Meet Our Faculty & Staff

Ben Pettit was appointed Head of School in 2015 and has more than 20 years' experience in education as a teacher, advisor, coach, counselor, and administrator. He joined  Sun Valley Community School in 2009 as Middle School Head, and, prior to assuming his current role, also served as Assistant Head of School and Upper School Head.

In his role as Head of School, Ben is continually inspired by the way the school’s faculty, staff, Board of Directors, students, and parents deliver on the school’s mission. “I am deeply impressed by the passion and dedication displayed by everyone—past, present, and future—who has worked and continues to work to deliver on the promise of the school. I wholeheartedly believe in our philosophy, which combines a vigorous and experiential educational model, with abundant opportunities in the outdoors, arts, athletics, and service learning,” he says. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be of service to our community and to help inspire our students to be their best, authentic selves.”

Prior to joining Community School, Ben spent 11 years at St. Anne’s Episcopal School in Denver, Colorado, where he served as a middle school math teacher, Math Department Chair, and as a soccer coach.

Before transitioning from teaching into leadership roles, Ben worked at McClelland School in Pueblo, Colorado and held counseling positions at Littleton High School, where he was also Varsity Boys’ Head Soccer Coach, and at East Elementary School in Denver, Colorado.

Ben holds a BA in English, with a minor in Psychology, from University of Denver and a MA in Applied Psychology and Counselor Education (Cum Laude) from the School of Counseling at University of Northern Colorado. He is a current board member for the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS). 

Kevin Campbell joined Sun Valley Community School as Upper School Head in July, 2018.

Kevin came to Sun Valley Community School from Georgiana Bruce Kirby Preparatory School in Santa Cruz, California, where he has served as Dean of Students, history teacher, and safety officer since 2013. Prior, he taught and served as a security committee team member at Mount Madonna School in Mount Madonna, California. Kevin holds a BA in Political Science from University of California, Davis, and a MA in Teaching from University of San Francisco.

Reflections from students and faculty following Kevin’s visit to our school describe an educator and leader with a thoughtful, intelligent approach that led to easy connections with both faculty and students. His genuine interest in the ideas and experiences of others, deep appreciation for outdoor education, understanding of equity and inclusion issues, and values that align with the mission and vision of our community were all evident in his interactions during the search process and in his time on campus.

Alessia Carega was appointed as Sun Valley Community School's Director of Admission in 2019. Before joining Sun Valley Community School, Alessia served as the Director of Regional Scholarships and the Assistant Director of Financial Aid at St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire.

While at St. Paul’s, Alessia ran a dorm and was active in the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts focusing on new student transitions. Before working at St. Paul’s, Alessia left a job teaching English to pursue her passion of realizing a more sustainable world. To that end, she worked as a Director for Saatchi & Saatchi leading project teams to design and implement sustainability programs for companies like Walmart and Frito Lay.

Alessia is an avid traveler who speaks fluent French and Italian and is proficient in Spanish. She is also a runner who is passionate about the outdoors. Alessia and her husband Trent Smither have two young and proud Cutthroats.

Anthony Colello joined Sun Valley Community School as the new Middle School Head in July, 2022. Anthony brings a passion for working with middle school students as well as a broad and deep understanding of the unique opportunities and challenges facing the middle school child. Anthony comes to SVCS from Seattle where he worked at Eastside Preparatory School in a number of roles including College Counselor, Grade Level Coordinator, and classroom teacher.

Anthony earned his Masters of Public Policy from Georgetown University with an emphasis on Education Policy and Political Strategy. Before that, he earned his Bachelors from Santa Clara University. Anthony’s educational philosophy encompasses an understanding of the importance of relationships and community in the educational journey as well as the delicate art of balance.

Anthony says, “The greatest challenges that our schools face in the coming years require a tolerance for, and even an appreciation for, nuance—the ability to hold what may seem to be competing values, simultaneously. We must be responsive to changing circumstances while also remaining firmly rooted in shared institutional values. This requires us to be reflective, while also being forward thinking. Our main goal as educators is to help students develop into people of integrity and character. We must stay grounded in the values that we know will be as important for tomorrow as they were for our past.”

When he is not talking to middle schoolers about Harry Potter or Fantasy Football leagues, Anthony likes to cook, play golf, and spend time with his 1 and a half year old son, Max, and wife Alex. 

Patrick Graham joined Sun Valley Community School in 2015 as Outdoor Program Assistant Director and was appointed Outdoor Program Director in 2017. Patrick holds a degree in outdoor education from Vermont’s Johnson State College and, prior to joining the Cutthroat team, worked as a ski guide for Sun Valley Trekking and later as a Lead Guide and Licensed (Level II) Backcountry Ski Guide. He also trained with the American Mountain Guides Association in both climbing and skiing.

Liz Kantor joined Sun Valley Community School in 2017 and serves as Director of Alumni + Events. In her role, Liz manages all school events and oversees alumni relations.

A Wood River Valley native, Liz previously spent ten years in marketing, public relations, branding, and event management across a variety of industries. Prior to joining SVCS, Liz was the Marketing Director at Zenergy Health Club & Spa in Ketchum.

Liz holds a BA in communication from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She is an active community member, serving on the board of The Advocates, where she chairs the Resource and Development committee. Liz and her husband, Josh, a 2002 graduate of the school, have two children.

Jonna Mendes joined Sun Valley Community School in 2011 as the director of the Sun Valley Ski Academy. Jonna has an impressive background as an athlete and coach. A two-time Olympian—at the 1998 Nagano Olympic Games and 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games—Jonna was also a four-time National Champion (twice in downhill, twice in giant slalom) and earned a bronze medal in super-G at the 2003 Alpine World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Following her 2006 retirement from the U.S. Ski Team, Jonna honed her coaching skills as a U.S. Ski Team development coach from 2006-10, working with athletes at national and regional projects and competitions.

In addition to her role as SVSA Program Director, Jonna coaches the U16s with Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation. Jonna’s unique perspective and experience as an elite athlete and coach is an asset to the development of our SVSA student-athletes. In her free time, Jonna loves chasing her son, Declan, down the mountain and camping with Declan and her husband, Will.

Claudia Mihm joined Sun Valley Community School’s new Director of Educational Technology + Innovation in July, 2022. A dedicated educator and technologist, Claudia brings a vast array of experiences working directly with young people combined with years of technology-centered work and training.

Prior to joining the Cutthroat team, Claudia worked for Massachusetts-based EF Education First in a variety of roles since 2018. Most recently, she was the Senior Manager of Educational Technology for its Education Team, where she led technology-centric efforts spanning across four business units (such as the creation of a digital exhibit to display student projects) and worked with a team to define educational technology. Prior to this role, she also served as a Product Manager, Emerging Technology and Education where she, among other responsibilities, created, implemented and evaluated different educational technological experiences for thousands of student travelers, and also as an EF 360 Tech, running several educational programs and designing and implementing engineering projects.

Claudia brings outdoor skills to her role as well, having worked her college senior year as a Canoe Trip Leader for Tufts Wilderness Orientation and in the same role for a summer at Songadeewin of Keewaydin, a wilderness camp for girls in Vermont. A 2018 graduate of Tufts University with a BA in Computer Science and Child Development, Claudia will be completing her Masters of Education in Technology, Innovation, and Education this May from Harvard Graduate School of Education. When she’s not working on IT systems or tech curriculum, Claudia loves to ski, read, play guitar, hike, and go to trivia nights!

Janet Salvoni joined Sun Valley Community School in 2005 and was appointed Elementary School Head in 2011. Janet has extensive experience in the classroom, having taught pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, first, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grades; she has also served as a Learning Specialist and as Early Childhood Coordinator. Currently, in addition to her role as Elementary School Head, she serves as Co-Director of the Teacher Training Academy (TTA).

Janet holds a BA in elementary education from University of Massachusetts, Amherst and an MA in education from Cambridge College.

In her daily work with students, parents, and colleagues at Community School, Janet is continually inspired by the passion of the school's faculty. "They believe 100 percent in the work they are doing, both with students and behind the scenes," she says.

Janet and her husband, Frank, are parents of two Cutthroats: Tyler '23 and Cooper '27. When she's not at school or spending time with her family, Janet spends time on the ice pursuing her passion for ice hockey.

Julie Siegel joined Sun Valley Community School in 2016 as Chief Financial Officer and Business Office Manager. Prior to assuming her role at the school, Julie served as CFO for Boston-based Geologic Resource Partners; she has also held accounting and human resource positions and was a Certified Public Accountant for Lallman, Feltman, and Perterson CPAs.

A graduate of University of Virginia, Julie holds a BS in Commerce Accounting. She and her husband, Neil, are parents to Emily '16 and Riley '26. When she's not in the Business Office, Julie can be found trail running on local trails and teaching indoor cycling classes.

Trent Smither joined the Cutthroat Community as Director of Development in 2019. A graduate of St. Lawrence University, Trent has had a wide-ranging career that positions him well to advance our school’s mission and financial security.

Before serving in the independent school world, Trent, among other things, worked in sales and marketing at Anheuser-Busch, produced and marketed an award-winning feature-length film, and consulted with private equity funds where he focused on green-building strategies in emerging markets. From 2012-16, Trent was the Director of Communications and an English teacher at New Hampton School in New Hampshire. From 2016 to 2019, Trent served as the Advancement Director for the Advanced Studies Program at St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire.

An avid skier, outdoorsman, and traveler, Trent loves living in the Wood River Valley and working at a school committed to incorporating outdoor education into the overall educational experience. Trent’s wife, Alessia Carega, is the school's Director of Admissions, and their two young children are proud Cutthroats.

Ryan Waterfield joined Sun Valley Community School as Director of Communications in 2018. Ryan was a member of the Cutthroat faculty for 15 years before leaving in 2011 to work in publishing. During her time as a faculty member, Ryan taught Upper School English and was the English Department Head for three years. She coached the girls’ basketball team and was the Director of the Senior Project Program. In 2014, Ryan cofounded BigLife Magazine and has served as its publisher and editor for more than four years. Ryan earned a BA in English from Transylvania University and studied and taught in the Czech Republic as a Fulbright Scholar. Ryan holds an MA from the Middlebury College Bread Loaf School of English. 

Ryan understands the trends and changes taking place in communications and marketing through her entrepreneurial leadership at BigLife Magazine and also has a deep appreciation for the school and its history. In her role, Ryan communicates the school’s unique program and culture with Cutthroats past and present, on a local, national, and international scale.

Ryan and her husband, Greg Van Der Meulen '98, have two children, Townes and Zula.