The Head of School Welcome

Dr. Cathy Schaeff is an Associate Professor of Biology at American University. She has served as the Department Chair of Biology and the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. Her research is focused on understanding how sexual orientation, gender, and sex/gender inform people's identity or sense of self and how people's sense of self shapes and is shaped by their relationship with their body.

Pepper Fournier-Scanlon (she/they) is J.S. Bryant School's Director of Farming (Farm Heart) who is native to Cummington and loves nurturing life in all kinds of ways. An entrepreneur and farmer/homesteader since 2008, she has run an independent bookstore, market garden collaborative, permaculture design/build business, a raw milk CSA, and currently runs a certified organic maple business at their home farm, Two Mamas Farm. Pepper spent a good chunk of this decade as a foster parent and raising a family with three neurospicy forever kiddos. She is passionate about advocating for children in foster care, disability and environmental justice, and helping youth find their voice in moving toward a more equitable and inclusive world.

Dr. Ben Bederson (he/him), J.S. Bryant School co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (Head Unicorn Wrangler) is an educator, entrepreneur, and problem solver. With a Ph.D. in Computer Science from New York University, he was a professor, Director of the Teaching and Learning Transformation Center, and Associate Provost of Learning Initiatives at the University of Maryland. He co-founded 3 companies as well as the non-profit International Children's Digital Library.

Scott Rogers (he/him), Chair of the J.S. Bryant School Finance Committee, has more than 30 years of experience as a professional economist, including more than 20 years in senior roles at the International Monetary Fund. Scott’s expertise—in both the government and corporate sectors—covers fiscal, monetary, and exchange rate policy, debt management, inflation risk management, and national energy planning. His current service as Chair of the Finance Committee for the Town of Windsor [MA] ensures he’s deeply aware of the needs of our rural population.

Dr. Allison Druin (she/her), J.S. Bryant School co-founder and Head of School (Co-designer of Joy) has a lifetime of experience as an educator, innovator, and administrator. With an M.S. from MIT in Media Arts and Sciences and a Ph.D. in Education from the University of New Mexico, she was a professor in the Information School at the University of Maryland for 20 years. She recently stepped down after seven years as the Vice Provost of Research and Strategic Partnerships at Pratt Institute to become Head of the School. She has co-founded three high schools, including the new Design Works High School in Brooklyn, developed in collaboration between Pratt Institute and Bank Street College of Education.

Jazmin A. Peralta (she/they) serves as the Interim Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Pratt Institute. A transformative justice scholar-practitioner with over 18 years of experience, Jazmin leads strategic initiatives promoting inclusive and equitable educational experiences. They are a Doctoral Candidate at Northeastern University, researching the impact of the carceral state on higher education, specifically focusing on the experiences of systems-impacted students. Jazmin’s work is shaped by their lived experiences navigating their educational journey as an Afro-Latinx, first-generation American, queer, and neurodivergent individual. This unique perspective drives their strong commitment to advocating for marginalized individuals affected by systemic oppression.

Dr. MJ Bishop (she/her) is Vice President of Integrative Learning Design at the University of Maryland Global Campus. She lives in a long-term same sex marriage and has used her personal experience to inform her life long work as an academic innovator focused on student success, equity, and inclusion. With numerous teaching awards and over a decade of experience working as a senior administrator at the state level, she focuses on institutionalizing equitable and effective pedagogical practices.