These members of the administration, faculty, and staff are leaving Pingry at the conclusion of the 2025-26 school year, and the School thanks them for their years of service and contributions:

Alex Driansky, Lower School Learning Specialist, is leaving Pingry after three years to spend more time with her young children and begin an educational consulting practice focused on supporting families as they navigate learning, school, and child development needs. “I have truly loved being part of the Pingry community,” she says. “My time at Pingry has been incredibly meaningful, and I feel so grateful to have worked alongside such thoughtful colleagues while supporting so many wonderful students and families. The relationships and experiences I have had here will always stay with me.”

Pat Egan, Middle School Office Coordinator, is retiring after 20 years at Pingry, and is proudest of her role as a Middle School advisor. She loves the energy of the Middle School and has thrived on supporting the students, faculty/staff, and parents. “I have had the privilege and honor to work with the very best of the best. Pingry, and the Middle School community in particular, have played a huge role in my life. I shall always be grateful for this opportunity,” she says. In 2025, she received The Cyril and Beatrice Baldwin Pingry Family Citizen of the Year Award.

Jeff Feinberg, Middle School Math Teacher, is leaving Pingry after nine years to relocate to Rhode Island, where he will teach at Moses Brown School. At Pingry, he also taught Outdoor Adventures and served as co-facilitator of the Middle School Multicultural Allyship Group and Middle School Math Coordinator. In 2024, he received the James P. Whitlock, Jr. ’60 Faculty Development Fund for Science, Mathematics and Technology.

Dr. Brandyn Fisher, Director of Student-Athlete Mental Performance, is leaving Pingry after nine years. He also served as an AP Psychology Teacher and a Mental Performance Coach.

Nicole Labrit-Petrewski, Middle School Assistant Teacher, is leaving Pingry after one year.

Anu Menon, Middle School Computer Science Teacher, is leaving Pingry after seven years. During her time here, she created the syllabus for the eighth-grade elective Computer Thinking and Design, was an advisor to the South Asian Affinity Group, and coached Middle School Robotics for seven years, FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) for six years, and the recently introduced FIRST LEGO League Challenge.

Josh Nealon, Middle School History Teacher, is leaving Pingry after three years to return to Tuxedo Park School to teach history to Grades 6–8.

Tatiana (Oliveira) Popoloski ’15, Grade 4 Social Studies Teacher, is leaving Pingry after four years. She has also been co-leader of Student Council for three years and Grade 4 Team Leader for one year. She is pursuing her paralegal certificate this summer with the goal of working in civil rights policy/advocacy and legal aid work.

Tamara Schurdak, Middle School Director, is leaving Pingry after three years to pursue a doctorate in Leadership and Learning at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody School of Education in tandem with new leadership opportunities focusing on teaching, learning, and professional development. During her time at Pingry, she established a divisional leadership structure that includes Middle School Department Chairs, helped develop new roles focused on student support and academic leadership, and led efforts to enhance Middle School community life, from expanding the role of Morning Meeting as a gathering for performances and student voice to introducing new traditions such as evening dances and partnerships with neighboring schools. She also worked on the development of Discovery classes that will be introduced in 2026-27, as well as a revised Middle School schedule.

Dana Sherman, Grades 4 and 5 Writing Teacher and a homeroom teacher, is retiring after 10 years at Pingry and planning to create a writing workshop for adolescents in which they can work on assignments, college essays, or something of their own in a group setting and receive feedback. “Pingry has an outstanding faculty and it has been a pleasure to work alongside so many dedicated educators,” she says.

Gerard Soriano, Facilities Technician, is leaving Pingry after 11 years.

Debra Tambor, Middle School Science Teacher, is retiring after 13 years at Pingry and 32 years of teaching middle school. She taught Science 7, then Science 8, started the Middle School’s participation in New Jersey Science Olympiad (a multidisciplinary science and engineering competition), and taught the Friday class Mad Science with fast-paced, hands-on activities such as engineering, dissections, and kitchen chemistry. “When students can see something in action, that’s why I love teaching science,” she says. “They can see it. They can understand it.” In 2020, she received The Edward G. Engel Chair for Mathematics and Science.

Jeff Tamn, Carpenter, Facilities Technician, is leaving Pingry after 25 years.

Olivia Tandon, Upper School Science Teacher and Assistant Director of Experiential Education (Sustainability), is leaving Pingry after nine years. She initially taught Biology and AP Biology, later added Environmental Science – Honors, and introduced and taught Advanced Geoscience: The Science of Natural Disasters. She also led the Spring Intensive “Jurassic Jones: Adventures in Deep Time.” Outside the classroom, Ms. Tandon oversaw sustainability initiatives on campus, including the farm and flock of chickens. In 2018, she officially became Farm and Sustainability Coordinator, and in 2021, assumed her current position. She also created the Climate Summit at Pottersville, spearheaded the Faculty Staff Community Garden and Faculty Staff Sustainability Committee, coached squash for the first five years, and designed several camps for summer camp. In 2022, she received The Albert W. Booth Chair for Master Teachers.

Mike Waelz, Director of Facilities, is retiring after 10 years in the role and 19 years at Pingry. An electrician, he joined the School as Mechanical Supervisor in Basking Ridge and rose to Director of Facilities in 2016. Among his numerous campus projects earlier in his time at Pingry, he rewired the Carriage House, completed electrical work for Beinecke House, and worked on the modernization of both the Basking Ridge and Short Hills Campuses. Under his leadership, the Facilities’ mechanical team wired the Miller A. Bugliari ’52 Athletics Center (including the fire alarm and intercom systems), Pingry installed synthetic turf fields, renovated the Lower School Library and Middle School Office, renovated employee housing and other spaces on the Pottersville Campus, and reconstructed and expanded the Varsity Baseball and World Cup Soccer fields. He has also worked on the newest three-campus Master Plan. The 2021 yearbook was dedicated to the Facilities Team to recognize their countless hours of work to ensure the safety of the Basking Ridge and Short Hills Campuses.


Contact: Greg Waxberg ’96, Assistant Director of Communications, Writer/Editor