City of Bridges Staff

Dr. Randy Bartlett

Head of School
Humanities

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Randy Bartlett has been working in education and non-profits organizations for more than two decades. He has been a public-school teacher, a principal, and a Director of Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment. He designed and directed the Pittsburgh Urban Teaching Corp and teaches at Chatham University. He has a BA in History and Religion from Oberlin College, a M.Ed. in Integrated Learning from Antioch University New England, a certificate in Educational Leadership from Keene State College and a Ph.D. in Leadership and Change from Antioch University.

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Contact: randy@cobhs.org

Justin Macak

Director of Student Experience

Math/Science

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Before teaching at City of Bridges, Justin Macak was a Senior Research Coordinator for a violence prevention research lab at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, focusing on issues of gender equitable attitudes and youth empowerment. In his role as a researcher, he created and developed programs that asked high school students to question the messages we receive about the world, and helped students take an active part in shaping their school environments. Justin has a BA in Music Theory from the University at Buffalo. 

Contact: justin@cobhs.org

Jess Canose

Director of Community Engagement

Food Systems/Foreign Language

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Jess Canose holds a M.A. in Food Studies from Chatham University and a B.A. in Spanish & Sustainability. Her independent work as a photographer focuses on using visual media to educate & support food justice (from food waste to cultural exchange to human rights). Teaching at and collaboratively building the City of Bridges community blends her work farming, running higher-ed student support programs, and moving within Pittsburgh's dance and degrowth communities. She also freelances as a researcher, and operates a grassroots food rescue operation out of her Honda Fit (dubbed the Blueberry).  

Contact: jess@cobhs.org

Vania Arthur

Arts/Civics/Humanities

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Connecting the community through arts and culture, Vania Arthur, also known as Zeal Eva, is an artist educator at City of Bridges. Earning her BA in photojournalism at Point Park University in 2018, she worked closely in the community of Garfield as a teaching artist, a gardener at the Kincaid St Community Garden, as well as head curator for The Coloured Section Black Artist Collective. At City of Bridges, Vania continues to educate students on issues affecting the communities of Pittsburgh and connecting those experiences through arts, study of culture and being civically engaged. 
 

Contact: vania@cobhs.org

Rachel Greene

Student Support Specialist

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Rachel works as the Student Support Specialist at COBHS, in addition to working as a practitioner. Classes taught include Persepolis: The Graphic Novel as History and Literature. She is a community leader, library worker and poet. Liberatory education is integral to Rachel's experience growing up in Pittsburgh's homeschooling/unschooling community, and acting as an educator in a wide variety of settings. She holds a BA from The Evergreen State College with an emphasis in integrated social sciences.

Contact: rachel@cobhs.org

Sharon Serbin

American Sign Language Instructor

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Sharon has taught American Sign Language to people of all ages throughout the Pittsburgh area and nationally. She grew up with a gradual hearing loss, accumulating in full deafness by age 18. A natural born teacher, Sharon uses games and creative drama to supplement her ASL lessons, while also teaching about Deaf Culture and Deaf Awareness Advocacy. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, and a Minor in Theater from the University of Pittsburgh. In addition to her work as an artist, Sharon is also a Communication Assessor, Communication Specialist, Creative Drama Specialist, Fitness Instructor, and a Motivational Public Speaker. 

Contact: sharon@cobhs.org

Current Practitioners, Educators & Teachers

Kate
Law & Justice

Coop
Physics

Ben
Welding

Morgan
The Uncanny

Julie
Work & Labor

Annah
Psychology

Past practitioners include...

Vivian, Narrative Storytelling

Sabrina, Game Design
Rebecca, Theatre
Jeff, Personal Finance