School Directory | Avon Old Farms | Boys Boarding High School in CT

Born and raised in South Hadley, Massachusetts, Luke matriculated to Avon Old Farms where he ran cross country and track, played hockey, and was a dorm monitor in Jennings and Elephant. Upon graduating, he was awarded Order of Old Farms. Luke then enrolled at Gettysburg College to study political science and Spanish. Post-college, he spent nine years teaching high school, refereeing ice hockey, and coaching girls cross country and indoor/outdoor track. “Working in education has taught me how essential the high school experience is for all students. Also, as a coach and referee, I have seen student athletes grow on the playing field. Athletics provide a great opportunity for students to persevere and overcome hardships while growing the relationships Avon is known for. “There is a tremendous amount of growth that occurs for young men during the high school years. Avon cultivates a culture that is a wonderful mix of old and new that helps young men find who they are while becoming men of integrity. The community that is fostered during our years at Avon continues after we leave; the friendships are lifelong. It's essential and important to me, as an Avon alumnus, that we grow this community and give back to the next generations that will become Men of Avon.”

Having been born and raised in Tennessee, you'll rarely see me around campus without a pineapple pin on my blazer. The pineapple represents "warmth and friendliness," and although I call New England home now, I'll always carry that bit of southern hospitality with me. I moved to New England in 2015 for a position in the Office of Admissions at the University of Massachusetts Amherst before making the short move down to Connecticut in 2019, and although I was apprehensive about the move to this part of the country at first, I've fallen in love with everything it has to offer (except snow in April).

I came to Avon Old Farms by way of an 11-year career in higher education, working primarily in enrollment management divisions at the aforementioned UMass Amherst, the College of Charleston, the University of Saint Joseph, and my alma mater, Mississippi State University. Working in admissions, the thing I always valued most was helping students find the right "fit." Fit is more than a ranking, program, or even location; it's about finding the place where you have the best opportunity to succeed. I'm so excited to have the opportunity to assist AOF students through their journey of finding that perfect fit and all that comes with it.

Geoff grew up in Canton, Conn., and enrolled at Avon Old Farms in 1994. As a student, he was involved in Habitat for Humanity, Food Committee, Spirit Club and served as president of the Social Activities Club and the Polar Bear Club. During his senior year, Geoff was the head dormitory monitor in Jamerson House. Athletically, he was a member of the varsity soccer and hockey teams. At graduation in 1998, he was awarded the Alumni Award and the Order of Old Farms.

From Avon, Geoff matriculated to Hobart College where he majored in economics and minored in environmental studies. He was a four-year member of the varsity hockey team, served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, and was the only student on the College's Committee on Athletics.

After graduating from Hobart, he was hired to work in the Admission Office at Avon Old Farms, where he spent 12 years. In 2014, the opportunity for him to move into the athletics department presented itself. Geoff also serves as an advisor and coaches hockey.

”Avon Old Farms played an important role in my development. I had an exceptional experience here as a student and was influenced by many great role models. Today, I hope to impact boys' lives in the same way.”

Kate has taught at a variety of levels beginning as an adjunct professor during her Master’s Degree program at Trinity College. She then added in teaching night classes to adult students at a community college. In 2005, she began teaching at Miss Porter’s School. Having gone to an all-girls middle school, Kate appreciated the value of single-sex education. After four years teaching all-girls, she decided to head down the road and see how she felt about teaching all-boys, and she’s happily still here, living on campus in the Gate House with her husband, Brian.

“I’ve attended independent schools for most of my education. In fourth grade, I started at an all-girls independent day school where I found my voice, my independence, and my sense of self as a student. From there, I attended another exceptional independent school where I learned how to critically think, problem solve, and discover and defend my own opinions. “Avon strives to develop those same skills in boys. We ensure that our graduates will depart Avon as good men who are a credit to their communities and positively contribute to society. At Avon, boys also learn empathy, resilience, kindness, respect for themselves and others, and a deep and abiding sense of personal honor. Avon’s faculty teach with that ideal in mind, and the boys lean into that ideal in all they do. What I experienced at the independent schools I attended is what I see happening at Avon, and I'm inspired every day.”

Sarah joined the Avon community in 2021, bringing more than 25 years of alumni and development experience, acquired from elementary schools, secondary schools, higher learning institutions, and more.

Sarah grew up in the greater Hartford area and attended the Kingswood-Oxford School in West Hartford before matriculating to University of Maine. Feeling a call to the field of education, Sarah traveled to Japan for two years after completing her undergraduate degree to teach English as a second language. Upon returning to the U.S., her passion for teaching morphed into a role at a literacy program in Jackson Hole. It was there that Sarah was introduced to the importance of development work within nonprofits.

With a career defined, Sarah studied nonprofit management at the School for International Training. She worked in a variety of places, from the U.S.’s West Coast to Greece before her wanderlust gave way to settling down with a family at home in Connecticut. Throughout it all, Sarah says that school communities have held her admiration.

“The communities at the schools I’ve been a part of have been extraordinary, and I’ve truly felt at home in each of them. I pride myself on being a relationship builder, and schools have proven to be wonderful places for me to practice that skillset.”

As the director of development, Sarah oversees engagement, philanthropy, stewardship, and events.

Originally from Newington, Conn., Ian transferred to Avon to repeat his junior year of high school. While initially reluctant to live in the dorms, Ian was quickly won over by the Avon Brotherhood and the values of our school. During his time here, Ian became a quintessential Man of Avon, doing well in the classroom, on the field, and in the community, partaking in two mission trips with Habitat for Humanity during school breaks.

Ian attended Salve Regina University where he enrolled pre-med, but during his junior year Ian realized that he wanted to be involved in education. Upon graduating, Ian took a teaching fellowship at Franklin Road Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, where his dreams of entering the education field were solidified.

“I realized that I wanted to be more than a teacher—I wanted to coach and mentor students. When I thought about where I could do that, the choice was simple: Avon Old Farms. My experience of having a guiding mentor was unique to Avon, and it’s what made all the difference.”

In 2019, Ian was offered a teaching position in our science department. “I love science, and I want to evoke that excitement in my students—the worst thing in the world is going to a class you don’t want to be in. From keeping my kids organized with interactive notebooks to bringing science to life by putting an entire Happy Meal in a blender to test for protein content, I want my students to know that science is real and all around them.”

Growing up in Connecticut, Dr. Tori arrived at UConn and began trying to balance her love for sports and broadcasting with her calling to serve others struggling with mental health or substance abuse. After traveling with National Championship teams and getting to call the final Yale Bowl football game, Dr. Tori hung up the mic and dove into grad school.

Dr. Tori spent the first 20 years of her career working for behavioral health nonprofits and educational institutions. She traveled several times to a hospital in the Dominican Republic and led the first Mental Health Team to the mission hospital. Throughout the past two decades, she focused much of her time clinically providing services in people’s homes. Transitioning to the world of boarding schools, she realized that the work she did as a home-based practitioner laid the foundation for how she connects and serves the AOF community.

Starting in 2013, Dr. Tori spent eight years teaching undergraduate Human Services at Post University. She found so much joy in shaping the next generation of therapists and counselors. While no longer teaching, she continues to mentor other therapists in the field of Family Therapy or Mental Health Counseling.

Most importantly, when you sit with Dr. Tori – for therapy, supervision, or consultation – she strives to create a safe space for you, your family, or your organization to grow.