Open House

Rob O’Dwyer heads the admissions and financial aid team for the 9 career training programs at NBSS. Stewardship of the reputation of the school through recruitment, honoring the mission, and connecting individuals and organizations with training and scholarship are primary responsibilities. Identifying potential, working with faculty and other stakeholders, and witnessing transformation are the rewards in the work. Work in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion as well as with military veterans has been especially rewarding. Rob has been at NBSS for 11 years, and the team has achieved record enrollments. Rob has a BA in History from SUNY Potsdam, and an MA in Teaching from Emmanuel College.

Sharon, born and raised in Bucks County, PA, came to NBSS in 2013 with more than 20 years of experience in independent school admissions at George School. She has also worked in fine craft and studio art at Sylvia Nicolas Stained Glass Studio in Mont Vernon, NH; Miler Lagos in Toronto; and New York and Oldham Porcelains in Lansdowne, PA. Sharon facilitates not only the admission process, but more importantly the drive, commitment, and mature readiness that candidates bring to their training at NBSS. She is passionate about helping initiate the pathway for students to become masters of their chosen craft and trade, in the spirit of the School’s founder Pauline Agassiz Shaw. Sharon received her BA in Fine Art from The University of Pennsylvania, with a focus on hand-built fine porcelain.

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.

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.

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.