• Aviezer Gellman, Dean of Jewish Studies
  
  
• Ann Indingaro, Math
  
  
• Hanni Jackubowitz Hudson, Hebrew Language
  
  
• Mark Cowett, Dean of General Studies
  
  
• Carol DeForest, Art
  
  
• Debbie Penney, English
  
  
• Beverly Kay, Librarian
  
  
• Rick Ireland, Technology Instructor
  
  
• Sonya Fleck, Chemistry Instructor
  
  
• Rebecca Pharr, College Counselor
  
  
• Sarah Lewis, Office & Business Manager

Aviezer Gellman

• Established Adar High School for Girls, Petach Tikvah
• Principal of the high School affiliated with the Petach Tikvah Hesder Yeshivah
• Vice Principal and member of team that created the high school affiliated with the Petach Tikvah Hesder Yeshivah
• Assistant to Executive Director, in charge of public relations at Beit Va’ad L’Torah
• Teacher at Neot David Elementary School, Petach Tikvah
• Teacher at Bney Akiva Yeshiva High School, Modi’in
• Director of seminars in Judaism for religious and non-religious teenagers
• Personal Mentor for children at risk
• Social Counselor at the Havrutah Yeshivah High School, Ra’anana
• Parachute Division, Hesder Army Service
• Emissary to Russia for the Jewish Agency
• Aviezer and his wife Shlomit have two children

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Ann Indingaro

• Graduated from Radcliffe College
• Taught mathematics in New York and Massachusetts
• Taught AP Calculus at Kirby High School
• Department Chairman and Mu Alpha Theta Sponsor at Kirby High
• Math Supervisor with Shelby County Schools
• Adjunct mathematics instructor at University of Memphis, Shelby State Community College, and LeMoyne-Owen College
• Member of the Tennessee State Secondary Mathematics Curriculum Committee that produced the Tennessee State Mathematics Framework for 9^th through 12^th grades
• Served on the Tennessee State Textbook Adoption Committee
• Served on the Tennessee High School Curriculum Committee
• Member of the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics
• Serving a three-year term (2003-06) as Southeast Region 2 Representative for the Affiliate Services Committee of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
• President of the Memphis Area Council of Teachers of Mathematics
• Worked to improve gender equity in mathematics and infuse hand-held technology into the mathematics curriculum
• Chaired a local effort called SHADES which brought 8^th grade girls together with women working in math, science and engineering
• Co-principal investigator for the school system’s National Science Foundation Gender Equity grant
• NCTM Representative to Tennessee Mathematics Teachers Assoc.
• Alto with Christ United Methodist Church Chancel Choir & Chamber Chorus, Memphis Symphony Chorus, Sara Beth Causey Chorale
• Needlecraft hobbyist

Hanni Jackubowitz Hudson

• Master degree in Medical and Urban Anthropology, University of Memphis, 1995
• Bachelor degree in Anthropology, summa cum laude, Memphis State University, 1992
• Intensive training seminar, Steven Spielberg’s Survivors of the Shoa Visual Foundation, 1995
• Teaches introduction, intermediate and advanced Hebrew courses, Bornblum Judaic studies, University of Memphis
• Teaches cultural anthropology courses, University of Memphis
• Taught anthropology classes at the University of Memphis since 1993
• Taught Hebrew at the University of Memphis since 1995
• Taught Hebrew and Judaic Studies at Solomon Schechter Day School of Memphis, 1997-1999
• Interviewing Holocaust survivors for the Survival of the Shoa Visual Foundation, 1996-1998
• Taught Cultural Anthropology at College of St. Francis and Shelby State Community College, 1993-1997
• Fluent in English, Hebrew and West African Krio (Anglo)
• Honorably discharged from the Israeli Defense Force, 1974-1976

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Mark Cowett

• Ph.D. in History from University of Cincinnati, M.A. and M.A.T. from University of Chicago
• 34 years of teaching and administrative experience on college and secondary levels
• Served as Head of Upper School and Academic Dean in private schools in Virginia, Tennessee, Louisiana, and New York
• Teach AP classes in American, European, and World History
• Made presentations to NAIS on the uses of Technology in the Classroom
• Made presentations to Organization of American Historians on subjects in American Jewish History
• Published a monograph with The University of Alabama in 1986 on Rabbi Morris Newfield of Temple Emanu-El
• Published various articles with scholarly journals on various subjects in American Jewish History
• His wife, Joan, is a foreign language and math teacher with many years of private school experience.

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Carol DeForest

• BFA, Memphis College of Art, Memphis, TN
• BA, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN
• Instructor, Clay Sculpture, Artists in Schools Program, Memphis Arts Council/Tennessee Arts Commission
• Instructor, Sculpture, Advanced Placement Program for high school students, Memphis College of Art
• Instructor, Mexican Art History, Memphis College of Art
• Instructor, Ceramics, Governor’s School of the Arts, Middle Tennessee State University
• Instructor, Sculpture, Rhodes College
• Owner, Carol DeForest Studio, a ceramic design studio, Memphis, TN

• Numerous exhibitions nationwide.

Awards

• 2003 MATA Medical Center Trolley Extension Project, UrbanArt Commission, Memphis, TN
• 2001-03 Binghampton Police Precinct Project, UrbanArt Commission, Memphis, TN
• 2000 Germanshire Elementary School Project, UrbanArt Commission, Memphis, TN
• 1999 Hope and Healing Center Project, UrbanArt Commission, Memphis, TN
• 1999 Best in Mixed Media, Juried Show, Arts in the Park, Memphis, TN
• 1998 Artist Residency, Virginia Center for Creative Arts, Sweet Briar, VA
• 1991 Visiting Artist, Association for Visual Artists, Chattanooga, TN
• 1987 Artist-in-Residence, Tennessee Arts Commission
• 1987 Best in Show, Ceramics: Southeast, Florida Gulf Coast Art Center, Belleair, FL
• 1979 Fellowship/Special Assistant to Robert Arneson, Art Department University of California, Davis, CA

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Debbie Penney
English

Education

• BA in English and Journalism from Belmont University
• MA in English from Middle Tennessee State University
• Additional coursework (30+ hours) at University of Mississippi

Teaching

• Graduate Instructor and Part-Time Instructor, Middle Tennessee State University
• Graduate Instructor, University of Mississippi
• Assistant to the Director of Graduate Instructors, University of Mississippi
• Editor of Freshman Expressions, student essay publication
• Instructor of English and AP courses at various Memphis independent schools
• Adjunct Instructor of English at Rhodes College

Scholarship

• Extensive presentations on Early Modern English literature and culture with an emphasis on the roles of women in courtship and marriage
• Presentation at the Conference on College Composition and Communication (4C’s)
• Attended seminars on composition lead by leading scholars in the composition field including Kathleen BlakeYancey and Ben McClelland
• Presentations at various conferences on pop culture and southern culture

Honors

• Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
• Outstanding Teacher of Sophomore English Literature 1996-1997, UM
• Outstanding Teacher of Freshman English 1995-1996, UM

Interests

• Writing poetry
• Writing children’s picture books

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Beverly Kay

• Librarian for the Memphis City Schools from 1994 - 2006. Kay was involved in the transformation of the library system from a manual to an automated one. Coordinated the “English as a Second Language” (ESL) summer enrichment program for K-grade 12 at various school sites for eight years, as well as coordinated public library’s summer reading program with the ESL program.
• Division Manager for World Book Encyclopedias for 12 years.
• B.S. Peabody College Vanderbilt University, 1964-1968, Elementary Education.
• Trevecca Nazarene University, 1995-1996, School Library Certification.
• University of Memphis, 1994-1997. Graduate courses in curriculum and instruction
• Memphis City Schools, 1994-2006, Professional Development.

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Rick Ireland

• Rick has over forty years in the field of technology. He holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Christians Brothers University.  He has written operating systems for mini-computers, as well as database systems for microcomputers. He built his first micro-computer from a kit.

• Teacher training Workshop Director and Private tutor
• Act preparation, Geometry, Pre-Calc, Algebra, Chemistry (Honors and Advanced Placement) Physics
• Christian Brothers High School Teacher of Chemistry Honors and Advanced Placement
• St Mary’s Episcopal School Teacher of Chemistry Honors and Advanced Placement
• Millington Central High School Teacher of Sciences
• St. Benedict at Auburndale School Teacher and Department of Science chairperson
• Member of National Teacher’s Association
• 1997-1999 Masters of Education in Secondary Education Christian’s Brothers University
• 1992-1996 Bachelor of Art Psychology Christian Bothers University
• 1992-1996 Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Chemistry

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Rebecca Pharr

Quote:  "Through its guidance program, MJHS will assist its students in developing into well-rounded young adults prepared for the academic and personal challenges of higher education."

• Most recently, she served as Director of College Counseling at Ridgeway High School
• Before that, she was the guidance coordinator and college counselor at Central High School
• Ms. Pharr brings to Memphis Jewish High School over 20 years of hands-on, individualized counseling to students and parents alike which ensures that each student is admitted to their college of choice
• She was the first recipient of the University of Tennessee’s award for College Guidance Counselor of the Year

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Sarah Lewis

• Sarah is a 1995 graduate of Tufts University. Sarah worked at the International group as a training coordinator
• She was the program coordinator for the Enrichment Center in Triangle Park North Carolina
• Sarah has held many volunteer communal positions and chaired many events
• She has served as organizational consultant to several firms in the Memphis area

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