Six alumni arrive at Ransom Everglades to teach and lead

The talented alumni join a school community with five alumni in leadership: David Clark ’86, Chief Operating Officer; Wendell Graham ’74, Director of Inclusion and Community Engagement; Amy Sayfie Zichella ’93, Director of Admission and Enrollment Management; Vicki Carbonell Williamson ’88, Director of Advancement; and Miguel F. Dueñas ’95, Chair of the Board of Trustees.

RE alumni contribute in other key roles: faculty members Paul Natland ’02, Jenny Carson ’03 and O.J. Armstrong ’17; and Rob DePriest '86, Director of Security; Ryan Caporelli '13, Assistant Director of Security; and Maggie Pearson ’80, Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement.

Read more about the newest additions to the RE Alumni Squad:

A proud alum of Ransom Everglades from the Class of 2017, I teach AP Precalculus at the upper school. After I graduated from RE, I earned a master's degree in game development from the University of Central Florida and bachelor's in computer science from Cornell University. Prior to returning to RE as a faculty member, I worked as a game designer. In my free time I care for my two dogs, Parker and Stella, think about and develop games, meticulously curate a few Magic the Gathering decks, and engage in the ritual suffering all Buffalo Bills fans participate in year after year. 

As a Ransom Everglades alumna from the Class of 2010, I am overjoyed to serve as the health and wellness teacher at the upper school, a position that allows me to combine my experience in education with my expertise in healthcare. Prior to returning to Ransom Everglades, I worked in the realm of elementary education for seven years. I then chose to pursue a degree in nursing, and I put my degree to work as a nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital. I attended the University of Arizona, where I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Education. The University of Miami was home for both my Bachelor of Science in Nursing as well as my Master of Science in Sports Administration. I am a Miami native who is an avid nature lover, an athletics enthusiast and a devoted foster parent for Miami-Dade County.

As a proud alumna from the Class of 2015, I am thrilled to be back at Ransom Everglades as an Admission Associate. This place holds such a special place in my heart, and I am so glad I have the opportunity to speak to prospective students and parents about how wonderful the community and education truly are here. Prior to this role, I was in San Francisco for five years working in the digital marketing and e-commerce space for retail brands in the fashion and beauty industry. I received a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University, where I majored in psychology and minored in sociology. After living away from Miami for the last nine years, I love spending time with my family and friends, exploring new neighborhoods and restaurants, and reading.

I  am so honored to be teaching architecture to high school students at Ransom Everglades, where I am an alumnus. I am a Coconut Grove native and live here with my husband who is also an RE graduate. I am thrilled to be involved at RE in such a tangible, meaningful way. A daughter of architects, I have been immersed in the world of design and critical thinking about the built environment my entire life. After graduating from Ransom Everglades in 1998, I went on to graduate from Barnard College in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and the Harvard University Graduate School of Design in 2006 with a Master of Architecture. I have worked as a lead designer and project manager at my family’s architecture firm, Arquitectonica, since 2006. I have taught architecture studios at Northeastern University in Boston and La Universidad Catolica de Lima in Lima, Peru. I look forward to an elucidating year!

As a proud Ransom Everglades alumna from the Class of 2014, I am delighted to teach Integrated Science 1 and 3 at the middle school for the 2024-25 school year. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with a minor in Lusophone Studies from Emory University. My transformative study abroad in Sao Paulo sparked my passion for teaching, initially through Teach for America, where I taught elementary school math and science. I later taught Algebra 1 to ninth graders in Miami-Dade County Public Schools and served as an AmeriCorps Saga Education Resident Site Director in Broward County. 

My teaching philosophy emphasizes fostering curiosity and growth across disciplines, inspired by my own teachers. Outside of teaching, I'm dedicated to family life, maintaining physical and mental health, and engaging in community service with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. I am known for being goal-driven, resourceful, and a strong team player, communicating effectively and organizing work assignments diligently.