Francis Mechner, PhD, (Director) received his doctorate from Columbia University in 1957 and remained a member of the psychology department’s teaching faculty until 1960. He has performed basic and applied research in the fields of learning and educational technology; created applications of individualized instruction for numerous industrial and governmental agencies; developed and installed innovative statewide early childhood programs for several states; and was part of Sesame Street‘s original design team. As an educational consultant to UNESCO, he led projects for the modernization of science teaching in South America and Asia. In 1969 he founded the Paideia School, a K–12 independent school in Armonk, NY, which first implemented the approach to personalized instruction that is now employed at Queens Paideia.

Dr. Mechner has published influential technical papers and articles and has lectured and taught courses at universities worldwide. He is president of the Mechner Foundation, which conducts research in the field of learning, and is a trustee of the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies.

Karyn Slutsky (Assistant Director) is a graduate of Brandeis University and is pursuing studies in botany at the New York Botanical Gardens. She has been an editorial and production consultant (nonfiction/academic books and Web sites) for more than 15 years and is co-creator of Kids Reach Out, an enrichment program for children that utilizes concepts in sustainability as a centerpiece for a multidisciplinary and multimedia curriculum. Among her numerous duties at QPS, she oversees outreach and communications.

Vic Fiallo (Learning Manager) has served in managerial, administrative, and leadership roles in New Jersey and New York schools for more than 12 years, including as Department Chairman for Math and Science Education. An alternative education professional and advocate, he is also a highly regarded math educator and has many years’ experience teaching biology and the sciences in general.

Mr. Fiallo, whose master’s degree is from Teachers College, Columbia University, is committed to creating learning cultures that promote consciousness regarding health, nutrition, and fitness, as well as social, environmental, and economic awareness. His background and philosophy fit in well with QPS’s emphasis on self-motivation, independence, and contribution.

Tim Fredrick, PhD, (Learning Manager) has taught elementary, middle, and high school students, as well as college undergraduates and graduates. Through his wide range of experience, he understands how language is acquired, how literacy is improved, and the latest best practices for encouraging both.

He has a master’s degree in English Education, and a PhD in Applied Linguistics from New York University. Mr. Fredrick has been published in international academic journals and regularly presents (in the United States and abroad) his research on language use.

Tiffany Hunter (Learning Manager) holds a master’s degree from Teachers College, Columbia University, in International Educational Development. She has broad teaching experience at all levels ranging from kindergarten to high school, in the United States and abroad, in a wide range of subjects including mathematics, language arts, the sciences, social studies, environmental science, conflict resolution, music, and art. She has also served as curriculum consultant and program coordinator in Social Studies and English Language Arts for various educational institutions. Her numerous publications and speaking engagements at international conferences have centered on creative and innovative teaching practices in the humanities, critical thinking, child socialization, civic education, and social-emotional learning.

Bertille de Baudiniere (Fine Art/Art History) is a graduate of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris and the National University of Fine Arts in Tokyo, where she received a master’s degree in painting. She is a professional artist who has exhibited in France, Germany, Japan, and the United States, most recently in “All in the Family” at the Islip Museum and “New York Light”, a solo show at the Fondation des Etats-Unis in Paris.

Ms. de Baudiniere has taught children for more than 15 years, as the founder and director of Les Artistes du Futur in Paris as well as in French public schools and at UNIS Queens. Her program combines the study of painting and drawing techniques with art history, brought to life through museum visits. She encourages in her students a full freedom of expression within the selected medium and subject.

Oliver Sohngen (Music Theory and History) is director of the Long Island City Academy of Music and an experienced voice teacher whose students have gained entrance to prestigious performance art conservatories like Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College of Music, Aaron Copland School of Music, and Berklee College of Music. He is choral director at P.S. 112 and also directs the Court Square Youth Choir.

Eric Ragan (Movement Education) is the director of the Long Island City School of Ballet and co-director of Ballet for Young Audiences/Ballet Repertory of LIC. He was a soloist with the Suzanne Farrell Ballet at the Kennedy Center and has been a guest artist with American Ballet Theater. He is also an accomplished musician and actor. This broad background coupled with his creative vision contribute to his exceptional skill in teaching movement and physical/health education to young people.

Laurilyn Jones (Business Administrator/Mechner Foundation Liaison) received a B.A. in history of art from Yale University in 1991. Since 1998, as the Mechner Foundation’s Director of Operations, she has coordinated and conducted a basic research and publication program in the field of learning and the behavioral sciences, in collaboration with Dr. Francis Mechner, and administered the Foundation’s grants program. Before coming to the Mechner Foundation, she worked in nonprofit administration.

Rebecca Mannis, PhD, (Advisory) is the founder of Ivy Prep Learning Center, a New York City-based center for children and adults with learning disabilities. She holds a master’s degree in reading, language, and learning disabilities from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a doctorate in developmental psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University. She is uniquely qualified in assessing individual learning styles and identifying resources and customizing instruction to address them.