New Senior School Faculty 2013-14 Wesley Ballantyne (History) Wesley, originally from the Boston area, graduated from St. Lawrence University with a BA Cum Laude in History and began teaching History at Greenwich Country Day School in Greenwich, Connecticut and coached hockey and golf. After four successful years in the classroom, he earned his MA in Education from Columbia University, Teacher’s College. At Shady Side, he will teach four sections of History, advise, and coach golf and ice hockey. Michael Solomon (History) Michael is a Pittsburgh native and Central Catholic graduate. He earned his BA in History, Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from Gettysburg College, then graduated from Duquesne University with an MA in History. Prior to Shady Side, Michael was an adjunct History professor at the Univeristy of Pittsburgh and at Duquesne University, and has taught History at the Neighborhood Academy. At professional conferences, Michael's papers have focused on topics such as, "Combining Missionary and Exclusionary Anti-Catholicism: Manifest Destiny and the Annexation of Texas," and "Hitler, the Wilhelmstrasse, and the American Question: German Foreign Policy and the United States, 1933-1936." He has been a popular substitute teacher in our History department. He also works as a Program Presenter and exhibit supervisor for the USS Requin submarine at the Carnegie Science Center. Michael has traveled extensively in Europe and the Carribean, enjoys skiing, acting, and politics. Michael will teach four sections of History, advise, and coach two seasons. Dr. Scott Peterson (Physics) Scott graduated from Texas A&M with a BS degree in Chemistry, Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and went on to earn an ME in Environmental Engineering and Certificate in Advanced International Affairs, also from Texas A&M. He earned his PhD in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon, where he was the recipient of a Dowd Fellowship. He taught both undergraduate and graduate students at Texas A&M and CMU. Scott is an Eagle Scout, who enjoys biking, running, photography, and rock climbing, among other things. He has been a volunteer judge at the Pittsburgh Science and Engineering Fair. His wife, Tiffanee, teaches Spanish at the Junior School and they have an 18-month old daughter. Scott will teach three sections of Physics, advise, and coach two seasons. Kate Binnie (Biology) Kate is a familiar presence on campus. She has been working with the PE ice hockey program, coaching our Prep girls' ice hockey team, and taught Health I and Health II earlier this year while John Cappa was on leave. Kate earned a BA, Magna Cum Laude in Biology with a minor in Chemistry, and an MEd from St. Lawrence University. While an undergrad, Kate co-founded BioSci, a campus biology club, and was inducted into Beta Beta Beta, the National Biology Honor Society. As a Division-I ice hockey player for four years and former team captain, Kate earned the Top Defenseman Award and the Most Improved Player Award. Since 2008, Kate has been working as a tutor and special education paraprofessional, while also working as the Head coach of the Pittsburgh Elite Girls AAA U-12 through U-19 team. Kate will teach three sections of Biology, advise students, and coach PE and Prep hockey. Emily Hayes-Rowan (Biology) Emily taught Biology this past spring while Elyse Zheng was on maternity leave. A Winchester-Thurston grad, Emily earned a BA in Biology from Bryn Mawr, with an additional focus in Philosophy and Ethics. After college, Emily conducted research examining potential stem cell therapies for spinal cord injuries in the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy at Drexel University College of Medicine. She also spent a summer in the Department of Medicine at Pitt conducting molecular and biochemical experiments exploring the mechanisms of pneumonia and pulmonary immune response and her data was included in a published paper. Recently, while earning her MAT in Secondary Biology at Chatham, Emily has worked as a camp counselor, private tutor, substitute teacher New Senior School Faculty 2013-14 in the Shaler Area High School, and Museum Educator at the Carnegie Science Center. She will teach three sections of Biology, advise students, and coach two seasons. Natalie Bobek (Science) Natalie, a Pittsburgh native, earned a B.S. in Physics and Astronomy and an MAT, with a concentration in Science Education, from the University of Pittsburgh. Natalie worked as a tutor and as a program presenter at Carnegie Science Center before deciding to go back to school. While earning her Master's, she taught Physics at Pittsburgh Brashear High School. A horseback rider, Natalie also enjoys ultimate frisbee. In addition to teaching three sections of Physics/Astronomy, she will be timing Varsity boys soccer home games and home JV boys basketball home games. Dr. Minhnoi Wroble Biglan (Math) Minhnoi earned a BS in Molecular Biology and Genetics and Psychology, cum laude, from Carnegie Mellon, then went on to earn a PhD in Health and Developmental Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. Her current research as a post-doc scholar at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, examines the relation between health behaviors during pregnancy and chronic disease in women at midlife, and the role of prenatal stress exposure on disease risk in offspring in early adulthood. Prior to her work at Pitt, as a professor at Penn State for seven years, Minhnoi conducted peer-reviews of teaching, taught numerous psychology, statistics, and neuroscience courses, and advised students. Minhnoi and her husband live in Pittsburgh and their two sons (Alexander, 5th; Michael, 2nd) attend the Junior School. She will teach four sections of Math, time Varsity boys' ice hockey home games, assist with Varsity softball, and possibly advise. Chana Messinger (Math) Chana graduated this month from the University of Chicago with a BA in Math. She has been doing math problems in her spare time for fun for as long as she can remember. At U. Chicago, she worked as a Math tutor, virtual communications intern at Foundation Beyond Belief, a charity organization, and was President of the Secular Alliance. She also taught Sunday school to 5th, 6th, and 7th graders at the Secular Jewish Community School. Chana will teach four sections of Math and coach two seasons (or the equivalent). Marty Elkins (Director of College Counseling) Marty has been a teacher, dorm parent, and decorated coach in independent schools for 25 years. A child of educators, she was born and raised on the Phillips Exeter Academy campus in New Hampshire. After attending Exeter, she graduated from Williams College. At college, Marty earned accolades as a lacrosse player, and founded the Women's Ice Hockey Club which became a Varsity team. After college, she earned an MAT from the University of New Hampshire, and a CAT from Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Marty has worked in college counseling for well over a dozen years, as Director of College Counseling at Holderness School (NH) for three years, then for eight years at Groton School (MA), and subsequently at New Hampton School (NH) for three years, where she was called in to rebuild their College Counseling Office. Marty is a founding member, former Executive Director, and member of the Board of Directors of The Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS), the nationwide professional organization for college counselors. Amy Harrison (Library) Amy is currently Assistant to the President, will join Reed's team in the Library as a Library Assistant. Amy earned a BA in Communications from Michigan State University, and completed professional studies in Graphic Design at the Portfolio Center in Atlanta, Georgia. After working for several years as a Graphic Designer in New York City and at the Children's Museum here in Pittsburgh, Amy changed careers and worked as the Middle School Library Assistant for three years. Immediately prior to returning to SSA, Amy was the Administrative Assistant to the COO at the Girls Scouts Western Pennsylvania. New Senior School Faculty 2013-14 Bailey Conner (Learning Support Specialist) (Bailey replaces Jonathan Johnson, who is moving to the Athletic department to be the interim Assistant Athletic Director.) Bailey, a graduate of the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Bailey earned a BS in Psychology Cum Laude from the University of South Carolina, Honors College, and an Ed. S. in School Psychology from the University of Tennessee. Bailey worked at Baylor School and the Orchard Knob Middle School while earning her degree, serving as dorm parent, advisor, and academic tutor at Baylor. She enjoys photography, graphic design, sewing, and running, and participates in service projects when she has time, most recently working with a program that serves the families of children with special needs. At SSA, Bailey will advise, participate in the residential life program, and possibly coach one season. .