Directory

Dana Warshauer came to the Rivers College Counseling Office from the University of Miami, where she spent six years in the admissions office, following a brief stint as director of parent relations. Dana chaired and ran Miami’s college counselor conference, has been a presenter at the annual national conference of college admissions officers, and has presented annually to high school panels on case studies in college admissions. Dana was also Miami’s admissions office’s liaison to their athletic program. Previously, Dana worked as a program coordinator for Suffolk University Law School’s Office of Graduate and International Programs and for the Cohen Foundation as international coordinator and counselor for the Israeli Leadership Council. Dana has a BA in international relations from the University of Miami.

Jon Wasserman’s primary responsibilities as director of finance and operations and assistant treasurer include serving as the school’s chief financial officer as well as overseeing non-academic operations at Rivers such as transportation, food service, facilities, and auxiliary programs like Camp Nonesuch. He serves on the school’s finance, facilities, investments, executive, defined contribution retirement plan, audit, and music executive committees. A graduate of Rivers, Jon previously worked as associate director of finance and operations as well as associate director of advancement. He graduated from Brandeis University with a BA in history and education and an MBA in social policy and management. Jon was the recipient of Rivers’s Bergen-Decker Award in 2013.

Ian Watson brings a record of counseling in a variety of settings to the Rivers College Counseling Office. Prior to joining Rivers, he was director of college counseling for Campus Bound, leading a team of 30 counselors in New England and California in their work with students and families in the application process. Ian has also served as associate director of college counseling at Crystal Springs Uplands School in Hillsborough, CA, and as a college counselor at Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School, in St. Louis, MO. Ian worked on the other side of the desk as a senior assistant director of admission at Wheaton College, where he also coached the tennis team. Ian was a member of the Common Application’s counselor advisory board. He has a BA in English literature and an MA in English and creative writing from the University of Colorado.

Kim Webster started teaching math at Rivers in 2001. She earned a BA in economics at Williams College, where she played soccer, and an MEd with a specialization in sports psychology at Boston University. A mother of three boys, Kim has been a triathlete for 20 years, competing in several world championship events, including the Ironman in Kona. She also regularly competes in the Boston Marathon. Kim has served as soccer and alpine skiing coach at Rivers, and runs the math TA program.

Elizabeth Wendorf, math department chair, is a seasoned teacher of Upper School mathematics.  A graduate of Wesleyan University with both a BA and an MA in mathematics, Elizabeth loves sharing her passion for the subject with her students. Before joining Rivers, Elizabeth taught high school mathematics at Kent School in Connecticut. She was also a teaching assistant at Wesleyan. In addition to teaching, Elizabeth runs the math teaching assistant program for seniors and supports the venture capital competition club. She also coaches the varsity ski team and girls' soccer.

Jacob Werrick is a Rivers alumnus (Class of 2016) who graduated from the University of South Carolina with a BS in sport and entertainment management. Jacob has worked at Rivers since 2019 and holds numerous roles on campus, serving as the digital marketing specialist, sports information director, an eleventh grade advisor, and an assistant boys’ varsity basketball coach. Jacob created the athletics internship program, which allows students to earn a sports credit by helping the athletics department in a variety of ways, including photography, communications, and social media.

Joani Whalen holds an EdD in higher education administration from Regis College and an MA in intercultural relations from Lesley University. Prior to joining Rivers, Joani worked as EA to the head of school at The Chestnut Hill School. She also spent several years at Babson College as national program manager for the Goldman Sachs Foundation (10,000 Small Businesses Initiative). Outside of school, Joani is passionate about travel and, before joining academia, traveled as a safari specialist to most continents, including multiple trips to her native South Africa.

Ben White serves in the development office for The Rivers School Conservatory, overseeing all fundraising and development operations. He graduated from Franklin & Marshall College with a BA in English literature. Prior to joining RSC, Ben served as a development associate at the New Haven Symphony Orchestra in Connecticut. His appreciation for music comes from studying and performing classical music on bassoon.

Christopher Wiley has a BFA from SUNY New Paltz and an MFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Before joining Rivers, Chris spent 17 years working as a carpenter, designing and building custom furniture pieces, and as an independent board- and card-game designer, as well as caring for his children as a stay-at-home dad. As a passionate educator, Christopher encourages students to explore a variety of materials in the sculpture studio including wire, wood, plaster, metal, found objects, and projects incorporating light and shadow. Chris lives in Canton with his two daughters and wife, Carrie.

As an English teacher and interdisciplinary studies department chair, Julian teaches tenth and twelfth grade English and interdisciplinary electives. He is a student advisor and a faculty advisor for the bioethics club, and has been a bioethics fellow at Harvard Medical School, a Yale-Hastings Scholar in bioethics, and a future of learning fellow at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. Prior to coming to Rivers, he held teaching positions at James Allen’s Girls’ School, King’s College London, and Birkbeck College London. He earned a BA from Oxford University and both an MTh and a PhD from King’s College London.

As the director of annual giving, Julia Wills is the primary point of contact for The Rivers Fund. With many years' experience in philanthropy, Julia has a deep commitment to advancing relationship-based support for mission-driven organizations. Before joining Rivers, Julia served as director of leadership annual giving at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and previously held roles focusing on alumni engagement and giving for Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University and in development marketing at Wellesley College. She began her career in development at McLean Hospital. Julia holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from Northeastern University.

Jennifer Wilson is a registered nurse and a candidate for a doctorate of nursing practice in pediatric primary care at Boston College Connell School of Nursing. After receiving a bachelor of science from The George Washington University, Jennifer earned a master of science in nursing from Boston College. While in her master’s degree program, she completed clinical rotations at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, and Rivers. Jennifer’s prior professional experiences include clinical research in gastroenterology at Boston Children’s Hospital, emergency medicine at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and cardiac surgery at Children’s National Medical Center. Jennifer has certification in CPR and first aid.

Nicole Winters received a BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art & Design and an MA from Tufts University. Nicole came to Rivers from the Littleton Public Schools, where she taught visual art. Prior to teaching in Littleton, Nicole was affiliated with the Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts and taught in Boston area charter and public schools. At Rivers, she teaches beginning and intermediate drawing, painting, printmaking, advanced art, and art as a tool for social change in the Upper School. Additionally, she advises juniors and seniors, serves as gallery coordinator, and heads the visiting artist program.

Cheryl Wolf worked as an executive assistant for seven years in the Wayland Public School system and spent more than 11 years at Belmont Hill School before joining Rivers in 2020. She earned a BA in psychology from Framingham State University. Cheryl is a licensed massage therapist, registered yoga teacher, and Ayurvedic health counselor, as well as a music enthusiast.