Burroughs welcomed 18 new faculty and staff members for the 2026–27 school year! Pictured above (front row, from left): Jessica Butler, Sydney Liu, Desir'ee Neal, and Ning Chanthamontri; (middle row, from left): Kathleen Walsh '14, Kameron Thomas, Suzy Hamon-Bashir, Kaylee McCarthy, and Seema Dahlheimer; (back row, from left): James Kemper, Pieter Hansen, John Branch, Khalid Bashir, Dorian Stuber, Janie Foster, and Patrick O'Connor. Not pictured: Lisa Lindstrom and Cathleen Williams.
Khalid Bashir joins the Burroughs faculty and administration team as principal of grades 11 and 12. He will also teach an English IV Honors Seminar course. He previously worked as an English teacher, admissions officer, grade dean, and assistant principal at schools in Washington, D.C., and Groton, Massachusetts. Khalid holds a bachelor's degree in American studies with a concentration in Africana studies from Williams College and a master's degree in private school leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University.
John Branch joins the Performing Arts Department, where he will be teaching Bomber Band, Jazz Band, Orchestra, Middle School Orchestra, and Songwriting. He will also coach the girls golf team. John holds a bachelor's degree in classical guitar performance from Southwestern University and spent a year studying guitar in Madrid. He earned a master's degree in jazz studies from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. He has performed for more than 25 years at venues including the Austin City Limits Music Festival, Forecastle Festival, and Late Show with David Letterman.
Jessica Butler joins the Modern Language Department, where she will teach French 7, French 8, and French III. A true Francophile (she spent six years living in France!), Jessica brings 20 years of experience teaching in independent schools. She holds a bachelor's degree from Washington University in St. Louis and a master's degree from Lindenwood University. In addition to teaching French, she enjoys traveling internationally with students and supporting experiential-learning trips on civil rights and immigration in the U.S.
Ning Chanthamontri joins the Science Department, where she will teach Chemistry and Physics. She previously taught at the University of Calgary in Canada and the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis. Ning holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Khon Kaen University in Thailand, a master's degree in organic chemistry from California State University, Fullerton, and a PhD in organic chemistry from Purdue University.
Seema Dahlheimer '98 joins Burroughs as an associate director of college counseling. She previously was a teaching professor in the Department of Engineering Education and director of the Engineering Communication Center at Washington University in St. Louis. Seema holds a bachelor's degree in English and secondary education from WashU, a master's degree in writing pedagogy from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, an MFA in creative writing from the University of Missouri–St. Louis, and a PhD in education from the University of San Diego. A Burroughs alumna from the Class of 1998, Seema is also a current Burroughs parent.
Janie Foster '02 first came to Burroughs as a field hockey coach and more recently joined the Advancement and Alumni Relations team as alumni engagement manager. She previously worked as a designer for West Elm and Pottery Barn. Janie holds a bachelor's degree in the history of art and architecture from Middlebury College, where she also played field hockey.
Pieter Hansen joins the Athletics Department, where he will be teaching PE and serving as head coach of the boys cross country team. He will also direct Burr Oak Camp during the summer. Pieter previously worked in undergraduate college admissions. He holds a bachelor's degree from Grinnell College.
James Kemper joins the Business Office and will serve as the school's employee experience manager. He has spent over 15 years working in various capacities to support employee experience throughout his career. James graduated from the University of Missouri–Columbia with a bachelor's degree in communication; he also holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources certification.
Lisa Lindstrom joins Burroughs as AP test coordinator and assistant to academics. Prior to joining Burroughs, she spent more than 15 years working in financial regulatory compliance. Lisa holds a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College, a master's degree from the Courtauld Institute of Art, and a JD from Columbia Law School.
Sydney Liu joins Burroughs as a Science Fellow, teaching Chemistry Accelerated 10 and Earth Science 7. She previously worked as a teaching assistant at the University of Pennsylvania and as a summer teaching intern at a boarding school in Connecticut. Sydney holds a bachelor's degree in neuroscience from the University of Pennsylvania, where she is now pursuing a master's degree in education.
Kaylee McCarthy joins Burroughs as a German Fellow, teaching German 7 and German IV. Kaylee holds a bachelor's degree in German and art history from Michigan State University and is currently pursuing a master's degree in education from the University of Pennsylvania. As an undergraduate, they interned with Michigan State's Center for Poetry and studied abroad in Freiburg, Germany, interning at a high school and working at a summer camp. After graduation, Kaylee participated in the U.S. Teaching Assistantship Program through Fulbright Austria and worked as a kindergarten English teacher in Vienna.
Desir'ee Neal joins Burroughs as a History Fellow, teaching Geography 7 and American Government 8. She holds a bachelor's degree in history and education from Case Western Reserve University and is currently pursuing a master's degree in education from the University of Pennsylvania. At Case Western Reserve, Desir’ee was selected as a President's Leadership Development Program Scholar, a full-merit scholarship program focused on strengthening the university and Greater Cleveland communities through social change initiatives.
Patrick O'Connor joins the Mathematics Department, where he will teach Math 7 and Calculus. He began his teaching career at Rosati-Kain High School before joining the mathematics faculty at Whitfield School, where he later became department chair. Patrick holds a bachelor's degree in secondary education and mathematics and a master's degree in educational leadership, both from Saint Louis University.
Dorian Stuber joins the English Department, where he will teach English 8 and English III. He previously spent 18 years as a professor of English at Hendrix College and worked as an English Language Arts specialist for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. He was also appointed to the Missouri Holocaust Education and Awareness Commission. A native of Canada, Dorian holds a bachelor's degree from the University of King's College, a master's degree from Western University, and a PhD from Cornell University. He also co-hosts the podcast One Bright Book.
Kathleen Walsh '14 joins the History Department, where she will teach Social Studies 8 and World Civilizations II. She is completing a PhD in history at Washington University in St. Louis, where she has served as an assistant in instruction. Kathleen holds a bachelor's degree in history from Davidson College and a master's degree in history from Georgetown University.
Cathleen Williams joins Burroughs as bookstore manager. She spent 10 years living and working in Spain before returning to St. Louis, where she founded Urban Breath Yoga and co-founded The Oxygen Project, a local nonprofit supporting youth through trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness. She now serves on The Oxygen Project's board as an emeritus member.