Head of School
Mariel has been a member of the OMS staff since 2004. She has served in the following roles at OMS: mathematics department head, development coordinator, special programs coordinator, and admissions assistant. She currently coaches the U10s at Okemo Mountain. Mariel loves winter sports and travel. She lives in Ludlow, VT with her husband, Mike.
Years at OMS: 21
- Brandeis University: Bachelor of Arts: Economics
Contact Mariel
mmeringolo@okemomountainschool.org
802-228-1513
Dean of Academics
Assistant to the Head of School
Admissions & Alumni Engagement Coordinator
Ashley was born and raised right here in Ludlow, Vermont. She started ski racing for Okemo Mountain at the age of 6 and attended OMS for a few years throughout middle school. During college she worked as a substitute teacher and Varsity Softball Coach, which lead her to pursuing her Master's Degree in Elementary Education. She also holds a teaching license in the states of Vermont and New Hampshire.
Ashley lives in Rockingham with her husband and 2 kids. She spends most of her free time going for motorcycle rides, traveling, hiking with her dogs, spending time on the water in the summer, and skiing in the winter.
Years at OMS: 8
- Castleton University: Bachelor of Arts: Sports Administration
- Franklin Pierce University: Master of Elementary Education
Contact Ashley
abelcher@okemomountainschool.org
802-228-1514
Development Coordinator
Assistant Snowboard Coach
Teacher
Frank began snowboarding in the late 1980s and grew up competing in the Green Mountain Series (now called the Southern Vermont Series) and USASA nationals, where he won multiple events. He was part of the first class of snowboarders admitted to the Stratton Mountain School and after graduating from SMS he spent four years competing on the ISF World Cup and other professional snowboard tours throughout the U.S. and Europe. He is also a former member of the U.S. Junior World Snowboard Team.
Since returning to Vermont in 2021, Frank has coached the weekend snowboard competition team at Okemo. He is excited to transition to OMS, where his daughter is a student and snowboarder
Prior to joining OMS, Frank spent 20 years as a human rights advocate across the U.S. and in the Middle East, including serving as the executive director of the ACLU of South Carolina, the Montana Innocence Project, the Housing and Homelessness Alliance of Vermont, and the Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice. As part of this work, Frank oversaw multiple development programs that achieved substantial revenue growth for the organization.
Frank is a graduate of the University of Vermont (BA in History and Political Science) and The American University in Cairo (MA in International Human Rights Law).
Frank lives with his wife and two children in Landgrove, VT.
Years at OMS: First year
Contact Frank
fknaack@okemomountainschool.org
Registrar
After graduating with a Master’s degree, Leslie concentrated on Alternative education, working at The East Hill School in Andover, Vermont, and The Mount Ascutney School in Brownsville, Vermont. She spent two summers as co-director at the Killington Music Festival for young musicians. Leslie took part in developing an interactive web site, hosted through Harvard University, bringing “live” Antarctic research into the classroom. She has written curriculum in a variety of subject areas, which has been approved by the Vermont Department of Education, and implemented in the classroom. In 2006, she began teaching at OMS, before accepting her Administration position as Dean of Academics in 2011. Leslie loves to run, snowboard, cross country ski, and surf.
Years at OMS: 18
- Rosemont College: Bachelor of Science: Sociology
- St. Joseph’s Academy: Master of Education
Contact Leslie
lcassano@okemomountainschool.org
802-228-1510
