Welcome New Faculty and Staff

Adebukola Adelugba, or Addie for short, joins the Lower School in third grade. Addie is a Baltimore native who most recently served as an instructional assistant at Baltimore Lab School. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Family and Human Services from Towson University and is currently pursuing her MAT in Elementary Education and Special Education at Goucher College. Addie has a deep interest in promoting literacy and cultural competence in her classroom.

Emily Birx ’02 joins the Upper School teaching English, Public Speaking and serving as the advisor for Convocation Preparation. Emily earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Gettysburg College and a Masters in Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Queens University of Charlotte. Emily has held English teaching positions at County College of Morris, Goucher College and most recently at her alma mater, Gettysburg College. She recalls fondly her English teachers at Bryn Mawr and, in her words, credits them for teaching her what true passion in a subject can look like, the importance of analysis and critical thinking, and how to make a difference in a student’s life.

Marilyn Buse will teach Spanish and the interdisciplinary course World Perspectives in the Upper School World Languages and Cultures Department. Marilyn holds a dual Bachelor’s degree in Spanish and French from Georgetown University. She’s also studied Italian and Latin. Marilyn has spent the last eight years as a Spanish teacher at St John’s Episcopal School.

The Upper School History Department welcomes Jennifer Cutler who will take on the AP World and US History courses. Jennifer is a graduate of Bucknell University holding a dual degree in History and French. Her Masters from the University of Maryland, College Park is in Curriculum and Instruction. Jennifer is familiar with independent girls schools having previously taught at The Chapin School, Baldwin School and Laurel School.

We welcome Jazmyn Delano to the Lower School faculty as this year’s Wilgis Teaching Fellow in fifth grade. The Wilgis Teaching Fellowship Program provides a candidate training in education and the opportunity to be mentored by a master teacher. Jazmyn recently graduated from Stevenson University with a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education. She spent three of her four years completing extensive field placements and substitute teaching in elementary through middle school grades. Jazmyn received the Maryland’s Teacher of Promise nomination in 2019.

Farah Evans ’98, our new Director of Student Support Services and Upper School Counselor. Farah earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Special Education, a Masters of Education in School Counseling and became a licensed clinical professional counselor all from Loyola University Maryland. She has since added an Advanced Professional Admin I Certificate from McDaniel College. She comes to us after a long tenure in Howard County Public Schools where she has served as a pupil personnel worker managing social emotional, academic and vocational needs of her caseload and providing leadership for her team.

Dan Levitov joins the Bryn Mawr team as the Instrumental Strings Specialist in Lower, Middle and Upper Schools. Dan holds a Bachelor in Music from Oberlin’s Conservatory of Music, a Masters in Music from The Manhattan School of Music and a Doctorate of Music Arts from The City University of New York. Dan has performed locally, nationally and internationally as a soloist, as part of a quartet, and in orchestras, including Baltimore’s Symphony and Baltimore’s Chamber Orchestras. He’s currently on the faculty of The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University and most recently was an adjunct assistant professor of Cello at The Sunderman Conservatory of Music at Gettysburg College.

The Upper School Science Department welcomes Lydia Li who will be teaching Biology. Lydia earned her Bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cell Biology from The University of California Berkeley, her Master’s in Molecular and Cell Biology from San Francisco State University and her Doctorate in Cell, Molecular, Developmental Biology and Biophysics from The Johns Hopkins University. Lydia also has a strong background in biological research. During her graduate work at Johns Hopkins, Lydia discovered a novel molecular network that regulates muscle stem cells during repair and collaborated on projects that resulted in publications in the fields of immunology, plant biology, cell biology, neurobiology and genetics.

The Arts Department and The Dance School at Bryn Mawr welcome Christina Monteleone who will teach dance in the afternoon program and serve as the Arts Program Manager. Christina holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a Dance minor from Ursinus College where she was the Dance Team Captain. Christina has taught dance at area studios including Baltimore School of Dance and Rising Star Dance Academy. After taking a number of recreational and play therapy courses at Temple University she’s applied these in her work with programs such as the YMCA, Johns Hopkins Child Life and Theraplay.

Melissa Mussachio will teach Latin in the Middle School. Melissa has a Bachelor’s in Ancient Studies from the University of Maryland, a Masters in Classical Studies from Villanova University and a Teaching Certification from Towson University. She also holds a SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) certification. Melissa began her teaching career at Ridgely Middle School. More recently, she’s taught Latin at Agnes Irwin School, where she also served as the Middle School swim coach, class dean and mentor teacher, and the Trenton STEM-To-Civics High School. Melissa will also be an assistant coach for Bryn Mawr’s varsity golf and swim teams.

Alexandra Richards joins our growing fifth grade team in the Lower School. Alex attended an all-girls high school in D.C., graduated with a Bachelor’s in Mathematics from Dickinson College, and recently completed her Master of Education from the George Washington University. Alex co-authored a children’s book this past year and is currently in the process of seeking publication.

We welcome Mary Trompeter to the Lower School’s first grade team. Mary is a native Baltimorean who graduated from Notre Dame Prep and earned a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education with an English minor from Loyola University. Mary has experience in many elementary grades in area schools including Calvert, Odyssey and Brown Memorial, but says first grade is her favorite because it’s a year filled with a natural curiosity and wonder. Most recently Mary served as Learning Specialist and Director of the St. Julie Billiart Program at Maryvale Prep.

Sylvie van Helden joins the Arts Department teaching photography in the Upper School. Sylvie holds a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from Eastern Michigan University and a Master’s in Fine Arts from MICA. Sylvie has taught graphic arts and photography in area schools including Dulaney High School, Roland Park Country School and Park School. In addition, she hones her craft as an artist at her own studio Sylvie van Helden Arts. She has exhibited her work in regional and national shows at venues such as the Painting Center in NYC, Loyola University (MD) and Marks Arts in Kansas.

Lisa Warner joins us as the Middle School counselor. Lisa holds a Bachelor’s in History from Santa Clara University, a Master’s in Counseling from George Fox University, and a School Counseling Licensure from Portland State University. Lisa has worked with students and families in a variety of school settings ranging from a Pre-K – 8 Grade school in a small town in Oregon, an inner-city school in Salt Lake City, and private international schools. She believes the time management skills, attention to detail, ability to create and follow a plan and the mental strength she developed as an ultra-marathoner and tri-athlete have helped her become a strong counselor and motivator for students, staff and community members.

Lisa Warren joins our Lower School to teach K–2 Spanish and serve as our first grade math support teacher. Lisa received her Bachelor’s in Romance Languages from Dickinson College and a Master’s in Applied Linguistics from Georgetown University. Most recently, Lisa served as Department Chair and Spanish teacher at Beth Tfiloh where she developed a high school trip to Spain and was involved in a partnership with the Scheiber Sandor Gimnazium School in Budapest, Hungary as a Master Teacher. Lisa is also a certified yoga teacher and enjoys incorporating yoga into her classroom lessons.

Maggie Wheeler who will join the Lower School as a fourth grade teacher. Maggie received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from The University of Maryland, holds an Elementary Education certification through Baltimore City Teaching Residency and just completed a Master of Science in Education from The Johns Hopkins University this summer. She has been teaching in Baltimore City Schools for five years.

Kelsey White joins the Visual Arts team as our new Lower School art teacher. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education from the University of Georgia, Lamar Dodd School of Art. Since graduation, Ms. White has been teaching pre-k through eighth grade art in Georgia and Maryland. Most recently, she was the lead teacher for a pre-k through eighth grade program through the nonprofit Art with a Heart.