Leadership
Children's Academy is led by a team of educators, clinicians, and administrators who have built their careers around the conviction that every child can learn. They guide our academic program, our integrated speech-language and occupational therapy services, our admissions and finance functions, and the day-to-day life of our two campuses. Each member of our leadership team brings deep expertise in their field and a personal commitment to the students they serve
Cheval Bryant, MCD, CCC-SLP
Head of School Cheval has built her career in therapeutic and educational leadership around a single conviction: there is no such thing as an average learner. At Children's Academy, she designs instruction that meets each student where they are while giving them the freedom to push themselves, make mistakes, and learn. She believes the classroom should be safe, engaging, and enjoyable for students and faculty alike, and she leads our school in that spirit every day.
Tara Fersko, MS, CCC-SLP
Associate Head, Middle and Upper School
Tara joined Children's Academy with years of experience as a clinician in private practice, school settings, and independent school administration. Early in her career as a Speech-Language Pathologist, she came to believe that personal connections and rapport drive a child's desire to communicate. She brings that conviction to her work overseeing the Middle and Upper School, where she leads the development of highly individualized programs and ensures every student is supported across all the domains that matter to them.
Katicia McKnight, M.S.Ed
Director of Education, Lower School
Katicia leads academic programming for our Lower School, drawing on more than 15 years of educational experience across two continents and five countries. She holds a Master's degree in Education Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction, and brings deep expertise in matching learning theory to the actual children in front of her. Her core philosophy is one she has held throughout her career: every child can learn, and our job is to find the way they will.
Nadine Wright, MSc, Ed; Ed.S.
Director of Education, Middle and Upper School
Nadine leads academic programming for our Middle and Upper School, with more than 25 years of experience driving educational excellence at the elementary, secondary, and special education levels. She holds master's degrees in both Education and Curriculum Studies and brings particular expertise in developing data-informed strategies that address diverse learning needs. Nadine is committed to ensuring that every Children's Academy student is exposed to grade-level content with the accommodations and modifications that empower them to thrive.
Elizabeth Knapp, MS, Ed, CCC-SLP, TSSLD
Director of Speech-Language Pathology
Elizabeth supervises and supports the team of Speech-Language Pathologists at Children's Academy. She holds an M.S.Ed in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the College of Saint Rose and is certified by New York State. Before becoming director, Elizabeth was an SLP in our Middle and Upper School and served as the school's Education Liaison. She believes therapy should be deeply individualized and grounded in each child's daily life, and she brings a particular passion for literacy to her work.
Mary Poillon, MS, OTR/L
Director of Occupational Therapy
Mary leads the Occupational Therapy department at Children's Academy, where she develops the OT program and provides direct supervision to the team. She believes in child-led, individualized treatment that fosters growth and independence, and she works with each student to set meaningful, functional goals tied to their real interests. Mary's favorite part of being an OT is witnessing the proud moments when students reach those goals, which happens daily across both campuses.
Board of Trustees
The Children's Academy Board of Trustees brings governance expertise, professional skill, and personal commitment to the school. Together they oversee Children's Academy's mission, strategic direction, financial stewardship, and long-term sustainability.
- Martin Lindberg, Board Chair
- Peter Volandes, Treasurer
- Laura Davis, Secretary
- Chantal Aflalo
- Marianne Duldner
- Patrick Frame
- Laurie Gruhn
- Kate Lord
- Dr. Preetika Mukherjee