Lenesa Leana
Lenesa has been Head of School at Belmont Day School since 1999. During her tenure, she has overseen the significant expansion of the school, including the multi-year planning and year-long construction required to add a 7th and 8th grade program to a highly successful elementary school. Lenesa is an active leader in the elementary school community. She is past president of the Elementary School Heads Association and serves on the board of directors for the Association of Independent Schools in New England. She has held senior administrative roles in schools in New York City and Connecticut, designed educational and counseling programs for families, teachers, and students, and taught at the college and high school levels. She is a graduate of Oberlin College, received her master’s degree from the University of Missouri, and continued her graduate studies in developmental psychology at City University of New York. Lenesa’s vision for the Peers Forum is grounded in her belief that collaboration is the basis for excellence in every aspect of school life.
Lauren Goldberg
Lauren has been the director of teacher training at Belmont Day School since 2001. She coordinates a yearlong internship program for graduate student teachers in partnership with Lesley University. Her professional background includes elementary school teaching, consulting, and curriculum development. She is a member of the advisory board of the Lesley Ellis School, a frequent presenter at educational conferences, and a member of many professional organizations. Lauren is a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. She holds a Masters Degree in cognitive psychology from UMASS-Boston as well as an advanced graduate certificate and a Ph.D. in educational studies from Lesley University. Her research, writing, and professional interests focus on children’s linguistic and social development, faculty professional development, and best practices in the classroom. You can follow her on Twitter @drhoney.