New Staff Members Bring Decades of Experience, Expertise to Ellis

Seven new staff members join the Ellis administration for the 2022–2023 school year, each bringing a wealth of knowledge in their areas of expertise and decades of experience working in independent schools, higher education institutions, and organizations that serve students and other young learners in the Pittsburgh region and beyond.
"I couldn’t be more excited about the addition of these seven outstanding individuals to our team at Ellis. Each of them brings so much wisdom and experience, coupled with a deep commitment to creating exceptional learning communities,” said Head of School Macon Finley. "We are very lucky to have them as new members of the Ellis community.”

Lauren Bedell, Director of Finance and Operations: Lauren brings more than 25 years of experience managing finance and operations in not-for-profit and for-profit schools. She has served as a senior-level finance officer in independent schools throughout her career, most recently for The Elisabeth Morrow School in Englewood, New Jersey, and has experience overseeing facilities, security, human resources, and capital projects, among other areas. Lauren holds an MBA from the University of Maryland and a B.S. in accounting from Southampton College of Long Island University.

Claire Devereux, Director of Advancement and Alumnae Engagement: Claire comes to The Ellis School with more than 15 years of experience in independent schools. She most recently served The Emery/Weiner School in Houston, Texas as Associate Director of Development, where she was instrumental in completing a capital campaign and increasing annual giving. She established the school’s first alumni board and also managed Emery/Weiner’s Parent Association, a role she will reprise at Ellis as the liaison for the Ellis Parent Association. Claire earned a B.A. in art history with a minor in history from the University of Houston, and she holds a Non-profit Management Certification from San Francisco State University.

Katie Johnson, Director of Athletics: Katie brings extensive experience as an athlete, a coach, and a leader and mentor of coaches and student-athletes. She previously served as Assistant Director of Athletics at The Lovett School in Atlanta, Georgia where she held numerous roles including head volleyball coach, yearbook advisor, English teacher, and student advisor. She previously worked at Cambridge High School in Milton, Georgia as a coach and English teacher. Katie earned a B.A. in mass communications with a minor in Spanish from the University of Montevallo.

Erin Jones, Director of Marketing and Communications: Erin previously served as Senior Director of Communication & Marketing at Washington & Jefferson College, where she oversaw public relations, internal communications, advertising, and sponsorships, among other duties. Prior to her career in marketing and communications for schools, she worked as a journalist for the Pittsburgh Tribune Review and later for publications of AOL in the Pittsburgh area. Erin holds an M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications from West Virginia University and both a B.A. in English and a Masters Certificate in Professional Writing from Washington & Jefferson College.

Abby Katsos, Director of Extended Day Programming: Abby comes to The Ellis School from KEYS Service Corp, AmeriCorps, where she served as Member Development Specialist. Through the KEYS Service Corp, she previously worked as a tutor and mentor, among other duties, for the Crossroads Foundation and CitiParks. She also previously served as the After School Site Director for YMCA of Allegheny County. Abby earned a B.A. in environmental studies and sociology from Washington & Jefferson College, during which she completed coursework at Webster University in Athens, Greece and at Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Quito, Ecuador.

Susanne Osche, School Nurse: Susanne has worked in school nursing for more than a decade, most recently for the Fox Chapel Area School District and previously for the Hampton Township and North Hills School Districts. She was previously a staff nurse for Acute Care Settings in Pennsylvania. She is a Pennsylvania State Registered Nurse and holds a School Nursing Certification. Susanne holds a B.S. in nursing with a minor in psychology from Carlow University and has completed work toward a master's degree in education. 

Jamie Schiff, Ph.D., Head of Lower School: Before coming to The Ellis School, Jamie served as Division Director for the Program for Young Children at Columbus School for Girls (CSG) in Columbus, Ohio, a division that serves girls ages 3–6. While at CSG, Jamie was a key member of the school leadership team and worked on curriculum development, faculty mentoring and evaluation, and DEI initiatives. Jamie began her work in schools as a first and second grade teacher at Palmer Catholic Academy in Florida, after which she pursued first a master's degree in education at Jacksonville University and then a Ph.D. in early childhood and elementary education at The Ohio State University. She previously held faculty positions in the Schools of Education at Capital University, Antioch University, and The Ohio State University, teaching a variety of courses and mentoring and supervising pre-service teachers.
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