Our Staff
There are seven staff members at Macomber Center. Between our various backgrounds and diverse experiences, we bring a wide range of interests, knowledge, and skills to our community. Most importantly, we all share a deep trust in children's ability to direct their own education. We believe that children are born curious and intrinsically motivated to learn about the world around them—and that, when the right conditions are present, they will educate themselves in ways that are productive, meaningful, and fulfilling. Our role, as adults in a self-directed education environment, is to provide the optimal conditions for children to carry out their own education. [Read about the Six Optimizing Conditions for Self-Directed Education here.]
Ben Draper
Ben is Macomber Center’s Director and one of its founders. His background is in visual art and philosophy. He also brings with him a lifetime of experience with self-directed education, having grown up at Sudbury Valley, a preeminent Democratic school. He has spent much of his adult life studying how different SDE communities are organized to best support the needs of students. Ben is involved in all aspects of the Center’s life—from supporting kids as they pursue their interests, to supporting parents on their alternative education journey, to guiding the long-term vision of the organization.
Denise Geddes
Denise is Macomber Center’s Administrative Director and one of its founders. With over twenty years of experience in self-directed education before her work with Macomber, her insights and vision have played a critical role in shaping Macomber’s unique culture. Her dedication to the Center is unparalleled, attending to the essential operations that keep the Center running smoothly. Denise is also the Center’s chronicler. Through her writing and photography, she has documented the daily life of the community for more than a decade, creating a living record that captures the spirit, growth, and joy of Macomber Center.
Vanessa Niro
Vanessa has been organizing and playing heavy metal shows in the Boston area since she was a kid, and her ongoing career as a professional musician continues to energize her work with kids at the Center. As a supportive and inspiring presence in the music room, as well as the organizational force behind our music shows, she fosters a spirit of creativity, collaboration, and confidence in our young musicians. Vanessa also holds a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Development, with over a decade of experience in Reggio Emilia-inspired schools and forest schools, including work as a program director. Her diverse background experience and strong organizational skills make her a vital part of both program facilitation and the overall running of the Center.
Kerry Kilroy
Kerry is a former nurse practitioner with a math and science background. She brings a wide range of interests to daily life at the Center—gardening, crocheting, maple syrup production, math, music, and playing Minecraft are just a few of her interests. Kerry has a natural ability to jump into whatever is happening, whether it’s a group project, a board game, or an outdoor adventure, and she approaches every activity with joy and openness. Her genuine curiosity and love of learning help create an environment where kids feel encouraged to explore, try new things, and follow their interests wherever they lead.
James Morningstar
James is a professionally trained artist with a special interest in textile arts. He maintains the art room, fostering an organized, productive, and vibrant atmosphere. He is always available to help kids formulate their ideas, find appropriate materials, and learn the skills they need to bring their visions to life. When he is not in the art room, he can usually be found playing Settlers of Catan, Magic: The Gathering, or Bananagrams. James is also an avid reader of critical theory and cultural studies and keeps us all up to date on contemporary cultural issues.
Matt Kilroy
Matt brings inexhaustible enthusiasm and ingenuity to the community. A brilliant builder, Matt continually finds creative ways to improve the Center’s buildings and grounds, inviting kids to join in and learn through hands-on experience. His positivity, encouragement, and can-do energy are indispensable to the Center’s life and growth. He has a gift for turning ideas into reality, whether solving practical problems with inventive construction solutions or helping students and staff bring their ideas to life. With a strong background in the sciences—especially physics, biology, and chemistry—he is always eager to engage kids in conversations about how the world works.
Christian Holden
Christian is an avid life-long-learner, always finding novel ways to broaden his knowledge base and expand his skill set—serving as a model for all of us. In addition to his role on the Macomber Center staff, Christian is also the Director of Not Back To School Camp, a two-week, end-of-summer gathering for unschoolers; the lead singer of The Hotelier, an indie rock band he helped start in 2009; and a former professional poker player. As someone who has found creative ways to pursue his personal interests while still supporting himself, Christian’s eclectic and unconventional life path serves as an example for kids who want to take the path less traveled.