People
Meet the BASEC @ Chenery Team
Site Director, BASEC @ Chenery
Amanda Burke
Amanda has been with BASEC since 2015. She completed her undergraduate degree from UNH with a bachelors in Sociology and received her Masters of Education in School Counseling from Cambridge College. Amanda enjoys making connections and supporting students and she is passionate about providing a program for families that allows students to learn, play and grow!
Assistant Director, BASEC @ Chenery
Blake Stensland
Blake joined the BASEC team in 2019 as BASEC @ Chenery’s Family Engagement Specialist. She has more recently taken on the role of BASEC @ Chenery’s Assistant Director and is excited to bring quality curriculum programming to our out of school time program! Blake manages BASEC @ Chenery’s tutoring, workshops and music lessons.
If you have any questions about any of these offerings please feel free to reach out to Blake!
Operations Specialist, BASEC @ Chenery
Ashley Smith
Ashley joined the BASEC @ Chenery team in 2022. She graduated from the University of Rochester with a Bachelor’s Degree in Neuroscience and a Minor in Psychology. Ashley is eager to meet and connect with the students and families of the BASEC community throughout the school year.
Director of Impact
Annie Gladfelter
Annie G. is in her fifth year at BASEC. Before coming to BASEC, she taught for 5 years in the Cambridge Public Schools and worked in after school programming for over 10 years. Annie G. also has her M.Ed in Out-of-School Time Program Development and Improvement. Her work passions include science with kids and professional development.
Visual Arts Specialist
Jamie Meditz
Jamie received her Bachelors Degree in Art Education from Molloy College and her Masters of Education in Community Arts from Lesley University. She has been with BASEC since 2016, and feels incredibly lucky that she gets to spend her days creating art with enthusiastic children!
Sports Specialist
James Burke
James has been the Sports Specialist for BASEC @ Chenery since 2010. He has a degree in Psychology from UMass Boston.
STEM Specialist
Trevor Donahue
Trevor, a Belmont Native, graduated from Hartwick in upstate NY with a B.A. in Sociology. Instrumental in founding the Branch program for BASEC, Trevor has been with BASEC since 2012.
Educator
Gaelen McGrail
Gaelen joined BASEC in 2018. His previous experience includes coaching, tutoring, and working as a classroom assistant. He attended UMass Boston, where he played on the basketball team.
Performing Arts Specialist, BASEC @ Chenery
Nick Peladeau
Nick joined the BASEC Chenery team in 2021. They received their BFA in Art Education from MassArt and have prior experience working with middle and high school. They want to help create a safe space for all students that focuses on diversity, respect, acceptance, and growth!
Educator
Josh Camara
Josh joined the BASEC @ Chenery team in 2021. He is from Cambridge and earned his Bachelors degree in journalism from Salem State University.
Educator
Andrew McLean
Andrew joined BASEC in 2021. He has degrees in sociology and teaching from Haverford College, UCLA and Tufts University. Having taught in middle and high schools, he is especially interested in supporting the growth and learning of the whole child.
Educator
Brandon Fink
Educator
Jaime Chernoch
Jaime has been working with BASEC since 2021. She got her MFA in poetry and education at UMass Boston. Jaime enjoys hearing about the individual interests of all the students at Chenery and encouraging them to try new things.
Educator, BASEC @ Chenery
Erin Pelham
Educator, BASEC @ Chenery
Melissa Moran
Melissa, a Belmont Native, has been a part of the BASEC @ Chenery team since 2008 and is an important part of programming each and every day! She has held the position of head cook at Chenery Middle School for many years and has created strong relationships with many parents, students and staff alike. She looks forward to continuing to foster more relationships within the BASEC community!
Educator, BASEC @ Chenery
Sydney Padgett
Educator, BASEC @ Chenery
Mica Rich
Mica graduated with a BA in English and a minor in psychology in 2021. They have worked as a dance teacher and an academic tutor for many years. New to BASEC as of 2023, Mica is excited for the opportunity to engage students in new ways of learning and to create an environment where students feel safe to express themselves and to challenge themselves.
Educator
Emma Kuper
Emma graduated from Holy Cross in 2018 with a degree in English. She loves all things creative, and has just moved from Los Angeles, where she was teaching art in an elementary school. She is excited to share her love of art, nature, and creativity with BASEC students, and to support students as they learn and grow!
Interested in joining our team? Check the Careers page for current openings.