Meet the Admission Team

Mr. Beaton joined the Choate Admission team in 2013 and has led the office since the fall of 2019. A graduate of Bates College with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a minor in education, he served as an Admission Counselor for his alma mater before joining the team at Choate. He credits a post-graduate year for his decision to pursue a career in boarding school education. When asked what makes Choate special, Mr. Beaton says, “hands down, the students. Getting a front row seat to their growth and transformation at Choate is priceless.” Mr. Beaton lives on campus with his wife, Freddi, and their dog, Tilly.

Ms. Berestecky joined the Admission team in 2014. A graduate of Smith College, her previous work experience and background is in investment consulting, event planning, and fundraising. She loves connecting with students and families in the admission process, and has experienced Choate from the parent perspective--her daughter, Lauren ‘13 was a four-year day student. She lives in Madison with her husband Mike and their two black labs, Maya and Molly.

Ms. Ellis joined the Admission team after serving as an Associate Director of Admissions at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. An Ohio native, Ms. Ellis graduated from William Smith College with a double major in sociology/anthropology and Latin American studies and a minor in child advocacy. After graduation, she joined Teach for America in Miami, FL, and earned a master’s degree in education and social change from the University of Miami. She and her husband, Graham, live on campus.

Ms. Given joined the Admission team in 2018 after graduating from Bryn Mawr College with a degree in psychology with honors and a minor in child and family studies. While there, she conducted research in developmental psychology and has been published in an academic journal. She also worked as a Special Events and Programs intern in the Bryn Mawr Admissions Office and was employed in the Residential Life Office. In the Choate Admission Department, Ms. Given is one of the liaisons to the Arts Department, works with the Gold Key tour guide program, and manages office social media accounts.

Ms. McGee joined Choate in 2015. A Virginia native, Ms. McGee earned a B.A. in fine art and philosophy with honors from Washington and Lee University where she captained the field hockey team and was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa. She also holds an M.A. in Philosophy with honors from Virginia Tech. Prior to coming to Choate, she worked in the admission office at Washington and Lee and taught at a boarding school. In the broader Choate community, Ms. McGee is Head Coach of the Field Hockey Program, serves on the community service advisory, and lives on campus with her partner Morgan, Choate’s Director of Academic Technology, and their two children.

Mr. Privott, a Connecticut native, joined the Admission team during the summer of 2023, and is excited to be back at Choate after having the opportunity to coach varsity football during the 2017 season. Prior to coming to Choate Mr. Privott has held several roles, with the bulk of his experience coming in Admission. Mr. Privott holds a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communication and an M.Ed. in School Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to his responsibilities in the admissions office, Mr. Privott will also advise and support residential life.

A Connecticut native, Mr. Rodriguez recently joined the Choate Admission team after serving as the Bilingual Job Coach at New Haven Works. A graduate of Pomfret School, Mr. Rodriguez understands the value of a boarding school community. He is also a graduate of Connecticut College where he earned a B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Economics. During his time at Connecticut College, Mr. Rodriguez captained the Men’s Squash Team and held internships at the Squash and Education Alliance, Yale University, and US Squash. He has worked extensively with the Squash Haven organization as a scholar athlete, intern, and board member, and brings a wealth of experience in community building to his role at Choate, where he also lives on campus.

Mr. Skitko joined the Choate Admission team following undergraduate admission roles at Ursinus College and Duquesne University, as well as a graduate admission role at Carnegie Mellon University and a recruitment role at University of Pittsburgh. A proud native of the Philadelphia area and a graduate of The Hill School, Mr. Skitko also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in religious studies and philosophy from Gettysburg College and a Master of Liberal Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University. He and his wife Stephanie live on campus.

A Connecticut native, Mr. Spinnato joined the Choate Rosemary Hall Admission team in the fall of 2008 after spending two years at Northfield Mount Hermon where he was the school’s Sports Information Director. Mr. Spinnato is a 2006 graduate of Amherst College with a Bachelor’s degree in law, jurisprudence and social thought, and also holds an M.B.A. from Southern Connecticut State University. He was the captain of the football team at Amherst and is the Head Coach of the Choate Football Program. In addition to his roles in admission and on the football field, Mr. Spinnato is Coordinator of College Athletic Recruitment, advises in Memorial House, and lives on campus with his wife Alexandra, daughter Samantha, and puppy Zilla.

Ms. Stahura is originally from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. After receiving her Bachelor of Science in Biology and a postgraduate degree in Education from Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, she held a career as a middle school science teacher for more than 10 years. Prior to joining the Choate Admission team in 2015, Ms. Stahura participated in several programs at Choate, including coaching JV Volleyball and teaching Science in Choate Summer Programs. In addition to her various responsibilities within the Admission Department, Ms. Stahura is also an adviser to day students. She currently resides on campus with her husband Eric, Senior Associate Director of College Counseling, and their two daughters, Isabella and Emilia.

Amy recently joined the Admission team at Choate after twenty-one years of teaching Latin in independent schools in Southern New England. She currently oversees the day student admission process. A graduate of Emory University and the University of Georgia, Amy holds degrees in Political Science and Latin. Amy lives in Farmington, CT with her husband and daughter. When not in the Admission Office, you can find Amy running the area trails or designing and making knitwear for her sustainable fashion wardrobe.