Mission Statement

Teresa is a dedicated advocate for leveraging the arts to foster personal and societal growth. For the past 3 decades, alongside her husband, William, Teresa concentrated on public art initiatives centered on revitalizing cities grappling with industrial decline or social tensions, For 7 years, she managed an international arts competition and program.

Teresa actively engages communities in the design and significance of public spaces through large-scale community participation. She served as public art consultant for the American Institute of Architects' Center for Community by Design and co-founded Shared Vision: Public Art for Community Transformation. Teresa earned the Core Values Award from the International Association of Public Participation in 2000 for her work on Shared Vision’s innaugural project, Community Bridge.

At Lucy School, Teresa was a founder and the first chairman of the Luce Fund for Children, organized the 2009 arts integration conference "Rethinking Education," and wrote the “Welcome to Lucy School” song. The Cochran boys—Connor and Quinn—attended Lucy School through Kindergarten and are profoundly influenced by their formative years at Lucy School.

Gerri Chizeck has spent her professional life teaching, leading, and nurturing independent schools and guiding them toward sustainability and effective, progressive practices. Her educational background includes a BA in Education from Antioch College, a Masters in Human Development and Administration from Pacific Oaks College, and a Doctoral Studies in Administration from USC, where she received her administrative credentials. Currently semi-retired from being a school Head for many years, she consults with small schools, mentors new Heads of Schools, and enjoys time in nature. Her involvement with Lucy School over the years has included consulting on curriculum and administrative structure, and she is delighted to lend her expertise to help Lucy School continue to thrive. She deeply loves the mission of Lucy School and its community.

Anne Olesen received a master's degree in criminal justice from SUNY Albany in 1978 and graduated from New York University Law School in 1982. Since then, she has worked in various settings to advocate for the rights of criminal defendants, incarcerated persons, and ex-offenders. For the past 22 years, she has practiced as a criminal appellate attorney and directed a criminal appeals clinic at the George Washington University Law School. She is a strong proponent of experiential learning. She takes a holistic approach to legal education, helping students develop their emotional intelligence, professional identities, and legal skills. She has consulted with various institutions on clinical pedagogy and experiential learning, including at the University of Qatar. Anne has two grown children who grew up immersed in theater and other artistic activities, pursued theater majors in college, and continue to benefit significantly from their involvement in the arts.

Chris Zachariadis, PhD., has a doctorate in education from Berkley. He spent 55 years of his professional life organizing for and building institutions and organizations to improve community life. In addition to founding and heading the National Association for Community-Based Education for over 25 years, he has worked for over twenty years to help found and support Lucy School. He is now focused on assuring that Lucy School will grow as a model school, will continue to provide high-quality education, and will disseminate its methods and experience in other communities.

Elizabeth Pinkney Coyne, Ph.D., is a former elementary and middle school teacher with professional interests in intrinsic achievement motivation and ways to harness student strengths and interests to promote meaningful learning. Over the past 20 years, she has worked with teachers nationally and internationally as they develop their ability to recognize gifts and talents, design lessons to engage and challenge students of all ability levels, and establish classroom practices that celebrate how individuals can contribute to a larger community of learners. Locally, Dr. Coyne has been a 4-H leader and directed program evaluation in the early years of the Monocacy Valley Montessori Public Charter School. Dr. Coyne serves on the editorial board of Teaching for High Potential and is a lecturer at the University of Virginia.

Kori Purdum Matheis has been with Proffitt & Associates Architects since May 2000, and one of her early projects was helping with Lucy School’s Green Building. She holds a Master of Architecture Degree from the Savannah College of Art & Design, where she enjoyed exploring a variety of creative arts including jewelry-making, furniture design, and sculpting. In her 20+ year career, she has served as Principal Architect on numerous projects of varying scope and complexity, driven by a passion for sustainable design and the desire to produce dynamic educational and civic environments that enrich lives and communities. Kori’s design philosophy centers on sustainability, innovation, and meeting the needs of clients. She strives to create facilities that will improve occupants’ physical and mental health, minimize environmental impact, and provide places for community engagement and improved human interaction. Her projects often include “firsts” for clients, such as the Earth and Space Science Lab, which contained Frederick County Public Schools’ first geothermal heating and cooling system and large building-mounted PV array or Catoctin Creek Park Nature Center, which included Frederick County Government’s first vegetated roof. In her free time, Kori enjoys spending time outdoors and hanging out with her husband and two teenage children.

Casey Newton is the current Lucy School PTO president, and her three daughters have attended Lucy School over the past decade, with her eldest graduating last year. Casey has also worked in the front office and served as a substitute teacher. Casey is a nurse by profession, currently working at Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown. Casey grew up in a family that appreciated the importance of music, dance, play, art and nature. She tells us, "Lucy School immediately drew me in because it felt like home. My kids have said that they want to grow up, become teachers, and work at Lucy School, so it is my hope to help contribute to Lucy School's future."

Rrezarta Sopa is a tax accountant with Linton Shafer Warfield & Garrett, P.A., in Frederick, Maryland. Her family immigrated to the US from Kosovo when she was eight, but try to visit their native country every year or two. Rrezarta and her husband, Genc, have two small children and live in Brunswick.