ESBR Faculty

Mike Kell
HEAD OF SCHOOL

Michael Kell joins the Expeditionary School in his 37th year of education, bringing a wealth of experience from his 23 years in administration. He earned his BA in History from Geneseo State College, an MS in Human Development from the University of Rochester, and an Education Administrator’s Certificate from Shippensburg University.

At the Expeditionary School, Michael is committed to fostering a learning environment that encourages students and teachers to “think outside the box,” while integrating Vermont educational standards into the curriculum. He looks forward to engaging the Ludlow community and enriching its learning landscape.

Michael and his wife, Deborah, have been married for 49 years and are excited to return to Vermont, where they honeymooned in a 1973 VW camper. They are proud parents of three adult sons and live in Reading with their adorable dog, Roo.

I was born and raised in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. I fell in love with Vermont on a snowboarding trip and, in 2018, decided to call it home. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from East Stroudsburg University in 2005 and my Master’s degree in Education from Cabrini College in 2012.

I spent over ten years teaching in a public school in Southeastern Pennsylvania and two years at an independent school in Vermont, along with various tutoring jobs of all kinds for students of all ages. I am passionate about helping students realize their full potential both in and out of the classroom. I live for the moment when a lightbulb goes off and students gain an understanding they did not have before.

My goal as a writing instructor is to impart a “formula” for essay writing so that students can be more self-sufficient in writing tasks and better prepared for writing across the curriculum. I work toward guiding students to be conscientious critical thinkers and close readers. I always wish to impart in them the love of language and learning that I feel lucky to have.

In my free time, I enjoy being outside in any capacity. I love comedy, cooking, music, and spending time with my family and friends, especially my niece and nephew. I am thrilled to be part of the team of dedicated educators here at ESBR!

I have grown up in a family of teachers and it has been my passion as well. I have enjoyed many varied experiences with different age groups from k- 12. The excitement of teaching children to read and understand the world of numbers as well as discovering with them the stories of people’s lives throughout history no matter the geographical locale or time period is something that brings me joy. Seeing the students take ownership of their own learning through questioning and projects is very satisfying.

I understand that every student is their own unique individual and getting to know that individual and how they learn is paramount to me as a teacher. I look forward to once again filling that role at the Expeditionary School.

I’m Peter van Gorder — an educator, producer, and creative technologist. I teach digital art, technology – wherein students explore graphics arts, video editing, software engineering, and build a strong foundation of digital literacy through personal projects. I hold a B.S. in Computer Information Science from Sonoma State University, where I wrote single-layer neural network code (decades before “AI” became a household word).

Before moving to Vermont, I spent three decades in California’s tech and media industries. I built educational games at Brøderbund Software (Carmen Sandiego, Dr. Seuss, Rugrats and others), and received two for U.S. patents for a viral messaging system I helped invent (here and here), and ran a web design and video production studio serving 105+ clients.

I also run a Chess Club and TTPRG club.

I love gardening, landscaping, and music, and writing code. I’m currently working on SoundBard — a creative tool for layering sounds and running live soundscapes.

Full résumé:  petervangorder.com
Business website: dream-create-communicate.com

In 1988, Gary Ackerman accepted his first teaching position at a middle school in northern Vermont. For the next 10 years, he taught science and mathematics in several middle schools, and his students were often found “in the computer room.” Over those 10 years, he was also a member and leader of several technology planning committees in the schools where he worked. Because of his growing expertise in educational technology, he made the transition out of science and math teaching into teaching computers and managing information technology in schools.

Gary has held various positions in K-12 and community colleges; in each, he was responsible for teaching students, teaching teachers, advising leaders, and managing information technology infrastructure. He has also been a researcher and designer of technology-rich interventions to improve learning in many settings.

In 2026, Gary’s position at a community college was retrenched, so he was available to return to his original profession which is teaching science. When not teaching, Gary tends his garden and is an avid reader and writer. His fourth book on technology in schools was released under a Creative Commons license in 2026.

Steve grew up in Western Pennsylvania, where an early love of reading, science, and the natural world led him to pursue a degree in Mining Engineering at Penn State. After graduating in 1988, he moved to the Adirondack Mountains of New York—a place he’s called home ever since.

Eventually drawn away from the mining industry, Steve found his calling in education. For the past twenty years, he has taught math and science in schools across northern New York and Vermont. He enjoys helping students understand how math and science connect to the real world and believes that curiosity, persistence, and asking good questions are just as important as getting the right answer.

Steve and his wife have raised two children in the Adirondacks with a deep respect for nature and the interdependence of all beings. They live in Olmstedville with beagles, goats, and chickens. Outside of teaching, he enjoys reading, gardening, hunting, hiking, camping, fishing, skiing, and encouraging students to think independently and critically.

Prof. Horacio Travaglini is native of Buenos Aires, Argentina and has lived in Manchester, Vermont since 2016. Horacio has been teaching Macroeconomics and Microeconomics at Castleton University since January 2016.

He enjoys volunteering at chess and soccer clubs when time permits and loves outdoor activities.

Deb grew up in the Fingers Lake region of New York State. After graduating from High School, she attended Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with an endorsement in Special Education.  Her first teaching job was as a special educator in Northern Indiana, and while teaching in Indiana, she earned a Master’s in Education from Indiana University with a major in Special Education.  After teaching in Indiana for seven years, she moved to Vermont to accept a special education position at Springfield High School. She retired after more than 40 years as a special educator in public schools. She became the Special Education Consultant for the ESBR in 2023 after retiring from public education.

During the summer, Deb works in the camping industry for the Girl Scouts and at Camp.  She currently directs a camp in Western Kentucky and volunteers for a week at Camp! where she teaches swim lessons. Working in the camp industry has given her the opportunity to explore ten different states. Deb enjoys hiking, snowshoeing, and kayaking.  She can also be found swimming, reading, and traveling.

Patrick Pullinen, a retired educator, is also a Ludlow “native”. He attended Black River High School. He then attended Castleton University and graduated with honors with a degree in Physical Education and Health. While at Castleton, he played soccer and was named an All-American.

During his 38-year career as an educator, he served as a Physical Education teacher, coach, and athletic director. He started his career as a teacher and coach at Wallace O’Neill Day School, an independent school in Pinehurst, North Carolina. He then went on to teach at Park Street School, and coached Varsity Boys at Springfield High School for 17 years.

Patrick returned to his alma mater, Black River High School, to teach and coach for 18 years. Mr. Pullinen served as a school board member in Ludlow for over 10 years. Seeing the need for recreational programs for Ludlow residents, he helped develop the Ludlow Recreation Committee/Program and served as a founding member of the Ludlow Recreation Board.

With his long history of service to the Ludlow Community, Mr. Pullinen is bringing his experience and passion for education to the Board of Black River Independent School.

Suzy graduated from Castleton University in 1991 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in Early Childhood Education. After graduating, she worked at various preschools and child care centers before acquiring a job at Ludlow Elementary School.

She worked as a Title I Literacy Teacher at Ludlow for 15 years, during which time she earned a Master’s Degree in Education from the College of Saint Joseph. In 2014 she became a Literacy Specialist at Saxtons River Elementary School where she worked for 3 years. In 2018, she took a job at Black River Middle School/High School working as a paraeducator.

Suzy has 2 children attending Black River High School and enjoys spending time supporting her children in their endeavors in academics and extracurricular activities. She is also very involved in the Ludlow Elementary School Thespian Club and volunteers for a variety of school and community events.

Stephen has a BS in Accounting from the University of Rhode Island and a Master of Business Administration from St. Leo University. Stephen spent 15 years with Progressive Insurance in a variety of roles as the carrier grew from obscurity to a Fortune 100 company. For the past ten years he has been with a family-owned entity in Florida, where he has served as VP of Claims, Division President, and currently serves as the Chief Claims Officer and SVP of Insurance Operations.

A couple of years ago Stephen purchased a condo on Okemo and has been splitting time between Tampa, FL and Ludlow. Whether it be skiing, mountain biking, hiking, water sports, or riding his motorcycle through the mountains, he enjoys the outdoors and the beauty of Vermont.

Stephen brings his legal and finance expertise to the MWD team and looks forward to carrying on its storied legacy of matching families with their dreams!

Marissa is a BRHS alumna. She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a Minor in Sociology at the University of New Hampshire. She spent 3 years as a legal assistant right after college. She also worked as a residential specialist at Woodstock Therapeutic Community Residence and Hilltop Recovery Residence.

Her passion for community and education led her to work as the co-leader of Vermont Youth Conservation Corps in 2014. At that time she also began to teach as a substitute teacher for the Two Rivers Supervisory Union. For the past 4 years she has worked as a teacher at Okemo Mountain School (grades 7–12), including classes in Reading/Writing & English Language Arts, History & Social Studies, Psychology, Criminal Justice, and Contemporary Issues. She also assists in a lot of hands-on projects through her work with Garvey & Garvey.

Marissa spends her spare time advocating for the community and being involved in sports. She volunteers to coach teams and plays an important part in making the town a better place for all children. She is dedicated to making sure Ludlow has a school that serves grades 7–12.

Gary Blodgett has been a board member since 2022. He comes with a long history of involvement in education. He was a classroom teacher in Springfield, Vermont for thirty years, teaching in the elementary schools and at the middle school. He served as the school principal while teaching for over a decade, which gave him a unique perspective.

With faculty and community involvement, Gary helped develop a multi-age school that incorporated many different teaching and learning opportunities for the students at that school. Gary served on the school board in Ludlow and has been involved with the recreation committee.

Gary has been involved in youth and high school sports for most of his life. He has developed and coached gymnastics and soccer programs and is also a high school soccer official. After retiring from teaching and coaching, he and his family ran a successful small country store in Ludlow while serving as the Southern Vermont Soccer Officials Assignor and trainer. He is excited to be involved in this innovative school experience.

Melody Reed is an artist living with her husband off the grid in a solar-powered house at the edge of the woods in Chester, Vermont. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of St. Joseph where she studied History and Studio Art.

She served as Executive Director of Gallery at the VAULT, a non-profit Vermont State Craft Center in Springfield, for several years. She is a member of the Stone Village Art Guild and Vermont Pastel Society. She enjoys traveling, especially the back roads of Vermont where she gains inspiration for her paintings.