Faculty and Staff
School Leadership
Faculty & Staff
Karen O'Neill Thomson
Head of School
A breadth of skills and experiences, both in education and business, combined with being a life-long learner, provides Karen with a strong foundation from which she draws on a daily basis to lead, evaluate, collaborate, and demonstrate empathy. Karen has spent over 15 years in education. Most recently she has been Head of School at a progressive holistic school in Williston, Vermont. In addition, she taught third and fourth grade in independent schools in the Boston area and here in Manchester. She developed outdoor classroom initiatives, worked collaboratively to design new programs that address diversity and inclusion, enhanced social emotional curriculum, and led community service trips abroad.
Karen believes in the importance of building a community of care and encouraging the growth and development of the “whole child.” She enjoys the puzzle of determining how to help each individual trust and connect to their potential, and to help be part of building a pathway that helps them become their best self. She is committed to experiential student-centered and play-based learning. She recognizes the importance of cultivating an intentional culture that embraces social-emotional learning as well as the importance of academic inquiry and discovery. Her twenty plus years in the business world prior to becoming a teacher inspired her to help young people develop their inner resources for living in an increasingly complex and challenging world - preparing them to be world citizens.
Growing up in Idaho, Karen learned the importance of community involvement from her parents, and developed a deep appreciation for the outdoors while hiking, backpacking, fishing and skiing. She was a competitive alpine ski racer and headed east to Dartmouth College where she was a member of the ski team and discovered that for her, geography was the perfect liberal arts major. After graduating Karen worked as an entrepreneur and marketing executive. Her career took her west where she met her husband, Peter. They moved to Vermont and she worked with him developing a variety of food products including Trader Joe’s original Bold and Smoky BBQ sauce.
She has served on the Board of the Weston (Vermont) Historical Society, been a council member of the Vermont Women’s Fund (part of the Vermont Community Foundation), and completed the Snelling Center’s Vermont Leadership Program.
Outside of work and community involvement, Karen takes great pleasure in Peter’s three daughters and her four grandchildren. She also enjoys traveling, reading and gardening, (especially the vegetable garden.) She loves food and cooking, and cherishes spending time with her grandchildren creating memories as they make and enjoy meals together.
Abra Kessler
Eagles 4-5 Head Teacher
Abra has 25+ years experience as an elementary teacher in 2nd through 5th grade. She was a founding teacher at Elysian, one of New Jersey’s first progressive charter schools in Hoboken. She is both a master and mentor teacher. Abra and her family have had a home in Vermont for many years and she has followed the growth of RFCS with the dream that her children would attend our special school. Although her children will attend Long Trail and not Red Fox, she will be able to make a difference in the lives of our students. Her colleagues shared that the students love Abra, often coming back to visit her, even when they are in middle school. She is known for fostering a positive classroom environment, and building a sense of community that is anchored in respect and kindness, along with a sense of humor. Abra loves using project- and place-based learning to bring ideas and concepts to life for her students. She is an avid biker and hiker and thrilled to be in Vermont where, as she puts it, "feels her best in the beautiful state."
Kristin Finch
Hawks 2-3 Head Teacher
Kristin has 15+ years in the education field, many of them with a focus on project-based, hands-on learning. She saw a need in her community and founded a preschool in NYC with play-based, social emotional development and outdoor exploration as central tenents. Kristin loves to encourage problem solving and scientific experimentation in the classroom. She was instrumental in helping to run a program at her daughters’ school that combines scientific principles and arts education. Her colleagues emphasized how she naturally connects with children and her positive approach to helping them learn is inspiring. She was drawn to the RFCS holistic approach to education, belief in knowing each child as an individual and teaching them where they are. After loving Vermont for over 20 years, she and her family are excited to be moving here this summer. Her oldest daughter will be attending middle school at Long Trail and her youngest, Nuala, will be joining the Eagles class. Kristin and Nuala joined us for Country Fair Day and it was as if they had been part of the community for years. Kristin’s love of cooking and eating food grown nearby, taking gentle hikes, and practicing mindfulness through yoga and walking meditation, as well as enjoying the simple pleasure of reading a good book are other passions she will share with our community.
Sarah Post
Owls K-1 Head Teacher
After teaching the Owls class for the past two years, Sarah will be moving up to teach second and third graders in the newly created Hawks class. She is excited to work with returning students and families this year as well as get to know families. Sarah brings to Red Fox twelve years of teaching experience in both independent and public schools where she taught preschool and grades one and two. Sarah believes that the early childhood years are a special time which requires listening to and supporting children on their journey. Sarah’s goal is to help children find their voices and grow into independent learners. Sarah is proud of her efforts, along with her colleagues, to create a play-based learning environment balanced with focused academics where children can stretch out, slow down, and enjoy childhood.
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Sarah lives in West Pawlet with her husband, Lamont, their two daughters, and their three cats. They’ve lived in Vermont for 17 years and love the area and community they’ve found. She has a passion for cooking and thinks it's important for kids to learn the process of growing, making, and enjoying food. Sarah also loves time spent outside, reading, doing yoga, and being with friends and family. She grew up in Kent, Ohio where she also attended Kent State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education.
Zena Pesta
Art & After School Teacher
Zena describes her life’s work as advocating for children while cultivating a community of relationship, celebration, abundance and understanding. Zena is drawn to Red Fox because of its immersive teaching style and community-oriented mission. She approaches supporting students' learning through using methods of observation and facilitation to meet children where they are. Her experience using a workshop environment, hands-on experiential methods and thoughtful dialogue fosters developing trust in oneself, reflection of one's own inherent value and a greater awareness of one’s space in community. Her career in craft, design, and teaching has taken her all over the world. Zena has taught and her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. She has been a resident in Jingdezhen, China and had her work highlighted in The New York Times, W Magazine, and a Japanese publication.
Heather Münch
Music Teacher
Heather believes that music and the arts are a vital aspect to overall learning and can help a child discover more about themselves as individuals, members of a community and the world’s diverse cultures.
Heather was born and raised in Vermont and after many adventures returned in 2020. She received her Bachelors of Music from the University of Vermont and Castleton University and a Masters of Music from SUNY Purchase. Being back home in Vermont, Heather has noticed there is something truly special about these mountains; they are a place that brings people together time and time again and provide our children an opportunity to learn how to appreciate nature and become independent thinkers and creators.
Nancy Poletti
Communications
Nancy joined the Red Fox community in 2024, bringing her expertise in marketing, brand identity, and publishing to the communications team. She holds a BS from New York University and a Master Gardeners certificate from UVM Extension.
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Nancy has worked in many different industries, including comic book publishing where she edited the Marvel Masterworks series and managed licensed comics for Nickelodeon's Ren & Stimpy and Beavis & Butthead. Nancy has lived and worked in both New York and London, where she specialized in account management for consumer packaged goods, working across everyday staples as well as indulgent categories.
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As a part-time resident of Vermont for her entire life, Nancy and her family recently made West Rupert their permanent home. She is excited to bring her diverse experience to help share Red Fox's mission with the Southern Vermont community.