Capitol Hill Faculty & Staff
School Leadership
Garrett Phelan is the Principal of the Capitol Hill Campus, where he previously served as Academic Dean, AP English teacher, and English department chair. Among other professional highlights, Mr. Phelan served in the Peace Corps in El Salvador, was selected as an E.E. Ford Fellow and as a Jenny McKean Moore Fund Fellow, and received a DC Arts Commission grant to teach unique artists books to AIDS patients at DC’s Whitman-Walker Clinic. Additionally, Mr. Phelan served on a teacher advisory panel to the Corcoran Museum of Art’s education department and has a Certificate of Study in Arts Education from the J.F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. His poetry has been published in myriad publications, including The Potomac Review, English Journal, Minimus, Articulate, and The Hartford Courant. Mr. Phelan received his secondary teaching credential from the Advanced Institute for Montessori Studies and holds a BS in Psychology from Central Connecticut State University.
William Spears is Vice-principal of Scholars Affairs of the Capitol Hill Campus, where he previously served as the school’s Dean of Students. He works to ensure that the school achieves an optimum learning environment inside and outside of the classroom, and that students receive the supports and services they need to succeed. He has a BS in criminal justice from Grambling State University and is pursuing a master’s degree in juvenile psychology at Bowie State University.
Arturo Martinez is the Vice-principal of Curriculum and Instruction of the Capitol Hill Campus. Previously, Mr. Martinez was Chaávez’s English as a Second Language Coordinator and an ESL teacher. Prior to joining Chaávez, he did his student teaching in the special education program at Hardy Middle School in DC. He has also worked as a Spanish/English interpreter and translator. Mr. Martinez has a BA in History and Psychology from Macalester College and a MA in Education and Human Development from George Washington University, where he specialized in bilingual special education and ESL. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Spanish Philology from the Universitat de les Illes Balears in Mallorca, Spain, focusing on the benefits of teaching academic content in Spanish to Spanish-speaking ESL students. Mr. Martinez also serves on the board of directors of Resources for Inner-City Children (RICH), a non-profit organization that provides educational resources and support to inner-city high school students.
Faculty & Staff
Carol Auerbach is the ELL Coordinator and Teacher at the Capitol Hill Campus. Now beginning her eleventh year of teaching English as a Second Language, Ms. Auerbach has taught all ages and English language levels. She has an MA in International Education from The George Washington University, specializing in Cross-Cultural Studies, an MEd from Marymount University in Arlington, VA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, and a BA in French Language and Literature from Douglass College in New Brunswick, NJ. She is a Teacher/Consultant with the Northern Virginia Writers Project. Ms. Auerbach is currently the Past President of the Washington Area TESOL affiliate after serving as President and Vice President of the organization.
Agnes Conaty holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Civil Engineering and a doctoral degree in Environmental Science. Prior to teaching, she did research work on satellite remote sensing data of sea surface temperatures and ocean color along the Pacific Ocean and South China Sea at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, where she met her husband, Austin, who is a research meteorologist at NASA. They have a three year old son, a car and train enthusiast named Joseph. When she is not teaching, Agnes dabbles at nature drawing and sketching. She has exhibited watercolor paintings and nature photographs at Greenbelt’s New Deal Cafe and does a weekly editorial cartoon called “Grin Belt” for the Greenbelt News Review or runs 5K and 10K races. She and her family now live in their new home in a cul-de-sac backing the woods in Laurel, MD. Agnes has taught Math at Chavez for a quarter of the school year and now teaches Earth Science.
Megan Casimir is the Director of Special Education. A graduate of George Washington University, this is her third year at Chavez. Previously, she taught reading, writing, and math to seventh and eighth-graders labeled as Learning Disabled and Emotionally Disturbed.
Keith Craig, tenor, teaches music at the Capitol Hill campus. A native of Waynesboro, Mississippi, he is an accomplished artist who possesses an instrument of great power, fullness, and beautiful color with ringing top notes. He taught music at Meridian Public Charter School, Washington, DC. In 2007 he sang Roberto in Le Villi with the American Center for Puccini Studies, the role of Nelson in Porgy and Bess with Tulsa Opera, and featured soloist in Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass for Howard University. In addition, the tenor’s operatic and concert career includes the honor of singing at both the National Cathedral (DC) as well as the Kennedy Center (DC). Recent televised performance includes the tenor role in J.S. Bach’s Magnificat in D Major at The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Church, (DC). He will sing the role of Rinuccio from Gianni Schicchi with the Loundon County Lyric Opera in 2008. Mr. Craig will also sing the role of Radames from Aida with the Aria Club of Washington and the role of Peter from Porgy and Bess with the Baltimore Opera in 2009. Mr. Craig is an active performer with the Washington National Opera and a member of the National Spiritual Ensemble. He earned his Bachelor of Music in Voice from Tougaloo College (Mississippi) and his Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Howard University (Washington, DC). Mr. Craig has continued his operatic career along with numerous concert, recital and oratorio soloist roles throughout the United States, Europe and Africa.
Bill Day is the mentor teacher in the mathematics department at the Capitol Hill campus. His previous work experience includes mathematics and computer science instruction at Berwick Academy in South Berwick, Maine. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin College in Mathematics with a concentration in Applied Mathematics.
Joy Dingle teaches Public Policy at the Capitol Hill campus. Her career in education began over a decade ago when she served as a counselor and teacher in a college-level academic support program. Since then, she has committed herself to public service and equality in education. She holds a bachelor’s from Douglass College; a master’s from Ohio State University; and a juris doctor with a concentration in education policy from Roger Williams University. Before coming to Chavez, she worked for the U.S. Department of Education and the Close Up Foundation, a civic education non-profit. Ms. Dingle’s other professional interests include writing and debate.
Liza Enrich works in the science department as the mentor teacher and chemistry teacher. She graduated from Scripps College in Claremont, CA with a BA in chemistry and is currently earning her Masters in Teaching at American University.
Sarah Fine is the mentor teacher for the English Department. She earned her BA from Harvard University, graduating with highest honors from the English department, where she focused on 20th-century poetry and completed a creative senior thesis. Currently, she is working toward an English MA at the Bread Load School of English, run by Middlebury College. Her passion for education stems from her sustained work with the Breakthrough Collaborative program, through which she taught middle-school students in both San Francisco and Cambridge. Beyond language arts, her teaching experience has been in the fields of environmental science, outdoor education, and classical music.
Thomas Fenske begins his fourth year as the Librarian at the Capitol Hill campus. He is a historian by profession having studied at the State University of New York in Oswego, his hometown and at Stony Brook as a graduate student. For a number of years after coming to DC in 1971, German at Anacostia High School. Active in Washington’s civic life, Mr. Fenske is a past president of the Stanton Park Neighborhood Association, the friends of the Northeast Library, and the Photographic Roundtable. He was a volunteer guide at the National Arboretum for fifteen years. He is married and has three daughters.
Rebeka Fergusson-Lutz teaches dramatic literature and freshman English at the Capitol Hill campus. She grew up in Upstate New York and graduated from Boston University in 2001 with degrees in English literature and art history. She served with the Peace Corps in Romania from 2001 to 2003, working primarily as a high school English teacher in Sibiu, Transylvania. After a two-year stint as a journalist at her hometown newspaper, she moved to Washington, D.C., and back to the classroom in 2005. She taught middle school English and Social Studies and sophomore English and Humanities in the D.C. Public School system before joining the Chavez faculty last year. She earned her Master of Arts in Teaching degree from American University in 2008 and plans to finish her Master of Arts degree in international peace and conflict resolution, also from American University, in 2009. She is currently an adjunct professor with the School of Education at American University.
Craig Ferraro is a Special Education teacher at Chavez. He co-teaches courses in Math, Science, and History. Mr. Ferraro graduated from Fairfield University with a BA in Economics and is currently earning his Masters in Teaching with a concentration in Special Education at George Mason University.
Iris Ferrufino is a Special Education teacher at the Capitol Hill Campus. She graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a B.A. in Sociology and a certificate in Latin American Studies. She is currently earning her Masters of Education in Special Education at George Mason University.
Tiffany Green is an Attendance Monitor at the Capitol Hill Campus. She is a native Washingtonian and alumnus of Cesar Chavez High School. Ms. Green holds a BA in Psychology form North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC. She currently working on a master’s degree in Forensic Psychology.
Julie Harris is the Public Policy Director at the Capitol Hill campus where she leads the public policy department and also teaches History. Ms. Harris obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Psychology from Loyola University New Orleans, and a Master’s Degree in International Education focusing on civic education of marginalized populations from George Washington University. She is also a recipient of the James Madison Fellowship for teachers of the Constitution. Prior to joining Chavez, Ms. Harris taught high school and middle school in New Orleans. She also worked for the Close Up Foundation, designing, training and implementing experiential education programs in Washington, DC. She currently serves as the Student Learning chair on the DC YMCA Youth and Government Board of Advisors, as well as National Advisor for Students Everywhere Assisting Students, a national service-learning organization. Ms. Harris regularly meets with International visitors to discuss civic education in emerging or transitional democracies. She recently traveled to Mexico to speak at several conferences on youth engagement and civic education.
Sarah Isbey teaches biology and earth sciences at Chavez. She graduated from Dartmouth College with a double major in biology and psychology. She has also studied ecology and evolution in Costa Rica as well as the Cayman Islands.
Monifa Jeffrey, LICSW, LCSW-C, is the Lead School Social Worker for the Capitol Hill Campus. Ms. Jeffrey has worked as a school based social worker for nine years in Baltimore City and the District of Columbia public schools. The Chavez School Mental Health Program is a collaborative effort that consists of clinical social workers and Howard University social work graduate interns. Ms. Jeffrey’s professional passions include child and adolescent mental health, family involvement/collaboration, advocacy and school social work services with an emphasis on community involvement. Ms. Jeffrey provides an array of services to support students and their families, which include individual, family and group therapy, teacher consultations, classroom presentations and community referral services to optimize students’ well being and academic achievement. In addition to her position at Chavez, Ms. Jeffrey provides consulting services in Baltimore City and teaches a graduate level school social work course.
Bobby Koeth III is a second year teacher at the Capitol Hill Campus. He is teaching the Public Health class. Originally from New York, Mr. Koeth attended Skidmore College to earn his bachelor’s degree. Before coming to Chavez, he spent three years working at the Close Up Foundation, which specializes in civic and experiential education. Mr. Koeth has worked on various campaigns on the local and state level. In 2006, Bobby started FBN films, which specializes in short films. The last major side project he worked on is film is called Ballou, which chronicles a year within Ballou high school’s award winning marching band.
Lydia Kelow graduated from the University of Puget Sound with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies. She has taken graduate courses in Women’s Studies and intends to complete her Ph.D in the next five years. Lydia has 6 years of professional experience, mainly working at the university level. At Colorado State University, she served as the Assistant Director in the Office of Black Student Affairs and also as an Assistant Director of Admissions. Lydia has a long history of service and volunteer work, including national and international service trips, and providing mentoring for junior high and high school students. She is committed in action to higher education access for diverse students and spends much of her time outside work devoted to those issues.
David Krakow was born in Los Angeles. He rides a bicycle to work teaching World History at Capitol Hill. Before coming to Chavez, David lived in Providence, Rhode Island where he earned an BA in Africana Studies and an MAT in Social Studies from Brown University. He worked as a community organizer, interned with Brazilian land reformers, developed a small business selling processed fish fertilizer, and taught ESOL classes with adults before deciding to teach high school. He has been excited about teaching ever since his mother explained that the best homework is done homework.
Samuel Leonard earned a bachelor’s degree in English at East Central University in Ada, Ok; did a year of graduate study in Boulder, CO; spent five years working in various kitchens during which time he also earned a Master’s degree from the University of Tulsa. He taught for two years at a public charter high school in Denver (outside of it really) that services a youth correctional facility. Presently, he enters his third year of teaching at the Capitol Hill Campus. He seeks a greater understanding of backgammon, trigonometry, and the art of speaking of oneself in the third person.
Heather Lindenman teaches English II at the Capitol Hill campus. Previously, she taught 10th grade and AP English at Donna High School in Donna, Texas. While there, she also coached cross country, sponsored a reading club, and chaired the English department. She has worked as a mentor teacher for Teach for America corps members and as a writing tutor for English Language Learners. She graduated magna cum laude from Williams College and is currently pursuing an MA through Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English.
Anthony Lizardi is currently the math department chair at the Capital Hill Campus. Mr. Lizardi holds B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Arizona and a M.A in Education from The George Washington University. Mr. Lizardi professional background includes: Test Engineer for the Department of the Navy, U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Namibia, Teach For America corps member at an inner-city high school math in Chicago, and math department chair at Rough Rock Community School on the Navajo Nation in Arizona. Finally, during the past two year at Capitol Hill, Mr. Lizardi has served as the Math Department Mentor teacher and Math Chair while teaching freshman math classes. Mr. Lizardi’s academic interests focus on key cultural issues that impact the achievement gap in mathematics among minority students.
Anne Love is an Earth Science teacher and the Science Department Chair at Chavez. Ms. Love received a BS in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Maine and an MA in Applied Ecology from Stony Brook University. Her previous experience includes working for the World Wildlife Fund Cameroon, U.S. Geological Survey, and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
Ashley Lozano is graduate of The Florida State University, where she majored in Biological Sciences and minored in Chemistry. She is currently pursuing her Masters of Arts in Teaching at American University. This is her second year teaching at Chavez and teaching Biology. In addition to learning new things, Ms. Lozano enjoys reading, traveling, cooking and working out!
Andrea May is a Teacher of Special Education who has received undergraduate education from Southern University at New Orleans; thereby receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2001 (Research Project: Children Learn Differently; How do they learn Best?) and a subsequent B.A. in History with a concentration in African American Studies in 2002. In that same year, she began graduate studies at Southern University-Baton Rouge Campus Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy. While there, she worked for the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf, a state entity that provided accommodations to adults with disabilities as required by the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). In addition, she was awarded a graduate assistantship in the Department of Public Administration and later became a research assistant to the Dean of the college. In 2007, she completed all course work requirements and thesis entitled The Overrepresentation of the Black Male in the Special Education Classroom, for a Master of Public Administration Degree in Public Policy. Andrea has worked as a mentor of at-risk adolescents the District of Columbia Youth and Trust Investment Corporation. Since 2005, Andrea has been a Teacher of Special Education; focusing on how children learn and how they learn best. Andrea is currently a student at Walden University-Baltimore Campus completing course work for a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.
Alex Monte-Sano is a math teacher at the Capitol Hill campus. He recently moved to the D.C. area from San Francisco where he completed his teacher training. Previously, Mr. Monte-Sano worked in the financial services industry. He holds a B.A. in economics from Yale University and an M.S. in engineering from UC Berkeley.
Adrien Morel is a French teacher for grades 9-12. Originally from Senegal, Adrien began his teaching career teaching French language and literature to high school students in Guinea, West Africa. He has been teaching French for 8 years to students in charter schools in Washington, DC. In addition to speaking French and several African languages, Adrien has also been studying Spanish. Most recently, he spent several weeks living and studying Spanish in Guatemala. Adrien received his Masters in Teaching from American University.
Nancy Pile has been teaching ninth grade English at Chavez since the fall of 2004. Nancy first worked in education as an Americorps volunteer in Massachusetts, doing extra-curricular teaching to elementary school children about environmental science. She taught fourth grade through Teach for America in the Greenwood, Mississippi. As a Peace Corps volunteer she lived in Mauritania and taught English as a foreign language in a rural school. She studied English language and literature at Harvard University where she graduated with a BA. Later she studied secondary education at the University of Memphis where she received her MAT.
Aaron Ray teaches World History at the Capitol Hill campus. He received his BA in Philosophy, Political Science and Religion from Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon in 2001. He received his MA in Secondary Education with an endorsement in Social Studies from the University of New Mexico in 2007. Prior to joining the Chavez faculty, he taught high school social studies and coached boys’ basketball at Crownpoint High School in Crownpoint, New Mexico.
Caitlin Reilly teaches Spanish I at the Capitol Hill campus. She recently graduated from the University of Virginia with bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and Commerce, with a concentration in Accounting. She also studied in Madrid for six months at la Universidad Francisco de Vitoria. She will be pursuing her Masters of Teaching from American University.
Brittney Robinson is a History teacher at the Capital Hill Campus. She is a graduate of Coppin State University where she studied History and Political Science. Currently, Brittney is perusing a Masters in Public History at Howard University. She is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, Phi Alpha Theta Historical Honor Society, The National Council of Negro Women, The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Association for the Study of African- American Life and History.
Cary Sabados teaches Algebra I at the Capitol Hill Campus. Before coming to Chavez, he taught mathematics at John Philip Sousa Middle School in Washington, DC. Mr. Sabados holds a BA in Literature and Mathematics from Claremont McKenna College and a MA in Secondary Math Education from American University. Infinity is one of his many professional interests.
Dionna Shinn teaches US Government and DC History at the Capitol Hill campus. She holds a BA from the Pennsylvania State University in Political Science and African Studies. Her undergraduate career concentrated on foreign and domestic politics and its effects on minority culture. As a part of her studies, she lived abroad in South Africa researching the socioeconomic conditions of Black South Africans. Her research led her to becoming the first minority Africana Research Center Scholar at the Pennsylvania State University. Currently, Ms. Shinn is pursuing her Master’s in Secondary Education from American University.
Kristen Schiavone is a Special Education teacher at the Capitol Hill Campus. She graduated from James Madison University with a BS in Justice Studies and Political Communication. She is currently earning her Master’s Degree in Special Education at George Mason University. Prior to working at Chavez, she has worked in a variety of different self-contained classes for students with severe emotional disabilities and learning disabilities. She has also worked as disability policy advocate at the U.S. Department of Labor and on Captiol Hill.
Jennifer Sonkin is the director of the Visual Art Department at the Capitol Hill Campus. Ms. Sonkin has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Art Institute of Chicago with a focus in photography and fiber. Ms. Sonkin has worked in art education for the last ten years. Prior to joining Chavez, she was an artist in residence at The School for Arts in Learning overseeing all aspects of the art education program. She has experience teaching art with Washington Very Special Arts in the Articulate job-training program for high school teenagers with special needs. In addition, Ms. Sonkin has spent several summers working with physically challenged children during an annual one-week summer program in Mississippi. While in Mississippi, Ms. Sonkin was the director of the Children’s program for Stewpot, a non-profit organization for kids who are underserved in Jackson. Jennifer has also taught costume and set design with the Mississippi Ballet and The Mississippi museum of Art. Most recently, Ms. Sonkin has earned her Master’s of Art in Art Education from The Maryland Institute College of Art.
Mitchell Sternlieb teaches upper school science at Chavez. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA with a BA in Chemistry and with departmental honors for his thesis on the study of the use of artificial bone mineral in toxic lead remediation. He is an active mentor in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and has worked with Habitat for Humanity in Honduras. He enjoys sailing, biking, baking, tennis, traveling, learning foreign languages, and volunteering. His academic interests at Chavez include exploring methods to introduce students to independent research and implementing teaching methods intended to maximize active learning in the classroom.
Alejandro Suarez was born in Colombia. He studied Industrial Engineering and has a Master’s Degree in Engineering from the Catholic University of America in Washington DC. He joined Chavez last year, after working in the Finance Industry for the last 8 years. Alejandro is fully Bilingual and has a natural passion for teaching.
Rayshod Thompson graduated from Bowie State University with a B.S.; I started working at Chavez July of 2005 as the Assistant Director of Student Affairs; I grew up in D.C. and graduated from Calvin Coolidge HS, but now I reside in Maryland.
Ibti Vincent teaches the Reader-Writer Workshop at the Capitol Hill campus. She earned a BA in English from nearby Catholic University before pursuing an MA in English from the University of Virginia and, through the NYC Teaching Fellows, an MA in Secondary Education from Brooklyn College. She previously taught high school English and Global History in Brooklyn, though she has spent the past few years working with global health and sustainable crop programs based in Washington and Mexico, respectively. She is ecstatic to be a part of the dynamic Chavez community.
John Vreeland teaches freshman math at the Capitol Hill Campus. A newcomer to the District, he is a retired US Navy veteran who has taken up teaching as a second career. His navy career involved electronics repair management and a stint as a radar repair and maintenance instructor, where he earned a “Master Training Specialist” certification. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA.
Cheryl-Ann R. Weekes is the Director of College Counseling. For the past ten years she has worked in different capacities with young people, first as a School Based Therapist and then as the Assistant Director of the Simmons College Upward Bound Math Science Program. She has been in the Washington, DC area since 2001. Before coming to Chavez, she worked as a College Advisor for the DC College Access Program (DC CAP) at Dunbar Senior High School. Ms. Weekes has a Bachelor of Science in Business from Bentley College in Waltham, MA and a Master of Education in Counselor Education from the University of Virginia.