Xochi Batlle, Fourth Grade Associate Teacher, holds a bachelor of science in wildlife ecology and conservation and a bachelor of arts in anthropology from the University of Florida. Prior to joining CDS, Xochi taught a science-based curriculum to preschool through fifth grade students at Fairmount Elementary School through Education Outside, a nonprofit organization that advances science education and environmental literacy by teaching outdoors in public school. Most recently, she taught life sciences at SF Expeditionary School, a small school providing individualized instruction to students in grades 4 through 7. She also has been a lead teacher at Aim High, a summer learning and enrichment program that serves under-resourced middle school students, and a teacher-in-residence at Slide Ranch, leading outdoor experiential learning programs that emphasized farming, cooking, caring for animals, and exploring the wilderness and the coast. 

Julie Bruins, Early Childhood and Lower School Music Teacher, joined CDS in 2019 with 15 years of experience at various Bay Area schools. She most recently served as the music teacher at Alta Vista School; prior thereto, she held the same job at Coronado Elementary School, Piedmont Avenue Elementary School, The Bentley School, and St. Elizabeth Elementary School. Julie holds a bachelor of music from NYU, majoring in flute performance and graduating cum laude, and she also possesses a Level III Orff Certificate and a World Music Drumming Level I Certificate. She is a board member of the Northern California chapter of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association.

Nicole Chin, a member of the fourth grade team as well as our Community, Equity, and Belonging team, joined CDS in 2019. Nicole holds degrees from the University of California, Davis in music, economics, and education, as well as a Masters of Arts degree in Education and a California Teacher credential from the Bay Area Teachers Training Institute. She has worked as a chorus director, martial arts instructor, and private violin teacher and loves integrating these topics into the classroom. In her free time, she spends time with her dog, Dax, at Fort Funston, and runs her small baking business, Nicole's KitChin. Nicole is fluent in Mandarin, owns as many pairs of overalls as there are days in the week, and is trained in Responsive Classroom.

Caitlyn Connolly joined the CDS team in 2019 after teaching students in grades 1-3 at Shanghai Community International School in China for five years. She has considerable experience in the Bay Area educational world: after receiving a bachelor's degree in history from Santa Clara and a master's degree in teaching from the University of San Francisco, she served as a kindergarten teacher first at Rosa Parks Elementary School in San Francisco and then at St. Timothy’s Catholic School in San Mateo, and later as a first grade teacher at All Souls Catholic School in South San Francisco. Caitlyn also served as a middle and high school basketball coach during her time in China.

Guillermo Cortez, Preschool Teacher, joined CDS in 2016 after holding various teaching positions in San Francisco and Cambridge, Massachusetts. Most recently, he was a first grade co-teacher at San Francisco Day School; prior thereto he was a paraprofessional teacher at Presidio Early Education School, an inclusive Reggio Emilia preschool, and a lead science instructor at Galileo Innovation Camp for Kids. He holds a bachelor's degree in child development from Tufts University and is trained in Responsive Classroom, an approach that implements classroom practices that build academic and social-emotional competencies. Guillermo is fluent in Spanish. 

Laura DiMonte joined CDS in 2021 as our Preschool Specialist Teacher. She arrived with more than a decade of experience as an arts educator in New York and the Bay Area, including a tenure as an art studio lead teacher at Bright Horizons (where she won an Environmental Champion Award for leading environmental awareness in the workplace), as an arts specialist and after school coordinator at Mission Montessori, and an at-home preschool pod teacher at Happy Little School during the COVID-19 pandemic. Laura holds a bachelor’s degree in art education from Nazareth College.

Spencer Donaldson, Lower School Associate PE Teacher, joined CDS in 2016 as a lower school classroom teacher before moving to the athletic department in 2019. He holds an master's degree in education and a California Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute at the University of the Pacific, as well as a bachelor's degree in English from Occidental College. He has been a counselor at various camps for elementary-aged children, including working with third grade students at the summer academy of Growth and Learning Opportunities (GLO), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower youth and families to be leaders toward equitable communities. Spencer is an experienced podcaster, blogger, and writer, focusing on sports topics, and an accomplished musician.

David Eastin joined the CDS team in 2021 as our Seventh Grade Humanities Teacher. He had most recently served as a fifth-grade teacher at Hillcrest Elementary School (where he was a member of the Culture and Climate Team as well as the Digital Learning Facilitator Program) and sixth through eighth-grade humanities teacher at Spanish Infusion School. Prior thereto, he spent seven years in Spain as an English instructor at various local schools. David holds a bachelor’s degree in literary studies from Utah Valley University and completed master’s courses in English literature at St. Louis University in Madrid.

Jasmin Flores, Preschool Teacher, joined CDS in 2015. She was a preschool teacher for 14 years at Buen Dia Family School in San Francisco, an arts-focused English-Spanish bilingual preschool program, and prior thereto she taught at Guided Discovery, an inclusion preschool that is a program of the YMCA in Boise, Idaho. Jasmin earned her Early Childhood Education units through City College of San Francisco and has received training in mindfulness in education. She is fluent in Spanish. 

Greg Gardner, Preschool Teacher, joined us in 2012 from Presidio Early Education School, an inclusive Reggio Emilia preschool. Prior to that, he was a substitute for special ed/child development classrooms through San Francisco Unified School District and has also been an instructor at the Thrive Foundation for Youth in San Francisco. He earned his Early Childhood Education credits from City College of San Francisco. Greg graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Grand Canyon University. In 2021, Greg was awarded the Molly Huffman Award for Teaching Excellence (named after former CDS Head of School Molly Huffman). He also owns his own independent record label, has performed with Conspiracy of Beards, creates children's songs and books about social justice issues, and designs graphics for the San Francisco Skate Club. He is the father of two children.

 

Matt Goldberg returned to CDS in 2019 as our Middle School Art Teacher after having served as a maternity sub for the first half of the previous school year. Matt holds bachelor’s degrees in studio art and art history from the University of Colorado and a master’s degree in sculpture from the San Francisco Art Institute. Before coming to CDS, Matt was the Resident Art Teacher at Town School while also working as a teaching artist for various institutions, including SFAI and SOMArts Cultural Center (where he serves as the Director of Ceramic Programs). He maintains his own studio art practice and regularly exhibits work. 

Antonette Greene, Early Childhood Program Director, joined CDS in 2016 with many years of experience in the area of early childhood education. Antonette completed her Ed.D. in educational leadership from Mills College and also has a master's degree in educational leadership from Mills. As a classroom teacher and assistant director for 18 years at Kumara School in Mill Valley, she served in many roles, including teaching, mentoring classroom teachers, partnering with the director to develop curriculum and program priorities, and presenting the program and curriculum to families. She has also worked as a teacher trainer, helping set goals for teacher growth and developing content and materials for trainings.

Catherine Grove, Kindergarten to Fifth Grade Learning Specialist, joined CDS in 2017 after 14 years as a teacher with the San Francisco Unified School District. Catherine holds a California Teaching Credential in both Elementary Education (Multiple Subjects) and Special Education from San Francisco State University. She has a master's degree in special education with an emphasis on mild/moderate learning disabilities from San Francisco State.

Catherine is trained in Slingerland Multisensory Structured Language Approach, Project Read, LindaMood Bell, Making Math Real, and Social Thinking Curriculum.

Outside of teaching, Catherine enjoys biking, reading, and playing at the beach with her two children.

Katie Hart, who joined us in 2018 as our Early Childhood Program and Lower School Art teacher, holds a master’s degree in urban education from Holy Names University, a bachelor's degree in visual arts from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a California Clear Single-Subject Art Teaching Credential. She is a practicing artist and has more than a decade of experience teaching art to students across all grades from kindergarten to high school. Before coming to CDS, she served for eight years as the K-6 art teacher at Lighthouse Community Charter School in Oakland.

Lindsay Hershenhorn originally joined CDS in 2009 as a first grade head teacher. She left CDS in 2012 to pursue her doctorate in educational leadership. Lindsay returned to CDS in 2014, first as our Literacy Specialist, then the Assistant Lower School Director, and currently as the Director of Curriculum & Program Innovation. Lindsay holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Ithaca College, an master's degree in early childhood education from New York University, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Mills College.

Stephanie Jack joined the first grade team in 2021. She previously served as a TK/kindergarten lead guide at Guidepost Montessori, a foundational and lower elementary teacher at AltSchool, and a TK/kindergarten teacher at Our Lady Queen of Peace School in Madison, Wisconsin, where she established the full-day TK program and served on the Technology Committee. Stephanie holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Wisconsin. She is also an abstract painter, a certified yoga teacher, and the leader of a rooftop gardening group.

Tianjia (TJ) Jin, who joined the third grade team in 2021, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Teacher Education from the University of Michigan and a Master's in Learning Sciences and Technology from the University of Pennsylvania. She is also a certified elementary Montessori teacher who is passionate about building a learner-centered classroom that fosters agency and curiosity. She has worked in a variety of educational settings, including as an upper elementary (4th-5th grade) lead guide for Guidepost Montessori at Fort Mason, a first grade student teacher at Burns Park Elementary School in Ann Arbor, and a curriculum developer for underprivileged children in China. TJ is bilingual in Chinese and English and plays two traditional Chinese instruments, the guzheng and hulusi.

Jackie Katz joined CDS in 2017 as our Middle School Drama Teacher, having formerly worked as a teaching assistant at the California College of the Arts, a lead teacher with the Renegade Girls Club after school program, an Education Coordinator at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and a facilitator of Visual and Social Practice Art at Centre 3 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (her hometown!). Jackie has also been a volunteer teacher in refugee centers in Toronto, New York, and the Bay Area for over 12 years. She is the founder of Play:ground, an adventure playground on Governor’s Island in New York, and of Stellarvisions, a creative arts program that has been implemented in multiple cities. She holds a bachelor's degree in theatre studies from Dalhousie University and a master's degree in social practice and public forms from California College of the Arts. She is fluent in Hebrew and learning Arabic. 

Radha Kindler, Preschool Teacher, joined CDS in 2015. Radha earned an associate degree in child development and a certificate in child development from City College of San Francisco. She has 10 years of experience teaching according to the Reggio Emilia philosophy at the Jewish Community Center and over 18 years of teaching experience altogether. Most recently, Radha has been the Lead Volunteer and Childcare Coordinator for Project Homeless Connect, an agency that connects San Franciscans experiencing homelessness with the care and support they need to move forward.

Anna Lee, who joined the First Grade team in 2018, is a graduate of Swarthmore College and a former Teaching Fellow with Breakthrough Collaborative, a nonprofit organization that provides summer academic programming and school-year support to under-resourced students. Anna also possesses experience as a student teacher in multiple constructivist schools, has worked with students between third and sixth grades, and has designed interdisciplinary lessons focused on equity and equality. She is trained in Responsive Classroom, an approach that implements classroom practices that build academic and social-emotional competencies.

Candy Mabry, Preschool Teacher, joined the CDS preschool team in 1990. During the 2004-2005 school year, Candy was the Assistant Head of School, and from 2006-2008 she taught kindergarten. During the 2003-2004 school year, Candy served as the early childhood representative for the California Association of Independent Schools Northern Professional Services Committee. Candy earned her bachelor's degree in music at San Francisco State University and received certificates from City College of San Francisco in early childhood education and early childhood administration. Candy is certified in the Project Approach and has received training through All Kinds of Minds. Prior to joining CDS, she spent eight years as a head teacher at the Jewish Community Center, Rosenberg Early Childhood Center in San Francisco.

Genesis Manyari, who joined the CDS team in 2020 as our Fifth Grade Humanities Teacher, is a first-generation college graduate from Saint Mary’s College of California with a bachelor’s degree in Justice, Community, and Leadership and a minor in Women and Gender Studies. Before coming to CDS, she worked as a science teacher at De Marillac Academy. A proud Peruvian who grew up in the Mission District, she believes in the power of learning and is a passionate advocate for children and families.

Gabriela Martinez del Campo, Middle School Spanish Teacher, joined CDS in 2015 with more than 25 years of experience in teaching and curriculum development. Gabriela has a master’s degree in social communication from Universidad Panamericana in México and a bachelor's degree in education from Universidad Nacional Autinoma de México. She also earned a Certificate from the National Conservatory of Music in México.

Paola Nou, Fifth & Sixth Grade Spanish Teacher, joined CDS in 2017 after teaching Spanish for 12 years at Presidio Hill School. She has taught Spanish at Live Oak School (middle school), Greenwood School in Mill Valley (grades K-8), and Gateway High School. She also has served as a Spanish-language crisis line volunteer at Casa de las Madres, a nonprofit organization providing support and services to women and children experiencing domestic violence. Paola holds a master's degree from the State University of Argentina and is trained in Developmental Designs.

Darryl Owens, Fourth Grade Teacher, joined CDS in 2017 from Presidio Hill School, where she was the maternity leave substitute in fifth grade for over a year. Prior thereto, Darryl taught fourth and fifth grade for four years at the Kennington Junior Academy in England, and previously was a summer volunteer teacher with Art in Tanzania, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that promotes the development of vulnerable communities in Tanzania through education, arts and health and environmental programs. Darryl holds a bachelor's degree and Qualified Teacher Status in primary education from Canterbury Christ Church University in England. She is trained in Responsive Classroom, an approach that implements classroom practices that build academic and social-emotional competencies.

Luisa Pinto, Kindergarten Teacher, came to CDS in 2008 after teaching kindergarten, first, and second grades at Ring Mountain Day School in Mill Valley. She previously taught elementary school at The Nueva School in Hillsborough. Luisa has a master's degree in early childhood education and a multiple subject teaching credential with a focus on early childhood education from Mills College, and holds a bachelor's degree in liberal studies from San Francisco State University. She is fluent in Portuguese and enjoys yoga, traveling, cooking, and biking to the beach.

Sadie Renjilian joined our third grade team in 2021. She previously worked for three years as a teaching fellow at San Francisco Day School. In recent years, Sadie has also worked as a sixth grade math teacher at Aim High, an educator at Project Ember, and a one-on-one tutor for students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. She is a graduate of Wesleyan University (from which she holds a bachelor’s degree in history) and earned her Masters of Education the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute. Sadie is originally from Atlanta, Georgia. 

Lori Roberts, Middle School Physical Education Teacher, joined CDS in 2015 after more than ten years at Beacon Day School in Oakland, where she taught physical education in kindergarten through eighth grade, coached after-school sports, and managed the after-school program for all grades. Lori holds a bachelor's degree in business management from the University of Phoenix.

Rhonda Ross, Physical Education Teacher, joined us from St. Paul’s School in Oakland, where she taught P.E. for twelve years. She also served as a basketball and volleyball coach. Before St. Paul’s, she taught P.E. at Chinese American International School. She has a bachelor's degree in exercise and sport sciences with a specialty in exercise science from Colby-Sawyer College and a teaching credential (physical education) from California State University, Hayward.

Ami Sciarrillo joined CDS in 2019, initially as a fourth grade teacher before moving to the kindergarten team in Fall 2020. Previously, she served as a third grade teaching assistant at San Francisco Friends School.  She has a bachelor's degree in liberal studies from San Francisco State as well as a master's degree in education and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential through the University of the Pacific, Bay Area Teacher Training Institute. Ami has worked as a volunteer in multiple local schools, including Starr King Elementary School and Marshall Elementary School. She also has done educational work with Jumpstart and Amigos de las Americas. She is trained in Responsive Classroom, an approach that implements classroom practices that build academic and social-emotional competencies, and she is fluent in Spanish and conversational in French.

Samuel Sevett joined CDS in 2016 as the Innovation Lab Intern. Previously, Sam was a teaching assistant for two years at Sinai Akiba Academy in Los Angeles, where he worked with elementary and middle school students in programming, 3D modeling, computer simulations, and other STEM learning. Prior thereto, Sam served two years as the Sports and Judaic Studies Program Developer at Sinai Temple Religious School in Los Angeles, where he created a unique curriculum blending aspects of traditional Judaic values with sports and athletics. While in Los Angeles, Sam also was a Hebrew tutor at Temple Israel of Hollywood. Sam holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.

Ngoc Tran, Preschool Teacher, came to CDS in 2000 from Head Start, where she worked for five years. Ngoc received her associate degree in child development and a certificate in child development administration from City College of San Francisco, and she has a child development site supervisor permit with the state of California. Ngoc is certified in the Project Approach and trained in Total Physical Response (TPR). She continues to pursue child development coursework and classes in English as a Second Language. Ngoc has two children and, in addition to English, she speaks and writes Vietnamese, Cantonese, and Mandarin. She enjoys sewing and is passionate about sharing her culture and learning about other cultures in the CDS community.

Divya Vyas, Transitional Kindergarten Teacher, joined CDS in 2014 with more than ten years of experience in curriculum planning, classroom teaching, and documentation of different early childhood settings. Divya earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and child care from SNDT University, Mumbai, India, a master's degree in English literature from JNV University, and a master’s degree in early childhood education from San Francisco State University.

Wendy Macias Walker, Middle School Counselor, holds a M.Ed. in Secondary Counseling from the University of South Carolina and a bachelor's degree in sociology-anthropology and Spanish from Knox College in Illinois. Before joining CDS in 2016, Wendy spent 18 years at Punahou School, a K-12 independent school in Hawaii, first as a teacher and subsequently as a teacher and counselor. During her 13 years as a counselor at Punahou, Wendy maintained long-term counseling relationships with students, developed curriculum, taught psychology, provided ninth grade guidance, peer helping, and advanced peer helping, and served as an advisor to the school’s Neuro Club. Prior to her work at Punahou, Wendy worked as a teacher at various schools in Tennessee, South Carolina, Michigan, and Mexico. She is fluent in Spanish.

Shelly Luke Wille joined CDS as Head of School in 2018. A Bay Area native, she possesses a deep knowledge of and commitment to progressive education. Shelly holds a master's degree in special education and a bachelor's degree in diversified liberal arts (with an emphasis on math and science) from St. Mary’s College, California, as well as credentials in Multiple Subject Teaching and Special Education. Before coming to CDS, Shelly served as the Head of School at Chadwick International in South Korea, a K-12 school with 1,200 students. She was previously the Assistant Head and Elementary School Head at Chadwick before ascending to the Head position. She also served as Assistant Head and Lower School Head at Hillbrook School in Los Gatos, California.

Shelly and her husband, Michael, are passionate believers in our child-centered, constructivist approach, so they were thrilled to find a mission-aligned school for their own children. Their two younger sons, Séamus and Braden, are Middle School students at CDS and their eldest, Kaffie, is a college student.

Serena Chen joined CDS in 2019 as our Annual Fund & Events Manager. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in language studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz, she moved to Bali to teach English to young students through a nonprofit called Yayasan Bumi Sehat. Upon her return, she moved to San Francisco and enrolled at City College of San Francisco, earning an associate degree in hospitality management. Before coming to CDS, Serena worked for Project Open Hand as their Events and Community Relations Associate.

In her spare time, she enjoys discovering new hiking and camping spots, dabbling in yoga, and spending time by the ocean surfing or relaxing on the beach.

Jack Hamm joined CDS in 2016 as our Communications & Marketing Associate. In 2015, Jack graduated from University of Chicago, where he made the Dean’s List four consecutive years, with a bachelor's degree in English literature. Before coming to CDS, Jack served as Hospitality Coordinator for the New Orleans Film Festival and as a development intern for the San Francisco Film Society.

Derric Johnson joined CDS in 2021 as our Assistant Head of Community, Equity, and Belonging. Previously, he was a senior administrator at The Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences in Santa Monica, where he founded the Equity and Justice Institute to oversee social justice advocacy and equity education on campus. Prior, he was a Senior Deputy for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, where he established the Civilian Oversight Commission of the Sheriff’s Department, led efforts to reform the Probation Department, worked to improve deficiencies in cultural competency and implicit biases, and procured funds to support restorative justice and community-based programs to divert youth from the juvenile justice system. In 2019, Derric was appointed as a Commissioner for the L.A. County Human Relations Commission. Derric is also on the executive council of Children’s Defense Fund-CA, a historic child advocacy organization. As a National Urban Fellow, Derric earned his secondary Master’s in Public Administration from Baruch College-City University of New York, completed a Master’s in Business Management from Azusa Pacific University, and earned his bachelor’s from Pitzer College, where he serves on the Alumni Board.

Josephine Saunders, Equity & Inclusion Coach, holds a bachelor's degree in English with Qualified Teacher Status from Liverpool John Moores University in England. Prior to joining CDS as a second grade teacher in 2016, Josephine was a third grade teacher at Concord Hill School in Chevy Chase, Maryland for two years. Prior thereto, she was at The British Schools of America for 12 years, where she held several positions, including classroom teacher for various grades, Instructional Coach, Literacy Subject Leader, International Primary Curriculum Coordinator, and Director of Lower School. She also taught elementary grades at St. Margaret Mary’s Primary School in Liverpool, England. Josephine has received extensive professional development in the area of multicultural education and while at Concord Hill School was the school’s Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator. 

Ty Chavez-Gallo joined the aftercare team in 2020. A San Francisco native, she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from CCSF and is fluent in Spanish. Ty comes from a long line of caregivers and previously worked as a babysitter for CDS families.

Anjali Jariwala, a CDS graduate, joined our after school team in 2021 after working for several years in our summer camp program. She has led a wide range of activities ranging from arts and crafts to STEM work to field trips. Anjali has also served as a Spanish teaching aide and a front desk aide at Design Tech High School. She is currently pursuing an associate’s degree in fashion design at City College of San Francisco.

Jose Olmedo joined the after care team in 2018. A bilingual Spanish speaker, he is currently a senior at SF State studying child psychology. Before coming to CDS, Jose worked for several years in the after school departments at St. Cecilia School and Mission Preparatory School.

Benito joined the extended program in 2021 with six years of experience in San Francisco schools, having worked as a preschool and/or kindergarten prep teacher at Creative Gardens Daycare & Preschool, Bright Horizons, and Kidz Kollege Preschool & Child Care Center. Benito has studied early childhood education, psychology, and communication at Skyline College and is working towards a degree in childhood education. He is fluent in English and Spanish.

Tim Hathaway, Staff Accountant, joined CDS in March 2015. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Tim moved to San Francisco in 1995 and has lived and worked in The City since then.  With 20 years of accounting and finance experience, Tim has spent his career working for San Francisco corporations, small businesses, and nonprofits. Tim enjoys travelling, reading, good food and binge-watching.

Jeanne Jacobs-Gaffney joined the CDS team in 2021 as our Director of Finance & Operations. Jeanne has 30 years of experience as a business officer in California schools, including Abraham Joshua Heschel school in Northridge, Sinai Akiba Academy in Los Angeles, and The Center for Early Education in West Hollywood. Some of her projects have included managing the creation of an Innovation Lab and reimagining a summer camp program. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from La Salle and a master’s in the same subject from California Lutheran University.

George Lopez Jr., Head Receptionist, joined CDS in June 2014 after spending many years in the retail management/customer service and film industries. Originally from Southern California, he moved to San Francisco in 1994 and currently lives in the Lower Haight with his partner. George enjoys cooking, creating art, visiting local museums, and spending time with his partner’s family.

Cristobal Perez has worked at CDS for eight years. In addition to helping maintain our beautiful CDS campus, Cristobal also works with MC Janitorial Services. Cristobal is a resident of the Mission in San Francisco.

Melissa Vainio joined CDS in April 2012, having spent 12 years maintaining the databases at Windrush School. Melissa has a bachelor’s degree in English from Mount Holyoke College and a master’s degree in music (horn performance) from Sibelius Academy in Finland, combined with a minor in computer science from Helsinki University. She is also a professional handbell ringer and an amateur mosaic artist, and she has a black belt in karate. In 2017 Melissa left the Bay Area to live near family in New Hampshire, where she now works as an independent contractor, helping organizations (including CDS) get the most out of their databases.

Paul Weiss joined CDS in 2015 as our Controller. He has more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit accounting, as well as bachelor's degrees in accounting and business administration with minors in economics and communications. Paul is a dog lover, a baseball fan, and an avid car-camper.