Trainer Profiles
Lona T Adler, Teacher Trainer
Henry C. Brooks, Teacher Trainer
Linda Flanagan-Loggins, Teacher Trainer
Carole Friedman, Senior Trainer
Neil Gross, Teacher Trainer
Sandy Gross, Teacher Trainer
John Jenkins, Senior Trainer
Mark Kavarsky, Teacher Trainer
Nancy Klein, Teacher Trainer
Sheri Klugmann, Autism Training Specialist; Teacher / Parent Trainer
Susan Kosberg, Senior Trainer
Rachel Lissy, Senior Trainer
Carmen Lloyd, Teacher Trainer
Tanya Manning-Yarde, Teacher Trainer
Frances Meyer, Teacher Trainer
Linda Polsky, Senior Trainer
Robert Schwartz, Senior Trainer
Thomas B. Staebell, Teacher Trainer
Lisa Tazartes, Executive Director/Teacher Trainer
Lona T Adler, Teacher Trainer
Lona brings an extensive and varied background in education that includes 35 years as a New York City Public School classroom teacher, reading teacher, writing specialist, mentor/coach, assistant principal, teacher trainer and instructional specialist. As an instructional specialist on the district level and through the Office of School Improvement and Comprehensive Planning at Central Board, she provided on-site support, resources, training, and technical assistance to schools in the areas of assessment, curriculum content, organizational design, and team building. In addition, Lona has been a collaborator on several school redesign efforts and an adjunct instructor in the education departments of several universities. Lona holds a BA in Education from Brooklyn College, an MS in Reading from CW Post University, a New York State Education Department School Administrator /Supervisor (SAS) certification, a New York State Education Department School District Administrator (SDA).
Henry C. Brooks, Teacher Trainer
Brooks began his career as a teacher in the White Plains School District and served as elementary teacher, alternative education teacher, curriculum resource teacher, and assistant principal. In 1986, he began a fifteen-year term as principal of the Katonah Elementary School. Among his accomplishments was leading his staff and school community to being named a New York State school of excellence for the 1998-99 school year. He received his BA and MA in Elementary Education at SUNY New Paltz and his 6th year Professional Diploma and certification in Educational Administration from the University of Bridgeport. Brooks has an expertise in working with school districts and social service organizations to build teams and effective leadership.
Linda Flanagan-Loggins, Teacher Trainer
Linda has over 20 years of experience in the fields of youth development and education. She has provided comprehensive asset-based programming for youth and developed mentoring programs for teachers and youth workers. She is trained and certified in conflict resolution, bias awareness and multicultural curriculum development through participation in workshops of organizations including Harvard Graduate School Education Principals' Center, Educators for Social Responsibility (ESR) and many others. She received her undergraduate degree in Sociology from SUNY New Paltz and is a recipient of the State of New York Chancellor's Award. She is currently pursuing graduate study in education. Linda brings to Ramapo a wealth of experience as a facilitator and experience to share in working with children with difficult behavior.
Carole Friedman, Senior Trainer
When Carole retired from her position as a principal with the New York City Department of Education, she was not yet ready to retire from the field of education entirely. As a Ramapo trainer and coach, Carole brings her understanding of the needs of school professionals and the vital skills that she developed during her 33 years in education. She draws on her experience as a principal, assistant principal, staff developer, and teacher to provide professional development for teachers and train them to change student behavior by changing their own behavior; this in turn enables teachers to devote valuable classroom time to instruction instead of management. Her special expertise in developmentally appropriate education provides valuable insights into childhood behavior.
Neil Gross, Teacher Trainer
Neil has been both an educator and an administrator in Westchester and New York City for over 38 years. He has experience teaching children with learning disabilities on elementary and secondary levels. His experience in New York City ranges from working in residential schools for emotionally challenged students to facilitating a total communication program for the deaf and hard of hearing. Neil was responsible for the implementation and development of a character education program in a highly successful alternative high school in Rye, New York. He has focused on developing programs for students and families of students challenged with emotional and social issues. The programs he has developed have provided a support community able to assist families with the myriad issues they face in today's challenging world. He is also the recipient of the "Educator Overcoming the Odds Award" from Student Advocacy of Westchester. Neil has a Masters Degree from New York University in Special Education and completed his administrative work at Pace University.
Sandy Gross, Teacher Trainer
Sandy is a retired Yonkers teacher who comes to Ramapo for Children with over 35 years of experience. She has been a teacher, mentor, coach, facilitator, chairperson, and dean of discipline for the Yonkers Public Schools. She is a presenter and facilitator giving workshops in differentiated instruction. She has also been a consultant for schools, principals, and teachers needing assistance. In addition, she is a recipient of the NYS English Council Educator of Excellence Award and the Jewish Council of Yonkers, "Leader in Education" Award. She is also noted in Who's Who in American Education. Sandy is a graduate of SUNY New Paltz and Penn State University.
John Jenkins, Senior Trainer
As a Learning and Development Specialist with a doctoral degree in Education from New York University, John has served as a training consultant with Kaplan K-12 services and schools throughout the New York City system. He has also been a principal at both charter and public schools in the New York City area. His doctoral research is on the experience of adolescent males in urban schools. John's areas of expertise also include literacy; teacher training and development; and diversity, social justice, and inclusion. John received an SAS/SDA Certificate in Administration and Supervision from Baruch College, CUNY, and an M.S. in Secondary Education and English from Herbert H. Lehman College. He received his B.A. in English from the University at Albany.
Mark Kavarsky, Teacher Trainer
Mark Kavarsky, Ed.D., has been both a teacher and administrator for over 35 years, working predominantly in middle schools in New York City and Long Island. Mark was the founding principal of the Salome Urena Middle School, IS 218M, located in Washington Heights, NY. This nationally recognized middle school was featured in the PBS broadcast of the documentary "Three O'clock and Beyond." Mark has district-wide experience in team building, curriculum mapping, strategic planning, school safety, and classroom management, as well as grouping practices for children with special needs. Most recently, Mark has served as an assessment coordinator for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which publishes the "National Report Card." .
Nancy Klein, Teacher Trainer
Nancy's commitment to public education has spanned over 30 years. Nancy holds New York State certification in Special Education in grades K-12. She holds a Masters of Science in Special Education and has done postgraduate work in School Psychology. Her experience includes working with students with both learning and behavioral challenges in a variety of settings. Nancy is certified by Cornell University's Therapeutic Crisis Intervention program for supporting behavioral management strategies for both staff and students. Her experience as a coach includes implementing professional development activities and individual coaching sessions, and supporting instructional and behavioral best practices.
Sheri Klugmann, Autism Training Specialist; Teacher / Parent Trainer
Sheri is a Queens College graduate and earned both a Masters degree in Elementary Education from Hunter College and a Masters degree in Early Childhood and Special Education from Touro College. Sheri was trained at the YAI/New York League for Early Learning, where she studied and gained skills on Applied Behavior Analysis. After working as a general and a special education teacher in various public schools throughout New York City, she joined the YAI full-time as a Special Education Itinerant Teacher, working both at home and in school settings as a 1:1 shadow for children with PDD, Asperger's Syndrome, severe speech and language delays, social delays, and behavior challenges.
Susan Kosberg, Senior Trainer
Susan has been an educator in Westchester and New York City for more than 35 years. Her diverse experience includes classroom teaching to children with learning challenges and regular education students, and college- and graduate-level courses in Education. She has presented professional development workshops at the Superintendent's Conference Day and for the NYS Department of Education. Susan has participated on numerous panels for educational conferences and associations, including "Effective Practices in Instruction with Children with Disabilities" for the Council for Exceptional Children at Manhattanville College. In addition, Susan has been teaching a college field experience course in special education for counselors at Camp Ramapo every summer for more than 20 years.
Rachel Lissy, Senior Trainer
Rachel began her career working with young people as summer counselor at Camp Ramapo in 1995. During her seven summers working at Ramapo, Rachel developed behavior management, relationship-building, and supervision skills that continue to be fundamental to her work. Finding after-school programs to be an exciting place for children to explore new activities and build supportive relationships, Rachel started her after-school experience as a teaching associate with Citizens Schools, an innovative, apprenticeship-based after-school program serving middle school students in the Boston area. In New York she worked with Good Shepherd Services, first as the director of an after-school program serving two 6-12th grade schools in Brooklyn and then as the site coordinator for a TASC program serving 200 students in grades K-8. Rachel led this after-school program through its transition into an OST site and helped to design the school's first vacation and summer programs. Rachel is currently pursuing a PhD in Education at UC Berkeley and has worked in the Oakland public schools leading academic enrichment activities while pursuing her degree.
Carmen Lloyd, Teacher Trainer
Carmen is an experienced educator with an extensive background in school leadership and training. In her 35 years as an educator, she showed progressive advancement from classroom teacher to staff developer, assistant principal, and principal in New York City Public Schools and in the Non-Public sector. As a New York City principal, Carmen spent 13 years in the Chancellor's District, where she focused on restructuring failing schools and closing the gap in educational achievement for high-risk, underachieving students. She has advanced degrees in Educational Administration and Supervision from Long Island University, C.W. Post College and a Masters in Education from Hunter College in New York.
Tanya Manning-Yarde, Teacher Trainer
Tanya holds a doctorate of philosophy from the University at Albany, with a dissertation focus on literacy as contextualized action in urban classrooms. She has experience as a tenured high school teacher, educational consultant, assistant professor of education, and mentor. She has been an instructor of undergraduate and graduate teacher candidates, in-field supervisor, instructional coach for new and probationary teachers, and site-based instructional coach for new transfer schools. Her areas of expertise are in engaging high school students, curriculum mapping, and literacy strategies.
Frances Meyer, Teacher Trainer
Fran has been an educator for over 35 years in roles as diverse as teacher, counselor, principal, director and college professor. As the first executive director of the Cooke Center for Learning and Development, Fran became well known in New York City for designing various models for inclusive education. As a result, Fran was awarded a grant from the New York State Developmental Disabilities Council to conduct workshops throughout the metropolitan area. Through this grant, Fran was able to create videos and training manuals for inclusive education. Fran also served as a county director of special education and a director and principal of residential and center-based programs for children with disabilities. She has training in crisis intervention and taught both teachers and administrators on the college level for 17 years. Fran earned a doctorate, professional diploma, and Masters degree from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a Masters degree from Adelphi University.
Linda Polsky, Senior Trainer
Linda has taught in New York City public schools for more than 25 years and was an assistant principal in a performing arts school for 6 years. She holds a Ph.D. in Administration and Supervision, as well as a BS and MS in Education. Linda continues to work with new teachers in her role as a Mentor with the Department of Education. In her work for Ramapo for Children, she helps teachers learn the skills necessary to be stronger and more effective in their classrooms.
Robert Schwartz, Senior Trainer
Formerly the Principal of Greenburgh Eleven USFD at Children's Village in Dobbs Ferry, NY, and Assistant Principal of Newtown High School in Queens, NY, Bob taught in elementary- , middle- , and high schools in NYC for 12 years, many of them as a special education teacher. His areas of expertise include special education, crisis intervention, and behavior planning. Bob is a product of the New York City educational system and graduated from S.J. Tilden H.S., in Brooklyn, NY. He holds an M.A. and P.D. in School Psychology and an M.A. and P.D. in School Administration and Supervision from Brooklyn College of the City University. Bob earned his undergraduate degree from Hunter College of the City University of New York.
Thomas B. Staebell, Teacher Trainer
Tom Staebell most recently held the positions of elementary principal for the New York City Department of Education for five years and elementary principal in Western New York for six years. He has had 33 years of experience in the field of education, specializing and providing professional development in special education - more specifically children with speech and language delays, learning disabilities, developmental delays, and emotional-behavior management difficulties. He holds an MS in Speech and Language Pathology and a certificate of advanced studies in Educational Administration, and has New York state certification as School Administrator Supervisor.
Lisa Tazartes, Executive Director/Teacher Trainer
Lisa holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Swarthmore College. She has taught special education and is an experiential education specialist. Lisa is also certified in adventure-based counseling and life space crisis intervention. A member of the Ramapo staff for more than 15 years, she is a graduate of the Executive Level Program of the Institute for Non-Profit Management at Columbia University. Lisa is a founding director of both Ramapo's Challenge and Adventure Retreats and Ramapo Training. Her career has been devoted to building the skills and capacity of educators and youth service professionals. Lisa is also the 2007 recipient of the prestigious Zella Bronfman Award, in recognition of her role as a change agent who is helping to transform the delivery of services to people with disabilities.
