BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Hilltop Academy operates under the guidance and leadership of a Board of Trustees (BOT). It intentionally seeks to maintain its diversity professionally, racially, and culturally, with members coming from both the greater Hartford and Springfield Metropolitan areas and beyond. The Board currently consists of 11 members, including school leaders, business entrepreneurs, parents, a social worker, graphic design/marketing specialist, project manager, architect, and attorney.
The Board of Trustees ensures all components of the school are in alignment with its vision and mission, providing a means for checks and balances relative to operations, programming, sources of revenue and expenditures. Membership is gained through a careful recruitment, application, and interview process. It is through the Trustees' wealth of knowledge and experience from diverse educational and professional backgrounds, and the group's collaborative efforts and partnership, that Hilltop Academy is on target with its operational goals.
More detailed information about our Board members can be found by pulling down on the arrow to the left of each Trustees name.
Gina Martin-Ryan
Founder & Board of Trustees President
BS, Health & Family Life Ed; MS, School Health; CAGS, School Leadership; MA & CT Principal License, MA Superintendent License
"There's a hero that resides within each and every young person. School should be a joyful experience that helps young people believe in and find their inner hero as they journey toward living a life of purpose."
Gina is the visionary for Hilltop Academy, having created it over the course of the past 10 years, inspired by her personal and professional experiences. She has been in education for nearly 30 years with her more recent experience being the principal of a school she affectionately called a mini United Nations, serving 520 students and 70 faculty and staff. During her tenure there, she was instrumental in shifting the culture and climate of the school in a positive direction for faculty, staff, students, and families.
Prior to that work, she was a Vice Principal for two years and Student Life Coordinator for 4 years. For 21 years, Gina taught Health & Wellness Education with experiences at the elementary, middle and high school levels, growing a love and passion for working with students across all grades. She worked in both urban and suburban schools, embracing each experience and each community with whom she worked– Framingham, Springfield, Southbridge, and West Springfield communities in Massachusetts, and Windsor Locks and Suffield communities in Connecticut. Her experience as a School Climate Consultant for the Governor’s Prevention Partnership in Connecticut provided her with knowledge and skills which helped her positively influence the climate and culture of the schools where she worked. Her extensive background, coupled with her passion and joy for serving students, faculty, staff, parents/caregivers, and communities have provided her with the experience, inspiration, and motivation to bring the Hilltop Academy vision to life.
Gina is an avid lover of life-long learning, which has been integral in the development of Hilltop Academy’s mission and programming. She completed her undergraduate schooling with a Bachelor of Science in Health & Family Life Education from the University of Maine and her Masters Degree in School Health Education from Southern Connecticut State University. Wanting to have a stronger voice at the decision-making table, she pursued her Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in School Leadership & Administration from American International College, which opened the door to her school leadership journey. As an experienced educator and leader, Gina recognizes the importance of nurturing the spirit, mind and body; using play as a means for learning; engaging with nature; and forging pathways and connections that honor the hero in every child–helping them unearth their talents, passions, and joy.
Gina is adept at building and sustaining relationships and partnerships with everyone she meets. She is beyond excited to make Hilltop accessible to neighboring communities. Her biggest passion is creating a school experience where every stakeholder feels their value and worth, thereby making learning fun and exciting, and making success unavoidable.
What does Gina do for fun? Spending time with family and being outdoors with her husband for a hike, kayaking, gardening, walking, or playing with their dogs are her most favorite things to do. This is followed closely by taking pictures, reading, and journaling. Gina is a bit competitive when it comes to playing–whether a card game or basketball game–you’ll hear her talking up her skills to her competitors, which is probably the strongest part of her game ;)
Gina and her husband, Paul, have 3 children and live in Suffield, Connecticut, with their 2 dogs.
Joseph Trivisonno
Board of Trustees Vice President
Grade PreK-6 School Principal
BS, Movement & Sports Studies; M.Ed, Organizational Leadership; Ed.D., School Leadership; MA Principal & Superintendent License
"Students, staff, and families deserve a dynamic learning environment that truly meets the needs of all stakeholders, beyond academics."
Joe began his educational career in Springfield Public Schools as a physical education teacher, where he was quickly tapped for a multitude of leadership roles, serving on the School Crisis, Instructional Leadership, Building Operations, and STAT teams, which he enthusiastically embraced. In 2016, he was recognized in Springfield Public Schools as a standout educator, being honored with the Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Award. It was through his strong work and professional ethics that he was encouraged to further his education and career through his participation in an educational leadership program, which he completed in 2017. This led to his work as Assistant Principal over the course of 5 years in Southbridge, Narragansett, and Monson Public Schools collectively.
In those districts, his responsibilities as assistant principal ranged from leading turnaround work, rolling out PBIS initiatives, instituting restorative practices, coordinating external assessments, and playing an integral role in the drastic reduction of discipline referrals and out of school suspensions, as well as implementing systems and structures for more efficient and effective programs and practices. In 2021 Joe was promoted to principal of Granite Valley School, where he currently leads Pre-K through grade 6. Under his leadership, he has positively impacted the climate and culture of the school.
Joe completed his undergraduate degree at Springfield College, earning a Bachelor of Science in Movement and Sports Studies. He went on to pursue his Master of Education in Organizational Management through Endicott College in partnership with Teachers 21. He recently completed Nova Southeastern University’s Educational Doctoral Program for School Leadership. Joe is licensed in Massachusetts as a school principal, grades pre-k through 12, and also holds his Massachusetts Superintendent’s license.
Joe’s interest in Hilltop Academy comes from his belief that students, staff, and families deserve a dynamic learning environment that truly meets the needs of all stakeholders, beyond academics. In addition, he strongly feels that school should be a place where everyone cannot wait to go–every day, which is bound to happen when you infuse nature, fun, play, and individualized pathways into the instruction and learning. Joe believes that through the school’s plan for modeling and sharing with other public and independent schools its unique, innovative and engaging programming, which attends to the whole child, the paradigm in education will begin to shift.
When Joe is not working, he loves spending time with his family, traveling, and watching sports. Having grown up in New Jersey, he especially enjoys watching the New York Jets. Joe has a passion for coaching, in particular basketball, which he did for 6 years at the high school varsity level. Joe lives in East Longmeadow with his wife and two dogs.
David Marsh
Board of Trustees Secretary
Architectural Designer
BS.Arch, M.Arch
"The ideal school will honor the individuality of every child and not shy from exploring alternative career paths and skills."
A decade ago, David Marsh was a high school student in Springfield, MA, with little knowledge of the infinite opportunities the world had to offer. He was ignorant of the impact his voice and actions had on those around him, and thought little of his future. That was until he met wonderful mentors who helped mold and equip him with the necessary tools to succeed in his life. One of these mentors, Gina Martin-Ryan, offered him his first mentoring position in only their second interaction, to which he declined. But after much thought David accepted her offer of mentoring a third grade student. Through this experience David found passion in both teaching and learning. He grew to enjoy the time spent with his mentee and found joy in helping another student take ownership of his future. David eventually became the leader of his student government department under Gina’s guidance. His personable skills, creativity, compassion, and mental health grew tremendously due to his relationship with his mentors and mentees. He became more accountable in his work, ambitious in his future, and passionate in his studies.
David went on to attend Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston MA, where he received his Bachelors and Masters in Architecture. During that time he was a two time Design Mentor and Orientation Leader, where he excelled in working with large groups of students and sharing his experience as a young man. The courage in his voice and softness in his teaching proved effective in nurturing incoming college students, many of whom still remember their first experience with him. In his graduate year, he was a Teaching Assistant, learning how to effectively communicate and encourage students in their demanding field of study. Since graduating, David has served as a Thesis Advisor for two Master’s students. He still attends architecture reviews as a guest critic for all grade levels.
In the Spring of 2023, David received a momentous call from Gina, his high school mentor. She spoke passionately about a school she was co-creating, offering a holistic model of education that would honor the individuality of every child. This school would provide a unique learning experience and not shy from exploring alternative career paths, and skills. It would create an exciting space for students to learn outdoors, and form impactful relationships with peers, families, and communities. Her vision highly resonated with David’s idea of the ideal schooling experience. This time around, David instantly accepted the opportunity presented by Gina. He is excited to share his experience as an emerging young professional and engage with the bright minds of those around him as a new member of Hilltop Academy’s Board of Trustees.
David currently resides in Boston, MA, and is employed as an architectural designer for Reisen Design Associates in Cambridge, MA. In his work, he is responsible for initial design concepts, drafting, sketching and rendering images for client presentations. Critical to his success is his capacity to really listen to clients’ needs and feedback. Some of his work surrounds deep energy retrofitting aimed at net zero energy consumption targets.
During his free time, David enjoys being an assistant volleyball coach at his alma mater. He also loves sketching, painting, going to the gym, and playing volleyball. You can catch him in the grass or on the sand during the summer!
Tara Asher
Board of Trustees Treasurer
ASD Pre-K Teacher
BS, Major in Biology, Minor in Chemistry & English Literature; M.Ed. Biology; MBA; Master Certificate ASD "When a student is true to their own personality, morals/values, and spirit they have more self-confidence and are much more open to experiencing life as it is."
It was about 10 years ago that Tara began having conversations with Gina about the school that she (Gina) was dreaming up. In those conversations they connected over the common threads in their visions for how schools should be and where traditional schools were missing the mark. Those commonalities included honoring students as individuals coming with unique talents, passions, skills, and needs; filling hearts first, followed by the mind; seeing the critical need to reconnect young people with nature; and using play and creativity to make learning fun, exciting, and engaging. It is these elements coupled with a spirit, mind, and body approach to teaching and learning that made Hilltop Academy appealing to Tara. She is drawn to the like-mindedness of Hilltop’s team members, who have a deep love, care, and concern for today’s young people and for the generations who will follow.
Tara comes with a strong background in both biosciences and education, having worked 15 years in the private biopharmaceutical sector and 16 years in public education. In the biotech world, her roles varied, from the responsibilities of quality control and internal audits, to troubleshooting and streamlining systems, to providing training in a very fast-paced, ever-evolving manufacturing industry. In her years there, she served as a team leader and then supervisor, given her broad capacity for multi-tasking, being action-driven, and her ability to build and sustain effective teams.
Tara crossed over to education when a science teaching position presented itself, affording her a unique opportunity to combine her love of science and her interest in teaching. The teaching positions Tara held were in Springfield, Massachusetts, where she was born and raised, making it a full circle experience. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Tara was a grade level team leader, Envirothon club supervisor, and a member of the School Climate Committee. In 2019, she transitioned from the classroom to school leadership, as the System Accountability Coordinator, where her work once again focused on streamlining systems, assessing structures, and being a support– for staff, students, and parents.
Each year Tara noticed the mental health of her students declining. More and more students were being diagnosed with “behavior problems,” anxiety, and depression. As a “safe” adult for her students she often heard first hand what they struggled with: stress (financial, grades, peer pressure, student athlete, after high school decisions, college etc.), no downtime, creativity is squashed, no one hears them, they don’t know who or what they want to be and have no time to figure it out, they dislike the classes they are mandated to take… It is her belief that today’s students suffer from not living in their own authenticity. When a student is true to their own personality, morals/values, and spirit they have more self-confidence and are much more open to experiencing life as it is. Our antiquated educational system tries to label and categorize our students, fitting them into a classic stereotype. Hilltop Academy smashes these stereotypes AND this is Tara’s why.
Tara’s affinity for life-long learning is evidenced by her educational experiences where she received her Bachelor of Science in Biology, with a minor in Chemistry and English Literature from Western New England College. She received her Master of Secondary Education in Biology from American International College, and her Master of Business Administration from Western New England College. In addition, Tara completed clinical coursework, obtaining her Master Certificate for Autism Spectrum Disorder from Antioch University. More recently, Tara completed Reiki Level I & II training.
Tara lives in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts with her husband, two children, dog, and two cats. She is excited to be a part of the Hilltop journey and is as anxious as Gina to see the dream realized!
What does Tara do for fun? She loves spending time with family and friends, especially if it involves being outside and going for a hike, kayaking, or gardening. She also really loves reading, hunting for sea glass, and looking for synchronicities. Tara proudly admits that she is a tree hugger and rock collector...Catch her locally enjoying the company of good friends, good food, and culture.
Vilenti Tulloch
Trustee
Co-founder & CEO, Academic Leadership Association
BS, Sociology; MS, Educational Psychology; MA Clinical Social Worker & School Adjustment Counselor Licenses
"There is a need for school to be done differently in order for education to move in a direction that will best serve our youth."
Hilltop Academy’s progressive ideas on which its programming is founded are what resonate with Vilenti and inspired him to join the Board of Trustees. Through his professional and personal experiences, he has seen the need for “school” to be done differently in order for education to move in a direction that will best serve our youth. He believes that purposeful movement, play, fun, experiential learning, and opportunities to “be” in nature, which Hilltop offers, are what young people need to be engaged and what is needed to raise them to be thinkers, problem-solvers, and leaders. In his words, “All of these things should be interwoven with academic programming.”
Vilenti is the CEO of the nonprofit organization, Academic Leadership Association (ALA), which he co-founded with his wife, Yeselie. ALA began in 2017 offering financial literacy classes with the aim of empowering youth and quickly expanded into youth mentorship and advocacy that is now offered in a multitude of schools in Massachusetts, with prospects of expanding into Connecticut communities. In his role, Vilenti trains, mentors, and leads after school mentoring programs and develops partnerships with schools, colleges, and local businesses. It is his passion to provide educational opportunities that meet the needs of all students, specifically the underserved and overlooked populations of students. Vilenti was recently recognized by the City of Springfield for his game changer initiatives and was named to Business West's 40 leaders under the age of 40 in Western Massachusetts for 2024.
Prior to his work with ALA, Vilenti did social work for the Key Program and the Department of Children and Families. Following those experiences, he went on to work as a lead teacher in a transitional learning center for students with social-emotional needs. From there he served in public school settings, initially as a school adjustment counselor and then as a PBIS coach and administrator. In addition to the aforementioned work experiences, Vilenti was a lead facilitator for a culturally specific domestic violence group for after-incarcerated males.
Vilenti's educational background includes receiving an associate’s degree from Springfield Technical Community College, a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a master’s degree in Educational Psychology, both from Westfield State University and is currently pursuing his educational doctorate degree at American International College.
When Vilenti is not working, he enjoys spending time with his 4 children, playing basketball, coaching, and playing video games. He, along with his wife, children, and goldendoodle, live in Springfield.
Michael Bongiorni
Trustee
Director, Design & Construction, Tishman & Speyer
BS, Civil Engineering & Economics; MS, Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment
"Challenge the status quo."
Michael Bongiorni joined Hilltop Academy’s Board of Trustees in March of 2022, bringing vast experience in the real estate and design and construction industries. His area of expertise is in managing all aspects of the development process, with a particular focus on strategic and master planning, feasibility studies, project budgeting, project team procurement, design and construction administration, and facility management. He has worked with large organizations such as Alexandria, The Davis Companies, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Michael has worked for construction management and architecture firms, in addition to managing his own consultancy.
Michael's educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Economics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment from the University of Cambridge in England. Michael brings a lens and voice to the Board of Trustees that provides scale, scope, and outside perspective.
What drew Michael to joining Hilltop Academy’s Board of Trustees is the parallel seen in its vision and mission and Michael’s perpetual drive for change. Michael has always strived to challenge the status quo and could feel that same quality in the programming to which Hilltop Academy ascribes. Furthering Michael’s interest is his experience working alongside educators in various capacities, where his strong understanding of spaces has been instrumental in the planning and design in the school projects he’s managed. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s tagline, “Why not change the world?” resonates with Michael and it appropriately aligns with what Hilltop Academy aspires to do.
Michael grew up in north central Connecticut and Boston’s North Shore. He began his professional career in New York City and lived and worked in New York state after completing his degrees. Michael relocated to Boston in 2013 and made his home in Boston's diverse and vibrant South End. He is a historic home enthusiast and in his free time enjoys traveling, CrossFit, baking, and interiors and furniture antiquing.
Yeselie Tulloch
Trustee
Co-founder & Business Manager, Academic Leadership Association
BS, Criminal Justice; BA, Ethnic & Gender Studies; MBA, Entrepreneurial Thinking & Innovative Practices
"School should be all about the child, meeting each one where they are at."
Yeselie’s interest in Hilltop Academy stems from it being set apart from what most schools offer. She describes Hilltop’s programming as being all about the child, meeting each one where they are at. She says it is the kind of school she would want her children to attend, making it something she wants to support.
Yeselie’s professional work experience recently shifted from social work, working with families and children, where she served in that field for over 10 years, to now serving as the Business Operations Manager, Mentor, and Trainer for Academic Leadership Association (ALA), which is an organization she co-founded with her husband. It is not surprising that her work for ALA is grounded in investing in the well-being of the children and families within the Springfield community where she and her family live. This has always been the heart and soul of the work she has done in the past, working as a family services coordinator for Head Start or as the Assistant Program Supervisor for the Key Program Inc. Her passion lies in offering support and implementing programs and practices that foster long term success. Her dedication has helped create meaningful and long lasting relationships with families and children in the communities she has served.
Yeselie’s educational background has supported all of her work experiences. She has a Master of Business Administration in Entrepreneurial Thinking and Innovative Practices from Bay Path University, Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, and a Bachelor of Arts in Ethnic and Gender Studies, both from Westfield State University.
Yeselie has 4 children ranging in ages from 3 months to 13 years old and a goldendoodle who is 2 years old. She loves spending time with her husband and their children, attending all of their extracurricular activities which keep them very busy. Some of her favorite things to do outside of the extracurricular activities are having family movie nights, reading, and cooking.
Karen LaPlante
Trustee
Graphic Designer, Marketing Specialist, & Photographer
BS, Psychology
"Hilltop Academy's vision and mission is about the greater good, having a positive impact on young people, their families, and the community at large."
Karen has had a lifelong passion for photography, design, and content creation, volunteering her services for various not for profit groups and schools over the last 11 years, creating logos, flyers, menus, business plans, etc. She is drawn to projects and services that will have a positive impact on the greater good and give her a sense of purpose, such as the PTO, Friends of the Homeless, and local animal shelters. This is what drew her to become part of the Hilltop Academy team– understanding its vision and mission and the positive impact it aspires to have on young people, their families, and the community at large.
Karen’s background in graphic design and marketing, as well as previously owning her own business, which comes with additional experience, have made her an excellent fit on the team. Whether creating an original piece or polishing one that was already done, her flair and keen eye for detail and visual appeal gives the work she takes on a professional and beautiful touch. She is a true jack of all trades and master of so many!
Karen is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts and now resides in West Springfield, Massachusetts with her two young sons. She works as an accountant for a Massachusetts non-profit. Her favorite past-time is attending comedy shows, but her days mostly consist of mind numbing and never-ending chores, distributing snacks, playing with trucks and legos on the floor, or playing catch and tag in the yard.
Julissa Arce
Trustee
Associate Attorney
B.S. Business Law, J.D.
"The traditional curriculum does not give room for all students to process and comprehend information at an accurate pace that represents the workplace environment that students are ultimately striving for."
Julissa Arce joined Hilltop Academy's Board of Trustees in December 2023. She was born and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts and moved to Rhode Island to pursue her undergraduate studies and law degree. She currently works at a land use and municipal law firm that services a variety of clients from real estate developers, public school departments and committees, and local municipalities in the state of Rhode Island.
Julissa has a special place in her heart for giving back to her community. Throughout her educational career, she always pondered on how to get others to shift their perspectives on school being an obligation, to being an opportunity. As a high school student, Julissa had the privilege to work under Gina Martin-Ryan's leadership as a student ambassador. There, she learned how to work as a team and see value in every interaction. Gina showed Julissa new ways to bring creativity and laughter into everyday tasks.
She noticed her passion in giving back and teaching others as early as in her high school years when she found joy in helping her classmates understand a difficult subject and seeing their eyes light up once the information clicked. She fed this passion in different ways throughout her education. In college, she was a math tutor and mentor for the Intercultural Student Ambassador Orientation Program. In Law school she was a Teaching Assistant and a Writing Tutor. She understood that the traditional curriculum does not give room for all students to process and comprehend information at an accurate pace that represents the workplace environment that students are ultimately striving for.
In law school, she enrolled in a course entitled, "Simple Justice: The History of Brown v. Board of Education" and immediately fell in love with seeing how legal strategy played a pivotal role in changing the educational system as a whole. She began opening her eyes to see how she could do the same in her career ever since. Julissa is hungry to see change and growth in today's education, and the mission of Hilltop Academy is education's future!
During her free time, she loves to spend time with her family and friends, visit different coffee shops, and go window shopping!
Gwendolyn Rivera Levine
Trustee
Realtor
BS Finance, Real Estate License
"...utilizing inclusivity for experiential learning models and connecting the child to seek their purpose outside the classroom walls."
At the mere age of ten, Gwendolyn Rivera-Levine learned the epochal meaning of education as her family, originally from Ponce, Puerto Rico, left their beloved island to settle in Wilbraham, Massachusetts.
Gwendolyn experienced first-hand the hardships of acquiring a new language and assimilating into a nonnative culture which she quickly surmounted. Gwendolyn learned to speak English in record time; within 1 year of arriving in Massachusetts and continued to hone her English language speaking skills thereafter, to a native proficiency status.
Following her life-long affinity for finance, Gwendolyn attended Western New England University where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Finance at the level of Magna Cum Laude. During her Senior year at WNEU, she received a full-time incentivized offer at The Hartford as a financial analyst where her career in finance began. She later transitioned to a Real Estate professional, where she has consistently reached top-tier professional status and accolades for over 20 years.
Hailing from a family of educators, Gwendolyn’s philosophy for education is keen on educating the child purposefully while utilizing inclusivity for experiential learning models and connecting the child to seek their purpose outside the classroom walls.
In addition to her appreciation for education, Gwendolyn also has a zest for helping animals in need and has worked closely with animal shelters on the island of Puerto Rico facilitating the rescue of stray island dogs.
An avid lover of nature, Gwendolyn resides on a beautiful lake in Brimfield, Massachusetts with her husband and two rescue dogs. Her favorite pastime is spending time with family and friends, enjoying her local lakefront community.
"If we teach today's students as we taught yesterday's, we rob them of tomorrow." ~ John Dewey
Learn More About Us
Nondiscriminatory Policy
It is our mission to guard and protect the diversity of our Hilltop Community- those we serve and lead and those who lead and serve.
Hilltop Academy Inc. admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial assistance programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. The officers, committee members, employees, and persons served by this corporation shall be selected entirely on a non-discriminatory basis with respect to age, sex, race, religion, national origin, and sexual orientation. It is the policy of Hilltop Academy Inc. not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, ancestry, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical disability, veteran status, political service or affiliation, color, religion, or national origin.
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Administrative Offices:
P.O. Box 24, West Suffield, CT 06093
Our Mission
Forging a powerful, innovative, and transformative model of education that emboldens and prepares students for life, college, service, trade, and/or career through natural and holistic, simplistic yet rigorous, relevant and engaging learning practices and through the strong ties we build with our families and communities.
Our Vision
Opening opportunities and access for students, families, educators, and communities to experience our model of education which honors the hero in every child on their chosen pathway to a life of purpose.
Hilltop Academy Inc. is a nonprofit, 501(C)3 organization. All proceeds and donations support our tuition assistance and school programming.
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