With the start of a new school year rapidly approaching, we are excited to welcome a new class of faculty members to the Holderness School community. This year’s new educators are an especially inspiring group. They include veteran teachers, a Pushcart Prize-nominated writer, and a professional musician – to name just a few. Please join us in welcoming them to Holderness!

Xander Jones

Interim Dean of Students

With nearly two decades of experience as a teacher, coach, and administrator at independent schools, Xander Jones is sure to have a big impact on life at Holderness. Xander comes to Holderness from St. George’s School, where he served as dean of students – a role that supported the daily mission of the school and the daily experience of the community.

In 2025, Xander received the Burch Ford Kaleidoscope Award from The Association of Boarding Schools for his exceptional work as dean of students. The prestigious award recognizes educators for their commitment, creativity, and excellence in the area of student and residential life.

A graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University, Xander also holds a master of science degree from Ohio University. He began his teaching career at Salisbury School, where he served as dean of students, assistant director of admissions, co-director of residential leadership, and assistant athletic director. 

Xander will spend the 2026-2027 school year filling in for Dean of Students Tyler Cabot, who is currently on his Henderson-Brewer-van Otterloo Chair Year. In addition to serving as interim dean of students, Xander will also coach soccer and baseball.

Tim Cushing

Director of College Counseling

We’re very excited to welcome Tim Cushing to campus as our new Director of College Counseling. He comes to us from nearby Brewster Academy, where he served as Dean of College Counseling. His move to Holderness is also a homecoming of sorts for Tim, who grew up just minutes from campus. Tim first discovered his passion for admissions while serving as an admissions tour guide while a student at Stonehill College. He stayed on to work as an admissions counselor at Stonehill after graduating, and moved on to more senior admissions roles at Babson College and Wheaton College.

In 2017, Tim decided to work on the other side of the college admissions process when he became Assistant Director of College Counseling at Brewster Academy. He became the school’s Dean of College Counseling in 2022. Tim is currently the President of the Lakes Region Independent School College Counseling Association and has had various leadership roles within the New England Association for College Admission Counseling. In addition to his role in College Counseling, Tim will be serving as an assistant for our Boys' Varsity Basketball team.

Emmett Knowlton

English

Our newest English teacher, Emmett Knowlton, is a published fiction writer who has received a Pushcart Prize nomination and once served as an associate producer on HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. A graduate of Amherst College, Emmett went on to earn his Master of Fine Arts in Fiction from the University of Montana. After earning his MFA, Emmett was awarded residencies at the Vermont Studio Center and Ragdale, and served as a writer in residence and visiting instructor of creative writing at Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan.

He comes to Holderness from St. Albans School in Washington, D.C., where he was the school’s 44th Writer in Residence. In addition to his teaching duties at Holderness, Emmett will coach soccer and tennis.  

Julia Cannon

College Counseling and Capstone Teacher

Our seniors will certainly benefit from the insights of Julia Cannon, who will teach a senior Capstone class and work in the College Counseling office. Prior to Holderness, Julia worked as an English teacher and writer in residence at the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. While at Interlochen, Julia developed and taught Writing Workshop and upper-level electives; advised senior creative writing capstone projects; oversaw college applications; and served as advisor to Red Wheelbarrow, a student literary magazine.

In addition to her educational experience, Julia spent time as director of development and literary acquisitions at Narradora Studios in New York City, where she led creative development for in-house projects and developed literary works for film and television adaptation. 

Lydia Oliver

Physics

Our newest Physics teacher, Lydia Oliver, comes to Holderness by way of the Pacific nation of Micronesia, where she spent the last year as a volunteer lead science teacher at Xavier High School Micronesia.

In 2025, Lydia graduated from the College of the Holy Cross with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and a minor in Physics. A competitive player on the Crusaders’ Division I field hockey team, Lydia will coach field hockey and softball at Holderness.

 

Val Roumi

Mathematics

After spending three years as a teacher, dorm parent, and ski coach at Cushing Academy, Val Roumi will join our mathematics department this fall. Val, who double-majored in math and earth science at Bowdoin College, will teach Calculus and Linear Algebra at Holderness this year.

This summer was a busy one for Val, who completed an AP Summer Institute for AP Calculus and attended the Anja S Greer Conference on Mathematics. In addition to his strong academic background, Val is an AMGA-certified rock climbing instructor, Wilderness First Responder, and skier.

While a student at Bowdoin College, Val served as a trip leader for the school’s Outing Club and traveled to Greenland to conduct geologic mapping and sample collection of Pseudotachylytes - glassy, dark rock formations created by earthquakes. When he’s not teaching this year, Val will coach rock climbing and skiing.

Becky Zumbach

Mathematics

We’re fortunate to have veteran math teacher Becky Zumbach in our classrooms this year. With more than 20 years of experience teaching math in New Hampshire schools, Becky is sure to make an impact. Most recently, Becky served as a math instructor with Knower Academics, as well as a program director and head coach at Finding Our Stride, an Upper Valley nonprofit that provides free after-school running programs for public school students in grades K-8.

In her spare time, Becky – who competed on the Saint Michael’s College Division I Alpine Ski team and Division II Soccer team while in college – serves as director of the Pemi Baker Soccer Club and is a coach with Franconia Ski Club. A resident of the Lakes Region, Becky enjoys running, hiking, mountain biking, alpine and Nordic skiing, tennis, and loves spending time outside with her husband and three sons. At Holderness, Becky will coach soccer and tennis. 

Jeremy Vautour

Mathematics

A graduate of St. Lawrence University, Jeremy Vautour will join our mathematics department this fall. He comes to Holderness from Nazareth University, where he spent the last three years as an assistant lacrosse coach. He’ll bring that coaching experience to bear here at Holderness, where he will coach lacrosse, football, and ice hockey. In addition to coaching at Nazareth University, Jeremy worked as an assistant coach while earning his Master of Arts in Leadership at St. Lawrence, and served as a club coach at 4 Leaf Lacrosse.

He also spent several years immersed in the competitive New Brunswick lacrosse world, where he served as general manager and head coach for the New Brunswick Jr. A Mavericks, offensive coordinator for the Team New Brunswick Canada Games, and assistant coach for U15 Team New Brunswick.

Matthew Dolliver

Music

Our music classrooms and school concerts will be led this year by Matthew Dolliver, our new music teacher. A 2016 graduate of Plymouth State University, Matthew has spent the last decade in the Burlington, Vermont music scene as an educator, technician, and promoter. During his time in Vermont, Matthew worked as a middle school music teacher and served as a production manager and entertainment director for The Essex Experience.

He is also the founder and CEO of the Loose Leaf Talent Agency, which manages the careers of more than 50 artists, and has toured the country as a saxophonist and pianist.