Faculty & Staff

Ben Franklin has exceptionally well-qualified teachers. The faculty and professional staff hold degrees from UNC, Duke, Georgia Tech, Sewanee, Texas, Tulane, Emory, Yale, Harvard, Brown, and UVA among others.

BFA Administration, Faculty, and Staff

Administration

Headmaster

Dr. Wood Smethurst

B.A. in Mathematics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
M.A.T. in Elementary Education, Emory University
Ed.D. in Reading & Curriculum, Harvard University

Dean of Studies

Dr. Martha Burdette, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
Humanities

Associate Deans

Peter Birdsey, B.A.
Humanities, Psychology

Assistant Deans

Rand Wise, B.S.
Mathematics, Psychology, Science

Jeff Guthrie, B.A.
English, Government, Economics

Director of Media Services

Jack Miller, B.A., M.A., M.S., Ph.D.

Information Technology Associate

Kecia Y. May, B.S., M.S.
Mathematics, Computer Science

School Counselors

Vivian Waldrop, B.A., M.S.

Ginny Grigsby, B.S., M.S.

Charlie Weber, B.A.

College Counselors

Tianna Bailey, B.A., M.A.

Renèe Weller, B.A., M.S.

Business Manager & Registrar

Amy Barnes, B.B.A.

Assistant Business Manager

Rina Mandel

Director of Accounting

Jim Stevens, B.S., M.B.A., CPA

Director of Student Records

Barry Dunnavant, B.S., M.Phil

Administrative Liaison

Nisa Sommers, B.A., B.S.

Internal Development Assistant

Sydney D’Arcy, B.B.A.

(Please note that, unlike most schools, the Headmaster, Dean of Studies, the Associate and the Assistant Deans, are primarily teachers, not administrators. Other members of the administrative staff have teaching responsibilities as well.)

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Faculty

Tamara Albrecht, B.M., B.M.E., M.M.
Music History, Chorus

Hope Cohn, B.F.A., M.F.A.
Art

Nugzar Davitashvili, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Mathematics, Science

Susie Duncan, B.F.A., M.F.A.
Art

Barry Dunnavant, B.S., M.Phil (in progress)
Mathematics, Science

Colleen Dunne, B.A., M.F.A., Ph.D. (in progress)
English, French

Molly Embree, B.A., M.A., M.A
Japanese, AP Biology

Shalunda Fincher-Feurdean, B.M.E., M.M.
Cello

Sylvia Gholson, B.M., M.M.E., M.M., D.M.E.
Violin, Viola

Kate Gilbert, B.A., M.A.
Latin

Carmen Goncalves, B.A., M.A.
Spanish, Portuguese

Jeff Guthrie, B.A.
English, Government, Economics

Sandrine Heine, B.A.
French, Graphics, Computer

Jaime Henriquez, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
Critical Thinking, Media Services

Wright Howell, B.A.
History

Olga Inozemtseva, B.S.
Mathematics

Tanja Jovanovic, B.S, M.A, Ph.D.
AP Biology

Deborah Keenan, B.A.
Science, World Religions

Peter W. Lefkowicz, B.A., M.A., J.D.
English, History, Government, Economics, Creative Writing

Brian Luckett, B.M., M.M., D.M.A.
Guitar

Ron Luckie, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
Mathematics, Study Skills, SAT/ACT Prep

Kecia Y. May, B.S., M.S.
Mathematics, Computer Science

Jeana Melilli, B.M., M.M.
Flute, Piccolo

Carolyn Milner, B.F.A., M.F.A.
Art

Weisu Nugent, B.A.,M.A.
Piano, Music Theory

Doug Pike, B.A., J.D.
Humanities, Government

John Powell, B.A., M.S., Ph.D.
PLU and Curriculum Instruction

Corey Sperry, B.S.
Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics

Kelly Thompson, B.A., M.A.
German, English

Pamela Turner, A.A., B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
Drama, Humanities

James Watson, B.A.
Mathematics, Economics, Jazz Piano

Rand Wise, B.S.
Mathematics, Psychology, Science

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