New teaching faculty join Peddie for the 2021–22 academic year

Matthew Brady | Mathematics teacher

A 2012 Rowan University graduate, Brady majored in mathematics and K-12 education. He has since taught middle school math in the South Brunswick School District and high school math/special education at Robbinsville High School. Brady is a strong advocate for implementing metacognitive instructional strategies. He will be a familiar face in the Peddie community, as he has taught in Peddie’s Summer School program for the past three years.

Jesse Facey | Spanish teacher

Facey joins Peddie after two years at the Millbrook School. At Millbrook, Facey taught Spanish, coached two seasons and served as a dorm parent. Adventurous at a young age, Facey was an AFS Exchange Student in Argentina at 16. In 2017, she traveled to Amman, Jordan, as a Reclaim Childhood intern. Facey graduated from Williams College with a dual degree in Spanish and Arabic studies. 

Desmond Frost | Physics teacher

Frost comes to Peddie from Flint Hill School, where he established himself as a thoughtful, challenging and creative physics teacher and a standout coach for volleyball, basketball and lacrosse. In his eight years at Flint Hill, Frost taught AP Physics, General Physics, Integrated Physics and Astronomy. A native Philadelphian, Frost graduated from West Chester University with a major in physics and minors in chemistry and mathematics. In May, Frost completed a Master of Education in curriculum instruction, with a concentration in secondary education physics. 

Amandeep Kaur | Mathematics teacher

Kaur completed a Master of Science in mathematics education at Washington State University and a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from California State University (Stanislaus). In 2018, she was awarded the Sidney G. Hacker Graduate Research and Teaching Math Award and the Outstanding Student for Mathematics Award. When a teacher had to take a sudden leave of absence, Kaur stepped in and quickly gained the trust and respect of her students. Kaur has immersed herself in mathematics teaching, working as a STEM Transfer Peer Mentor, Summer Bridge Math Tutor and STEM Discovery Academy peer Mentor.

Molly Kuribayashi | French teacher

Kuribayashi earned a bachelor’s degree in French language and literature from Louisiana State University and a master’s degree in fine arts from The Art Institute of Chicago. She previously taught at SciCore Academy and St. Matthew School. Kuribayashi was stage manager and property mistress for the Regina Opera Company in New York and taught art classes at The Art Studio in New York and Valparaiso University. She enjoys sailing and non-motorized boating. 

Siri Mellem | Physics teacher

Mellem is a 2020 graduate of St. Olaf College, where she majored in physics, mathematics and music. At St. Olaf, Mellem received the Buntrock Scholarship, the school’s most prestigious academic scholarship, and the Christiansen Scholarship, the top music scholarship. She was also named a Rossing Physics Scholar in recognition of excellence in physics. Mellem enjoys music, soccer and rock climbing. She played piano, viola and handbells in the St. Olaf Orchestra and Handbells Choir. In a 2018 research project, she applied algebraic music theory to a Schubert piano sonata. Mellem has volunteered as a Domestic and Sexual Violence Victim Advocate and as a tutor for students with special needs. 

Zach Ottati | English teacher

Ottati earned a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Cambridge. He is a 2019 Williams College graduate. While at Williams, Ottati received the John W. Miller Prize in Philosophy and the Arthur B. Graves Essay Prize in Philosophy. Ottati swam all four years and was a member of a team that won the 2016, 2017 and 2019 NESCAC championships. He was also a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American. A former teacher identified Ottati as among the most intelligent students he has taught at Williams.

Stephen Roca | Spanish teacher

Roca comes to Peddie after two years at Montclair Kimberley Academy. A 2015 graduate of Rutgers University, Roca majored in Spanish and minored in Latin American studies. While at Rutgers, Roca was also the World Music Director at the student-run radio station, WVPH.  Before starting his teaching career, he briefly worked as a multimedia reporter and translator at New Brunswick Today. A native speaker, Roca has taught elementary, middle and high school Spanish. Roca enjoys coaching and looks forward to coaching opportunities at Peddie.

Ami Shah | English teacher

Shah left teaching at Kent Place to pursue research and writing. But she missed the classroom and returned to teach English and history at Peddie. Shah earned a bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern languages and cultures from Columbia University and a Doctorate of Philosophy in religious studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She speaks multiple languages, including Hindi-Urdu, Punjabi and German, and classical languages Sanskrit, Persian and Braj Bhasha. Shah’s research has focused on the Sikh tradition. She will bring significant teaching experience and an enormous range of expertise to Peddie’s English and history departments.

Julie Sheldon ’05 | Science teacher

Sheldon returns to Peddie with an impressive breadth of independent school experience. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Muhlenberg College in 2009 and a master’s degree in education counseling psychology from Temple University in 2019. Over the past 15 years, Sheldon has worked as an advisor, psychology teacher, dorm parent, dorm supervisor, coach and school counselor. She recently served as school counselor for the middle and upper schools at Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia. As head coach of the Germantown and The Hill School field hockey programs, Sheldon managed the junior varsity and varsity programs. 

Morgan Spivey ’14 | History teacher

A 2018 graduate of Davidson College, Spivey majored in Africana studies. She served as an ambassador for the Africana Studies program and was a service-focused leader through her sorority and the Black Student Coalition. Between 2017–19, Spivey founded the Seeds of MAGIC Mentoring Program, targeted to support Black high school-aged girls. Most recently, Spivey worked for the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C., where she was executive coordinator and digital producer.

Christina Wang | Mathematics teacher

Wang recently graduated from Brown University with a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics and minors in education and visual arts. While at Brown, Wang worked in Brown’s Health Services and as a peer mentor for Women in Science and Engineering. Wang enjoys hiking, forest bathing, amateur homesteading and fantasy world-building. This summer, Wang took advantage of Peddie’s professional development funds and attended a Project-Based Learning conference in Boston.