more recently as a general contractor, running his business for the past twenty years. He joins The Avalon School as Business Manager, bringing his years of experience in running businesses.
Barry and his wife of 28 years, Laura, have 8 children. To date five of their children have graduated from Avalon or Brookewood - Matteo, Bill, Marta, Cecilia and Paolo. Their son, Francesco is a student at Avalon and daughters, Maria and Monica are students at Brookewood School.
Barry keeps himself busy outside of the office raising pigs and other various farm animals for meats. He is particularly passionate about all things related to Italian cured meats. If you are looking for some of the best locally raised prosciutto or salame, you need look no further.
Helen Williams, Director of Admissions and Administration
hwilliams@brookewood.org
Helen Williams is the director of admission and administration at Brookewood. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in psychology/sociology at Upper Iowa University. Helen was a military spouse for 17 years prior to her husband retiring. Before she became the director of admission and administration, she volunteered at both Avalon and Brookewood for six years. Her particular role currently has given Ms. Williams the chance to get to know and enjoy Brookewood girls everyday, which she deeply appreciates.
Outside of administration, she is the middle school swim team coach. She also coordinates Homecoming, Prom, and graduation. She enjoys swimming and an occasional triathlon in her spare time. She resides in the town of Kensington with her daughter Katie (Brookewood ‘20), and her son Cort (Avalon ‘18).
Glencora Pipkin, Director of Marketing and International Relations; AP and PSAT Test Coordinator, College Counselor
gpipkin@brookewood.org
Glencora Pipkin, previously a high school English and elective teacher, works in Brookewood's administration as Director of Marketing and is a college counselor, registrar, and test coordinator. She came to Brookewood in the fall of 2011 after receiving a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Dallas in 2007 and a Master's degree in English from Duquesne University. She has a broad range of teaching experiences including two years at Duquesne University, a year abroad teaching ESL in Normandy, France, and three years of teaching English and communication at Brookewood.
A dancer since 10 years old, Mrs. Pipkin loves to teach and take dance classes when she has a free moment. Currently, her husband Chris (a professor of Medieval Literature), her son and two daughters keep her busy outside of work duties.
Academic Faculty
Grace Bohlin, Lower, Middle, and Upper School Music Teacher
gbohlin@brookewood.org
Grace Bohlin graduated from Furman University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance. While attending Furman, Grace was afforded the opportunity to study music at Accademia dell’Arte in Arezzo, Italy as her study abroad. Upon graduating, Grace enjoyed teaching music at Brookewood, and in 2015 she began her master’s studies at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ. She now holds a Master of Music degree in vocal performance and pedagogy. Grace has sung, studied, and worked in Italy, France, Austria, and S. Korea, and now performs with various regional opera companies and orchestras. This year she will be teaching 11th grade Music History, Middle School Chorus, and 1st-8th grade Music. She also teaches private voice lessons and beginner piano.
Tara Boogaerts, Lower School Natural History Teacher
tboogaerts@brookewood.org
This is Tara’s sixth year at Brookewood. She began assisting the lower school with reading development for two years while completing a masters of theological studies degree. Over the past three years, she has taught religion in the middle school. Tara also worked as the admissions director for domestic and international students and enjoyed hosting students from Italy, Spain, and Korea. Prior to her work at Brookewood, Tara was an editor and then consultant at Gartner Group, an international IT firm in Stamford, CT. She also worked for many years as a seminar manager in the professional education department at Congressional Quarterly in Washington, DC. She received a BA in Economics and a minor in International Business at University of Illinois and studied liberal arts in Copenhagen while also taking courses in microeconomics. She has also studied at The George Washington University as a doctoral student in clinical psychology. Tara is married to Pieter and has three daughters who attend Brookewood. Tara resides in Potomac, MD.
David Booz, Upper School Religion and College Counselor
dbooz@brookewood.org
This is David Booz's third year at Brookewood. He teaches high school theology and Medieval History. He coaches the Varsity Basketball team as well as the Middle School Lacrosse Team. David hails from Southern Maryland and graduated from the Catholic University of America in 2013 with a Bachelor of Philosophy. He continued his education, graduating magna cum laude from the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College in 2017 with a Masters in Theological Studies with concentrations in Systematic and Moral Theology.
Colet Bostick, Upper School English
cbostick@brookewood.org
Colet Bostick began substitute teaching at Brookewood in the Fall of 2018, acquired a short story class in the Spring of 2019, and is now teaching 11th grade English and helps teach the ESOL class this school year. She graduated from University of Dallas with a B.A. in English and Theology circa 1999 and earned an MTh from The John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family after her marriage but before having children. Her husband Jim is a member of the band of brothers who founded Avalon; their children Eleanor (Brookewood ‘22) and James (Avalon ‘25) enjoy an overabundance of family time together during their commute from Damascus.
Donatella Brown, Upper School Math Teacher
dbrown@brookewood.org
Donatella has been teaching high school Math and Italian at Brookewood for 8 years; this year she is teaching Italian III, Algebra 1, and Pre-Calculus. A native of Brescia, Italy, Donatella studied Mathematics for a bachelor’s degree at the Universita' Cattolica and for a PhD from the Universita' degli Studi di Milano. After receiving her doctorate, she spent one year at MIT as a visiting scientist, where she met her husband Steve Brown, professor of engineering and Dean of Graduate Studies at the Catholic University of America. She permanently moved to America in 1994 and has since had six children. She resides in Silver Spring, Maryland with her family. Her daughter Annamaria attends Brookewood, while her other daughters Marta and Veronica have graduated from Brookewood. Her sons attend or have attended the Avalon School.
Jennifer Davern, Director of Athletics
jdavern@brookewood.org
Jennifer is a founding parent of both Brookewood and the Avalon School. She is a native of the Washington area and a graduate of St. Mary's College of Maryland with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development. Seeing a need for sports at Brookewood, she started a field hockey program in the fall of 2007. The sports program has developed to fielding six sports: field hockey, volleyball, basketball, lacrosse, and soccer. She also teaches 1st-8th grade Physical Education at Brookewood. Jennifer and her husband Kevin, the headmaster of the Avalon School, live in Silver Spring, Maryland with their six children, four of whom have graduated from Brookewood and Avalon.
Elizabeth Eames, Fourth Grade Teacher
eeames@brookewood.org
Elizabeth Eames is a writer and educator who has taught students from elementary through college level in the Bronx and Brooklyn, New York.
A Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School graduate, Ms. Eames returns to the Washington Area to teach fourth grade and sixth grade English at Brookewood. She holds a Master’s Degree from Fordham University. The focus of her academic and professional work is promoting clear communications across ages, experiences and fields of study. Ms. Eames will also be teaching 6th grade English this year.
Charlie Eames, Middle and Upper School Religion Teacher
ceames@brookewood.org
For the past 40 years, Eames has served Catholic education and the Church in a myriad of positions: as a religion teacher at St. John Villa Academy and Christ the King High School both in New York; as an administrator at St. Francis College and the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America; as a lecturer (New Testament) at St. John’s University; as a lecturer in the Archdiocese of Washington’s Hearts Aflame Program, and as a facilitator for the Virtus Program teaching people how to keep children safe from sexual abuse.
Eames joined The Avalon School faculty as a religion teacher during the school’s second year of operation. He was the founding director of the Thomas More Institute for Homeschoolers at Avalon, and he wrote and organized the documents to have Avalon and Brookewood become Catholic schools.
He left Avalon when the Archdiocesan Education Department asked him to serve as principal of St. Michael the Archangel School in Silver Spring. He retired a year before the school was closed. Retirement lasted a short time and he was back in the classroom at St. Mary of the Mills in Laurel, Maryland as a substitute. After a year at St. Mary’s, he moved across the street to teach religion at St. Vincent Pallotti High School. Last June, Mr. McPherson asked him to return to Brookewood to teach religion and Latin.
Andrea Francois, Lower School Director and Fifth Grade Teacher
afrancois@brookewood.org
This is Andrea Francois’s seventh year at Brookewood. She grew up in Portland, Oregon with her 4 brothers and 1 sister. Andrea graduated from the University of Dallas in 2005 with a B.A. in English literature, as well as a Concentration (minor) in Studio Art focusing on Ceramics. While at the University of Dallas she studied abroad at their Rome campus and traveled throughout Europe. Andrea moved to the Washington, DC area in early 2010. In addition to teaching, Andrea is the Dean of the House system. Andrea also enjoys traveling with her mother and sister, hiking, camping, reading, and yard work.
Shannon Garvey, Middle School Science Teacher
sgarvey@brookewood.org
This is Shannon Garvey’s sixth year teaching middle school science classes: earth science, life science, physical science and AP Biology in the upper school. After graduating from University of Notre Dame with a major in environmental science and American studies, Shannon worked as a national park ranger at Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP. She earned her Master of Science degree in education from Indiana University and has ten years of experience teaching middle and high school science in both public and Catholic schools. Shannon enjoys teaching yoga, swimming and spending time with her family. She has three daughters at Brookewood, Lupe (Brookewood ‘22), Bridie (Brookewood ‘27), and Gabby (Brookewood ‘31) She and her husband, Kevin, live in Silver Spring with their seven children.
Judith Kearns, Lower and Middle School Art Teacher
jkearns@brookewood.org
Bachelors of Fine Arts Trinity University
Margaret Killackey, Third Grade Teacher
mkillackey@brookewood.org
Margaret Killackey was delighted to join the Brookewood faculty in the spring 2018, and this is her second full year teaching third grade and 7th grade English. She graduated summa cum laude from Christendom College in 2015, with her BA in philosophy, and immediately afterward studied as a Fellow at the John Jay Institute. Originally (and proudly) from New Jersey, Margaret enjoys, running, reading, telling people that she’s learning calligraphy, and all manner of tea. Ms. Killackey will also be teaching 7th grade English this year.
Laura Nelson, Upper School Art History Teacher
lnelson@brookewood.org
This is Laura’s second year teaching at Brookewood. She teaches upper school art history and appreciation. She is from Atlanta, Georgia and graduated from Hollins College with a B.A. in art history and French. After college, she worked in property management for thirteen years until having children and becoming a stay-at-home mom. She has taught preschool for six years and, over the last four years, has greatly enjoyed volunteering in the Brookewood office and acting as a substitute teacher. Laura is married to Jeff and has two children: Ben (21) and Julia (17). Julia is a senior at Brookewood.
Anne Parkinson, First and Second Grade Teacher
aparkinson@brookewood.org
Anne Parkinson graduated from Mount St. Mary’s University with a B.S. in Elementary Education. While at Mount St. Mary’s, Anne completed teaching internships at Lewistown Elementary School and St. John Regional Catholic School. During college, she also taught ballet in the Emmaus Catholic Homeschooling Organization to girls ages 3-8 and privately tutored Kindergarten. Anne graduated from Oakcrest School in Virginia. Shortly after graduating from Oakcrest, she had the opportunity to travel around Italy and sing with the chorus in various places including the Vatican. Anne is an aunt to many nieces and nephews. She has many hobbies which include singing, cantoring at Mass, playing the piano, dancing, baking, and spending time with her nieces and nephews.
Christiana Rakow, Upper School Science and Math Teacher
crakow@brookewood.org
Christiana Rakow earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Aerospace Engineering and a Bachelor’s of Science in International Business, both from the University of Maryland. Mrs. Rakow was an engineer/analyst for John’s Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, where she evaluated the prelaunch accuracy of the Trident II submarine navigation system along with working on other engineering projects. She also worked as a research assistant for a space systems laboratory in College Park. Some of the projects she worked on included designing technology for space suits, designing and building technology for space satellites, and other highly qualified projects. Mrs. Rakow was also a docent for the Goddard Space Flight Center Visitor’s Center in Greenbelt Maryland. She attended briefings on current NASA events and provided a general overview of NASA and Goddard to the public. She is married to Glenn Rakow and together raising three girls who attend Brookewood. She is currently teaching Chemistry, Physics, and Algebra II to Brookewood Upper School students.
Michelle Ratti, 5th grade Natural History Teacher, Upper School Italian and Science Teacher
mratti@brookewood.org
Michelle Ratti has been teaching at Brookewood since 2014 (with a gap year in Italy). This year, she teaches anatomy & physiology and Italian to upper school students. She is a graduate of University of Notre Dame, where she received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry, and she is also a graduate of Catholic University where she received a master’s degree in philosophy. She has previously taught high school girls at Oakcrest and at the Academy of the Holy Cross. She enjoys both the more rigorous academic work with upper school students and the adventurous scientific work with younger students. She and her husband, Stefano, live in Kensington with their three boys who attend the Avalon School.
Irene Sorensen, Middle and Upper School Italian Teacher
isorensen@brookewood.org
Irene is a founding teacher at Brookewood and a native Italian from Brescia, Italy. She is currently teaching Italian to 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th and 10th grade students. While in Italy, she taught Latin, Greek, and Ancient History at the secondary school level. She attended Liceo Classico in Brescia and received a Master Degree in Classical Literature at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan. Her daughter Sophia currently attends Brookewood, while two of her daughters have graduated recently from Brookewood.
Irene is an excellent cook, and she often invites classes to her home to learn the art of pasta making. She currently lives in Rockville, Maryland with her husband and five children.
Michael T. Stroot, Upper School Math Teacher
mstroot@brookewood.org
Mike will be teaching Math 7/6 and Algebra ½ this year. He has a Bachelor of Science from University of Santa Clara and Master of Science from University of Maryland. His sons teach at The Avalon School and he has many grandchildren that attend both Avalon and Brookewood.
Cherie Walsh, Upper School Director, 7th Grade and Upper School English Teacher
cwalsh@brookewood.org
Cherie joined the Brookewood faculty in 2016. Before that, she’d taught high school English in independent schools for more than a dozen years; she has also taught academic writing to undergraduates and has been a homeschool teacher. Cherie holds a B.A. in English and drama from Queens College and two master’s degrees (M.A. in English, M.F.A. in poetry writing) from the University of Maryland. She lives in Hyattsville with her husband, Bob, and two sons, Quentin (Avalon ’23) and Christopher (Avalon ’25). She is honored to be a part of this joyful, intellectual, reverent community.
Julie Wilson, Middle School Academic Dean, Upper School Math and History Teacher
jwilson@brookewood.org
Julie Wilson is from a founding family at both Avalon and Brookewood. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Loyola College in Baltimore and her law degree from University of Maryland School of Law. Although she obtained a J.D., she left the practice of law to raise her family. She returned to the workforce as a teacher, and this year she is teaching U.S. history, business math, business math. Three of her five daughters graduated from Brookewood, and a son graduated from Avalon. She lives in Silver Spring with her husband and some of their eight children.
gbohlin@brookewood.org
Grace Bohlin graduated from Furman University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance. While attending Furman, Grace was afforded the opportunity to study music at Accademia dell’Arte in Arezzo, Italy as her study abroad. Upon graduating, Grace enjoyed teaching music at Brookewood, and in 2015 she began her master’s studies at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ. She now holds a Master of Music degree in vocal performance and pedagogy. Grace has sung, studied, and worked in Italy, France, Austria, and S. Korea, and now performs with various regional opera companies and orchestras. This year she will be teaching 11th grade Music History, Middle School Chorus, and 1st-8th grade Music. She also teaches private voice lessons and beginner piano.
Tara Boogaerts, Lower School Natural History Teacher
tboogaerts@brookewood.org
This is Tara’s sixth year at Brookewood. She began assisting the lower school with reading development for two years while completing a masters of theological studies degree. Over the past three years, she has taught religion in the middle school. Tara also worked as the admissions director for domestic and international students and enjoyed hosting students from Italy, Spain, and Korea. Prior to her work at Brookewood, Tara was an editor and then consultant at Gartner Group, an international IT firm in Stamford, CT. She also worked for many years as a seminar manager in the professional education department at Congressional Quarterly in Washington, DC. She received a BA in Economics and a minor in International Business at University of Illinois and studied liberal arts in Copenhagen while also taking courses in microeconomics. She has also studied at The George Washington University as a doctoral student in clinical psychology. Tara is married to Pieter and has three daughters who attend Brookewood. Tara resides in Potomac, MD.
David Booz, Upper School Religion and College Counselor
dbooz@brookewood.org
This is David Booz's third year at Brookewood. He teaches high school theology and Medieval History. He coaches the Varsity Basketball team as well as the Middle School Lacrosse Team. David hails from Southern Maryland and graduated from the Catholic University of America in 2013 with a Bachelor of Philosophy. He continued his education, graduating magna cum laude from the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College in 2017 with a Masters in Theological Studies with concentrations in Systematic and Moral Theology.
Colet Bostick, Upper School English
cbostick@brookewood.org
Colet Bostick began substitute teaching at Brookewood in the Fall of 2018, acquired a short story class in the Spring of 2019, and is now teaching 11th grade English and helps teach the ESOL class this school year. She graduated from University of Dallas with a B.A. in English and Theology circa 1999 and earned an MTh from The John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family after her marriage but before having children. Her husband Jim is a member of the band of brothers who founded Avalon; their children Eleanor (Brookewood ‘22) and James (Avalon ‘25) enjoy an overabundance of family time together during their commute from Damascus.
Donatella Brown, Upper School Math Teacher
dbrown@brookewood.org
Donatella has been teaching high school Math and Italian at Brookewood for 8 years; this year she is teaching Italian III, Algebra 1, and Pre-Calculus. A native of Brescia, Italy, Donatella studied Mathematics for a bachelor’s degree at the Universita' Cattolica and for a PhD from the Universita' degli Studi di Milano. After receiving her doctorate, she spent one year at MIT as a visiting scientist, where she met her husband Steve Brown, professor of engineering and Dean of Graduate Studies at the Catholic University of America. She permanently moved to America in 1994 and has since had six children. She resides in Silver Spring, Maryland with her family. Her daughter Annamaria attends Brookewood, while her other daughters Marta and Veronica have graduated from Brookewood. Her sons attend or have attended the Avalon School.
Jennifer Davern, Director of Athletics
jdavern@brookewood.org
Jennifer is a founding parent of both Brookewood and the Avalon School. She is a native of the Washington area and a graduate of St. Mary's College of Maryland with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development. Seeing a need for sports at Brookewood, she started a field hockey program in the fall of 2007. The sports program has developed to fielding six sports: field hockey, volleyball, basketball, lacrosse, and soccer. She also teaches 1st-8th grade Physical Education at Brookewood. Jennifer and her husband Kevin, the headmaster of the Avalon School, live in Silver Spring, Maryland with their six children, four of whom have graduated from Brookewood and Avalon.
Elizabeth Eames, Fourth Grade Teacher
eeames@brookewood.org
Elizabeth Eames is a writer and educator who has taught students from elementary through college level in the Bronx and Brooklyn, New York.
A Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School graduate, Ms. Eames returns to the Washington Area to teach fourth grade and sixth grade English at Brookewood. She holds a Master’s Degree from Fordham University. The focus of her academic and professional work is promoting clear communications across ages, experiences and fields of study. Ms. Eames will also be teaching 6th grade English this year.
Charlie Eames, Middle and Upper School Religion Teacher
ceames@brookewood.org
For the past 40 years, Eames has served Catholic education and the Church in a myriad of positions: as a religion teacher at St. John Villa Academy and Christ the King High School both in New York; as an administrator at St. Francis College and the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America; as a lecturer (New Testament) at St. John’s University; as a lecturer in the Archdiocese of Washington’s Hearts Aflame Program, and as a facilitator for the Virtus Program teaching people how to keep children safe from sexual abuse.
Eames joined The Avalon School faculty as a religion teacher during the school’s second year of operation. He was the founding director of the Thomas More Institute for Homeschoolers at Avalon, and he wrote and organized the documents to have Avalon and Brookewood become Catholic schools.
He left Avalon when the Archdiocesan Education Department asked him to serve as principal of St. Michael the Archangel School in Silver Spring. He retired a year before the school was closed. Retirement lasted a short time and he was back in the classroom at St. Mary of the Mills in Laurel, Maryland as a substitute. After a year at St. Mary’s, he moved across the street to teach religion at St. Vincent Pallotti High School. Last June, Mr. McPherson asked him to return to Brookewood to teach religion and Latin.
Andrea Francois, Lower School Director and Fifth Grade Teacher
afrancois@brookewood.org
This is Andrea Francois’s seventh year at Brookewood. She grew up in Portland, Oregon with her 4 brothers and 1 sister. Andrea graduated from the University of Dallas in 2005 with a B.A. in English literature, as well as a Concentration (minor) in Studio Art focusing on Ceramics. While at the University of Dallas she studied abroad at their Rome campus and traveled throughout Europe. Andrea moved to the Washington, DC area in early 2010. In addition to teaching, Andrea is the Dean of the House system. Andrea also enjoys traveling with her mother and sister, hiking, camping, reading, and yard work.
Shannon Garvey, Middle School Science Teacher
sgarvey@brookewood.org
This is Shannon Garvey’s sixth year teaching middle school science classes: earth science, life science, physical science and AP Biology in the upper school. After graduating from University of Notre Dame with a major in environmental science and American studies, Shannon worked as a national park ranger at Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP. She earned her Master of Science degree in education from Indiana University and has ten years of experience teaching middle and high school science in both public and Catholic schools. Shannon enjoys teaching yoga, swimming and spending time with her family. She has three daughters at Brookewood, Lupe (Brookewood ‘22), Bridie (Brookewood ‘27), and Gabby (Brookewood ‘31) She and her husband, Kevin, live in Silver Spring with their seven children.
Judith Kearns, Lower and Middle School Art Teacher
jkearns@brookewood.org
Bachelors of Fine Arts Trinity University
Margaret Killackey, Third Grade Teacher
mkillackey@brookewood.org
Margaret Killackey was delighted to join the Brookewood faculty in the spring 2018, and this is her second full year teaching third grade and 7th grade English. She graduated summa cum laude from Christendom College in 2015, with her BA in philosophy, and immediately afterward studied as a Fellow at the John Jay Institute. Originally (and proudly) from New Jersey, Margaret enjoys, running, reading, telling people that she’s learning calligraphy, and all manner of tea. Ms. Killackey will also be teaching 7th grade English this year.
Laura Nelson, Upper School Art History Teacher
lnelson@brookewood.org
This is Laura’s second year teaching at Brookewood. She teaches upper school art history and appreciation. She is from Atlanta, Georgia and graduated from Hollins College with a B.A. in art history and French. After college, she worked in property management for thirteen years until having children and becoming a stay-at-home mom. She has taught preschool for six years and, over the last four years, has greatly enjoyed volunteering in the Brookewood office and acting as a substitute teacher. Laura is married to Jeff and has two children: Ben (21) and Julia (17). Julia is a senior at Brookewood.
Anne Parkinson, First and Second Grade Teacher
aparkinson@brookewood.org
Anne Parkinson graduated from Mount St. Mary’s University with a B.S. in Elementary Education. While at Mount St. Mary’s, Anne completed teaching internships at Lewistown Elementary School and St. John Regional Catholic School. During college, she also taught ballet in the Emmaus Catholic Homeschooling Organization to girls ages 3-8 and privately tutored Kindergarten. Anne graduated from Oakcrest School in Virginia. Shortly after graduating from Oakcrest, she had the opportunity to travel around Italy and sing with the chorus in various places including the Vatican. Anne is an aunt to many nieces and nephews. She has many hobbies which include singing, cantoring at Mass, playing the piano, dancing, baking, and spending time with her nieces and nephews.
Christiana Rakow, Upper School Science and Math Teacher
crakow@brookewood.org
Christiana Rakow earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Aerospace Engineering and a Bachelor’s of Science in International Business, both from the University of Maryland. Mrs. Rakow was an engineer/analyst for John’s Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, where she evaluated the prelaunch accuracy of the Trident II submarine navigation system along with working on other engineering projects. She also worked as a research assistant for a space systems laboratory in College Park. Some of the projects she worked on included designing technology for space suits, designing and building technology for space satellites, and other highly qualified projects. Mrs. Rakow was also a docent for the Goddard Space Flight Center Visitor’s Center in Greenbelt Maryland. She attended briefings on current NASA events and provided a general overview of NASA and Goddard to the public. She is married to Glenn Rakow and together raising three girls who attend Brookewood. She is currently teaching Chemistry, Physics, and Algebra II to Brookewood Upper School students.
Michelle Ratti, 5th grade Natural History Teacher, Upper School Italian and Science Teacher
mratti@brookewood.org
Michelle Ratti has been teaching at Brookewood since 2014 (with a gap year in Italy). This year, she teaches anatomy & physiology and Italian to upper school students. She is a graduate of University of Notre Dame, where she received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry, and she is also a graduate of Catholic University where she received a master’s degree in philosophy. She has previously taught high school girls at Oakcrest and at the Academy of the Holy Cross. She enjoys both the more rigorous academic work with upper school students and the adventurous scientific work with younger students. She and her husband, Stefano, live in Kensington with their three boys who attend the Avalon School.
Irene Sorensen, Middle and Upper School Italian Teacher
isorensen@brookewood.org
Irene is a founding teacher at Brookewood and a native Italian from Brescia, Italy. She is currently teaching Italian to 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th and 10th grade students. While in Italy, she taught Latin, Greek, and Ancient History at the secondary school level. She attended Liceo Classico in Brescia and received a Master Degree in Classical Literature at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan. Her daughter Sophia currently attends Brookewood, while two of her daughters have graduated recently from Brookewood.
Irene is an excellent cook, and she often invites classes to her home to learn the art of pasta making. She currently lives in Rockville, Maryland with her husband and five children.
Michael T. Stroot, Upper School Math Teacher
mstroot@brookewood.org
Mike will be teaching Math 7/6 and Algebra ½ this year. He has a Bachelor of Science from University of Santa Clara and Master of Science from University of Maryland. His sons teach at The Avalon School and he has many grandchildren that attend both Avalon and Brookewood.
Cherie Walsh, Upper School Director, 7th Grade and Upper School English Teacher
cwalsh@brookewood.org
Cherie joined the Brookewood faculty in 2016. Before that, she’d taught high school English in independent schools for more than a dozen years; she has also taught academic writing to undergraduates and has been a homeschool teacher. Cherie holds a B.A. in English and drama from Queens College and two master’s degrees (M.A. in English, M.F.A. in poetry writing) from the University of Maryland. She lives in Hyattsville with her husband, Bob, and two sons, Quentin (Avalon ’23) and Christopher (Avalon ’25). She is honored to be a part of this joyful, intellectual, reverent community.
Julie Wilson, Middle School Academic Dean, Upper School Math and History Teacher
jwilson@brookewood.org
Julie Wilson is from a founding family at both Avalon and Brookewood. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Loyola College in Baltimore and her law degree from University of Maryland School of Law. Although she obtained a J.D., she left the practice of law to raise her family. She returned to the workforce as a teacher, and this year she is teaching U.S. history, business math, business math. Three of her five daughters graduated from Brookewood, and a son graduated from Avalon. She lives in Silver Spring with her husband and some of their eight children.
