Staff Directory
Belkis Aponte
Grade 1 Teacher
baponte@geds.org
B.A., Elementary Education, Interamerican University,
Rio Piedras (Puerto Rico)
At Grace Since 2016
Jessica Boritz
Academic Assistant
jboritz@geds.org
M.S., Education, Johns Hopkins University
M.F.A., Sculpture, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
B.A., Studio Art, Colorado College
At Grace Since 2021
Father Dennis Buck
Aftercare Staff
B.A. in English from Denison University
Div. St. Vladimir’s Seminary
At Grace Since 1999
Christine Comas
Director of Innovation; Science & Technology Teacher
ccomas@geds.org
B.A., Environmental Sciences, University of Pittsburgh
M.Ed., Elementary Education, Arcadia University
At Grace Since 2010
Elizabeth Cosby
Grade 3 Teacher
B.A., English and Educational Studies, Dickinson College
M.Ed., Elementary Education, The George Washington University
ecosby@geds.org
At Grace Since 2020
Jennifer Danish
Head of School
jdanish@geds.org
B.A., Philosophy, Bryn Mawr
M.A., English, Middlebury College
At Grace Since 2016
Priya Ghosh
Prekindergarten Teacher
pghosh@geds.org
S.N.D.T. WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY, Mumbai, India,
Master of Science, Nutrition and Food Technology
At Grace Since 2021
Emily Gould
Art Teacher
egould@geds.org
B.F.A., School of the Art Institute of Chicago
At Grace Since 2017
Jennifer Hamilton
Kindergarten Teacher
jhamilton@geds.org
B.S., Family Studies, University of Maryland
At Grace Since 1999
Jenny Hoshaw
Second Grade Teacher
jhoshaw@geds.org
B.A., Government, Wesleyan University
Masters of Science (MS) in Education, Bank Street College of Education
At Grace Since 2021
Kate Kelliher
Assistant Head of School for Academics
kkelliher@geds.org
B.A., American Culture, University of Michigan
M.P.P., Georgetown University
At Grace Since 2016
Melissa Lafionatis
Director of Enrollment and Variable Tuition
mlafionatis@geds.org
B.S., Merchandising, Apparel, and Textiles, University of Kentucky
M.S., Communication Sciences and Disorders, James Madison University
At Grace Since 2018
Luigi LaPietra
Grade 5 Teacher
Llapietra@geds.org
B.A., English, Johns Hopkins University
M.A.T., Elementary Education, Johns Hopkins University
At Grace Since 2012
Kay Madrid
Health and Physical Education Teacher
kmadrid@geds.org
At Grace Since 2021
Marisa Martucci
Spanish Teacher
mmartucci@geds.org
B.A., Early Childhood Education, Normal Nro 1 Alicia Moreau de Justo (Argentina)
At Grace Since 2004
Mariano Mazza
Kindergarten Assistant
mmazza@geds.org
A.A., Teaching (Early Childhood/Special Education), Montgomery College
At Grace Since 2013
Noelle McHugh
Executive Assistant
nmchugh@geds.org
B.A., History, Davidson College
At Grace Since 2015
Amanda Mendez
Music and Movement
amendez@geds.org
B.A., Theater Performance, University of Maryland
90 Hour ECE Certification, Montgomery College
At Grace Since 2020
Jason Murphy
Grade 4 Teacher
jmurphy@geds.org
B.S., University of Maryland Global College
A.S., Mathematics, Montgomery College
At Grace Since 2020
Emily Ovalles
Aftercare Coordinator
eovalles@geds.org
Linda Range
Business Manager
lrange@geds.org
B.B.A., The George Washington University
At Grace Since 2013
Taylor Ray
Director of Learning Support
tray@geds.org
B.S., Anthropology & Education, Haverford College
M.S., Childhood Education, Bank Street College of Education
At Grace Since 2021
Chris Saffour
Prekindergarten Assistant
csaffour@geds.org
At Grace Since 2014
Renee Stewart
School Counselor
rstewart@geds.org
B.A., English, Trinity University DC
MSW, Howard University School of Social Work
At Grace Since 2019
Reeves Sturtevant
Preschool Assistant Teacher
rsturtevant@geds.org
B.A., Elementary Education, Elon University
At Grace Since 2021
Susan Thon
School Chaplain
sthon@geds.org
A.B., Cornell University
J.D., Cornell University Law School
M.Div., General Theological Seminary
At Grace Since 2017
Karl Vela
Director of Advancement
kvela@geds.org
B.A., Film, Emerson College
At Grace Since 2021
Sue Whitaker
Preschool Teacher
swhitaker@geds.org
A.S., Physical Education, Acadia University (Canada)
At Grace Since 2017
Lacie Wooten-Holway
Aftercare Staff