Our Faculty

1st Grade Assistant
Literature- Girls

Karen Anderson is a veteran teacher with over three decades of experience. She has taught a variety of subjects from Kindergarten through 12th grade, most often in classical schools. Though she officially holds a BA in History from Empire State University (Summa Cum Laude), she has also enjoyed teaching middle and high school Literature for the last seventeen years. She is the author of A Fairy Tale Christmas (Stewart Tabori & Chang, 2006), which celebrates a historical Hudson River estate and the deeply Christian symbolism of many popular fairy tales. She has written several articles on faith and culture as well. She loves sharing her enthusiasm for hidden mysteries in life and literary works, and inspiring her students to think of learning as a treasure hunt. In addition to academics, she has studied many types of creative work from all over the world combining her love of history, culture, and folklore. These include goldsmithing (in Rome), fashion history and illustration (in Paris), Indigenous leather and beadwork (with a Lakota craftsman), Ukrainian embroidery and pysanky, Royal School of Needlework ecclesiastical goldwork, Danish lacemaking, and early American appliqué. She and her husband have five children and eight grandchildren. In her leisure time, she enjoys visiting her family and hunting in old book shops for vintage children’s books and forgotten 19th century travel journals.

Art & Gym - Boys 

Beau Ahrens graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in History. Most recently, Beau worked as a Pre-K teacher in Delaware, Ohio, and previously served as a School Psychology Intern at St. Francis International School in Rome, Italy.

Originally from and currently residing in New Canaan, Beau was active in a variety of sports throughout his childhood and developed a love for art through his grandmother, who is an artist. He enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for art, athletics, and learning with Hawthorn students.

4th Grade- Boys

Matthew joins The Hawthorn School with teaching experience spanning elementary and middle school mathematics, science, history, and innovation. Most recently, he served as a Fourth Grade Associate Teacher and Resident Math Coach at Rippowam Cisqua School. He previously taught at Success Academy Charter Schools, Neighborhood Charter Schools, and the Horizons at Brunswick summer program, where he developed hands-on STEAM curriculum for students across multiple grade levels. Matthew holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance & Business Analytics from the University of Richmond and is currently pursuing a Master of Science at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. He is passionate about fostering intellectual curiosity, strong character, and a love of learning, and looks forward to partnering with Hawthorn families to help students grow in both competence and virtue. Matthew lives in downtown Katonah and enjoys hiking with his golden doodle, Masha. An avid trekker, he has completed the Inca Trail and explored trails across Alaska and the French and Swiss Alps.

Kindergarten Lead

Nicole joins The Hawthorn School with extensive teaching experience across Pre-K, Kindergarten, and grades 1–3. She spent much of her career teaching at a charter school in East Harlem before relocating to Somers, where she most recently taught Pre-K.  Nicole earned her M.S. in Childhood Education (Grades 1–6) from Pace University and holds an Early Childhood Education extension covering birth through grade 2. She also earned a B.A. in Communications from SUNY New Paltz.  She lives in Somers with her husband, their three children, and two dogs. She enjoys spending time with family and friends and is excited to become part of the Hawthorn School community.

2nd Grade Boys

Mark comes to Hawthorn after years of teaching and tutoring both middle and high school students. Most recently he taught Math at the Montfort Academy in Mount Vernon. Mark also has a background in business consulting, having worked with Deloitte Consulting as an actuarial analyst, and independently as an investment advisor and financial education instructor. He graduated summa cum laude from Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he studied in the Great Books Honors Program, while majoring in mathematics with a minor in finance. He was awarded the Mathematics Award and the Fr. Dan Egan Award as Outstanding Senior in the Bachelor of Science Program. He enjoys giving his time in service to the Church as a religious education instructor at his local parish.

5th-6th Grade Boys

Gabriel Epps grew up in the suburbs surrounding Philadelphia, where he attended Souderton Area High School. From there he most recently attended The Catholic University of America in Washington DC, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy and Politics with a minor in Classical Studies. Following college, he attended the St. Thomas More Teaching Fellowship, a teacher preparation program equipping young Catholics with the tools for their first years of teaching. Gabriel is excited to join The Hawthorn School to invite students into their wonderful patrimony of history, literature, and faith, providing them the foundation on which to develop into men freely and fully alive. Outside of the classroom, Gabriel is an avid reader, enjoying a wide variety of writings. From the philosophical works of Walker A. Percy and Dostoevsky, to the poetry of Robert Frost and Malcolm Guite, he is interested in knowing the stories that make us.

Kindergarten Assistant
Art, Religion, Language Arts - Girls

Marya Grimm earned her B.A. in the Liberal Arts from Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California, and brings to Hawthorn a strong background in philosophy, logic, and literature analysis. A native of Ridgefield, Connecticut, she was among the very first graduates of Cardinal Kung Academy. She has been working with children in a variety of childcare and educational settings for over eight years. In her free time, she can be found hiking in the woods, cooking, or watercoloring. She is delighted to teach Art and Religion in Kindergarten, as well as Language Arts for the middle school girls.

Kindergarten Assistant
Spanish - Girls

Andrea was born in England, raised in Chile, and has lived in the United States for many years.  Culturally multifaceted and fluent in English and Spanish, Andrea studied Fashion Design at Incacea (Santiago, Chile), and Fine Arts at the School of Visual Arts (New York). She worked in a variety of commercial roles before marrying and dedicating herself to the raising of her five children. More recently, she worked as a Catechist and Parish Secretary at "St. Michael the Archangel" in Greenwich, CT. Andrea started at Hawthorn in the Spring of 2025 as an Assistant in the Kindergarten class. She loves cooking, gardening, and painting.

Latin, Spanish & Math - Boys

Matthew is a native of England and a graduate of Cambridge University, where he studied Modern and Medieval Languages at Trinity Hall College. After spending many years on Wall Street as an Equity Analyst and Portfolio Manager, Mr. Hickman recently began a second career teaching languages to high school students. An enthusiastic supporter of Hawthorn's mission, Matthew teaches Spanish, Latin, and Math to boys in Grades 3-9, and serves as Hawthorn’s Director of Admissions helping to introduce families to the school. Matthew lives in Stamford, CT with his wife and their 5 children.

3rd Grade Girls

Rowena was born in the Philippines and moved to the United States when she was 14 years old.  She is fluent in English and Tagalog, and can speak a little Spanish. She graduated as Valedictorian of her high school class from Saint Raymond Academy for Girls in the Bronx.  From there, she received her B.S. in Business Administration with a minor in Marketing from Fordham University.  Afterwards, she earned three Masters Degrees: an M.S. in Teaching from Iona University, an M.A. in Religious Studies from Saint Joseph Seminary, and an Education Specialist Degree in Education Leadership Management and Policy from Seton Hall University.  Rowena has worked as a Catholic school teacher in the Diocese of Austin, TX and the Archdiocese of NY, and holds a NYS Board of Education Permanent Teaching Certification. She was Director of Religious Education for 15 years for the Archdiocese of NY and the Diocese of Orlando, FL where she also served as the Youth Minister for teens in the parish. Actively involved in parish life, she has volunteered as an alto in the church choir, a catechist, a lector, and an extraordinary minister of the Holy Eucharist. She met her husband while attending Fordham University and has been married for 35 years. They raised their three children and are now enjoying free time with their twin grandchildren.  Rowena is excited to join the Hawthorn School in its mission of assisting parents in the holistic education of their children and in contributing to the intellectual, physical, moral, and spiritual formation of each student.

Math & Religion - Girls

Monika was born in Czechoslovakia and graduated from Comenius University with a degree in Translation Studies. She began her career at a news agency translating news articles.  Monika later pursued studies in education, earning both a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a master’s degree in Elementary Education, graduating with honors in both programs. For over six years, she homeschooled her nonverbal autistic child, who, under her guidance, successfully learned to speak. In the United States, she worked for a non-profit organization in New York City, supporting at-risk youth and tutoring students in math. She now lives in Bedford with her husband and four children.

7th-8th Grade Boys

Hugo is a native of New York City who earned his B.A. in Mathematics from New York University.  Following a post-graduate language immersion program in Taiwan, he is conversant in Mandarin. He has worked in Data Analytics at Ogilvy, and Energy Sales at CuttingWind.  He has also served on the Transportation Committee of Manhattan’s Community Board 5, as a participatory budget fellow for City Council District 3, and in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office. He was a finalist in the John Locke Institute’s Essay Competition with a paper on the economic consequences of drug legalization in the USA.  Hugo also has an interest in music, and has pursued instrument studies in piano and violin. 

Kindergarten Lead

Gabrielle received her M.A from NYU Steinhardt and her B.A. from William Smith College. Her NYS Teacher Certifications include: Childhood & Special Education 1-6, and Dance PreK-12. She has been a teacher at Hawthorn since the school’s founding, with 12 years of full-time teaching experience in grades K-8 as a special education teacher, lead classroom teacher, and dance educator in NYC and Westchester public schools. With expertise integrating literacy, movement, and sensory learning into the arts and sciences, her previous experiences include designing dance curriculum, choreographing school musicals and producing student dance concerts. She lives in White Plains with her husband and children.

4th-5th Grade Girls

Christine joins Hawthorn as both a seasoned teacher and an experienced clinician. She previously served as the Mathematics Department Chair at P.S. 71 Rose E. Scala School in the Bronx, where she taught Math to students in Grades 6-8 for many years. After that, Christine spent a few years teaching for Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of New York, where she worked with children from Pre-K to Grade 3. She went on later to train in Mental Health counseling, and has worked as a therapist with both adolescents and adults. Christine is eager and excited to return now to working with young people in the classroom. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Loyola University Maryland, as well as two Masters Degrees, both an M.S. in Teaching from Pace University, and an M.S. in Mental Health Counseling from St. Bonaventure University in Olean, New York.

Latin

Maryel comes to Hawthorn from an extensive career teaching Latin to a range of students in the New York metropolitan area. Previous assignments include teaching classics at the Hackley School, The Masters School, New Canaan Country School, and the Marymount School of New York. Mrs. Schneider earned a B.A. cum laude in Latin and Greek from Tufts University and is active in the American Classical League. When not teaching, she pursues her interests in gardening and architecture. She has two grown children and lives with her husband in Bedford, NY.

1st Grade Lead

Kateri joins The Hawthorn School from Brilla Charter Schools in the Bronx, where she taught Kindergarteners in phonics, math, reading and writing skills, as well as leading the first grade catechism classes. As a Seton Teaching Fellow, she spent time focused on the intellectual, moral, and spiritual formation of children facing adversity. She also spent three years serving high school kids with the Faith Acts Camp in New Orleans. Kateri is fluent in Spanish, having completed a high school exchange program in Santiago, Chile at Colegio Juanita de los Andes. Kateri is also an elite soccer player; she has competed internationally for the U.S. Virgin Islands National Team. She is passionate about nature study and getting kids outside, and hails originally from Gorham, Maine. Kateri holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from Loyola University New Orleans.

3rd Grade Boys

Peter has been teaching at The Hawthorn School since 2023 and currently serves on the Administrative Council. He previously taught elementary and middle school Math, History, Language Arts, Science, Religion, and Latin at schools in Westchester and Fairfield County. He has coached soccer, tennis, rugby, hockey, and leads the Hawthorn Basketball Club. Peter currently assists at The Dangerous Camp for Boys and directs the Slap Shots and Stories hockey camp over the summer. Peter earned a B.A. in History with a minor in Medieval and Renaissance studies from Marist College and an M.S. in Education from Franciscan University of Steubenville, graduating with distinction. Mr. Simonetti lives in Stamford with his wife and young children.

Preschool Lead

Lauren is the lead teacher for Hawthorn's Montessori Preschool. She is completing her Montessori diplomate studies at the Casa dei Bambini level (Children’s House, Ages 3-6) with the Association Montessori International, the recognized gold standard in Montessori teacher education. Lauren comes to Hawthorn with prior experience at the Villa Maria School in Stamford, Greenwich Country Day School, St. Mary’s Academy in Somers, and Archbishop Stepinac in Mamaroneck. She earned her B.A. in English and M.S. in education from Fordham University, with distinction. Outside the classroom, Lauren enjoys spending time with her family, playing sports, and practicing piano and flute.

Preschool Assistant
Art - Upper School Girls 

Lexi works with Hawthorn's youngest students in the Montessori Preschool classroom, and teaches Studio Art to girls in Grades 2-5 and Grades 6-9.  She previously worked as an assistant in Hawthorn's Kindergarten class, has lifeguarded for Yorktown Parks and Recreation, and taught swimming lessons to toddlers and younger children.  Lexi was an honors graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design where she received her B.F.A, with a Major in Animation and a Minor in Themed Entertainment Design.  Lexi brings an enthusiasm for creativity and the arts and when she's not teaching, she enjoys reading, sketching, and participating in family game nights.  

Music - Lower School & Girls

Alexis teaches music at Hawthorn and also works on marketing and events with the admissions office. A conservatory-trained violinist and music educator with 20 years of experience, her general music classes are informed by ongoing professional development in the Suzuki method and the Orff Schulwerk approach. She has worked in fundraising and events for Lincoln Center, and as Director of Cultural Programs for the World Youth Alliance, an international nonprofit based in Manhattan. Alexis studied violin performance at The Juilliard School and Peabody Conservatory, received her undergraduate degree from Princeton University, and a masters in arts administration from New York University. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and family. Her oldest son is a student at Hawthorn.

2nd Grade Girls

Tonianne is a graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, where she completed her B.A. in Theology. While at university, she studied abroad in Austria and traveled to over ten countries. A native of Rockland County, New York, Ms. Zottoli is returning to her love of teaching after spending several years working in the digital marketing industry for various non-profits on the East and West coast. As a university resident-assistant, summer camp counselor, and catechist at her local parish, Tonianne has always enjoyed teaching and mentoring young people. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and reading.

Religion, Lower School

Christopher is a graduate of The Canterbury School in Connecticut and earned his undergraduate degree from New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, concentrating in Music and Philosophy.  As both a teacher and Hawthorn parent, he seeks to support other parents in forming young hearts and minds in the truth and beauty of the Catholic faith.  Chris’ personal journey has provided a profound appreciation for the gift of faith and a desire to share it with the next generation.  He looks forward to partnering with families in the joyful work of passing on the faith and encouraging each child to grow in wisdom, confidence, virtue, and holiness.