Head of School
Mariel has been a member of the OMS staff since 2004. She has served in the following roles at OMS: mathematics department head, development coordinator, special programs coordinator, and admissions assistant. She currently coaches the U10s at Okemo Mountain. Mariel loves winter sports and travel. She lives in Ludlow, VT with her husband, Mike.
- Brandeis University: Bachelor of Arts: Economics
Contact Mariel
mmeringolo@okemomountainschool.org
802-228-1513
Dean of Academics
Assistant to the Head of School
Admissions & Alumni Engagement Coordinator
Ashley was born and raised right here in Ludlow, Vermont. She started ski racing for Okemo Mountain at the young age of 6 years old and attended OMS for a few years throughout middle school. During college she worked as a substitute teacher and Varsity Softball Coach, which lead her to pursuing her Master's Degree in Elementary Education. She also holds a teaching license in the states of Vermont and New Hampshire.
Ashley lives in Rockingham with her husband, 2 kids, and fur babies (2 dogs & cat). She spends most of her free time going for motorcycle rides, traveling, hiking with her dogs, fishing and water skiing on Lake Rescue, and skiing Okemo in the winter.
- Castleton University: Bachelor of Arts: Sports Administration
- Franklin Pierce University: Master of Elementary Education
Contact Ashley
abelcher@okemomountainschool.org
Registrar & Academic Assistant
After graduating with a Master’s degree, Leslie concentrated on Alternative education, working at The East Hill School in Andover, Vermont, and The Mount Ascutney School in Brownsville, Vermont. She spent two summers as co-director at the Killington Music Festival for young musicians. Leslie took part in developing an interactive web site, hosted through Harvard University, bringing “live” Antarctic research into the classroom. She has written curriculum in a variety of subject areas, which has been approved by the Vermont Department of Education, and implemented in the classroom. In 2006, she began teaching at OMS, before accepting her Administration position as Dean of Academics in 2011. Leslie loves to run, snowboard, cross country ski, and surf.
- Rosemont College: Bachelor of Science: Sociology
- St. Joseph’s Academy: Master of Education
Contact Leslie
lcassano@okemomountainschool.org
802-228-1510
Development Coordinator
Kate spent one year at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and two years at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in oncology clinical research. She specialized in project management of clinical trials in lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, and bone marrow transplant. Kate taught science and math at OMS and started as the Assistant Dean of Academics in 2012. Her hobbies include hiking, yoga, horse-back riding, and skiing. She currently lives in Weston, VT with her husband, Ryan.
- University of Vermont: Bachelor of Arts: Biology
- Yale University: Masters of Public Health
Contact Kate
kfoster@okemomountainschool.org
(802) 228 -1112
Math & Science
Michael Bond brings his excitement for math and problem solving to his third year at OMS. He began his career working for engineering companies primarily in the energy industry. Prior to joining OMS, Mike served the needs of families in Denver, Colorado teaching 8th grade math. While teaching he completed a concurrent teaching program to become a licensed teacher in Colorado and now holds a Vermont teaching license for secondary mathematics.
Mike lives in Halifax, Vermont with his partner Nina and two boys, Dominic and Bear. When not at work, you might find Michael enjoying most forms of motorsport (particularly WRC), hiking in the forest, watching his kids play team sports, or possibly fishing. He also loves to spend some quiet time at home with his family.
- University of Colorado/Boulder, Bachelor of Science: Mechanical Engineering
- University of Colorado / Denver: ASPIRE teaching program
Math
Steve came to OMS in 2015 after working in technology companies and teaching math in Upper Valley schools from 2001-2015. He has taught trigonometry, geometry, algebra 1+2, connected math, business math, consumer math, computer skills, applied math, integrated math, physics, chemistry, economics, financial literacy and statistics.
Steve also coaches ski racing for Quechee and soccer for the Dartmouth women’s club team. He often roller-skis or rides a bike, is married to a psychotherapist and retired NH senator and has three children and six granddaughters.
- Dartmouth College: Bachelor of Science: Physics and Engineering
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Masters in Chemical Engineering
- The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania: Master of Business Administration
English & History
Claire has taught English Language Arts for over twenty years, both in New York City and as a tutor in Westchester County. She is an essayist, young adult fiction writer and poet. She has three adult daughters and currently lives in Manchester, VT. In the warmer months, she enjoys spending time outdoors in her garden and on foraging walks. She has been skiing in Vermont since the early seventies.
- Brown University: MFA, Creative Writing
- NYU: Master’s of Secondary Education
- University of Colorado: BA, English and Creative Writing
English & History
Carol has lectured at Suffolk School of Law and conferences for the American Immigration Lawyers Association. She’s been a sole practitioner of immigration law for over 7 years. She is a previous OMS parent and has lived in Ludlow semi-permanently for 6 years. Carol is an ultrarunner who also loves skiing and cooking vegan food.
- Susquehanna University, Bachelor of Art: Political Science
- Temple University School of Law, Juris Doctor
History & English
History Department Head
Sabrina grew up ski racing in the mountains of New York, but Vermont has become her new home. She graduated from Castleton University in 2018 with a BS in Secondary Education and History, and has acquired her teaching license for the state of Vermont. Sabrina was a part of Castleton University’s Alpine Ski Team for all four years of college, and coached for a high school ski team this past year in New York, where she gained experience substitute teaching as well. Sabrina will also be the assistant U14 coach at OMS this winter season.
Outside of the classroom she enjoys hiking, reading, skiing (of course), and petting dogs.
- Castleton University, Bachelor of Science: Secondary Education and History
Art
After 30 years of teaching in New York, Maura brings her many talents to us. She is certified in teaching braille and sign language and has used the arts as a way of communication. Maura also has trained countless guiding eye dogs. Maura lives in Ludlow for the winter with her husband, Pete, and they reside in Carmel, NY in the summer.
-College of New Rochelle, Bachelor of Arts in Special Education, Masters of Special Education
-Dominican College, Teacher of the Visually Impaired
History & English
College Guidance Coordinator
Wendy Hayward started at OMS in 2015. Wendy has served as the Associate Director of Education, Head of School, and served on the admissions staff at Southern Vermont College. She has been an independent educational consultant since 1980. Wendy lives in Chester and is also a landscape artist, writer and traveler.
- University of Denver: Bachelor of Arts: Social Sciences
- Northern Illinois University: Masters in Education: Secondary Ed, Special Ed, Administration
- University of Geneva: Certificate in French
- Penobscot Language School: TESOL/TEFL certificates
English
English Department Head
John has taught at OMS since 2012. He previously taught English at the Long Trail School; spent twenty-five years as a professional writer in the fields of fiction, journalism and communications; and has been a tutor since 2007. John is married to the author, Ellen Stimson and lives in Dorset. He and Ellen are avid readers, amateur artists; home cooks and travelers with a particular love of France. John is a snowboarder and soccer player who loves spending time with his three adult children and the family dogs; living in VT; and working alongside the dedicated and joyous student-athletes at OMS.
- lllinois State University: BS Political Science
English, History, Language & Economics
Thom spent the early years after college in the fields of teaching and journalism. He spent 18 years in government service and 14 years in trade association management/lobbying.
Thom is a script writer and novelist. His interests include research, travel, history, literature, languages, gardening, cooking, and Russian language and culture. He lives in Ludlow, VT.
- Sacred Heart University: BA English
- Fairfield University Graduate School: American Studies and Government
Spanish
Language Department Head
Prof. Horacio Travaglini is a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina and has lived in Manchester, Vermont since 2016. Since January 2016 Horacio has been teaching Macroeconomics and Microeconomics at Castleton University. His bi-cultural background and focus on community collaboration has led him to a number of volunteer opportunities and community leadership roles. He volunteers at chess and soccer clubs every time he can, and loves outdoor activities.
-University of Buenos Aires, Argentina: Bachelor of Science: Economics
-Northeastern University: Masters in Commerce and Economic Development
Art
Betsy is married to Eddie Johnson, who coaches the snowboard team at Okemo Mountain School. She has worked at Okemo Mountain since 2007. Originally from New Jersey she moved to Vermont when her son Eric, a snowboarder, started attending Okemo Mountain School. She coaches with the Okemo Mountain Snowboard Team and is head of the GROMS program. She has her degree in Garden and Planting Design and runs a business called Natural Landscape Designs in the summer months.
Betsy is primarily a watercolor artist. She is inspired by the Vermont landscape and will pack up her paints and walk or drive to areas where she can paint en plein air. Winter months are spent in her studio working from photos taken throughout the year.
Betsy lives in Weston Vermont with her husband Eddie and their two dogs. She loves to hike, run, paint and play in her ever expanding gardens.
French
Aude is a native from Switzerland, and very proud to teach her language and her culture to your child. She has been working in education for teen years. Aude grew up Bilingual in French and German. In her twenties she traveled around the world for 1 year, and fell in love with discovering new cultures and their costumes and traditions. After her trip Ishedecided to move to Hawaii and opened a Youth Hostel for 6 years, where she learned all about running a small establishment and of course, meeting lots of young people from very different backgrounds and countries.
Living in different countries and learning their languages have given Aude a better understanding of the process of teaching a foreign language. She takes advantage of her personal experience in order to implement her teaching methods.
- Kaufmännische Handelschule, Reinach Basellandschaft , Bachelor of Arts: Business
Math
Math Department Head
Mr. Milne has been teaching math for more than four decades in both public and private schools. His goal is to help students find their way in Maths through innovative teaching and an inclusive environment. When not teaching classes or mentoring teachers, he herds cats, designs websites, and enjoys medieval reenactments.
“Mathematics is endlessly fascinating. There are things we notice and things we question, there are insights we discover and insights we stumble over. Most important of all, there is beauty. Beauty in the patterns, beauty in the simplicity and beauty in the questions.”
- Norwich University, Bachelor of Science: Mechanical Engineering, Tau Beta Pi