Faculty & Staff Profiles

I love the moment when a student sees a symbol or a detail in a book that I haven't noticed and the whole class reacts to her discovery with delight; those moments of meaning-making are so empowering and joyful!

Dr. Russell came to Catalina in 2022. She previously taught humanities at Culver Academies in Indiana, where she served as department co-chair. Originally from Dallas, she spent most of her adult life in New York. She taught English at Hackley School and Manlius Pebble Hill School, and taught writing to freshmen and graduate students at Cornell University. She is no stranger to boarding school environments, having served as dorm supervisor at Culver Girls Academy and as a resident faculty member at Hackley. She enjoys leisurely activities such as board games, roleplaying games, cross-stitch, sewing, and playing the harp, as well as outdoor pursuits like hiking and camping. She is a member of the resident faculty and lives on campus with her husband, a teacher at York School; their two cats, Locke and Ads; and their chihuahua, Binx. She teaches English 3, AT: The Art of Rhetoric, AT: Art History, and AT: The Reality of Fantasy.