Faculty and Staff
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Upper School Faculty | Middle School Faculty : Administrators, Staff and Associates
Athenian is home to a world-class community of faculty who combine scholarship, experience, talent, and a sense of excellence to help create an unparalleled learning and growing environment for our students.
Upper School Faculty
M.A., Ohio University; B.A., M.A., Western Kentucky University
Foreign Language - Spanish
Sally Baker
B.A., Brown University
Visual Arts
Christopher Beeson
B.A., M.A.T., Occidental College
Director of Admission and Financial Aid, Humanities
Elisabeth Bertschi
B.A., University of Portland; M.A., San Francisco State University
Foreign Language - French
Rebecca Bierlink
B.A., Princeton University
Humanities
Dick Bradford
B.A., Williams College; M.A., University of San Francisco
Upper School Head and Academic Dean, Humanities
B.S. and M.A., University of East Anglia, England
Science
Karla Brundage
B.A., Vassar College; M.A., San Francisco State University
Humanities
Michelle Capobres
B.A., University of Michigan; M.A., Columbia University Teacher's College
Humanities
Shu-Chiung Chang
B.A., Soochow University, Taipei; Chinese as a Second Language Certificate, University of California, Berkeley
Foreign Language - Mandarin
Darek Cliff
B.S., California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Director of Athletics
B.A., University of California at Los Angeles; M.A., The University of London, King's College
Humanities
Phoebe Dameron
B.A., Prescott College; M.A., Mills College
Co-Director of the Athenian Wilderness Experience
Eleanor Dase
B.A., University of Michigan; M.A., St. Mary's College
Head of School
Saheli (Rupa) Datta '96
B.A., University of California, Berkeley; M.S., Columbia University
Science
Gabe Del Real
B.S., St. Mary's College; M.A., Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology
Curriculum Coordinator, Humanities
Lizette Ortega Dolan
B.A., University of California at Berkeley; M.A., Harvard University
Humanities, Dean of Diversity and Inclusion
Laura Ellis
B.A., Mills College
Fine Arts
Suzanne Falkenstein
B.A., M.A., University of Cincinnati
Director of Technology
Mark Friedman
B.A., Oberlin College; M.N.A., University of San Francisco
Community Service Director
Peter Gates
B.S., Yale University
Science
Stacey Goodman
B.A., Princeton University; M.F.A., California Institute of the Arts
Visual Arts
Phillip Hadley
B.A., University of Toronto
Mathematics
Jason Ham
B.A., University of Texas at Austin
Co-Director of the Athenian Wilderness Experience
Bruce Hamren
B.A., M.A., California State University at Chico
Science, Department Co-Chair
Lisa Haney
B.A., University of California at Berkeley; M.A.T., The School for International Training
Humanities
John Harvey
B.A., Hampshire College; M.A., Ph.D., Tulane University
Foreign Language - Spanish
Stephen Herrick
B.F.A., Antioch University
Fine Arts
Kathleen Huntington
B.A., Bowdoin College; M.A., Stanford University; M.A., Middlebury College; M.A., San Francisco State University
Dean of Students
B.S., University of California at Los Angeles
Mathematics
Howard Kaplan
B.A., University of California at Berkeley
Mathematics
Megan Leich
B.A., Whitman College; M.S., University of Oregon
Science, Robotics
Kathleen Letellier
B.A., M.A., San Francisco State University
ESL
John Lovato
B.A., San Francisco State University; M.S., California State University-Hayward
Mathematics
Daniel Mayeri
B.A., University of California, Berkeley
Mathematics
Stephanie McGraw
B.A., University of California at Berkeley; M.A., Sonoma State University
Humanities
Kristina Merschat
B.A., M.A., University of California at Santa Barbara
Foreign Language - Spanish
Todd Miller
B.A., M.A., University of California at Berkeley
Mathematics
B.A., Smith College
Humanities
Robin Dare Oliver
B.A., M.A., University of California at Santa Barbara
Foreign Language - French, Department Chair
Kelita Osca
B.A., Universidad Metropolitana, Venezuela; M.S., Northwestern University School of Education & Social Policy
Foreign Language - Spanish
David Otten
B.S., University of Colorado at Boulder; Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley
Science
Katherine Papastephanou
B.S., Duke University; M.S., San Francisco State University
Science
Michelle Park
B.A., University of California at Berkeley; M.A., San Francisco State University
Director of International and Residential Programs
David Ruenzel
B.A., University of Wisconsin; M.A., Indiana University
Humanities
Jan Russell
B.A., Smith College; M.E.D, Stanford University; M.A., University of California at Berkeley
Director of College Counseling
Karen Sanford
B.A., California State University at Hayward
Fine Arts, Department Chair
Sam Shapiro
B.A., University of California at Santa Cruz; M.A., Harvard University
Humanities
Emily Shinkle
B.A., California State University at Hayward; M.A., M.Ed., Teachers College Columbia University
Choral Director
Rostislav Smirnov
B.S., M.S., University of Odessa, Ukraine
Mathematics
April Smock
B.A., California State University at Humboldt; M.A., California State University at Hayward
Humanities, Department Chair
B.A., Sheffield University
Humanities
Tom Swope
B.A., M.A., Washington University
Fine Arts
Peter Tamaribuchi
B.A., Amherst; M.A., Boston University; M.F.A., University of California at Los Angeles
Fine Arts
B.A., Marquette University
Humanities
Lynne Carberry
B.A., San Francisco State University; J.D., Hastings College of Law, University of California at San Francisco
Head of Middle School, Mathematics
Shu-Chiung Chang
B.A., Soochow University, Taipei; Chinese as a Second Language Certificate, University of California, Berkeley
Foreign Language - Mandarin
Larissa Chernin
B.A., Harvard University; M.F.A., Massachusetts School of Fine Arts
Art, Physical Education
Darek Cliff
B.S., California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Physical Education, Director of Athletics
Mary Eid
B.A., Vassar College; l'Universite de Paris; l'Institut d'Etudes Politiques (IEP) in Paris
Foreign Language - French
B.A., University of Delaware; M.A., St. Mary's College
English
Ivonne Hernandez
B.A., M.A., San Francisco State University
Foreign Language - Spanish
Stephen Herrick
B.F.A., Antioch University
Music
Cindy Kanstein
B.S., University of California at Los Angeles; M.A., San Francisco State University
Science
B.F.A., San Francisco Art Institute; M.F.A., University of Texas at Austin
Art
Stephen Marotti
B.A., Wayne State University
Foreign Language - Spanish, Physical Education
Chris McCulloch
B.A., University of California at Berkeley; M.A., University of Virginia
Dean of Students, English
Victoria Merriman
B.A., John F. Kennedy University
Librarian
Sven Miller
B.A., University of California at Berkeley
Social Studies
Nancy Nagramada
B.A., Hunter College; M.A., Columbia University
Humanities
Tina Nott
B.A., California State University at Chico
Mathematics
Danielle Oswood
B.S., University of California at Davis
Physical Education, Assistant Athletic Director
Genevieve Proctor
B.S., Brown University; M.S., University of California at Berkeley
Science
Brian Raymond
B.S., Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Mathematics
Charlie Raymond
B.A., University of California at Berkeley
English
Emily Shinkle
B.A., California State University at Hayward; M.A., M.Ed., Teachers College Columbia University
Choral Director
Leah Webb
B.A., Vanderbilt University; M.A., Harvard University
Science
Ted Webb
B.A., University of California at San Diego
Social Studies
Toneka Webb
B.A., California State University at Chico; M.S., California State Hayward
Middle School Counselor
Administrators, Staff and Associates
Dolly Ackerman
Transportation
Debra Ataman
Associate Director of Special Programs
Christopher Beeson
Director of Admission and Financial Aid
Matthew Binder
Director of Information Systems
Dick Bradford
Upper School Head/Academic Dean
Lynne Carberry
Middle School Head
Barbara Carlino, M.F.T.
Upper School Counselor
Colleen Cassettari
Director of Summer Programs
Angel Castro
Bookeeper and Student Billings
Abbie Cielbala
Receptionist
Darek Cliff
Director of Athletics
V. Valerie Coleman
School Nurse
Phoebe Dameron
Co-Director of the Athenian Wilderness Experience
Eleanor Dase
Head of School
Director of Development
Gabe Del Real
Upper School Curriculum Coordinator
Debbie Derana
Assistant to the Head of School
Lizette Ortega Dolan
Dean of Diversity and Inclusion
Laura Eriksson
Development Associate—Alumni and Donor Relations and Events
Registrar Assistant
Debbie Evans-Harbin
Director of Transportation
Suzanne Falkenstein
Director of Technology
Mark Friedman
Director of Community Service
Beverly Gomer
Associate Director of Admission and Financial Aid / Dean of Associates
Lydia Guzman
Upper School Attendance
Jason Ham
Co-Director of the Athenian Wilderness Experience
Kathleen Huntington
Dean of Students
Associate Director of Development—Major Gifts
Transportation
Jada Koonce
Assistant to Upper School Head
Terri MacPhail
Assistant Business Manager
Patti Martens
Assistant to Middle School Head
Linda May
Middle School Office Coordinator
Chris McCulloch
Middle School Dean of Students
Todd Miller
Dean of Faculty, Upper School
Vickey Nemanich
Admission Coordinator
Bob Oxenburgh
Director of Finance and Business Operations
Suzanne Palmer
Transportation, Girls' Dorm Parent
Michelle Park
Director of International and Residential Programs
Dean of Faculty, Middle School
Jan Russell
Director of College Counseling
Debbie Schafgans
Student Store and Office Manager / Dean of Staff
Associate Director of Development—Communications and Public Relations
Sam Shapiro
Ninth Grade Dean
Receptionist
Jim Sternberg
Library Director
Mark van Warmerdam
Associate Director of College Counseling, Boys' Dorm Parent
Shoshana Ziblatt '92
Associate Director of Development—Annual Fund
Administrative Assistant
Emmett Bryant
Facilities Director
Kevin Calazan
Landscaper
James Clontz
Maintenance
Miguel Dionela
Landscaper
Utility Lead
Vicente Leones
Custodian
Billy Madden
Landscaper
Thien Nguyen
Landscaper
Willie Sison
Maintenance
Sodexo Food Service Team
Miguel Aguilar
Food Services Coordinator
Kathleen Condeff
Director of Food Services
John Sears
Food Services Coordinator
Huyen Nga Le
Food Services Coordinator
Thu Nhi Nguyen
Food Services Coordinator
