Faculty & Staff

Michael enjoys reading, gardening, squash, and playing and listening to music (everything from classical and jazz to folk and Americana to indie rock and alt country). His first book of poems, “Inside the Box,” was published in 2007, his second book, “Captivated,” came out in 2011, his third book, “A Wilderness of Chances,” was released in 2015 and his fourth book, "Even Here," came out in 2020. All of his books were nominated by his publisher for the Pushcart Prize, and he has read his poems in venues as varied as the Mystic Art’s Cafe, WordForge in Hartford, the Windsor Arts Center, and the Ridgefield Playhouse (as the opening “act” at a Dar Williams concert). 

Julie joined Westminster following a 20-year career at Deerfield Academy. After serving as assistant controller for nine years and controller for five years, she was appointed director of business services where she was responsible for oversight of daily operations of the Finance Office, which included seven staff members and three campus store staff. She managed Deerfield’s budgeting process and collaborated with Deerfield’s operations team, including facilities, food service, human resources, information technology and security. Among many other responsibilities, she assisted with tax-exempt bond issues, participated in the campus master planning process and was a liaison with the Advancement Office. 

 

Before Deerfield, Julie spent six years as the manager of budget and decision support for Baystate Franklin Medical Center and six years in the audit division of Coopers & Lybrand. She earned a B.S. in accounting from Boston College and certification as a CPA. 

 

With a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and a B.A. in Political Science from Brown University, both magna cum laude, Greg brings more than two decades of experience in education and leadership to the History Department. He has taught a range of history, government, and law courses and has held key administrative roles, including Dean of Studies at the Ransom Everglades School and program head at EXPLO. Greg also coaches JV boys’ squash and JV girls’ tennis.

A native of Great Britain, Lawrence is a graduate of Strathallan School, Scotland. He studied at Durham University, the University of Aberdeen, and Cambridge University. In 2022, Lawrence completed an MBA through the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

 

He has served in a range of roles at independent schools in England and the United States. Before emigrating, he worked at Eton College in Windsor, England, where he served as a housemaster, class dean, English teacher and coach.

At Westminster, in addition to coaching and advising the student newspaper, he leads the fly fishing club. 

Dr. Katherine (Katie) Crowell is a licensed psychologist in private practice. Before earning her doctorate, she trained as a school psychologist and obtained her education specialist in school psychology as well as her master’s in counseling psychology. She earned her doctorate in combined clinical, counseling and school psychology at Utah State University in 2014 and completed her predoctoral internship at the University of Kentucky Counseling Center.

 

Since Dr. Crowell first began practicing clinically in 2007, her work has primarily focused on providing individual and group therapy with children, adolescents and emerging adults with a variety of mental health concerns and in an array of clinical settings. In addition to working with culturally diverse children, adolescents and families in urban elementary and secondary schools, she has worked at university counseling centers, in community mental health and in interdisciplinary residential care settings for adolescents with severe eating disorders. At Westminster, Dr. Crowell meets with students one to two days per week and consults with the interdisciplinary team at the health center as well as various members of the academic community to meet each students’ individual needs.

Kelly developed and oversees the academic support program at Westminster. She is the coordinator for accommodations and is the main contact for families with questions about extended time at Westminster or with standardized testing. She teaches effective study skills through individualized and group instruction. Lessons involve organization, time management, setting and achieving goals, the importance of a great attitude and self-motivation, flexibility, building grit, task initiation, successful notetaking, test-taking strategies, critical thinking skills, active listening and sustained attention, and working memory. She also teaches Global History and Society. 

 

Kelly earned a bachelor’s in education at Plymouth State University with a concentration in reading and special education. She has a master’s degree from St. Joseph’s University and a certificate in Social, Emotional, Behavioral Wellness. She is also trained in the Orton-Gillingham Approach in reading. Orton-Gillingham is a structured literacy program that helps students who struggle with reading, auditory processing and/or other learning differences. 

 

Kelly is an advisor for Martlets Educating Martlets, a robust peer tutoring group. This student-run program has over 80 peer tutors for almost every class. She is also the advisor to the One Love Club. 

Kelly lives at Westminster with her husband, Ryan, and their children, Morgan ’24 and Dylan ’28.