"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 Paul Langan

Interim Dean of Academics
Mr. Langan has been with us since 2018, when he joined the English Department after having taught at SUNY New Paltz and Marist College for two decades. In his time at NYMA, he has taught Sophomore, Junior, and Senior English, as well as classes in Shakespeare and Don Quixote. He is a widely published, award-winning writer who is looking forward to meeting and talking with you about your cadet.

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

Thomas Gillett

Humanities Department

Mary Alva

Accounting Manager

Phillip Anderson

Humanities Department

Sgt. Shelly Brockington

Tactical Officer

Angela Suarez

School Counselor

Raymond Senior Cooper, Jr.

Mathematics & Science Departments

April Cotton

Head Nurse

Bingjing Dong

Foreign Languages & Summer Program Coordinator

Mario Espinoza

Tactical Officer

Jessica Faccon

Tactical Officer

Tia Fitzpatrick

Foreign Languages / French

Josy Germana

Tailor

Kayla Marie Heikkinen

Art Department

Samantha Ann Hill

English Department Chair

Erinda Krasniqi

Tactical Officer

John Paul Langan

English Department

Michael Lemon

History Department Coordinator

Justin LoPresti

NYMA Class '01 Tactical Officer

Terri Madaia

Registrar & Assistant to the Dean of Academics

Dawn Kilgore

Mathematics Department

Wilson O. Matamoros

Maintenance

Donna Mercurio

Tactical Officer

Beth Moriarty-Cartoon

Admissions Coordinator

Zaheeda Murphy

Janitorial Staff

Barbara Ann O'Rourke

Secretary to the Superintendent

Albert Clinton Petite, Jr.

Foreign Languages & English Department & College Advisor

Everly Camarillo Platon

Mathematics & Science Departments

Kristofer Zajkowski

Foreign Languages / Spanish

Julia Winward

Mathematics Department

Ms. Loretta Woody

Tactical Officer