Faculty

Glenn Doering
Director of The Tutoring School

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.

Robin Mishell
Director of Learning Support and English Teacher

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. 

George Higgins
Headmaster Emeritus/President

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.

Deborah Doering
Teacher

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. 

Daniel Shabasson
Teacher

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.  

John Cortez
Teacher/Tutor

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.

Tracey Minich
Teacher/Tutor

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.

Charles Sitler
Teacher/Tutor

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.

As an educator, Ada enjoys the process of building meaningful relationships with students. The school year of 2024-2025 will be Ada's fourth 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.