Lewis School of Driving was established in 1970 by Sgt. Chester R. Lewis, Jr., a retired New Canaan Police Officer who wanted to continue to protect our neighborhoods by creating a school that was committed to teaching new drivers safe driving skills.

The family of Sgt. Lewis continues to carry on his tradition – in 1991 Marie Winters Trant, his stepdaughter, bought the business and took on the honor of guiding her elite, experienced team of driving instructors. Her son, James Winters, joined the team in 2012, keeping that family tradition strong.

We are licensed by the State of Connecticut and bonded. All of our instructors are trained personally by us and have to be tested by the DMV. They go through a rigorous screening process which includes FBI fingerprinting, DCF history check, driving record and health history check.

We have an experienced, trusted staff of knowledgeable instructors that can teach all levels of students to drive. We specialize in students on the Autism Spectrum and ADHD. We also conduct Au Pair and Senior Citizen driving evaluations. We offer lessons on both automatic and manual shift vehicles. We will pick you up at your home, school or work in our surrounding towns every day of the week.

Our Staff

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Marie Winters Trant

Marie is the owner of the Lewis School of Driving and was trained by her stepfather, Mr. Lewis, in 1990. She then obtained her Master’s Instructor’s license and in 1991 bought the Lewis School of Driving, when he became ill, and started taking over the day to day running of the business. Marie is extremely proud of the continuation of Mr. Lewis’ exemplary teaching styles which have instilled trust in families since its inception in 1970. She is actively engaged in the business and continues this family tradition with pride and excellence. She was born in Ireland but has been in Connecticut since 1980 (when Mr. Lewis taught her to drive!).

James Winters

Continuing the family tradition, ​James has been a licensed instructor since 2012, splitting his time between the office, classroom, and in-car lessons. He enjoys the fulfillment the jobs brings when he helps a new, inexperienced driver become a safe, knowledgeable licensed driver. When he is not working he can be found spending time with his wife and two young children or watching anything related to sports that he can find on TV!

Jennifer Geriak

Jennifer has a Master’s instructor’s license and has been employed with the Lewis School of Driving since 1995. She splits her time between managing the office and instructing students on safe driving practices. With almost 25 years of experience, she brings a vast amount of knowledge and experience to help teach any new driver. She was trained by the original owner, Mr. Lewis, and still implements his style of teaching during the in-car lessons. When she is not working she is usually spending time with her kids in Norwalk and visiting her parents in Stamford. Her brother, Joel Geriak, coaches the Wilton High School Basketball team so you can usually spot her at a Wilton High School Basketball game, cheering the team on.

Robert Wern

Robert has a Master’s instructor’s license and has worked full-time with the Lewis School of Driving since 2003. He was personally trained by the school’s founder, Mr. Lewis. He prides himself on his track record of success with some of the school’s most uncertain and nervous first-time drivers. Robert believes that with his effort and empathetic coaching, any student can become a safe and enthusiastic driver. He attended Wilton High School and graduated with honors from SUNY Purchase College in 2003. He is an active vintage motorcycle and antique car enthusiast, and an author of short fiction novels.

Kevin Vincent

Kevin is an advanced licensed instructor. He has worked at Lewis School of Driving since 2004. He was trained by Mr. Lewis himself. He enjoys working with new drivers and all levels of experience. Kevin takes great satisfaction in watching beginners transform into confident and safe drivers. He has also been a High School wrestling referee since 1983 and a big ice hockey fan.

Sima Iosifides

Sima started working for Lewis School of Driving in 2013. She teaches both classroom and behind the wheel instruction. She started her teaching career as an ESL teacher and has 20 years of extensive experience in this field. She also has a CDL license. Her goal at Lewis is to positively affect teen driving behavior and help her students become safe, defensive drivers. Sima is from Greece and loves traveling back there to visit her family.

Hugo Santillan

Hugo started working for Lewis School of Driving in 1998. He was trained by Mr. Lewis and also has his advanced instructor’s license. He is bilingual in English and Spanish and teaches behind the wheel instruction to all students and teaches classroom instruction to our Spanish speaking clients. He enjoys the challenges and the joy on a young person’s face when they say “Aha” after learning a new driving skill. His favorite quote for teaching is “Please look in the direction that you are moving”.

Steve Scatamacchia

Steve has worked at Lewis School of Driving since 2013, instructing students behind the wheel. He chose to join Lewis after his own two children went through the program and he was very pleased with the quality of instruction they received. Steve has also volunteered as a mentor in the Norwalk Public Schools since 2011.

Justine Adams

Justine, a Long Island, N.Y., native, has been an office assistant at the Lewis School of Driving since 2012, when she moved to Connecticut to be closer to her youngest son. She spends the majority of her time answering the phones, enrolling students into the school and scheduling driving hours and road tests. Whether Justine is dealing with customers on the phone or in person, her affable personality is always on display and creates a friendly atmosphere in the office. Justine is a big fan of the New York Mets and Villanova Basketball.