MORRIS SCHOOL DISTRICT COMMUNITY SCHOOL
Please take a look at our course offerings to see if your favorite instructor is teaching this semester. This page features some of our outstanding instructors.
Janet Mandel taught in New Jersey’s public schools for 32 years, the last eighteen of which were at Columbia High School in Maplewood, where she taught English, Art History, and World Languages and Cultures. She was named runner-up for the New Jersey Council for the Humanities Teacher of the Year award and was formally recognized by the New Jersey State Legislature and Governor Codey for this achievement. She was the recipient of the “Innovations in Special Education Award” from the New Jersey School Boards Association and the Association of Schools and Agencies for the Handicapped she is busier than ever presenting virtually for adult schools, libraries, museums, senior centers, community centers, and similar venues.
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Saul Einbinder has been lecturing at Lifelong Learning programs in New Jersey and beyond since retiring in 2020.
He held senior technology and business positions at Bell Labs, Lucent Communications, uReach Technologies and Spirent Communications.. He has appeared in the New York Times, Boston Globe, Communications Week, Forbes, and on Marketplace and CBS radio
Asiya Nasir Shaheed, the founder of Utopian Enterprise Business Solutions, builds strong foundations for newly established non-profit organizations and takes existing non-profit enterprises to the next level. The founding of her non-profit Journey to becoming an Extraordinarily Strong, Successful, Individual with Courageous, Aspirations, known as J.E.S.S.I.C.A Cares, coupled with her background in business development, staff management and financial services, makes her uniquely qualified to assist non-profit managers with setting, achieving and exceeding their goals. Asiya has also received many honors - most recently the United Nations Woman of Impact Award, the P.A.T.H. Award from Ma’oon Inc.County College of Morris: EOF Mentor Program, Face My Abuse: Women Who Make A Difference Morristown Neighborhood House: Appreciation for Service and Dedication to the African American Community, Berkeley College: Featured Success Student/Changing Lives for 80 years, and Project ReDirect Family Services: Excellence in Business and Community Service Award.
Ms. Lisa Marie Drew is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and certified clinical trauma professional (CCTP) with over 15 years of professional experience providing psychotherapy, counseling, and other mental health services to teens and adults in private, clinical, and educational settings. Lisa Marie incorporates body-centered psychotherapy and mindfulness practices to create a balanced, whole-person approach to healing and personal growth. This well-integrated approach helps clients achieve greater insight, self-compassion, and the evidence-based tools needed to become the best version of themselves. Additionally, Lisa Marie’s virtual private practice offers personal development coaching services and several ongoing counseling groups to help women live with intention, purpose, and authenticity.
Barbara Tomlinson received her B.A., cum laude, from Barnard College, her M.A.T. from Harvard University and her Ph. D., in American and Women’s History, from Rutgers. After serving for many years as history department chair at a small, independent secondary school, she moved to Kean University in 1986 to be a course-coordinator for the cultural history component of the General Education Program. She wrote the teacher’s manual for the text used in the program’s course on Western Culture. She retired from Kean in 2000 and now teaches cultural history in various continuing education programs around the state. In addition, she has led tours to various cities in the United States and Europe to explore their historical and cultural context. In 2020 she has learned how to ZOOM into talks. Her most important role, however, is being grandmother to Jacob and Adam.
The Computer Training Service and Mike Skara have been providing classes on computing since 1997 to adult schools across northern New Jersey. Mike holds a B. A from Rutgers and a Master's degree from Montclair State University. His company, CTS, will help its clients to attain success and grow as their business demands. The company also does in-home and remote individual consultations for all types of clients.
Kesha Moore, PhD, is a Senior Researcher and Development Specialist with LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute. Prior to joining LDF, Dr. Moore was an Associate Professor at Drew University, where she taught Sociology of Race & Ethnicity, Urban Sociology, Engendering Prisons and Social Movements as well as created numerous campuses-community connections that engaged faculty, students, and community-based organizations in meaningful collaborations for social justice.
Dr. Moore received her BA in Cross-Cultural Psychology from Franklin & Marshall College, her Masters of Social Work in Community Organizing from the University of Michigan and her PhD in Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania. She is the recipient of the Drew University’s 2016 Faculty Engagement Award, the 2010 Community Development Award from Phi Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and the 2005 Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Fannie Lou Hamer and Rabbi Dr. Abraham Joshua Heschel Spirituality and Social Justice Award from Drew University. Her favorite pastime is coaching women of color to live passionate, productive, and purpose-driven lives.
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Lee Stuart, D.B.A., Leadership Programs Manager, KU Professional & Continuing Education
After three previous careers - as a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper journalist, a leader of innovative product and new business development initiatives with Hallmark Cards, and 12 years as president of a boutique management consulting firm – Dr. Lee C. Stuart r joined the University of Kansas Edwards Campus as Leadership Programs Manager.
Lee brings experience in adult learning, disruptive innovation, organizational effectiveness, strategic business planning, and executive coaching. He possesses an unusual blend of creative and business thinking wrapped in years of experience as a writer, speaker, corporate executive, and as a consultant/coach to an array of organizations.
Ilana Radcliffe is a certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator and is currently a member of the Positive Discipline Association. She holds her MA in Developmental Psychology along with her CEAS (certified educator in advanced standing). She is also a licensed ABA (applied behavior analysis) specialist.
Ilana has implemented and seen the definable success of Positive Discipline with children and their parents for years. She has 15+ years of experience in using positive discipline in classrooms with students, as well as 10+ years with her own “students”: her four children. She has led various school, library, and parent/child groups.
Ilana has been recognized as chairperson for a local Montessori school’s Parent Association. She has served on the Board of Trustees at a nonprofit organization, where she also received a volunteerism award.
Mr. Larry Bashe graduated from Syracuse University with an undergraduate degree in Political Science and Economics and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University. Larry serves as an Adjunct Professor at three New Jersey Community Colleges, teaching courses on history, government, and economics. After leaving local government in 1982. Bashe had a 32 year career in investment banking. He completed some of the most innovative transactions in the capital markets. His final transaction, a $1.4 Billion Financing for Rutgers University, Rowan University, and University Hospital in Newark was identified as the national “ Deal of the Year”. In 2014, he received the prestigious Eagle Award from the New Jersey Alliance for Action for designing unique financing techniques that allowed New Jersey governments to finance infrastructure improvements at lower costs.
Liana F. Piehler, Ph.D, combines teaching within the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies at Drew University with pursuit of a creative life. Within Drew's Arts and Letters program, Liana teaches Humanities-based courses in literature, writing and watercolor/the creative process. Artistically, she works in various mediums including watercolor, woodblock prints, monotypes, collage, encaustics, and book arts. She especially enjoys the challenges of plein air watercolor painting, both in her native New Jersey and on Cape Cod, MA, where she is an exhibiting member of the Provincetown Art Association and Museum.
Larry Wolfert grew up in Brooklyn in the ’60s where he found a special resonance with folk music, clever comedy, and groundbreaking anthology TV shows. Addressing these passions over the past 30 years includes being the founder of the Folk Music Club of East Brunswick, member of the folk duo The End of The Line, and continuing to this day, substitute DJ at WRSU-FM's Home Made Music show as well as a presenter at various communities and organizations.
Having retired after spending 40+ years in corporate America, it allowed him to delve into these interests with far greater intensity. As a result, for the past several years he developed and led a series of courses as part of numerous Lifelong Learning.
He is the recipient of the Marlene M. Pomper Teaching Award for teaching excellence.
Some people write essays, some sermons and some blogs – but Larry crafts his messages by creatively stitching together the words and music of singer/songwriters and comedians from the past half century.
Dr. Anne Betty Weinshenker is Professor Emerita in the Department of Art and Design, Montclair State University. She received her Ph.D. degree in Art History from Columbia University and has taught at Barnard College, Tulane University and Seton Hall University. Dr. Weinshenker has published books and articles on European and American Art of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.
Robert W. Butts serves as Music Director and Conductor with The Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey and The New York Classical Music Society. He received his BA at Montclair State University, MA at The University of Iowa, and DMA at The American Conservatory of Music.
Dr. Butts is New Jersey’s most wide-ranging conductor, exploring the operatic as well as the orchestral worlds. He is the only conductor to have conducted three Wagner Ring and three Handel operas in New Jersey. He has conducted premieres of over a dozen works for large and small ensembles by living composers and is the only American conductor to premiere works by Monsignor Marco Frisina, acclaimed opera, film, and sacred music composer in Rome, Italy.
Linda Lopez has a BA in Spanish with a concentration in translation and has her Master's degree in Spanish Literature. Linda has been teaching Spanish and English as a Second Language since 2004. In addition, she also tutors individual clients and has worked as a translator and interpreter at medical, legal, and school appointments.
Shannon Brewster holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering and a Master of Science with a focus on Project Management. She has been an avid photographer since 2012. Her love for creating beautiful images began at an early age with a small point and shoot camera. Now she uses a professional dSLR but her favorite camera is the one that is easily and readily accessible - the one on her iPhone. Shannon’s love of photography extends to food, macro and landscape photography and her iPhone photos have been shared and liked many times on social media.
Marty Schneit, born and bred New Yorker and Historian. Marty has lectured at the New York Public Library, JCC, The 92nd Street Y, The Health Outreach Program of New York Presbyterian Hospital, Central Synagogue, Hebrew Home for the Aged at Riverdale, The Ziegfeld Society of New York, the patients at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in Manhattan, the Lincoln Center Campus of Fordham University. The Jewish Braille Institute has recorded Marty's lectures for their audio magazine and lecture series.
Diane Lang, MA and PPC is a Therapist, Educator and Positive Living Expert, who has dedicated her career to helping people turn their lives around and is now on a mission to help them develop a sustainable positive attitude that can actually turn one into an optimist, literally.
Through her three books, “Creating Balance & Finding Happiness”, “Baby Steps: the Path from Motherhood to Career” and “Mindfully Happy- waking up to life.” Diane has been speaking and empowering people nationwide. She is also an Adjunct in Psychology at Montclair State University, where her college work includes mentoring students for personal issue advisement.
As an expert in her fields of therapy, Lang has been featured in the Daily Record, Family Circle, Family Magazine, Working Mother Magazine and Cookie Magazine, seen on NJ 12 TV, Good day CT, Style CT, The Veira Network, CBS TV and “Fox & Friends”. She has also participated in a reality-based Internet show, ourprisoner.com, hosted Generation X-tinet.
Mimi Weinberg is an artist, writer and retired professor of contemporary art history. In her research and artwork, she has explored juxtapositions of ancient civilizations and their landscapes through plants and utilitarian objects. Currently, she is investigating the shared icons and symbols of European aristocracy, haute bourgeoisie, and the hoi polloi in folklore and handicraft, Fabergé eggs and hand-tatted antimacassars. She has been the recipient of grants from Geraldine R Dodge Foundation and the Hadassah Brandeis Foundation, among others.
