Staff Profiles

The staff for our Therapeutic Program is comprised of unique individuals who have natural talents and gifts that they love to share with our students. For example, one of our co-directors, Greg, is not just a great teacher of life and career skills. He’s also a trained martial artist who built a dojo in his home. He shares that passion with our students by leading them through martial arts lessons, connecting his personal life with the work he does with our students.

We employ individuals who are not just great teachers, but also people who are incredibly passionate about their own interests. Students respond best to adults who aren’t afraid to discuss their lives beyond the school, who share their own stories and backgrounds in ways that make them more trustworthy and real. Students don’t want a teacher who just stands there and gives them a lesson. They want real mentors who will care about them and expose them to a lifetime of opportunities, curiosity, and passion.

Greg Rosenthal

Greg is the founder and co-director of LiHigh School. After graduating from Washington & Jefferson College with his Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, Greg went on to create various businesses before deciding that there was much work to be done in the re-design of education. His passion for engaging and challenging students to discover and pursue their own passions is what inspired him to found LiHigh School.

While pursuing his graduate work at Goddard College, Greg was, for the first time, exposed to a way of teaching and learning that focused on the whole child and the idea that, as educators, our mission is to draw out the incredible gifts and talents that each student possesses. Greg went on to work at the Bennington-Rutland Supervisory Union and the Bellcate School in Essex, where he had great mentors and was able research best practices in Education. Besides his intense passion for education, Greg is an avid martial artist, doting father, and lover of nature. He lives with his family in Pawlet.

Zohar ZARFATI

Zohara is the co-director and special educator at LiHigh School. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Special Education at Levinsky College in Israel and her Master’s of Education degree at the University of Toronto. After moving to the United States, Zohara discovered her passion for Brain Gym, which is an educational kinesiology model connecting the mind and body for integrated learning on a deeper level.

Zohara brings to our school a diverse set of professional and personal experiences, a deep background in special education, and a devotion for addressing all students from an holistic point of view. She also brings an entrepreneurial spirit, having run her own educational-teaching business for many years, teaching at workshops and courses all throughout the United States. She enjoys hiking and traveling, and lives in Middletown Springs with her two talented daughters.

Cedric Hingray

Cedric Hingray is our Program Manager in the Therapeutic Program. He’s been with us since 2008, helping to plan schedules, inspecting individual needs, assessing skills within the program, relaying messages and communicating with families, and supporting the staff. Along with all of his administrative duties, Cedric works with our students on their social and transition-based skills. In the academic area, he focuses on history and English. He has a deep background in Elementary and Outdoor Education and is currently pursuing a degree in Psychology. He loves to be outside, travel, and do anything Vermont based. He lives in West Pawlet.

Monica Ihrke

Monica began teaching in our Therapeutic Program in 2010. Before that, she worked with at-risk youth in Minnesota and taught outdoor education in the California Redwoods. Monica received her Bachelor’s degree in Art from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2003 and her Master’s degree in Experiential Education from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 2009. At the Therapeutic Program, she can be found teaching anything from math and science to art and biking. She also teaches art and math to our students in the Social-Entrepreneurial Program. In her free time, Monica creates art, runs, bikes, and cooks delicious food from her garden.

Nina Dubois

Nina Dubois has been teaching in our Therapeutic Program since 2013. An art teacher by nature, Nina works with our students on their fine-motor skills and their ability to express themselves through drawing, painting, mixed media, and videography. Nina graduated from Goddard College, achieving her Bachelor’s degree in Art Education (K-12) through their education and licensure program. She lives in Middletown Springs with her husband and furry family.

Ryan Dubois

Ryan Dubois’ relationship with the LiHigh School Therapeutic program began in 2010. He mainly teaches music, helping the students explore different ways of expressing themselves. Along with working with our students in the Therapeutic program, Ryan also teaches music to our students in the Social-Entrepreneurial program. When not at school, Ryan is playing music in one of several bands or working as a recording engineer at a nearby studio.

Stuart Gerrol Stuart came on board at LiHigh School in the Fall of 2013, primarily as a mathematics and science teacher, and while he now works full time as an advisor in our Social Entrepreneurial program, he also works one-on-one with students in the Therapeutic program. Stuart became involved with progressive education while attending Vermont College. Having benefited from their individualized learning model, Stuart’s educational philosophy centers on supporting learners in their own individualized learning paths. After fifteen years working as a public school teacher, Stuart feels as though he has finally found a professional home at LiHigh. He has a passion for history and sustainable food systems and served as the director of an organization that involved students in living history events. Stuart lives with his partner, Jen, on their homestead in Tinmouth, where they continually experiment with methods of sustainable food production. Nicole Graves Nicole began working at LiHighSchool in the Spring of 2014 after having worked as a public school educator for eight years. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Art with a concentration in Photography from Hartwick College, a Master’s degree in Art Education from The College of Saint Rose, and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from The Woodruff Institute for School Leaders at Castleton State College. Along with the leading the culinary activities in our commercial kitchen and working with students on our student-run restaurant, Locomotive, Nicole works with students in our Therapeutic program, sharing her love of photography and knowledge of digital editing. She can also be found working with students as they incubate chicks and search for wildlife. An artist and entrepreneur at heart, she creates paintings and designs earrings which she sells at several retail stores and art festivals. She also works part-time as a graphic designer. Nicole lives with her daughter, Fiona, and their flock of chickens in Wells.Tina Neill Tina has been with LiHigh School since the beginning of 2014. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and Chemistry from Castleton State College, as well as having completed Master-level courses in Criminal Justice and Social Services. Previous to joining LiHigh School, Tina worked for over a decade with adults and children with emotional disabilities, both as a case manager and as a respite support staff. Here at LiHigh School, she leads classes in crime scene investigations and other science and math-based subjects. She also runs her own part-time health and nutrition business and loves to snowboard. Tina lives in Rutland with her long-term boyfriend, his two sons, and their dog, Wrigley. Ashley Mulholland Ashley came to us in December of 2014, after eight years as an instructional assistant at Poultney High School and a semester of student-teaching at Fair Haven Grade School. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology/Anthropology with a minor in Asian Studiesfrom Green Mountain College, and a Masters degree in Education (Secondary Social Studies) from the College of St. Joseph. Her passion lies in exploring history and culture. She has conducted research in China and encourages this type of exploration among all of her students. Ashley also enjoys writing, has been published in numerous literary magazines, and has performed her poetry. She combines her educational background and skills with her love of strategic gaming to design unique classes at LiHigh. When Ashley isn’t encouraging debate in her classes and embarrassing her students with her excessive knowledge about the Harry Potter series, she enjoys running, live music, and spending time with her friends and family. She lives in Poultney with her boyfriend, Adam, and daughter, Colea.

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