Hatha

Our team of academic services specialists is ready to help your child succeed. Learn more about them right here.

(Alphabetized by last name below.)

Stacy Bogdonoff, MA
Assistant Director, Greenwich

Stacy is the Assistant Director of Academic Services at the Riverside office of GEG. She works with students, parents, teachers, and GEG administrators to coordinate and support individual and small group assessments, test preparation, and K-12 academic teaching. Stacy also works closely with the executive directors to develop new programs and curriculum for remedial and enrichment courses at GEG. She received a BFA from Syracuse University and before working in the field of education, founded and ran a catering company in NYC for over 20 years. She sold that business, went back to school, and earned a Masters of Education in childhood literacy from Bank Street College. Her published thesis was on Empowering Parents to Teach Comprehension Strategies. She is a member of the NYIDA (NY International Dyslexia Association) and an Ambassador for Incoming Students at Bank Street College. She has a grown son, lives in NYC, likes to rollerblade and bike ride, and maintains a small sculpture and jewelry-making studio.

Ashley Fichtelberg, BA
Program Manager, Greenwich

Ashley Fichtelberg is the Program Manager for Academic Services. She works closely with parents and teachers to find the right fit for students. By communicating with parents on a daily basis Ashley is able to develop programs to strengthen and enrich the students at GEG. She received her Bachelor of Communications from New York University. While pursuing her undergrad degree she was a member of Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society and graduated from NYU with honors. Ashley lives in Stamford, CT and is currently working towards her Masters of Education at the University of Bridgeport.

Victoria C. Newman, MS Ed
Founder and Executive Director, Greenwich Education Group
Director of Day and Boarding School Advisory Services

Vicky founded Greenwich Education Group (GEG) in 2003 and is the Executive Director of all GEG divisions. She is an educational consultant and co-director of Independent Day and Boarding School Advisory Services. Vicky began her educational career as a teacher in the Stamford Public Schools and then went onto teach in the Greenwich Public School System. She has been trained by the Orton-Gillingham Institute for Multi-Sensory Education, Windward Teacher Training Institute, and by Wright Group/McGraw Hill in Everyday Math instruction. She is deeply knowledgeable about the academic curriculum in both the public and private school arenas.

Vicky grew up in Manhattan and Westport, Connecticut, and graduated from the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York. After earning her B.S. from Syracuse University School of Education, Vicky received her Master’s Degree and wrote a thesis on differentiation of instruction at the elementary school level while interning in the Stamford Public Schools. Vicky holds a Connecticut Professional Teachers’ Certificate and is a member of IECA, ERB, and the SSATB.

Vicky and her team have expanded the services that Greenwich Education Group offers to ensure that the individual needs of each and every student are met. This led to Vicky founding 3 Independent Day Schools under the Greenwich Education Group umbrella to address the needs and learning styles of each individual student. Many of the services Greenwich Education Group provides have grown out of a need in the community. She strongly believes that while each child’s learning style and educational growth of students and is different; there is an appropriate educational match for every student. In her spare time, Vicky loves to travel, exercise, read, and watch TED Conference videos. She lives in Greenwich with her two daughters, husband Peter, and two dogs, A.J. and Cheyenne.

Tucker Paine, MS Ed
Director, In-Home Academic Services

Tucker is the Director of In-Home Academic Services for GEG, where he manages in-home tutoring programs for families throughout Fairfield County, CT, Westchester County, NY, and beyond. He also teaches between eight and ten students a week, with most of the sessions focusing on Elementary or Middle School Academics, Study and Organizational skills, and Test Preparation. Tucker earned a Masters in Urban Multicultural Education from the College of Mount St. Vincent, where he graduated with Academic Honors, and has a BA in Music History from Dickinson College. Tucker has been teaching for over 12 years, and readily uses his years of classroom experience from schools in Darien, CT, and Harlem, NY, whenever possible. Tucker believes passionately in the power of one-on-one education, and views every session as an opportunity to instill and reinforce study and work habits that will stay with that student for the remainder of his or her academic career. When he is not working, Tucker enjoys playing basketball, listening to music, being active, singing, and convincing strangers that the Knicks are not as bad as they seem.

Eve Pensak, MBA
Director of Test Preparation

Erika Svecova, BA
Program Manager, Test Preparation

Erika is the Program Manager of our test prep services. She manages test prep programs for students taking the SAT, ACT, SATII, and AP tests. She closely cooperates with students, families and teachers in order to individualize test prep sessions to each student so he/she can reach his/her best potential. Erika has earned a Bachelors Degree in Human Services from the University of Connecticut. Throughout her studies she has been named a Babbidge Scholar and invited to Golden Key Society. She currently lives in Stamford and is pursuing her graduate studies in Higher and Post secondary Education at Columbia University.

Kirsten DeConti Ziotas, PhD
Director, New Canaan

Kirsten is the Director of Academic Services in the New Canaan office and coordinates our off-site programs at various private schools in Fairfield County and beyond. She also serves as our New Canaan community liaison. Kirsten holds a Ph.D. is Child and Developmental Psychology from the University of Connecticut. She has taught at the University of Connecticut (1987 and 1991), Central Connecticut State University (1992-1994) and Trinity College (1994-1995). Her published research focuses on the relationship between social and cognitive development. She and her husband live in New Canaan with their two children.