Staff


HYSF_Staff

Anthony Byers

Co-Director & Chief Program Officer

Telephone: (860) 297-5115, E-mail: abyers@hysf.org

Anthony joined HYSF at its founding in 2007, and has moved from working primarily with the admissions process to working with Scholars in the support services.  In 2010 he became Program Director and became responsible for staff management and program oversight.  In 2011 he was named Co-Director for Programs and oversees placement, and support services. Anthony earned his B.A. in 2007 from the University of Connecticut. He majored in Economics with a focus on the socioeconomics of race and gender.  He is a graduate of the Master’s School and a native of Hartford. In addition Anthony also serves on the Board of Directors of The Community Farm of Simsbury.

 

Roxanna Booth Miller

Co-Director & Chief Development Officer

Telephone: (860) 297-5112, E-mail: rbmiller@hysf.org

Roxanna joined HYSF in January 2011, and was made Co-Director for Operations and Development in August 2011.  She has over 15 years of experience in fund-raising, public relations and special event management. Roxanna worked at Trinity College for 10 years in several capacities within their Advancement division.  After leaving Trinity in 2007 she worked with a variety of non-profits in the Hartford area including the Girl Scouts of Connecticut, Charter Oak Cultural Center, Leadership Greater Hartford and Achieve! Hartford. She is also a Board Member of the Mandell Jewish Community Center of Greater Hartford. She is a graduate of Wheaton College.

 

Garth Adams

Program Dean

Telephone: (860) 297-5113, E-mail: gadams@hysf.org

As HYSF’s new Program Dean, Garth Adams brings more than two decades of experience as an administrator, teacher, advisor and coach in independent schools to the role. His background includes a year as the director of athletics at Cannon School in Concord, N.C., and 12 years as the director of athletics and head boys¹ varsity basketball coach at Kingswood Oxford School (KO) in West Hartford, Conn. As an independent school athletic director, Garth¹s responsibilities have included oversight of all athletic matters, including philosophy and policy, team selection, and hiring and evaluation of coaches. He has managed complex and successful athletic programs with a large number of offerings and extensive coaching staffs. In this addition to the day-to-day oversight of athletics, Garth has served as a member of administrative leadership teams and various school committees relating to student life. Prior to his time at KO, Garth served as the director of athletics and head boys¹ varsity basketball coach at his alma mater, The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Fla. Garth holds a B.S. with High Honors from the University of Florida and a J.D. from the University of Florida College of Law. His belief in independent school education is sincere and genuine. More than 20 years ago, he made a decision to leave the practice of law and dedicate his professional life to serving school communities and helping young people maximize their potential. As Program Dean at HYSF, Garth brings his knowledge of independent school curriculum and the academic skills that HYSF Scholars will need for success in high school. Garth also will leverage an extensive understanding of the admissions and financial aid processes in New England¹s independent schools to help mentor HYSF Scholars and families through the independent school application process. He joined HYSF¹s staff in June, 2013.

 

 

Erica Graff

Support Service Manager

Telephone: (860) 297-5114, E-mail: egraff@hysf.org

Erica Graff is a 2008 graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University with a degree in English and Secondary Education. She comes to HYSF with six years of experience working with young adults and high school students. Prior to joining HYSF in 2013, Erica taught English for four years at Lyman Memorial High School in Lebanon, CT, primarily teaching students in tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade. Erica also previously worked as the Program Coordinator at the Willimantic Teen Center as well as in various leadership positions in higher education including Eastern’s STEP/CAP summer transitional program for first generation college students. She joins the HYSF team as the Program Support Services Manager whose goal is to help each and every scholar access the best college for his/her future endeavors.

 

Marisa Packard Johnson

Development & Communications Manager

E-mail: mjohnson@hysf.org

Marisa joined HYSF May 2013 as a Development, Marketing, and Programs Intern from the University of Connecticut Master of Public Administration (MPA) Program.  Marisa graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a B.A. in English and Spanish in 2007.  After working with University event coordination and promotion teams for a year in South Bend, IN, she returned to Connecticut to pursue a career in education.  Marisa earned her teaching certification during the 2008-2009 school year and enjoyed teaching Spanish at Suffield High School for nearly 5 years.  Marisa left Suffield High School with the goal of understanding better the evolving landscape of education finance, public school curriculum and instructional best practices, standardized testing, and teacher advocacy and advancement.  She is eager to use the skills in program evaluation and analytic writing that she has gained from the UConn MPA Program, as well as her passion for effective education, to support HYSF Scholars and The Steppingstone Academy Hartford.