"Within these Halls we learned Duty"

The NYMA Team

Administration

Jin Xu

Acting Superintendent
Dr. Jin Xu is no stranger to the New York Military Academy, having served previously as the Acting Superintendent and Chief Financial Officer of NYMA in 2016. From 2016 to 2019 he served on its Board of Trustees, as treasurer and secretary.  Having earned his PhD in finance from the University of Texas, Dr. Xu brings his years of experience as an entrepreneur and a strong commitment to the New York Military Academy’s future.

John Thompson

Dean of Academics
Mr. Thompson attended University of Virginia and completed his master program in education from Southern Connecticut State University.  He brings a wealth of experience to our fine institution.  He was the Dean of Academics at the Maplebrook School prior to coming here. 

He will also be a math teacher and will take the time to get to know each student as an individual. He will be strict when he needs to be but will also have a great rapport with students, faculty, and parents. He understands the need for different learning in the classroom.

Ben Weiss

Commandant of Cadets 

LTC Weiss grew up in Coral Gables Florida and graduated from Coral Gables High School. He attended the University of Alabama. Following graduation, he was commissioned in the United States Infantry. He served in a myriad of Airborne, Ranger and Special Forces assignments to include senior level professional military education. After he retired from the Army, he started a new career as a JROTC Senior Army Instructor. He served as the Commandant of Cadets at Sarasota Military Academy in Florida. And he was selected as the United States Army Cadet Command’s “Senior Army Instructor” of the year.

John Mahon

Director of Admissions

John Mahon earned his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh New York and his Master of Science degree in Management with a concentration in Human Computer Interaction from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. He worked at IBM in Armonk, New York for twenty years in Data Analytics. Mr. Mahon worked at Mount Saint Mary College before joining NYMA for eight years in Enrollment and was the Dean of Admissions for the last five years. He is married to his wife of 28 years, Clauida and they have two sons John Patrick and Luke Christian.

Bobby Rahn

Athletic Coordinator

Bobby Rahn came to NYMA from John S. Burke Catholic High School where he taught, was Dean of Discipline, and coached their basketball team to a New York State Championship. He is passionate about helping students reach their potential through participation in athletics. Mr. Rahn excels at helping student-athletes improve their academic record by creating a supportive environment both on and off the court. Additionally, he has extensive experience at finding his student-athletes excellent opportunities at the collegiate and even professional levels. Here at NYMA, Mr. Rahn coaches, teaches health and wellness classes, and also organizes his very popular basketball camps and tournaments. It is his goal to lead the entire athletic program at the Academy into a new period of growth and achievement. So far he is right on track. In his first season as head basketball coach, Mr. Rahn led the Knights to a Hudson Valley Athletic League Championship and then to the school’s first ever NEPSAC Championship. He was also named NEPSAC Coach of the Year.

Nick Mishkovski

Director of Facilities

Nick Mishkovski holds a master’s degree in History and EPA Universal Certification from The National Center for Construction Education and Research. He joined NYMA in December of 2015 after working at the United States Military Academy and TF Cornerstone in New York City. Mr. Mishkovski also brings more than 15 years of experience in construction. His goal is to bring the Academy’s facilities back to their full potential and glory while maintaining the safety and security of NYMA’s cadets and employees.

Richard Thorn

Director of Dining Facilities

Richard Thorn is a culinary professional with over 30 years of experience in all aspects of food service. He is an alumnus of Paul Smith’s College (A.A.S. Culinary Arts) and has served in the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Service (MS2-SS). After his time in the Navy, Mr. Thorn became a certified Dietary Manager and worked in contract food service. He was assigned to a variety of locations throughout the region including medical, corporate, recreational and educational facilities. Mr. Thorn returned to NYMA in 2017. He was previously the Food Service Director here from 2013-2015.

Faculty & Staff

Mary Alva

Accounting Manager

Phillip Anderson

Humanities Department

Thomas Gillett

Humanities Department

Everly Camarillo Platon

Mathematics & Science Departments

Raymond Senior Cooper, Jr.

Mathematics & Science Departments

Julia Winward

Mathematics Department

Dawn Kilgore

Mathematics Department

Samantha Ann Hill

English Department Chair

John Paul Langan

English Department

Dr. Jena Webb

English Department

Kelly Shalian

Foreign Languages / French

Bingjing Dong

Foreign Languages & Summer Program Coordinator

Kristofer Zajkowski

Foreign Languages / Spanish

Kayla Marie Heikkinen

Art Department

Dierdre Pezzullo

School Counselor & College Advisor

Terri Madaia

Registrar & Assistant to the Dean of Academics

Barbara Ann O'Rourke

Secretary to the Superintendent

Beth Moriarty-Cartoon

Admissions Coordinator

April Cotton

Head Nurse

Erinda Krasniqi

Tactical Officer

Sgt. Shelly Brockington

Tactical Officer

Justin LoPresti

NYMA Class '01 Tactical Officer

Jessica Faccon

Tactical Officer

Mario Espinoza

Tactical Officer

Ms. Loretta Woody

Tactical Officer

Josy Germana

Tailor

Wilson O. Matamoros

Maintenance

Zaheeda Murphy

Janitorial Staff