Sean A. Riley, Ph.D, Executive Director
Sean Riley serves as the Executive Director of Gravitas. Since 2007, Sean has served the school as Academic Dean, History Department Chair, Teacher, Coach, and Dorm Parent. His Ethics Bowl team has won the Long Island Regional Competition five times and placed as high as fifth nationally. He has won several teaching awards, including the PLATO K-12 Teaching Award, a national award for pre-college philosophy teachers. During the summer of 2021, he helped lead a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar for teachers entitled "Disputatio and the Pursuit of Wisdom in the Humanities." Additionally, he has been a frequent presenter at conferences and has published several articles on philosophy and education. Sean holds a BA/MA in philosophy from Penn State University, and a Ph.D in philosophy from Baylor University. He loves competitive sports, travel, wildlife photography, architecture, and designing elegant solutions to complex human problems. He lives on the campus of The Stony Brook School with his wife, Emily, and his four children.

Alyssa Orrantia Bieneme, Director of Admissions, Enrollment Management, and College Counseling
Alyssa Orrantia Bieneme serves as Gravitas's Director of Admissions, Financial Aid, and College Counseling. She has been an educator for nearly 20 years and has extensive experience as a teacher, counselor, and school leader in K-12 charter and independent schools as well as in higher ed administration. Prior to joining Gravitas, she served as an associate director of admissions at Cornell University. Alyssa earned a B.A. in International Relations from Mount Holyoke College and an M.Ed. in Enrollment Management Policy from the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California. Her passion for education is rooted in her talent for identifying young people's strengths and strategically connecting them with opportunities to grow in intellect and character and maximize their life's potential and purpose. She enjoys art, music, travel, learning languages, gardening, community outreach, and studying human and organizational development. Alyssa lives in gorgeous Ithaca, New York with her husband, Pedro, and their children.

Jamie Jackson, Director of Marketing

Emmy-nominated Jamie Jackson is a powerhouse in broadcast journalism, boasting over two decades of experience across major networks and platforms. His journey began in 2003 at Pittsburgh's WPXI Channel 11 (NBC), launching a broadcast career that would span CBS, NBC, ABC, the Trinity Broadcasting Network, and PBS affiliates across five states.

As the National News Correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks since 2015, Jamie has been a prominent voice from the White House, covering both the Obama and Trump administrations. His versatility shined through his roles as the Morning Edition host and a TV pledge host for KERA (NPR/PBS) in Dallas, where he also hosted the acclaimed national PBS television special, "Terence Blanchard in Dallas."

Jamie's political acumen was honed as a Communications Director and Press Secretary in the U.S. House of Representatives, followed by his role as National and Congressional Correspondent for The Daily Signal in Washington D.C. His impressive portfolio includes high-profile interviews with influential figures such as the late Senator John McCain, former Mexican President Vicente Fox, and President Donald Trump during the 2016 Presidential Election, just to name a few.

Throughout his career, Jamie has garnered numerous accolades, including recognition from the Indiana Broadcasters Association, the NAACP, and the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. His commitment extends beyond journalism, with active involvement in various charitable organizations.

A sought-after speaker on journalism, race, politics, and public policy, Jamie has addressed prestigious events nationwide, including the 2018 National Association of Black Journalists conference in Detroit.

Academically, Jamie holds a B.A. in Justice Studies (Pre-Law) from James Madison University and has served as a lecturer in political communications and journalism at Wheaton College and West Chester University. He pursued postgraduate studies at Regent University and The Master's Seminary.

Jamie Jackson's multifaceted career exemplifies excellence in journalism, public service, and entrepreneurship, making him a true thought leader in today's media landscape.

 

Kadin Via, IT Coordinator
Kadin Via attended The Stony Brook School for 6 years graduating as proud member of the class of 2017. After graduating The Stony Brook School, he went on to attend Hofstra University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Film Production and Photography. During his time at SBS, Kadin found his passion and ability for technical production through his experience on the tech crew. While on the tech crew he learned event production, lighting, sound, and how to use a camera. In his senior year, Kadin was the Technical Producer for several student theater performances, as well as being Assistant Tech Head for year-round school events.

After graduating SBS, Kadin has played a key technical role in many productions including running sound at small backyard concerts, associate directing short films, gaffing a feature length film, and returning to SBS to assist in their yearly theater performance. Kadin has also been a Production Assistant for CBS Sports since 2018 providing studio operation support at their broadcast headquarters in New York City. His work has been credited on the NFL Today show, SEC on CBS college football broadcasts, the NCAA college basketball shows Road to the Final Four and March Madness, along with Super Bowl productions including Boomer’s Greatest Super Bowl Commercial 2021 as well as the broadcasts of Super Bowl LIII and Super Bowl LV.

Michael Webster, Director of Strategic Partnerships
Michael Webster is a Stony Brook School alumnus from the class of 2011. He began teaching for Gravitas in 2023. Prior to joining Gravitas, he served as a 7th-12th grade Mathematics Teacher at Santiago Christian School in the Dominican Republic. Before moving to the D.R., he taught mathematics, led a dorm,coached JV boys basketball, track, and strength and conditioning, served as a Learning Specialist, and as a Faculty Advisor at The Hill School, a prestigious boarding school in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. One of Michael's career accomplishments is winning a Teaching Innovation Award. He is married to Natalie Webster, also SBS Alum class of 2011. They live in Santiago, Dominican Republic with their three young children and are also fostering a 17 year-old Dominican girl. Mr. Webster loves to eat and cook good food, talk about education, theology, or philosophy, and going to the gym.

Vanessia Wilkins, Assistant Director
Vanessia Wilkins serves as the World History Teacher for Gravitas. Vanessia holds a BA in Spanish and a BA in History from the University of North Florida, a MA in History from Western Kentucky University and a MS in Curriculum Development and Instructional Technology from the University at Albany. Currently, she is a doctoral student at UAlbany pursuing a Ph.D in Curriculum and Instruction. She has been privileged to partner with students and teachers in a variety of settings ranging from K-12 to higher education. She has worked as a GED Instructor, History, ELA, and Writing Teacher, Academic Advisor, Career Coach, and Adjunct Professor. Her goal is to create academically engaging learning experiences through an environment that fosters creativity, collaboration, and kindness. With that as her focus, Vanessia serves as part of The Freedom Dreaming for Educational Justice Collective which is directly targeted to changing inequitable schooling systems. Additionally, she shares her passion for student success as an adjunct professor at University of the People. Her teaching philosophy is built on the premise of creating productive members of society through socio economic awareness and educational success as “Lifelong Learners”. Above all, her greatest accomplishment is her family. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, Jonathan, and their four children.