Meet the Founders

  • Debbie Nyarko

    FOUNDER

    A@E 2007 - Finance Academy

    Rutgers Univ 2011 - B.S. Finance

    Debbie has held key roles at Valley Bank, NYU Langone Health, New York University, and Hermès, specializing in financial analysis, operations, client services, and project management. She founded the DMAE Alumni Network to inspire and support her peers and the next generation.

    She welcomes connections via email at debbie.a.nyarko@gmail.com or on LinkedIn.

  • Andrea Lopez

    FOUNDER

    A@E 2007 - Pre-Engineering

    Cornell Univ 2011 - B.S. Biology

    Andrea found her calling in Physical Therapy after losing her mother to cancer in 2014. She earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from New York University. Currently, she is living overseas in Tel Aviv, Israel, with her husband, where she enjoys her career as a Physical Therapist and Strength and Conditioning Specialist.

  • Mindy Rochman

    FOUNDER

    A@E English Teacher 2004 - 2024

    William Paterson University - B.A. English

    Mindy Rochman was the soul of DMAE. Her classroom was the epicenter of our school universe, a place from which all things fun, deep, hilarious, and complex emanated: Prom, Graduation, Project Graduation, Diversity Day, Madrigals, Englewood Idol, School Musicals, countless lunch periods, and oh so much laughter. In that room, we came to better understand Tess, Phaedra, Frankenstein, Tartuffe, Snoopy, and ourselves, all thanks to Mindy. Her vision was to keep the DMAE family connected, and in her honor, the DMAE Alumni Network will do just that.

  • Judy Aronson

    FOUNDER

    A@E History Teacher 2003 - 2023

    University of Pennsylvania - B.A. History & English

    Judy (a.k.a. “Ms. A.”) taught US History at DMAE for 20 years. She retired in 2023 to become an on-site grandmother (“Nana”) in Berkeley, CA, where she enjoys life with her husband Mark. In addition to playing with her 4 grandchildren, she is learning Spanish, practicing Yoga, teaching ESL at Washington English Center, and counseling incarcerated men in a violence awareness program called “No More Tears.” She dedicates her work on DMAE Alumni Network to her forever-friend and caped crusader, Mindy Rochman.