Hatha

What sets apart Greenwich Education Group? Without question, it's our dedicated, qualified professional staff of teachers, directors, and subject area specialists. Our team understands the importance of academic success to lifelong achievement. We pride ourselves on the individualized attention we provide, along with our child-friendly environment and our strong communication links between you, your child's classroom teacher, and our instructors here at Greenwich Education Group.

We're proud of the team we've assembled, and we know you'll be thrilled with the results they provide. Get to know them, right here.

(Our directors are alphabetized by last name below.)

Beth Cirulis, MA, MS Ed
Dean of Faculty, GEG Schools
Director of Special Education, GEG Schools

Beth Cirulis holds a BS in Special Education and a Masters in Education Administration. She began her career as a middle school special education teacher in Omaha, Nebraska and Council Bluffs, Iowa, where she was honored as the outstanding district special education teacher. She moved on to the sunnier life in Arizona, where she continued her work in special education middle school, and then became Principal and Director of Special Education for Pinnacle Education, Inc., a statewide charter school district. Continuing her pursuit for better programs for Arizona students, Beth joined Sequoia Choice Schools, another statewide charter school district, where she served as Assessment Coordinator, Vice-Principal and Principal. She joins GEG as a seasoned special education and general education administration professional, with 14 years of experience serving students and leading faculty in challenging educational environments.

Beth serves as the Director of Special Education for all of the Greenwich Education Group Schools. With many years of experience in Special Education, compliance and consulting, she empowers both staff and students to create effective and positive learning environments. She is also serving as the Dean of Faculty for Spire, Pinnacle and Beacon, ensuring that our GEG Schools teachers have the resources and support necessary to their success.

While taking in the amazing culture, character and sites of the Northeast, Beth enjoys spending time at the gym, going to the movies and watching sporting events. Through work and play, her priorities include building and maintaining positive personal and professional relationships, and continuing to grow and learn with and from others.

Teg Cosgriff
Director of Athletics & Student-Athlete Development

Teg Cosgriff joins the Greenwich Education Group as the Director of Athletics & Student-Athlete Development providing counseling and curriculum development in the college planning and selection process for student-athletes in Grades 7 - 12.

Teg has an established and successful record as an athletic administrator at both the college and public school levels. His work experiences have been multi-faceted as an assistant director of athletics at Yale University and a director of athletics for the Madison Public Schools, CT and Mitchell College, New London, CT. The Daniel Hand High School athletic program (Madison) was recognized nationally by Sports Illustrated as the best High School Athletic Program in the State of Connecticut over a ten year period. As athletic director at Mitchell College he led the transition from a two year junior college athletic program to a four year NCAA Division III athletic program.

Teg is a graduate of Springfield College with a Bachelors of Science degree in Sport Management and holds a Masters of Science degree in Counseling from the University of Bridgeport School of Education. In addition he completed his 6th year degree of Advanced Study in Educational Leadership at Southern Connecticut State University. Teg is an active speaker and advocate of sportsmanship, leadership and character development in athletics and has served as a trainer for the Positive Coaching Alliance based out of Stanford University speaking to parents, student-athletes, coaches and administrators along the East Coast.

Teg resides in Madison, CT with his wife Sue and their three sons, where they enjoy the Connecticut shoreline and where he also volunteers as a youth coach and board member for many of his sons' teams and leagues.

Alisa Dror, PhD, BCBA
Head of Pinnacle School
Clinical Director of Behavior Services, GEG Schools

Dr. Alisa Dror holds a MA and PhD in Special Education and is a NYS certified special education teacher. She is also a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and a Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) program certified consultant. Alisa performs dual roles at GEG, as Clinical Director of Behavior Services and as Head of Pinnacle School. In the latter role, Alisa oversees assessment, intake and coordination of services to Pinnacle students. She is responsible for developing and implementing Pinnacle’s social and therapeutic curricula. Additionally, she provides behavioral assessments and support plans to the students in Beacon, Spire and Pinnacle. As Clinical Director of Behavior Services, Alisa supervises our team of behavior therapists and BCBAs, and designs and supervises implementation of behavioral and social skills programs for children and adolescents.

Prior to joining GEG, Alisa worked for 14 years developing curricula to meet the behavioral, educational and social needs of individuals with autism spectrum disorders. She served for nine years as the Director of Clinical Services for Tri-State Learning Center in New Rochelle, and five years with Center for Autism & Related Disorders (CARD) as a behavior therapist and clinical supervisor. She has also worked extensively with families of individuals with ASD, providing them with training and support to address their child's behavioral and social development. Additionally, she has conducted social groups, consulted with public and private schools, provided community and professional trainings, and serves on the board of a parent advocacy group.

In her leisure time, Dr. Dror enjoys traveling and exploring new destinations both near and far with her family, friends and 4 year old daughter. She is an avid runner, hiker and connoisseur of great food.

Diane Iris Ferber, MA, C.A.S., MBA
Director, Specialized Learning Services

Diane is responsible for developing and implementing programs and supports for students with learning differences, and ensuring that our expertise is customized for your child. This includes Diagnostic Assessment and Specialized Evaluations, Speech and Language Services, Executive Function Coaching, Social/Emotional Supports, ASD and ADHD Related Services and Supports, Academic Support and Educational Planning Advisory Services. Prior to joining GEG in 2013, Diane was the School Psychologist and Learning Support Specialist for Pear Tree Point School, where she worked with students, parents, teachers and administration to promote an optimal learning experience that focused on the strengths and needs of each individual child.
Diane has also conducted private psycho-educational and neuro-psychological assessments for students K through 12, helping identify strengths and areas requiring support. She believes strongly in providing scientifically based, customized and understandable assessment recommendations which are actionable by parents at home, and by teachers and service providers in both private and public settings.
Diane received her Master's degree and Certificate of Advanced Study in School Psychology from Fairfield University. Her internship and fieldwork were all completed in the Stamford Public School System, and featured assessment, IEP and 504 planning, individual and group counseling, teacher and parent consultation, and whole-class workshops on social/emotional skills, safety, and test anxiety. Diane earned her undergraduate degree in Economics from Brandeis University, and an MBA from The George Washington University. She lives in Stamford with her family, two very lucky rescued rabbits, and approximately 20 varied orchid plants that bloom and grow when she figures out what each one needs.

Nancy Grejtak, MA, MBA
Director, Specialized Learning Services
Academic Director, Pinnacle

As Director of GEG's SLS Group, Nancy leads the teams responsible for developing and implementing best practice programs for students with learning differences. This includes Pinnacle School, Specialized Academic Services (tutoring for students with learning differences), Behavior Services, Speech and Language Services, Executive Function Coaching, Specialized Evaluations, and Social Skills Training. Prior to joining GEG in 2008, Nancy was the Director of Pupil Services in the Los Altos School District in California, where she was responsible for administration of the special education and psychological services programs for the district. In that role she developed a comprehensive autism support program for her constituency, and spearheaded collaborative practices between parents and district staff. Nancy also was a Resource Specialist and Inclusion Specialist teacher in Sunnyvale School District for nine years, where she was honored as Teacher of the Year.

Nancy received her undergraduate degree from University of California at Santa Barbara, a Masters in Business Administration from Pepperdine University, and a Masters in Special Education from Santa Clara University. Her volunteer interests have ranged from the Williams Syndrome Association, where she was on the Board for many years and served as President (1996-1998), to her current involvement in the Connecticut Council for Exceptional Children, where she serves on the Program Committee. Nancy lives in Darien with her husband, son and two very active Portuguese Water Dogs.

Meredith Hafer, MA
Head of School, Beacon
Academic Director, Greenwich Education Group

Meredith is the Head of School at Beacon, where she leads a team of educators and administrators in an innovative, individualized school setting. She also serves as the Academic Director at the Spire School and consults with families on individualized school options. As Academic Director of the Greenwich Education Group organization, she is involved in all of our new ventures and advises our divisions on curricula, course selection and program design.

Meredith grew up in the Philadelphia region and attended the Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. She graduated with honors from the University of Richmond, where she majored in Religious Studies and minored in Philosophy and French. As a writing fellow at the University of Richmond, Meredith instructed students on research and the writing process; teaching writing continues to be one of her passions. During her undergraduate years, she also spent time at Beijing University studying the Mandarin language. She earned a Masters in East Asian Studies from Harvard University and has taught history, literature, philosophy, Mandarin and study skills. Meredith is currently engaged in postgraduate studies in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in Gifted Education from the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. She is a member of the National Association for Gifted Children. She lives with her husband and three cats in Greenwich.

Dede LeComte, AB
Director of Admissions, GEG Schools

Dede graduated from Sweet Briar College with a double major in Sociology and Anthropology. Following college, Dede held marketing and promotion positions at Mademoiselle Magazine and the Prince Matchabelli Division of Cheseborough-Ponds. Later, she teamed-up with her husband, helping to manage two family-owned business. Dede's passion for education, resulting from the journeys of her four children, led to her serving on several school boards, including Board Chair for the Northwest Greenwich Nursery School, Children's Day School and most recently, Oldfields School, an independent girls boarding school in Maryland. She currently sits on the Advisory Board of Children's Day School and is a member and Past President of the Junior League of Greenwich. Dede and her husband live in Greenwich and enjoy being outdoors in their vegetable or flower gardens as well as spending time with their four children and their menagerie of horses, dogs and cats.

Tammy Moscrip, PhD, MSW
Executive Director, The Spire School
Director, Links
Director of Clinical Services, Greenwich Education Group

Tammy is the director of The Spire School, manages the Links academic program, and serves as the clinical services director at Greenwich Education Group. She holds a doctorate in psychology from Columbia University, and is a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in work with children & families.

Tammy was born and raised in Maine. She graduated magna cum laude from Bates College with pre-medical preparation and a double-major in biology and psychology. As a researcher at the National Institutes of Health and Columbia University, she dedicated nearly a decade to exploring the evolution of cognition through her study of nonhuman primate learning and memory. Tammy is particularly interested in the intersection of the brain, cognition, and behavior. By integrating her knowledge of neuroscience and learning theory, she helps students develop cross-disciplinary skills and strategies that address short-term goals for academic success, as well as long-term goals that involve essential life skills such as effective interpersonal interactions and emotional regulation.

In addition to teaching topics in psychology, statistics and research methodology, Tammy also serves as a life coach and executive function coach. Her approach utilizes a strengths-based instructional methodology and a combination of cognitive and dialectical behavior therapeutic techniques that complement the unique social-cognitive-behavioral profiles that shape individual students’ learning styles and academic success. Tammy has provided clinical services to children, adolescents, adults, and families in medical and psychiatric hospitals and in school settings. She has published research articles on the neurobiological mechanisms of learning and memory, given numerous lectures on teen brain development and executive functioning, and authored a book chapter on the impact of early trauma on psychological and physiological functioning. In addition to her work with students, Tammy always enjoys time spent with animals, as well as SCUBA diving, traveling, and motorcycle riding.

Victoria Newman, MS Ed
Founder and Executive Director, Greenwich Education Group
Director, Day and Boarding School Advisory Services

Vicky founded Greenwich Education Group (GEG) in 2003 and is the Executive Director of all GEG divisions. She is an educational consultant and Director of Independent Day and Boarding School Advisory Services. Vicky began her educational career as a teacher in the Stamford Public Schools and then went onto teach in the Greenwich Public School System. She has been trained by the Orton-Gillingham Institute for Multi-Sensory Education, Windward Teacher Training Institute, and by Wright Group/McGraw Hill in Everyday Math instruction. She is deeply knowledgeable about the academic curriculum in both the public and private school arenas.

Vicky grew up in Manhattan and Westport, Connecticut, and graduated from the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York. After earning her B.S. from Syracuse University School of Education, Vicky received her Master's Degree and wrote a thesis on differentiation of instruction at the elementary school level while interning in the Stamford Public Schools. Vicky holds a Connecticut Professional Teachers' Certificate and is a professional member of IECA, ERB, and SSATB. Vicky also works with families that are moving to the US from abroad. This led to her receiving the International Sub-Speciality designation from IECA. In her ten years of educational consulting, Vicky has placed over 400 students into private day and boarding schools throughout the country.

Vicky and her team have expanded the services that Greenwich Education Group offers to ensure that the individual needs of each and every student are met. This led to Vicky founding three Independent Day Schools under the Greenwich Education Group umbrella to address the needs and learning styles of each individual student. Many of the services Greenwich Education Group provides have grown out of a need in the community. She strongly believes that while each child's learning style and educational growth of students and is different; there is an appropriate educational match for every student. In her spare time, Vicky loves to travel, exercise, read, and watch TED Conference videos. She lives in Greenwich with her two daughters, husband Peter, and two dogs, A.J. and Cheyenne.

Tucker Paine, MS Ed
Director, Academic Services

Tucker is the Director of In-Home Academic Services for GEG, where he manages in-home tutoring programs for families throughout Fairfield County, CT, Westchester County, NY, and beyond. He also teaches between eight and ten students a week, with most of the sessions focusing on Elementary or Middle School Academics, Study and Organizational skills, and Test Preparation. Tucker earned a Masters in Urban Multicultural Education from the College of Mount St. Vincent, where he graduated with Academic Honors, and has a BA in Music History from Dickinson College. Tucker has been teaching for over 12 years, and readily uses his years of classroom experience from schools in Darien, CT, and Harlem, NY, whenever possible. Tucker believes passionately in the power of one-on-one education, and views every session as an opportunity to instill and reinforce study and work habits that will stay with that student for the remainder of his or her academic career. When he is not working, Tucker enjoys playing basketball, listening to music, being active, singing, and convincing strangers that the Knicks are not as bad as they seem.

David Rafferty
Director of Student-Athlete Strategic Initiatives

David Rafferty joins the Greenwich Education Group as Director, Student-Athlete Strategic Initiatives. As a parent facing the perplexing student-athlete conundrum, he understands the challenges that face parents today. Dedicated to finding family-friendly solutions to the time-consuming demands needed for both athletic and academic success, David brings years of first hand experience to our team.

A former sports and entertainment marketing executive, David has been working both sides of the student-athlete fence for several years. As a multi-sport youth coach in Greenwich, a board member of the Old Greenwich-Riverside Community Center, and with two growing children who are both top students as well as top-tier athletes, David has had to navigate the challenges of finding time to excel in both athletics and academics. As a PTA board member in both elementary and middle school, David is well versed in the demands placed on children academically. This deep understanding of the challenges faced by today's parents makes David uniquely qualified to work with area facilities, athletic clubs and boosters to provide supplementary academic services to local student-athletes in a seamless and structured way.

A graduate of SUNY Fredonia, and a well-respected community leader, David is also a regular contributor to the Greenwich Time, and a senior staffer at Raquette Lake Boys Camp in the Adirondacks, where for the past eight years he has been working with children of all ages. In addition his time on site during the summers, he is a tremendous asset to the camp working with parents throughout the year to help structure their children's experiences. Married for nearly 25 years and with two children moving through the local school system, David lives in Old Greenwich and enjoys skiing, cooking and traveling wherever the mood takes him.

Joanne Sabato, MA, CCC-SLP
Director, Speech and Language Services

Joanne is an ASHA certified Speech-Language Pathologist serving children with speech, language and hearing disorders for over 30 years. She is currently licensed in CT, NY, RI and FL and is the former Executive Director of Central Speech, a multi-disciplinary therapy center that provided Speech, OT and Special Education to children from birth to 21 years throughout Westchester County. Joanne has developed programs, supervised professionals and has extensive experience with a wide range of speech and language disabilities including: articulation and phonological disorders, feeding, oral motor, autism spectrum disorders, language learning disabilities, developmental delays, social language (pragmatics) and literacy. She has worked in TEACCH programs, ABA and Greenspan’s Floor-time and developed a program combining all three to provide interventions to preschool children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. She has created and presented numerous workshops for parents and in-service training for therapists and teachers.

For over 30 years Joanne has worked as a speech-language pathologist in private practices, public, charter and Montessori schools. Her philosophy is holistic in approach and strives to look at how communication difficulties, and their various complexities, impact the whole child. She believes that evaluation is an on-going process and involves collaboration between parents, teachers and the child. This approach allows her to zero in on both the child’s greatest needs and strengths, and to use those strengths to help develop the weak areas, while building self esteem in the process.

Robyn Whittingham
Director, Human Resources

We are very excited to introduce Robyn Whittingham, our new Director of Human Resources to the Greenwich Education Group community. Robyn is passionate, dedicated and quite excited to be working at a company where she can shape our HR Department that will address all of our needs as a growing company.

Robyn brings over seventeen years of professional experience in the field of Human Resources and has worked for companies that are local (NYC) and global (Dubai), start-up and Fortune 500, union and non-union, and profit and non-profit. She has a proven track record of reducing employee grievances, successfully negotiating and advocating for employees, instituting health plans, and establishing policies and protocols as a company grows. She lives in Stamford, has a grown son (she'll brag about him if you ask!), and is currently a writer and editor at iworkwell.com, (a Human Resources website that gives advice to practitioners). We have a number of important projects that Robyn is going to tackle immediately and we're very excited about her joining our team.