Meet our Leadership Team.
Philip Bien '95
Director of Institutional Advancement
Profile
Philip Bien '95
Director of Institutional Advancement
B.S. in Social Work, New York University
M.S.W. in Clinical Social Work, New York University
Started at Town in:
2015
Years in Education:
18
Previous Career:
Concurrently worked as a clinical social worker.
An aspect of my work I'm proud of:
In balance of community and relationship building, I have launched many technology projects for educational administration.
Favorite thing about Town:
I treasure the life-long friendships that were made when I was a student at Town.
Other things to know about me:
I am currently learning bridge (and very humbled by the challenge)! I look forward to visiting new countries. I love how reflecting on different cultures affords me to learn more about myself and my own culture.
Pronouns:
he, him, his
Jason Bossart
Chief Operating Officer
Profile
Jason Bossart
Chief Operating Officer
B.A. in Political Science, George Washington University
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Capella University
Master of Management & Leadership (M.S.M.L.), Western Governors University
Started at Town in:
2020
Years in Education:
10
Previous Career:
Association Management, Non-Profit Construction Management
An aspect of my work I'm proud of:
Serving stakeholders of non-profits, specifically those working with youth.
Favorite thing about Town:
Sense of community and culture is evident among the faculty, staff, and families
Other things to know about me:
I'm a Yankees fan, enjoy exercise, reading, and I occasionally play something that sometimes resembles golf. I love NYC: the energy and that the city is teeming with diverse people and ideas.
Pronouns:
he, him, his
Doug Brophy
Head of School
Profile
Doug Brophy
Head of School
B.A. in Political Science, Tulane University
J.D., Tulane Law School
M.A. in Curriculum Studies & Teacher Education, Stanford University
Ed.D in Education Policy & Leadership, University of Pennsylvania
Started at Town in: 2018
Years in Education: 26
Previous Career:
I was an attorney for eight years.
An aspect of my work I'm proud of:
I continue to stay active in the broader NYC community, from leadership at my synagogue to regularly volunteering at a local homeless shelter.
Favorite thing about Town:
Always being around such wise and thoughtful people (including my students) who cause me to think about something in a new way.
Other things to know about me:
I love the outdoors, whether hiking with my family or backpacking with the same group of friends for the past 30 years. I also have so many NYC favorites, with the downtown jazz clubs right at the top.
Pronouns: he/him/his
Alison Flannery
Head of the Nursery-Kindergarten Division
Profile
Alison Flannery
Head of the Nursery-Kindergarten Division
B.A. in Psychology, Cornell University
M.S. in Childhood Education, Bank Street College of Education
Started at Town in:
2021
Years in Education:
22
An aspect of my work I'm proud of:
I am proud to have helped create an Anti-Racist Read Aloud initiative at Poly Prep; I am a past member of the Board of Trustees at St. Luke's School; and I was fortunate to recently attend The Heads Network Administrative Leadership Seminar for Women.
Favorite thing about Town:
The warm welcoming community!
Other things to know about me:
I'm a native New Yorker (I grew up in Greenwich Village), and I love attending Broadway shows.
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Pierangelo Rossi
Director of Equity and Community Action
Profile
Pierangelo Rossi
Director of Equity and Community Action
B.A. in Educational Studies and Latin American Studies (double major), Macalester College
M.A. in Elementary Education (Grades 1-6), New York University
Started at Town in:
2021
Years in Education:
13
An aspect of my work I'm proud of:
Centering student voice in the curriculum and helping them unpack the many layers of their identities. In my previous school, I co-created a class called Forum in which students learned how to formulate and express their own opinion on a variety of topics (identity, news, the environment, changemakers). It eventually became part of the grade curriculum.
Favorite thing about Town:
I love how warm and welcoming Town has been with me! Town is intentional about making sure all students and adults feel like they belong in this school. I also love its focus on N-8. Childhood education has been my passion for more than 10 years so our values fit very well. I love that we can let our students discover who they are as people and as learners in a nurturing, joyful, and caring space.
Other things to know about me:
I love learning languages. I grew up in Peru and spoke Spanish as my native language, but I was lucky to learn English in school. This opened the door to other languages like French, Italian, and Portuguese. I also love to play soccer (huge Barcelona fan) and collect soccer jerseys. I love to dance, eat hot pepper sauces, and learning how to care for my indoor plants.
Pronouns:
He/Him/Él
My office is always open. Stop by and say hi!
Chloë Scott-Giry
Director of Admissions and Enrollment
Profile
Chloë Scott-Giry
Director of Admissions and Enrollment
B.A. in Sociology with a concentration in social justice, Goucher College
M.S. in Nonprofit Management, Fordham University
Started at Town in:
2022
Years in Education:
13
Previous Career:
Tennis and Basketball Coach
An aspect of my work I'm proud of:
I really value the connections I make with prospective families in helping them as they seek to find the best educational fit and community for their child and their family.
Favorite thing about Town:
The warm and thoughtful community! Everyone goes out of their way to make sure that you feel like you belong here the moment you set foot in the door.
Other things to know about me:
I was born and raised (for 7 years) in Paris and am a native French speaker. I am also a huge fan of Queens — I strongly believe it to be the best borough, and am happy to discuss this with anyone who will listen.
Pronouns:
she/her/hers
Janie Vance
Academic Dean
Profile
Janie Vance
Academic Dean
B.M. in Music Education, James Madison University
M.M. in Vocal Performance, University of Miami (FL)
M.Ed. in Music Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
Ed.D. in Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
Started at Town in:
2006
Years in Education:
28
An aspect of my work I'm proud of:
I oversee professional development across all grades and work closely with our professional literacy and math teaching coaches — I love partnering with our faculty as they continually push themselves to be even better teachers.
Favorite thing about Town:
My favorite thing about Town is the warmth of the community. Town is a place that feels like home.
Other things to know about me:
I am a HUGE Musical Theater fan!
Pronouns: she, her, hers
Alexis Williams
Head of Upper School
Profile
Alexis Williams
Head of Upper School
B.A. in Psychology, CUNY Bernard M. Baruch
M.S. Ed., Special Education/General Education, CUNY The City College of New York
Certificate in Coaching through NYU School of Professional Studies
Started at Town In:
2023
Years in education: 19
An aspect of my work I’m proud of:
I'm proud of my ability to create and foster nurturing spaces that inspire and motivate others.
Favorite thing about Town:
The warm and collaborative feeling of a N-8 community. I feel quite lucky to be able to support the journey of tomorrow's leaders – our students.
Other things to know about me:
I love baking, and have many recipe variations of carrot cake; travel; and spending time with family and friends. When time allows, I can be found enjoying a jigsaw puzzle. I value open communication and kindness.
Pronouns:
she/her/hers
David Andrew Wood
Head of Lower School
Profile
David Andrew Wood
Head of Lower School
B.F.A. in Dance, New York University, Tisch School of the Arts
M.S. Ed. in Elementary Education, Hunter College School of Education
Ed.M. in Independent School Administration, Columbia University, Teachers College
Executive Scholars Certificate in Nonprofit Management, Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management
Wellness Counseling Certificate, Cornell University, College of Human Ecology
Started at Town in:
2014
Years in Education:
25
Previous Career:
I performed in musical theatre productions nationally and internationally, and locally at Radio City Music Hall and on Broadway.
An aspect of my work I'm proud of:
I enjoy promoting the professional development of others, in service to their ongoing growth and learning, and ultimately to our students' learning and lived experience.
Favorite thing about Town:
My favorite thing about Town is the community - its complexity and authenticity.
Other things to know about me:
I enjoy running in Prospect Park and taking advantage of local Brooklyn activities whenever possible.
Pronouns: he, him, his
Governance
The Town School Board of Trustees is our primary governing body, charged with upholding the school's mission, managing Town's financial resources, and working with the Head of School in strategic long-term planning to best serve present and future generations. The school community is kept informed of the work of the Trustees through several ongoing communication platforms including the annual “state of the school” presentation for all parents.
Board Equity Statement
Town’s commitment to become a more equitable, inclusive, anti-racist institution is rooted in the school’s history, mission, and values; and our core purpose as a Board is to support Town’s leadership in upholding the school’s mission. We therefore strive to promote and embody the school’s Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. We commit to actively engage knowledge and perspectives, advance our own equity learning as individuals, and consistently apply an equity lens to all Board initiatives and conversations. We will continue to hold ourselves and one another accountable to these commitments as part of our obligation to mission-centered governance.
2023-24 Board of Trustees
Town's Board of Trustees consists of the members listed below. The Board presently includes current and past Town parents, alumni/ae, and two faculty members.
Yuko Abe
Melkis Baez
Patrick Bennett
Douglas Brophy
Ava Collins
Michael Cummins
Leon Dean
Isabel Estrada
René Florville
Josh Helfat
Andrew Hofer '78, Treasurer
Alison Hunter
Jonathan Iger '96
Grace Ko
Dana Ladden
Paula McGlarry, Co-Chair
Zainab Miller, Vice Chair
Jamieson Odell, Co-Chair
Jacqui Pelzer
Reshan Richards
Jennifer Rothberg
Valerie Russo
Dan Schubert
Naledi Semela