Cheryl Amaya – Cheryl is rejoining the Lower School faculty as a second grade assistant teacher. Cheryl has a BA and MA from University of Northern Colorado. She has worked at Westtown since 2023 as the Summer Camp Ropes Course Director, Assistant Varsity Field Hockey Coach, and as a first grade assistant teacher. Cheryl shares, “I have enjoyed teaching, coaching, and developing new curriculum for a dozen years. I was a publisher of a national sports magazine and then ran an account management team in eCommerce for another dozen years. I have lived all over, including in San Francisco, Colorado, Chicago, Dallas, England, and Philadelphia. I’m an avid 49ers fan, skier, hiker, reader, gardener, and sun worshiper. I am a proud momma of 8th and 10th graders at Westtown, a wife of a die-hard lacrosse advocate, a sister to my best friend, and a farm mom to too many animals, but my favorites are the dogs, Batman and Koa.”

Leah Belka – Leah has joined the Upper School faculty and will be teaching computer science and math. Leah has a BS from The Pennsylvania State University and an MEd from The University of Notre Dame. Prior to Westtown, she was a math and computer science teacher at Brophy College Preparatory School. Leah shares, “I love to travel, cook, and read (I have a particular love for psychological thrillers and young adult fiction). My pitbull, Gail, and I enjoy watching Jeopardy!, Top Chef, and early 2000s rom-coms, and I am working on improving my knitting and cross-stitching skills. I am also always happy to be working on a puzzle—the more pieces, the better! A fun fact about me: I worked as an actuary in Washington D.C. before becoming a teacher.”

Tom Berry – Tom has joined the Upper School faculty and will be teaching math. Tom has a BS from Wake Forest University, an MA from University of Virginia, and an MEd from Loyola University Maryland. Prior to Westtown, he was a math teacher at Trinity Preparatory School. Tom shares, “I enjoy the outdoors—hiking, backpacking, kayaking, cycling, running, and scuba diving. I married into a Polish/Ukrainian family a year ago and have fallen in love with Eastern European cuisine. My happy place is in front of a piano or on a motorcycle, and I enjoy the meditative nature of needlecrafts, especially knitting and cross stitching. I have two twenty-something children in the DC area. My youngest works in theater as a production manager and my oldest is just starting their first year as a full-time computer science teacher in a high school in Maryland. Fun fact: While I am not an English teacher, I have helped edit several books for a New York Times bestselling author, one of whose books we have in our library.”

Chase Braim – Chase has joined the Facilities Department as a new groundskeeper. Prior to Westtown, he was a groundskeeper at Rosemont College. Chase shares, “I really enjoy the outdoors and exploring nature. I’m very into music and also play a little bit of guitar myself. I’m also very into exercise and fitness! Fun fact: I come from a family with a Native American background!”

Domenic Frunzi – Domenic has joined the Upper School faculty and will be teaching Ceramics and 3D Art. Domenic has a BS from The Pennsylvania State University and an MA from Gratz College. Prior to Westtown, he was a ceramics teacher at Boyertown Senior High School. Domenic shares, “I am very food motivated. I love to cook for others and eat in general. I love to be outdoors, hike, and stay active. Creating and making is very important to me and a lifelong pursuit. I live in Philadelphia and try to soak up all the city has to offer in terms of art, music, food, and culture. A fun fact about me is that I used to be a drawer/painter and hated to work with clay.”

Betina Fuentes – Betina has joined the Upper School faculty and will be teaching English. Betina has a BA from the University of South Florida and an MEd from the University of Tampa. Prior to Westtown, she was an upper school English teacher and department head at Darlington School. Betina shares, “I’m so happy to relocate to the West Chester area after an absence of 35 years. When I’m not coaching tennis, teaching English, or serving as Dorm Head for W3, you can find me doing crafts, reading, walking my two dogs, Loki and Barkley, and traveling to fun places. A fun fact about me is that I’ve lived and taught in five different countries, and loved them all!”

Vanessa Garcia – Vanessa has joined the Upper School faculty and will be teaching chemistry. Vanessa has a BS from The University of Texas at Brownsville and an MS from The University of Texas – Pan American. Prior to Westtown, she taught chemistry at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Vanessa shares, “I enjoy running, walking, obstacle and weightlifting competitions, doing puzzles, reading, arts and crafts, cooking, and baking. A fun fact about myself is that I am a Certified Wedding and Event Planner.”

Diantha Giltz – Diantha has joined the Upper School faculty and will be teaching visual arts. Diantha has a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art and an MAT from Kent State University. Prior to Westtown, she was a visual arts and metalsmithing teacher at Forman School. Diantha shares, “I love making things and consider assembling furniture entertainment. I have my dog, Otto, with me at Westtown, and am happy to see how quickly he has warmed up to everyone here. I am a very proud aunt to seven nieces and nephews ranging from 25 to 9 months. I recently started doing stained glass and am hoping to find a studio locally to continue. Swimming gives me a lot of joy and peace, I am working to build my endurance back up doing laps now that I have access to a pool again. I love one-on-one conversations, and being able to see someone’s face when they are speaking.”

Pat McCabe – Pat has joined the Middle School faculty, and will be teaching Digital Arts. Pat has a BA from Purchase College – State University of New York. Prior to Westtown, she was a creative at Apple Inc. and an independent professional game master. Pat shares, “I am a huge nerd. I enjoy playing numerous indie TTRPGs and love watching cartoons, as well as reading sci-fi and fantasy books. In my free time, I also make a webcomic! A fun fact about me is that I once met Kevin Bacon’s dog but not Kevin Bacon.”

Johnathan Makar – Jonathan has joined the Upper School as the Upper School Emerging Educator Fellow. Jonathan has a BA from East Stroudsburg University and an MS from West Chester University. Prior to Westtown, he was a math tutor at West Chester University. Jonathan shares, “I enjoy weight lifting, swimming, and anything track and field related. Additionally, I love listening to music and going to concerts. A fun fact about me is that I have actually built my dream computer.”

Tie Manuel – Tie has joined the Lower School as the Lower School Emerging Educator Fellow. Tie has a BA from Loyola University Maryland. Prior to Westtown, he was a teaching assistant at Roland Park Elementary and Middle School. Tie shares, “I’m from West Chester and attended pre-K here at Oak Lane. I just graduated from Loyola University Maryland this past May. Once the school year ends, I spend my summers as a beach lifeguard in South Jersey. In my free time I like to surf, bike, watch any team from Philly win, and make art of all forms.”

Anthony Ochefu ‘17 – Anthony has joined the Lower School faculty as an assistant teacher. Anthony has a BA from the University of Delaware. He has worked at Westtown’s Summer Camp for the last two years and as an assistant basketball coach. Anthony shares, “A few of my activities and hobbies include listening to music, hanging out with my family and friends, watching sports, going on walks, and trying new food. One fun fact about me: I grew up playing soccer and it was my favorite sport. I also ran track before basketball came into the picture.”

Noam Penland – Noam has joined the Upper School faculty and will be teaching English. Noam has a BA and MEd from Bob Jones University, and a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School. Last year, they were a long-term substitute in the Westtown English Department and prior to that, they worked at Wyoming Seminary as the Assistant Chaplain for Community, Equity, and Belonging and a Latin and history teacher. Noam shares, “I live in End of Lane House with my wife Liz, her parents, three dogs (Lucie, Lola, and Jake) and one elderly cat (Pansy) who gleefully enjoys tormenting her canine siblings from the staircase. The ocean is my happy place, and I love travelling across the globe. I’m also a baker and an avid reader of murder mysteries in my free time. A fun fact about me: I tried to help Woody Harrelson repair his laptop after he threw it out of a moving car window. (Spoiler alert: It was not a successful repair as the laptop was in multiple parts.)”

Kelli Prater – Kelli Prater is the new Director of Alum Engagement in the Advancement Office. Prior to coming to Westtown, Kelli worked for the Kennett Collaborative in communications, volunteer engagement, and event planning. Kelli has spent most of her life in Chester County, except for her time studying at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. Despite residing in Pennsylvania, her loyalty to the Chicago Cubs reflects her midwestern roots. Her favorite pastime is spending time with her two favorite humans, her daughters, whom she loves to take thrift shopping and traveling. Kelli could talk for hours about two main topics: the Enneagram and sports, particularly baseball, softball, and Philly sports.

Jordan Reed – Jordan has joined the Admission Department serving as the Director of Upper School Admission. Jordan has a BA from Dickinson College and an MSEd from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to Westtown, he was the Director of Strategic Admissions Initiatives at Solebury School. Jordan shares, “I love spending time outdoors, and you may often see me on campus walking my dog, Penny, with my wife, Emma. I enjoy playing and watching sports, playing games of all kinds, and getting into a good book, TV show, or movie. I also love a good restaurant and look forward to exploring everything the West Chester area has to offer. A fun fact about me is that I’m a Pennsylvania native and a boarding school graduate.”

Nate Rizzo – Nate has joined the Facilities Department as a new Groundskeeper. Prior to Westown, he was the Lead Grower at Star Roses and Plants. Nate shares, “I enjoy spending time outside, listening to music and watching any of the Philadelphia sports teams play.”

Faith Romano – Faith has joined the Lower School faculty as an assistant teacher. Faith has a B.A. from West Chester University. Prior to Westtown, she was a student teacher at Manavon Elementary School. Faith shares, “I graduated in May from West Chester University with a degree in Early Childhood Education and a minor in Ethnic Studies. I love traveling, reading, and spending time with my two dogs, Tilly and Beans, as well as my two guinea pigs, Darla and Frannie. A fun fact about me is that I lived in Ireland for six months when I was 21.”

Lori Saidi – Lori has joined the Lower and Middle School faculty as the new strings teacher. Lori has a BM from the Manhattan School of Music and an MM from Temple University Esther Boyer College of Music. Prior to Westtown, she was the Strings Specialist at Doane Academy. Lori shares, “I have two beautiful daughters, Aria and Ava! My husband, Kaveh, is a wonderful violinist! I love to exercise daily and enjoy listening to classical music. I love cooking and trying new coffee shops. A fun fact about me: I was a cheerleader when I was younger!”

Jodian Staple Rankine- Jodian has joined the Admission Department as the new Enrollment Administrative Assistant. Jodian has a BS from Northern Caribbean University and an MS from Mississippi Valley State University. Prior to Westtown, she was an adjunct lecturer at Northern Caribbean University. Jodian shares, “I love traveling, listening to music, and learning new things, especially about the justice system. As an introvert, I cherish my quiet time, but I’m always excited to discover new places, particularly when I can share those moments with close family and friends.”

Sarah Wahlberg – Sarah has joined the faculty and will be teaching Middle and Upper School Latin. Sarah has a BA from Bryn Mawr College and a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to Westtown, she was the Middle and Upper School Greek and Latin teacher at Episcopal Academy. Sarah shares, “I was born and raised in Washington state. My wife and I have two daughters (ages 10 and 13) and also two adorable cats. I love to travel, hike in the woods, watch Phillies games, and listen to audiobooks. I enjoy practicing Italian and (modern) Greek. A fun fact about me: I like to attend Latin immersion events where participants only speak to each other in Latin.”

Jenn Weinheimer – Jenn has joined the Upper School as the new Upper School Principal. Jenn has a BA from Hamilton College, an EdM from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and an MA from Northeastern University. Prior to Westtown, Jenn was the Head of Upper School at Cincinnati Country Day School. Jenn shares, “Like any good English teacher, I love to read and write. My family spends time each summer in the Vail Valley of Colorado hiking and spending as much time outdoors as possible. This summer, I started my doctoral degree at Penn, and I’m excited to be living on campus at Westtown with my husband, 6th-grade son, and our cat, Jeffrey. My fun fact is that I’ve bungee jumped off the Victoria Falls Bridge in Zimbabwe.”