Our Mentors

Dr. Anderson, a current adjunct professor and field consultant at Teachers College, Columbia University, has an extensive background and career in education, spanning over 20 years as a K-20 National and International General/Special Educator. They are an expert in inclusive practices, co-teaching models, special education, curriculum development, universal design for learning, differentiated instruction, literacy instruction, antiracism, culturally relevant teaching, and gender dynamics/identities. Dr. Anderson has taught over 40 undergraduate and graduate courses on differentiating instruction in classrooms, adolescent literacy, the multicultural learner, human exceptionality, and childhood development. Their robust experience includes coaching and teaching over 1000 preservice and inservice teachers and conducting observations of over 2000 lessons in various states and countries.

Annabell Burrell is an educator who has had many roles in shaping the lives of young people and partnering with teachers to deliver professional development for over 27 years. With a focus on English language learners and early childhood education, she has supported schools as a teacher, staff developer, assistant principal and principal in NYC. Annabell obtained her Masters in Bilingual Education from Adelphi University. 

Annabell has been working with Teachers College as a clinical field supervisor since 2019 supporting the Elementary Inclusive Program and has mentored teachers in the Teacher Opportunity Corps II Program at TC, a  program designed to affirm, support, and sustain aspiring teachers from backgrounds that are currently under-represented in the New York State teaching force. She believes that the most important work happening in schools is taking place in the classroom. Annabell says that classrooms are her "happy place."

Philip Dituri, Ph.D., has taught and inspired educators and children for over 20 years. He is currently an educational consultant to various schools, districts, and organizations, and the Director of Education at the not for profit, Financial Life Cycle Education. He served as a Visiting Professor at Fordham University, and was a teacher, mathematics instructional coach, and chairperson of the mathematics department at New Design High School in Manhattan. While in public school, he was a three-time Math for America Master Teacher and a Big Apple Award finalist. Phil has a B.A. in Mathematics from NYU and a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from Columbia University. His research interests include proof and reasoning, problem solving, collaborative learning, personal finance and remote learning.

Emile Gable, Director of the Academic and English Accelerator Program, received his bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Secondary Special Education from the University of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale, New York. He later went on to study at Teachers College, Columbia University, as a Peace Corps Jaffe Fellow, where he received a master’s degree in TESOL Education.

Emile’s journey in education began in 2015, and since then, he has shared his expertise in Thailand, Myanmar, Ukraine, and New York City. He started his career as an English Language Arts Special Education teacher in New York before moving abroad to teach refugee populations on the northern border of Thailand. This ignited a passion for international education that led him to the United States Peace Corps. He spent two years teaching in rural Ukraine, followed by two years in the country's capital of Kyiv, where he worked in the Peace Corps central office. There, he partnered with the U.S. Embassy and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine on national education policy and teacher training projects.

As a Peace Corps Jaffe Fellow, Emile served as a K-12 TESOL specialist in Harlem, New York, focusing on the unique population of SPELL (Special Education English Language Learners) students. Emile remains deeply connected to teacher development as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Mount Saint Vincent College of Education and as a mentor for The Peace Corps Jaffe Fellows Program at Teachers College.

After a long fulfilling career in education, Andy is delighted to join our team at the Jaffe Peace Corps Fellows Program. His in-depth knowledge of teaching pedagogy combined with a multitude of educational experiences make a perfect blend to support our Resident and Induction teachers as they begin their own teaching journey.

Andy’s experience includes teaching at SAIS, an international school in the Middle East, designing staff development programs as The Assistant Director of The Teacher’s Center at SUNY Purchase, twenty-five years classroom experience and twelve years as a School Administrator. 

Andy holds a BA in Sociology/Secondary Social Studies, an MS in Instruction and Curriculum Development and a SAS in School Administration and Supervision. He brings all his experiences to the Fellows Program to support, encourage, and partner with our Peace Corps Fellows.

Amy is an English Language Development (ELD) Coach and Educational Consultant. She currently works with several school districts across the country to support educators and empower ALL (academic language learner) students. Previously, Amy co-taught third grade at Bushwick Lower Ascend Charter School and oversaw the English as a New Language (ENL) program at DREAM Charter School in East Harlem. She has over a decade of experience working with English language learners and outside of New York, has taught a myriad of diverse learners at the high school and university levels in Boston, Italy, and the People’s Republic of China. In addition to mentoring Jaffe Peace Corps Fellows, she also supervises student teachers in the TESOL PK-12 Program at Teachers College. Amy earned her Bachelor of Arts from Skidmore College and her Master of Arts degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from Teachers College, Columbia University. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys traveling, playing basketball, and practicing yoga.

Kim Raccio (she/her) is an educational leader with nearly three decades of experience across U.S. and international public, independent, and charter school settings. An educational consultant specializing in program design and professional mentorship, she currently serves as Director of Global Programs at the Marymount School of New York, and has served as a mentor with Teachers College for the past three years.

A former school founder and principal, Dr. Raccio has led the development of new schools and specialty programs in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Across all contexts, her work centers on partnering with educators to design equity-driven practices that expand access, opportunity, and meaningful pathways for learners—particularly those from historically excluded communities. She holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a doctorate in International Education from the University of Bath (UK), where her research focused on accreditation, educational leadership, and issues of access and equity.