Class Listing - by Instructor

Name	Biography
Frances Alloway N/A	I have been teaching cooking and nutrition classes for many years as a consultant and employee. As a consultant, I have worked with hospitals, child care sites, senior centers, and libraries including the Free Library of Philadelphia. I have presented programming on Radnor 21 and WGTV television stations that included seasonal food and health topics. As an employee of Penn State Extension and Early Head Start, I co-authored Dining with Diabetes, Totally Veggies, The Mediterranean Cuisine Comes to You curricula and taught hundreds of classes for all age groups. I am a registered dietitian and nutritionist, a certified ServSafe instructor and have child abuse clearances.
David Back N/A	David R. Back, is a photojournalist with thirty-five years of experience with film cameras, and digital cameras, and cell phone photography. Media covered includes Club newsletters, weddings, social gatherings, education seminars, sports, studio, nature, technical, (three published books), and pet photography. He is also a ASE Master certified electrical instructor with 35 years of experience with teaching, diagnosing, and repairing electrical equipment and adding circuits.
I Berwyn Squash & Fitness Club dominic@berwynsquash.com	Staff, Berwyn Squash & Fitness Club
Amanda Blevins amanda@blevins-somm.com	Amanda Blevins is certified wine educator and sommelier who has a passion for sharing the story behind each bottle and helping others discover new wines to love. She is the owners of Blevins Sommelier Services, LLC, a graduate of Napa Valley Wine Academy and holds Level 3 Certification from Wine & Spirits Education Trust.
Jon Bock N/A
Michael Castillo michaelcastilloskitchen@gmail.com	Owner, Michael Castillo's Kitchen. www.michaelcastilloskitchen.com
Brent Cebul N/A	Brent Cebul is Associate Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania where he researches and teaches about U.S. political and urban history, inequality, and political economy. He is the author of Illusions of Progress: Business, Poverty, and Liberalism in the American Century (Penn, 2023), and the co-editor, most recently, of Mastery and Drift: Professional Class Liberals since the 1960s (Chicago, 2025). In addition to his scholarly publications, his writing has appeared in The New York Review of Books, The Atlantic, The New Republic, and the Washington Post.
Maria Ceferatti mcef869@gmail.com	Maria Ceferatti is a published writer of short stories, essays and poetry, and earned her MFA in Creative Writing from Rosemont College. She is a writing instructor and music teacher in the Philadelphia area.
Staff Chanticleer N/A	Staff, Experienced Chanticleer Tour Guide
Staff, Cliveden House N/A
Staff, Colonial PA Farmstead N/A
Jennifer Colucciello jenilyn77@msn.com	Jennifer Colucciello is the Director of Compliance for Rothman Orthopaedics with over thirty years in healthcare, including clinical and operational management and education, and over a decade in healthcare compliance. Jeni specializes in Healthcare Compliance, working hard to ensure that all regulations are met as effectively as possible for the benefit of patients and the organization. A strong believer in continued growth and a team approach to meeting these goals, she regularly works with team members to ensure to increase knowledge across the Practice, with an educational instead of punitive approach. Her clinical knowledge and operational background help achieve a seamless integration between the functional and regulatory aspects of the organization. In her free time, Jeni enjoys cooking, rock climbing, and reading.
Marebeth Conard N/A	Marebeth Conard, Experienced Mah Jongg Teacher
Jack Covington Premier.performances@gmail.com	Dr. Covington is an Oxford-educated historian and classically trained stage actor and lecturer. He is also the Creative Director of “Characters-on-Call” – 1 st person living history biographies. He presents dynamic first-person historical impersonations of famous literary and historical personages from the pages of history – in authentic period costume – history brought to life! He is a refreshingly innovative, enlightening, and engagingly dynamic educator, actor, and entertainer of the most creative kind – one who loves both his craft and his audience – who consistently delivers a lecture in true “that’s entertainment” style. He deliberately steps outside the proverbial box, breaking down barriers and successfully injecting spontaneity, wit, and warmth into his lecture ‘performances’. He has lectured and performed for many historical museums and cultural organizations. Performance topics he has presented are listed on his website, www.PerformancesParExcellence.com. Dr. Covington is also a world traveler, adventurer, and a former avid mountaineer. His ability to incorporate his first-hand experiences into his lecture performances serves to both enlighten and enthrall his audiences. He delights in the opportunity to share his unique concept of combining lifelong learning with entertainment that will educate, stimulate, and inspire his audiences today and tomorrow!
Liz Dunleavy N/A	Liz Dunleavy is a licensed social worker and Certified Care Manager with an emphasis in gerontology. She began her practice, Kith Elder Care, in 2015 and has enjoyed supporting families over the years as they navigate the aging landscape. Her practice has grown to include several social workers, a registered nurse and licensed occupational therapist. Liz received her Master of Social Work from Fordham University.
Anthony Durkin delvalchessclub@gmail.com	Anthony Durkin is a certified United States Chess Federation Chess Coach and Tournament Director. He founded the Delaware Valley Chess Club and has taught young people and adults throughout the region chess for the past 15 years.
Staff East Falls Glassworks staff@eastfallsglass.com	Staff, East Falls Glassworks
Charo Evangelista charo.freespirityoga@gmail.com	CHARO EVANGELISTA CABELLO, ESSENTRICS® Level 1 Instructor, Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor, Reiki Master and Wellness Advocate, is certified as a TriYoga instructor. She is a meditation instructor, Reiki Master, Director of Inkalight and is a primary teacher at Free Spirit Yoga. Her personal teaching style focuses on expressiveness and derives from the different disciplines she's practiced throughout the years. Charo has been teaching yoga to children, adults and seniors for the past 28 years. In her classes you will experience the kundalini-inspired sequenced flow of postures synchronized with rhythmic breath (Pranayama) and mudra (focus), which will increase your energy and bring mental clarity. Her website is www.inkalight.com.
Cynthia Foxworth profesora631@gmail.com	Cynthia Foxworth is a certified Spanish and French Teacher. She has a BA from Temple, an MA from Rutgers and has been teaching world languages for over 25 years. She recently collaborated with other professional course developers to update the French curriculum for Lincoln Learning Solutions, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing products/strategies to empower learning communities. She is currently teaching online Spanish classes for Achieve Test Prep, a school that prepares students to sit for an exam to earn college credits. Cynthia enjoys reading, dancing and singing in her church’s choir. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she now resides in South Jersey.
Esther Gordon thegordon7@gmail.com	Esther taught French at Harriton High School for her entire career, learned Mah Jongg years ago and has enjoyed teaching it in recent years.
Felicia Greenfield N/A	Felicia Greenfield is a licensed clinical social worker working as a therapist in private practice. Felicia helps people navigate changes related to life transitions, aging, memory change, caregiving, grief, and loss. Prior to going into practice in January 2024, Felicia supported individuals and families as a clinician at the Penn Memory Center since 2006 where she served as executive director. She earned a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice in 2008, where she also taught Advanced Clinical Practice and mentored the next generation of clinical social workers.
Muriel Harmon murielharmonms@gmail.com	Muriel Harmon, Native Speaker; French Instructor
Staff, Haverford College Arboretum jciborowsk@haverford.edu
Ann Hazan N/A	Ann Hazan is a food consultant and instructor and the co-author of 'The Original Philadelphia Neighborhood Cookbook,' 'The Original Baltimore Neighborhood Cookbook,' and 'The Reading Terminal Market Cookbook.' She holds a degree in Food and Nutrition from Drexel University. Ann emphasizes healthy foods and cooking in all her work, as well as in her home.
Matt Hendricks matthendricks922@gmail.com	A life long board game enthusiast, Matt has been associated with several gaming ventures both personal and professional. In particular, he advocates for the use of tabletop games in both educational and professional contexts as a way to stimulate meaningful authentic interaction.
Bode Hennegan bode@life-managers.com	Bode Hennegan is a passionate advocate for independent aging and an experienced resource for aging in place in the Philadelphia region. She holds an MBA from St. Joseph’s University and a BS in Management from Thomas Jefferson University. She is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist. Bode has served on the boards of the Philadelphia FPA and Montgomery County Estate Planning Council, and is an active member of the Philadelphia Estate Planning Council and the American Association of Daily Money Managers, collaborating with professionals to advance resources for seniors.
I JKST Inc narberthtennis@jkst.com	Teaching Professionals, Julian Krinsky School of Tennis
Brannon Johnson N/A	Brannon Johnson is the head coach and owner of BLJ Community Rowing, one of the most diverse community rowing programs in the Philadelphia metro area. After beginning to row at the age of 15, Brannon received a full athletic scholarship to attend the University of Texas, where she rowed at the Division I varsity level all 4 years. In 2003, she competed as a single sculler in the Henley Royal Regatta, one of the most prestigious regattas held on the Thames River in England. She has been rowing, teaching and coaching over the past 15+ years, having taught and coached 80 classes and roughly 700 Philadelphia area residents, ranging from ages 18 to 65.
Josh Johnson N/A
Laura Kanavy N/A	Laura Kanavy, is a Native Speaker from Venezuela with 6 years as a legal interpreter in the Administrative Court System of Philadelphia and is CoreCHI (proficient in medical terminology) and CHI(Certified Healthcare Interpreter).
Staff, Karamoor N/A
Lisa Kramer N/A	Lisa Kramer MSW, PCC is the founder and president of Leading with Intention http://www.leadingwithintention.com. Since transitioning to full time coaching in 2002, Lisa has successfully coached business leaders and managers, and she has served as a mentor-coach and coach trainer for hundreds of coaches worldwide. More recently, Lisa has pivoted to retirement coaching to assist individuals and couples to design their next chapter. Lisa’s passion for coaching emerged from a successful career in clinical social work and social work education. Lisa served on the faculty of Widener University’s School of Human Service Professions and the University of Texas at Dallas Master’s Program in Organizational Behavior and Executive Coaching. She is currently a leadership coach at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Lisa received her master’s degree in social work from the University of Pennsylvania and her coaching certification from the Co-Active Training Institute. She is also a certified Kripalu yoga instructor, an avid cyclist, and she loves all kinds of dancing.
Staff LL Bean cshiner1@llbean.com	Staff, L.L. Bean
Tuscarora Lapidary Society hansensm@gmail.com, Christina.rose93@gmail.com	Staff, Tuscarora Lapidary Society
Sue Laskin suelaskin@comcast.net	Sue Laskin, Experienced Canasta Teacher
R. Barry Levis levis@rollins.edu	R. Barry Levis, PhD, Professor Emeritus, History, Rollins College (ret 2013); Director, Humanities Program, Hamilton Holt School of Rollins College, 1981-2012; Director, Graduate Program, Liberal Studies, Rollins College (1990-2000)
Noah Meanix N/A
Mo Moadeli N/A	Mo is a software engineer with a graduate degree in Computer Science from SUNY New Paltz and also completed the IBM MBA Program in collaboration with NYU Stern and Columbia Business School. With experience at Morgan Stanley, Bloomberg, EY, and Microsoft, Mo has led and managed engineering teams and mentored peers, focusing on software systems architecture and development. Mo aims to inspire and educate others in systems development and AI. For more details, visit Mo's LinkedIn profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/momoadeli/
Eliot Niles N/A	Eliot Niles, Licensed NYC Guide, Member of GNYC
Staff, Penns Woods Winery N/A
Beth Perry N/A	Beth Perry, Tai Chi Instructor
Robert Peters N/A	Robert Peters, Wine Specialist, Best of 'Philadelphia Magazine' has over 25 years of experience in the wine and spirits industry. Wine Specialist at the Ardmore Fine Wine & Good Spirits store which is the number one store in the southeast Pennsylvania area. Rob has been working with MLSN for over 20 years.
Staff, Philadelphia Phillies N/A
Simone L. Pollard simone@simonepollard.com	Ms. Pollard is a classically trained dancer who has studied many forms of dance from ballet to West African dance. She started dancing at age 3, when ballet slippers were placed on her feet, and then went on to wear tap, jazz, and pointe shoes, and sometimes no shoes! Ms. Pollard has been dancing ever since, with and without shoes, and has been diligent about incorporating her passion for dance into her life. A lifelong wellness enthusiast, Ms. Pollard created The Stretch Room® to bring the stretching practice she developed during her dancing tenure to others. Right brained and left brained, Ms. Pollard is keenly focused on wellness and self-care and combines those perspectives to enrich her life, and the lives of others. Ms. Pollard earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, basing her undergraduate thesis on dance and its mechanics (“An Analysis of Distributed Loads Experienced from Ballet and Gait”). Ms. Pollard also earned an MBA from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business where, among other leadership positions, she was the Director of Choreography for a major, annual school production. Prior to founding The Stretch Room®, Ms. Pollard traveled the world and thrived as an engineer, management consultant, higher education leader, and business development professional in a diverse set of industries.
Joel Price jfwp@jfwp.com	Joel F. W. Price is the Technology Outreach Team Lead at Swarthmore College. In addition, he has consulted for schools, musicians, and small businesses, including social media strategy and implementation, individual and small-group training and photography. He has spoken nationally at conferences on the topic of responsible and creative emerging media implementation.
Jason Rodriguez jdrodpictures@gmail.com	Jason D. Rodriguez is an illustrator who specializes in comic art and picture books for children, working digitally and traditionally. He teaches drawing and illustration to adults, teens and children. https://jdrpictures.bigcartel.com/
Julie Seville's Lifetime Fitness julie@sevillefitness.com	Julie has been leading group exercise classes for over 30 years and has been teaching classes at Main Line School Night since 1995. Fostering a warm and welcoming atmosphere, Julie strives to make every class fun, informative and motivating, and to help her students achieve their health and fitness goals.
John Sigmund N/A	John Sigmund is the Director of Partnerships at Fairmount Park Conservancy and the caretaker at Lemon Hill Mansion. https://myphillypark.org/who-we-are/staff/john-sigmund/
Ken Sklar N/A	Ken Sklar has moderated MLSN course Topics in the News since 2014. Before that he created the popular Global Issues and Contemporary American Studies classes at Radnor H.S., where he taught for 37 years. While there, Ken served on the faculty of the Governor’s School for International Studies, helmed the Model UN Club, the Global Responsibility Organization, the student newspaper, led trips to the Soviet Union and China, ran Radnor’s gifted education program, and hosted guest speakers from area colleges, US and foreign governments as well as former students. Always seeking to promote the teaching profession, Ken served as President of Radnor’s Teachers union and was its Chief Negotiator. Ken considers himself a lifelong learner who transitioned from teaching 17 year-olds to septuagenarians. A political junkie and an avid traveler, Ken has visited over 80 countries. He is married with three sons and two grandchildren
Daniel Solway N/A	Daniel Solway is a Philadelphia-based sommelier and owner of Santé LLC. Santé is an events business focused on wine tastings, dinners, and collaborative events. Daniel has worked in almost every part of the wine industry, from floor sommelier, to wine retail, wine sales, to working on vineyards in Champagne, Austria , and Germany. Dan has worked at several critically acclaimed restaurants including Lord's, Oxalis, and The Finch. Daniel is WSET 3 Certified.
MLSN Staff N/A	Staff, MLSN
Staff, Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden N/A	Staff, Stoneleigh: a natural garden
Lawrence Swesey N/A	I am a retired educator and military officer, married with three adult children. My educational experience is primarily in mentoring and instructing adult (both young and mature) students in a variety of disciplines. My professional educational career centered upon instructing juniors and seniors in a highly regarded academic public high school in Princeton Junction, New Jersey. My military career included a long assignment as a primary instructor at the U.S. Army’s Reserve Officer Advanced Course at Ft Knox, Kentucky. Additionally, my professional career included several years as an adjunct facility instructor at the college level. I have also, presented lectures, learning sessions and workshops at professional conferences and various organizations, developed and conducted educational tours of historical significant locations and mentored young professionals. After retiring from public school instruction I accepted a position as Adjunct Professor at Valley Forge Military College instructing Ethics and History. Since my professional retirement I have continued to give occasional lectures and conduct historical site educational tours. I also serve as a volunteer in the Museum Programs Department at The Benjamin Franklin Institute , Philadelphia, PA. Certifications and degrees include: Bachelor of Science The United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 1969 Master of Education Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1978 U.S. Army Instructor 275th U.S. Army Reserve School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1985 Major educational assignments include: High School Teacher Lower Moreland High School Huntingdon Valley, PA High School Teacher Lower Merion School District Lower Merion, PA Advanced Course Inst U.S. Officer Reserve Advanced Course Ft Knox, KY High School Teacher West Windsor-Plainsboro Sch. Dis trict Princeton Junction, NJ Adjunct Professor Valley Forge Military College Wayne, PA
Rebecca Thompson rthompson@beaconpointe.com	Rebecca Thompson is a Wealth Advisor with the Bala Cynwyd office of Beacon Pointe Advisors, the largest woman-run Registered Investment Advisory firm in the country. She is a proud Villanova University graduate and holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) designation. With over two decades of industry experience, Rebecca is a seasoned financial professional dedicated to creating tailored strategies to help her clients align their wealth with their values and what matters to them most. She has worked closely with women in transition and widows for most of her career and prides herself on making the financial planning process an exercise of empowerment during difficult times.
Staff U.S. Dragon Boat Team N/A
Caroline Ulstrup caroline@diatahealth.com
Susan Van Allen N/A	Susan Van Allen, MLSN Board Chair
Nury Vicens lasgreenpeas@gmail.com	Nury Vicens holds a MFA from University of Pennsylvania and a BA from Applied Art School of the University of Chile. Nury works in many different kinds of media and she currently works on portrait commissions and indoor murals. She has been noted as a PA Latino artist and was chosen to exhibit her paintings at the State Museum of Pennsylvania and The Berman Museum of Art. She has been invited to exhibit in Germany, Belgium and Chile as well as many juried exhibitions in the States. Her work was exhibited at Zone One Gallery in Philadelphia for many years.
Mike Weilbacher mike@mikeweilbacher.com	Naturalist Mike Weilbacher is an environmental educator with 40 years of experience teaching through lectures, walks, newspaper essays, theatrical performances, and radio. A frequent lecturer, Mike has been traveling the Delaware Valley the last five years offering public lectures on environmental concerns. He’s also been a keynote speaker and workshop leader at state and national education conferences, speaking before groups like the National Science Teachers Association, the Pennsylvania Association for Environmental Educators, the National Association of Interpretation, and the Association of Nature Center Administrators. As an environmental educator, he has designed a diverse array of programs across the region, including family festivals, Earth Day events, town meetings, lecture series, nature walks, and so much more. Over a 30-year career, he served as the executive director of the Lower Merion Conservancy, the Briar Bush Nature Center in Abington, and the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education in Roxborough. As an emcee and radio personality, Mike hosted Earth Talk on WHYY-FM, an early 90s newsmagazine on regional environmental concerns. Over the show’s five-year run, his guests included Al Gore, biodiversity pioneer Edward O. Wilson, environmental activists Paul Ehrlich and Barry Commoner, writers Bill McKibben, Terry Tempest Williams, and Michael Pollan, and many more. Mike is also well-known as “Mike the All-Natural Science Guy” on the Peabody award-winning live children’s radio show “Kid’s Corner” on WXPN-FM in Philadelphia and worldwide at XPN.org, where he has been talking to children about nature and the environment for more than 30 years. As a writer, his first book, Wild Philly, was released with Timber Press in 2022. He has authored weekly columns on preservation and environmental issues for two different local newspapers since 1997, where in 2006 the Suburban Newspapers of America honored him for outstanding writing. He has published articles in Green Teacher, E: The Environmental Magazine and Learning, placed numerous book reviews and op-ed pieces in The Philadelphia Inquirer, and wrote an acclaimed regular column in his state’s environmental education journal. As a performer of original vaudevillian-style theater about nature and science, Mike has performed on stages across the country, in parks, festivals, museums, nature centers, and more, from the American Museum of Natural History in New York to the Tallahassee Museum in Florida.
Staff Wharton Esherick Studio N/A
Staff, Woodmere Art Museum N/A
Franny Zehmer N/A