Meet the Team

List of 8 items.

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  Sheryl Piper

  Director of Philanthropy
  Helen Piper ’07 and Maggie Piper ’10
  
  

  Sheryl first served as Communications Director when she joined the original Development Office established in 1985. Over the course of her 28 years at Country Day, she has directed publications, marketing, and Annual Giving. Currently, as Director of Philanthropy, she oversees all aspects of the Office of Philanthropy to maintain that the purpose and focus of philanthropy is to secure financial resources to fulfill the mission of the school and to fund the goals of the school’s strategic plan. Sheryl’s primary focus is to support the Head of School and Board of Trustees in wrapping up the school’s largest capital campaign in its history, the Campaign for the Arts, which is currently at $16 million of the $16.5 million goal. For more information visit: https://campaign.miamicountryday.org.

   

  Sheryl is from Lubbock, Texas and graduated with a BS in Journalism from West Texas A&M University in 1983. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Sheryl is married to Mark, who works with Northwestern Mutual Finance Network. She enjoys yoga, tennis, reading, and writing. As an alumni parent of two daughters who attended Country Day for 13 years each, Sheryl has watched Miami Country Day transform into the community it is today.
• 

  Bruce J. (Buzzy) Tabatchnick

  Director of Leadership Gifts
  
  

  Buzz joined Miami Country Day School in September 2012 as Director of Leadership Gifts after three decades in the financial services industry. During that time, he served for twelve years as a trustee for a Florida independent private school, and various terms as Chairman of their Development Committee, Annual Fund, and Steering Committee for their Capital Campaign for Science and Technology. For the Campaign for the Arts at MCDS, Buzz served as a member of the Campaign Cabinet and was responsible for Major Gifts and Planned Giving that will support the Center For the Arts.  He is married to Meryl, a Broward County public school teacher, has one married son, and one granddaughter.  Buzz is a member of the Channel Swimming Association.
• 

  Nora Pardave

  Senior Philanthropy Officer
  
  

  As a member of the Philanthropy Team for 11 years, Nora has worked on many aspects of philanthropy at Miami Country Day School. Currently, as the Senior Philanthropy Officer, Nora’s primary responsibilities include designing and maintaining a donor management system to enable the school to raise the funds necessary to support the school and our mission. Nora’s focus is to provide accurate reporting, data analysis and research to ensure the success of our Major Gifts program. As the former Alumni Director, Nora also maintains strong relationships with the school’s alumni.

   

  Prior to working at Country Day, Nora worked as the Assistant Director of Development at Churchill Center & School in St. Louis, Missouri and as the Community Outreach Assistant for the St. Louis Rams. Nora was raised in Durham, North Carolina and attended Barry University where she graduated with a BS in Sport Management and played first base on the softball team. In 2010, she received her MBA from Barry University, and she currently serves as a member of Barry University’s Alumni Board of Directors. Nora is married to Julio, a Chiropractor and Acupuncturist, and they have one son, Joaquin and two dogs, Belle and Luna.
• 

  Tabitha Charles ’85

  Director of Annual Giving
  
  

  Tabitha has over 24 years of fundraising experience and is currently the Director of Annual Giving for Miami Country Day School. In her previous fundraising experience, Tabitha was a Senior Development Officer for United Way of Miami-Dade, raising over five million dollars. While working for the consulting firm IDC, she managed fundraising programs for Loyola University of Chicago, the University of Kent in Canterbury, England, and Cambridge University, in Cambridge, England. Tabitha also spent some time working for Best Buddies, a non-profit serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
  
  As Director of Annual Giving, Tabitha oversees over 80 volunteers to ensure the strategic execution and management of a comprehensive Annual Giving program that focuses on shaping a sustainable tradition of annual support.  An alumna of MCDS herself, Tabitha also has two children; a graduate from the Class of 2017 and one in Lower School. Following her time at MCDS, Tabitha graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Her experience as a student, alumna, and parent, provide her with distinctive insight into the evolution of the school and its unique fundraising needs. Tabitha welcomes all to join her team of exceptional volunteers. Please contact her at 305-779-7205 or charlest@miamicountryday.org
• 

  Christine Chancy ’08

  Director of Alumni
  
  Christine, an alumna of Miami Country Day School, joined the Development Team in 2014 as the Director of Alumni. She graduated from MCDS with the Class of 2008 and then attended Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. As a student at MHC, Christine was the Co-Captain of the Varsity Basketball Team, Vice-Chair of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and later Chair of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She graduated Mount Holyoke College in 2012 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and a Minor in Sports Pedagogy and Coaching.
  
  Upon graduation, Christine moved back to Miami and worked as a Ticket Sales Associate for the Miami Dolphins and later as a Management Trainee at Enterprise Holdings Incorporated. She also spent time as an Assistant Coach for Miami Country Day’s Middle School and Varsity Girls’ Basketball Teams. Christine is happy to be back in Miami and enjoys working at her alma mater every day!
• 

  Abra Adrabi

  Media and Publications Manager
  
  

  Abra has worked in Communications at Miami Country Day since 2011. She has led numerous projects to publicize the school and its diverse stakeholders. She highlights their social and academic accomplishments as well as their community engagement and service efforts. Abra edits and designs "The Beacon" magazine, the Annual Report, and other major promotional materials (including event invitations and event promotion). She is also responsible for media relations and photography, and she partners with her colleagues to "get the word out" to the school and local community about events, accomplishments, and spotlights. She works alongside the Office of Philanthropy to ensure campus events, Capital Campaigns, and Annual Giving goals are met or exceeded.

   

  Prior to her time at Miami Country Day, Abra directed communications at Washington Hebrew Congregation in Washington, D.C. and moved to Miami to work on a political campaign. She studied Journalism and Political Science at the University of Dayton.  She and her husband have two daughters, Maya (in JK4 at Miami Country Day) and Dora.  
• 

  Marilyn Greenfield

  Director of Special Events
  Alyson Greenfield '93, Alan Greenfield '97,
  and Chris Greenfield '00
  
  

  Marilyn is the Director of Special Events and has over 25 years of experience in this position. She works very closely with the Parents’ Association President and the association’s various committees to produce the school’s special events. She has seen the school grow from a few houses, no cafeteria or gymnasium to a beautiful campus that is home to a vibrant learning community.

   

  Marilyn’s three children all attended Miami Country Day, and now her grandsons, Nate ’23 and Matthew ‘27 Giovannucci, are Spartans!  Her daughter, Alyson, is a 7^th grade social studies and leadership teacher.  Her experience as an alumni parent has prepared Marilyn to serve as a liaison between Miami Country Day and its parents. Outside of school, Marilyn is passionate about Dragon Boat Racing for breast cancer survivors.
• 

  Mary Novas

  Philanthropy Coordinator
  
  

  Mary has been part of the Miami Country Day School community for 10 years. She became interested in education at a young age and minored in teaching during college. Mary was first employed in the Head of School’s office as a receptionist/administrative assistant, and she transferred to the Philanthropy Team in August 2011 to pursue a new challenge. As Philanthropy Coordinator, Mary is very detail-oriented in her work. Mary works on various functions and events with the Philanthropy Team, including the Golf & Tennis Benefit, donor recognition events, art gallery receptions, and Homecoming Weekend. She also assists the Parents’ Association with their needs throughout the school year. Some of her responsibilities include providing administrative support to the Philanthropy Team, scheduling and coordinating meetings, attending meetings, and preparing minute summaries.

   

  Mary is native to Miami. She graduated from La Salle High School and Miami Dade College. She has a son that attended independent schooling until graduating from high school, and she was very involved throughout all his years of schooling.