Jennifer Ardizzone-West (Executive Director) Prior to joining Blue School, Jeni worked at Blue Man Group for 13 years, most recently as the Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Organizational Development. In addition to developing the Human Resource and Organizational Development functions for the organization, she grew the company infrastructure to support what started as a small company with two productions to an international phenomenon with 5 domestic companies, a record label and recording studio, and separate international and special appearances divisions (from 200 to over 650 employees). Throughout her tenure with BMG, she developed multiple organizational structures and processes to meet the ever changing goals of the organization, created the foundation for BMG as a learning organization, oversaw the creation and implementation of the BMG’s mission, vision and strategies, oversaw multiple different operational functions, served as chief spokesperson for labor negotiations, and most recently led the organization through a difficult reorganization in order to ensure the survival of the Blue Man Group brand and its work in a dramatically changed economic environment. Passionate about learning and improving education, Jeni took on a special project in 2006 partnering with the founders to develop the business models and infrastructure for the Blue Man Creativity Center (now called Blue School).
Prior to joining Blue Man Group, Jeni worked with a variety of not-for-profit organizations including The Juilliard School, Lincoln Center Inc, and Playwrights Horizons. Jeni received a Masters degree from Brooklyn College in Performing Arts Management, and is certified as an Executive and Organizational Coach from NYU. Jeni lives in Yonkers with her children Hudson (8) and Lucca (6), and her supportive and loving husband Jason, an architect who is currently pursuing an MFA in Set Design at NYU.
Don Grace (Interim Head of School) Don grew up in a small town in Western Massachusetts, where he and his three brothers enjoyed two swimmable, fishable ponds and being in the woods in five minutes. He went on the Harvard, where he majored in American History. Don earned his Masters at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and began his teaching career at Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Conn.
Don moved into leadership as the head of Hammonassett School, a progressive secondary school in Madison, Connecticut, and since then has headed a range of schools including preK-8, secondary boarding, and preK-12 schools, each with an innovative mission. He comes to Blue School from the Touchstone Community School in Grafton, Mass., a progressive preK-8 day school with an emphasis on project-based learning, interdisciplinary teaching, and environmental education. He has been active in the New York Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS), chairing the accreditation visiting team for Little Red Schoolhouse-Elizabeth Irwin High School, another progressive school in Greenwich Village. He has also created and presented workshops about best practices in independent school leadership for the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) for a number of years.
Don’s passions include improvisational clarinet playing, which he enjoyed learning more about as a participant in Paul Winter’s Living Music Village. He’s excited about exploring New York’s musical opportunities—and about playing with the children at Blue School! He is an avid bicyclist, birder and reader. Don’s wife, Catherine O’Neill Grace, a writer, coauthored Best Friends Worst Enemies: Understanding the Social Lives of Children (Ballantine) with Michael Thompson and Larry Cohen, among other books. She looks forward to widening her freelance contacts in New York City and her connections with independent school colleagues.
While Don has headed a number of schools with similar core values, he knows that Blue School has its own distinctive qualities. He looks forward to learning more about the school, the neighborhood, and New York City.
David Kelly (Director of Curriculum and Pedagogy) After completing a degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, David worked as an exhibition designer for a children's museum in the Chicago area. There he had the good fortune to meet Loris Malaguzzi, the philosophical founder of the Reggio Emilia approach. Following this encounter, David worked for eight years as an Atelierista (studio teacher in the Reggio approach) to develop the program within early childhood schools in Chicago Commons in the City's south and west side. After earning his MA in Child Development from the Erikson Institute in 2000, he moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan to work as a Pedegogista (pedagological coordinator) at the early childhood center for Aquinas College. He also helped to open the Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center, a Kindergarten through 5th Grade public charter school that served as a lab school for Grand Rapids. During this time, David served as a faculty member in the School of Education at Aquinas College. One of the guiding principles of his work is the belief that the best educational approach and the most rewarding teaching occur when the children's inquiries are at the center of the process. When this happens, quality, compassion, joy and innovation are the natural result for all those involved.
David is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Calgary, Canada. In addition to education and learning, David's interests include antique photography, gardening, and spending time in nature.
Hali Lee (Director of Development) was born in Seoul, Korea and grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated from Princeton University, studied Buddhism at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand, and received a Masters in Social Work from New York University.
Professionally, Hali has worked in many capacities, often combining a love of learning, the arts and social change. She was the executive director of a domestic violence services organization in Queens. She also served as the Director of Advancement at an independent school founded on the principles of the Civil Rights Movement. Most recently, Hali directed a small non-profit she founded, the Asian Women Giving Circle, which raises funds to support Arts and Activism in NYC. Hali and her husband made a documentary film, “Prom Night in Kansas City,” which premiered at the Walter Reade Theater and was aired on TRIO TV. Hali has served on several Boards, including the New York Women’s Foundation where she chaired the Celebrating Women Breakfast which raised over $1 million for New York City’s women and girls.
Hali lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and 3 children.
Lindsey Russo (Curriculum Specialist) earned her doctorate in Early Childhood Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, M.S.Ed. in Early Childhood Education from SUNY New Paltz and B.Ed., with honors, from the University of Liverpool, Great Britain. She has extensive experience in all fields of education and holds British teaching certification for grades K-6 in general education, 6-12 biology and mathematics, K-12 physical education and NY State certification B-6 general education, 6-12 biology and, K-12 physical education.
Lindsey was born and raised in Great Britain where she began her career in education teaching 12th grade biology. After relocating to New York, Lindsey continued teaching science and social studies for a number of years in a middle school before finally spending 12 years teaching at a private preschool in Upstate NY. On completion of her M.S.Ed., Lindsey became an Adjunct Professor at SUNY New Paltz where she taught both undergraduate and graduate courses. For the past five years, she has been a member of the Department of Curriculum and Teaching faculty in the Early Childhood Education/Special Education program at Teacher’s College, Columbia University.
Lindsey’s research interests include all aspects of play and its role in education, peer cultures and socialization, social/emotional learning, brain development in early childhood, and mentoring novice teachers. She has published and presented research papers on these topics, the most recent at an International Ethnography Research in Education conference at the University of Pennsylvania. Her latest research addresses play, peer relationships, and academic learning.
Lindsey is delighted to be a part of the educational team at the Blue School where creativity and play are valued as an integral and fundamental element of the learning process. She welcomes the opportunity to experience and contribute to an environment where research is finally being put into practice.
Kimberly Bush, M.F.A., ATR-BC, LCAT (Child Development Specialist / Creative Art Therapist) has been working creatively with children, teachers, and parents for over 25 years. She is a visual artist, a NYS licensed Creative Arts Therapist, and Certified Child Life Specialist. In addition, she has completed her training as a psychoanalyst at the Westchester Institute for Training in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis. Her education includes a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.F.A. from Parsons School of Design. She is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Pratt Institute's Master's Program in Creative Arts Therapy.
In her role as Development Specialist, Kimberly combines many aspects of her training to offer families support and guidance to assist their child's development and early educational experiences. While in her private practice she works with children, adolescents, and adults, her focus at Blue School will be with the pre-school age children, families, and teachers.
Kimberly lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two teenage sons.
Ashley Hughes (Operations and Communications Coordinator) is in her third year with Blue School. Prior to joining the administration team, she was a stay-at-home mother and a theatre artist. As a director, her focus is on working with writers and performers to create original, socially-relevant, movement-based work. Prior to moving to New York, she worked for the Cirque du Soleil in various front-of-house capacities while she and her husband toured with Cirque for two years. She holds a BFA in Drama from New York University and an MFA in Theater, Contemporary Performance from Naropa University in Boulder, CO. Her daughter, Eleanor, is currently thriving in the 4s class.
Dawn Williams (Admissions and Special Projects Coordinator) has been involved with Blue School for 5 years, first as a parent (of a thriving current 2nd grader) and now as a part of the administrative team. Before joining Blue School, Dawn cherished every moment she spent at home with her son. She has worked in educational and creative capacities at non-profits including the Museum of the Moving Image, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, the Watkinson School, and the Women’s Project. Dawn lives in Astoria with her husband, Marty Fluger and their son.
Michelle Vanassa (Receptionist/Administrative Assistant) graduated from Clarion University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education and concentration in Special Education. Upon graduation she worked for the Lawrence County Government Center supporting local veterans and substitute taught in surrounding schools. A year after graduation, Michelle moved to Charlotte, North Carolina where she taught first and third grades for four years to underprivileged students. Michelle moved to New York City this summer with her husband. She feels very fortunate to be part of such a great staff and is excited to get to know the children and families of The Blue School.