Leadership, Administration & Staff - BASIS Independent McLean

Service-oriented and eager to help, our leadership, administration, and staff are champions of the school community. While their key focus is supporting the teachers in the classroom, they work hard to ensure every student and family has a positive experience. Whether they are the front-and-center, visible faces of our school or the unsung, behind-the-scenes heroes, leadership, administration, and staff are invaluable in upholding our culture and values.

Looking to get to know our unmatched, expert teaching faculty? Explore our teaching philosophy and meet the educators that bring it to life every day.

Ms. Brown

Associate Director of Admissions

Ms. Brown

Associate Director of Admissions

With a B.S. in Special Education from James Madison University, one of Mrs. Brown’s first jobs out of college included working with Fairfax County’s recreation program for adults with special needs. As her children started preschool, Mrs. Brown joined the staff at Good Shepherd Preschool where she would stay for 14 years as the secretary/financial manager and substitute teacher. Her career took a shift when she became a loan processor, supporting a team of loan officers for over eight years.

While raising her children, Ms. Brown was active in the PTA, serving as the PTA president at her children’s elementary school and later became the volunteer coordinator for 10 years at Robinson Secondary School. It was during her time as the Executive Director at the Tysons Chamber of Commerce that she learned about BASIS Independent McLean. Now entering her 8^th year in admissions, Mrs. Brown is still passionate about the BASIS Curriculum and sharing it with prospective students and families.

As Assistant Director of Admissions, her goal is to fill the school with great students and families who love to learn. She loves meeting with prospective families to educate them on our programs and then giving them a tour so they can witness for themselves the fun and learning happening on campus. Mrs. Brown also sponsors the Student Ambassador Program for students in grades 5-12 who help Admissions by sharing their Red-Tailed Hawk stories with interested students and families. A great day is a phone call from a prospective parent who says, “I am thinking of sending my child to BASIS Independent McLean.

Those who know Mrs. Brown know the most important thing to her and her husband of over 40 years, is their family, which now includes eight grandchildren. She is also active in her church, loves to Jazzercise, go hiking and biking, and loves a good home improvement project – which usually involves a paintbrush.

Ms. Cancienne

Associate Head of School/ Director of Admissions

Ms. Cancienne

Associate Head of School/ Director of Admissions

University of Southern Mississippi, B.A. in Paralegal StudiesGeorgetown University, M.L.A. in International Affairs

At BASIS Independent McLean, Ms. Cancienne combines her background in directing admissions and student services in higher education with her work as a regional talent manager for K–12 charter schools. With more than 20 years of experience in admissions, advising, and student services, Ms. Cancienne has advised and supported thousands of K-12 families and university applicants and students, as well as launched and recruited for several new degree programs.  Prior to working at BASIS Independent McLean, she was the director of executive education and strategic initiatives at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. She also held positions with KIPP New Orleans Schools, Georgetown Law Center and McDonough School of Business, Louisiana State University Flores MBA Program and KAUST US.

Originally, from Houma, Louisiana, Ms. Cancienne has been at BIM since 2017, and she loves helping families understand how BIM is preparing our Red-Tailed Hawks to soar!

Ms. Carroll

Auxiliary Coordinator

Ms. Carroll

Auxiliary Coordinator

Ms. Fors

School Counselor

Ms. Fors

School Counselor

Ms. Fors is a licensed Qualified Mental Health professional for children and adults with over 10 years of experience in the mental health field doing everything from in home counseling to school counseling, including several years of individual and group counseling overseas. She holds a BA in psychology from George Mason University, and is currently working on two Master’s degrees from George Mason University in School Counseling and in Clinical Mental Health. For the last two years, she worked with schools in Southern Virginia bringing awareness and training on social/emotional/mental health needs to teachers and administrators in the public school setting. She brings a wealth of experience and training in multicultural, trauma, and education based counseling. She is a mom of four children, and they are my heart and joy.

Mr. Garcia

Facilities Manager

Mr. Garcia

Facilities Manager

Ms. Goldsmith

Front Office Coordinator

Ms. Goldsmith

Front Office Coordinator

Ms. Goldsmith moved to Northern Virginia ten years ago from Alabama with her husband and daughter, and they love the NOVA area. After spending several years as a preschool teacher, she is returning to the administrative field.

Outside of work, Ms. Goldsmith loves traveling, especially to the beach, and spending time with her family. She spends most of her spare time taking walks with her family and sitting at the ice rink, watching her daughter figure skate. She is thrilled to join the Basis Independent McLean team and greet visitors, students, and staff as they enter the building.

Ms. Irving

College Counselor

Ms. Irving

College Counselor

Ms. Irving spent her first seven years in education teaching in New York City as a high school English teacher, and then her next seven running the college counseling office at the Urban Assembly Bronx Academy of Letters. Two years prior to working at BASIS Independent McLean, she also worked as an adjunct professor and associate director of programming and student activities at American University’s Kogod School of Business. She holds a M.S. in Education in School Counseling from Hunter College, a M.A. in Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a B.A. in English from Saint Mary’s College of California.

Ms. Irving started her career at BASIS Independent McLean as a Grade 6 and Grade 8 English teacher in 2017, and is now entering her fifth year in charge of the BASIS Independent McLean College Counseling Office. She loves working with BASIS Independent McLean students because they are so practiced and driven and ready to work hard for what they want. She focuses her work with students on creating a college list that is mindful and matches the student’s personality and interests, and developing applications that showcase their individual strengths and skills.

Ms. Leatham

Operation Manager

Ms. Leatham

Operation Manager

Ms. Leatham a Boston native, with Caribbean roots, who has lived in the DMV area for over 10 years. She graduated from Howard University with a B.A. in Radio/TV/Film. While in college, Ms. Leatham volunteered as a corps member with Jumpstart and that is where her passion for education was born.

Prior to joining our team, she has spent time working as Program Director and Finance Accounts Associate for an education centered nonprofit as well as an Assistant Manager at PNC Bank. Ms. Leatham is excited to bring the skills she has developed over the years into this new position!

Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, music, traveling, and spending time with her loved ones.

Ms. Marcus

Admissions Coordinator

Ms. Marcus

Admissions Coordinator

Coming to BASIS Independent McLean, Ms. Marcus brings a background in both Early Childhood Education and Special Education, working both in the classroom and in the office. After graduating from Virginia Tech, Ms. Marcus’s first job out of college was a lead teacher for the Virginia Tech Child Development Center of Learning and Research. Working with the ages of two and three, she also advised and mentored college students at Virginia Tech on the importance of Early Childhood Education. ‘

After making the decision to move back home to Maryland to be closer to her family, Ms. Marcus began teaching Special Education for Montgomery County Public Schools. She later then shifted her career path to admissions while working in the office at the Primrose School of Downtown Bethesda. Ms. Marcus there found her passion for filling schools with the most amazing students to offer them the best education. A few of Ms. Marcus’s favorite activities include working out (running and swimming), traveling, and spending time with her family and friends! She now lives in Arlington, VA with her twin sister and fell in love with the little city that it is.

Ms. Nichols

Summer Camp Coordinator

Ms. Nichols

Summer Camp Coordinator

Ms. Orth

Director of Lower School

Ms. Orth

Director of Lower School

Ms. Orth has been teaching in the Early Childhood field long enough to have the joy of seeing many of her students graduate from high school. Prior to coming to BASIS Independent McLean, she lived in Gunnison, Colorado, working with 4-year-olds and preparing them for their transition to Kindergarten. She holds a B.A. in Elementary Education with an Early Childhood minor from Wisconsin Lutheran College.

This will be her fifth year at BIM. She previously taught PreK-1 and PreK-2, and was the Dean and Director of ELP. She is looking forward to continuing to build community within the Lower School and supporting an environment where students, families and teachers are able to have their needs met to be the best we can be.

When not at school, she loves to sing, being on stage making people laugh, and mixed media arts. She and her husband enjoy traveling, especially to see their daughter in San Francisco.

Ms. Purnell

Operations Coordinator

Ms. Purnell

Operations Coordinator

Mr. Ramsby

College Counselor

Mr. Ramsby

College Counselor

Now in his fifth year at BASIS Independent McLean, and after twenty plus years teaching Latin, Mr. Ramsby is absolutely delighted to join the College Counseling office. Having attended six colleges himself through both undergraduate and graduate experiences, and having navigated the college selection process twice with his own two children, Sabrina and Owen (alums of U Richmond and USC, respectively), and having advised many students over the years unofficially, Mr. Ramsby feels very comfortable talking about colleges, the selection process, and finding the right “fit” for each student.

Mr. Ramsby grew up in central Florida where the college decision was either THE Florida State University or that “other” one. Florida, having only two seasons: hot and less hot, he is quite happy here in beautiful northern Virginia where leaves change and snow falls. Mr. Ramsby has taught previously in New Hampshire, North and South Carolina, and in his hometown of Winter Park, FL. He holds a M.A.T. in Latin from the University of Virginia and a B.A. in Classics from Trinity College. Engaged and soon to be married to his partner, Anne, Mr. Ramsby loves traveling, cooking, crosswords and Wordle, and most outdoor activities. He coaches the Cross Country program in the fall and the HawkManiac Fitness Club in the spring.

Ms. Reynolds

Director of Academic Programs

Ms. Reynolds

Director of Academic Programs

Ms. Reynolds brings 10 years of experience in education to BASIS Independent McLean. She was a founding math teacher at BASIS D.C., and later became the director of academic programs there. With more than five years experience in the BASIS Curriculum Schools network, Ms. Reynolds truly believes in its mission and academic program. She says, there is an incessant pulse of creativity, humor, intellect, kindness, and talent that beats through a BASIS Curriculum School, and whether observing a chemistry class or sitting at a lunch table, the students never cease to amaze and inspire her.

Previously, she taught high school math in Atlanta Public Schools, where she was also hired by the district to develop curriculum and programming for schools across the district. She has also served as the high school mathematics specialist for D.C. Public Schools. She holds a B.S. in Mathematics and Secondard Mathematics Education from University of Maryland College Park.

In her spare time, Ms. Reynolds enjoys playing ball hockey in local co-ed and men’s leagues, and often travels to play in national and international tournaments. She also enjoys watching the Buffalo Bills and Sabres games, visiting the almost 300 vineyards across the state of Virginia, attending concerts, hiking, and nearly anything else outdoors and recreational. Originally from Rochester, NY, she never tires of conversations about Wegmans!

Ms. Robertson

Academic Programs Coordinator

Ms. Robertson

Academic Programs Coordinator

Ms. Robertson is a native Virginian and she and her husband are the proud parents of four children, two in college and two in high school. She has enjoyed being home taking care of her kids as they grew, and is also excited to get back to work and get to know all of our BASIS Independent McLean families. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, crafts, and sports.

Ms. Rushing

Student Affairs- Dean of Primary Program

Ms. Rushing

Student Affairs- Dean of Primary Program

Ms. Rushing didn’t begin her career in education. Initially, she transitioned to the field after working as a regional marketing manager. Following years of volunteering as a tutor and mentor in her hometown of Chicago, her passion for education led her to make the switch. Ms. Rushing’s journey in education started when she became a Transition to Teaching fellow for TNTP (The New Teacher Project) while simultaneously pursuing her Master’s Degree in Education at Marian University. Her teaching career commenced as a third-grade teacher.

With a track record of 10 years of ‘highly effective’ teaching, Ms. Rushing relocated to Washington, DC, where she joined KIPP DC as an educator. Subsequently, she took on the role of an ELA Instructional Coach for DC Scholars, providing support to grades K-2. Beyond her roles in education, Ms. Rushing has also served as a consultant for companies like Britannica. Prior to assuming her position as Dean of Primary, she held the role of Manager of Curriculum & Instruction for the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy.

Outside of her professional commitments, Ms. Rushing finds joy in spending time with her family on Caribbean vacations and exploring cycling trails across the DMV region. Her interests extend to music, frequently attending music festivals across the country.

Mr. Shorbe

Head of School

Mr. Shorbe

Head of School

Mr. Shorbe has been a fixture of school and network management at BASIS Curriculum Schools for nearly a decade. Highlights of his career are numerous, and include being the Head of School of the first BASIS primary school in Arizona; expanding our network in Texas, California, and Washington, D.C.; serving school leaders as an Associate Vice President. In 2015, Mr. Shorbe was selected to be the founding Head of School of BASIS International School Shenzhen.

Most recently, Mr. Shorbe has led BASIS International School Guangzhou as the Head of School from its founding days to a full program with approximately 1,000 students in PreK through grade 12. Guiding teachers from all over the world to adopt the best practices of our network, whether their students are 3 or 18, and building a unified student body of expats and English learners alike, takes resolve, expert management, and—as you will soon find—an unyielding sense of humor. Mr. Shorbe possesses all these qualities in abundance.

Prior to joining the network, Mr. Shorbe taught primary school and middle school social studies while earning two consecutive master’s degrees from Northern Arizona University, one in Elementary Education, and the other in Educational Leadership.

After high school, Mr. Shorbe spent a few years in the US Army. Upon his return from military life, he had a short career in construction management before deciding to pursue a degree in history, which he received from The University of Arizona.

Ms. Smith

Student Affairs- Dean of Early Learning Program

Ms. Smith

Student Affairs- Dean of Early Learning Program

Roberts Wesleyan College, B.A. in Communications
George Mason University, M.Ed. in Early Childhood Curriculum and Instruction

Ms. Smith began her career in education on staff with Teach For America in the Las Vegas Valley region in 2007, before moving to Washington, D.C., where she taught Grade 2 and PreK-1 with DCPS. Ms. Smith was part of the founding PreK-1 team at KIPP D.C.: Discover Academy in Anacostia, where she was the department chair (2013-2017) and the Teacher to Teacher award recipient (2016).

Prior to her role as Dean of Students for the Early Learning Program, Ms. Smith taught the PreK-2 Protons (2017-2020) and Kindergarten Nitrogen (2020-2023) classrooms. Her deepest desire is to facilitate a joyful, safe, and learning-focused community for your child so that they are empowered to be curious, motivated, and take risks in learning. Her goal is to support students by instilling in them the empathy and growth-mindset they need to be the change-agents of the future. She considers it a great privilege to partner with so many families as they work together to create life-long learners.

When Ms. Smith is not at school, you can find her listening to Taylor Swift, vacationing in 30A, FL, and enjoying time with her husband, daughter Elsa (who is in Grade 5), and sheep-a-doodle, Olle!

Mr. Tabatabai

Technology Coordinator

Mr. Tabatabai

Technology Coordinator

California State University, Chico, B.A.

Mr. Tabatabai has worked in IT support for almost two decades, including as a systems engineer and systems administrator.

Attending high school in Tehran, Iran, Mr. Tabatabai received his bachelor’s degree in the U.S. He owes his comfort with mathematics and technology to rigorous and disciplined learning in high school. He sees that BASIS Independent Mclean focuses on each student from a young age to help them build a foundation for their future.

Mr. Tabatabi has been practicing Shotokan Karate continuously for 20 years. Currently, he practices and teaches in Arlington twice a week.

Ms. Tamayo

Associate Head of Operations

Ms. Tamayo

Associate Head of Operations

Ms. Tamayo is originally from Puerto Rico and has lived in DC for 10 years. She joins BASIS Independent McLean with over 15 years of experience overseeing marketing and operations in various industries. Before joining our school, she worked as a Field Operations Manager for Special Counsel, where she managed a team responsible for providing operational support to 14 branches across the country. She holds a B.A. from Florida International University in Business Administration and an A.S. in Multimedia and Web Design from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. Ms. Tamayo is excited to bring her operations background to our school and support our students, parents, and teachers.

Outside of work, Ms. Tamayo enjoys spending time with her daughter and husband, hiking, baking, and cake decorating.

Ms. Toker

Social Media Coordinator

Ms. Toker

Social Media Coordinator

Ms. Toker has joined us as a Social Media Monitor. She was born in Shanghai, China, and graduated from Shanghai University. After one year of working at a car company, she went to Japan to continue her education. She learned the Japanese language and completed her communication/psychology program in Japan. Ms. Toker holds her bachelor’s degree from Nihon Fukushi University and majored in management.

Ms. Toker worked in Tokyo, Japan as a marketing and business specialist as well as a communications associate. After coming to the U.S, she worked at a local Montessori school, teaching kids from 3 to 6 years old. She is a certified Montessori teacher.

Working at BASIS Independent McLean gives her the opportunity to expand her passion for marketing into the education area. She enjoys learning about different cultures and the spectrum of perspectives that go with them. Ms. Toker is looking forward to working with the highly talented teachers who work at BIM and learning about the different cultures represented by BIM families. She really likes BASIS and the lovely community.

In Ms. Toker’s free time, she likes to play tennis, snowboard, and travel.

Mr. Vigil

Facilities Assistant

Mr. Vigil

Facilities Assistant

Mr. Vigil is from El Salvador and has lived in the U.S. for more than 14 years. He and his wife have four children, two girls and two boys. He previously worked at an elementary school in Leesburg, and is excited to be at BASIS Independent McLean. Outside of work, he likes to travel to New York to visit his family. He has six brothers and three sisters, who he is very close to!

Mr. Warlick

Student Affairs- Dean of Students, grades 9-12

Mr. Warlick

Student Affairs- Dean of Students, grades 9-12

Western Carolina University, B.S. in Radio & Television, Middle Grades Language Arts teaching certificate
Utah State University, Graduate studies in Communication & Middle Grades Education

Mr. Warlick began his career teaching middle and high school language arts, English, and journalism at North Carolina public schools in 1993. He shifted to residential life at Randolph-Macon Academy as a Student Life Supervisor, Dean of Residential Life at Springdale Preparatory School, and Director of Weekend Services at Eagle Hill School. Mr. Warlick advised award-winning school newspapers, broadcasts, and yearbooks.

His strength is building relationships with students and serving as a liaison between parents and teachers. Mr. Warlick wants each student to enjoy their school experience and know they have an advocate for their interests. His goal is to help reduce stress, anxiety, and adolescent drama so students can focus on their classwork. He wants each student to feel challenged and expand their comfort zone.

When Mr. Warlick is not at school, he enjoys exercising at the gym, swimming and other aquatic activities, and exploring the NOVA area.

Mr. Wright

Director of Upper School

Mr. Wright

Director of Upper School

Mr. Wright has been in the field of education for 20 years. Following college, he led pre-professional programs for high school students interested in medicine, law, and international relations. Over the past 10+ years he has held various teaching and leadership positions in independent schools. He believes the classroom should be a place of high engagement and deep thinking, where student-centered learning is emphasized. He holds an Ed.M. in Private School Leadership from Columbia University, an Ed.M. in Teaching and Curriculum from Harvard University, and a B.A. in Biology from Boston University.

In his spare time, Mr. Wright enjoys spending time with his family, reading, playing soccer, hiking, traveling, and taking in all that Washington, D.C. has to offer.