INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHIES

Rita Abela is a native of Italy, where she earned her degree, and has previous experience teaching adult students in Minuteman’s evening school.

Shelli Altopp Miller holds a Master of Social Work degree from Washington University in St. Louis. She has been a Children and Family Psychotherapist, taught as an adjunct college professor, as well as worked in an emergency room, home health, foster care, and classroom settings. She is a military spouse and mother of two who has lived in eight states and overseas, and has helped her children through numerous changes.

Maria Arcese is a native Spanish speaker, has a B.A. in Education from the University of Los Andes in Colombia, and has taught evening Spanish classes to adults at Minuteman for many years.

John Archambault is the Vice President of Finance and Administration for a local manufacturing firm. He has an M.B.A. from Rivier College and a B.A. in Accounting from Bentley College. He has extensive experience teaching accounting to adults at Minuteman and has also taught at a local college.

James Balducci has a B.S. in Accounting from Bentley College and years of experience in the legal transfer departments of Boston-based mutual funds. He has also taught numerous investing classes at local community colleges.

Jim Belanger, N.D. is a licensed naturopathic doctor with years of experience treating people with cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol. He is co-director of the Lexington Natural Health Center.

Kevin Carey, a certified executive chef, is the Head Chef at Verrill Farm in Concord, MA. The many evening cooking classes he has taught at Minuteman have made him one of our more popular and experienced instructors.

Robert Coquillette graduated from Harvard College with a B.S. in Chemistry magna cum laude. During his career he has “done it all” holding both line and staff positions ranging from night shift foreman to Executive Vice President and Director of a Fortune 500 company.

Keith Cotter has used ASL in his everyday life for years. He has extensive experience teaching ASL to adults at Minuteman and in the Newton Community Education program.

Charles Crayton is the chief instructor at Combined Martial Arts and a certified R.A.D. instructor. He has more than 25 years of experience teaching women’s self-defense classes.

Terry Currier is a certified personal trainer, hypnotherapist, and EFT practitioner.

Madeleine DiCicco is a professional designer and workshop instructor with 22 years of experience. She brings to her classes the same top quality flowers and materials she uses in her design work for CrabTree and Evelyn and other specialty stores. Her floral designs have been featured in Woman’s Day Magazine, A Yankee Christmas and Oprah.

Michael Duke is a professional guitarist/vocalist specializing in jazz and blues. He performs nationally and internationally with his own band, The Soul Twister, as well as freelancing with many local groups. Mike was trained at the Berklee College of Music and teaches guitar and jazz/rock improvisation to individuals and ensembles.

Joyce McJilton Dwyer has B.A. and M.A. degrees in fine arts and arts and crafts from Michigan State University. She has done additional course work at the DeCordova Museum School.

Mel Epstein has an MBA from Stanford University and has experience teaching more than 2,000 workshops and seminars. He will bring to his classes thirty years of work as a management coach and twelve years of formal study of psychoanalysis.

Skip Farkas is a full-time Minuteman faculty member and is also the school’s swimming coach and pool director.

Anne Fleming has been a national competitor in West Coast Swing for ten years with first place finishes at every level. She is an experienced dance teacher as well.

Sabrina Francucci is a native Italian speaker, has a teaching diploma from Italy and 23 years of teaching experience.

John Fusco is a mathematics teacher at Minuteman and is experienced in the art of playing Texas Hold’Em. He is an experienced internet player and has played live in Ledyard Court, Salem, NH, and Seabrook, NH.

Rick Gallant is a full-time welding instructor in Minuteman’s day program and holds state licensure through the Massachusetts Department of Education in Metal Fabrication and Welding. He is also a Certified Associate Welding Inspector (CAWI) licensed through the American Welding Society.

James Gardner has years of experience as a collision damage appraiser in four states. He currently supervises an independent auto and heavy equipment appraisal company.

Jill Geiger is certified by AmSAT and STAT with a BS in Education and Psychology. She has been teaching the Alexander Technique for over 17 years.

Lynne Greene has 21 years of experience as an interior designer and runs her own firm, Lynne Greene Interiors, in Burlington.

Brian Hawkins is a veteran in the search engine marketing industry. He has experience in creating strategic online marketing relationships with Fortune 1000 clients.

Paul Hogman is an Arlington resident and an American history enthusiast. He is an original member of the Menotomy Minuteman and has been an active member for over 25 year. He has presented Revolutionary War talks to classes and organizations throughout the area.

Silvia James is a native German speaker, a graduate of the Fachschule fuer Erzieher am Halemweg in Berlin, and a daytime staff member at Minuteman.

Kim Knowlton has several years experience selecting and arranging flowers for numerous weddings and special events as well as managing a local flower shop. She has taught evening floral arranging classes at Minuteman for several years.

Elizabeth Kraft has practiced yoga since the 1970s and is currently a certified Kundalini Yoga teacher, offering classes in the metrowest area.

Chuck Litchfield has been instructing classes in bridge, with its rules and etiquette, since 1990 for the Minuteman Adult Education Program.

Tracy Marks has years of experience teaching Photoshop and other computer subjects in various community education programs. She is also an Internet trainer who has been selling photography and books on eBay since 1999. She has 32 years of experience in continuing education.

Paul Marquis is a green design consultant and manager with more than 20 years of experience in all aspects of residential design and construction. He is a former manager of the Building Operator Certification Program for Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Inc. of Lexington, Mass.

Connie Maynard is a Massachusetts certified French teacher with more than 14 years of experience teaching at Middlesex Community College and at Minuteman. She has a B.A. in French from Holy Cross College and spent her junior year studying in France. She also has a Master’s Degree in bilingual education from UMASS Boston.

Neil McCarthy, a certified teacher, is a full-time member of Minuteman’s Landscape Management faculty. He has an A.S. from Stockbridge School of Agriculture, a B.S. from UMass in Urban Forestry, and a Master’s Degree in Education from Cambridge College.

Susan McNeil is a licensed cosmetologist employed by a local salon. She has taught manicuring and hair braiding classes at Minuteman for years.

Susanne Meterko has a B.A. with an art major from Regis College and has studied with accomplished artists from Boston University, Mass. Art and the DeCordova School.

James Newbrough has been working in the masonry business for more than twenty years. He operates his own landscape and construction business.

Mary Odoms-Harris has years of experience as an evening welding teacher at Minuteman. She has worked as a welder in the Quincy shipyard and on the “Big Dig”.

Hoo Tee Ong is a long-time Bonsai enthusiast. He has raised numerous Bonsai from a variety of sources: backyard, nursery, seeds, seedlings or found growing wild. He is a founder and chairman of a local Bonsai hobby club.

Ricardo Oyanedel is a native Spanish speaker from Chile. He has extensive experience as an interpreter and evening Spanish instructor at Minuteman.

Michele Pinet is a graduate of the New England Conservatory and has been teaching in greater Boston for 20 years. This will be her fourth semester of teaching adults in Minuteman’s evening school.

Dan Rivera has 20 years of various pipe welding experience from high pressure gas and steam pipe, jacketed piping, and power plant x-ray quality pipe welds. He has certifications in structural welding, A.S.M.E and A.P.I pipe welding specifications.

John Saulnier is a long time evening computer instructor at Minuteman and has extensive experience using computer applications. He is employed by local high tech companies.

Virginia Slep is certified by the American Board of Hypnosis and the National Guild of Hypnosis, has a degree in clinical hypnosis and works with a number of doctors, dentists and hospitals.

Abby Welling Forstall owns Embellishments of Lexington, a personal fashion and interior design business.

John Wrobel is a state certified automotive teacher at a local public high school. He has 20 years of experience as an automotive technician.