Jessica Doubell
Hi! My name is Jessica Doubell, and I am the new Technical Director for the Burgin Center. I am from Chambersburg and moved here in August. Though a Franklin County native, I spent many of my years after college traveling and seeing the world. I have lived coast to coast from New York to California. I was also able to travel the world working on cruise ships as an entertainment technician. When I’m not working, I love to read, bake, and spend time with my family. My husband, Johan, is from South Africa. We have two children, Claudia, 7, and Jonah, 5. I chose Mercersburg Academy because I can combine two of my favorite things, theater and teaching. Theater is in my blood and has been a part of my family dynamic for generations. I have a B.F.A. in Theater from Indiana University of PA and a teaching certificate in Secondary English from Wilson College. I am currently working on my final thesis for my M.A. in Humanities in Literature. I have been searching for a place to call home, that can combine my love of theater and teaching. I am so glad to be able to do both here, and I am really looking forward to learning more about the school’s traditions and culture.
Cindy Fowler
I am thrilled to be joining Mercersburg Academy as the newest college counselor. During and after grad school, I spent nearly a decade as a college swim coach, working with a broad range of athletes, from Division III up to Division I Nationals finalists. As a coach, I spent a lot of time recruiting student-athletes who were navigating the college side of the application process. I later became a high school math teacher, working mostly with tenth and twelfth graders. I am excited about my new role as it is a great blend of my past experiences. I enjoy helping students through the process of the college search and watching the journey evolve differently for everyone. One of the things I love most about Mercersburg Academy is the enthusiasm and passion for excellence that the students, faculty, and staff possess. My husband is on the math faculty (yep, two math teachers in the same house- good times!), so I’ve been able to experience this energy firsthand. You’ve probably seen our two children (Ryan, 8, and April, 6) zipping around the dining hall or on the playground. Naturally, I am looking forward to the opening of the new pool, and the excitement of Family & Alumni Weekend.
Bill Kissick
My name is Bill Kissick. I’ve spent my entire career working to better institutions that educate. I have two grown daughters. Carrie lives in New York City and is an advocate who works with individuals who have severe and persistent mental illnesses and trauma. Eliza is a senior at Bates College, majoring in Rhetoric, with a minor in Education, and aspiring to be a Special Education Teacher. I’ve always worked at schools whose mission spoke to me. When I read [Mercersburg Academy’s] strategic design, I was compelled to learn more about this school in the “middle of everywhere.” As I spent time with Ms. Titus and the team here in Mercersburg, and then Ms. Simon and the Regents, I felt a pullback to what I have always called my home state. I’m a Philly boy. I am looking forward to learning more about the people and the promise of Mercersburg Academy, and how I may play a role in the future of this school. A fun fact about me is that when I got my driver’s license, the woman behind the counter said, “Welcome Home.” I now have the same driver’s license as when I last lived in PA, in grad school in 1990. GO STORM!
Jennifer Sipes
I’ve been in counseling roles for over nineteen years, most of that time working in schools. I received my bachelor’s degree at the University of Maryland School of Business, majoring in Personnel and Labor Relations, and began working in the field of human resources. I later went on to earn a master’s degree in Clinical Social Work at the University of Maryland School of Social Work, specializing in clinical work with families and children. My husband, Paul, is an Assistant Athletic Director at Mercersburg Academy. We have two daughters, Shelby, a recent graduate of the US Naval Academy, and Finn, who is in the Mercersburg Class of 2022. I came to Mercersburg Academy to continue my journey working as a counselor in the same environment in which my family is engaged, as I have for many years. I am looking forward to becoming a part of the whole community at the school. I love sarcastic humor as long as no one is harmed by it… it’s a fine line to walk. A fun fact about me is that I’m also ridiculously unnerved by people in masks. I make children show me their faces on Halloween before I give them candy.
Rudy Wise
I am a product of many boarding schools, having attended the Winchendon School in Winchendon, MA for my senior year, and the New Hampton School in New Hampton, NH for my PG year. I am origi- nally from Columbia, SC and spent the last fourteen years in Philadelphia, PA. I earned my Masters Degree in Communications from Villanova University, and I’m currently pursuing a second Masters Degree in Sports Industry Management at Georgetown University. I love to travel both domestically and internationally. I lived in Mallorca, Spain for an entire summer while coaching basketball. I am thrilled to be a part of this community and to be immersed in the Mercersburg experience. Being part of the admissions team, I will spend quite a bit of time traveling. I truly value getting to know prospective students and families and pulling on my personal experiences from boarding school to help families make a challenging but life-changing experience. A fun fact about me is that in 2014, I was invited to attend the Achieving Coaches Excellence (ACE) Program held at the NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis. I was one of eight coaches from Division I, II, II to attend and the only Division III coach invited to the program.