About Us

Faculty and Staff

Faculty & Staff Department Directory

  • Photo of Cecelia Pan
    Cecelia Pan
    Science Dept. Chair, Director of Ed. Initiatives, Co-Director of Faculty Recruitment & Mentoring
    617-264-1423
    Defiance College - B.S.
    Antioch College - M.S.T.
    Bio
     
    For Cecelia, science is more than a body of knowledge; it is a way of thinking and viewing the world. Skills taught in a science class can be used to analyze and make decisions for a person’s entire life. She is particularly passionate about encouraging females in science.

    Cecelia has been teaching biological sciences at Brimmer since 1996 and has served as Department Chair since 1997. As Director of Educational Initiatives, Cecelia oversees the Scholar Society and is the Chair of the NEASC accreditation process. Cecelia served as the Director of Hiring for several years and is now the Co-Director of Faculty Recruitment and Mentoring, where she oversees hiring of faculty PK-12 and also manages the School’s mentor program for new faculty and staff. Cecelia also serves on the Global Studies Board.
     
    She loves being able to be creative in her classroom at Brimmer. Cecelia believes that the best part of teaching is letting students learn a concept, then deciding whether to teach that lesson again, and, if so, how to change it. She appreciates that she is encouraged to take risks and try new lessons, classes, and topics and loves to use her students’ curiosity to learn about scientific principles.

    Cecelia is a member of the National Association of Biology Teachers and the National Science Teachers Association. She volunteers for Habitat Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary (a Mass Audubon site) and the March for Science in Boston. A Maine native, she still loves to spend time on the lake with her family and view the wonderful wildlife.
  • Photo of Nia Gipson
    Nia Gipson
    Middle and Upper School Science Teacher
    Swarthmore College - B.A.
    Harvard Graduate School of Education - M.A.
    Bio
     
    Born in Colorado, but raised in San Diego, the first thing that Nia wanted to be was an Archeologist thanks to a wonderful Kindergarten teacher who set up an amazing archeological dig in the playground. Ultimately she received a Bachelor of Arts in Biology with a minor in Psychology from Swarthmore College, but she never forgot that sense of wonder and discovery that she found in that classroom. Nia is committed to the same hands-on engagement in learning in the classroom. She strives to provide students with an integrative, project-based, and collaborative learning experience in the classroom, where students meaningfully construct knowledge about a topic and not just learn facts from a textbook.Prior to joining the faculty and staff at Brimmer, Nia taught high school STEAM and Chemistry at Saint Joseph Prep and worked in informal science education in museums and non-profits in both Boston and San Diego. Outside of work, Nia is an avid traveler, a lover of board games and escape rooms, and a clandestine archeology and history scholar.
  • Photo of Chris Hardman
    Chris Hardman
    Science Teacher & Director of STEAM Program
    617-278-2321
    University of Bradford, UK - B.S.
    University of Leeds, UK - M.Ed.
    Bio
     
    As a Science Teacher in the Upper School, Chris’ teaching philosophy emphasizes making and doing, hands-on investigative science in the lab, and analyzing data to make connections.

    Born and raised in the north of England, Chris started his career in education in London, where he taught physics and chemistry and coached soccer for four years. While looking for a change of scenery, Chris was offered a job at Brimmer starting in 2002. He deeply values the relationships throughout the Brimmer community and still keeps in touch with students he taught in his first year at Brimmer 16 years ago.

    Chris is a member of the National Science Teachers Association, the National Association of Independent Schools, and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. In his spare time, he loves traveling the world and being in the outdoors mountain biking, sea kayaking, and sailing, as well as spending time with his wife and two kids.
  • Photo of Zoë Stublarec
    Zoë Stublarec
    Upper School Science Teacher
    Connecticut College - B.A.
    Bio
     
    Zoë received her B.A in Behavioral Neuroscience from Connecticut College. During her undergraduate years, she was a four year member of the women’s soccer team, a two-year captain, an active member of the college’s Women in STEM program, and a member of the National Honor Society in Neuroscience (Nu Rho Psi). 
     
    Before joining the Brimmer community, Zoë taught 10th grade chemistry at a public charter school in New Haven, Connecticut. As a woman of color, Zoë is especially impassioned to increase both interest and accessibility of STEM for students of color and neurodivergent learners. Zoë believes that ALL learners are capable of being successful in STEM, and she is intent on sharing her energy and her knowledge to help students recognize their full potential. 
     
    Outside of work, Zoë loves to travel. Whether it be the lively city of Bogota, Colombia, or the remote island of Tobago, she loves to learn about and experience new cultures.

Our Greatest Asset

Meet the people who work every day to create the best educational experience possible for Brimmer students. Read more about our faculty and staff in their bios.

    • Our dynamic and dedicated teachers at Brimmer and May are the heart of our community.

Brimmer and May School

69 Middlesex Road
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
617-566-7462
As an inclusive private school community, Brimmer welcomes students who will increase the diversity of our school. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, or any other characteristic protected from discrimination under state or federal law, in the administration of our educational policies, admissions practices, financial aid decisions, and athletic and other school-administered programs.