Niamh Sweetnam
Niamh joined LGA in 2021, after receiving her Master’s in Reading Education from Boston University. She first discovered a love of education while working as a tutor at Smith College and became certified as an elementary teacher after graduating with a degree in Psychology and Education/Child Study. She spent the past five years working in a Reggio Emilia-inspired early childhood center. Outside of work, Niamh enjoys visiting her family in Ireland and working on (i.e., learning then rarely finishing!) a rotating selection of handicrafts while listening to audiobooks.
Andrea Olkin
Andrea joined LGA in 2011, where she has been part of the Kitah Gan/Kindergarten team for over a decade and has taught Hebrew and Judaics across multiple grades. Andrea received her BA in History from UConn and her M.Ed. in Secondary History Education from UMass Amherst. Prior to coming to LGA, Andrea taught history, Judaics and Hebrew at the Jewish Community of Amherst. Andrea also worked as a costumed historical interpreter and museum teacher at Old Sturbridge Village. She is a 2005 recipient of the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Excellence in Teaching Award and Pioneer Valley Excellence in Jewish Teaching Award. Andrea has three children, the youngest of whom is an LGA alumna. In her spare time she enjoys reading, running, cooking, playing her guitar and digging in her garden.
Annie came to LGA upon moving to Western Mass in the fall of 2022. She first worked as an aide in Gan, then as a substitute teacher, and, most recently, as the maternity leave replacement for Kitah Bet. Before LGA, Annie worked at the Leffell School in White Plains, New York. She holds a Bachelors of Arts from George Washington University and a Masters in Public and Nonprofit Administration and Management from New York University. Annie lives in Florence with her partner (Matt), 11-year-old stepson (Nate), and 16-month-old daughter (Nora).
Lauren Carlotto
Lauren is entering her eighth year of teaching second grade at Lander Grinspoon Academy. She previously taught second grade at Homer Street School in Springfield and at Leeds Elementary School. Lauren graduated from Westfield State University in 2013 with her BA in Elementary Education and is currently working on her Masters degree. Lauren lives in Northampton with her husband Matt, their daughter and son. She enjoys dancing, hiking, painting and spending time with her family and friends in her free time.
Cynthia Kassell
Cindy joined LGA in 2001 to teach the first 5th grade class, where she loved finding creative ways to teach the curriculum. She also worked with students on math placement and enrichment. Cindy has a BA in Journalism and International Relations with a Minor in French from the University of Wisconsin, and a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Loyola University, Chicago. She has a busy life outside of school with her two young daughters. She enjoys playing volleyball, hiking, cooking, and renovating houses. Cindy also used to sing with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Laurie White
Laurie began her teaching career in 2002 in Birmingham, Alabama where she taught for 15 years before moving to Massachusetts in 2017. She began at LGA as a long term sub in the winter of 2020 and is thrilled to be back this year. Laurie received her BA and MA in Early Childhood Education from The University of Alabama in Birmingham. She has two sons and a daughter in Alabama and a son in California. She loves traveling back “home” to spend time with her family, including two grandchildren. She also enjoys traveling with her wife around New England, visiting places she has never been before.
Hilary Gollis
Hilary joined LGA in 2001 after many years teaching high school students. Her passion for literature and humor are major components of life in her classroom, as are assorted creative student nicknames. Hilary received a BA from Brandeis in English and American Literature, her M.Ed. in Special Education from UMass Boston, and a C.A.G.S. in Social Justice Education from UMass Amherst. Hilary coaches LGA’s Ultimate Frisbee team, she loves many sports and being in the outdoors, and is obsessed with tennis! Hilary has two children who both attended LGA.
Becky Lederman
Becky came to LGA in 2002 to teach the first 6th grade class as the General Studies teacher. Becky received a BS in Biology, as well as her M.Ed in Secondary Science Education, from UMass Amherst. She loves working alongside her students on Abundance Farm and doing service projects that connect LGA students with the surrounding community. Outside of school, Becky enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, two LGA alumni and one current LGA student. Becky loves eating out at wide variety of local restaurants and is always happy to give suggestions, especially for ice cream shops.
Neil Zagorin
Neil has taught at LGA since 2002. He studied Anthropology at UMass, Yiddish Language and Literature at The Oxford Programme in Yiddish, and Jewish Education at Hebrew College. Before coming to LGA, he worked at the National Yiddish Book Center helping preserve Yiddish books and literature. At LGA Neil loves learning with our wonderful students about the many things that fall under the umbrella “Judaics.” Neil loves having fun with his family, reading and exercise. He lives next to many acres of woods in Amherst, where he enjoys the greenery and even tries to appreciate the mosquitoes.
Director of Jewish Life and Learning
Rabbi Becca Walker
Rabbi Becca Walker (aka Rabbi B) is looking forward to joining the LGA faculty as the Jewish Life and Learning Director. She has worked in Jewish Education for over 15 years in varying capacities. Most recently she has served as Director of Lifelong Learning at Knesset Israel in Pittsfield, prior to that she has worked as an Engagement Rabbi in Toronto and Senior Jewish Educator for Hillel at Michigan State University. Rabbi B was ordained in 2016 at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at American Jewish University in Los Angeles where she also received her MA in Rabbinic Studies. She has a BA in Religion from Columbia University as well as one in Talmud from the Jewish Theological Seminary. She lives with her wife and (super adorable) dog in Northampton. Rabbi Becca enjoys cooking, outdoor adventures and listening to podcasts.
Academic Coordinator
Ayla Wickham-Diemand
Ayla is transitioning from an interventionist to Academic Coordinator at LGA for next year, growing the position to encompass school-wide academics and supporting teacher learning. She is an educator who feels very passionately about working with teachers to feel empowered to be the best they can be in an ever changing world. She taught in Holyoke Public Schools for 8 years after receiving her Master’s Degree from Umass and participating in an intensive teacher training program for teacher effectiveness through Harvard University. In her time there she was able to develop teacher support groups and participate on committees for designing and implementation of high-quality curriculum across the district. Her desire to have a larger reach within her impact on learning drove her to engage in a national Leadership Residency to develop methods in being an anti-racist educational leader. Next year’s position is an opportunity to grow her leadership skills to support the collaborative community of teachers here at LGA. Ayla enjoys spending time with her family, going to live music events and traveling.
Social Work Intern
Lisa Papademetriou
Lisa Papademetriou is currently enrolled in Smith College School for Social Work and joins LGA for her 2024-2025 practicum placement. As a former teacher, editor, and author of over 20 books for young readers, Lisa is passionate about exploring emotional subjects through literature and writing. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Vassar College and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She also teaches creative writing at Simmons University. Lisa lives in Florence with her husband and daughter so you will probably see her everywhere now.
Terri Cappucci
Terri, (she/her) came to LGA in 2022 as the art teacher and Makerspace advisor. She holds an MFA from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and is renowed for her professional work as a documentary photographer, photo-preservationist and artist. She worked as a daily freelance photographer for the Boston Globe and the New York Times for 18-years. She has taught high school art as well as photography in various colleges, where she continues as an adjunct faculty professor in photography, documentary film and Humanities at Unity College. Terri’s fresh artistic balance of fine art projects and building skills has excited and engaged the students. She is married to Laurie White, our Kitah Dalet teacher. Between them, they have 3 sons, a daughter and so far, 2 grandchildren. Can’t forget the 2 kitties, Georgia O’keeffe and Ansel Adams, (AKA Georgie and Ansel Pants). More about Terri can be found on her website.
Kacey Schmitt
Kacey earned her BS in Physical Education at Umass. She joined the LGA staff in 2015, after having been an elementary physical education teacher at Crocker Farm Elementary in Amherst for 22 years. Kacey has directed summer sports camps for the town of Amherst for many years, teaches preschool gymnastics at Hampshire Gymnastics School, and is in her 20th season coaching varsity volleyball at Amherst High School. Kacey has three children and lives in Amherst with her husband Tim and youngest son Brendan. Needless to say, she enjoys lots of different sports (playing, watching, and coaching/teaching), reading, gardening, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
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