212.755.6666
220 East 50th Street
New York, NY 10022

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Faculty

Head of School
Maren Holmen
Education:
B.A., Math and Drama: Bard College
M.Ed., Administration and Supervision: Fordham University
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Maren Holmen
Head of School
Biography:

Maren Holmen joined the Beekman family in 2001 as a part-time math teacher and tutor in The Tutoring School.  In 2009, she took over the Tutoring School program and has overseen its growth and renovation into a new, fresh space as Director. In more recent years, she additionally taught Beekman's Algebra I and AP Calculus AB courses.  Upon the transition of former headmaster George Higgins' role as president in 2020, Maren stepped into the role of Head of School.  She looks forward to carrying on the tradition of maintaining close connections with those who have been a part of the Beekman community as students, families, or faculty, past or present, while continuing to lead The Beekman School as it looks ahead to its second century of compassionately delivered, personalized education.

Director of The Tutoring School
Glenn Doering
Education:
BS, Biology: Loyola University of Chicago
MS, Biology: Loyola University of Chicago
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Glenn Doering
Director of The Tutoring School
Biography:

Glenn Doering planned to go into academia after earning his Master of Science degree but was lured into the corporate world by a scientific equipment company. After spending several years in business operations in both middle-management and senior-management positions, he returned to his first love – education. Glenn has taught at both the college and high school level, as well as numerous and varied adult education classes. His corporate operations-based experience and organizational skills make him an excellent academic coach and school administrator.

 

Business Manager
Suzan Damsky
Education:
BA, Psychology, Hunter College & NYU
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Suzan Damsky
Business Manager
Biography:
Director of Learning Support and English Teacher
Robin Mishell
Education:
BA, New York University: English
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Robin Mishell
Director of Learning Support and English Teacher
Biography:

Robin Mishell joined The Beekman School in 2021. In addition to being a Learning Specialist in Harlem and Hawaii, she has taught English, History, Journalism, Health and PE. Prior to her teaching career, she was Managing Editor of "Tennis Week" magazine.  Robin has taught and coached tennis  at the high school and college level as well as implementing a yoga program in the inner city. She fervently believes in the potential of all young people to find their passion and develop into compassionate and lifelong learners. 

Director of Summer School, Teacher, and Attendance Supervisor
Jason Watkins
Education:
BFA, Theater: Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Minors in English and Music Performance
MA English & Creative Writing (in progress)
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Jason Watkins
Director of Summer School, Teacher, and Attendance Supervisor
Biography:

Jason has worked at The Beekman School since 2012. After graduating from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a BFA in Theater, a heavy concentration in Music Performance, and a minor in English, Jason Moved to New York City to begin an acting career. After 4 years of regional theater and an international tour, a knee injury took him into administrative work as the office manager for a Broadway producer. At The Beekman School, Jason has been able to conjoin his life experience, his administrative skills, and his passion for literary analysis into a single career. Currently, he is working on a master's degree in English and Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University.

 

Headmaster Emeritus/President
George Higgins
Education:
BA, Learning Disabilities: Salisbury University
MA, Administration and Supervision: New York University
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George Higgins
Headmaster Emeritus/President
Biography:

Former Headmaster George Higgins moved to New York in the summer of 1979 and begin teaching history at The Tutoring School of New York in 1980.   For the next ten years, he taught the ninth through twelfth grade core academic history courses, as well as a variety of elective courses.  In 1990, George became the head of the school and changed its name to The Beekman School, creating a program within Beekman called The Tutoring School.  From those early days through to today, our school’s design and program have remained the same.

George stepped aside from the day-to-day operations of the school in 2020 and is now an advisor to the administration, continuing to share his expertise and wealth of knowledge.

 

 

Teacher
Linli Chin
Education:
BA, Industrial Psychology: Baruch College
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Linli Chin
Teacher
Biography:

Linli Chin (B.S Baruch College, City University of New York) teaches 9th through 12th grade math and science at the Beekman School, with specializations in Pre-Calculus, Physics, Conceptual Physics and Theoretical Physics. A faculty member since 2000, Linli is known for her hands-on teaching, which include the Egg Drop Project from the third floor (to test Newtonian laws) and the kite-building/flying unit, where Bernoulli’s principles on velocity and pressure are observed on the grounds of the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.

Teacher
Deborah Doering
Education:
MFA, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
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Deborah Doering
Teacher
Biography:

Deborah Adams Doering (BA, Studio Art, Wheaton College;  MA, Philosophy/Theology, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago;  MFA, Art & Design, School of the Art Institute of Chicago) has taught Art, Humanities, and Technology classes at the Beekman School and the Beekman Tutoring School since 2014. She has assisted Beekman's English Department with the Beekman Chirp (Student Art & Literature Magazine). Before teaching at Beekman, Deborah owned and managed a graphic design firm in Chicago for over 15 years, and concurrently taught a wide variety of art and humanities courses for all ages, from elementary to post-graduate. Deborah is a practicing visual artist whose work is included in private and public collections, including the Art Institute of Chicago; she was awarded a US patent on a unique sculptural process in 2012. 

Teacher
Ian Rusten
Education:
BA, History & Classics, Hunter College
MA, Education & Social Studies: Hunter College
MA, American History: Hunter College
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Ian Rusten
Teacher
Biography:

Ian Rusten (B.A., Hunter College, 1995; M.A., Hunter College, 2000; M.A. in American History, Hunter College, 2009) teaches U.S. History, Government, Economics, Modern Politics and International Politics.  His specialty is American History, though he also has a passion for European History, Ancient History and Classics in general.  He began teaching while overseas in the 1990s and has taught at various New York schools since 2000.  He joined the Beekman faculty in 2010.

Teacher
Daniel Shabasson
Education:
BA, Philosophy: Wesleyan University
JD: Brooklyn Law School
MA, Spanish Adolescent Education: Hunter College
PhD, Philosophy: CUNY Graduate Center
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Daniel Shabasson
Teacher
Biography:

Daniel Shabasson holds Spanish (7-12) and German (7-12) teaching certifications. He joined the Beekman faculty in 2017 as a Spanish teacher. In addition to Spanish, he has taught various elective courses, including Criminal Justice, US Constitutional Law, Reality+: Virtual Reality and Virtual Worlds,  Introductory Symbolic Logic, Psychology, and English as a Second Language. Prior to joining the Beekman School, he had previously taught at a public high school, adjunct lectured in philosophy, and practiced law.  

Teacher/ Tutor
Gabriella Skwara
Education:
BA, Comparative Literature: UC Davis;
MA, German Pedagogy & Literature: UC Davis;
MA, German Literature: University of Pennsylvania;
ABD, German-Jewish Studies: University of Pennsylvania
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Gabriella Skwara
Teacher/ Tutor
Biography:

Gabriella Skwara (B.A., UC Davis; M.A., UC Davis; M.A., UPenn; ABD, UPenn) has taught at The Beekman School since 2013. Her career background includes managing academics for Kaplan Test Prep, serving as the Resident Director for the University of Maine's study abroad program in Austria and advising international undergraduate and graduate fellowship recipients. In addition to teaching at The Beekman School, Gabriella is an Adjunct Lecturer at Queens College, CUNY.

Teacher/Tutor
John Cortez
Education:
BS, Mathematics and Spanish Studies: Fordham University
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John Cortez
Teacher/Tutor
Biography:

John Cortez (B.S., Fordham University, 2009) joined the Tutoring School faculty in the spring of 2012.  His undergraduate concentrations were mathematics and Spanish studies, and he specializes in all levels of these subjects here at Beekman.  John has also had the pleasure of teaching such electives as Economics and Astronomy.

Teacher/Tutor
Rebecca Kasper
Education:
BS, Speech: Northwestern University
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Rebecca Kasper
Teacher/Tutor
Biography:

Rebecca Kasper (B.S. Northwestern University) teaches English and History in The Tutoring School, as well as other subjects.  Rebecca has taught at The Beekman School since 2010.  She has also taught for over 5 years at Central Synagogue, and has many years of classroom and private teaching experience all over New York City. Rebecca is also an actress and singer who enjoys teaching drama to kids and adults.

Teacher/Tutor
Tracey Minich
Education:
B.A., Cornell University
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Tracey Minich
Teacher/Tutor
Biography:

Tracey Minich (B.A., Cornell University, 1983), who is new this year to The Beekman School, teaches Japanese. A former TV broadcaster for Fujisankei Communications (Fuji TV) in the USA and Japan, Tracey has taught Japanese to students from Horace Mann School and the Bronxville, Scarsdale and Eastchester Schools for the past 15 years. A former JET English instructor in Japan and five year resident of Tokyo, Tracey teaches ESL to expat Japanese executives and their families and frequently works as a language and business consultant to Japanese companies operating in the USA. Tracey is excited to share her deep appreciation of Japanese language and culture with her students at The Beekman School.

 

 
Teacher/Tutor
Paula Nance
Education:
BA, Religion: Wake Forest University
MDiv, Duke Divinity School
MA, Text and Performace Studies: King's College London and Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts
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Paula Nance
Teacher/Tutor
Biography:

 Paula Nance has taught all levels of English at The Beekman School since 2001. Her elective courses include Page to Stage; Irish Literature; Southern Literature; and Conversation, Public Speaking, and Debate, among others. Her interests include Irish and British theatre. Paula enjoys introducing students to creative learning environments, including student field trips to theatres and museums.  She co-led the 2005 spring break trip to Ireland. 

Teacher/Tutor
Charles Sitler
Education:
BA, Mathematics: Fordham University
MS, Mathematics: Pennsylvania State University
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Charles Sitler
Teacher/Tutor
Biography:

Charles Sitler (B.A., Fordham University, 1968; M.S., The Pennsylvania State University, 1971) has been a member of the Beekman Mathematics Department since 1988. In that time Charlie (as he is known) has taught Geometry, Algebra II & Trigonometry, and other syllabus Math courses, as well as one semester electives in the Mathematics of Symmetry, and the Mathematics of Infinity.  His specialty is Logic and the Philosophy of Mathematics, and in previous years has also taught an elective in Eastern Philosophy.  In addition, for over twenty years Charlie taught as an adjunct professor at New York University, where he lectured on Precalculus Mathematics.  Since 2015 Charlie has worked in The Tutoring School where, through individualized sessions, he continues  to empower his students in understanding and appreciating the beauty that is Mathematics.

Teacher/Tutor
Blake Tommey
Education:
B.A., Journalism and Mass Communication: Samford University; M.Div., Social Ethics: Mercer University
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Blake Tommey
Teacher/Tutor
Biography:

Blake Tommey was born and grew up in Dallas, Texas, where he discerned a passion for writing, making music and spiritual leadership. He attended Samford University, earning a degree in journalism and mass communication and establishing a career as a freelance feature writer. Following undergrad, Blake pursued a lifelong call to vocational ministry at Mercer University in Atlanta, Ga., where he earned a Master of Divinity in social ethics and met his wife Lesley-Ann Hix. In 2017, Blake and Lesley-Ann moved to Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan, where Lesley-Ann works with survivors of domestic violence. The next year, after a decade in journalism and ministry with high school and college students, Blake discovered his vocation anew in the classroom, where he teaches English, history and government. The Beekman School not only allows him to connect with students and form trusted relationships, he says, but to inspire them in becoming enlightened, compassionate and courageous human beings.

Director of College Guidance/Student Activities Coordinator
Ada Garcia
Education:
B.A, Spanish, Urban Civic Education: Buffalo State University
M.S, Higher Education & Student Affairs Administration: Buffalo State University
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Ada Garcia
Director of College Guidance/Student Activities Coordinator
Biography:

As an educator, Ada enjoys the process of building meaningful relationships with students. The school year of 2023-2024 will be Ada's third year as a College Guidance Counselor. In The Beekman School, Ada is committed to assisting students with their post secondary education by guiding them through the college application process, offering individual counseling, and connecting with families. Additionally, as the Student Activities coordinator, Ada ensures that students have a vibrant and engaging social life that enhances their academic experience.

Teacher
Katie Lambright
Education:
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Katie Lambright
Teacher
Biography:

Katie Lambright joined the Beekman faculty in 2023 and teaches core and elective classes in history and the broader humanities.

Teacher
Alexandra Shen
Education:
BS, Applied Mathematics: Macaulay Honors College at Brooklyn College
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Alexandra Shen
Teacher
Biography:

Alexandra Shen joined the Beekman community in 2023. Both her parents are educators, so pursuing a career in academia was always something that she strongly considered. Alex has been tutoring subject math as well as teaching SAT/ACT math since her junior year of high school. After graduating college, she wanted to see if there were any other opportunities for her besides teaching that would be as enjoyable and fulfilling. After she worked in insurance at a start-up therapy company for a year, Alex decided to go back to the world of teaching. She was a high school math teacher at a different school the year prior to joining The Beekman School and taught Honors Geometry, Precalculus, and AP Calculus AB. Her teaching philosophy is inspired by Ms. Frizzle's quote from the children's books and television series, The Magic School Bus, "Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!"

Science Teacher
Selim Tlili
Education:
BS Biology - SUNY Geneseo
MPH - Hunter College
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Selim Tlili
Science Teacher
Biography:

Selim Tlili (Mr. T) began teaching in the NYC public school system where he taught for ten years.  After a stint as a stay at home father he moved into independent education where he taught at the Rudolf Steiner School and Ramaz.  He has taught biology, environmental science and math.  He is the proud father of Adam and Ryan.