Nearly Two Dozen Honored at 2023 Faculty, Staff, and Trustee Dinner
December 5, 2023—Each winter, the Winsor Board of Trustees hosts a seated dinner for the faculty and staff to celebrate major milestones and to honor their Winsor tenure.
This year’s December celebration was another festive affair. The assembled group mingled over drinks and passed hors d’oeuvres while enjoying one of Culinary Director Chef Heather Pierce’s grazing boards. Finding their table assignments, faculty and staff took their seats and were excited to see that trustees were dispersed around the dining room so that each table had board representation.
President of the Winsor Board of Trustees Allison Kaneb Pellegrino ’89, P’21, ’22, shared opening remarks, inviting the faculty and staff celebrating 5-, 10-, and 15-year milestones to stand for applause and recognition.
The five-year club included:
- Systems Integration Specialist and Science Faculty Jason Cox
- Operations Manager Brooke Elmore
- Human Resource Manager Myrna Guerrero-McCabe
- English Faculty Maren Kelsey
- Head of Lower School Sharon Jones Phinney
- Senior Controller Liz McNeil
- Assistant Director of Board Relations and Campaign Operations Madison Shutt
- Senior Accountant Adam Thompson
- Visual Arts Faculty Mia Tinkjian
The following individuals were recognized for a decade of service:
- Associate Head of School Kate Caspar
- English Faculty and Interim Head of Upper School David Griffin
- Director of Technology Marcus Young
Rounding out the honorees and celebrating 15 years with Winsor were Director of Athletics Sherren Granese and History Faculty Josh Constant.
Ms. Pellegrino invited Head of School Sarah Pelmas to the stage, and Ms. Pelmas announced the Pennypacker Prize. Calling this year’s winner “creative, joyful, inspiring, and an incredible cheerleader for students while holding them to very high standards,” the award—which remains a surprise until awarded—was given to English Faculty Samantha Simpson.
After a wonderful meal prepared by Chef Heather and her culinary team, Ms. Pelmas returned to the podium to acknowledge faculty and staff who have been a part of the Winsor family for 25 years including:
- Head of Performing Arts Felicia Brady-Lopez
- Director of Community and Inclusion and Bezan Chair for Community and Inclusion Julian K. Braxton
- Facilities Staff Felix Guadalupe
- Mathematics Faculty Jodi Kerble
- World Languages Faculty Valentina Paez
The evening continued by honoring two educators in their 20th and 40th years at Winsor (pictured).
Ms. Pelmas thanked English Faculty Stephen Murdock for “making all the moments matter—in class, on a field trip, or in the hallways—and for helping so many classes of Winsor students trust their voices, and learn to love James Joyce!”
With a 40-year Winsor tenure, Visual Arts Department Head and Eleanor Thomas Nelson ’49 Chair in Fine Arts Sara Macaulay built a career “on excellence, creativity, curiosity, and love,” shared Ms. Pelmas.
Congratulations to all the Winsor faculty and staff celebrating milestone years!
