Foundation Academy Staff

The Foundation Academy Charter School Faculty and Staff are:

Leaders

Ronald C. Brady is the Head of School and a Co-Founder of Foundation Academy. Mr. Brady previously served as the K-8 and Middle School Principal at Trenton Community Charter School, the Director of the Career Learning Academies and Smaller Schools (CLASS) Project in the Paterson, NJ Public Schools, Director of the Office of State Operated School Districts in the New Jersey Department of Education, Assistant to the Chancellor of the New York City Board of Education and as a Research Associate at The Edison Project. Mr. Brady is a Harry S Truman Scholar and holds an MPA from Princeton University and a BA magna cum laude in History and Government from Bowdoin College.


Graig Weiss, Associate Head of School and Principal at Foundation Academy, served as the Founding Middle and High School Principal at Cap Cana Heritage School, an English immersion private school in the Dominican Republic for two years prior to joining Foundation Academy. A 2003 Teach for America corps member, Mr. Weiss taught Math and Science in the Bronx and the Dominican Republic prior to becoming an administrator and was selected as Teacher of the Year in 2007. Prior to entering the education field, Mr. Weiss worked in the financial services sector with Cambridge Associates, LLC in Boston, MA. He holds a B.S./B.A. in Finance and Accounting from the University of Pittsburgh, a Master of Science in Teaching from Fordham University, and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from the University of Scranton.

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Faculty

Kelly Bass teaches Physical Education, Health and Ballroom Dancing at Foundation Academy. Previously, Ms. Bass conducted her student teaching at Mr. Hebron Middle school and Bradford Elementary School, both in Montclair, NJ. She possesses a B.S. in Physical Education and Health from Montclair State University.


Megan Black is the Curriculum Leader and a Science Teacher at Foundation Academy. Ms. Black previously worked as a Science Curriculum Specialist in the Los Gatos, CA school district and as the Science Curriculum Developer at the Making Waves Academy in Richmond, CA. A 2001 Teach for America Corps member, Ms. Black has taught middle school science in the New Orleans, LA school district as well as the Pajaro Valley Unified School District and at the Okavango International School in Botswana. She received her B.A. magna cum laude from Dartmouth College and a Master’s in Curriculum and Teacher Education from Stanford University.


Johna Cruz teaches Spanish and serves as the Assistant to the Head of School at Foundation Academy. Prior to joining Foundation Academy, she served as a Pre-Kindergarten teacher at Kindercare in Voorhees, NJ. She received her B.A. in Spanish from the College of New Jersey.


Lindsey Das teaches History and Geography at Foundation Academy. Ms. Das previously served as a Lead Teacher of Social Studies at Frederick Douglass Academy VII High School in Brooklyn, NY. She received her B.S. in Business Administration and M.S. in Education from Hofstra University.


Emily DiUglio teaches Music at Foundation Academy. Previously, Ms. DiUglio conducted her student teaching at Taylor Mills Elementary School in Manalapan, NJ and Pennwood Middle School in Bucks County, PA. She graduated from Westminster Choir College of Rider University with a Bachelor of Music, magna cum laude, in Music Education.


Robyn Douglas teaches Science and is a Founding Teacher at Foundation Academy. She previously taught at Somerville Middle School in Somerville, NJ and in the middle school at Trenton Community Charter School. Ms. Douglas graduated Highest Honors with a B.S. in Elementary Education and a B.A. in Psychology from Shippensburg University.


Kirsten Goeb is an In-Class Support Teacher at Foundation Academy. Previously, Ms. Goeb taught 4th grade in the Freehold, NJ Borough School District. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Alvernia College where she received a B.A. in Special Education/Elementary Education.


Kathleen Lucot is an English-Language Arts Teacher at Foundation Academy. Previously, Ms. Lucot taught English and history and served as the Ninth Grade Lead Teacher at Doris M. Johnson High School in Baltimore, MD. Ms. Lucot received a B.S. in Secondary Education from The Pennsylvania State University.


Reginald Miller teaches Mathematics and is an In-Class Support Teacher at Foundation Academy. Mr. Miller previously was a teacher and school leader at the Afrikan People’s Action School in Trenton, where he taught at both the elementary and middle school level. He received his B.A. from Thomas Edison State College.


Jennifer Rak is a Co-Founder of Foundation Academy. She teaches History and Geography and is a Founding Teacher. Ms. Rak previously taught high school and middle school social studies at Trenton Community Charter School in Trenton. She possesses a BA in Psychology from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Camden Campus, graduating with High Honors.


Jessika Rao is the Upper Middle School Dean and an English-Language Arts Teacher at Foundation Academy. Prior to joining Foundation, Ms. Rao served as Director of Talent and Operations for Teach for America of Greater Philadelphia-Camden, prior to which she served as the Program Director for Secondary Content Areas. A 2003 Teach for America corps member, Ms. Rao has taught English at Audenried High School in Philadelphia, PA and at Northwestern High School in Baltimore, MD. She possesses a B.A. in Communication from Loyola College and completed the Teaching Certification Program at the University of Pennsylvania.


Marlene Rice is the String Orchestra Director and teaches Music at Foundation Academy. A professional violinist with experience in major orchestras and ensembles throughout the United States, Ms. Rice was previously Program Director and Teaching Artist for The Noel Pointer Music Foundation. In addition, Ms. Rice has served as a strings instructor in the New York City and Detroit Public Schools. Ms. Rice received a B.S. from Eastern Michigan University and a Master of Music from the University of Michigan.


Stephanie Segall is the Lower Middle School Dean, Mathematics Teacher and a Founding Teacher at Foundation Academy. A 2005 Teach for America corps member, Ms. Segall was a Special Education teacher at J.D. Smith Middle School in Las Vegas, NV prior to coming to Foundation Academy. Ms. Segall possesses a B.A. in Government and Public Policy from Smith College and a M. Ed. from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.


Jill Spiegel is an English-Language Arts Teacher at Foundation Academy. Prior to joining Foundation Academy, Ms. Spiegel conducted her student teaching in a middle and high school in Baltimore County, MD. Ms. Spiegel received her B.S., magna cum laude, in English and Secondary Education from Towson University.


Sarah Swanson-Hysell is an English-Language Arts and In-Class Support Teacher at Foundation Academy. A 2005 Teach for America corps member, Ms. Swanson previously taught at Roma Middle School in Roma, TX and at Mastery Charter School in Philadelphia. PA. She received a B.A. in American Studies from Carleton College.


John Travis teaches Mathematics at Foundation Academy. Mr. Travis previously taught Math at Montgomery High School in Skillman, New Jersey. He received an A.B. in Economics with Certificates in Teacher Preparation and Music Performance from Princeton University.


Valeen Vaccaro teaches Mathematics at Foundation Academy. Ms. Vaccaro did her student teaching in Lakewood and Trenton, NJ, prior to which she worked for several years in the engineering field. She earned a B.A. and M.A. in Teaching from The College of New Jersey.

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Administrative and Support Staff

Susan Hanlon is the Founding School Nurse at Foundation Academy. Ms. Hanlon has previously worked as the School Nurse in multiple settings, including the Bordentown Public Schools, Trenton Community Charter School and at a private special education school. She received a B.S. in Nursing from Trenton State College.


Carla Hill is the Student Affairs Administrator and is a Co-Founder of Foundation Academy. Ms. Hill previously served as the Parent Liaison at Trenton Community Charter School, where she spearheaded the school’s parental involvement efforts. She has extensive experience working with at-risk students and special needs adults, including work as a Residential Coordinator for the New Jersey Deaf and Blind Association and at the Saint Lewis School in Texas, an elementary school for severely handicapped children.


Christopher Lessard is Foundation Academy’s School Business Administrator. He currently also serves as the School Business Administrator at the Frankford Township Board of Education, the Branchville Board of Education and the Central Jersey Arts Charter School. Previously he has served as the Treasurer of School Monies for the Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology and the Business Administrator of the Discovery Charter School in Newark, New Jersey. He is a graduate of Bentley College where he received his B.S. in Business Management.


José A. Lozada is the Data and Technology Administrator and a Co-Founder of Foundation Academy. Mr. Lozada previously worked as a Network Administrator at Trenton Community Charter School.


Tiknika Nollie is Foundation Academy’s School Secretary. Prior to joining Foundation, Ms. Nollie served as Outpatient Service Coordinator at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children.


Tara Pepe is the Director of Operations and School Social Worker and is a Co-Founder of Foundation Academy. Ms. Pepe previously worked as an In-home Therapist for the Community YMCA in Ocean County, and prior to that, served as the School Social Worker at Trenton Community Charter School. Ms. Pepe graduated with Highest Honors with a B.A. in Social Work from Muhlenberg College, and she received her Master’s in Social Work (M.S.W.) from the University of Pennsylvania.


Johanna Soto is the School Operations Associate at Foundation Academy. She earned a B.A. in Sociology from The College of New Jersey.

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