New Faces & Faces in New Places 2023

Welcome the faculty and staff who joined our community for the 2023-2024 school year, and see which familiar faces are serving students and families in new roles. 

This list was last updated on August 7, 2023.

New Faces: All School New Employees

New Faces: Historic Downtown Campus New Employees

Jania Lasanta, Associate Teacher

Jania fell in love with Moravian Academy after completing a semester of field work in Beth Matlock’s classroom. As a recent graduate of Moravian University and two-time teacher at Summerbridge, Jania will bring her energy and enthusiasm for education in the new role of Associate Teacher. In addition to serving as our campus substitute, Jania will also mentor with an experienced teacher to continue to hone her skills as an educator.

Sandra Soto, M.Ed., Lower School Spanish

Sandra joins our Lower School faculty after 20 years of teaching in the Bethlehem Area School District. Passionate about language education, Sandra is an expert teacher with experience as an elementary classroom teacher, high school Spanish teacher, and elementary Spanish teacher. A native speaker, she also holds a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Bilingual Education. 

Nancy Salem, Second Grade

Returning to the United States from teaching abroad, Nancy also returns to the Moravian Academy community. Originally as a parent when her two oldest children attended as Lower School students, Nancy is ecstatic to join the faculty. Spending the last 10 years teaching in International Baccalaureate schools in Dubai, Nancy brings a passion for ELA as well as supporting student agency and action.

Megan Terry,M.Ed., Third Grade

As a lifelong Moravian, Megan has always dreamed of teaching on the Downtown Campus. After teaching first and second grade for the past 18 years, Megan can’t wait to graduate to third grade. With a passion for ELA and a Master’s in Elementary Education, Megan is also known for excellent classroom management. She is the perfect addition to our third grade team!

Heather Jenkins, MFA, Fifth Grade ELA

With over 10 years of experience as a 6th and 7th grade ELA teacher, Heather joins our fifth grade team with THREE Master’s degrees! She has a passion for creative writing and can not wait to start working with our fifth grade students to help prepare them for Middle School. 

Amanda Bellucci, M.Ed., Fifth Grade Social Studies/Science

Amanda brings with her a breadth and depth of experiences that will round out our fifth grade team. After serving as a Middle School Science teacher and gifted specialist, she spent several years as an elementary classroom teacher before staying at home to raise her children. A creative and passionate educator, Amanda and her family can’t wait to join our community!

Jennifer Korman, M.Ed., Middle School Math

After 15 years working as a scientist and statistician, Jennifer returned to the classroom to complete a Master's in Education with a certification in Grades 4-8 Mathematics. Jennifer is excited to bring her enthusiasm for math to our advanced middle school classes. She excels at creating interactive math learning experiences as well as facilitating activities that apply the concepts learned in class. We are thrilled to have her join our strong math team.

David Hunt, Psy.D., School Counselor

With a doctorate in clinical psychology, David brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Downtown community. Having worked in private practice as well as consulting in independent schools, he has a passion for supporting children's social and emotional well being. David has extensive experience in working with students with learning differences, ADHD, giftedness, and twice exceptionality, As a recent transplant from Chicago, David has already fallen in love with Historic Bethlehem and can not wait to join our community!

New Faces: Swain Campus New Employees

Christopher “Rip” Cantelmi, MFA, Director of Theatre Arts: biography coming soon!

Danielle Koren, MS, Interim Director of Admissions

A 2003 Moravian Academy graduate and daughter of the late Jeffrey LaRose, class of 1972, Danielle joins the Enrollment Team as the Interim Director of Admissions for the Swain Campus. With a background in Business Administration and Higher Education, Danielle returns to her alma mater after serving at various universities. She is eager to connect with the Swain Campus community and make a meaningful contribution to the school she cherishes, while balancing her passions for teaching yoga and spending time with her family in Bethlehem.

New Faces: Merle-Smith Campus New Employees

Rachel Wright, Ed.D., Rachel Wright, Ed.D

Rachel holds a Bachelor of Science in Development Sociology and a minor in Education from Cornell University, a Master of Science in Education from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Doctorate in Education from Vanderbilt University. She started her teaching career with Teach for America in Philadelphia, then taught math at Ft. Lauderdale Preparatory School in Florida before joining Cheshire Academy in Connecticut, where she worked for 12 years, holding various roles, including Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs. Personally, Rachel is a lifelong learner, avid reader, choral singer, and enjoys spending time with her family.

Jennifer TumSuden, ALM, Dean of Students

Jennifer has an extensive background in education, having served as a faculty member at Walnut Hill School for the Arts for the past 12 years. She held various roles, including Interim Director of Community Programs, Class Dean, Humanities Faculty, Student Advisor, and Dorm Head, demonstrating her commitment to student well-being and personal development. Jennifer's educational background includes a Master of Liberal Arts in History of Art and Architecture from Harvard University and a magna cum laude Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from Fairfield University.

Chris Butynskyi, Ph.D., History Teacher
Chris Butynskyi joins the Merle-Smith Campus community as a humanities teacher, teaching both history and English. He brings vast experience from the university level and is excited to work with high school students. In addition to his almost two decades of work at the collegiate level, Mr. Butynskyi also volunteers his time coaching youth sports.  

Melissa Garner, French Teacher
With close to two decades of experience teaching French, Melissa Garner joins our foreign language department as a French teacher. She has a passion for helping students reach their full potential. A graduate of Penn State University, Ms. Garner is looking forward to joining her two daughters in the MSC community.  

Brooke Harrsch, Theater Teacher
A recent graduate of DeSales University, Brooke Harrsch comes to the Merle-Smith Campus with a love of theater and a desire to engage students in the performing arts. Her accomplishments include various roles in film, television, and both regional and national theater productions. 

Joshua Sanville, History Teacher
Mr. Josh Sanville comes to the Merle-Smith Campus as a long-term substitute teacher who recently graduated from Penn State University, Schreyer Honors College. He brings with him a passion for social studies, especially American history. In addition, Mr. Sanville loves acting and has appeared in many productions while at Penn State.  

Faces in New Places