Gabby is a graduate of the Early Childhood Waldorf Teacher Training at The Bay Area Center for Teacher Training and holds a BA in Sociology from the University of California Santa Cruz. She worked at The Bay School from 2012-2017 educating children diagnosed with moderate to severe autism and then worked privately in this field from 2017-2020. She then worked as an early childhood assistant at Santa Cruz Waldorf for three years. She has just recently moved to the East Bay and is thrilled to be joining Berkeley Rose Waldorf School. 

A native from Bogotá, Colombia, became interested in Waldorf when her daughter was born and as an alternative for her as a teacher. Mafe has taught in High School, Middle and Elementary school in private institutions in the Bay Area for over 20 years, and last year in a Kindergarten program at her home. Mafe graduated as a Waldorf Teacher from the Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training and holds a BA in Modern Languages and Literature from Universidad de Los Andes, in Bogotá, Colombia. She has also graduated as a Medical and Legal Translator and pursed studies in Sound Healing Therapies at the California Institute of Integral Studies and at West Acutonics School.
Mafe is passionate about Early Childhood Education and Language acquisition. She loves to sing and play guitar, practice yoga, learn languages, and to travel and learn from other cultures while following her heart’s desire to connect to her indigenous roots and the wisdom and spirituality from South and North America.

Lina grew up in Berkeley, California and lived in New York City for a decade before returning in 2020 to put down roots with her young family.  On the East Coast she studied early childhood education, theatre, creative writing, and insight meditation. It was during her studies in early childhood development that she came across Waldorf Education and was privileged to spend time observing in the Kindergartens at the Rudolf Steiner School in Manhattan. When she was pregnant she decided to take time off teaching to study meditation intensively. After the birth of her daughter she returned to the Rudolf Steiner School as a mother in the parent-child class.  She is currently attending Sophia’s Hearth for her Waldorf Teacher Certification.  This is her third year as the Rosebud Lead teacher and she is very excited to be working with Julianna as her assistant.  Lina loves spending time off the grid in nature, riding her bike, practicing yoga and meditation, and being with her family.  Her daughter is in the Dandelion Kindergarten. 

Before joining our school as a parent in 2013, Megan worked as an Administrator helping to start Nevada Sage Waldorf School in Reno, NV.  A graduate of the Bay Area Center for Teacher Training, Megan began her journey in our school as the Rosebud assistant, then moved up to kindergarten. The following year she was the school’s substitute teacher extraordinaire and then took on the responsibility as the Administrative Chair. Teacher Megan brings a depth of experience, education and dedication to the children she will be caring for and nurturing. Megan has been working at Berkeley Rose since 2014. She has two children who have graduated Berkeley Rose.

Medina is originally from The Gambia in West Africa and received her BSc honors in Software Engineering, from the University of East London.  Starting out as a resource management in Spain, later on setting up and successfully managing her own company until her move to the United States. As a member of the Focus on Children Committee, in the Venice Neighborhood Council in Los Angeles, she helped to come up with future initiative ideas and discussion topics on how to improve the lives of children. This spurred her interest and fascination in Child Development, with an emphasis on the “Developing Mind and Language”. During this period she became a member of the RIE community in Santa Monica where she attended parents and baby classes and subsequently joining the Waldorf community. Her daughter spent her preschool year at the East Bay Waldorf School before joining Berkeley Rose as a Waldorf parent and then as a member of the community of educators in Early Childhood, as a substitute teacher.

Medina enjoys sewing, mending things, hand crafting and making all kinds of things. Her interests include travel-art, reading, cooking and taking part in various sporting activities from running to kickboxing. She can also be found out and about exploring, hiking, nature trailing and embracing the beauty of the natural world. She will usually be found with a smile on her face delighting in the joy of the children she supports in her work and life.

Theresa Catlin has most recently taught Parent-Child classes, Buttercup Nursery and Sunflower Kindergarten at Berkeley Rose, and has worked with parents and families for over 20 years as a parent-infant and parent-child teacher, a Waldorf Nursery and Kindergarten teacher, a grades 1–5 public school teacher, and a Grades 1–5 Waldorf educator.

Theresa earned her Masters in Education, Waldorf, and Public School Kindergarten to Grade 8 certificates in 1987. She has completed Parts 1 and 2 of the 3 part RIE training – Resources for Infant Educarers –  (Emmi Pikler)  teacher. She has also completed the Sophia’s Hearth Training (birth to age 3 Waldorf and Pickler Training) in New Hampshire, as well as the LifeWays training (focusing on birth to age 7) in Wisconsin.  Her professional work has involved close relationships with parents, helping them to navigate the ever-changing and challenging path of parenting.

Annalise was raised amongst the oak trees along the San Francisco Peninsula. She holds a BA in Modern English Literature with a minor in Dance from UC Santa Cruz. She worked and continues to work in the dance field as a performer, choreographer, and teacher. Through her experience teaching creative movement to children, Annalise discovered a deep love for early childhood education. She is excited to be a part of the BRWS team.

Indra Devi was born and raised in Himachal Pradesh, North India, and has her Bachelor of Business Administration and Computer Applications. In India, she worked as an academy counselor at Sikkim Manipal University and ran a successful coaching center in Bangalore. Since moving to the USA five years ago, she has dedicated her time to being a mother. She recently joined Berkeley Rose Waldorf School as a substitute Nursery Teacher, and then quickly took on the role of Marigold Assistant Teacher. She is the mother of Siya in our Dandelion Kindergarten and committed to providing a nurturing and enriching educational environment for young children.

A native of New Zealand, Julia was fortunate enough to be acquainted with Waldorf education from a young age. Having learnt a fond love of sewing and crafting from her early childhood education in a Waldorf school she has been committed to a lifetime of craft and adventure. During her youth she regularly helped out at her parent’s organic shop where she developed a love for helping others find healing through food and natural remedies. Her enthusiasm for travel and adventure has taken her around the world, from living in Italy to Australia to the Bay Area. Having graduated from the New Zealand Institute of Fashion Technology, Julia has been dressmaking and designing clothes since she was a teenager and developed her own fashion line after moving to Berkeley, inspired by the colorful fashion of the past that can still be found in the second hand stores in the Bay Area. Her love of Waldorf education, passion for helping others and enthusiasm for creativity in all forms inspired her to join Berkeley Rose where she looks forward to contributing to the enrichment of children’s lives.

A native of Romania, Vasilica received her eurythmy diploma from Akademie fur Eurythmische Kunst, in Dornach, Switzerland, followed by a post graduate diploma from the Eurythmy School Spring Valley, as well as completing her education in early childhood development courses. From 2001-2007 she taught eurythmy in grades 5-12 at Garden City Waldorf School, Long Island, NY. In the Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training, she teaches weekend eurythmy classes in all 3 years. Vasilica has been with the school since it’s start in 2009, first as a parent and early childhood teacher and now as our Faculty Chair. Through out all these years continuing to teach Eurythmy to our children.

Rachael has devoted a large part of her life to serving on non-profit boards whose purposes are to build trust, deepen community, empower women and honor the spirit. She served on the Board of RSF Social Finance from 1996 to 2022 (our school loan to purchase this property was provided by RSF). She was founder & CEO of the Diaperaps company from 1984-2008 and then created 3 Jewels, a board game that helps bring people together and reconnect to their capacities for awe, exploration and creativity.

She is the mother of three grown children, who all attended the K-12 Highland Hall Waldorf school in Southern California. She served as the School Board President for many years and loved bringing people together to find solutions to problems and making time to celebrate the successes. She and her husband, Abraham Entin, are happy to be in the East Bay and to join Berkeley Rose Waldorf School.

Robert Schorlemmer is the Treasurer and Director of Finance at Berkeley Rose. Robert studied physics and finance in Munich, Tokyo and Berkeley. He is also a Waldorf teacher training graduate (Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teaching Training). Robert worked as a CPA for Ernst & Young across the United States. With Black & Decker, he carried out audits in Europe and the Americas. He also served as a lecturer and foreign expert in China. In his spare time, Robert runs a small nonprofit that supports a village in Colombia, South America. Robert was born in Barcelona and grew up in Rome and Hamburg. He speaks seven languages.

Karen comes to us from work as a stay-at-home parent and long-time volunteer within many charitable organizations in the United States and abroad. She has always held an active role within her local community and has especially enjoyed leadership roles within each of the schools that her three children have attended, including the Waldorf School in Whistler, BC. Karen has lived internationally in London, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and the Philippines. In Manila, she worked with a Moving Specialist Company that worked exclusively with newly arriving expatriate families providing them with local tours and lectures of Filipino customs and culture. She holds a BS in Business Administration from Cal State Chico. Karen loves being in nature, playing tennis, and is learning to master the French language.

Kim and her family found Berkeley Rose in 2012 after moving to the Bay Area from Brooklyn, NY.  She studied English literature and film studies at Smith College, receiving a B.A., and did further studies in film at New York University. She held parallel jobs in independent feature film production offices and as a waiter, assistant sommelier and floor manager at three star restaurants in Manhattan, and at Chez Panisse here in Berkeley. She also ran the production office of a small television commercial production company where she held many roles. She has been trained as a Bach Flower Essence therapist and is passionate about making flower essence remedies for friends and family. She also loves to bake, and specializes in accommodating food allergies. Kim has two children at Berkeley Rose and began working in the Administration in 2017.

Born in Guatemala, Anaolga and her family moved to Canada when she was 11 years old. Soon after their move, they discovered Waldorf. After graduating from the Vancouver Waldorf School, she became an animator. Years later, she received her diploma in business management systems and returned to the animation field, this time as a production manager. Life then took her to New York where she worked as a free-lance graphic and web-designer. She has been a parent at Berkeley Rose since 2013, loves nature, cooking and working with her hands.

Bio coming soon.

Señora Damany joined Berkeley Rose in 2018. She brings her native Argentinean culture and 14 years of experience teaching in Waldorf schools – including many years in Phoenix, Arizona, and more recently at Singing Stones in Walnut Creek, CA.  She is passionate about world languages and the impact that being multilingual has in fostering world peace.  Her curative education training and her childhood musical repertoire of traditional songs come into play in every lesson. Señora Damany has 4 children spanning in ages from 5 to 19 years old.  She enjoys going on outings and learning things with her family, painting, and baking fresh sourdough bread every week.

Joy was raised and educated in China and is fluent in all aspects of Mandarin. She has been teaching Chinese privately for many years and is married with two wonderful, bilingual children. Joy likes to continuously learn and enjoys teaching many aspects of Chinese culture, such as stories, games, poetry, calligraphy, food, herbs, traditional medicine, acupressure, and music. Joy has been working at Berkeley Rose since 2015.

Henri has taught mathematics for nearly twenty years; working with advanced students in private and homeschool classes, as well as teaching after school classes in chess, computer programming, and engineering. Two decades ago he was the music teacher at both Marin Waldorf School and Novato Charter Waldorf, and came to be the Eighth grade class teacher at Novato.  Henri’s work has intertwined three careers; as a teacher, musician and carpenter. Having studied accordion from age five, as an adult he came to direct the ensembles for several folk dance companies that specialize in the music of Eastern Europe and Russia. More recently he designed and restored his Victorian home in West Oakland. His spiritual practice has led through mystical currents within Catholicism, Buddhism, and Quakerism.  He has a B.A. in Mathematics from Oberlin College.

Mr. Simpson joined Berkeley Rose in 2018 as the Upper Grades games teacher. He has 20 years of teaching experience with a BS in Exercise Physiology from California State University, and is also a certified member of several professional organizations such as American Council of Exercise (ACE), International Dance and Exercise Association (IDEA) Certified Fitness Trainer. Striving to make PE inclusive and FUN for all students Michael believes that through physical play students can develop successful life skills such as concentration, cooperation, self-esteem, imagination and relaxation as well as conflict resolution skills. I love to create the “Joy of Sports” and see the star in every child. As a PE teacher Mr. Simpson provides a safe environment for children to work on their skills and develop socially as well as physically active lifestyle.
When Mr. Simpson is not teaching PE classes, he enjoys playing USTA competitive tennis, his own work outs, traveling, cooking and spending time with his wife Jenneke and their two adult children Noah and Maya.

Bella grew up in various Waldorf communities up and down the West Coast, from Summerfield Waldorf School to the Portland Waldorf School. She found joy in many aspects of her education, and was drawn to understand it in a deeper way when she graduated from high school. She attended The Pacific Eurythmy School in Portland in 2017, and will begin her Waldorf teacher training this January. 

In her free time, she enjoys crafting, reading, singing to music while she cleans her home and a good cup of coffee.

Having grown up in central New York, Annie spent her professional life steadily moving west and is grateful to have arrived now at Berkeley Rose Waldorf School. Annie received her Bachelor of Science in Music Education K-12 from Geneva College in western Pennsylvania and recently graduated with her Masters in Music Education with a Kodály Emphasis from Holy Names University in Oakland. Over the years Annie has worked in various public and private school settings, teaching music to children in preschool through grade 12 and finding much joy helping them discover the richness of singing and learning to read music. Her approach to music education is driven by the Kodály philosophy; that music is for everyone, the voice is the child’s first instrument, folk music is the basis for quality musical training and that music should be taught in a logical and sequential manner as well as in a way that is joyful and not torturous. Being new to Berkeley Rose Waldorf School, Annie looks forward to integrating Waldorf principles and practices with her teaching.

Grace grew up in Israel and holds a Bachelors degree in Marine Biology and a Masters degree in Science Education from Tel Aviv University. She studied the effects of mindfulness meditation on ADHD in the brain and took part in several educational research projects in the field. Grace also holds a teaching credential in High School Sciences. Since becoming a mother, she discovered Waldorf education and along with sending her own children to a Waldorf school, she decided to also pursue Waldorf teacher training. Grace has been teaching different science subjects for the past 15 years, including Marine biology, aquaculture and research in high school and teaching various science courses such as: marine biology, biotechnology, neuroscience and mindfulness in gifted children schools. Grace moved to Berkeley in 2019 with her husband and three children.

Masumi Maei Hayashi-Smith graduated from Brown University where she spent three years as a board member of the student opera production company and directed a fully orchestrated production of Cristoph Willibald Gluck’s “Orpheo ed Euridice.” After college, she took a break from classical music doing education research in Sri Lanka on a Fulbright grant, and living in Bali. Upon re-entry to the United States, she began the Kodály Masters program at Holy Names University. Masumi teaches classes for 4-5 year olds at Vivace Youth Chorus in San Jose, teaches private voice and musicianship lessons at her home, and sings in the choir for St. Lukes Episcopal Church in Los Gatos. Masumi has been working at Berkeley Rose since 2015.

Natalya comes to us from the New York fashion and costume-making scene. A Parsons School of Design grad, she worked at Ralph Lauren and Met Opera before launching De Plume, a high-end girls dress line in 2007. As her focus shifted to organically and fair-trade produced children’s wear, the mother of two girls discovered Steiner’s teachings. She is currently completing the Applied Arts program for Waldorf handwork teachers at the Fibercraft Studio, Sunbridge Institute, NY. As an avid sustainability advocate she plant-dyes yarns for our students and is pleased to offer Garment Upcycling and Handwork classes to all Berkeley Rose parenting adults.

A native of Davis, CA, Rebecca Reed-Lunn has a Bachelor of Music with High Distinction as well as a Performer Diploma from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Her teachers have included Alan de Veritch, Yuval Gotlibovich, and Lynne Richburg, and she has studied pedagogy with Mimi Zweig and Brenda Brenner of the Indiana University String Academy as well as Cathryn Lee of the Suzuki Music Studio of San Francisco. Before moving to the Bay Area her previous teaching positions have included viola professor and pre-college violin and viola instructor at Western Kentucky University, and Assistant to the Director at Suzuki Maui. She more recently served as Orchestra Director of Harmony Project San Francisco, a tuition-free, El Sistema-modeled program. She is currently serving as the Suzuki Program Director and Chamber Orchestra Conductor at Crowden Music Center. Rebecca combines Suzuki with Paul Rolland methods and believes strongly in the Suzuki principle that every child can learn to play at a high level.

Cristina was born in Madrid, Spain. She studied a BA in Tourism, a BA in English Studies and a Masters in Teaching and Languages in Madrid. She studied her last year of her English studies degree in Brighton (England) and lived in Napa for a year in 2020. She speaks Spanish, English, French and a bit of Italian. Cristina has been teaching Spanish to American children for the last few years and she also taught English to high schoolers in Spain. She loves her 8 year old nephew and she really misses him and her family along with Spanish cuisine. Cristina loves doing yoga, going sightseeing and eating pies and sweets! 

Bio coming soon.

Julianna is new to the Bay Area, she is originally from San Diego.  Her daughter is the inspiration behind her wanting to pursue a career in early childhood.  She is very passionate about Steiner pedagogy and is currently enrolled in the Lifeways Early Childhood Certificate program in Marin.  She is also a student at the Waldorf Institute of Southern California in their Practical Arts Training program.  Her current favorite activities include knitting, going on nature walks, beach combing, and experimenting with natural dyes and pigments!  This will be her first year in Nursery and Julianna couldn’t be more ecstatic about joining the Berkeley Rose community .

August is a sophomore at UC Berkeley, double majoring in French and History with a minor in German. Originally from San Diego California, August has always been around children. During highschool he worked as the After School Coordinator for his nearby elementary school. August also acted as a babysitter for multiple Waldorf families, where he became introduced to the Waldorf curriculum. Since then he has wanted to participate in the Waldorf process and has thankfully been given the opportunity this year. He is excited to finish the year and build connections with the students. 

Originally from Los Angeles, California, Lila is a current undergraduate student in her second year at University of California, Berkeley majoring in Applied Linguistics with a minor in Theatre and Performance Studies. From kindergarten to the 5th grade, Lila attended a Montessori school and since then dreams of someday becoming a teacher herself. Currently focusing on the pedagogy of foreign languages, Lila sees teaching languages as a clear path within the near future. The Montessori method has taught her the importance of learning how to learn. With previous years of babysitting and volunteering at her elementary school, Lila is focused on learning how to teach younger ages for her foundation in teaching and is excited to do so at a Waldorf school.

Willow has been gardening and farming since she first learned to plant a corn patch with her father at age four. After college she moved to the Bay Area, where she founded the nonprofit urban farming program City Slicker Farms, which grew from one empty lot garden in 2000 to seven urban farms and the Backyard Garden Building Program, supplying thousands of pounds of urban-grown organic produce each year. Willow went on to start The Berkeley Basket, an urban community-supported agriculture (CSA) farm. In 2011, she coauthored The Essential Urban Farmer and received a teaching certificate from the Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training with the goal of inspiring children and adults through farm and garden education. Willow currently runs Three Springs Community Farm, a Biodynamic CSA and educational farm with her husband Lew in Bodega, Sonoma County.

Momo Sakai comes to Berkeley Rose as a class teacher in 2020, after being a grades assistant at San Francisco Waldorf School while completing three years at the Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training. Momo received her BA from Occidental College in Religious Studies, allowing her to study in Istanbul and in Rome. She grew up in the East Bay speaking Japanese at home and learning to play the piano from her mother, who was the piano accompanist at the East Bay Waldorf School. Alongside teaching, Momo enjoys cooking, gardening, reading, and going on walks in the hills. 

Amber Field is a teacher, performer, and sound healer featured in SF Magazine’s Best of the Bay for yoga music. They are a Tamalpa Associate Teacher of Expressive Arts and completed level 3 of Somatic Voicework the Lovetri Method™.  Amber specializes in world fusion music and has performed and taught at Esalen, UC Santa Cruz and Berkeley, SF Int’l Arts Festival, and more. They delight in helping people sing, sound & speak their truth with confidence. Amber offers private and group classes in voice work, drumming, body music, sound baths, ancestral healing, grief, and diversity/solidarity.

Sydney Borstel received her Waldorf teacher training in both Cuernavaca, Mexico, and San Francisco. After years of working in a myriad of different educational philosophies and schools, she found a home in the Waldorf pedagogy. Sydney received a BA in psychology from the University of San Francisco and her public school certification from San Diego State University.  Her international life experiences, having lived, studied, and taught in various Latin American countries and raising bilingual and bicultural children, yields an authentic multicultural lens in her approach to Waldorf education.

Remedios received a BA in English Literature and Vocal Performance in Opera from Pepperdine University. He is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu and a graduate of the West Coast Institute where he received his Waldorf Teaching Credential. An alumni of the Highland Hall Waldorf School in Northridge CA, where he attended 1st through 12th grade, he is a child to two Waldorf music teachers. He has worked in the corporate retail world, as an entrepreneur/owner of a  catering company and as a music and classroom teacher at both the Summerfield Waldorf School and the Woodland Star Waldorf Charter in Sonoma County. He is excited and deeply honored to be a teacher at Berkeley Rose and is looking forward to taking his class through to the 8th grade.

Originally from Sacramento, Sylvia Hurdle began working part time at Berkeley Rose as a block teacher and substitute after returning to California from Nashville, Tennessee five years ago.  In Tennessee she was a founding member of the Linden Waldorf School and took the pioneer class from kindergarten through 8th grade.  Subsequent years were spent on a variety of class teaching, block teaching and subject teaching depending on the school’s needs.  She received her Waldorf training from the Santa Monica Extension Program of WISC while her own children attended the Pasadena Waldorf school in the early nineties. Sylvia has a BA in German/Economics from UB Berkeley an MA in economics from Tufts.  She worked several years doing research in health policy prior to starting a family.  Today she is an urban homestead enthusiast and a master gardener who is grateful to still be working with children in a Waldorf community. 

Evangeline has followed the growth of Berkeley Rose with fondness since the beginning. She first started with the school in its earliest home on Rose St., where she was an aftercare teacher while completing her training at the Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training. Evangeline is a Waldorf graduate herself, and has taught kindergarten and grades at established Waldorf schools from the East Coast to the West Coast. She is an accomplished concert musician, and will, no doubt, take this class’s deep interest in music to a whole new level!

Sean Chiki grew up in the rust-belt region of southwest Pennsylvania. He attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and began working, immediately after that, as a commercial artist. Becoming disenchanted with the commercial art world, Sean practiced a variety of professions before settling into his role as class teacher, including illustrator, cartoonist, window-dresser, musician, theater sound-designer, bookseller and even – for a short time – mailman. Sean came to Waldorf through his reading of Steiner and his appreciation of the artistic and imaginative character of the Waldorf educational method, and has taught in the upper grades since 2015. He has a fondness for the rascals and tricksters of myth and history… his favorite may be Alcibiades of Classical Athens. When not wearing his teacher hat, Sean continues his work as a professional cartoonist. His first graphic novel (co-created with his wife) is forthcoming from First Second.

Aparajita has known many of the children in this class since her daughter was their classmate in Kindergarten. When Aparajita found Waldorf Education she enrolled her two daughters at Berkeley Rose and, along with her sister, started a Waldorf school in Delhi, India. Ukti Waldorf school continues to flourish with her help and guidance. Aparajita is an accomplished academic with a masters and a doctorate in Economics. As she helped bring Waldorf Education to her children and many children in India, she began to yearn for this education for herself. So, she enrolled in and graduated from the Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher training. The growth and benefits received from this education has enabled her to join an amazing group of students and to guide them on their journey through 8th grade.

Cecilia comes to the board with a longtime interest in Waldorf education, having studied at Rudolf Steiner College in 2003-04. Her connection with Berkeley Rose began when she brought her son to the mothering circle two and a half years ago. She has a background in global sustainability education, curriculum development, and account management. Most recently she served as Senior Director at Welocalize, managing partnerships with Fortune 100 clients. Cecilia loves spending time in nature and connecting deeply with people.

Meagan is an Artist and Educator with 20+ years’ experience teaching children.  Since 2017 she worked at the Mountain Laurel Waldorf School in New Paltz, NY, as a Lead Aftercare and Lead Substitute teacher and most recently as a Lead Kindergarten Teacher. She completed her Foundation Studies at the Alkion Center in Upstate NY and will complete her Early Childhood Waldorf Teacher Training at the Bay Area Center for Teacher Training.  After 20 years on the East Coast, Meagan is excited to be coming home to Berkeley, where she grew up. Before discovering Waldorf education, Meagan served as an Arts Education Consultant and Staff Developer in New York City where she reached over 2000 students with art projects that she designed. She received her BFA from the California College of Arts and did her MFA studies at the New York Academy of Art. Meagan is certified through UC Berkeley’s Coaching Institute and has advanced training in plant medicine and meditation. Meagan has one child; a beautiful 19-year-old who is one of her greatest teachers. 

Daniel is a teacher at Maybeck High School in Berkeley, where he teaches literature, philosophy, religion, and history classes. He is also a faculty associate at Bard College’s Institute for Writing and Thinking, and the author of Zen and the White Whale: A Buddhist Rendering of Moby-Dick. His wife Erin helps lead the diversity, equity and inclusion committee (WIDE) at Berkeley Rose, and they are both deeply committed to supporting and advancing equity and inclusion at BRWS. They have been a part of the Berkeley Rose community since 2016, with their two children, Ada (third grade) and June (kindergarten).

Sarah Briand has been a parent at Berkeley Rose since her oldest child started at the school in its second year. Through her work on the Site Search Committee, she has been involved in all aspects of the school’s three locations since it moved from a home-based program to an independent school. She was instrumental in the development of the first BRWS Parent Council where she served for two years. She joined the Board in 2014. She works as a midwife at a community health center in the East Bay, where she enjoys working with women and teaching the next generation of midwives.

James Johnson is an independent 3D sound designer providing consultation and production services for film, stage, theme parks, museums, and music productions. Previously, James worked in the fields of renewable energy, conservation, and healthy building design. James currently serves on the BRWS facilities committee with an eye towards health and sustainability. He is involved with various fundraising and community outreach efforts for the school. When not chasing around his partner and their school-age daughter, he has also been known to clean a few Berkeley Rose Waldorf School windows.

Sandy Portillo-Robins grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and El Salvador.  She got her B.S. from UCDavis, Medical Technology training from UCLA and a California teaching credential in Math and Biology from St. Mary’s College of Moraga.  She discovered Waldorf Education through her daughters, who attended the East Bay Waldorf School and the San Francisco Waldorf High School.  Sandy graduated from BACWTT in 2013 and has been teaching math since then at both the high school and middle school level.  She has worked at Credo High School, the East Bay Waldorf School, the Community School for Creative Education and most recently at the San Francisco Waldorf School.  She is very excited to be working at the Berkeley Rose Waldorf School and assisting Mr. Ducharme in the mathematics program. 

Kansas is, indeed, from the sunflower state of Kansas. He graduated from Reed College and Columbia University with degrees in Classics and Architectural Preservation. For the last 13 years, he has worked in the New Mobility industry and largely focused on expanding the use of bicycles. He has directed the business development and operations for bicycle sharing systems in Chicago and the Bay Area and currently leads operations for the e-bike retailer The New Wheel. Kansas has three children, including a son in Rosebuds this year. He presently chairs the Fundraising Committee. Kansas is honored to serve on the BRWS board and looks forwward to working with and for the community.

Tim Kelly has two young children (including a daughter in the Rosebuds), and he initially learned about Berkeley Rose through the Sweet Peas program. Tim works as a commercial real estate attorney and is a member of the school’s Site and Fundraising Committees. Born and raised on Long Island in New York, he studied at Boston College and Fordham University prior to relocating to the Bay Area in 2015 with his wife, Alex. Tim is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Berkeley Rose community and serve the school’s students, faculty and parents.

Steven is a stay at home father with a background in Performance, holding an MA and MFA in related fields. He has worked as a theatre teacher, producer, and director throughout the Bay Area, most recently working with Clown Lab SF. He has also worked in an arts program with adults with developmental disabilities. Steven and his daughter started with the parent-toddler classes at Berkeley Rose, through which he was introduced to this incredible community. Steven is currently participating in the Bay Area Waldorf Teacher Training program. In his spare time he bakes bread, rides bikes, and performs with his mobile clown punk rock band Donut Goat.

Nathan is the father of 3 Waldorf educated children, ranging from a 2nd grader at Berkeley Rose to a freshman at Sacramento State University.  Growing up in a traditional Hindu tradition, he’s been involved with Steiner education for 23 years, finding East Bay Waldorf School in his backyard while seeking a spiritual education for his children.   During the week, he runs a residential construction company in the Bay Area and Hawaii.   Evenings and weekends, you can find him still building stuff, boats, race cars, playground equipment.  For several days a month and a few weeks a year, he’s off the grid at the beach or the middle of the ocean.

Kristy‘s education and experience is rooted in design — she spent nearly a decade working in NYC as an art director for Martha Stewart and landed next in Australia where her focus shifted to sustainability, supporting small businesses and growing farmers markets. She became the VP of her local neighborhood association as well as chairing her housing board. It was in AU where she really got deep into local community, grants and contributing her skills toward said community over business. Since moving to Berkeley she become Co-founder and EVP of Brand for Marie Veronique which is a skin health company with goals of changing the culture and industry of beauty. Kristy is deeply committed to seeing BRWS evolve successfully and healthily under our shared values.

Keiko is a graduate of Early Childhood Waldorf Teacher Training at Steiner School in Sacramento.  She has taught at San Francisco Waldorf School as a Kindergarten aftercare teacher for the last 8 years.  She holds a bachelor of Fine Art and Architecture from California College of Art.  She has been a practicing artist for the last 30 years and exhibited her works in several galleries in Japan and Europe.  She believes every child is an artist and she has a passion to create the opportunities so that each child expresses themselves through art.  

Nicole, who successfully taught our 2021 graduating class from first through third grade, returns to Berkeley Rose. A San Francisco Waldorf School alum, she completed a BA in Fine Art at Mt. Holyoke College, and her Waldorf teacher training from the Rudolf Steiner College. Nicole has taught for two decades in Early Childhood and the early grades, taking three classes from first through third grade, and spending many years as a Kindergarten teacher. She has had the opportunity to work at the Marin Waldorf School, Monadnock Waldorf School, the Berkeley Rose Waldorf School, two public Schools in Richmond, CA and an International School in Geneva, Switzerland.

Nicole is a talented artist and classically trained singer. She loves painting from feeling and allowing the subject to appear using the veil painting method with both watercolor and oil paints. In addition to teaching at the Berkeley Rose Waldorf School, Nicole teaches singing and circle games with Lifeways Program and runs a weekly therapeutic movements class helping children to integrate their foundational senses. Nicole has two daughters who attend Credo High School and a son who will be joining Berkeley Rose.