Our Board of Directors

Mrs. Kelly Andino: Acting Head of School, Dean of Girls. Director ex officio. Mrs. Andino brings a wealth of experience to The Hawthorn School, both as an educator and administrator. Mrs. Andino sat on the Administrative Council of The Hawthorn School for three years prior to assuming her current position. She has taught girls at the school since its founding. 

Prior to Hawthorn, Mrs. Andino was among the founding faculty of Cardinal Kung Academy in Stamford, Connecticut, where she taught high school history and religion. She held previous teaching posts at The University of Chicago, the Yale Young Global Scholars program, and Akilah Institute for Women in Kigali, Rwanda. 

Mrs. Andino began her career in the non-profit sector. Her work there focused on improving public discourse, education, and mentorship. She served as Project Director for Braver Angels, a national grassroots organization working to improve civic discourse in the United States. Previously, Mrs. Andino served in multiple leadership roles at The Global Good Fund, a Washington, D.C. based incubator supporting social entrepreneurs around the globe. 

Mrs. Andino shows a commitment to public service, having worked in government at both the national and local levels, first for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and later at the Office of the Mayor of New Haven. 

Mrs. Andino is an alumna of Yale University, where she studied Intellectual History. She completed her Master’s studies at The University of Chicago, focusing her research on Sacred Art and Architecture, particularly the shrines of the Holy Land. She has presented at Oxford University, The University of Chicago, and the North American Patristics Society and published in the peer-reviewed Visual Commentary on Scripture. 

Mrs. Andino enjoys cooking, gardening, and the study of foreign languages, and is a classically trained harpist. She and her husband are the parents of four children, among them two Hawthorn students.

Dr. Phillip Braun: Director. Dr. Braun is an ophthalmologist practicing in New York City, with a focus on cataract surgery and comprehensive ophthalmology. He has a longstanding interest in teaching and mentorship, and is currently a faculty member of the Mount Sinai healthcare system, where he instructs resident physicians in medical and surgical ophthalmology. A humanist by training, he pursued his undergraduate studies in Classics at Princeton University then his doctorate at Yale School of Medicine, and subsequently completed his residency at the University of Rochester.

Mrs. Maryanne Harkins: Director. Mrs. Harkins brings over 25 years of experience teaching mathematics from grade school to college. Most recently, she served as an adjunct professor at the LaPenta School of Business at Iona University, where she taught Operations Management Analytics. A lifelong learner and dedicated educator, Maryanne holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Wellesley College, studied Industrial Engineering at Northwestern University, earned a Master of Science in Engineering in Applied Mathematics from Johns Hopkins University, and is currently pursuing an MBA in Business Analytics at Iona University. Maryanne has been an active member of several school communities, including Sacred Heart Greenwich, Iona Preparatory School, and The Hawthorn School. As president of the Hawthorn Parent’s Guild, she works to strengthen family involvement. Maryanne and her husband, Mike, reside in northern Westchester County, where they are raising nine children, the youngest of whom attend The Hawthorn School. With her analytical expertise, Maryanne advocates for process efficiency and the implementation of best practices in education. She actively promotes a learning environment that inspires curiosity and problem-solving.

Mr. Alexander G. Hutter: Treasurer. Mr. Hutter is an Officer of Silgan Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SLGN), a leading global packaging manufacturer, where he currently serves as Vice President and Global Head of Investor Relations. Prior to joining Silgan in 2018, Mr. Hutter spent over a decade performing fundamental equity research across several sectors, most recently at Jefferies LLC. Mr. Hutter lives in North Stamford with his wife and three children, and is a graduate of Loyola University in Maryland and Fairfield Prep.

Mrs. Mary Ellen Kranzlin: Vice Chair. Mrs. Kranzlin is a mother of five. She has an MBA from Columbia Unversity and B.A. in English from the University of Virginia. Before becoming a mother, she worked in marketing for Proctor and Gamble and in the marketing division of advertising at Saatchi & Saatchi and the former SSC&B: Lintas. With her cousins, she runs the Bunting Family Foundation. She is a trustee for Save the Sound. She serves on the Board of Alderton House, which provides religious, cultural, and social activities for women. She was a Board Member at Seven Acres Montessori in Wilton, CT for 9 years. She was a Trustee for Oakcrest School for 5 years. Mary Ellen was an active volunteer at her children’s’ various schools. She taught religion to children of all ages at her church from 2000-2020. She also teaches at mini-retreats and classes for women. She is a co-leader of the Women’s Bible Study program at her church.

Mr. Tim McGovern: Acting Head of School, Dean of Boys. Director ex officio. Since the school’s founding in 2022, Mr. McGovern has taught middle school boys, directed the Spring and Fall Cross Country Clubs, and led the school’s mentoring program as Director of Mentoring. During the summer, he oversees Hawthorn’s Dangerous Camp for Boys. Mr. McGovern has also served on the school’s Administrative Council since its founding.

Before joining Hawthorn, Mr. McGovern taught in high-performing classical charter schools in the South Bronx. His students, from 3rd to 6th grade, consistently outperformed the district, with pass rates often more than tripling those of neighboring schools. In 2021, he was promoted to Instructional Coach and Character Education Lead. In that role, he focused on developing effective teachers, building strong systems to address student behavior, and fostering supportive relationships with students and families.

Mr. McGovern holds a B.A. in Classics and Literature from Middlebury College. At Middlebury, he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and was the recipient of the Kellogg Prize for Latin Translation. He spent a year studying literature and theology at Blackfriars Hall at the University of Oxford and received funding to conduct research at the Bodleian Library. For his original Latin composition, the University of Oxford Latinitas Society awarded him a bursary for travel to the Academia Vivarium Novum in Rome. Mr. McGovern has earned an M.A. in Education from Relay Graduate School of Education and recently completed an M.A. in Character Education from the University of Birmingham. He holds a New York State professional teaching license and is currently completing his School Building Leader licensure. Mr. McGovern lives in Brewster, NY, with his wife and children.

Mr. Andrés I. Pérez-Benzo: Chairman. Mr. Pérez-Benzo is a private investor and the founder of Sfumato Equity Holdings LP, a hedge fund in New York City. Mr. Pérez-Benzo has worked previously at Goldman Sachs, Uber and IBM. He serves on the boards of several educational institutions including The Heights School in Potomac, MD, and is a graduate of Princeton University.

Mr. Joel Pidel: Secretary. Mr. Pidel practices traditional and classical architecture in New Canaan, Connecticut, residing nearby with his wife and children. He attended the University of Notre Dame where he studied architecture and philosophy, graduating in 2005. His work has been the recipient of architectural design awards and has been published in various books and magazines.