Suzanne Baumgarten is the newest member of the NYSAIS team joining as their Chief Financial Officer in 2018. Prior to NYSAIS, Suzanne served independent schools for 18 years as the Director of Finance and Operations at Miss Hall’s School in Pittsfield, MA and as the Business Manager at Brown School in Schenectady, NY. She has been a member of the National Business Officers Association (NBOA) and served for 6 years as an officer of the Business Association of Housatonic Schools (BAHS). Suzanne earned her BBA in accounting from Siena College. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her five children, home renovation, and is currently working toward becoming a 46’er.

Andrew S. Cooke is the Associate Director for Technology and Innovative Strategies for the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS), having originally joined in 2012 as the association's first Technology Coordinator. In charge of all aspects of technology, Andrew has collaborated on creating the NYSAIS-Now platform, an internal association database, member engagement platforms, and the What's Happening @ NYSAIS newsletter, while also advising and advocating for technology education and independent schools.

Prior to NYSAIS, Andrew spent three years as a technology specialist in a public school district, followed by two years as the technology director and systems administrator for a municipal police department. A graduate of Binghamton University, he has been published in two educational journals on innovation in teaching and recently contributed to a university-level history textbook. Andrew has spent many years as a coach, small business owner, and board member, including a term as the fundraising chair for a non-profit in upstate NY dedicated to raising scholarship money for local students. A big sports fan, avid gardener, and accomplished floral designer, Andrew spends his free time with his wife and their three children enjoying the outdoors of the Hudson Valley.

Liz J.Fernández, Ed.M. is a bilingual and bicultural educator, trainer, and speaker. She has written curriculum and facilitated workshops throughout the Americas, Asia and South Africa focused on gender identity, cross cultural competency, conflict management, hiring, recruitment and retention practices, and curriculum development for grades pre-Kindergarten through higher education.

She has served as an administrator, teacher and facilitator in the independent school community including serving as the Director of Diversity at The Dalton School, Dean of the Class of 2013, MS Ethics Department Chair and member of the Board of Trustees at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School (ECFS).

Currently, she serves as the Assistant Head of School, Ethical Education & Social Impact at ECFS. From 2000 to 2011, she served on the faculty of the National Association of Independent Schools, Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) and for eight years was a co-chair. Since 2000, she has coordinated the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) Job Fair to Promote Diversity designed to increase teachers and administrators of color within member schools. She began her career within the independent school community as a result of being a candidate at the very job fair she new coordinates. Her insight into hiring, recruitment, and retention has been invaluable to schools and candidates alike.

She is an alumna of and has proudly served on the Board of Directors of Bloomingdale Family Head Start Programs, Inc. a NYC pre-school program serving low-income families with comprehensive educational support services.

Ms. Fernández holds a BA in Sociology and Anthropology from Hamilton College, an MA in Social Sciences with a concentration in Sociology and Education from Binghamton University, State University of New York and an Ed.M. from Columbia University, Teacher’s College, Klingenstein Center for Independent School Leadership where was an Altman Scholar.

Maria Flores Seibert has been the Administrative Coordinator for Communications and Operations for the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) since 2011. Prior to her work with NYSAIS, she was a teacher of English as a Second Language and English to Speakers of Other Languages. Maria earned her B.A. in English at SUNY Plattsburgh, and her M.S. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages at SUNY Albany.

Dr. Mark W. Lauria has been the Executive Director for the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) since 2009. Prior to his work with NYSAIS, he served for 13 years as Head of School at a Southern California independent school. In addition to his work as a Head of School, he was the President of the Board of Trustees for the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS). Before beginning his independent school service, Dr. Lauria worked in the Ontario-Montclair School District where he was an assistant superintendent, director of certificated personnel, principal, assistant principal, and teacher. He is actively involved on several non-profit boards currently serving as the Board Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Educational Records Bureau (ERB), the Treasurer of The Parents League of New York, the Treasurer of the International Council Advancing Independent School Accreditation (ICAISA), the Executive Committee of the Independent School Association Network (ISAnet), and a member of the Cloud Forest School Foundation (CFSF) in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Dr. Lauria earned his B.A. in literature and psychology from Claremont McKenna College and his M.A. and Ph.D. in educational administration from Claremont Graduate University. He and his wife enjoy spending time with their grandchildren and traveling. They completed the 500-mile journey on the Camino de Santiago in Spain during the summer of 2017.

Marcy Mann serves as Associate Director for Professional Learning. Previously, she was Associate Head for Academic Affairs at Professional Children’s School, Assistant Head of School at The Collegiate School, and has been a division head in three NYSAIS schools: as Upper School Head at Nightingale-Bamford School and as Middle School Director at The Calhoun School and The Hackley School. Originally a Spanish teacher, Marcy holds a B.A. in Romance Languages and Literature from the University of Michigan and a Master's degree in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University. Her affiliation at NYSAIS includes co-leading the annual series of workshops for new division heads, "Out of the Frying Pan and into the Fire", and as associate director of the Emerging Leaders Institute (ELI).

Born and raised in Buffalo, Marcy lives in NYC, and in her free time she attends theater and concerts, is an avid fiction reader, and enjoys traveling worldwide with her husband, who is a teacher at The Brearley School.

Shannon joined the NYSAIS team as the Associate Director for Evaluation and Accreditation in July 2020. Prior to NYSAIS, she was the Manager of School Accreditation with the American Montessori Society. An educator with a passion for literacy, Shannon has served school communities in New York, Chicago, and her hometown of Albuquerque. She earned her B.A. in Creative Writing from the University of New Mexico in 2009 and is currently pursuing her MFA in Writing For Young People at Antioch University.

George Swain has been Director for Evaluation and Professional Learning since 2013. Before joining the NYSAIS staff, George served as Head of Middle School at both Poughkeepsie Day School and Brooklyn Friends School. He holds a bachelor's degree in Sociology and Anthropology from Earlham College and master's degrees in Educational Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University, and in History from Binghamton University. He has received both the Klingenstein and NAIS/EE Ford Fellowships, is a Certified Association Executive (CEA), and currently serves on the board of the Empire State Society of Association Executives.

In addition to his work with schools, George enjoys endurance cycling and traveling the world with his wife and two children. He also blogs and writes a regular column for a national endurance cycling journal.