2022 New Faces

Rich Casella joins the GFA team with 12 years of experience working in strength and conditioning, and performance enhancement in collegiate and independent school settings. As the Assistant Director of Athletics, Sports Performance, and Wellness, Rich will oversee athletic and physical developmental programming across all three divisions. Rich has a Master’s Degree in Sport Science & Rehabilitation from Logan University and a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He holds several certifications in strength, conditioning and performance. 

Kellie Comer is excited to be GFA’s Director of Theater/Drama Teacher. She spent the beginning of her teaching career at Sacred Heart in Greenwich as their middle school theater teacher and Kinsella Magnet School as their K-12 musical theater teacher. Kellie serves as the artistic director for Cirillo Summer Theatre in Windsor, CT. She holds a BA in Theater Performance from Westfield State University and an MA in theater from Hunter College. Outside of GFA, Kellie coaches competitive dance and enjoys spending time with her husband and their puppy, Piper. 

Chelsea McGee is excited and eager to join the GFA community as an Upper School Counselor. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 15 years of experience working with children, teens, and families. Chelsea spent several years as the Director of Mental Health Services, specializing in grief and trauma-based work. Chelsea lives in Fairfield and enjoys spending time with her husband, two little boys, and energetic dog—all of whom keep her continually busy and happy. 

Denis Dalesio is thrilled to join the Upper School Visual Arts department.  He is a fine artist and teacher from Norwalk, CT whose work has been featured in shows around the world, including the 2019 British Portrait awards. Denis earned his BFA from Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts and MFA from the New York Academy of Art. When not teaching, Denis can be found working in his studio, reading, traveling, and spending time with his close friends and family.

Codie O’Donovan recently moved to Connecticut for the first time and is excited to start her journey teaching computer science and engineering at GFA. She graduated (twice!) from Boston University with her Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering and then her Master's degree in the Arts of Teaching. Codie has worked as both a math teacher and a computer science teacher, with experience in both public and private schools. She enjoys baking, exploring new areas, and hanging out with her husband and pets in her spare time! 

Andrew McCloskey is very excited to be joining the GFA community as an Upper and Middle School Science Teacher. Andrew comes to GFA after spending four years teaching Biology and Advanced Psychology at Kent School in Kent, CT. Before his time at Kent, Andrew spent two years as an Education & Youth Development Volunteer in the US Peace Corps in Mozambique. Andrew completed his BA in Biology and Neuroscience and Behavior from Wesleyan University. He more recently completed his MSEd in School Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. Andrew is a big New England Patriots fan, having played football starting in fourth grade through his time at Wesleyan.

JJ Hoffstein joined GFA in 2022 as an Upper School Math Teacher and the Head Boys Varsity Basketball Coach. He was previously the assistant women’s basketball coach for two years at Vassar College, where he and his head coach were voted Coaching Staff of the Year for setting the program record for league wins in a season. Hoffstein arrived at Vassar following a two-year stint as a graduate assistant women's basketball coach at Smith College, during which time the program won its first-ever league championship and advanced to its first-ever NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. Previous to Smith, Hoffstein spent nearly four years as a finance associate at Goldman Sachs in New York City, working on liquidity risk and asset-liability management in the Corporate Treasury department. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Amherst College in 2014 and a Master’s in Exercise and Sports Studies from Smith College in 2020.

Prior to moving to Ridgefield, Connecticut in the summer of 2021, Michele enjoyed a 21-year tenure as the Art Department Chair and French teacher at Rockland Country Day School (Congers, NY). Michele first took a keen interest in the French language at the age of 10, when her parents welcomed a 9-year-old (if you can believe it!) Parisian girl from Neuilly-sur-Seine into their home. Growing up in a small town on the Ohio River, hearing French for the first time rocked Michele’s world and planted a seed that would continue to grow and eventually become an ardent life-long passion. Michele went on to study French at the Institut de Touraine, fine art in Italy, the south of France, and NYC. Michelle is thrilled to join GFA and teach French and studio art. In her free time, Michele enjoys doing farm chores and teaching environmental art at Henny Penny Farm, swimming and hiking, drawing and painting, reading and writing, and spending time with her husband and son. 

Anthony Valles joins the Upper School Visual Arts and Computer Science and Engineering Departments after serving as an art teacher at Joutsenon Opisto in Lappeenranta, Finland. A Connecticut native, Anthony received his BA in Studio Art from Trinity College, Hartford, where he was also a Hilla Rebay post-baccalaureate fellow. Outside of the classroom, Anthony enjoys walking and spending time in Black Rock. If he could face anyone on the wrestling mat, it would be GFA alumnus Nico Provo.

Barbara Oseguera joins the World Languages Department as an Upper School Spanish teacher. Barbara was born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico, She first came to Connecticut as a student at Trinity College where she earned a BA in Economics and Latin American studies. Barbara spent fourteen years working in corporate and investment banking. Barbara discovered her true passion is teaching and earned a teaching certificate from the Instituto Cervantes, Barcelona, Spain. Barbara enjoys hiking, playing tennis, and being a member of a masters’ crew team.

Alfonsina Betancourt is thrilled to teach art at GFA. Originally from Venezuela, Alfonsina knew she wanted to be an artist from a young age and is thrilled to help her students connect with the world through art. Alfonsina has taught studio art and photography and has exhibited her award-winning work across galleries and museums, including the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art and the Manuel Alvarez Bravo Museum in Mexico. Alfonsina loves to cook, dance, and practice yoga outside the classroom. She holds a B.A. in Visual Arts with a minor in Art History from Pine Manor College. 

Matthew Danzer is thrilled to teach the Supreme Court and Constitutional Law Inquiry in the Upper School this fall.  Matthew is an experienced attorney who has worked in Washington DC and Connecticut. Matthew earned his BA in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University and his JD from Columbia Law School. 

Alex Sterck is excited to join the GFA Lower School as a PreK Associate Teacher. Alex hails from a family of educators and coaches and has spent several years teaching in Westport and New York. Alex graduated from the University of Connecticut, where she majored in Visual Media and Culture.  Alex enjoys traveling, photography, painting, and playing basketball in her free time. Alex is excited for this school year and to become a part of the GFA community.

Morgan Gedney is looking forward to becoming a dragon, joining GFA as Kindergarten Associate Teacher. Morgan has experience teaching PreK-5 students in Greenwich public schools and kindergarten students in Monroe. She graduated from Salve Regina University, majoring in Early Childhood Education and minoring in Special Education. Before graduating, she spent most of her time student teaching in a kindergarten classroom or on the soccer field. Morgan enjoys traveling, practicing yoga, playing soccer, and writing children’s books in her free time.

Megan Gayle is excited to become part of the Greens Farms Academy community as a Third Grade Associate Teacher. As a child growing up in a family of educators, Megan gained a passion for teaching from an early age. Megan has worked at Greenwich Country Day School camp and the Baby Cottage daycare teaching preschool-age children. Megan graduated from Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire, where she majored in Elementary Education, grades Kindergarten through Sixth, and Minored in English. Megan is currently enrolled at Franklin Pierce University, finishing her Master's Degree and Certification. In Megan’s free time, she enjoys spending time with family, photography, painting, playing basketball and traveling through Europe. 

Slater first recognized his passion for engaging with young learners through his work as a freestyle skiing coach for the Stratton Winter Sports Club. He is joining the GFA community as a Fourth Grade Associate Teacher after recently completing an internship at an elementary school in New Canaan. Slater graduated from the University of New Hampshire, where he majored in English Teaching, with a focus on instructing American and environmental literature. He is currently working on a Master’s in Elementary Education and teaching certification at Fairfield University. In his free time, Slater enjoys reading nonfiction, rooting for the Jets, Rangers, and Blue Jays, and hiking with his hound dog, Banjo.

Kristen graduated with a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Fairfield University in 2020. However, she quickly learned that marketing was not her path when she began working with students as a literacy aide in a local elementary school. Her joy and fulfillment in helping students revealed her true passion for education. Shortly after, Kristen decided to pursue a master’s degree in Elementary Education at Southern Connecticut State University. During her master’s program, she had the opportunity to student-teach a 1st-grade class at Savin Rock Community School in West Haven, CT. Kristen is excited to share her experiences and love for education as a Fourth Grade Associate Teacher. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends and exploring beach towns around New England.

Evan Bieder is excited to be a Fourth Grade Associate Teacher. Evan is a GFA alum, graduating in the class of 2011. He attended Wesleyan University, where he majored in government, received a certificate in civic engagement, and ran cross country and track. Evan taught Fourth Grade for two years in Eastern North Carolina through Teach For America and went on to work in the education field in various capacities in Boston, MA. He is entering his third year as an assistant coach on the GFA cross country and track teams. In his free time, Evan enjoys running, painting, reading, hiking, traveling, playing basketball, cheering on the New York Mets, and spending time with his wife Britney and his newborn son Zen. In the summers, Evan drives a Mr. Softee ice cream truck at Seaside Park in Bridgeport.