The new crop of Williston Northampton School faculty members are on campus and ready to teach their first classes. This year, the school is welcoming six new teachers, a new Director of Academic Support, and an Admissions Office fellow.
To help introduce the new faculty members to the community, we have gathered short biographies for each of them. Read below to learn more about the new faces leading Williston classrooms this fall..
Dr. Anne K. Arent, Director of Academic Support
Anne has 15 years of experience working in education, with more than a decade working with students who have learning differences. Most recently, she worked at Stoneleigh-Burnham School, where she served as Director of Learning Services, advisor to their Learning Differences/Neurodiversity Alliance, and a house parent. Anne has a bachelor’s in English and a master’s in communications from Marist University and a doctorate in transformative leadership from the University of New England. When she is not on campus, she is spending time with her husband, two children, and menagerie in the Hudson Valley area of New York. Read more about Arent here.
Christian Brown, English Teacher
Christian spent the past five years at Suffield Academy, where he taught English and coached both football and wrestling. He earned his bachelor’s in philosophy with a concentration in communications and critical thinking from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. An avid student of football, Christian has attended numerous coaching clinics at college campuses across the East Coast. He also has a deep passion for squash, striving to play daily to sharpen both his skills and his coaching expertise.
Julia Farnham, Admissions Office Fellow
Julia is a recent graduate of Vassar College, where she earned a bachelor’s in Africana studies and played on the women’s soccer team. Prior to that, she attended Williston for six years and graduated in 2020. While at Vassar, Julia worked as a writing tutor for her peers and a soccer coach for young children. She has spent the last year and a half working in household and pet care as well as coaching club soccer with IFA in Westfield. Her other interests include music, art, and psychology.
Kaitlin Grant, Science Teacher
Kaitlin spent the last seven years at Dublin School, where she served as the Science Department Chair and taught chemistry, biology, a series of electives, and dance. She earned her master’s in secondary science education at the University of Massachusetts and holds a bachelor’s in biochemistry from Mount Holyoke College. Kaitlin also enjoys teaching dance and choreographing musicals at a local studio in her free time. Kaitlin is originally from the Pioneer Valley and is excited to be returning to the area.
Jane Lee, Science Faculty Fellow
Jane is a recent graduate of Cornell University, with a bachelor’s in chemical engineering. While at Cornell, Jane worked at Ringle, where she tutored over 20 students in English, as well as taught custom reading/writing and SAT prep lessons. Jane was also a chemistry teaching assistant, where she led two-hour peer workshops for a class of 30 students. Prior to Cornell, Jane attended eight schools across four countries, including a small boarding school in Korea. Beyond the classroom, she has interests in music and photography.
Stefania Nugteren, Photography & Film Teacher
Stefania most recently taught photography, digital art, and middle school art at Hebron Academy. She previously spent seven years as the photography and video art teacher at St. Paul Academy & Summit School and has also taught at the University of Minnesota and The Art Institutes Minnesota. Prior to teaching, Stefania worked as a commercial photographer, specializing in wedding photography as well as product, magazine, and catalog work. She earned her master’s from the University of Minnesota and holds a bachelor’s from Massachusetts College of Art & Design. As an artist, she has a particular interest in analog processes and experimental approaches to photography and filmmaking. She is also a certified yoga instructor and enjoys exploring the connections between mindfulness practices and the creative process.
Antonio Polino, Science Faculty Fellow
Originally from Hadley, Massachusetts, and a graduate of Amherst High School, Antonio earned his bachelor’s in neuroscience from Wheaton College. While at Wheaton, Antonio was a teaching assistant in both biology and biomechanics classes, where he assisted faculty during both lectures and labs, and provided feedback on student work. He also worked as a laboratory assistant in a Comparative Skeletal Biomechanics class, assisting with lab set up, take down, and dissections. Most recently, Antonio has been an educational support professional in Hadley Public Schools, where he interfaced with diverse students across a variety of roles and responsibilities. Beyond the classroom, Antonio is an accomplished musician with a wide repertoire and is active in various performance groups, including jazz performance and world music ensemble.
Adam Sussbauer, Science Teacher
After growing up in rural western Massachusetts, Adam earned his bachelor’s in earth & environmental science from Wesleyan University. Since graduating, Adam has worked as a residential advisor and Ultimate coach at the MacDuffie School. Along with this, he served as an AmeriCorps member and Land Stewardship Coordinator for a statewide land trust called The Trustees of Reservations, where he ran volunteer programs focused on grassland ecology.