Pace Welcomes New Faculty

This year the Upper School welcomes 9 new faculty members: Rebekah Alarcon, Tatum Branaman, Jennifer Cockrill, Rachel Cole, Curtis Johnson, Marshall Lopez, Avery Merlo, Hannah O’Conor and Josh Smith.

Avery Merlo

Baltimore native Mr. Avery Merlo joins the Pace community as a computer science teacher. Living in the Northeast for his entire life, Merlo mentioned that he was ready for a change and intrigued by Atlanta and the South. “I was drawn to Pace because of its natural boundary.. [It] isn’t just dropped in the city. It’s a little bit out of the city but I am still able to live in the city,” he said. Merlo also mentioned that he loves all types of computer science, including developing apps and robotics. “I just like things that you can see the output of and just kind of know that they might be shaping people’s lives,” Merlo said. He is most looking forward to mentoring the freshman at Pace. “I am excited about making connections with the freshmen, telling them that it’s gonna be okay every day and just trying to build them up with confidence so they are excited to succeed for the rest of their high school career.” Outside of school, Merlo enjoys playing pickup sports including pickleball, soccer, tennis and basketball as well as going to social events in Atlanta.

Rachel Cole

Mrs. Rachel Cole, who grew up in Atlanta and attended The Galloway School, joins Pace as a counselor and AP Psychology teacher. Cole attended and played soccer at Davidson College before going on to receive her graduate degrees in both child studies and counseling at Vanderbilt. “And so that kind of led me to school counseling because I always really loved being in a classroom,” she mentioned. Cole also spoke about how much she loves Psychology. “My favorite thing about psychology is just understanding humans or trying to understand humans. We’re very complex I think in a lot of ways. So psychology is a really neat way. It impacts every part of our lives,” she said. At Pace, Cole will combine her love for counseling, teaching, and psychology as both a counselor and teacher. After graduating from Vanderbilt, Cole moved back to Atlanta to be closer to her family, many of whom attended Pace! Cole mentioned how much she loves the community and people at Pace. “Everyone is so kind and welcoming,” she said. These are truly some of the nicest people I have ever met.” This year, Cole is most excited about this school year is the opportunity to get involved in the Pace community. Outside of school, she stays busy by spending time with friends and family, playing and following soccer and spending time outside on the Beltline.

Tatum Branaman

Mrs. Tatum Branaman joins the Pace faculty as the associate director of the Isdell Center for Global Leadership (ICGL). Originally from Arkansas, Branaman worked at an independent school in Texas before moving to Atlanta, where she first worked as the Dean of Signature Programs at the Atlanta Girls School. She mentioned that she was drawn to Pace because of our unique ICGL program as well as the great community. “I always say that what really sealed it for me was on my interview day. When I came here, you could see the relationships with the kids and the teachers. Like there was a lot of respect, a lot of joy. There was all this kind of play and joy happening, and it felt like a healthy place,” Branaman said. This year, she is most excited about getting started with the community engagement programs and clubs. Outside of school, Branaman loves to do anything outdoors, including camping, kayaking, hiking and scubadiving.

Marshall Lopez

Mr. Marshall Lopez joins the Pace faculty as a History teacher. Lopez will be teaching Ancient Civilizations to the Class of 2028. Outside of school, Lopez coaches the 8th grade volleyball team at Pace. Lopez also coaches at the A5 Volleyball Club.

Rebekah Alarcon

Mrs. Rebekah Alarcon joins the Pace faculty as a Math and Science ARC coach. Alarcon is from Los Angeles and prior to joining the Pace community, she worked at multiple schools in California after receiving her Bachelor Degree from West Coast Baptist College. Outside of school, Alarcon enjoys traveling and cooking.

Hannah Oconor

New York native, Hannah O’Connor joins Pace as an Upper School Visual and Performing Arts Teacher. Before coming to Pace, O’Connor worked at a school in Los Angeles, where she taught many different classes including choir and serving as a dean. O’Connor picked Pace because of the culture and community. “I really like Pace’s philosophy when it comes to supporting kids at where they are at… I think it seems like a community that embraces all students and adults for who they are,” she mentioned. This school year, she is most excited about launching a Choir Leaderhsip Team and getting students more involved in music at Pace. O’Connor enjoys extreme sports, such as scuba diving and skiing, as well as playing the piano and singing.

Josh Smith

Mr. Josh Smith is a Nashville native who joins the Pace faculty as a Computer Science teacher. Smith has a bachelor’s of fine art and ceramics and sculpture, a master’s in art education and a graduate certificate in computer science. Currently, he is at Georgia Tech, working on his Master’s in computer science. Smith is very excited about joining the Pace community and working with the students, especially the robotics team. “My competition robotics team has a really strong group of kids this year and I am hoping that we can make it to nationals,” Smith said. Smith also mentioned that his favorite thing about his job is how his students approach their work. “ [I love] the enthusiasm with which the students approach their work and also the trust that I can put in them to be doing what they’re supposed to be doing,” he said. Outside of school, Smith enjoys fly fishing, hiking, backpacking and listening to podcasts.

Jennifer Cockrill

Jennifer Cockrill, an Atlanta native, joins the Pace community as an English teacher. Cockrill, who has taught for over 20 years, chose Pace because of its tight community and values. “I like the culture, I like the philosophical beliefs and values that the school holds,” she said. This year, Cockrill is most excited about meeting Pace students and to start working with them. “I love teaching English because I really enjoyed writing, being around discussions and being around young minds… I love literature so when the centerpiece and it inspires conversations and thinking and hearing perspectives beyond our own, that enriches our lives,” she mentioned. Outside of school, Cockrill enjoys hiking, running, traveling and reading.

Curtis Johnson

Mr. Curtis Johnson is an Altanta native and former collegiate football player who joins the Pace community as a College Counselor. He attended Suwannee, The University of the South, and worked at a day school in Memphis and a boarding school in Virginia before moving back to Atlanta. Johnson mentioned that he picked Pace because of the unique community and environment. “The energy and community that I felt in coversations about this oppurtunity was something that I was attracted to and felt was very special,” he said. Johnson also spoke about why he loves his job as a college counselor. “[I like] supporting student’s dreams and helping students imagine, be creative and understand how they want to contribute and give to the world.” This year, he is most excited about learning more about the community and getting to know the students around campus. Outside of school, not many people know that Johnson is a professional painter and is also a huge Atlanta sports fan.