Professional Instructors Dedicated to Educators’ Growth
Our Instructors
Our Instructors at The Creative Teacher Education Institute are highly qualified NYS Certified Teachers working in the classroom every day. Their course content is based upon NYS standards best practices, research, philosophies, and resources for practical classroom use. Our instructors use their own classroom models as the key to student success. Please review our instructor bios highlighting our extensive educational credentials. We look forward to forming a close educational relationship with you through our online learning management system called Moodle for the best quality of teacher professional development for your learning needs.
Instructor Bios
Hi and welcome! My name is Sandy Catapano and I am a second grade teacher. I have been teaching for 15 years and have taught kindergarten, third grade, and fourth grade as well. I am married to a wonderful husband and have two beautiful boys who are both in elementary school. I enjoy reading, exercising, and traveling. One of my favorite books is the “Orphan Train”…if you get a chance read it! I am looking forward to sharing the journey of learning with you and my hope is that you will walk away with something that will be meaningful and inspirational to you.
Valerie has been working in the field of education since 1994. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and her Master’s degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis on Technology at the University of San Francisco. She has taught in-person in California and New York in a variety of settings and positions ranging from pre-K to adult education, inner-city to suburban schools, online platforms to in-person. In addition to her role as a course designer and instructor for professional development classes for educators, she is currently working as a graphic designer, copy editor, college essay coach, and writer. Other passions include reading, writing, outreach projects, gardening, and traveling with her family.
Valerie has been working in the field of education since 1995. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and her Master’s degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis on Technology at the University of San Francisco. Her teaching experiences have been in both California and New York and have ranged from pre-K to middle school, inner-city and suburban schools. In addition, Valerie taught adult ESL classes for several years and worked as both a reporter and copy editor for a local newspaper. She currently is a busy educator who teaches both middle school and online courses for educators through CTEI. When she isn’t working, Valerie can be found gardening, reading, writing, or exploring with her two children and husband in Water Mill, New York.
Katie has been teaching Visual Art, grades Kindergarten through 12 on Long Island since 2005 for the Comsewogue School District. She has a Master’s degree of Science in Education with a concentration in Art Education from Hofstra University.
Tracy has been teaching Elementary Art for 13 years. She works in the Island Trees School District in Levittown. She has an Art History and Studio background. Tracy earned a BS in Art History with a Minor in Studio Art from Radford University, Radford, Virginia. She has her Master’s degree in Education from Dowling College, plus 60 credits above her Master’s degree. Within the past few years she has run several Art Supervisor Association workshops for Art Teachers. “The Internet is an incredible tool for art resources and I look forward to sharing them with other colleagues.”
Vincenzo is currently a fifth grade teacher in the Bay Shore School District with ten years of experience. Before becoming a teacher, he studied Psychology and Elementary Education at SUNY Geneseo and photography at FIT. After graduating from college, he worked at an advertising agency in NYC for two years creating print, radio, and TV advertising for Advil. He then became a Math and Science Teacher in Queens as part of the NYC Teaching Fellows Program. After a year, he was hired at Gardiner Manor School in Bay Shore where he happily resides. While at Gardiner Manor, he traveled to Japan to visit schools in Tokyo and Hiroshima. He also visited polar bears in Canada and received over a dozen of grants from small and large organizations for projects ranging from an Italian Club to clay animation projects and extra field trips.
Janice received a Bachelor of Science in Art Education, 1987 from Long Island University, Southampton, New York where she graduated Magna cum Laude. She continued to work for her Master of Liberal Studies in Art Education, August 1991 at the State University at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York. She is a New York State Certified Permanent Art Teacher N-12 for 34 years and CEO of the Creative Teacher Education Institute. Her thesis emphasis was on the benefits of Interdisciplinary Studies and Integration of Art Education into the Classroom Curriculum. Janice has continued to further her education beyond her master’s degree in the area of curriculum development and behavior management. She has spent most of her career providing professional development opportunities to enhance creativity in the classroom.
Richard Faber has been teaching at Syosset High School for over 30years. He obtained his BS in Physical Education and Health Certification from Ithaca College. His Masters and School District Administration Certificate is from Stony Brook University. Richard is also a certified Driver Education Instructor, and he has been the Coordinator of Driver and Traffic Safety at Syosset since 1999. He is also the DASA (Dignity for All Students Act) Coordinator for the high school, and the district as well. Richard teaches Peer Leadership at Syosset, and he also teaches wellness classes. He has trained numerous teachers in Peer Mediation and Conflict Resolution and he has presented workshops on Character Education, Conflict Resolution, Student Engagement, across Long Island. Richard is no stranger to teacher education; he has been teaching in-service and graduate classes for the past 20 years. He looks forward to continue educating teachers in all of the different types of courses he offers
Heather Schneider has been teaching in the enriching educational landscape of Port Washington for close to two decades. Known for her passion for teaching and commitment to fostering a love for learning, Heather has been an integral part of the community, making a lasting impact on the lives of her students.
Heather's educational journey began at Sarah Lawrence College, where she pursued both her bachelor's and master's degrees through the Art of Teaching program. This solid foundation laid the groundwork for her future endeavors in the field of education. Her dedication to continuous learning is exemplified by a transformative year abroad at Oxford's Wadham College, where she immersed herself in the realms of children's literature, psychology, and literature. This international experience not only broadened her pedagogical perspectives but also added a unique global dimension to her teaching style.
With complete educational autonomy, Heather has taught across various grade levels, including fifth grade and fourth grade, before finding her true calling in kindergarten. Her adaptability and versatility as an educator have allowed her to tailor her teaching methods to suit the developmental needs of her students, creating a nurturing and engaging classroom environment.
Beyond the classroom, Heather resides in Westchester with her husband, three children, a dog, a cat, and too many rescue animals to count. Her commitment to both her professional and personal lives reflects her holistic approach to education and the importance of fostering a well-rounded, supportive learning community. Heather's dedication to her craft and her genuine love for her students make her a cherished and respected member of the Port Washington educational community.
Nicole graduated from Long Island University with her graduate degree in School Counseling in 2014. She has been working as a school counselor ever since and has been in Islip Public Schools since 2015. She has worked in both the middle school and high school level and served as the district's Drug and Alcohol Counselor. She has been solely in the high school since 2018. During her years at the high school, Nicole developed a faculty-student mentoring program for at risk students as well as a student-student mentoring program. The student-student mentoring program has grown to over 100 student mentors and focuses on the transition from middle school to high school. Nicole has recently taken on the role of Adjunct Professor in her alma mater of Long Island University in their Counseling and Development Department teaching courses at the graduate level. She firmly feels strongly about the value of continued learning and believes Creative Teacher is a great way to tap into local resources!
MA, MS.EDL NYS Certified School Psychologist~ I am a NYS certified school psychologist with 18 years professional working experience at various Nassau BOCES special education programs. At present, I work in a school-age program that educates students with moderate to severe developmental disabilities including Autism. Additionally, I have completed the coursework necessary to qualify for Certification as a School building leader and most recently I earned a MS degree from Nova University- Shepard Broad Law School with a concentration/specialty in Education Law. In my role as school psychologist, I have prepared and facilitated countless staff development trainings, workshops, and parent groups. For several years I have been working as an instructor providing both face to face and online professional development and in-service classes.
Caterina has been an educator for over 21 years. She started her career at Bay Shore UFSD by teaching the accelerated language arts program for first and second graders. She also worked with elementary students in the accelerated mathematics program. In addition, Caterina spent time supervising student teachers at SUNY Old Westbury College. Currently, she teaches sixth grade English at Bay Shore Middle School. She holds a Masters Degree in Elementary Education Dowling College, Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at SUNY Westbury, Permanent Certification in Elementary Education Pre K-6.
I currently serve as the Coordinator of Special Education and chair both the Committees on Preschool Education and Special Education. I am currently the school psychologist at the East Quogue Union Free School District and I also have been a school psychologist for more than 20 years! I am an avid reader and love to attend workshops to increase my own understanding of the field I have grown to love! I am an adjunct in the Secondary Education Department at St. Joseph’s College where I teach the courses: Educational Psychology and Adolescents with Exceptionalities. I truly enjoy this experience as I see eager students preparing to enter the teaching world! I am married and have two children: age 16 and age 6! I look forward to getting to know something about the students in my online class and am excited to use this forum as a learning tool.
Laura graduated with a BFA from Syracuse University and a Masters Degree in Art Education from Hofstra, "my school loans will be paid off after my mortgage". She taught for one year at the Lorge School, a charter school for the New York City Board of Education. It was a K-12 school for children with special needs and she was their Computer Teacher. Then she was hired at Harborfields Central School District, “a little closer to home," and she has been there since 1999, teaching over 700 students Art in grades 3-5 a week. She has shown her work on Long Island and in NYC. "I also painted a huge mural in Chelsea! It is in between two buildings so that the Large School kids did not have to stare at a brick wall."
Alissa has been a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist since 1997, and has been in the field since 1994. Currently, she works in the Harborfields School District with middle school and high school students. However, over the course of her career, she has worked with children ages 2-21 years old. Recently, her focus has been on the remediation of students with high functioning autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. During February, 2009, Alissa had the privilege of mentoring with Michele Garcia Winner at her Social Thinking clinic in California.
Michelle Rosenoff has been teaching at Syosset High School for 25 years. She earned her bachelor’s degree from SUNY Oneonta and her Master of Science in Health Education from Adelphi University. Michelle teaches an esteemed Peer Leadership program at Syosset, community service class and the mandated health education class to 11th graders. Additionally, Michelle has been teaching professional development classes since 2015.
Hello! My name is Laura Ruotolo and I have been teaching orchestra at Plainedge High School for the past ten years. I earned my Bachelor of Music degree from Ithaca College and completed my Master of Science in Education at Queens College. My primary instrument is violin and my secondary instruments are viola, cello, bass, and piano. I am married with two children named Christopher and Samantha. Christopher is four years old and Samantha is a year and a half. Both children fall asleep to music every night. I love being a mom! Teaching music to students in grades nine through twelve is very satisfying. I really enjoy working with advanced young musicians. I started teaching at Plainedge schools when the orchestra only had forty students. Currently, my class consists of ninety- seven students! It is an absolute pleasure teaching at Plainedge High School. I truly enjoy my job. I look forward to working with you!
Jenni has been teaching Spanish for 18 years at the middle and high school levels. She received her Spanish 7-12 certification at SUNY New Paltz. In the past, she was an ESL and GED instructor for adults through BOCES. She enjoys sharing her love of culture with people of all ages.
Jason Stevenson has been teaching Chemistry at the AP and Regents levels for over a decade and is the current Science Department Chair and Science Club Advisor at Rhinebeck High School, located in the Hudson Valley region of New York. Jason is also a NYS Master Teacher Emeritus, Education Specialist with the New York State Department of Education, and private contractor with Pearson and McGraw Hill.
Jason received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from the State University College at Oneonta, and his Master’s degree in Secondary Science Education from the State University College at Albany. In the past, Jason has worked in the Catskill Mountains and while there, taught Regents Chemistry and Regents Physics and coached Science Olympiad and Tennis. Jason also advised a Boys-on-Track team, a STEM program, and tutored students in both Science and Math.
Jason has utilized the Creative Teacher Education Institute to continue to grow in the fields of Science, Math, and Childhood Development. He has also attended many Science conferences including STANYS and the College Board’s Annual AP Conference for Experienced Teachers. Jason is married and has two beautiful children. Jason says, "I truly love what I do, and I receive fulfillment and satisfaction out of helping guide my students and watching them succeed. I look forward to working with each of you and sharing many resources and strategies to add to our bag-of-tricks while making our classrooms even more exciting and increasing our students’ chances at succeeding.
Melissa received her BA in Elementary Education with Special Education concentration, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She then attended Stony Brook University and received her Master’s in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Education. She holds certifications in Regular Education PreK- grade 6, as well as Students with Disabilities Ages Birth-6th grade and has 60 credits beyond her masters in areas such as technology integration, reading and writing. Melissa has been teaching for over 20 years for the East Quogue School District and is currently co-teaching a sixth-grade inclusion classroom. Melissa has had various teaching experiences including regular education as well as special education in grades K through 6, inclusive. Melissa has over 14 years of experience teaching inservice and graduate professional development and enjoys teaching and learning from other professionals in the field.
Dr. Malka Ismach is a Certified School Psychologist and Licensed New York State Psychologist who currently works in a private school setting. She also maintains a private practice in Roslyn Heights, Long Island and teaches for several institutions. Dr. Ismach has experience working in multiple school, agency and clinical settings. Dr. Ismach offers a variety of courses with a focus on mental health and positive psychology but that are relevant for all who work in schools with children of all ages and functioning levels. She brings enthusiasm and dedication to her work and her courses.
Jessica Corcoran is a NYS certified School Psychologist currently working in Wappingers Central School District. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychologist from Marist College and her Master’s Degree in School Psychology from Marist College. Jessica received the Ted Bernstein Award for Excellence in the Practice of School Psychology in 2006. She has worked with students in grades Pre-K through 12th, ages 5-21. Her experience includes working with Out of District students in a variety of different educational settings, as well as preschool students coming up through the aging-in process. She is currently the full time school psychologist in Wappingers CSD Elementary Schools. Jessica enjoys spending time with her family, doing puzzles, taking exercise classes, and organizing.