10 new faculty members have joined the Marlborough community this year. Here are the new teacher and staff members:
Mathematics department
In her 20th year in education, Mathematics instructor Leslie Blanchette teaches Honors Algebra II and Honors Accelerated Precalculus. For the past 11 years, Blanchette has worked at the Rolling Hills Preparatory School as an Upper School mathematics teacher and department chair. Blanchette has also taught in charter and public schools in Los Angeles and Brooklyn.
“I could really feel the strong community that exists here and really enjoyed my time getting to know all the friendly and caring people here,” Blanchette said. “I’m so happy that things seemed to have led me here!”
Mathematics instructor Jason Moss teaches Honors Multivariable Calculus. Before coming to Marlborough, Moss taught in community colleges as well as in a middle school and a university.
English department
English instructor Leah Whang teaches Honors English IV (Asian American Literature) and English I. As a second-generation Korean American and LA native, Whang received dual B.A. degrees in English and performance studies from UC Berkeley before attending Loyola Marymount University as a master’s student and teaching fellow.
“As I continue working towards my passion for diaspora studies, I also look forward to actively adapting my elective curriculum around subversive Asian American texts,” Whang said.
World languages Department
Language instructor Yolanda Wu teaches Chinese 1B and Chinese 2. Prior to moving to the United States, Wu worked as a secondary school English teacher in Hong Kong for about 10 years. She hopes to encourage students to explore Chinese culture and urges anyone interested to find her in room C106.
“The most exciting thing about teaching Chinese is leading students to explore the Chinese culture, experience Chinese traditional activities and learn how our Chinese traditional culture passes on to our modern society and people’s daily life,” Wu said.
Science and Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Departments
Science instructor Jules Favorito teaches Exploring Science I and Exploring Science II. After playing DII soccer in Germany and receiving their masters in geophysics, Favorito worked as a mathematics instructor, coach and advisor at The Rivers School in Weston, Massachusetts. Favorito has also had the opportunity to participate in research expeditions in New Zealand and Yellowstone National Park.
“The sheer diversity of interests and passions that students explore while at Marlborough is one of the aspects that drew me to the school, and I am really excited to take part in this,” Favorito said.
Research and psychology instructor Ari Roby teaches Biological Psychology and Honors Research, as a substitute for Leonetti/O’Connell Honors Research in Science Program Head Allison Ponzio while she is on maternity leave. Prior to starting at Marlborough, Roby taught Biological Psychology and research courses at California State University, Northridge. In their free time, Roby enjoys playing action-adventure video games.
“I am most excited about engaging young minds’ intellectual curiosity, creativity and collaboration as well as learning about each individual student’s specific interests,” Roby said.
Former captain of the soccer team and member of EAST, Lauren Choi ‘16, is a Marlborough alumna returning as this year’s Entrepreneur in Residence, which is a new role at the School. In addition to one-on-one mentoring in entrepreneurship, engineering and design, as well as supporting the Accelerator and Incubator programs, Choi runs a startup called The New Norm. While studying materials engineering at Johns Hopkins University, Choi invented a technology that she now uses to recycle solo cups and ocean plastics into sustainable fashion for her startup.
“Having been a student founder myself, I understand the challenges of developing a business idea, creating a product and scaling a solution,” Choi said. “My goal is to share these experiences and guide Marlborough students through their entrepreneurial journey.”
Counseling Department
School Psychologist Cristina Lopez-Green focuses on 8th, 9th and 10th graders as a counselor. After working as a social worker in community and government settings and as a school adjustment counselor at a public high school, Lopez-Green studied human development and education as a graduate student at Harvard Graduate School of Education.
“If you find yourself struggling with balancing your personal and busy lives and would like a safe space to untangle all the thoughts and feelings that may come with that, my door is open, so do not hesitate to reach out,” Lopez-Green said.
Athletics Department
Oregon native Brandon Lincoln joins the Marlborough community as the new Athletics Director, replacing Sheila Pauley. Previously, Lincoln spent seven years as a college basketball coach at Oregon, Miami University in Ohio and Montana State University, as well as coaching at Providence High School in Burbank for four years. Most recently, Lincoln worked as an athletic director at La Salle College Preparatory in Pasadena.
“I am excited to see our talented athletes compete in the Mission League,” Lincoln said.
