Facilitators
Aaron B. Sanders
Althea Ericsson
Oil Painting
Althea Ericsson studied fine arts at Fairleigh Dickinson University, New York School of Design, Parsons School of Design and Yale University. She has been an LLI facilitator since 1997.
Andrew Davis
Ancient Art of Stone Carving
Andrew Davis is an apprenticed marble craftsman, sculptor and mural painter. He is an active professional artist who has a studio in Bridgeport.
Angela Lozano
Interactive Spanish
Angela Lozano is a native Colombian tutor with years of experience teaching adults. She had taught courses with seniors in the Spokane Community Colleges system and Northpointe Senior Living in Washington State. Now settled in Connecticut she works with private students.
Arthur Gottlieb
Women and War in the Twentieth Century
Arthur Gottlieb is a local historian on subjects of political and military history. He was formerly a professional curator of Naval History and Technical Director of Exhibits at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in NYC. In these roles, he worked extensively with veterans of all services towards the creation of exhibits accurately illustrating the history of 20th century warfare.
Bela Szabo
Watercolor for Beginners
Bela Szabo received his art training at the University College of Budapest and taught art in his native Hungary. He is a member of art societies in New Canaan, Norwalk and Rowayton. He has taught art classes at LLI for many years.
Bela Szabo
Watercolor Intermediate
Bela Szabo enjoys working in watercolor allowing him to create depth in his pictures that are known for their realism and attention to detail, a focus he brings to his class. His works have been exhibited in numerous area shows and have won many awards.
Bill Kirsch
Acrylic Painting
Bill Kirsch began learning to draw when he was five years old. He studied at the Famous Artists School in Westport, Silvermine Guild Arts Center in New Canaan and privately with Sandy Bacher. He has taught for the Darien Senior Center.
Bob Berthelson
Smorgasbord Spring 2012: American History and Nostalgia
Bob Berthelson has used his lifelong interest in photography and American history to develop over 50 illustrated lectures. These have been presented to more than 2,000 audiences throughout Connecticut since 1965, including retirement communities, senior centers, schools, health care facilities, historical societies, libraries, camera clubs and social groups.
Byron Matthews
Magical Moments at the Movies
Byron Matthews attended Kent State University, majoring in English composition, grammar and journalism. He maintains a growing library of films reflecting his extensive knowledge of the subject. He is a most devoted fan of Rita Hayworth, whom he considers the Ultimate Star of Stars.
Celia Maddox
There Goes My Everything:Race and Class in Southern Novels
Celia Maddox part-time professor and full-time writer, earned her PhD from Columbia and taught there for a number of years. Her LLI students are her all-time favorites.
Dave Shafer
Opera’s Romantic Arias and Duets: Part II
Dave Shafer designed telescopes, microscopes and camera lenses for 45 years and has over 100 patents in his field. One of his unusual telescopes was on the Cassini spacecraft that went to Saturn. He also designed a new type of stereo viewer for Salvador Dali. Dave has been an opera nut for the past 50 years.
David Rosenberg
Drama and Society
David Rosenberg has been involved in all phases of theater, from teaching to directing. Currently a theater critic for The Hour newspapers in Norwalk and Back Stage in New York, he studied at Syracuse, Yale, New York University and Purchase College (SUNY).
Deborah Pensak Bae
Memoir Writing for Beginners
Deborah Pensak Bae attended Russell Sage College and earned an MS degree in English Education. She taught English at Bullard-Havens Regional Vocational Technical School in Bridgeport for 33 years and was a chief examiner for the State GED testing program. She has been a memoir writing facilitator for Fairfield Hadassah and the Watermark Retirement Community and has conducted memoir writing workshops at Kislak Adult Camp in the Pocono Mountains.
Dick Rauh
After Flowers
Dick Rauh came to botanical painting after a career in motion picture special effects. A certificate in Botanical Art at the New York Botanical Garden led to illustration work and ignorance of botany to a doctorate in Plant Sciences in 2001 from the City University of New York. He teaches Plant Morphology for Botanical Illustrators at the New York Botanical Garden, is a botanical illustrator and was a past president of the American Society of Botanical Artists.
Dick Rauh
Mystery Life of Flowers
Dick Rauh came to botanical painting after a career in motion picture special effects. A certificate in Botanical Art at the New York Botanical Garden led to illustration work and ignorance of botany to a doctorate in Plant Sciences in 2001 from the City University of New York. He teaches Plant Morphology for Botanical Illustrators at the New York Botanical Garden, is a practicing botanical illustrator and was president of the American Society of Botanical Artists.
Elliot Kalner
The Supreme Court and Privacy
Elliot Kalner holds degrees from the University of Connecticut and the University of Wisconsin and studied Public Law and Government at Columbia University. A teacher in the Greenwich Public Schools for 30 years, he taught political science at Southern Connecticut State University and is currently an adjunct Professor of American History at NCC.
Frank Foster Post
Drawing Beyond Technique
Frank Foster Post has a BS in Art Education from Buffalo State College (SUNY) School of Arts and Humanities and has been an artist/musician for fifty years. He has taught art in public and private schools and at Continuing Education at Staples High School in Westport. He exhibits in NYC and various galleries in Connecticut.
Gary Lishnoff
Camelot: JFK, The Kennedy’s and Their Legacy
Gary Lishnoff majored in finance and history at Michigan State University. He has facilitated a number of historical and cultural courses for LLI and is an avid follower of news, history and current events. He also worked on both Jack’s and Bobby's campaigns for the Presidency in the 1960s.
Harriet Malbin
I Love to Read
Harriet Malbin has been coordinating LLI book discussions for many years. She is an avid reader who enjoys all kinds of books.
Harry Voutsinas
Digital Point-and-Shoot Cameras: An Introduction
Harry Voutsinas is a retired accountant and financial executive whose lifelong hobby is photography. He has taken photography courses, is a member and past president of the Norwalk Camera Club and is occasionally a judge at their competitions.
Joe Utterback
Johnny Mercer: A Great Collaborator
Joe Utterback earned his MA in Piano Performance from Wichita State University and his Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Kansas. He has performed throughout the United States and around the world. Dr. Joe currently teaches at Sacred Heart University and has taught 13 courses for LLI.
John Sutton
Shakespeare on the Sound – Romeo & Juliet
John Sutton has presented an LLI course on the SOS play each year since 1996. He majored in English at Yale and taught in the Darien School system for 35 years.
Karen Hills
Puzzles II
Karen Hills earned a PhD from New York University and has been teaching mathematics for many years. Her interest in solving Magic Squares and other logic puzzles dates back to her college days.
Lisa Arnold
O’Keefe/Stieglitz
Lisa Arnold earned a BFA from Syracuse University and attended the Art Students League of New York. She is a working artist who teaches at the Silvermine Guild Arts Center School of Art and at NCC. Her work is exhibited in the tri-state area and Virginia.
Louise Flax, PhD
The Nude
Louise Flax, PhD is a retired photography/art teacher. She taught in Norwalk for 36 years and looks forward to teaching at LLI as one of the many pleasures of retirement.
Margaret Collins Stoop
Stravinsky
Margaret Collins Stoop earned a Bachelors degree cum laude with High Honors in Music from Smith College and a Masters degree in Music Composition from Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College (CUNY). Her works have been performed throughout Europe and the United States and has won numerous awards. Â She is the founding director of the Adesso Choral Society, president of Connecticut Composers, Inc. and teaches flute and piano at Westport Music Center.
Mark Albertson
The Great Patriotic War
Mark Albertson is a historical research editor at Army Aviation magazine and has been a member of the United States Naval Institute for more than 25 years. He has written articles on history and current event in newspapers and magazines, including a series commemorating the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II and authored three books; the latest is On History: A Treatise.
Mark Albertson
World War I
Mark Albertson is a historical research editor at Army Aviation magazine and has been a member of the United States Naval Institute for more than 25 years. He has written articles on history and current events in newspapers and magazines, including a series commemorating the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, and authored three books; the latest is On History: A Treatise.
Mark Curri, MA, LMFT
Mediatation and Yoga
Mark Curri, MA, LMFT is a psychotherapist and meditation teacher. He has 35 years experience with meditation techniques and self-help approaches and worked for 20 years as a psychotherapist and teacher for individuals, couples, families and groups. He has a deep belief in the power available in groups of like-minded people.
Mark Gutkin, L.Ac.
Traditional Chinese Medicine:Practical Applications
Mark Gutkin, L.Ac. earned a Masters degree from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine (NY Campus). He practices a traditional Chinese and Korean style acupuncture incorporates Chinese herbal medicine, Tui Na massage, Eastern nutrition and life style counseling to treat a variety of health conditions.
Maryjane Pacifico
Short Stories:Crisis Management 103
Maryjane Pacifico earned a BA from Fordham University and an MA from Fairfield University. She taught English for 28 years and retired as Chair of the Norwalk High School English Department. She is currently an adjunct professor who supervises teacher candidates at Fairfield University.
Morgan Corrigan
The Canterbury Tales
Morgan Corrigan retired after 35 years of teaching high school English. She earned a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University. She currently supervises student teachers enrolled in Manhattanville College’s School of Education.
Nancy Gluck
Glimpses of Greece: People and Places
Nancy Gluck visited Greece and ever since has wanted to share her observations and research into the Greek past.
Pat Spoor
Women’s History:From Goddesses to Witches
Pat Spoor has had a long and varied teaching career. She taught modern dance and worked as an educator and lay pastor in the Episcopal Church. After retirement she completed an MA in Women’s Studies from Southern Connecticut State University where she was an adjunct professor. She teaches at Fairfield Lifelong Learners and LLI, lectures in Women's Studies and is an artist.
Pete Stair, Charlotte Cooper, Ann Bello, Jonathan Brown
Internet a la Carte
Pete Stair, Charlotte Cooper, Ann Bello, Jonathan Brown
Rabbi Israel Stein
King David: Israel’s Greatest King
Rabbi Israel Stein majored in romance languages at Trinity College in Hartford and earned a Master of Hebrew Literature and an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary. He is Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Rodeph Sholom in Bridgeport where he served for 33 years.
Richard Di Vecchio
Early Presidents and the Founding of America
Richard Di Vecchio ,a past president of LLI, is a student of history and has facilitated many courses on historical subjects at LLI, the Senior Center of New Canaan and at Oronoque Village.
Richard Ellis
Understanding Happiness
Richard Ellis is a retired physician who practiced for 40 years. He has presented this course to various groups and is a regular speaker at the Fairfield Happiness Club. As a hobby he has collected thousands of quotes that are used to enrich this course.
Robert Lamothe
Haiti : Genesis to Renaissance
Robert Lamothe was born in Haiti, graduated from Yale and earned a Masters degree in Architecture from Columbia. He is presently a full time professor at NCC. His two passions are Haiti and playing music with the Bob Lamothe Blues Band that plays locally and internationally. He helped create the Yale Collaborative where he teaches Haitian culture and language.
Rose Gatto
Self-Discovery:The Enneagram
Rose Gatto earned an MS in Art Therapy at The College of New Rochelle before becoming a psychotherapist. She is especially interested in metaphysics and spirituality.
Sidney Goldman
Headlines and Current Issues
Sidney Goldman earned his BA in Economics from the University of Oklahoma, an MA from the University of Michigan and attended NYU Graduate Business School. While this is his first time as an LLI facilitator, he has actively conducted similar discussion groups since his retirement in 2008.
Stan Gershman
Jewish Humor through the Ages
Stan Gershman earned his BA from the University of Connecticut and his MA from Johns Hopkins University. He worked in business from 1966-2008 and since retirement has been reading and researching his favorite topic — Jewish humor.
William Stanfield
