Council Members

About Our School Council Members

GerberChristine Gerber, Principal/Co-Chair: Chris has been Principal of Kennedy-Longfellow School since July 2010. Since coming to K-Lo, Chris has led the school through a transformative partnership with Lesley University and implementation of PBIS, a framework for creating a nurturing school culture.


Carrianne Jung
, Parent co-chair: Carrie (she/hers) is the parent of two K-Lo students. In 2018-2019 she was president of the Friends of Kennedy-Longfellow. Carrie is excited to give our school a stronger voice in the Cambridge Public School District and is passionate about science and health.

Jason Alves, Community Member: Jason is the Executive Director of the East Cambridge Business Association. Jason was raised in Cambridge and spent many years working as a City Council Aide to Councillor Toomey. Jason works to support to the business community in East Cambridge and Inman Square and strives to build strong partnerships between the business and residential communities.

Helene O’Brien, Community Member: Helene is Director of IT Compliance at Pegasystems, K-LO’s neighbor here in East Cambridge. A Cambridge resident, Helene first got to know K-LO four years ago as a Weekend Backpack volunteer. Since then, Helene has been coordinating Pegasystems volunteers at K-LO. Pega employees have enjoyed helping with the K-Lo Markets; packing weekend backpacks; and working with second-graders on service learning projects, among other activities. Helene has three adult children and loves the privilege of being in a vibrant elementary school again.

Ruth Wong, Community Member: Ruth is a member of Trinity Cambridge Church, a community partner of the K-Lo. Ruth directs the Boston Education Collaborative program at Emmanuel Gospel Center, and she is passionate about helping faith communities engage more effectively with schools and communities in supporting the education and development of urban youth and children. A former high school physics teacher, Ruth teaches every summer for MIT’s Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science (MITES) program, a rigorous STEM enrichment experience that serves students from all over the country, many of whom come from underrepresented and under-resourced communities.

Sarah Branz, Second Grade Teacher: Sarah has been teaching second grade at KLO since 2015. She loves KLO students, their families, and the Cambridge community!

Jenny Phillips, Third Grade Teacher: Jenny has been a teacher in CPS for 22 years. She is one of the masterminds behind the Family Fun Fest and teaches her 3rd graders to sew!

Jo-Ann Freitas, Kindergarten Teacher: Jo-Ann is a Kindergarten Teacher at the Kennedy-Longfellow School and has served on the School Council for three years. She holds a Masters degree in Education and has been teaching at the Kennedy-Longfellow school for 20 years.

Tomoko Hamaji, Parent: Tomoko is a parent of a student in the Kennedy-Longfellow. She has participated in this group from the year her son entered this school. Her family came from Japan. Tomoko represents the voice of international families on the Council.

Misha Rosenberg, Parent: Misha is the parent of 3 students in the Kennedy-Longfellow. She is a voice for students with Special Education needs on both the School Council and the Friends of K-Lo.

Raul Ripoll Vera, Parent: Raul is the father of two K-Lo students. He has work at Charter School in Latin America and the United States, mostly in Finance and Operations roles. He has experienced himself the power of education as an equalizer since he belongs to the first generation of college students in his family. He firmly believes that every kid’s potential can be unlocked.

NancyNancy Wyse, Family Liaison: Nancy is the mother of a K-Lo alum and has served as the Family Liaison since 2011. Her professional background includes many years working as a Social Worker. Nancy is dedicated to created a positive school climate and creating active community partnerships.
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