About
Our People
It Takes a Village to Raise a Child
...and at The Ellis School, we have a whole community! Our expert educators, coaches, mentors, staff, and advisors band together to work toward one common goal: preparing, empowering, and inspiring each and every girl who steps through the Ellis gates. Our community members serve as positive role models for Ellis students, advocating for their success and guiding them throughout the educational process.
Ellis Employee Spotlights
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Jenn Moynihan, Head of Middle School
When she moved across the country to start her position as Ellis’ new Middle School Division Head, Jenn Moynihan’s arrival didn’t feel quite that distant. A native of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, Ms. Moynihan’s return to the Keystone State came after living in Los Angeles, California, and working at The Archer School for Girls for the past ten years. At Archer, she served as an Upper School English Teacher and then as Dean of Students, witnessing for herself the power of an all-girls education firsthand. -
Brianne Kelly, Middle School Physical Education Teacher
They say you have to see it to be it, and that’s exactly what Brianne Kelly, new Middle School Physical Education Teacher, is doing for Ellis girls. A former Division I athlete, Ms. Kelly is modeling to her students how teamwork and perseverance can take you places both on the court and off. Prior to Ellis, Ms. Kelly spent six years overseas playing professional basketball in Germany, Slovakia, and Italy. She was also a four-year letter winner on Penn State’s women’s basketball team and earned Big Ten Conference honors each year of her collegiate career. Now in her first year of teaching, Ms. Kelly is sharing the lessons she’s learned about being active, committed, and determined through sports with Ellis girls. -
Jack Gaddess, World Languages Department Chair
Whether he’s introducing students to a human rights activist from Argentina or sharing a story about his eventful weekend bike ride, Upper School Spanish Teacher Jack Gaddess never fails to find a way to bring a dose of excitement and fun to his Spanish classroom. An adventurous educator who has led Ellis girls on trips to Spain, Costa Rica, and Mexico, Mr. Gaddess proudly shares his love of the Spanish language and its culture with his students through interactive learning opportunities and experiences. From joining the faculty number in the Upper School musical to blocking and serving in the annual winter volleyball game, Mr. Gaddess brings his unwavering enthusiasm for learning, and having fun while doing so, to Ellis every day. -
Sara Sturdevant, Performing Arts Department Chair
A dynamic and beloved member of the Upper School community for the last two decades, Sara Sturdevant is a teacher that has inspired hundreds of Ellis students with her passion for the arts, and in turn, sparked their creative careers and endeavors after commencement. A stalwart supporter of the performing arts, Ms. Sturdevant has directed, choreographed, staged, and produced hundreds of Ellis productions and performances over the last 23 years. Her commitment to her craft and can-do attitude energizes and ignites students’ independence and individuality on and off stage as they’re pushed to believe in themselves, their abilities, and their potential. Whether she’s teaching a cast how to perfect Fosse jazz hands or leading a discussion from the halls of Carnegie Museum of Art, Ms. Sturdevant’s gusto, charisma, and dedication to the School and her students is evident in everything she does. -
Amy Sidari, English & History Teacher and Grade 5 Dean
Grade 5 Dean and English and History Teacher, Amy Sidari, has been welcoming Ellis girls to the Middle School for the last 17 years. In her classroom, you’ll find her teaching students about the wonders of Greek mythology and ancient civilizations, and holding dynamic discussions on dystopian tales like The Giver and classic coming of age stories like Bridge to Terabithia. An avid reader and bibliophile, Mrs. Sidari brings her lifelong love of literature (her mom owned a bookstore) to not only her students, but the entire Middle School as she leads Ellis’ Battle of the Books challenge. An enthusiastic teacher, Dean, and CrossFitter, Mrs. Sidari shares her favorite book to teach to her students and what she loves most about her job. -
Kassie Wadsworth, Science Teacher
Science Teacher Kassie Wadsworth has brought inquiry and discovery-based learning to Ellis students in the Upper School for the last four years. A University of Pittsburgh alumna who originally planned to become a research scientist, Mrs. Wadsworth integrates her extensive experience from Pitt’s state-of-the-art labs into her biology and anatomy courses so students can garner a meaningful understanding of textbook lessons via active, experiential engagement. This fall, Mrs. Wadsworth’s students will take on their most high-profile and real-world experiment yet as they join the Small World Initiative, an innovative program that crowdsources budding scientists from across the nation to address the diminishing supply of effective antibiotics. -
Tim Israel, Visual Arts Teacher
After spending his third year in the photo studio with Ellis girls, Visual Arts Teacher Tim Israel headed across the country this summer to be an Artist-in-Residence at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area in eastern Washington state. A road warrior in endless pursuit of exploring and finessing his craft, Tim’s Pacific Northwest adventure marks the second time he’s made art at the invitation of the National Park Service. His interest in film, old cameras, and alternative techniques brings a dose of nostalgia to his digital age student photographers and filmmakers, and challenges them to remix and reimagine their own unique perspectives behind the lens.
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Check out our GreenSheet blog to hear from more of our community members and explore stories about life in and out of the classroom at Ellis!
Faculty and Staff Directory
Gary J. Niels, Interim Head of School
Throughout his career, Gary has held a variety of roles, including teacher, coach, summer school director, department chair, dean of students, division director, head of school, and executive director of a state-wide independent school association.
While Gary takes pride in his professional accomplishments, he is most fulfilled by the enduring relationships he built with students and colleagues alike over the years. Gary has had a significant impact on various school communities by establishing programs such as the construction of a residential life program, a student honor code, a teacher development initiative, and the promotion of equity and inclusion initiatives. Additionally, he has successfully reorganized administrative structures, secured prestigious educational grants, and completed two major capital campaigns that facilitated the execution of strategic plans.
As a leader, Gary is motivated by a fundamental question: “How can we do this better?” When serving as the Head of School at Winchester Thurston School, this question shaped his focus on strengthening curriculum and pedagogical practices to better engage student learning. He prioritized the growth of enrollment to heighten the quality of extracurricular programs and sought to define the school’s unique identity. A remarkable portion of this vision was the development of the “City As Our Campus,” which leveraged the resources of Pittsburgh to create “real world” learning experiences. This innovative initiative revitalized the academic program, emphasized project-based learning, and solidified the school’s distinctive identity.
Following his 16 year career at Winchester Thurston School, Gary spent a year as President of The Neighborhood Academy, where he introduced impactful changes that continue to enable the School to prosper. In 2018 Gary was named the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS). In his five and a half years at PAIS, Gary led a complete overhaul of the fledgling association. This called for bolstering the Board, rejuvenating the Accreditation process, streamlining the compliance section, and introducing a strategic dimension to the process. Gary also introduced an extensive menu of professional development offerings, as well as the revitalization of the independent school advocacy program in Harrisburg. With impressive support from the Board of Directors, most of whom Gary recruited to serve, PAIS emerged as a highly valued membership association by 90 percent of the member schools. Gary looks forward to the possibility of utilizing his vast school leadership experiences to fully engage with and help to enhance a school community.
Board of Trustees
List of 17 members.
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Alexis Allen
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Sarah Bumsted
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Elyse Castellano
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Vanessa Jameson
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Patrick Koeppl
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Charles Krimmel
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Dora Magovern
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Walt Mancing
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Courtney McGrory
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Christine Nalitz
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Marni Pastor
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Tomar Pierson-Brown
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Barbara Rosston
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Joseph Schmid
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Colleen Simonds
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Corinne Smith
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Celia Soehner
