Seasoned educators join HS faculty

Publish Date: 8/7/2025

New to High School at USN are: History and Humanities Teacher Melanie Abercrombie, English and Humanites Teachers Frances Alexander and Andrew Gilbert; Spanish Teachers Bear Anthony and Andrew Cosper; French Teacher Ninon Bartz; Math Teachers Justin De Santis, David Rudolph, Emily Stump, and Brad Trotter; Band Director John Hopkins; Learning Specialist Rachael Zaher; Ceramics Teacher Jess Pouncy; and Debate Teacher Jennie MaryTai Liu.

By Chai Reddy, Head of High School

Melanie Abercrombie will teach Ninth Grade Humanities and AP American History. Originally from Los Angeles, California, Abercrombie said she proudly considers Baltimore, Maryland her hometown. She earned her B.A. in History from Hampton University, her M.A. in Social Studies Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and holds an Educational Leadership certification from Hood College. Now entering her 14th year in the classroom, Abercrombie has spent most of her teaching career in Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland’s largest school district. There, she has taught a wide range of social science courses across all high school grade levels and skill levels, including Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and classes for emerging multilingual learners. Her husband Daunté and his new coaching position at Tennessee State University have brought the family to Nashville; he is developing the first NCAA Division I ice hockey program at a historically Black college or university. Together, they are raising three children: Patrick, 8, Ava, 4, and Dominick, who will turn one in September.

Frances Alexander said she is excited to join USN faculty where she will teach Ninth Grade Humanities and 11th Grade English. She holds a B.A. from Northwestern University in Middle Eastern Studies and Anthropology and an M.A. in English Literature from Middlebury's Bread Loaf School of English. Most recently, she was the Humanities Department Chair at the Jewish Leadership Academy in Miami, Florida, where she was part of the founding administrative team to help build and start the school. Prior to JLA, she had spent six years at Ransom Everglades teaching grades seven to 10. Alexander began her career as a Teach for America corps member in Washington, D.C., and she has taught English at every grade level from six to 12 at schools of a variety of backgrounds, including public, charter, French, Egyptian, Quaker, independent, and Jewish, having attended public, liberal arts, and Catholic schools herself. Outside the classroom, Alexander said she loves all kinds of different activities: her primary interests include dance, yoga, tennis, journaling, reading, and traveling, but she has also done some scuba diving, sailing, piano, and improv. She's always eager to explore new pursuits and places! Alexander said she is excited to move to Nashville with her adventure buddy, a cat named Cricket.

Bear Anthony joins us as a Spanish Teacher with a focus on literature and culture courses. He earned a Bachelor's in World Language Education, a Master's in Spanish from Bowling Green State University, and an additional Master's in Spanish from Vanderbilt University, where he's completing a Ph.D. in Spanish and Comparative Media Analysis and Practice. Anthony has taught all levels of Spanish, drawing on his experience living in Madrid, Spain, to inform his teaching. In his free time, he enjoys photography, reading, and relaxing at home with his wife, two cocker spaniels, and two cats.

French Teacher Ninon Bartz-Rao holds a Ph.D. in French Literature from the University of Virginia and is a native French speaker. She said she is passionate about using language as a gateway to culture, creativity, and critical thinking. In her classroom, Bartz-Rao fosters an inclusive and engaging environment where students are encouraged to explore diverse perspectives and develop their own voices through literature and conversation. She said she believes that learning a language is not only about communication but also about building empathy and understanding across cultures. Outside of teaching, Bartz-Rao enjoys taking long walks and cocooning at home with her cat, Thesis, and her wife, Mihika.

Spanish Teacher Andrew Cosper earned a B.A. in Spanish Language from Wayland Baptist University and both an M.A. and Ph.D. in Spanish Literature and Cultural Studies from Texas Tech University. He taught Spanish at the university level for over a decade, serving as both a graduate instructor and full-time lecturer. His teaching experience includes courses ranging from beginner to advanced Spanish, medical Spanish, and Latin American literature. His wife, Jinsol, has worked as a Korean lecturer and Korean/Japanese program coordinator at Texas Tech University for the past two years. Together, they share their home with four orange cats and enjoy traveling internationally during winter and summer breaks. In addition to his passion for teaching Spanish, Cosper enjoys studying other languages, such as Korean, and has also extensively explored Portuguese and Russian. Outside the classroom, he’s an avid rock climber and enjoys spending time outdoors.

Justin De Santis will teach Advanced Precalculus and Advanced Algebra II. He earned a B.A. in Mathematics from Colby College. Originally from upstate New York, he has experience teaching a wide variety of math classes and electives at independent schools across the country. He is particularly interested in Game Theory, Board Game Design, Number Theory, and Proofwriting. Outside of the classroom, he is an avid disc golfer and Ultimate player as well as a board game enthusiast and amateur board game designer. De Santis has coached Ultimate and tennis teams in addition to leading math and board game clubs. He said he considers himself fortunate to have the opportunity to impart the wisdom of a subject he loves to a generation that will shape our future.

Andrew Gilbert will teach Ninth Grade Humanities and English. An artist and educator, Gilbert holds a B.F.A. in Acting from the California Institute of the Arts and a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of Southern California. He brings a passionate, spirited approach to teaching that blends project-based and experiential learning to support students’ growth in reading, writing, and speaking. Originally from Portland, Oregon, and a longtime Angeleno, Gilbert joins USN after living in Hong Kong for four years. He has taught writing and music production, and most recently led the Global Project Development program at The Harbour School in Hong Kong. This initiative engaged international students in social entrepreneurship, equipping them with real-world skills, community connections, and the academic foundation to drive meaningful change. Gilbert said he is excited to explore Nashville with his wife and two daughters, who share a love of music, hiking, and their dog, Yellow.

HS Band Director John Hopkins holds a bachelor's degree in music education from the University of Southern Mississippi with an emphasis in trombone performance. He is originally from a town in rural Mississippi called Buckatunna, but moved to the Mississippi Gulf Coast after earning his degree where he served as a band director in the Pass Christian School District. With proficiency in trombone and bass guitar, Hopkins said he enjoys being a gigging musician and is experienced in both classical and popular music. He has performed at blues clubs, classical venues, and even in the streets of New Orleans during Mardi Gras. Outside of music, Hopkins enjoys cooking, camping, and taking care of his two cats named Mac and Cheese.

David Rudolph joins USN to teach Geometry and Algebra I. He holds a B.S. in Applied Mathematics from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, where he published undergraduate research in the field of Knot Theory. Born and raised in San Diego, Rudolph returned to California after college to teach International Baccalaureate mathematics at Monte Vista Christian School in Santa Cruz. Having lived exclusively on the West Coast, he said he is excited to make the move to Nashville and explore all that the city and surrounding area have to offer. When not in the classroom, he can be found coaching or umpiring on the baseball field, exploring the local food scene, road-tripping, or spending time with family and friends.

Emily Stump will teach AP Calculus AB, AP Statistics, and Computer Programming. Stump earned her Ph.D. in Physics Education Research at Cornell University, where she researched student group work dynamics and understanding of uncertainty and statistics in the context of college physics lab courses. She recently moved to Nashville with her husband, a USN alumnus, to be closer to family. Prior to her Ph.D., Stump taught at Tabor Academy in Massachusetts, and she said she is excited to return to the independent school environment. In her free time, Stump enjoys running, crafting, reading, and playing board games.

Bradley Trotter joins USN to teach Algebra II. He holds a B.A. in Mathematics and Music from the University of Chicago, where he first met his wife, USN alumna Hannah Fish ’05. Trotter is a career educator who has taught high school math and music, served in school leadership as a Dean of Curriculum and Instruction, and, most recently, led the development of an online math curriculum that supports teachers in all 50 states with over 10 million active students. His free time is spent continuing to advise and develop Memphis Inner City Rugby, an internationally-renowned non-profit he helped found in 2012. He also writes and plays music in his home studio and goes on adventures with his son Alden ’37, a recent alumnus of Blue Door.

HS Learning Specialist Rachael Zaher earned a B.S. in Special Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and most recently completed a master’s certificate in Applied Educational Neuroscience from Butler University. This is her 23rd year in education, teaching high school English, writing curriculum, and facilitating a range of learning strategies and metacognitive-focused support classes, as well as providing goal-oriented case management. She has taught in both Illinois and Tennessee, with a deep commitment to student-centered learning and holistic development. Her most widely recognized work was in Social Emotional Learning while serving in Metro Nashville Public Schools, where her innovative approaches were highlighted in a series of Edutopia videos and led to collaborations with Facebook’s InspirED initiative, the Tennessee Department of Education’s Educator Toolbox, and ASCD’s Differentiated Instruction Cadre. Her focus the last few years, while teaching at her high school alma mater in Illinois, wason founding a drop-in wellness space designed for all students, offering holistic education and resources that promote well-being and emotional resilience.

Jess Pouncy will teach Ceramics and Advanced Ceramics, but she is an extremely talented artist through many mediums. Pouncy has taught cut paper, drawing, painting, fiber arts, tapestry, needle work, digital art and graphic design, film, and TV production. She grew up in the Atlanta area, earning her B.A. for Film & Video and Studio Art from Georgia State University. Jess got her M.F.A. in Studio Arts from Tufts University and has worked in many galleries, such as the Frist Museum, and various educational institutions. Pouncy has taught at the KIPP schools of Houston and Nashville. Her personal work has been featured in exhibitions across the country, and she said she is looking forward to sharing her talents with her students.

Jennie Liu is an extremely creative educator who will take over the Debate program in the High School. Liu was born and raised in Hong Kong and attended Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and earned her B.F.A. in Theater. After her time in New York City, she moved to the Los Angeles area and was a curator, instructor, and program coordinator at various dance and theater companies. She is a professional theater maker and dedicated educator with 20 years of experience teaching performance and unleashing creativity in K-12 schools, museums, and higher education in New York City, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong. Liu and her family moved to Hong Kong in 2021, and she most recently taught at the Harbour School and led various curricular projects around wellness, movement, humanities, and the arts. Liu said she is looking forward to building up the Debate program and helping prepare more students to be competitive and successful in a number of Debate competitions, both locally and across the country.

Meet new Middle School faculty here.

Meet new Lower School faculty here.

Meet new staff here.

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