Welcome New Faculty and Staff

Twenty-four new faculty and staff members are joining every division and multiple departments of the Bryn Mawr School this school year.  They come from as far away as California and as close as Charles Street.  

Walter Beers is in his eighth year as a history teacher, and his first at Bryn Mawr, where he'll be teaching Foundations of the Modern World and AP World History. He earned his PhD in history with a specialty in the medieval Middle East, and loves to explore the surprisingly complex connections between medieval Asia, Africa and Europe in his classroom. He is a native of southwestern Virginia, but has also lived in England and Israel. In his spare time he enjoys reading history and philosophy, cooking South Asian food, and watching classic movies. 

Saad Jalisi is originally from Baltimore, and he graduated from Gilman School in 2019. Following Gilman, he attended UNC Charlotte, majoring in religious studies. During college, Saad enjoyed spending his time as a patient education volunteer with the Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina and singing with his college a cappella group, Codachrome. He is joining Bryn Mawr as a Clayborne Fellow in the English Department. Saad is very excited to meet the students, faculty, and staff at Bryn Mawr. In his free time, he likes to exercise, read, and cook.

Patrick Kennedy is entering his fifth year as a high school math educator and his first year at Bryn Mawr teaching Algebra 2, BC Calculus, and Calculus 3/Topics in College Math. Patrick attended elementary school in Roland Park before moving to Rhode Island, but returned to the area after graduating from Johns Hopkins with a BS in applied math and MA in pure math. A lifelong numbers nerd, Patrick spends his spare time studying competition math, as
well as gaming, hiking, and harassing his cats Shark and Minnow. 

Allison Lahl is the new Dean of Students and is thrilled to call Bryn Mawr home. Originally from California, she is excited to explore everything Baltimore has to offer, particularly its escape rooms (she's done more than 100 and has a perfect escape record). Allison taught English for many years and loves talking to students about books (and other things). If you ever need a young adult reading recommendation (or have one for her!), stop by her office to chat -- and grab a snack and a cup of  hot cocoa while you're there. 

Stephen Mince has been teaching since 2017 and is thrilled to be joining the Bryn Mawr community as an English 10 and English 11 instructor. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Maryland, College Park and his Master of Arts in teaching from Johns Hopkins University. He loves all forms of literature, though his favorite authors are Toni Morrison and Edith Wharton. He and his wife live in Baltimore, and they recently have started playing tennis. When not teaching, he also likes reading, hiking, running, and fencing.

Kelly Timlen is a recent graduate of Johns Hopkins University with a MS in clinical mental health counseling. This will be her first year at Bryn Mawr as an Upper School Counselor. Prior to Bryn Mawr, she worked as a clinician at a 

community-based mental health clinic and developed curriculum for, and facilitated, leadership and identity development programs for Hopkins’ undergraduate students. In her spare time, she is a big fan of self-care activities! For Kelly, that looks like – cooking, going for walks or a spin class, binging a limited series on Netflix, or reading a good book. 

Courtney Ulmer ’93 is excited to be back in Baltimore and to join the history department at Bryn Mawr. She has a master’s in history and has been teaching since 2000 in New Hampshire and Virginia. Seeing students understand how history impacts them and their futures is her goal in her classroom. She enjoys sailing, reading, traveling, and reconnecting with her Baltimore friends and family.

Paul Villmoare has been a language teacher for over 30 years. Originally from Baltimore, he spent thirteen years in Spain teaching English as a foreign language. He graduated from the University of Virginia with degrees in Spanish and history and also has a degree in Portuguese from the University of Lisbon and an M.S. in academic leadership from McDaniel College. He previously worked at Park School, Gilman, Maryvale and McDonogh. In his classes he emphasizes oral expression and culture because he believes that speaking a second language provides students
with direct access to new and diverse perspectives. Paul plays the flamenco guitar and performs regularly in the Baltimore/Washington area with his wife. He has a son who is 18 and loves traveling, sports, playing music,  spending time with friends and family, and learning languages. 

Bridget Haines will be teaching 6th and 7th grade music, as well as music in the Little School. Bridget started her career teaching high school orchestra at Farmington Public Schools in Connecticut. She holds a bachelor's degree in music education from Gettysburg College and is currently working towards a master's degree in special education through Quinnipiac University. She is passionate about teaching and making music in a way that promotes creativity and self-expression. Bridget believes that music is one of the best ways children can learn to make connections with others and expand their curiosity. Her primary instruments are viola, guitar and saxophone and she loves to explore music from all genres and cultures. When Bridget is not teaching she loves to go boating, sailing, and spending as much time outdoors as possible!

Lillian Taylor will be teaching 7th grade English.Lillian began her teaching career as an E.L.A teacher for an independent, charter school in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Before becoming a teacher, she explored the world of publication by marketing textbooks, editing novels, and even publishing her own children's book. Lillian earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English and creative writing respectively from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. Lastly, when the teacher cape comes off, the ultimate bookworm comes out! If it has to do with animals, fiction, Marvel, or sports competitions, Lillian most definitely is involved. She has a long list of hobbies, interests, and even has six pets.

Megan Miner, LCSW-C, CCLS is the new Lower School Counselor, but she is a familiar face on campus as she has worked part-time as an Upper School Counselor at Bryn Mawr where her role focused on the intersectionality of mental health and diversity, equity and inclusion.  She is a licensed clinical social worker and a certified child life specialist. She’s also a certified nature-informed therapist and loves spending time outdoors. Prior to joining Bryn Mawr, she spent most of her career at Kennedy Krieger Institute. She earned her MSW at the University of Maryland, Baltimore and completed her child life training at Johns Hopkins Hospital. 

Chelsea Leslie is the new Pre-Kindergarten teacher and relocated from San Diego, where she was a lead teacher at the University of California San Diego Early Childhood Education Center. In San Diego, she managed a team of fellow educators, and was passionate about fostering a child-centered approach to teaching and learning. Other experiences include working with pre-kindergarten students on a month-long project-based study of endangered species that culminated in a community service project. Chelsea, a native of Belize, comes from a family of early elementary educators and is excited to continue her career at Bryn Mawr. 

Morgan Wilder is our new third grade teacher.  She was most recently a fourth-grade teacher at The Cathedral School, where she also directed the annual middle school musical. A graduate of St. Paul School for Girls, Morgan is excited to share her experience with–and appreciation for– all-girls education. Some of you may know Morgan through her experience as Director of Major Camps for ESF at Gilman, where her responsibilities include facilitating programming for participants in grades K-9.

Kendra Davis holds a bachelor's degree in human ecology with a concentration in child development and has over five years of early childhood teaching experience. She is dedicated to early childhood education and finds reading to her students during group time to be one of her favorite activities. She especially enjoys helping her students build their vocabulary, take new risks in a safe and supportive environment, and help them to grow and nurture their independence. Most importantly, she appreciates young children's sense of humor and loves spending her day laughing and enjoying time together with her students.

Natalie Pritchard holds an associate’s degree in liberal arts from Dean College and a bachelor’s in family and consumer science from Winthrop University. She is currently working on a master’s degree in early childhood education. She has over 10 years of experience teaching ages two through four.  Natalie loves watching and supporting children’s growth and learning. Her favorite part of the school day is arrival time, and she says, “I love greeting the children at the beginning of each day. I love seeing everyone's bright, smiling faces.” When Natalie is not teaching, she likes to spend time with her family on their farm, where they raise chickens, sheep, cats, and a dog.

Meredith Woodall has worked in the early childhood education field for seven years. She previously served as the director of curriculum at a childcare center on the eastern shore of Maryland. Holding a Bachelor of Science, Meredith enjoys creating lesson plans based on science and art that encourage children to explore the natural world around them. Outside of work, her hobbies include baking, gardening, camping, and reading. As a self-proclaimed “lifelong learner,” Meredith strives to instill a passion for learning in her young students. She firmly believes that education is crucial from infancy and ensures that even the youngest children in her care have ample opportunities to grow and develop in a safe, nurturing, and age-appropriate environment.

Elizabeth Singh holds a bachelor's degree in public health from Towson University and is interested in early childhood education. She is passionate about creating a safe environment that fosters the children's curiosity and sense of exploration. Her favorite thing about working with young students is seeing their development of foundational knowledge and social interactions with other kids. When Elizabeth is not teaching, she enjoys baking, hiking, and spending time with her family.

Kelly Wallis holds a bachelor's degree in psychology with a concentration in child development from Towson University. She has 10 years of early childhood teaching experience and loves to watch her students create and learn with different materials through hands-on experiences. Kelly enjoys observing her students' growth from the beginning to the end of the school year. When she is not teaching, Kelly enjoys reading, hiking, and trying new vegan recipes.

Sherry Carter brings 20 years of experience as a school nurse to Bryn Mawr. She is also familiar with the tri-school, as she worked as a school nurse at Gilman for 12 years.  

Megan Hanson P’10 joins the Admissions team as the admissions assistant.  She is a familiar face as a past parent, Middle School field hockey and lacrosse coach and Extended Day employee. 

Dr. Eva Martinez is the newest member of the athletic department as Bryn Mawr’s athletic trainer. She comes from Goucher College where she was the Associate Director of Sports Medicine and an associate athletic trainer at Stevenson University. Eva also worked with Pivot Physical Therapy as the head athletic trainer at Mount Hebron High School and in outpatient rehabilitation.A 2013 graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in kinesiology with a concentration and specialization in health promotion, fitness leadership and coaching, she earned her master's in athletic training from Shenandoah University in 2016.  She earned her doctorate in athletic training at Florida International University in 2020.

Landon McGowan joined the Operations team over the summer after graduating from Hereford High School. He is a black belt in karate. Landon loves spending time working and hanging out outside. 

Jewel Perry joined the advancement team this summer as the Assistant Director of Advancement Services.  Most recently, Jewel served as the Assistant Director of Donor Engagement at Towson University, where she independently designed and implemented a comprehensive donor relations program, planned and executed major donor events and collaborated closely with Major Gift Officers to enhance donor engagement. Prior to that, Jewel was a Donor Relations Associate at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Communications and Development Associate at St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore, where she developed major stewardship plans, managed donor communications, and led volunteer training. Jewel’s expertise includes event planning, donor recognition, CRM data management, and creative solutions for donor engagement.