James Geary has been an educator for a couple of decades, working with students from Kindergarten through university. He spent more than ten years teaching internationally. James received a BA from Bates College,then later studied at the University of Illinois where he received a MEd and a PhD in Education Policy, Organization and Leadership. James serves as Director of Residential Life at Applewild, living in Flat Rock Dorm with his wife Christine and their two dogs.

Miss Berwick comes to us from the plains of North Dakota. She grew up in rural Vermont and decided it was time to adventure back. She joins us at Applewild as she goes into her 7th year of teaching. She holds an undergraduate degree in secondary education from Unity College and an MS in STEM from The University of Iowa. She lives on campus in the Flat Rock Dormitory with her 7-year-old heeler mix, Poppy. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, reading, and traveling to national parks. 

Andy Carr enjoys working with students, families, and faculty in his role as Associate Director of Teaching & Learning and Dean of Students. His love of history and teaching also has him back in the classroom leading a 7th grade Geography class. Mr. Carr has been working in education since graduating from Colby College. After earning his M.A. in Private School Leadership from Columbia University in 2017, Mr. Carr has held various leadership roles in Connecticut and Virginia independent schools. Since joining the Applewild community in 2021, Mr. Carr has lived in the Flat Rock Dorm with his wife, Mrs. Carr, and their two young children who are Applewild students.

Devin Dirk is currently in his third year at Applewild, where he teaches Foundations, 6th, and 8th/9th grade science, and serves as a dorm parent in the boarding program. He earned a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Connecticut. After two years working in the field, Devin discovered his passion for teaching while living in Japan, where he taught English to both children and adults in Tokyo and Fukushima City. He joined Applewild in 2022 and now resides on campus at Flatrock with his wife, Yufi, and their puppy, Miso. In his free time, Devin enjoys building custom gaming PCs and diving into abstract science topics on Wikipedia.

Patrick Dee is the fifth grade homeroom teacher at Applewild. Patrick also teaches Social Studies and English Language Arts for fifth grade. He graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a bachelor’s degree in history, specializing in Ancient and Medieval studies. Patrick then went on to complete a master’s degree in Elementary Education at Rivier University. Patrick has worked with elementary students throughout his time as a graduate student over the past 2 years. He is an avid skier and enjoys hiking in the White Mountians.

Wyatt Ellinwood is new to classroom teaching, but has worked exclusively in schools since graduating from the University of Vermont in 2022. At UVM, Wyatt double majored in Japanese language and Asian Studies, and uses a love for history, literature, and communication to fuel an impassioned commitment to Applewild’s academic and residential life curricula. A graduate of St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH, Wyatt has a strong background in prep school and boarding life, and uses that knowledge as an Applewild dorm parent to support, engage, and foster the growth of the school’s growing boarding population.

Francesca Feldman is working across teams as our Associate Director of Admissions and Advancement. After graduating from Muhlenberg College, she volunteered in Thailand, worked for a non-profit in Philadelphia, and taught Kindergarten in Bangkok. Upon returning to Boston, Francesca contributed to the advancement offices at both the New England Conservatory and Boston Architectural College, where she honed her skills in educational administration and development.
An alumna of Applewild School, Francesca graduated in 2008 after attending for 11 years. Returning to Applewild feels like coming home, and she is thrilled to help foster the same sense of community and growth that she experienced as a student!

Born in Mississippi and raised in Arkansas as the son of two educators, Grayson attended Southwest Tennessee CC as a baseball player, before completing his Bachelor's at Arkansas State University, studying History. Grayson's passion for music, movies, pop culture, sports, and his being a native southerner gives him a unique perspective that he is always excited to share with the students and build their skills and knowledge as they move forward in their education. This is his first year in the classroom and at Applewild, and he has embraced living in New England and at Applewild as his new home. He serves as a History/Humanities teacher for the 6-9th grade, and as a dorm parent in Applewild's Residential Life Program. Also cat dad to a lovely little cat named Bridget.

Leo completed his studies at the Beethoven Conservatory before earning his Master’s in Music from the Yale School of Music as a Fulbright Scholar, becoming the first student to complete a semester exchange between Yale and the Conservatoire de Paris. With over two decades of experience in independent schools, Leo has served as a teacher, academic department chair, coach, dorm parent, and administrator. A decade ago, he discovered his passion for advancement and has been dedicated to supporting school communities ever since. In 2022, Leo joined Applewild School and lives on campus as a member of the residential life team with his wife, Kara, their three children, and their dog Lulu.

Amanda Hu is the English Language Learner (ELL) teacher at Applewild. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English, an M.A. in Applied Linguistics and TESOL from Teachers College, Columbia University, and an M.S.Ed. in Intercultural Communication from the University of Pennsylvania. With over five years of dedicated experience, she has taught English to learners of various ages and linguistic backgrounds, focusing on cultivating self-regulation and intrinsic motivation among her students. Residing on campus, Amanda also supports the Residential Life Program and is passionate about languages, sports, and travel.

Miranda Namiotka is an Admissions and Residential Life Associate at Applewild. Having grown up on boarding school campuses as a faculty child and then graduating from Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, boarding and independent schools have a special place in her heart. This past May, she graduated from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts with a major in English and minor in Education. Throughout her four years at Clark, she held multiple positions in the Undergraduate Admissions Office as a student worker sparking her passion for the field. In addition to her role in the admissions office at Applewild, Miranda serves as a dorm parent for the residential students and coach for the field hockey & ultimate frisbee teams. This is her first year at Applewild; she is very excited to begin her professional career working in a position that combines her passion for boarding schools with her love of admissions work. In her free time, Miranda enjoys reading, attending concerts, and thrift shopping!

Dr. Packard has dedicated her professional career over the last 27 years to education. She leads a diverse and dynamic faculty and supervises all teaching and learning. Dr. Packard received her undergraduate degree from Barnard College, Columbia University, and her MAT at Sacred Heart University where she presented on students who were double identified as LBLD and Gifted. She then went on to earn her doctorate degree in educational leadership at Northeastern. She loves living on campus with her husband Mr. Ben and her very large chocolate labrador, Toby.

Sarah Powell is an art teacher and dorm parent here at Applewild. Prior to teaching, she received her bachelor’s degree in studio art at Willamette University. She is particularly interested in printmaking, painting, and textile art. She loves spending time in nature, and discovered her passion for teaching while working as an outdoor educator at YMCA Camp Willson in Ohio. Another interest of hers is traveling. She spent the past two years working as an assistant English teacher at a local elementary and middle school in Yamanashi, Japan. Sarah is so excited to finally combine her love of art and teaching.

After working over 14 years in college athletics, Greg Van Pelt was thrilled to join the Applewild community as the Director of Athletics in the fall of 2023. Greg developed strong leadership skills and the ability to motivate and guide programs toward success on and off the field of play. Greg has coached basketball at all three NCAA levels and has helped his teams to 4 NCAA Tournaments and an NIT bid. Greg has a Masters degree in Exercise Science from East Stroudsburg University and has built successful and versatile weight training programs for athletes of all levels. This July, Greg and his wife, Erin, welcomed their first daughter as they live on campus at Applewild with their Golden Retriever, Maeve.