At the heart of NBSS are a diverse and dedicated team of staff, faculty, and strategic advisors. Together they provide a supportive environment for students to learn at the highest level, and they engage with a broad-based community of alumni and friends. In addition to the Staff and Faculty below, our community also includes dedicated Boards of Directors and Advisors.
Jeff is the head of the Bookbinding Department, a 2003 graduate of the American Academy of Bookbinding, and a graduate of the program. After graduating, Jeff worked at Harcourt Bindery and Harvard University’s Tozzer Library. He is a past Chair of the New England Chapter of the Guild Book Workers and has mentored many NBSS graduates as they serve in GBW leadership positions. Jeff operates a bindery in Somerville, MA, and he specializes in traditional leather bindings, metalworking for bookbinding, and bookbinding exhibits.
Roman is originally from Zakopane, Poland, and began making his first violins at age 14, when he attended the Secondary School of Fine Arts. He studied music and violin making for five years at the Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznan, Poland, eventually receiving his Master of Fine Arts.
Roman came to the U.S. in 1996, where he worked for more than nine years specializing in violin restoration at Psarianos Violins in Troy, Michigan. He has studied with Hans Nebel and Boyd Paulsen, and is a regular participant in the Oberlin Violin Making Workshop. Among Roman’s past commissions was a replacement Gaspar da Salo viola for the late Nathan Gordon, a former Concertmaster of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, one of Roman’s violins earned him a Certificate of Merit for tone for at the 2010 Violin Society of America violin-making competition.
Chloe (she/her or they/them) has a B.A. in Art History from UMass Boston and is currently an M.S.W. candidate at Simmons University. She has been the Assistant Director and Director of the Harbor Gallery and Assistant Manager of the Visual Resource Collection at UMass Boston, where she directed numerous successful exhibits. She has served as the Gallery Manager at Lee Gallery in Winchester, MA; and has professional experience in a variety of fields such as fine wine sales, food service, photojournalism, and technical support with companies like Franklin Restaurant Group, Shore Publishing, and Formlabs. She believes in community, equity, inclusion, public education, and the potential of crafts and trades to heal and empower individuals and families.
Fun Fact
Chloe is an avid knitter and is learning how to sew. She would like to make 70% of her own clothing within five years.
Michael is the second-year instructor for the Preservation Carpentry Program. He specializes in timber-frame joinery and has researched and re-created 17th century methods of roof thatching, interior walls, and paint finishes. After studying Early American and Colonial Life as an undergraduate, he worked as an Interpretive Artisan at Plimoth Plantation researching and interpreting colonial building techniques. In 1999, Michael established MLB Restorations in order to work on the restoration and preservation of historic buildings and to encourage the design of new structures in harmony with traditional and sustainable building methods. His carpentry skill has been recognized by his selection in 2014 by the Historic Royal Palaces to carry out the hewing and squaring of new timbers to be used in the repair of the Tower of London.
Brittany has over a decade of experience in arts education and arts administration, working with communities in schools, non-profits, museums, and local government. She joins the NBSS team from Durham, North Carolina but originally hails from Plymouth, Massachusetts. Brittany has a BFA in photography from the School of Visual Arts and began her career in arts education as a teaching artist with the International Center of Photography, Joan Mitchell Foundation, and Dedalus Foundation. Prior to joining NBSS, she most recently served as the Interim Director for the Pullen Arts Center through the City of Raleigh’s Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources department. As Director of Community Education, she is responsible for overseeing and expanding in-person and online offerings from CE classes and high school programs, to youth and family experiences, community partnerships, and more.
Fun Fact
Brittany taught herself to sew during the pandemic and has carried on her grandmother’s tradition of sewing Christmas pajamas for her nephews each year.
Since graduating from the Cabinet & Furniture Making program in 2009, Eli has been working as a custom furniture maker in the Greater Boston Area. For five years, he also worked on the PBS series Rough Cut Woodworking with Tommy Mac. Eli teaches the summer Three-Month Furniture Making Intensive, Introduction to SketchUp, and also spends his time creating custom furniture for clients.
Debbie Cyr, RPT learned tuning in 1990 as an apprentice, and in 1992 attended the rebuilding program at the North Bennet Street School in Boston. A Registered Piano Technician since 1994, she has worked as a rebuilder, has been an instructor at the North Bennet Street School since 1995, and has an extensive private tuning clientele. Debbie is also the piano technician at Brandeis University, as well as a past president and active member of the Boston Chapter Piano Technician Guild. She teaches and does tuning and technical exams at seminars and conventions on the local, regional and national levels.
Fun Fact
Before becoming a piano tech, Debbie had an independent piano teaching studio up in northernmost Maine, on the New Brunswick border. Her bi-lingual studio had 40 students, at least half of them French speaking. Debbie is also a life-long Girl Scout and avid jigsaw puzzle-maker.
Locksmithing & Security Technology Department Head
Eddy Dacius LK ’13 the Department Head and Instructor. Since graduating from NBSS in 2013, Eddy has been doing contract work in locksmithing and founded his own company, Dacius Facilities Management, serving clients including Jewish Family and Children Service and the Mother Caroline Academy & Education Center. He’s also a member of the Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA) Security Professionals Association and an ALOA Fire Door Inspector, and has a degree in Project Management.
Jamie has helmed the Financial Aid Office since he joined NBSS in 2010. The intervening years have witnessed a growth in annual NBSS scholarship giving from nascent levels of less than $100,000 per year to nearly $1,000,000 per year today. Jamie has led the implementation of innovative financial aid programs at NBSS, including NBSS Pell Yes! and NBSS Yellow Ribbon scholarships. Additionally, in his roles as school SCO and SEVIS officer, Jamie provides crucial support to student veterans and international students respectively. He takes pride in providing personal attention to all students. Outside of work, Jamie makes pure Massachusetts maple syrup at his small maple farm in Chelmsford, MA.
Kevin brings over 20 years of experience to his role at the School. As Director of Marketing & Engagement, he manages a multidisciplinary team responsible for communications, social media, community education, public programs, retail, and exhibitions. Kevin has degrees in both psychology and design, which leads to a human-centered, creative, and collaborative approach.
Kevin has worked with artisans, architects, artists, and designers in various roles throughout his career. In his free time, Kevin enjoys sketching, woodworking, traveling, and all sorts of outdoor activities.
Fun Fact
Kevin arrived in Boston a decade ago by way of Philly, a city with a rich history in the arts, some amazing thrift stores, and the best sandwiches of anywhere in the world.
Nicki has been with the School since 2019, and has 5 years of experience in Development. Nicki has a BA in American Studies with a concentration in Museum Studies from Smith College. Prior to joining the Development team at NBSS, Nicki worked in public relations, research, and fundraising roles at museums including the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, the Smith College Museum of Art, and Historic Newton. At NBSS, Nicki maintains the donor database, creating a strong foundation for all of the fundraising success at the School.
Marc is the Director of Facilities and Technology at NBSS. He has a decade of experience working in property management, applying his studies in building science and energy to commercial and residential facility management. Marc is also a published author with 5 technology patents and 15 years of experience in technology solutions. Marc holds a BA from Emory University and attended the MBA program at Georgia State University.
Haley is an instructor in the Jewelry Making & Repair department. She came to NBSS as a student after working in the jewelry making field for several years, wanting to pursue mastery of her skills. After graduating she went to work as a bench jeweler and stone setter for a local jewelry manufacturer. She is currently pursuing her Graduate of Gemology degree from GIA, and works as a sole proprietor of her own business, taking custom jobs and repairs from her home studio in Somerville.
Fun Fact
Haley is an avid crocheter, cook, and gardener. She is trying hard not to collect any new hobbies.
Claire has served as Provost since 2007, overseeing the full-time programs. Her experience as a Cabinet & Furniture Making (CF) graduate and instructor allow her to see opportunities and problems from multiple vantage points, giving her a unique perspective on student success, program curricula, and the student and faculty experience.
After graduating from NBSS in 1996, Claire was a self-employed furniture maker taking commissions for high-end residential and commercial clients, working out of Fort Point Cabinetmakers for ten years. She also taught at the Boston Center for Adult Education, the Watertown and Brookline Adult Education Programs, and substituted at NBSS. In 2000, she became an Instructor in the CF program. Claire taught for six years and, in 2007, was hired as Provost. Claire also holds an M.S. in Higher Education from Drexel University and a B.S. from Emerson College.
Fun Fact
Before arriving at NBSS, Claire was a prop, wardrobe, and set stylist for commercials, video, and still photography. She also did a little food styling and knows the secret to making prop ice cream that won’t melt under the hot lights on the set.
Annie has over a decade of nonprofit experience and has enthusiastically contributed to the fundraising and development efforts of several organizations including Boston Arts Academy Foundation, Boston CASA, Apprentice Learning, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester. She has worked with organizations of different sizes and varying needs, and enjoys collaborating with other passionate individuals to create impact. Prior to fundraising and development, Annie led school programming for Historic New England and the Concord Museum. She received her B.A. in Historic Preservation and Community Planning from College of Charleston and her M.D.S. in Historic Preservation from Boston Architectural College. Native to the Greater Boston Area, Annie lives south of the city with her husband, Andrew, a Preservation Carpentry grad from 2013, and two young children.
Tracey is the Department Head of the Jewelry Making & Repair program and an Instructor. She is a 2005 graduate of the program and also graduated from Bridgewater State University with a BFA in 2001. Additionally, Tracey has studied various areas of design at the Art Institute of Florence and the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
After graduating from NBSS, Tracey worked a variety of jewelry industry jobs from stone setting to casting. She also started her own business right out of school, specializing in custom engagement and wedding jewelry. In recent years she has been working on mastering various techniques of enameling to include in her work.
Fun Fact
Straight out of high school Tracey joined Up with People. She traveled and performed in 8 countries and 4 Hawaiian islands, and lived with 52 host families in one year.
Ellen is a custom furniture maker and graduate of the Cabinet & Furniture Making program. She owns Ellen Kaspern Design and is a member of the cooperative Charlestown Furniture Makers in Boston, MA. In addition to designing and building custom furniture, she has been teaching woodworking and furniture making for 20 years. Her workshop teaching experience includes NBSS, Massachusetts College of Art & Design, Yestermorrow Design Build School and Florida School of Woodwork. Ellen demonstrates woodworking techniques throughout New England. She has given talks and demonstrations at the National Museum of Industrial Industry, Boston Design Week, Boston Athenaeum, Peabody Essex Museum, Old Sturbridge Village and Society of Arts & Crafts. She has written articles for Fine Woodworking Magazine and Woodcraft Magazine. Many of her lessons are featured in instructional videos for Fine Woodworking Magazine.
