List of 13 members.

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  Nancy L Spencer 

  Head of School

  727-456-7502

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  A graduate of Brown University, Nancy Spencer began her career in independent school education in 1984, spending two years as the Assistant Director of Admission at The Madeira School (VA). She left to earn a master’s degree in American Studies at Yale and then worked for four years at Albuquerque Academy (NM) where she taught history, served as Assistant Director of College Advising and then Eleventh Grade Dean. She met her husband in New Mexico, and after graduating with an MBA from Northwestern University in 1993, Nancy worked as a consultant for two years while starting their family. From 1995 - 2005, she was Director of Admission and Financial Aid at The Bullis School (MD).
  
  In 2005, Ms. Spencer was appointed Assistant Head of Westminster School (CT), and served as Associate Head of School there from 2012 - 2020. At Westminster, Nancy was responsible for all day-to-day operations of the boarding-day school of 400 students, led all aspects of faculty recruitment and hiring, and was involved in strategic planning, technology initiatives, parent programs, compensation, student life and athletics. She also managed the development office’s Stewardship Program and visited individually with donors to the school. She organized the school’s accreditation process, coordinated its participation in the Independent School Gender Project and served as the school's representative to the SPHERE consortium for diversity issues.
  
  Nancy and her husband, John Sandoval (a 40-year independent school teacher of art and history and a swimming and diving coach), have two children: their son Stanley graduated from Columbia University in 2017, and their daughter Sally graduated from Dartmouth College in 2019. Nancy enjoys running, reading and talking with people.
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  Dr. Anna Baralt 

  Director of Technology & Media Services

  727-346-1818

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  Dr. Anna Baralt holds a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the University of Florida and a bachelor's degree and master's degree in Elementary Education from the University of South Florida. She has taught preschool and elementary students at Shorecrest since 1997, and is now Director of Technology & Media Services. In this role, she provides support in designing curriculum and technology integration, and facilitates professional development schoolwide. Dr. Baralt was recognized as a Teacher of the Future by the NAIS in 2008, and a Superpower Educator in 2009. She is also a 2010 and 2016 recipient of the FCIS DeWitt E. and Vera M. Hooker Fellowship Grant as well as a 2013 Benedict Foundation Grant. She is passionate about integrating technology into project work, 1:1 learning programs, developmentally appropriate technology practices, STEAM education, and using technology to facilitate professional learning communities. Her dissertation work centered on the affordances of the iPad and how early childhood students use the device to support collaborative problem solving. The Baralts have two children, Cai '17 and Lilianna '21.
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  Rachel Barrett 

  Director of Marketing and Communications

  727-456-7509

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  Rachel Barrett joined Shorecrest in 2014 as the Director of Marketing and Communications. Formerly the Director of Publications & Public Relations at Savannah Country Day School in her hometown of Savannah, GA, she has more than a decade of independent school marketing experience. Prior to joining Shorecrest, Mrs. Barrett led the marketing office at The Children’s School in Atlanta. She holds a bachelor's degree in Economics and a master's degree in Marketing, both from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business. She is active in the University of Georgia Alumni Association, the American Marketing Association, and the Junior League of St. Petersburg.
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  Dr. Lisa Bianco 

  Head of Lower School

  727-456-7518

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  Dr. Lisa Bianco has been Head of the Lower School at Shorecrest since 2008. She has over 30 years of experience as a teacher and school leader in both public and independent schools. She is a graduate of New York University and Teachers College-Columbia University. Her doctorate is in Curriculum and Instruction. She is the author of "Rethinking Democratic Schooling: Questions of Race, Class and Gender in Liberal Progressive Pedagogy." Dr. Bianco is a proponent of progressive philosophies of education and an advocate for multicultural/anti-bias education. She is passionate about social action and inquiry-project based learning. Under Dr. Bianco’s leadership, the Lower School has deepened its focus on child-centered teaching and learning that is responsive to the school’s diverse study body and supports the mission of the school.
  
  Lisa is a single mother and a proud parent of one daughter, Mila '26 – a student at Shorecrest since Alpha. As a leader, her goal is to provide students with an education of excellence in human thought, feeling and action. She feels honored to work with such a wonderful community of educators, students and families. Dr. Bianco is an enthusiastic reader, a decent Italian cook, a regular viewer of PBS, and a lover of the performing, visual and literary arts.
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  Roderick Fludd 

  Director of Diversity & Inclusion

  727-346-1808

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  Roderick Avery Fludd and his wife, Sara, moved to Shorecrest in 2017 from Greenwich Country Day School where he served as the Director of Diversity Programs and Community Life. He has also been a math teacher and Math Department Chair at Greenwich Country Day School and at Brentwood School in California. Mr. Fludd is Shorecrest's first Director of Diversity and Inclusion. He works with students, teachers, staff, parents and the Board of Trustees. Mr. Fludd has a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from South Carolina State University and a Master of Educational Studies in Mathematics Curriculum from Manhattanville College in New York. The Fludds have a grown daughter, Rachel.
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  Michael Gillis 

  Director of Advancement

  727-456-7514

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  Michael Gillis, his wife Rosalind and their two daughters, moved from NYC to allow Michael to become the Director of Advancement in 2017. Following commencement from Choate Rosemary Hall, Michael spent a year studying at The Goethe Institute in Salzburg, Austria. He then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociolinguistics and German from the University of Vermont, and a Fundraising School Certificate at the Lily School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Mr. Gillis spent the first portion of his career as a producer and director with companies including Fox Home Entertainment, Sony Studios, Columbia Tristar and GMG, Inc. In recent years, he has directed the major gifts program at North County School and a capital campaign for Manhattan Country School. The Gillises have two daughters at Shorecrest, Luna '26 and Sada '28.
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  Kristine M Grant 

  Head of Middle School & Shorecrest In-House Counsel

  727-522-2111 x516

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  Kristine M. Grant was named Head of Middle School in 2018, and has played many roles at Shorecrest since joining the community as a parent in 2000. Most recently, Ms. Grant was the Eighth Grade Dean and Middle School Spanish Teacher before assuming the role of Middle School Head. A native Spanish speaker, Ms. Grant first joined the Shorecrest faculty as a full-time and part-time substitute Spanish Teacher in both the Middle and Upper Schools. Transitioning from substitute to permanent teaching, Ms. Grant continued to demonstrate her ability to initiate new programs and collaborate with teachers to enhance the Middle School Curriculum. 

  
  

  Under her leadership as Head, the Middle School has launched the Entrepreneurial Design Institute (EDI), a signature program for eighth graders through which students address community needs through entrepreneurial thinking. In addition to creating new programs for students, Ms. Grant has also worked to support parents and families through quarterly “Middle School Downloads” --  workshops and presentations that address important information about the Middle School experience like understanding ERB scores, Curriculum presentations, workshops about adolescent development, and more. 

  
  

  Prior to teaching, Ms. Grant managed a family law practice. She has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1994 and is licensed to practice law in the State of Florida. A lifelong learner, Ms. Grant continues to stay current in legal education, particularly in issues that affect students and schools. The School benefits from both her administrative and legal experience in her service as In-House Counsel to the Shorecrest Administration.  

  
  

  Ms. Grant has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from George Washington University and a Juris Doctorate from Stetson College of Law. She is a parent of five, three of whom are Shorecrest alumni - Jamie '04, Alex '14 and Sam '15. She was an active volunteer, especially with Athletics, while her sons participated in the swimming and football programs, and still enjoys cheering on the Chargers every chance she gets.
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  Adriana Hollenbeck 

  Head of Experiential School of Tampa Bay

  727-456-7541

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  Over her 30+ year career, Mrs. Hollenbeck has taught in early childhood and elementary school programs. As a Lower School Media Specialist she focused on integrating technology with the essential principles of the Reggio-Inspired philosophy. She also has years of experience in educational leadership, serving as Day Care Director, Assistant Principal, and Division Head, respectively. Most recently, Adriana flourished in the role of Lower School Head at University Lake School in Hartland, Wisconsin. Since 2011, she provided leadership with a focus on healthy partnerships with parents, and successfully created opportunities for cross-divisional interaction.

  
  

  Mrs. Hollenbeck earned her B.A. in Art Education from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and went on to pursue post-graduate studies in Technology in Education at Rio de Janeiro State University.

  
  

  Fluent in English and Portuguese and able to communicate in Spanish, Adriana acted as an Educational Consultant for ten different states of Brazil. She also traveled through Brazil, the United States, Peru, Puerto Rico, Norway and Italy presenting experiences in Technology and Education, Instructional Design, and Collaborative Learning. 

  
  

  She has spent more than a decade researching the Reggio Emilia philosophy in its complexities. “It is my deepest belief that children are protagonists: strong and capable, equipped with preparedness, potential, curiosity, and interest in constructing their own learning,” she revealed. “I see each student as a collaborator, communicator, and problem-solver.”

  
  

  Adriana and her husband, Brian, have a son, Nicholas, who is pursuing a Theatre degree at the School of Communication at Northwestern University.
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  Alvanita Hope 

  Director of Enrollment Management & Financial Aid

  727-456-7504

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  Ms. Alvanita Hope joined Shorecrest as Director of Enrollment Management and Financial Aid from The Friends School of Atlanta in June 2021.

  
  

  Alvanita brings a wealth of experience in independent schools as an administrator as well as a parent and student; she, herself is an alumna of UMS-Wright Preparatory School in her hometown of Mobile, Alabama. She holds a B.A. in Biology with a minor in Dance from Agnes Scott College and a Master of Science degree from Central Michigan University. 

  
  

  After beginning her career in healthcare administration, Ms. Hope returned to her alma mater to apply her data and analytical skills to her role as Associate Director of Admission at Agnes Scott College. She went on to use her college admissions knowledge to support high school students by serving in the College Counseling offices at The Weber School and The Westminster Schools, respectively. As the Director of Enrollment for The Friends School, a position she has held since 2018, Alvanita has successfully met or exceeded her enrollment goals while working to find best-fit families for the school community. A proven relationship-builder, Ms. Hope makes meaningful connections across the school, empowering faculty, staff, students and parents to effectively tell the school’s story. 

  
  

  Beyond the school, Alvanita is actively involved in the greater community. She has served on the Board as Nominating Chair of the Junior League of Atlanta, and is a member of Jack & Jill of America, Inc., and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, among other organizations and causes. 

  
  

  Alvanita is the proud mother of three children; Kirklen, Enrique '25, and Alejandro '31; and Coco-Chanel, their rescue Australian shepherd/chocolate lab. 
• 

  Anthony McCall 

  Athletics Director

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  Anthony McCall and his wife Dolores joined the Shorecrest community in 2018, after serving for 21 years at Montgomery Academy in Montgomery, AL. Coach McCall began his career in the banking industry and later joined the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce where he served as the Director of Minority Business Development. In 1997, Coach McCall was named Dean of Students at Montgomery Academy. He remained in that position for ten years and coached boys basketball and football. In 2007, he was appointed Athletic Director, and during his tenure varsity teams won 33 State Championships and were State Runner-Up 15 times. Since Coach McCall assumed the role of AD, Chargers Athletics has secured two State Championships - Volleyball (2018) and Boys Soccer (2020), as well as a State Runner-up for Girls Soccer (2020). He currently coaches the Varsity Football team. Mr. McCall holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Auburn University.
• 

  Erich Schneider 

  Head of Upper School

  727-456-7529

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  Erich Schneider, Head of Upper School, came to Shorecrest in 2005 after teaching at St. John's Preparatory School in Massachusetts and Greenwich Academy in Connecticut. Mr. Schneider has taught chemistry, honors chemistry and AP chemistry at Shorecrest. His interactive teaching style and classroom design encourage students to be actively involved in the learning process through dialogue and hands-on experiences. Mr. Schneider also served as the Science Department Chair. Outside the science classroom, Mr. Schneider worked closely with the Senior class as the Senior Class sponsor, overseeing the academic progress of the class as well as organizing many events intended to celebrate their capstone year at Shorecrest. In 2018, Mr. Schneider was selected as the Upper School Assistant Head and Academic Dean, and was named Head of Upper School in 2022. Mr. Schneider also served as the chemistry teacher and Dean at the Phillips Exeter Academy Summer School in New Hampshire for the past 20+ summers. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from St. Lawrence University and his Master of Education from Boston College. His wife, Meghan, is Assistant Director of College Counseling at Shorecrest, and their children are all Chargers - Annie '15, Lily '19, and Dexter '23.
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  Myra Simpson 

  Director of College Counseling

  727-456-7531
• 

  Lisa Wylie 

  Chief Financial Officer

  727-522-2111 x118

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  Lisa Wylie joined Shorecrest full time in 2015, after five years working with various areas of the school as a consultant. Mrs. Wylie is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and graduated with a master's degree in Accounting from Stetson University. She has more than 10 years of experience supporting the financial operations of non-profit organizations. After acting as a Shorecrest Project Manager for system implementations and other projects, Mrs. Wylie was named CFO in 2020.