Instructor Profiles

Allison Montesanto

For the past 10 years, Allison Montesanto has worked as a Guidance Counselor. Her experience has been primarily at the high school level, but her early years included 7th and 8th grade as well. Prior to beginning her counseling career, Allison worked as a 6th grade teacher in a small private school while also teaching computers classes to 2nd through 12th graders. While working in this school, she designed and ran the school's first formal Guidance Office. Finally, before working in education, Allison was an employee of a major computer corporation as an Executive Events Coordinator. Allison holds a Baccalaureate in Sociology and a Masters degree in School Counseling and is an active member in of the East End Counselor's Association.

Ashley Stona

Mrs. Stona received her BA from Syracuse University in Italian Language, Literature and Culture and Psychology, with a minor in Education Studies. She then received her MAT from Stony Brook University in Italian 7-12. Since then, Mrs. Stona has received a FLES extension from Dowling College to teach Italian K-6 and is near completion for receiving an Educational Leadership certification from Stony Brook University. Mrs. Stona has been teaching Italian at the 7th and 8th grade level for five years and has additionally served as a member of several curriculum writing committees and the Team Leader for her building's LOTE department. Mrs. Stona has received training in the area of Differentiated Instruction and has been teaching professional development courses for teachers in that area for the past several years.

Bill Staker

Mr. William Staker has been a Nassau County Police Officer for the past sixteen years and is currently responsible for the training of officers the Nassau County’s Police Emergency Service Unit. Homeland Security and The United States Secret Service have both provided Mr. Staker with a current and thorough understanding of school security issues and threat assessments through various training workshops. In turn, Mr. Staker then institutes and oversees the training of his police officers within his squad. In addition to training for the emergency service unit, Mr. Staker spent several years with the 7^th Pct Youth Patrol and has been active in speaking with community organizations and school groups regarding gang violence and fostering safe school environments.

Cathy Carella- Dean

Ms. Carella-Dean earned a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Secondary English Education from SUNY Cortland and a Liberal Arts Masters Degree from SUNY Stony Brook. She has been an educator for nearly two decades and has worked with various populations of children including children with autism and developmental disabilities. Currently she is a middle school English teacher in the Middle Country School District. Ms. Carella-Dean has been a NYS assessment scoring leader, a professional development facilitator, and a member of several curriculum writing curriculums.

Cheryl Breining

Ms. Breining holds a Masters degree in Social Work from Adelphi University, a Masters degree in School Psychology from St. John’s University, a Masters degree in Counseling from Hofstra University, and a Bachelors of Arts degree in Education from SUNY at Oneonta. Ms. Breining was a guidance counselor in Middle Country School district for twenty-three years and has been teaching sixth grade for the last ten years. Ms. Breining is a certified life coach with a private practice and works with The Edge Foundation, coaching college students with ADHD.

Christa Panciocco

Ms. Panciocco has spent the majority of her professional career at the college level. After receiving a BA in elementary Education and an MA in Student Development in Higher Education from the University of Maine at Orono, she worked as a college administrator at such colleges as Hamilton College and Boston University. While at Boston University, Ms. Panciocco oversaw and counseled students regarding academics, careers, as well as created strategies to assist students in their goals of obtaining academic excellence at the university. Ms. Panciocco s has been a long standing member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators and The National Association of College Administrators. In addition to her experience in college administration and affiliation with related professional organizations, Ms. Panciocco has also taught freshman courses at the various institutions. Currently, Ms. Panciocco is a college search consultant for her own company, College Bound, where she advises, guides and educates both parents and students on the college administration process.

Hal Kensch

Hal Kench holds a B.S. in Technology Education from SUNY Oswego, and an M.S. in Instructional Technology from the NY Institute of Technology. He has been a technology education teacher for the East Islip School District since 1998, and has developed curriculum for the Staff Development Center of the Islips, SCOPE, and the Valley Stream Teacher Center.

Janet MacMillen

Ms. Mac Millan received her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education in 1970 from Felician College in Lodi, New Jersey and her Masters of Science in reading education for Dowling College in 1995. She is currently employed as a reading and academic intervention teacher at Middle Country School District. In addition, she facilitates professional development workshops at Middle Country, and s also an adjunct assistant professor of Literacy Education at Dowling College in Oakdale, New York, currently instructing the following courses; Literacy Assessment Practicum, readers with Special Needs, and Literacy Seminar/ Literacy Practicum.

Jennifer De Collibus

Ms. De Collibus earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Siena College and a Master of Science degree in Adolescence Education with a Middle Childhood Extension from Dowling College. She has been teaching for eleven years and has experience at both the high school and middle school levels. Currently, she is teaching at Dawnwood Middle School, where she has taught a writing course, seventh and eighth grade English, and inclusion. Ms. De Collibus has been a member of several curriculum writing committees, a professional development facilitator, a NYS ELA Assessment scoring leader, and a Team Leader for her school’s English department.

Jennifer Lindstadt

Ms. Jennifer Lindstadt holds a Bachelor of Science degree in speech pathology and audiology from SUNY Geneseo. After Geneseo, Ms. Lindstadt continued her education at St. John’s where she graduated with a master’s degree in counseling. Currently Ms. Lindstadt works as a guidance counselor at the middle school level. She is a member of the Western Suffolk Counseling Association, NYS School Councilor’s Association, is affiliated with LIGALY, is the middle school track coach, and is the mentor for the career club and National Junior Honor Society.

Jennifer Ryker

Mrs. Ryker has earned a MA in Literacy from C.W.Post University and a BA in Elementary Education/Psychology from Hofstra University. Mrs. Ryker has been teaching for eleven years. She began her career as a tenured classroom teacher for grades fourth and second in the Comsewogue School District. In addition, she taught Reading Recovery to struggling first graders. Most recently, she has been working in the Baldwin School District as a tenured reading teacher for grades K-5. She is also a Wilson Trainer.

Jenny Panciocco

Ms. Panciocco has been a middle school ELA teacher for the past decade. She received her BA in English from St. Anselm College and followed this degree with a Master in Teaching English from SUNY Stony Brook. Her experience and expertise in the ELA area has been punctuated by her role as the member MCCSD District Curricula Council, chairperson of the district wide k-12 ELA curricula writing committees, and several years as a department chairperson. Aside from her extensive involvement with creation, organizational and delivery of ELA curricula based upon NYS Standards, Ms. Panciocco has also routinely provides professional development for colleagues in the her district in the successfully implementation and use of literature circles in a variety of classroom settings. Past years a mentor in her district’s mentor/ intern program has also qualified Ms. Panciocco as an exceptional teaching professional.

John Kelsch

Mr. Kelsch holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from the State University of New York at Geneseo, a Masters of Arts in Liberal Studies from Stony Brook University and a Post Masters Certificate in School District Administration from Stony Brook University. He holds permanent certifications from New York State in N/K and Grades 1-6 education, Special Education and as a School District Administrator. Mr. Kelsch has been a teacher for twenty three years and has taught in a variety of settings. He has worked as a Special Education Teacher in an Elementary Inclusion Classroom, a Regular Education Teacher in an Elementary Inclusion Classroom and in an assortment of Self Contained Special Education Classrooms. Currently the Senior Member of the Classroom Teaching Staff at Maryhaven Center of Hope, he has experience in working with students with a wide variety of Developmental Disabilities, especially Autism Spectrum Disorders. He has been trained in administering the New York State Alternate Assessment, trains new employees on Effective Communication Skills and creates comprehensive Educational Programs using New York State Learning Standards. As the father of four, he has always sought placement in Inclusion classes for each of his children. He feels strongly that the social gains nurtured in a well run Inclusion class are immeasurable.

John Reilly

Mr. Reilly earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish Language from Boston College along with a Master’s in Spanish from Middlebury College. He has been teaching for fifteen years, the past eleven at John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore, NY. He has taught all levels of Spanish, including but not limited to the AP Spanish language course and a college level course taught in conjunction with Adelphi University. Over the past fifteen years he has participated on curriculum writing committees, mentored new teachers, and presented at district level meetings on the topics of the integration of technology and scaffolding. He is currently constructing a digital library of audio materials for the L.O.T.E Department of the Bellmore- Merrick CHSD and continues to explore and use a wide variety of technology to address the needs of his students. Last year, Mr. Reilly was the recipient of the Bellmore-Merrick CHSD Anne Crowley Award in recognition of his commitment to professional development, an award for which he was also highlighted in Newsday (People In The News, October 2008).

John Reid

Mr. Reid graduated from Virginia State University in 1965 and then went on to obtain a master's degree from Ohio University with a thesis entitled, “The Emergence of “Black” English”. After ten years as teacher, Mr. Reid moved into school district administration in an exceptional career that has spanned twenty six years practicing in such areas as Virginia, Ohio, New Jersey, and finally New York where he retired as the assistant superintendent of secondary education for the Middle Country Central School District. Currently, Mr. Reid is teaching educational administration courses at the LIU C.W. Post campus and is an active member in a variety of professional organizations such as NAACP, NASSP, ASCD, and NMSA.

Kysten Ellison

Kysten Ellison has been a health educator for over ten years and has been an instructor for LILIE since the inception of the company. She obtained a BS in Community Health and Human Services, a certificate in counseling specializing in both nutrition and drug/alcohol addiction, and a MS in Special Education. Ms. Ellison is a certified health educator K-12. She currently teaches health on the middle school level in the Middle Country School District and facilitates many health related courses on the graduate level. Ms. Ellison is also a member of LIGALY and is an advocate and trainer for educators on the prevention of violence and sexual bullying in youth as well as an Adjunct Professor at Hofstra University in the Health and Family Studies Department in the School of Allied Health

Kristina Pedersen

Ms. Pedersen holds a bachelors of Arts degree in Communication Arts from Salisbury University class of 1993 and a Masters Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from SUNY Stony Brook. Class of 2000. Ms. Pedersen has been teaching for ten years and is currently an English Teacher at the middle school Level. She teaches seventh grade and eighth grade English, as well as eighth grade inclusion. Before securing her position at Dawnwood Middle School, Ms Pedersen worked as a teacher’s assistant at Mary Haven Center for Hope with a variety of the developmentally disabled youth population including autistic children. She has been a department chairperson, a NYS assessment scoring leader, has headed several committees for curriculum writing and professional development, and has presented workshops on differentiated instruction and Bloom’s Taxonomy at professional staff meetings.

Laura Mulhare

Ms. Mulhare is a graduate from the State University of New York at Cortland and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics and Education and her Masters degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from SUNY Stony Brook. Ms. Mulhare is employed at Middle Country School District and has been teaching7^th Grade mathematicians for well over a decade at Dawnwood Middle School. Ms. Mulhare has been involved in a number of committees aimed at school improvement among faculty and students such as the Building Action Committee (BAC). She is currently the senior Building Union Rep for the MCTA at her building, and is also the teacher representative for of approval for of the Professional Development Fund allocation. In addition, Ms. Mulhare teaches at the district's Alternative Learning Center for such courses as Math Applications, Integrated Algebra, & Intermediate Algebra

Liz Catz

Ms. Catz has been an educator and coach for over 14 years. She is certified in Family Consumer Sciences, Business, and Elementary Ed. She currently teaches Middle School Family and Consumer Sciences. She earned her Associate’s Degree from Katharine Gibbs, Bachelor’s Degree from Dowling, and her Master’s Degree from C.W. Post. Her teaching career has been enhanced by her active participation in character education programs, curriculum development, awards, conferences, and committees. She has been the building coordinator of the Second Step Violence prevention program, wrote a 7-8th grade character education resource guide for monthly virtues and received the Section XI sportsmanship award for her Jr. High field hockey team 3 years running. She also
participated in Dr. Thomas Lickona’s 3-day character education training at BOCES, instituted the Wellness Wall and Kindness Corner at her school
last year and currently serves on the character education committee in her building.

Marci Stern

Ms. Marci Stern holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with double emphasis in English Literature and photography from SUNY New Paltz (1990) and a Master’s of Science degree in Secondary English Education from Long Island University, CW Post (1998) where Ms. Stern earned a Graduate Distinguished Performance Award. Ms. Stern completed her second Master’s degree from the University of Phoenix (2003) with a double emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Technology, where she is currently an adjunct professor in the English and Education departments. Ms. Stern has been teaching English on the secondary level, all grades 7-12, for 15 years and won the New Teacher of the Year Award in 1995 in Middle Country. For the last 5 years, Ms Stern has been teaching English on the high school level as well as teaching CW Post College English for high school seniors. Ms. Stern has conducts in-service training seminars on Differentiated Instruction, Classroom Smart Board Usage, and Educational Technology Integration and serves provides continuous training and mentorship to her colleagues. She is a member of National Council of Teachers’ of English, ASCD, ISTE, and a member of her building’s Differentiated Instruction Committee.

Nick Mazzaferro

Mr. Mazzaferro holds a bachelors of Arts degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from St. Joseph’s College and a Masters Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from SUNY Stony Brook. Mr. Mazzaferro has been teaching for nine years and is currently a Mathematics Teacher at the middle school Level. He teaches seventh grade currently and has also taught eighth grade, as well as inclusion. Before becoming a teacher, Mr. Mazzaferro worked as a computer specialist and technician. He has also run numerous workshops as a district turnkey trainer teaching fellow teachers many ways to use technology more effective in the classroom. Mr. Mazzaferro also held a position on the district’s technology committee for 2 years.

Preston Tucci

Mr. Tucci earned a Bachelors in Financial Management from Cornell University along with a New York State Secondary Mathematics Teacher Certification and Masters in Mathematics Education from SUNY Stony Brook University. He has been teaching for eight years at Selden Middle school in both seventh and eighth grade. In addition to on grade assignments, he has instructed several accelerated classes and been part of an inclusion team for the past four years. Over the past seven years he has participated on curriculum writing committees, as well as helped revamp the middle school mathematics model to align more closely with NYS recommended learning standards. Currently his department is highly vested in the “algebra for all” district wide math acceleration program, which challenges all eighth grade students to sit for the ninth grade Integrated Algebra exam. Outside of the classroom Mr. Tucci has coached several sports for a variety of years within the district.

Rob Bolen

Mr. Bolen has been a Living Environment and Advanced Placement Biology teacher at Eastport South Manor Junior-Senior High School since 1997. He earned his BA in Biology and MS in Secondary Education from Hofstra University and earned an Advanced Graduate Certificate in School District Administration from SUNY Stony Brook. In addition to teaching, Mr. Bolen has experience as a building administrator, science department coordinator, union executive officer, and has served on a variety of committees, including curriculum writing for environmental science, honors biology, and elementary science. Mr. Bolen is also a New York State Biology Mentor for the Nassau-Suffolk Region which enables him to facilitate professional development for colleagues in his district as well as throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

Scott Ellis

Mr. Ellis holds a B.A. in Psychology from S.U.N.Y.@ Stony Brook and an M.A. from Dowling College and has been teaching Special Education for the past 12 years and has a great deal of experience in the field, ranging from IEP's to annual reviews to learning disabilities. Currently, Mr. Ellis is teaching on the high school level in a collaborative tenth grade Global Studies classroom, a ninth grade Global Studies collaborative integrated co-teaching classroom and has also taught on the middle school level.