Westminster Welcomes New Faculty

Westminster begins the 2008-2009 academic year by welcoming 11 new faculty members to campus. They bring diverse backgrounds and interests to their new responsibilities in various campus departments.  They include:

Nancy Hendryx
Spanish
B.A., Kent State University
M.A., Monterey Institute of International Studies

After earning her bachelor’s degree in Linguistics, Spanish and Latin-American Studies at Kent State University, Nancy earned her master’s degree in Translation and Interpretation and International Management at the Fisher School of Business of the Monterey Institute of International Studies in Monterey, Calif.  She has taught Spanish at Tolland High School and E.C. Goodwin Technical High School, and English as a Second Language and German at New Britain High School.  She has also held a variety of marketing and communications positions including those with New England Mechanical Services Inc., DISC Software, and the American Women’s Club of The Hague, for which she edited a book, “At Home in Holland.”

Nancy is a 15-year resident of Simsbury and an active community volunteer.


Jessica Keeley
Admissions Counselor
Field hockey, Hockey, Lacrosse
B.A., Trinity College, 2006

Jessica joins Westminster following two years as a teacher of world history and contemporary American politics at Hebron Academy in Maine.  While there, she created an independent study course for AP Government and a school newspaper for which she served as faculty advisor.  She also coached field hockey, hockey and lacrosse, and supervised students in a dormitory.

Jessica is no stranger to independent schools having graduated from Tabor Academy in Massachusetts, where she captained the field hockey, hockey and lacrosse teams. At Trinity College, she completed a legislative internship program at the Connecticut state capitol and was named a Long Walk Society Scholar. As a student athlete, she served as captain of Trinity’s varsity field hockey and hockey teams.  At Westminster, Jessica is an admissions counselor, coaches field hockey, hockey and lacrosse teams, and supervises a corridor in Milliken.


Robert H. Lazar
Director of Theater
B.A., University of New Hampshire, 1991
M.F.A., Boston University

Rob returns to Westminster as Director of Theater following a five-
year stint as Drama Master at the Lawrenceville School.  While at  
Lawrenceville, he instructed students in all areas of theater including  
acting, improvisation, script analyses, design, and production.   
Additionally, he was charged with instructing new theater faculty in  
departmental teaching practice for both the introductory- and advanced-
level classes.   In Rob’s prior tenure on the Hill, he served three  
years as Westminster’s Technical Director, and was responsible for all  
aspects of design and production at the Werner Centennial Center.

In educational settings, Rob has served as the Director of the Design  
and Production Program at the Walnut Hill School, Technical Director  
at Mount Holyoke College’s Chapin Auditorium, and as guest lecturer at  
the University of New Hampshire.  In professional productions, he has  
been a lighting designer, actor and director. His work has been  
seen in regional theater, opera, dance, and on Broadway, as well as in
many smaller venues throughout the country.

Rob resides on campus with his wife, Heather, and their twins, Will and Tori.  


Thea Leach
Director of Reunion Programs
B.A., Lynchburg College

Thea brings to Westminster experience working in alumni and development programs at independent schools. She served four years at Kingswood-Oxford School, first as Associate Director of Annual Giving and then as Director of Parent Relations and Event Planning. While there, she created the school’s reunion giving program and expanded the class agent program. Most recently, she worked two years at Miss Porter’s School as Associate Director of Alumnae Events.

Thea and her husband, Cliff, live in West Hartford with their two sons, Matt ’11 and Drew, a Second Former at Kingswood-Oxford School.


Alan S. Leathers
Mathematics
B.S., Boston University, 1983

Alan returned to Westminster to teach mathematics following two years
at Avon Old Farms School where he taught pre-calculus, geometry, advanced
math and statistics, and coached tennis, squash, soccer, and basketball.
Previously, he taught geometry at Westminster for one year.  A USPTA
certified professional, Alan has served as head tennis director at the
Chatham Beach and Tennis Club, the Tower Ridge Country Club, and the Hop
Meadow Country Club.  He also was the Men’s and Women’s Tennis coach
at Central Connecticut State University and the Boys’ Varsity Tennis
coach at Simsbury High School.  

Alan lives in Simsbury with his wife, Sarah, and their three children,
Samantha, Hannah ’11 and Will.


Daniel M. Lynch
English
Football, Baseball
B.A., Colby College 2005

Mac is teaching in the English Department this year as the sabbatical
replacement for Scott Reeves. He joins Westminster from St. Thomas More
School in Oakdale, Conn., where he taught English for three years.  While
there, he also served as a dorm parent and as coach for varsity football and varsity baseball. Mac also had the opportunity to teach students in different learning environments while serving as a wilderness leader for outdoor adventure excursions through Europe and Australia run by Overland Adventure and Wilderness Ventures.

At Colby College, he was awarded the Warren J. Finnegan Senior Athletic
Award and served as a member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee.
He has studied in London and Florence and greatly enjoys traveling. He lives on campus and when not working, enjoys all sorts of outdoor activities, reading, and playing sports.   


Sheena Marquis
Chemistry
Cross country, Track
B.A. Harvard College 2008

At Harvard, Sheena was a biochemistry major and a John Harvard Scholar. She graduated magna cum laude and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. Her many extracurricular activities focused around working with younger people. She was especially dedicated to her volunteer position on the inpatient-pediatric ward at Mass General Hospital through the Harvard Cancer Society, as well her role as a teacher and mentor for Science Club for Girls at two elementary schools in Cambridge. Continuing her work with younger people, last summer she served as a proctor and tutor for biology, chemistry, and math for 100 high school students in the Harvard Summer School Secondary Program, an eight-week residential program.  She also has worked as a research assistant in the Spelke Developmental Laboratory at Harvard on a project investigating how children perceive geometric arrangements.

In her free time, Sheena enjoys running, horseback riding, biking, skiing and reading.


Sara L. Miller
Dance
B.F.A., Ohio State University, 1998

A professional dancer and teacher, Sara is proficient in various dance forms including contemporary, ballet, tap and jazz.  For six years, she performed with various companies and chorographers in Minnesota, Ohio, New York and North Carolina. In addition to her dance experience, she is a certified Alexander Technique teacher, having competed a three-year training course at the Alexander Technique School of New England.
Sara also has experience teaching Hatha Yoga in the Iyengar form and taught private and group yoga at the Ohio State University Dance Department and at various studios in Ohio. She has taught dance and yoga at the Watkinson School and teaches the Alexander Technique for dancers at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School Community Division and the West Hartford Continuing Education department. She also teaches private lessons and workshops throughout the Greater Hartford area.  

Sara lives in West Hartford with her husband, Eric, an accomplished composer and music teacher. In her free time, Sara enjoys gardening, baking and taking trips to Cape Cod.


Margaret Q. Pilling
English
B.A., Central Connecticut State University, 1986

Mollie brings extensive experience with independent schools and teaching ?all levels of English to her responsibilities in the English Department. ? Raised and educated in Washington, D.C., Mollie’s first overseas experience in teaching was with the American School in New Delhi, India. The three years in Delhi inspired her to return overseas after two years at The Salisbury School. The next 17 years Mollie taught English in international independent schools in Switzerland, Greece, England, and Italy. In her seven years at St. Stephen’s School of Rome, Mollie was English Department Chair, Coordinator of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, and taught English AP, IB and Theory of Knowledge. One of the most ?gratifying aspects of her work teaching overseas was organizing and leading student trips to places connected to the curriculum.  

In 2003, Mollie returned to the United States to take a position in the English Department of the St. Paul’s School for Boys in Brooklandville, Md. She is a Reader for the College Board for AP English Literature and Composition and? an Examiner for the IB Language A1 Program.  

Mollie has two grown children. She resides in Edge House and enjoys traveling to Europe every summer to inspire her writing and to continue studying the ancient cultures of the Romans and Greeks. It was on the Greek island of Samos that she recently completed?a novel awaiting publication titled The Ensign’s Wife, which is based on?Shakespeare’s play Othello.


Zhan Z. Welcome
Chinese
B.A., Capital Normal University
M.Ed., Harvard University, 1991
M.I.S, Robert Morris College, 2000

Zhan was appointed to Westminster to teach Chinese following a long-time
teaching career in the U.S., Japan, and China.  She has developed Chinese
programs in schools in the U.S. and Japan, and is multi-lingual in
Chinese, her native language; Japanese; and English.  In the U.S., she has
taught at the Kent School, Hommocks Middle School, and the Masters School
in New York.  She also has expertise in information technology, having
completed a master’s degree in information systems.
 
In college, she was a swimmer and played volleyball. She resides in
Winsted, Conn., with her husband, John, and likes to cook, travel and see some good ballet in New York City whenever possible.


Lee D. Zalinger
Physics
A.B., Colby College, 1982
M.A.L.S., Wesleyan University, 1995

Lee came to Westminster from The Ethel Walker School where he taught various science courses for 20 years including conceptual physics, honors conceptual physics, chemistry, honors chemistry, physics, honors physics, A.P. physics B, and astronomy.  While there, he also served as chair of the Science Department for four years and director of the van Gemeren Observatory for two years. He has coached volleyball, outdoor adventure and varsity basketball.

Lee likes to hike, camp, and paddle and is also a beginning guitar student who loves the blues.  He resides in Simsbury with his wife, Wendy, and their three sons, Zachary ’05, Benjamin ’07, and Josh ’09.