Our Faculty | Waldorf School of San Diego

Since 1981, offering a superior education in San Diego.
We are a non-profit organization that values community members of all religions, creeds, races and national origins.

Our School

Our Faculty

Katherine Giglio, Sweet Pea Nursery Teacher and Morning Glory Playgroup Facilitator

Katherine has over 13 years teaching experience in public and private schools. She has taught and assisted in Waldorf Pre-schools and Kindergartens in California, Colorado and Texas. Katherine received a B.A. in psychology with a minor in health science from San Francisco State University. She has completed the Foundation Studies and Goethean Studies Programs at Rudolf Steiner College. Currently, Katherine is enrolled in a teacher training program at Sophia’s Hearth in New Hampshire. The program specializes in child development from birth to three years. Katherine moved to San Diego in the summer of 2006, with her husband, Robert, and their two sons: Jasper in grade 4, and Quinten in grade 6.

Susan Starr, Rosemary Kindergarten Teacher

Susan majored in kinesiology at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia and went on to social work before discovering Waldorf Education. She is a graduate of The Waldorf Early Childhood Training in Wynstones, England. She joined us after teaching 17 years at The Waldorf School of Princeton, where she was a founding faculty member. Born and raised in San Diego, she taught kindergarten at Sanderling School, an initiative, from 2002-03. Susan completed a three-year training in Puppetry with Suzanne Down, and looks forward to her sixth year as a Kindergarten teacher with us.

Veronica Connaughton, Perwinkle Kindergarten Teacher

Veronica received a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from the University of San Diego, California and a California Teaching Credential and Master’s Degree in Special Education from National University. She worked in the San Diego Unified School District as a Special Education teacher, tutor and student advocate. She was led to Waldorf education by her eldest son and now has three children in the school. Veronica graduated from the Waldorf Teaching program in San Diego in 2008.

Christy Klincewicz, Sunflower Kindergarten Teacher

Christy and her family come to us from the Great Oaks Waldorf School in Evanston, Illinois. Christy worked as a Kindergarten assistant for three years, a nap teacher, and Summer Camp lead teacher before coming to WSSD in 2002. She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and her Waldorf Kindergarten teaching certificate from Arcturus Rudolf Steiner Education program in Chicago. Christy’s daughter, Antonina, graduated from WSSD in 2005, and her son Julian is in the 8th grade.

Aminta Penman, Morning Glory Playgroup Facilitator

Aminta was born and raised in Ocotepeque, Honduras, and has had a lifetime connection with nature and children. She earned her teaching degree and came to the U.S. in 1989. She has been on the early childhood path for over 13 years. She worked as a Waldorf Kindergarten assistant for over two years and has completed two years of Waldorf teacher training. She teaches Spanish to young children. Her interests are many, but include cooking, running, hiking and spending time with her daughter, Sophia Grace, and her husband, Louis.

Elyse Stussi, 1st Grade Teacher

Elyse was a student at the Washington Waldorf School from 2nd-8th Grade. She received her Master’s degree in education from George Washington University, taught for 2 years as an ESOL teacher for the Maryland Public Schools. She then went to Brazil where she taught at the Cecilia Meireles Waldorf School for 4 years, first as an English teacher then as a remedial teacher. She received her certification as remedial teacher from the Association for Healing Education in Sao Paulo and Waldorf teacher training in Brazil. Her son, Sean, is in Grade Six.

Sherina Walker, 2nd Grade Teacher

Sherina graduated from San Diego State University with a B.A. in Psychology in 1994. She later returned to SDSU to earn a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential in 2001, and in 2005, she received both a Master’s degree in Reading and Language Arts and a Reading Specialist Credential. She completed the WISC program in the summer of 2006, and received her Waldorf Teacher Training Certificate. Sherina has two daughters, Brianna, who is in the 6th Grade, and baby Cheyenne.

Heather Scott, 3rd Grade Teacher

Heather has a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. in English from the University of New Hampshire. She has her Waldorf Teacher Certificate from Antioch New England Graduate School. This is her 7th year at WSSD. She has a daughter, Nia, in 6th Grade.

Adam Kilcollins, 4th Grade Teacher

Adam grew up in a small town in Nova Scotia, Canada, where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Education and Outdoor Recreation from Acadia University in 1998. After University, he took a position in Vermont as a Park Ranger, where he met and married his wife Jodi Abelow. In 2001, Adam and Jodi moved to California to escape Vermont's snow and began teaching Environmental Education to fifth and sixth graders for the County of Santa Clara in the redwood forest above Santa Cruz. During this time, both Adam and Jodi enrolled in the Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training in San Rafael (Marin County), CA. After completing one and a half years in this part-time program, Adam and Jodi moved to Sydney, Australia, and enrolled in a full-time Waldorf teacher training program based at the Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School. Upon completing their training, Adam and Jodi moved back to Northern California and resumed teaching Environmental Education until accepting positions at WSSD. This past April, Jodi gave birth to their first child, a son named Matthias. When not changing diapers and singing songs to Matthias, Adam enjoys triathlons, hiking, cooking, and lying on the beach. Adam is Co-Faculty Chair and a member of the Pedagogical Group for the 2009-2010 school year.

Lynne Ross-Witscher, 5th Grade Teacher

Lynne (“Mrs. Ross”) has a B.S. in Business Administration from Chapman University. Lynne was a kindergarten teacher at WSSD for 8 years and then moved to Fair Oaks for her daughter's high school years. For 6 years, Lynne was the Extended School Care Director for K-6 at the Sacramento Waldorf School. In July 2005, Lynne graduated from the Rudolf Steiner College, and accepted a class teacher position back at WSSD. In September 2005 she took a first grade class - they will enter grade five this year. Lynne is a member of the Pedagogical Group and the Board of Trustees.

Mary Carmichael, 6th Grade Teacher

Mary has a B.A. in Community Health Education from California State University, Chico. She attended the Foundation Year Program through the New England Waldorf Teacher Training Institute. Mary completed her studies at Rudolf Steiner College. She has a strong commitment to her study of and work in Anthroposophical Medicine. This is Mary’s 14th year at WSSD. Her son, Nicholas, graduated in 2004, and her daughter, Christina, graduated in 2008. Mary is a member of the Board of Trustees and Care Group.

Laura Ford, 7th Grade Teacher

Laura has a B.A. in Music from San Diego State University. She completed the Waldorf Teacher Training program at Antioch New England, and taught for three years at a Waldorf-methods charter school before coming to WSSD in 2003. She has three children: Paul in 8th grade, Emily in 10th and David, who graduated in 2005.

Bonnie Holden, 8th Grade Teacher

Bonnie has a B.A. in English from Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences in Akron, Ohio. She has her Waldorf Certificate from Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks, California. She taught for four years in the Spring Garden Waldorf School in Akron, where she carried a class from grade 3 through grade 6. Bonnie joined The Waldorf School of San Diego in 1986 as a kindergarten teacher. In 1996, she took a first grade class. The class was combined the following year. The first 8th grade graduated in 2003; the second 8th grade graduated in 2004. Bonnie is a member of the Pedagogical Group.

Nathan Wood Wilcox, High School Faculty Member in Humanities

In addition to his high school teaching duties, Nathan serves as the High School Chair and is a member of the Pedagogical Group. Nathan earned his B.A. in English from Pomona College in Claremont, California, and Jesus College in Cambridge, England. He completed his Waldorf High School teacher training in literature at Rudolf Steiner College. Nathan spent eight years teaching disabled adults and directing programs for United Cerebral Palsy, prior to joining the school in the summer of 2006 as the Director of High School Development. Nathan and his wife Megan have three children: Magnolia, Donovan, and Pippa.

Julia Nuñez, High School Faculty Member

Julia Nunez has a B.A. in French from Wichita State University. She lived and taught in Avignon, France, and did her Waldorf teacher training at Emerson College in Sussex, U.K. She did graduate work in French, Spanish and linguistics at Georgetown University and at Hunter College. She taught French at Michael Hall School in Sussex, U.K., Spanish at the Rudolf Steiner School in NYC, and Spanish, Hispanic folk and social dance, and elementary music at the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School and the Great Barrington Waldorf High School. Her daughters, Rebecca and Tristana, are Waldorf graduates.

Beth Holmberg, High School Faculty Member

Beth recieved her B.A. in Geology (with department honors) from Boston University and Sc. M. in Geological Sciences from Brown University. She has been teaching and doing science since age 15-- in the field, NASA-funded labs, museums, and both traditional and alternative high schools. Her post-graduate education includes courses and certifications in education, history of science, wilderness first aid, and blacksmithing. Her passions (beside teaching) include hiking and orienteering, cooking, reading plays, building beautiful canoes, and seeing science in the world. Her peak experience for the year was sailing a Viking ship in a Danish fjord with her spouse, Sarah. This year, she will be teaching metalsmithing and geology for the 9th graders, and first aid for the 10th graders.

Gayle Ansel, High School Faculty Member in Art

Gayle Ansel received her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Science Degree from San Diego State University and a Masters of Fine Arts Degree from The University of Pennsylvania. She has her Waldorf Teacher Training Certificate from Antioch, New England. She came to The Waldorf School of San Diego in 1998 as a class teacher and graduated a combined class in 2005. She then guided the sixth grade class to their graduation in June 2008. After completing a 6-month sabbatical, she is now teaching art, art history, and math in our high school. Prior to teaching at WSSD, she exhibited her work in both Canada and the United States. She taught painting, drawing, printmaking, and various crafts at the San Diego Children's Museum/Museo de los ninos, San Diego, CA; San Dieguito Continuing Education, Encinitas, CA; Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts, Idyllwild, CA; and the San Diego Community College District Continuing Education Programs, San Diego, CA. Her daughter, Clara, graduated from WSSD in 2004, and is in her second year at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts.

Bryan S. Whelan, High School Faculty Member in Band Ensemble

Bryan is a professional guitarist and accomplished teacher with both private students and performing ensembles. Having studied jazz and classical music theory at San Diego State University, Bryan has performed in a variety of professional groups and recently spent two months performing in Copenhagen, Denmark. Currently he instructs and leads the high school jazz ensemble at the Children’s Creative Performing Arts Academy in addition to his work at WSSD. Bryan and his wife welcomed their first child, Elijah, last fall.

Michelle Boynton, High School Faculty Member in Mathematics and Physical Science

Michelle holds a Bachelors Degree in Architectural Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University, where she graduated with honors. She has worked as a technical consultant on commercial Green Building projects for the last seven years, during which she also taught at local architecture and design colleges including the New School of Architecture and Design in San Diego. Michelle's complementary abilities include massage therapy and yoga. She joined the fauclty in 2008 and is cuurrently in her second year of Waldorf High School teacher training in mathematics and physics at the Center for Anthroposophy in New Hampshire. Her daughter, Maxine, is in the 6th grade.

Sara Gomes, Games Teacher

Sara holds a BA in Women's Studies from San Francisco State University. She came to WSSD when her daughter was a toddler in the Morning Glory Program; she's been here ever since. In preparation for becoming a teacher, she has put in many volunteer hours at various schools. Sara has two children, Maya (5th Grade) and Felix (3rd Grade).

Johanna Müller-Laurelin, Eurythmist/Strings/Orchestra Teacher

Johanna attended the Kassel Waldorf School from first grade through thirteenth/Arbitur. While at the University in Hamburg, she discovered the Eurythmy School, where she co-founded the Orchestra Hamburg as the principal violinist. In 1985, Johanna became a member of the Stuttgart Eurythmeum performing group. In 1988, she was invited to co-found the Los Angeles Eurythmy Ensemble, which in 1997 evolved into the South Coast Eurythmy Ensemble. Johanna is a widely acclaimed Eurythmist, who performs with stage groups in Europe and the U.S. An experienced Eurythmy teacher in Waldorf schools, Johanna is also a teacher and co-director of The Waldorf Institute of Southern California (WISC). She joins us for her eighth year of teaching Eurythmy and Strings/Orchestra. She is also a member of the Pedagogical Group.

Amanda Womble, French and Gardening Teacher

Amanda comes from a family of farmers. She grew up on an organic walnut farm in the San Joaquin Valley. She began studying language in middle school, and continued her study of both French and Spanish through college. She majored in French at San Diego State University and finished her senior year in the south of France, Aix en Provence, at the Institut d’Etudes Francaises pour Etudiants Etrangers. She completed her year of studies and received her Diplome d’Etudes Francaises. She then moved to the southwest of France where she lived with a French family and worked on their small farm. She has completed two years of Waldorf Teacher Training for class teachers and two years of Foreign Language Teacher Training; she has completed a Biodynamic Gardening Training at Rudolf Steiner College.

Jennifer Hedin, Handwork Teacher

Jennifer has held a lifelong interest in handwork. She is skillful in knitting, sewing, quilting, crocheting, embroidery and other handwork activities, including working with wood. Jennifer has been involved in Waldorf education for eleven years beginning in Tucson, Arizona. She has four children: Lars (7th Grade), Owen (3rd Grade), Molly (3rd Grade) and Elanor Rose (baby). Jennifer has an B.A. in Botany from the University of California, Berkeley and a Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology with an emphasis in Tropical Botany from Washington University in St. Louis. She has completed the Handwork Teacher Training at Rudolf Steiner College in Fair Oaks, CA.

Kate Vance, High School Special Subject Teacher

This will be Kate’s 16th year with WSSD and her 11th non-consecutive year on the Board of Trustees. Throughout this time she has been active in many aspects of the school, and is currently the Chairman of the Alumni Committee, and serving on the Finance Committee. She has a passion for costumes, and has overseen the costume room at the school for the majority of the past 15 years. She also raises Guide Dogs for the Blind so this year you may see her on campus with her latest puppy due in October. She received her B.A. in Business Administration from Cal Western. Her Daughter, Amelia, graduated from our school in 2005 and is currently a freshman at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington.

Elyse Stussi, Educational Support Teacher

Eric Gelfand, High School Faculty Member

Eric has a BS in Human Physiology, magna cum laude, from Boston University, where he taught human anatomy. He is a student in Betty Staley’s high school teacher training program at Rudolf Steiner College. He has worked with adolescents in sports for over 15 years. Most of this time was spent coaching gymnastics with children ages 2-18, one of whom became a 2004 Olympic silver medallist. He taught PE for Montessori schools in Seattle and a public school in Boston. Along the way he has been a software test engineer, massage therapist, and nearly went to medical school before his daughter called him from the Rainbow Bridge to tell him he had other work to do. Previously he was a stay-at-home dad of his three children, Zavdi (5), Chagall (3), and ZsaZsa (2) for the last 6 years.

Lyudmila Rockett, Music Teacher

Lyudmilla has taught music since 1996 to children in both Russia and the United States. Her BA is in Music Education and Choir Management. She plays the piano and also gives lessons.