Dean of Faculty

Patrick is excited to join the Deerfield community as the new dean of faculty and history teacher. As a graduate of an independent school education, he deeply believes in these institutions’ power to lay the foundations for young women and men to become the best versions of themselves. Patrick serves as the Assistant Head of School and Chief Operating Officer at Brunswick School in Greenwich, CT. In this role, he collaborates with the head of school to supervise and support school leadership in operations, planning, and implementing projects and initiatives. Before Brunswick, he also served as Head of Upper School at the Haverford School and St. Mark’s School of Texas and the dean of academics at Pomfret School. Patrick has worked as a teacher, coach, advisor, dorm parent, and club leader throughout his career. He has served in various administrative roles, including department chair, grade-level dean, and director of college counseling. Patrick earned an AB in History at Lafayette College and an MA in modern European studies with a concentration in Central and Eastern European history at Columbia University. He looks forward to moving to campus with his wife, Heather, and their four children. Outside of school, Patrick enjoys spending time with family, reading, hiking, and sailing his questionably seaworthy boat on the Penobscot Bay in Maine. Learn more about Patrick!

Michaelann is delighted to join the Deerfield Academy community! Originally from Kingston, Jamaica, Michaelann graduated from Hobart & William Smith Colleges in Upstate New York, where she double majored in biological sciences and Spanish and Hispanic studies. During her time there, she was a dedicated athlete, competing in DIII tennis and squash for four years. After completing her undergraduate studies, Michaelann began her career at Eaglebrook School as the assistant director of admissions, where she also coached tennis and squash, served as an advisor, and taught an elective course in the spring. In 2022, she advanced to associate director of admissions and financial aid. Currently, she is pursuing a master’s degree in organizational leadership. She previously lived in the dorm with her houseplants and an ever-growing pile of books to read. In her spare time, she loves baking, playing pickleball and strategic games, binging several of her favorite TV series, and optimistically declaring, “This is the year I will finally learn how to ski!” Learn more about Michaelann!

Avery is excited to join the Deerfield community this year as an early career teaching fellow in the Language Department. From Connecticut, Avery spent her childhood in Raleigh, NC. After moving back north with her family, Avery attended the Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, CT, to further her education and play ice hockey. Avery went on to attend Amherst College in Amherst, MA. In 2023, Avery graduated with a double major in education studies and French. She completed the Mount Holyoke Teaching Licensure Program and received her French teaching license in Massachusetts. While at Amherst, Avery was a DIII Women’s Ice Hockey team member. She is a 2-time NESCAC Champion and as a captain during her senior season, she led her team to the NCAA DIII Championship final game. This past year, Avery lived in Dijon, France, as an English language assistant at the Université de Bourgogne. This being her first time in France, she explored Dijon’s culture, practiced her spoken French, and took advantage of school breaks to travel around Europe. Now returning to the United States, Avery looks forward to contributing to the Deerfield community in the classroom, dorm, and on the ice. In her free time, Avery loves to bake, travel, and hang out with her four siblings and friends. Learn more about Avery!

Steph is excited to join the Deerfield community as the new director of admission. She spent the last few years as a college counselor and urbanite at Trinity School in New York City. Steph is very much looking forward to returning to Western Massachusetts, where she previously spent five years working in admissions and diversity recruitment at Williams College. While at Williams, Steph met her husband, Tyler, who was working in admissions at Amherst (quite the meet-cute!). Steph was a Spanish education major at Boston University. She later worked in admissions and student affairs at her alma mater, earning an MEd in policy, planning, and administration and an MBA in public & nonprofit management. Steph will reside in Doubleday with her husband, Tyler, their son, Oscar, and their dog, Wookie. In her free time, Steph enjoys reading, traveling (Peru is on the docket this summer), and skiing with her family in Vermont. Learn more about Steph!

Piper is thrilled to join the Deerfield community. A Boston area native and Williams College graduate, Piper is looking forward to returning to Massachusetts after two years as a Penn fellow at Kent School in Connecticut. At Williams, she earned a BA in English and classics, cultivating a passion for the humanities as an English research assistant, Latin teaching assistant, and fiction writer. Some of her academic highlights include traveling to Greece for a classics abroad course called “Performance & Place” during her junior year and completing a fiction writing thesis during her senior year. She was also a coxswain on the Williams men’s rowing team, winning the D3 IRA in the spring of 2022 and earning all-American honors. At Kent, Piper has found great joy in teaching American and World Literature, coaching rowing, and living in a girls’ dormitory. Outside of teaching and coaching, Piper enjoys playing, writing, and listening to music (Bob Dylan and Fleetwood Mac are always in the rotation!). In the summertime, she supports the staff at Camp Kiniya in Colchester, VT, as a music and athletics mentor on Lake Champlain’s scenic shores. Learn more about Piper!

Heather is overjoyed to join the Deerfield community as the next dance director. She is coming to Deerfield from Kent School, where, in addition to directing the Dance program, she was a vocal teacher, choreographer of the school’s musicals, and co-director of the annual One Acts.
As a professional performer, Heather danced and performed on and off Broadway, on several national tours, in regional theaters, and dance companies. Heather attended the Millbrook School, graduated from Ithaca College with a BFA in musical theatre and a minor in dance, and has a Master of ethnochoreology from the University of Limerick. She recently completed a professional certificate in vocal pedagogy from Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Heather holds multiple certificates from the Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and was elected this year as a speaker on Embodied Cultural Knowledge at the annual CAIS Symposium for the Arts. In her spare time, Heather enjoys yoga, the beach, swimming, reading, attending live music events, and spending time with her family: partner Dr. Travis Tucker, daughter Caelyn, and son Jacob. Learn more about Heather!

Emily is thrilled to be joining the Deerfield community as an early career teaching fellow in the History and Social Science Department. She grew up in Barrington, RI, where she attended Barrington High School and rowed for East Bay Rowing. Emily continued her education at Connecticut College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in American studies with a minor in government. She continued her rowing career as a member of Conn’s women’s rowing team for all four years. Emily was also a leader of Conn College’s voting and civic engagement program, Camels Vote, which promoted voter education and participation, a key interest of hers. Emily is passionate about civic education, politics, and American history. She has worked as a substitute teacher and a lifeguard, and thoroughly enjoys spending time at the beach, surfing, boating, or doing anything by the ocean! She is her happiest self around friends and family. Learn more about Emily!

Tyler Twilley is thrilled to join the College Advising team. After spending the previous three years as part of the college counseling team at Trevor Day School, a co-ed independent day school in New York City, he comes to Deerfield. Prior tohis work in college counseling, Tyler worked in college admissions, including stints at Cornell University, Johns Hopkins University, and Amherst College. He holds a BS in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University and is pursuing a master’s degree through the Klingenstein Center at Teachers College, Columbia University. In his free time, Tyler loves skiing (and hopefully staying upright!), disc golf, talking about Baltimore sports, and exploring new breweries. He’ll live in Doubleday with his wife Stephanie, son Oscar, and canine companion Wookie. Learn more about Tyler!