Brooke High School Team 2019-2020
Ms. Katie Megrian
Principal
B.A., Bates College; M.Ed., Bank Street College of Education
kmegrian@ebrooke.orgKatie Megrian joined Brooke in 2006 as a kindergarten teacher at Brooke Roslindale. Since then, Ms. Megrian served as a second, fourth, and fifth grade teacher at Brooke Roslindale, founding K-8 principal of Brooke Mattapan, and Network Director of English language arts. Ms. Megrian is currently serving as Principal of Brooke High School. Before coming to Brooke, Ms. Megrian was a 2004 Teach for America Corps Member, where she taught Middle School in the South Bronx, New York.
Mr. Nick LaRocque
Assistant Principal
B.A., Bowdoin College; M.Ed., Boston College
nlarocque@ebrooke.orgNick LaRocque joined Brooke in 2019 as an Assistant Principal and AP Psychology teacher at Brooke High School. Before coming to Brooke, Mr. LaRocque was the Assistant Principal and AP Psychology teacher at KIPP: San Jose Collegiate.
Mr. Joe Valentine-White
Assistant Principal
B.A., Kenyon College; M.Ed., University of Michigan
jvalentine-white@ebrooke.orgJoseph Valentine-White joined Brooke in 2018 as a Assistant Principal Fellow at Brooke High School. Mr. Valentine-White is currently an Assistant Principal at Brooke High School. Before coming to Brooke, Mr. Valentine-White was a Teach For America (TFA) corps member in Fort Worth, Texas. Upon completing his TFA committment, he continued teaching various ELA courses for several years across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Most recently, Mr. Valentine-White served as a Dean of Students at KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School.
Mr. Alex Forrest
Dean of Students
B.A., University of Michigan
aforrest@ebrooke.orgAlex Forrest joined Brooke in 2007 as a second grade Associate Teacher at Brooke Roslindale. Since then, Mr. Forrest taught three years of third grade at Brooke Roslindale, then became part of the founding team at Brooke Mattapan as the Dean of Students in 2011. In 2016, Mr. Forrest was part of the founding team at Brooke High School as the Dean of Students and Athletic Director.
Mr. Corey Yarbrough
Director of Operations
B.A., James Madison University
cyarbrough@ebrooke.orgCorey Yarbrough joined Brooke in 2016 as the Founding Director of Operations of Brooke High School and 8th Grade Academy. Before coming to Brooke, Corey founded and served as Executive Director of a local non-profit organization for 6 years and managed college prep programs for first generation college-bound students in the New England region.
Ms. Janette Kerr
Director of College Counseling
B.A., University of Illinois; M.A., Temple University
jkerr@ebrooke.orgJanette Kerr joined Brooke in 2018 as Director of College Counseling. Before coming to Brooke, Ms. Kerr worked in youth development, community engagement, and college counseling in Chicago non-profits and high schools for twenty years.
Ms. Shantae Romain
Operations Manager
sromain@ebrooke.org
Ms. Gianna Cacciatore
English Teacher
B.A., Harvard University; M.Ed. Harvard University
gcacciatore@ebrooke.orgGianna joined Brooke in 2018 as a composition teacher at Brooke High School. Before coming to Brooke, Gianna taught English at Uplift Luna High School in Dallas, TX.
Ms. Christine Ko
History and Literature Teacher
B.S., Vanderbilt University
cko@ebrooke.orgChristine Ko joined Brooke in 2017 as the Founding 10th Grade AP United States History and American Literature at the High School. Before coming to Brooke, Ms. Ko taught AP World History for four years in Metro Nashville Public Schools.
Ms. Becca Corso
History and Literature Teacher
B.A., Gettysburg College; M.A., Fairfield University
rcorso@ebrooke.orgRebecca Corso joined Brooke in 2018 as a 9th Grade American History and Literature teacher at Brooke High School. Before coming to Brooke, Rebecca taught History for four years in Connecticut.
Mrs. Sarah Hughes
History and Literature Teacher
B.A., Smith College; M.A., Simmons College
shughes@ebrooke.orgSarah Hughes joined Brooke in 2018 as a ninth grade history and literature teacher on the Brooke High School team. Before coming to Brooke, Mrs. Hughes taught for more than 11 years in a variety of educational settings including charter public, district public, and independent schools.
Mr. Jim Mayers
English Teacher
B.A., St. Lawrence University; M.A.T., Relay Graduate School of Education
jmayers@ebrooke.orgJim Mayers joined Brooke in 2019 as the eleventh grade AP Language & Composition Teacher. Before coming to Brooke, Mr. Mayers taught AP Seminar for two years in Brooklyn, was an instructional coach with Teach For America - Arkansas, and taught eighth and tenth grade English for four years in Marked Tree, Arkansas.
Ms. Nunziata Monaco
History Teacher
B.A., Barnard College, Columbia University; M.Ed., Boston University
nmonaco@ebrooke.orgNunziata Elizabeth Louisa Monaco joined Brooke in 2018 as the founding world history teacher at Brooke High School. She also coached fencing and directed tech for school productions. Ms. Monaco is currently teaching world history and film history as well as co-leading the Queer-Straight Alliance at Brooke High School. Before coming to Brooke, Nunziata worked at Roxbury Preparatory High School, Madrid Community School District, Chelsea Public Schools, and Lawrence Public Schools.
Ms. Annie Sferrazza
English and ESL Teacher
B.A., Hofstra University; Ed.M., Boston University
asferrazza@ebrooke.orgAnnie Sferrazza joined Brooke in 2018 as ELL Coordinator across Brooke High School, Eighth Grade Academy, and Brooke Roslindale. Since then, Ms. Sferrazza has also coached 8th grade cross country and track. Ms. Sferrazza is currently serving as ELL Coordinator at Brooke High School and Eighth Grade Academy, as well as a Brooke High School advisor and tenth grade American Literature teacher. Before coming to Brooke, Ms. Sferrazza worked in the marketing and advertising industries. She then went back to school to change careers. Upon graduating, she taught English in Spain for a year before teaching ESL at another charter high school in Boston.
Ms. Gabriella Sharpe
English Teacher
B.S., Boston College
gsharpe@ebrooke.orgGabriella Sharpe joined Brooke in 2016 as an Associate Teacher in the Brooke High School Humanities Department. Since then, Ms. Sharpe has been a tenth grade AP US history and literature teacher at Brooke. Ms. Sharpe currently serve as a 12th grade literature teacher. Before coming to Brooke, Ms. Sharpe was an elementary music teacher and an eighth grade English teacher in MS.
Ms. Lauren Shively
History and Literature Teacher
B.A., Colgate University; M.A.T. Simmons University
lshively@ebrooke.orgLauuren Shively joined Brooke in 2019 as a tenth grade United States American history and literature teacher at Brooke High School. Before coming to Brooke, Ms. Shively taught English for five years at City on a Hill Charter Public School Dudley Square in Roxbury and taught English as a Foreign Language for one year in Yilan, Taiwan.
Ms. Emily Warmington
History and Literature Teacher
B.A., Colby College; M.A.T., Relay Graduate School of Education
ewarmington@ebrooke.orgEmily Warmington joined Brooke in 2015 as a 7th Grade ELA/Social Studies Teacher at Brooke Roslindale. She is currently serving as a 9th grade History/Literature teacher at Brooke High School. Before joining Brooke, Ms. Warmington taught 5th and 6th Grade ELA at schools in New Jersey and California.
Ms. Meredith Goldberg
Math Teacher
B.A., Tufts University; M.A.T, National Louis University
mgoldberg@ebrooke.orgMeredith Goldberg joined Brooke in 2017 as an algebra teacher at Brooke High School. Since then, Ms. Goldberg has taught Honors Algebra, Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus, and College Math courses at Brooke High School. She also serves as the coach for the volleyball and track teams. Before coming to Brooke, Ms. Goldberg taught in Chicago, at Urban Prep Academy and Noble Network - Speer Academy.
Mr. Carter Hempleman
Math Teacher
B.S., Lehigh University; M.S., Columbia University
chempleman@ebrooke.orgCarter Hempleman joined Brooke in 2018 as an Algebra I and II teacher at Brooke High School. He is currently serving as the ninth grade team leader and is teaching AP Statistics. Before coming to Brooke, he was with Uncommon Schools as the assistant principal and math & science coordinator at Roxbury Prep Mission Hill and the founding 7th and 8th grade math teacher at Roxbury Prep Dorchester. Mr. Hempleman started his professional career working as a financial advisor with Pricewaterhouse Coopers.
Ms. Murielle Joseph
Math Teacher
B.A. Providence College
mjoseph@ebrooke.orgPrior to joining Brooke in September 2018 as an Associate Teacher, she graduated from Providence College in 2015 with a degree in Social Sciences, focusing in Psychology, Political Science, and History. She immediately went on to complete a year of service as an AmeriCorps Member with City Year Miami, and later for a second year with City Year Providence. During her two years in these two cities she worked mentoring and tutoring in 9th grade Algebra I classes. For the past year she worked part time as a youth mechanics instructor teaching STEM and bike building to high school students at a community bike shop in Providence, as well as being a substitute teacher for Boston Public Schools.
Ms. Lauren Meissner
Math Teacher
B.S., University of Oklahoma
lmeissner@ebrooke.orgLauren Meissner joined Brooke in 2017 as the geometry teacher at Brooke High School. In addition to Geometry, she now also teaches Pre-Calculus. Before coming to Brooke, Ms. Meissner taught sixth grade math at Union Public Schools in Tulsa, OK and then Algebra 1 and Geometry at Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas, TX.
Ms. Sylvia Sanchez
Math Teacher
B.A., Boston College
ssanchez@ebrooke.orgSylvia Sanchez joined Brooke in 2016 as the founding coach for both girls basketball and girls and boys track and field at Brooke High School. Ms. Sanchez then took on an additional role as the cross country coach while also becoming an Associate Teacher in the Brooke High math department. Ms. Sanchez is currently a math teacher for students in grades 9 through 11 and sh coaches basketball and track and field.
Ms. Lauren Horne
Science Teacher
B.A., Boston University; M.Ed., George Washington University
lhorne@ebrooke.orgLauren Horne joined Brooke in 2018, as our eleventh grade physics teacher at Brooke High School. She is currently the eleventh grade team leader. Before coming to Brooke, Ms. Horne taught multiple subjects across grades 7-12 in the DC Public Schools and charter schools in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Mr. Cedric Jacobson
Science Teacher
B.S. Chemistry, Microbiology and B.A. in Biology University of Montana; M.Ed Southern Methodist University
cjacobson@ebrooke.orgCedric Jacobson joined Brooke in 2018 as the Chemistry Teacher at Brooke High School. Before coming to Brooke, Mr. Jacobson had nine years of teaching experience with numerous accolades, including being recognized as a Distinguished Teacher at the Achievement First Network and being selected as a finalist for Dallas ISD Teacher of the Year.
Ms. Luyan Lin
Science Teacher
B.S., University of Massachusetts Amherst; M.S., Johns Hopkins University
llin@ebrooke.orgLuyan Lin joined Brooke in 2019 as the biology teacher on the Brooke High School Team. Before coming to Brooke, Ms. Lin served as a 2016 Teach for America corps member and worked in Bridgeport, Connecticut as the 7th grade science teacher and grade level chair.
Ms. Ali Neugebauer
Science Teacher
B.S., Franklin and Marshall College; M. Ed., Drexel University
aneugebauer@ebrooke.orgAli Neugebauer joined Brooke in 2014 as a seventh grade math and science teacher at Brooke East Boston. Since then, Ms. Neugebauer was the founding Biology teacher at Brooke High School. She is currently a biology and medical interventions teacher at Brooke High school. Before coming to Brooke, Ms. Neugebauer taught environmental science and math enrichment at Olney Charter High School in Philadelphia. Prior to starting her teaching career, Ms. Neugebauer worked for City Year Philadelphia.
Ms. Vicmarys Brito
Spanish Teacher and Director of Spanish Curriculum and Instruction
B.A., College of the Holy Cross; M.Ed., Boston University
vbrito@ebrooke.orgVicmarys Brito joined Brooke in 2017 as a high school Spanish teacher. Since then, Ms. Brito has taught Spanish for Spanish Speakers, Spanish 3, Pre-AP, and AP Spanish. She is currently the AP Spanish teacher and Director of Spanish Curriculum and Instruction. Before coming to Brooke, Ms. Brito led the founding Spanish team at Roxbury Prep High School for 2 years and is a Teach for America alum.
Ms. Alexandra Tejeda Diaz
Spanish Teacher
B.A., Boston College
atejedadiaz@ebrooke.orgAlexandra Tejeda joined Brooke in 2019 as a Spanish Teacher at Brooke High School. Before coming to Brooke, Ms. Tejeda was a Spanish Teacher at Cristo Rey Boston High School.
Mr. Clay Gatlin
Spanish Teacher
B.M.E. and M.A., University of Southern Mississippi
cgatlin@ebrooke.orgClay Gatlin joined Brooke in 2019 as a Spanish teacher for Brooke High School. Before coming to Brooke, Mr. Gatlin studied and worked in language education in Costa Rica and France and most recently taught at a bilingual school in Madrid, Spain.
Ms. Yuliana Palacio Ortiz
Spanish Teacher
B.A., Universidad de Antioquia; M.Ed., Boston University
ypalacioortiz@ebrooke.orgYuliana Palacio Ortiz joined Brooke in 2019, as a Spanish teacher in Brooke High School. Before coming to Brooke, Yuliana completed her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Boston University. She also taught English and French in her home country Colombia for two years.
Mr. Caston Boyd
Computer Science Teacher
B.A. Abilene Christian University; M.A. Harvard University
cboyd@ebrooke.orgCaston Boyd joined the Computer Science Department at Brooke High School after working as an Associate Teacher at BHS in the 2018-2019 school year. In his time at Brooke, Mr. Boyd has worked with Brooke's Robotics Team and helped form the Nuclear Fitness Club. Before joining Brooke, Mr. Boyd taught programming and electrical engineering as an after-school instructor for schools in the Newton and Belmont area. He also served as a computer science tutor at Northeastern University, where he is currently finishing his master's degree in Computer Science.
Ms. Jabree Ellis
Computer Science Teacher
B.A., Wellesley College
jellis@ebrooke.orgJabree Ellis joined Brooke in 2019 as a Computer Science Teacher at Brooke High School. Before coming to Brooke, Ms.Ellis worked for two years as a Dudley Promise Corps AmeriCorps Service member. In this role, Ms.Ellis had the great honor of being an assistant 6th grade science teacher and mentor.
Mr. Myles Proctor
Computer Science Teacher
B.S., Fordham University
mproctor@ebrooke.orgMr. Proctor joined Brooke East Boston as an 8th Grade Math & Science Associate Teacher in 2016. Since then, he has taught 7th Grade Math & Science and AP Computer Science Principles at Brooke High. Mr. Proctor currently teaches Python Graphics & Animation to 10th graders at Brooke High School. Before coming to Brooke, Myles worked with a STEM enrichment center for children in grades K-8th, and for Success Academy's Operations Department.
Mr. Leo Colon
Music Teacher
B.A. in Music, University of Massachusetts
lcolon@ebrooke.orgMr. Colon has been a professional musician for thirty years and has been teaching for twenty five. His first teaching job was as an ESL teacher in Dominican Republic. Moved to Boston in 1995 to attend Berklee College later transferring to UMASS where he graduated with honors in 2016. As a guitar, piano, bass and ensemble instructor, he has taught over a thousand students in the developing a passion for teaching particularly young students. Mr. Colon has led his students in multiple performances at The House of Blues, Berklee Performance Center, Agannis Arena, The Paradise Club, The Paramount, Harvard University and The Sinclair sharing the stage and/or opening for music legends such as Sting, Pearl Jam’s Eddie Veeder, Kool and the Gang and actor-musician Terence Howard. Outside of school he is a dedicated basketball player, amateur salsa dancer and father of three wonderful kids ages 16, 14 and 10. Mr. Colon was very excited to join the amazing Brooke team in September of 2017 and looks forward to be part of it for years to come.
Mr. Sherman Cowan
Step Teacher
BA, History, BA Psychology; MS Counseling Psychology, State University of New York at Oswego, NY
scowan@ebrooke.orgSherman Cowan is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and has been teaching Step to K-12 students in the Boston area for the last 20 years. After joining his fraternity in the spring of 1987, he realized that he had a strong passion for stepping. He is also a retired military officer after serving 31 years in the Army Reserves and Air National Guard. In his free time he enjoys playing tennis and developing new steps for his teams.
Mr. Charles Hughley
Media Literacy and Video Teacher
B.A. and M.A., Northeastern University
chughley@ebrooke.orgCharles Hughley joined Brooke in 2017 to teach media literacy and video production at Brooke High School. He continues to teach that course at the high school as well as at Brooke's Eighth Grade Academy. Mr. Hughley also coaches the high school flag football and table tennis teams as well as the eighth grade basketball team. Before coming to Brooke, Mr. Hughley started and currently runs his own visual production company, Brothers in Beards.
Ms. Nakia Navarro
Environmental Justice Teacher
B.A. Winthrop University; M.A, Tufts University (in progress)
nnavarro@ebrooke.orgNakia Navarro hails from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts with her two children, Kayla and Mateo. Nakia received her Bachelor's degree in Public Administration with a minor in Spanish from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, a Certificate in Global Communications from the University of Salamanca in Salamanca, Spain, and she is currently pursuing her Master of Arts in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at Tufts University.Nakia volunteers her time by speaking to youth about her career and how to become a community organizer. She also volunteers as a board member on both the WBGH Community Advisory Board and the Rise Above Foundation Board. In her free time she can be found hunched over her laptop with a large coffee writing. Nakia's writing portfolio includes her destination wedding magazine, Sea Settings, and an anthology, The Messiness of Life: A Collection of Flash Fiction.
Ms. Joanna Cabrera
Associate Teacher
B.A., Syracuse University
jcabrera@ebrooke.orgMs. Cabrera graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in Secondary Education and English and Textual Studies. She found her passion for education during her summers working with Generation Teach. Ms. Cabrera is very excited to continuing growing as an educator and mentor.
Mr. Phoenix Mendes
Associate Teacher
B.S., Union College
pmendes@ebrooke.orgPhoenix Mendes joined Brooke in 2019 as an Associate Teacher at Brooke High School. Before coming to Brooke, Mr. Mendes taught Engineering and Physics at KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate.
Ms. Emily Burke
Student Support Coordinator
B.A., Catholic University of America
eburke@ebrooke.orgEmily Burke joined Brooke in 2019 as a Student Support Coordinator. Prior to coming to Brooke, Emily was a Learning Specialist at Excel Academy Charter High School in East Boston. Emily is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Special Education at Boston University.
Ms. Marissa Chin
Student Support Coordinator
B.A., Colby College; M.A., The Catholic University of America
mchin@ebrooke.orgMarissa Chin joined Brooke in 2013 as a Student Support Coordinator at Brooke Roslindale, working with students, families, and teachers in grades 3-8. Ms. Chin is currently serving as Student Support Coordinator at Brooke High School. Before coming to Brooke, Ms. Chin taught in general and special education settings ranging from pre-K to high school at charter schools in Boston and Washington, D.C.
Mr. Jonathan Rollock
Student Support Coordinator
B.A Brandeis University, M. Ed. Lesley University
jrollock@ebrooke.orgJonathan Rollock joined Brooke in 2019 as a Student Support Coordinator working with both the Brooke High School History and Math teams. Before coming to Brooke, Mr. Rollock worked in education for 7 years, spending the last three at City on a Hill Dudley Square.
Ms. Kelsey Sanders
Student Support Coordinator
B.A., Western Washington University; M.S., Pace University
ksanders@ebrooke.orgKelsey Sanders joined Brooke in 2019, as a Student Support Coordinator at Brooke High School. Before coming to Brooke, Ms. Sanders taught Special Education in the Bronx for three years as a member of the 2012 cohort of the NYC Teaching Fellows. Following that, she served as a Learning Specialist and chaired the Special Education department at KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate in Lynn, MA.
Ms. Dorice Moise
School Psychologist
B.A., Boston College; Ed.M., Harvard Graduate School of Education; M.A., Ed.S, Tufts University
dmoise@ebrooke.orgDorice Moise joined Brooke in 2016 as the School Psychologist at Brooke Roslindale, where she was also an Associate Teacher from 2008-2010. Ms. Moise is currently the School Psychologist at Brooke High School. Prior to returning to Brooke in 2016, she worked at UP Academy Holland and UP Academy Boston, as a School Psychologist and Special Education Coordinator. Ms. Moise is passionate about trauma-informed learning and is dedicated to the academic and social emotional success of all students.
Mr. A.J. Stephens
Dean of Students Fellow
B.A., Curry College
astephens@ebrooke.orgAJ Stephens joined Brooke in 2018 as the In-School Suspension Coordinator at Brooke High School and is now the school's Dean of Students Fellow. Before coming to Brooke, Mr. Stephens coached basketball on high school and collegiate levels for over five years. Mr. Stephens also founded the Beast 'Em Basketball Training Academy, which is a non-profit youth organization that specializes in developing the ABC's (Academics, Basketball abilities & Character) in student-athletes.
Ms. Darneala Sequeira
School Nurse
BSN, Laboure College
dsequeira@ebrooke.orgDarneala Sequeira joined the Brooke team in August 2017 as the school Nurse and is now the Founding School Nurse of the Brooke High School and Eighth Grade Academy. Prior to Brooke she worked at the Codman Square Health Center for 13 years, 8 years in Pediatrics and 5 years as a Staff Nurse in Family Medicine.
Ms. Tiffany Fenton
Office Manager and Improv Theater Teacher
B.S., University of Rhode Island
tfenton@ebrooke.orgTiffany T. Fenton joined Brooke in 2017, as the Performing Arts Teacher at Brooke High School. Since then, Ms Fenton has taught and assisted with the Brooke High School Theatrical and Musical productions. Ms. Fenton is currently serving as main office manager at Brooke High School. Before coming to Brooke, Ms. Fenton worked in wealth management, in addition to running her own program called C.R.E.A.T.E Yourself which worked to promote self esteem in young girls.