Faculty & Staff Directory

Emilie is a native French speaker from New-Brunswick, Canada. She attended boarding school in the U.S. for four-years as a student athlete playing soccer, hockey, softball and lacrosse. Emilie played NCAA division 1 hockey for Union College where she earned Rookie of the Year her first year. Her sophomore year she played for the ECAC All-Star Team against the U.S. Olympic team. After College, Emilie earned her Master's degree in English from Concordia University.

Emilie loved her time at boarding school so much that she decided to make a career of it. Emilie started her career in teaching Kents Hill School in Maine where she spent seven years as a French teacher and hockey coach. Emilie is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

In her spare time being, she enjoys being active, whether it is in the weight room, hiking, cycling. Emilie's hobbies include sneakers, fishing, and playing the bass.

At Marvelwood Since: 2022
Athletics/After-School Activity Assignment: Boy's Soccer, Girl's Basketball

A graduate of the Taft School and Williams College, Army veteran William “Bing” Bingham spent over twenty years working in the entertainment industry before turning to teaching in 2001. Along the way, he took up high adventure activities like flying hang gliders and ultralights, and even competed in the National Hang Gliding Championships as the New York/New Jersey champion. His career as a singer-songwriter spans decades and, along with Taft classmate and longtime friend Joe Knowlton, includes five recording contracts as the act, Joe and Bing, two of which are still active. His songs, Alaska Bloodline and Barnstormer, were top 100 hits. In their early years, Joe and Bing were managed by the man who brought the Beatles to America, legendary impresario Sid Bernstein. The pair continue to actively perform, write songs and record, and their history and current activities can be found on their website, joeandbing.com.

Bing is also an award-winning (Clio, Emmy) composer of hundreds of advertising jingles as well as scores to documentary films and television shows. While living and working in New York City, he dabbled in acting as well, performing in over seventy television commercials and playing Alex on ABC’s popular Kids Are People Too series for four years.

In the early 1990s, Bing began working with a literary agent to write and develop stories for television and film. That relationship continues today and has generated a number of successes. In 1997, Bing’s story about the Flying Tigers of WWII, Earth, Wings and Fire, was optioned by Tom Cruise and Paramount Pictures in a well-publicized deal. Three years and several stories later, Bing won the job of turning Senator John McCain’s memoir, Faith of My Fathers, into a screenplay. The film was eventually produced for A&E television in 2005 and nominated for five awards (Emmy, ASC). Bing has also written five, two-hour entertainment specials for A&E and a number of short stories. His tale, The Lesson, was published in the popular Chicken Soup for the Soul series in 2009. And recently another story, Sea of Dreams, which chronicles his transition from screenwriter to prep school teacher, won accolades in a popular online writing contest.

Bing serves as Director of College Counseling and teaches senior English and two electives: screenwriting and songwriting. After coaching boys varsity tennis for many years, he now assumes the assistant coaching role to leave time for his latest passion: golf. His free time is spent working on a number of creative projects, summering in the Adirondacks, and staying in touch with family, most especially his two beautiful daughters, Elizabeth and Katherine and their families.

At Marvelwood Since: 2001
Athletics/After-School Activity Assignment: Golf Program

Kristy Bloom has taught across grade levels and the globe in both the realms of public and private education. For Kristy, being a teacher is a privilege that she has remained grateful for throughout her career. What inspires her most about teaching is redefining success and when her students can see for themselves how capable they are of reaching their goals.
Kristy is a compulsive writer in her free time and loves running in the woods. She lives in Kent with her two teenage boys Griffin and Harper and their dog Maple.

At Marvelwood Since: 2022
Athletics/After-School Activity Assignment: Cross Country, Girl's Tennis

Ben is a proud, native resident of Kent. Ben joins the Marvelwood family after 4 years of working at the local elementary school. Ben holds a Bachelor’s degree in History and Psychology from Providence College. He graduated in 2019 from St. Joseph’s University with a Master’s in Teaching with a certification to teach History in grades 7-12.

Ben enjoys coaching for and playing on Kent recreation teams including soccer, basketball, and hockey, and spending time with friends or family around the table playing cards or any board game. His active life is complete with going on walks with his two dogs Lolly and Maizie.

At Marvelwood Since: 2023

Heather joined the Marvelwood community as Bodkin Library Director in 2006. A longtime resident of Kent, she previously served as the Youth Services Librarian at the town library and was excited to transition to a young adult population. She took over the role as House Dean for Star Dorm in 2008 and continues to enjoy her role in the residential life aspect at Marvelwood.

Heather’s role at Marvelwood has evolved to include formally providing support and success in decision-making and accountability as the Dean of Students. Heather became certified as an instructor in yoga and mindfulness and enjoys teaching these important skills to students as a complement to her philosophies of intentional and responsible community living. Heather continues to develop and integrate tenets of restorative justice into the Deans Office structure. Heather also serves as the COVID-19 Prevention and Compliance Task Force Coordinator.

Heather lives on campus with her son, Becket and many pets to include chickens, ducks, cats, guinea pigs, and a dog - Bay. She is the proud parent of two launched and thriving adult children - Kori and Tyler, and devoted grandma (GoGo) to Stevie Rose.

At Marvelwood Since: 2009

Gail started working in the Business Office at Kildonan Services since 2011. She was also the Girls Dorm Head and helped out with the Equestrian Program for Camp Dunnabeck. Gail lives in Torrington with her husband David of 38 years, along with their cat Inky. Gail's favorite pastime is riding her horse RJ which she tries to do every chance she gets.

At Marvelwood Since: 2020

Julia graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a Bachelors in Anthropology with a minor in Community Engagement in 2023. She is a member of Lambda Alpha, the National Anthropology Honor Society. Julia's senior thesis project involved looking at the Affordable Housing crisis in rural America, focusing on Sharon, CT specifically.

Julia grew up in Sharon, CT and currently lives in Lakeville, CT. She is very tied to the community in Sharon, which grew even stronger while she managed Sharon Farm Market. Julia's mother worked at Sharon Center School as a paraprofessional in Special education, where Julia volunteered in her classroom for many years working with children with special needs and she has a long history of working in retail & customer service.

In her free time Julia enjoys spending time outside going for a hikes, walks, or to the beach. She loves to swim and read and research different topics. She spends time with her family as often as possible and plans on joining the Historical Society in Sharon, CT.

At Marvelwood Since: 2024

At Marvelwood Since: 2022

Barbara has been with Marvelwood since 2005, starting in the Business Office as Accounts Payable Associate. She moved to the position of Assistant to the Head of School in 2011, which brought a whole new prospective to working at the school; she thoroughly enjoys interacting with and helping students and their families, and brings enthusiastic positive energy to the position. Barbara has two grown children, Lauren and Brian. Brian graduated from Marvelwood in 2010. She also has four grandchildren, who are her pride and joy. She lives in New Milford with her husband Michael and silly goldendoodle, Abby.

At Marvelwood Since: 2005

At Marvelwood Since: 2022

Laurie has been with Marvelwood since 1987 and Chair of the Science Department for much of that time. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Lake Forest College and her M.Ed in special education from The University of Hartford. During her undergraduate years, she worked with Dr. Charles R. Brown on his pioneering studies focusing on the costs and benefits of coloniality in Cliff Swallows. Today, in collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection,Kent Land Trust & the Purple Martin Conservation Association, Laurie and her students engage in research on a different member of the swallow family, Purple Martins. In fact their efforts have restored and expanded breeding populations of inland martins over the past 18 years from about 10 breeding pairs to well over 400!

Laurie is on the Board of Directors for the Kent Land Trust and the Purple Martin Conservation Association. She is one of two advisors of Marvelwood’s Envirothon team which won the state competition in 2021 and 2024 and which went on to represent the state of Connecticut at the annual NCF-Envirothon Annual International Competitions.

Over the years Laurie and her students have initiated numerous research projects for local communities involving aquatic macroinvertebrates, amphibians, birds, and amphibians. The school’s amphibian studies were included in the book Science and Conservation of Vernal Pools in Northeastern North America: Ecology and Conservation of Seasonal Wetlands in Northeastern North America. Several amphibians documented were also mentioned in Conservation of Amphibians and Reptiles in Connecticut

Student generated avian data was instrumental in the designation of the Macedonia Forest Block Important Bird Area. Data was also collected and shared with the recent Connecticut Bird Atlas Project. Finally, various data collected on local fauna has also been used in the generation of habitat management plans and Forest Bird Assessments for Kent Land Trust.

Laurie has also been the recipient of numerous conservation educator and volunteer awards.

At Marvelwood Since: 1987

Ben Eskind is a recent graduate from the Bard College Master’s in Teaching program with a certification to teach English Language Arts, grades 7 - 12. He earned his Bachelors of Arts from Bard College in 2010, majoring in political studies—his final project explored the relationship between American jazz music, democracy and citizenship. He later earned his Master’s in Science from the University of Rochester, in community mental health counseling.

He is an intellectually curious person with an abiding belief in student-centered learning and the value of a liberal arts and sciences education. Prior to teaching, Ben worked as a community-based mental health counselor in Rochester, New York, providing counseling services to youth and families. After graduating from Bard as an undergraduate in 2010, Ben began his career in sustainable farming—eventually founding his own small-scale organic farm in the Finger Lakes region of New York.

Ben is teaching courses in English and American Literature at Marvelwood, and will also be teaching in the Strategies Department and the Connections Program. He will also be coaching Varsity Cross-Country.

Outside of his teaching and coaching roles, Ben is an appreciator of the arts, an avid cook and bread baker, and enjoys hiking, biking, and spending time with family and friends.

At Marvelwood Since: 2021
Athletics/After-School Activity Assignment: Cross Country