South Kent School is thrilled to welcome our new faculty and staff.
Lara Hanson Barrett joins South Kent School as the interim Director of Communications in 2023 and was named Director of External Affairs in July 2024. Lara has a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Digital Media from Fordham University, where she was a four-year scholarship basketball player. In college, Lara interned at Sports Illustrated, HBO, The Creative Coalition, and founded her first start-up: The College Voice.
Post graduation, Lara led digital teams at Viacom (MTVu, Rate My Professor, and College Media Network with a 650-university portfolio). Additionally, Lara was a professor at Seton Hall, Fordham University, and coached Division I basketball at Fordham University, as well as girls’ basketball at Kent School. For ten years, Lara was the Chief Innovation Officer at Qwasi Media (a Cisco partner), and, in 2022, founded the tech company Vaulted-Co, for which she was selected for Techstars, a leading pre-seed venture capital firm that invests in entrepreneurs.
Lara is a native of Santa Monica, California, and has traveled to 32 countries. In 2018, she settled in Kent and lives here with her husband, John, and two children. Lara enjoys playing chess, dominos, and all sports in her free time.
Mark Bass joins South Kent School as the Assistant Coach for Prep and Development Basketball. Mark has over 24 years of coaching experience. A former standout player and team captain at St. Joseph’s University, where he earned a degree in Marketing, Mark’s extensive coaching career includes roles at St. Joseph’s, Trenton Catholic Preparatory Academy, and Solebury Prep.
Mark has a proven track record of developing student-athletes both on and off the court, blending his expertise in player development, game strategy, and mentorship.
Mark loves to play golf and he cherishes his beautiful family: wife, Tracie Bass, and their two sons, James Bass and Jordan Bass.
Ellen Donlon-Belger joins South Kent School as the Associate Director of Admissions. “Ellie” earned her Bachelor of Arts in English with a Minor in Education from the University of Hartford, where she also ran Division I Cross-Country and Track & Field. She later earned her Master of Science in Elementary Education at the University of Bridgeport.
Ellie has spent her career working in education, teaching at local public schools in New York and Connecticut. In 2020, she helped develop virtual lesson plans for first-grade students as a student teacher for Park Avenue School in Danbury. From 2021-2023, she worked as a permanent substitute for Kindergarten through second-grade classrooms at Primrose Elementary in New York, as a 5th-grade elementary teacher at Saint Gregory the Great School in Danbury, and as a 3rd-grade elementary teacher at Burns Latino Studies Academy in Hartford.
This school year, Ellie will be living on campus with her husband, Robert, her daughter, Brooke (15 months old), and her rescue dog, Cally. She is excited about the beautiful views, the friendly South Kent community, and being near the town of Kent. She hopes to enjoy the farmers markets, book sales, and all the delicious local restaurants that the local area has to offer. In her free time, Ellie enjoys running, reading, and hiking with her family.
Sarah A. Chase joined South Kent School as the Director of Communications. Sarah is a Kent native who grew up in town. Prior to moving back to Kent in 2023, Sarah dedicated her professional career to working behind the scenes to champion both public and private projects that are mission-driven and have a clear focus on empathically strengthening human understanding. For nearly 20 years, she worked primarily with start-up companies and nonprofits in the media, marketing, broadcast, and communication space. She has held various COO, CFO, and VP positions and worked closely with executive teams in the United States, Europe, and Asia to translate high-level visions into realized corporate entities.
From 2015 to 2020, Sarah served as the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Producer for her mentor Alan Alda, the world-renowned actor, writer, and director. Sarah led all of the business initiatives for the Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University, as well as the production and marketing for Alan’s award winning podcast, Clear+Vivid™. Whether raising 8 figures, executing a press conference at Dallas Cowboy’s Stadium, managing a large Gates Foundation grant, interviewing celebrities like Paul McCartney and Carol Burnett, or running up 5th Avenue with a film crew, she has made a career out of steadily finding the best opportunities for her clients.
For fun, Sarah enjoys endurance running and volunteering for the Kent Lions Club and Kent Volunteer Fire Department, where she is currently in training to be an EMT.
Patrick Grudberg joins South Kent School as the Humanities Intern and will be observing and teaching classes while serving as faculty advisor of the Advanced Media Group. Patrick is a recent graduate of the College of the Holy Cross, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in History.
While at Holy Cross, Patrick was the chair of Worcester County Holy Cross Sports Broadcasting, a club that broadcasts Holy Cross sporting events and records podcasts on Spotify for the public. Patrick also contributed weekly articles for the sports section of The Spire, a college publication, and served as a counseling outreach peer educator with C.O.P.E., an on-campus mental health and wellness program. Last summer, Patrick interned for the Kevin Love fund, crafting lesson plans for the foundation’s social-emotional learning curriculum, which promotes mental health education in middle schools and high schools across 37 states.
This fall, Patrick will be living on campus in Bringhurst. Patrick plays soccer and basketball and enjoys cheering on the New York Giants, New York Rangers, and UConn Huskies. He loves to cook and is a huge Harry Potter fan. Patrick looks forward to starting his career as an educator and is excited to become a part of the tight-knit Hillside community.
Steven Johnston joins South Kent School as the Assistant Coach of Prep Basketball and the Head Coach of Development Basketball. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance from Fairfield University, where he also played Division I Men’s Basketball. As a freshman, he earned a spot on the basketball team as a walk-on, later earned a scholarship to play, and graduated as a team captain and starter his senior year. After college, Steven played one season in Canada, then decided to further pursue his other passions of coaching and training.
Steven started training players during his college years and founded the player development company No Days Off Training LLC. in 2015. He went on to coach basketball for two years, first at his old high school, St. Luke’s School in New Canaan, and then at Fork Union Military Academy, an all-boys prep boarding school in Virginia. At Fork Union, Steven helped place and recruit student-athletes, and eight of his recruited players received scholarships. After going to the NCAA final four in 2018 with his team, he met one of his idols in the player development industry, who inspired Steven to further pursue independent training. Steven worked as a Head Basketball Trainer at The Hoop School and then as a Basketball Skills Trainer at Revolution Basketball Training, where he worked to develop players of all different age levels and skills. He most recently worked as a Behavior Manager at East Hartford Middle School and then as a Teacher’s Aide at Mamaroneck High School, supporting students with special needs.
Coach Johnston is excited to join the South Kent Community and continue to help those on their journey to become the best basketball players and individuals they can be. Steven will be living in West Sherman with his fiancé, and they will be getting married in December of this year. His family is from the Caribbean, and he enjoys working out, learning about food, and listening to podcasts.
Drew Lambert joins South Kent School as the Assistant Coach – Hockey. After being a standout prospect in high school, Drew received a scholarship to play DIII hockey and lacrosse at New England College. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and a Marketing Concentration. He later earned a Master of Business Administration, Strategic Leadership from New England College.
Following his graduation, Drew became an Assistant Coach for the 16U, 18U Prep, and Varsity A teams at Culver Academies. During his time at Culver, Drew helped his teams qualify for Nationals three times, win the MidAM District Championship twice, and win a State Class 4A Championship. Drew has over ten years of experience in helping develop hockey talent, specifically from his tenures with Top Shelf Hockey, Paul Vincent Power Skating, and Pinnacle Hockey Club. As Owner and General Manager of Pinnacle Hockey Club (established in 2022), Drew develops all aspects of the summer tournament teams and is responsible for recruiting and building a network of high-end players across North America (02-09 birth years). In two short years, the Club has seen much success, with twenty of their players making NCAA commitments.
Drew grew up in Barnstable, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod, where his family owned a business, Lambert’s Fruit and Produce Co. He looks forward to being back in New England, closer to home, and helping South Kent hockey players achieve their goals while enjoying the surrounding areas. Drew is a triplet (three boys) and likes to play pickleball in his spare time. He will be living off-campus in Sherman, CT, for the upcoming year.
Paul Martone joins South Kent School as the Assistant Coach –Hockey. Paul graduated from Salem State University with a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management. Paul started playing hockey at the young age of seven and went on to play junior hockey for the Boston Jr. Bruins from 2011-2014. During his three seasons, he helped his team through multiple playoff runs and a trip to the junior national tournament in 2012. In 2014, he was voted a league All-Star.
Paul played and coached hockey in his undergraduate years at Salem State. He was an assistant coach under Bill O’Neil, one of the winningest coaches in DIII history, and helped the team to two conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2016 and 2017. Following his time at Salem State, Paul went on to Anna Maria College in 2020, building up their DIII program from a start-up independent program to a team that consistently competed for conference championships. Paul arrives at the Hillside with the goal of helping players get to the college level and beyond.
Paul comes from a family of Salem State hockey players. His brother Jack played as a goalie for Salem State, and his father played at the University from 1982 to 1986. He was later invited to the Hartford Whalers training camp. Paul enjoys spending time with his family on Cape Cod, boating and relaxing on the beach. He is also an avid reader and student of history.
George Matteo joins South Kent School as the Athletic Trainer. George graduated from Springfield College with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Exercise Science and a Master of Science in Athletic Training.
In his two years of clinical experience, George has excelled in performing lower and upper body evaluations, ensuring high school and college athletes are playing their best. At his alma mater, Springfield College, he worked with student-athletes on the football and women’s basketball teams and in the Sports Injury Rehabilitation Clinic. George continued to work with student-athletes during his time as an athletic trainer for Holyoke High School in 2022 and Williston High School in 2023. He spent a summer helping baseball players in the Cape Cod League, followed by a winter with the University of Massachusetts-Amherst men’s hockey team. In addition to his athletic training experience, George gained experience as a strength and conditioning coach while pursuing his Master’s degree.
George grew up in Simsbury, Connecticut, with his two brothers and a sister. For fun, George enjoys hiking, rollerblading, and golfing and is excited to take advantage of South Kent and its surrounding areas to partake in his favorite activities. George admires the history of the School and that the community has been so welcoming and helpful. George will be living off-campus in Washington Depot for the 2024-2025 school year.
Lori Rahaim joins South Kent School as the Head Athletic Trainer and Interim Athletic Director. She earned her Bachelor of Science in K-12 Physical Education and Athletic Training from the University of Vermont and her Master of Education in Mathematics and Technology Education from Saint Michael’s College.
Lori is a 35-year veteran, Nationally Certified, and CT-state-licensed athletic trainer who has spent her career taking care of athletes at all levels. She spent the early part of her career teaching, coaching, and training at two boarding schools in Maryland (West Nottingham Academy and Oldsfields School). During her time there, she was also a member of school leadership, acting as Dean of Students at both institutions. She went on to work for twenty-three years at St. Thomas Aquinas College in New York, working as the Manager of Sports Medicine, NCAA Athletics Healthcare Administrator, and Head Athletic Trainer. From there, she spent two seasons caring for the Lady Blues professional women’s soccer team in Newburgh, New York. Her most recent position was Director of Clubhouse Operations and Head Athletic Trainer for the New York Boulders Professional Independent Baseball team, where she spent fourteen seasons.
This is Lori’s third time working at South Kent School since 2021, when she finished the school year through the COVID pandemic. In 2023-24, she was on campus as a per diem assistant athletic trainer. Lori looks forward to working on our beautiful campus once again in a full-time capacity. She enjoys walking, knitting, and staying busy with crafts. Lori hails originally from Vermont but now resides locally with her daughter Emerson (when she’s home from Alfred State College) and her two cats.
Francesca Romani joins South Kent School as the World Languages Teacher. Francesca was born in Florence, Italy, and spent much of her adult life in Milan. She grew up multilingual, attending a German international school from age 3 through 18, where German, Italian, English, French, and Latin were used in class. Francesca was a member of the Latin Honors Society and earned top honors for her translation skills on her high school final State exam. She then attended the International School for Interpreters and Translators, graduating in 1989 with a major in German and French.
Francesca spent many years working in international corporate settings, including positions at Bayer and Beiersdorf, and held roles in international trade. She also specialized in corporate donations and fundraising, earning her Lapid certification in Tel Aviv, Israel. On the board of a German import-export company, she built an EU-wide representative network and supported PR and marketing initiatives.
In 2000, Francesca became a Liaison Officer for a government agency for culture and education in Milan, where she honed her skills in event planning, interviewing authors, and creating international exchange opportunities for the city’s schools. Among her projects, the Bicentennial Celebration of H.C. Andersen’s birth was particularly noteworthy, as it engaged students across all grade levels over a two-month period.
Relocating to the U.S. in 2009 with her two daughters, Francesca worked independently as a Business Consultant for small and medium-sized companies, helping them establish or expand their presence in European markets. During this period, she completed a four-year Public Health Management course at Johns Hopkins University. She then worked in mental health and addiction medicine as an International Coordinator and Community Liaison, focusing on youth mental health and opioid prevention across the U.S., Germany, and France.
Francesca has also taught ESL, German, Italian, and Latin for seven years at The Language School Global in Ridgefield and at South Kent School, preparing students for their SATs and AP exams.
In addition to her academic and professional pursuits, Francesca has a degree in International Cooking, as well as in Landscaping and Floral Design, with a special interest in historically-themed creations. She holds a degree in opera singing, has received awards for her photography, and is an accomplished painter. In her free time, Francesca enjoys writing, singing, reading, creating art, hiking, and rowing. She currently resides in scenic South Kent with her boyfriend and their extravagant dog.
Timothy Smith joins South Kent School as a member of the STEM Faculty. Tim earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Math and Computer Science from Western Connecticut State University. He got his first job at his alma mater, where he worked for ten years as an Assistant Director of Information and Network Services.
After his time at Western Connecticut State, Tim continued to build an impressive resume working in the technology industry. He worked as an Applications Developer for Tetley USA and Conde Nast Publications, a software engineer for Axium International, and the Chief Operating Officer and software architect for 3 Story Software. Tim shifted to working at schools in 2012 when he started at Marvelwood School, where he worked for eight years as an IT Director and a Computer Science teacher. He had a year-long stint at a technology company called IT Perfectionists before returning to the classroom for his most recent position at Trinity-Pawling School, teaching introductory, honors, and advanced computer science classes. Overall, Tim has 25 years of experience in software development and enjoys sharing his programming experiences with his students.
Tim lives off campus with his wife Heather and enjoys the beautiful landscape of Litchfield County, particularly the colors of the fall foliage. He is a big pop culture fan, especially Marvel/DC – both in print and cinema. In his leisure time, Tim plays all different genres of music on his guitar and often attends local open mic nights. Recently, Tim checked off a few items on his “bucket list”; he wrote his first original song and performed on Make Music Day 2024, doing a two-hour set at the coffee shop in town.