Ms. Robbins is the Dean of the High School Program at BASIS Independent Brooklyn. She graduated cum laude from Princeton University, where she won the Spirit of Princeton Award for her involvement in student organizations, community service, and the arts. Ms. Robbins went on to earn her master’s degree in education from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education through the Independent School Teaching Residency program.

Ms. Robbins began her career at Milton Academy, a boarding school outside of Boston, where she started first as a teaching fellow and then as a full-time Upper School English faculty member. Afterwards, Olivia transitioned to the Hewitt School, a girls’ school in Manhattan, where she simultaneously held roles as Grade Level Dean, Learning and Innovation Program Associate, and Upper School English Faculty member. Ms. Robbins also worked for two years at an educational technology start-up, where she designed humanities content and contributed to product development for a digital adaptive learning application used by thousands of children.

As the Dean of High School Students at BASIS Independent Brooklyn, Ms. Robbins helps foster community in the upper school and supports students through their academic journeys. She loves working with high school students and is inspired by the myriad ways in which they want to shape the world.

Ms. Robbins is excited to support BASIS Independent’s mission to educate students to the highest international levels, and she is energized by her colleagues’ commitment to supporting each individual student holistically.

In her free time, Ms. Robbins enjoys spending time with her husband and dog. She also loves reading, cooking, doing crossword puzzles, dancing, and doing yoga.

Ms. Rusk graduated from the University of Maine with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and international affairs. She went on to pursue her master’s degree in international education at New York University. Before joining BASIS Independent Brooklyn, she worked in Student Services at an English Language School with international students. Previous to that she taught English as a Second Language in France and Azerbaijan.

As Director of Academic Programs at BASIS Independent Brooklyn, Ms. Rusk is excited to be working in a place with such passionate and supportive staff and teachers. BASIS Independent holds students to high standards, and the school creates an environment where these standards are achievable.

“I was drawn to BASIS because of the emphasis on education held to international standards,” said Ms. Rusk. “The focus on STEM, liberal arts, and foreign languages create a truly well-rounded education.

In her spare time, Ms. Rusk enjoys traveling, trying new foods and restaurants as well as exploring the city.

Mr. Russell is a Dean of Students for our Middle School Program. Previously, he spent years as a Subject Expert Teacher focused on both English and French instruction after joining the faculty in early 2017. He received his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University. Mr. Russell started the running club at BASIS Independent Brooklyn which evolved into an award-winning Track Team in the 2023-2024 school year. He has also led other strength and conditioning clubs on campus through the years.

Mr. Russell chose to join BASIS Independent Brooklyn for a number of reasons, not least of which are the universal commitment to student success and the high academic standards. He aims to foster an enduring intellectual curiosity and a genuine love of language and literature within his students.

In his free time, Mr. Russell loves to explore new restaurants, run in the city’s parks, and read. He is also an avid golfer.

Ms. Smith earned her Bachelor of Science degree in management information systems from The City University of New York and worked for Wall Street firms for twenty years, often traveling abroad to train and support clients on the systems she helped to develop.

When her son approached elementary school age, she experienced first-hand the daunting process of exploring schools, from private to public, trying to find one that was a right fit for her family. She was very excited to discover BASIS Independent Schools, a place with a unique program and passionate teachers!

“I am thrilled to have found an educational community where both families and faculty share a common goal of teaching our children a love of learning. My son continues to thrive in the academically rich environment that the BASIS curriculum offers, and I wanted to be part of a school that is committed to helping each student reach their potential.”

Ms. Smith joined the BASIS Independent Brooklyn community as a parent first, but soon after jumped in to bolster our Admissions team. After working with the team for several years, she joined the Academic Programs office, and after that the Operations group. Ms. Smith brings a deep understanding of our school and community, as well as a wealth of experience, to the Director of Admissions role.

When Ms. Smith is not at work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, going for long runs with her husband on the weekends, and traveling!

Dr. Sperrazza is the Dean of Students in our Primary Program at BASIS Independent Brooklyn Upper School. She was born in Manhattan and raised in Southeastern Tennessee. She completed her doctorate in leadership and innovation in education at Arizona State’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, her dissertation concerned building virtual communities between and among multi-site educators who lack singular physical geography to connect with one another.

Previously Dr. Sperrazza attended both Title I and private, independent schools in her youth and adolescence. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville with a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology and a minor in dance performance, and earned a Master of Fine Arts in dance choreography from the University of Iowa in Iowa City where she was also an Iowa Arts Fellow and a Graduate Teaching Assistant, earned a Master of Science in Education in early childhood education at Hunter College, and most recently was awarded a fellowship by the Klingenstein Institute at Teachers College, Columbia University.

The 2023-2024 school year will be her eighth year at BASIS Independent Brooklyn, and as a proud Red Hook resident, she is honored to feel so deeply connected to her local community.

Ms. Valerio is the Associate Director of Admissions for BASIS Independent Brooklyn Upper School. She received a bachelor’s degree from the College of Charleston where she double majored in business administration and hospitality/tourism management. After two years in hotel management in Charleston, SC, Ms. Valerio attended Sacred Heart University and received a master’s degree in teaching. During her three years as an educator, Ms. Valerio taught in Connecticut elementary schools and worked on a district committee to create a Growth Mindset curriculum.

While teaching, Ms. Valerio was known for the strong connections she made with her students and their families, and she is excited to do the same at BASIS Independent Brooklyn. She joined the team here because she believes that student autonomy is an essential part of preparing scholars for higher education and post-graduate experiences. She looks forward to sharing about the positive outcomes that can be achieved through a BASIS Curriculum with prospective students and families.

When Ms. Valerio is not on campus, she can be found relaxing at the beach, hiking on a trail, or skiing down a mountain. She frequents farmers markets and local bookstores and makes delicious ricotta gnocchi from scratch.

Mr. Wekilsky is the Director of Athletics and Student Engagement. Previously, he had been the Dean of Students for our Middle School Program. He has been a teacher at BASIS Independent Brooklyn since 2022, and he taught Gr. 6 World History and Gr. 10 AP U.S. History before moving to administration. Mr. Wekilsky is also the Head Coach of our JV Co-Ed Flag Football Program. Mr. Wekilsky is very excited to grow within this prestigious learning institution’s leadership. Mr. Wekilsky obtained his undergraduate degree in history and political science from Rutgers University in 2019 and obtained his master’s degree in the arts of teaching in 2023 from Fairleigh Dickinson University. In his free time, Mr. Wekilsky enjoys golfing, skiing, reading, coaching flag football, and cooking.

Leo Yoon is the Associate Head of School at BASIS Independent Brooklyn. Prior to joining BASIS Independent, Mr. Yoon worked at The Wilberforce School in Princeton, New Jersey, where he held the position of Upper School Head for eight years. He has been dedicated to educating young people throughout his career and brings with him almost two decades of experience in education, having served in many roles, including math teacher, student dean, director of middle school, and head of upper school.

“Over the course of an academic year, students spend an average of about 1,000 hours in school. Between kindergarten and senior year of high school, that adds up to about 13,000 hours!” Mr. Yoon finds it a great privilege and responsibility to play a role in shaping the learning environment in which students spend those critically important and formative hours. His goal as an educator is to help build a school culture and community in which students can safely thrive and reach their full potential as lifelong learners. He is excited to be part of BASIS Independent Brooklyn because of its commitment to creating such an environment.

Mr. Yoon holds a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from SUNY Binghamton as well as graduate degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary and Teachers College, Columbia University.

When he is not working, he enjoys biking with his wife and two daughters as well as attempting to cook the latest viral food trends, especially when doing so results in food that his family happily eats.