Xochi Batlle, Fourth Grade 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.

Tristan Jemiolo joined the kindergarten team in the spring of 2017 after having served there as a maternity substitute earlier in the school year. Tristan holds a bachelor's degree in film from Vassar College and is a graduate of the New Teacher Institute at Town School for Boys. While at Town School, Tristan was an intern teacher in kindergarten and in third grade. He was previously the Commissioner of the Boys U-13 and U-15 Divisions of the Northern California Junior Lacrosse Association, and he has coached lacrosse, soccer, and basketball at Town School and at Stuart Hall for Boys.

Lilyanne Kane, who joined the CDS Extended Program in 2020 and began working as a Farm & Garden teacher the following year, holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of California, Riverside and a master’s degree in creative writing from Mississippi University for Women. They have held a variety of childcare positions throughout California, including as a STEM teacher at the Sarah’s Science program in Berkeley, as a substitute teacher in the Orange County area, and as a nanny. Lilyanne has also worked as an event photographer and interned at the John D. Cooper Archaeological and Paleontological Center as well as the San Bernardino County Museum.

Marie Keating, who joined us in 2021 as a first grade teacher, has previously taught first and second grades at Hamlin, Woodland School, and Convent of the Sacred Heart, as well as being an International ESL teacher in Thailand. She holds a bachelor’s degree in humanities from the University of Colorado and is pursuing a master’s in leadership from Columbia University Teachers College. Marie has received extensive anti-racist education training and chaired the humanities department at Woodland, where she also founded the environmental committee and worked as a literacy coach.

Katie Klamm joined the Kindergarten team in 2019 with a decade of experience working with children in a variety of roles. Before coming to CDS, she taught for five years at the Mission Preparatory School, first in kindergarten and later in transitional kindergarten. Previously, she worked as a teacher in the charter school network Rocketship Education, as a Teach for America educator, and as an administrative assistant at the Habitot Children’s Museum in Berkeley. Katie holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California, Berkeley and an master's degree in education (Early Childhood Concentration) from Arizona State University.

CJ Logel joined the second grade team in 2021. He came to CDS after six years at The San Francisco School, where he taught first through third grades, helped found and lead the school’s Rainbow Alliance, and coached the middle school cross country team. CJ has a bachelor’s degree in dance from the University of California, Riverside and a master’s in education from the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute at the University of the Pacific. He is also a professional contemporary dancer and a certified kids’ yoga teacher.

Yari Mander, Middle School Music Teacher, joined CDS in 2019 with more than two decades of experience at Bay Area schools. Before coming to CDS, he worked as a music teacher in the Oakland Unified School District; prior thereto, he served in the same position at Walden Center and School and Live Oak School, and also was a classroom teacher for grades 3-5 in the San Francisco Unified School District. In addition, he is the founder and lead instructor of the Oakland performing arts organization Heart of Rhythm. Yari holds a bachelor’s degree in humanities from New College of California, a California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, and an Orff-Schulwerk Certification. As a musician, he has performed with artists and groups including Joan Baez, Gamelan X, the Chochmat HaLev Ensemble, Octopretzel, Lauren Arrow, Suzanne Sterling, the Agape International Choir, and Mikey Pauker.

Daisy Martinez, Preschool Teacher, joined CDS in 2019 as our ECP Extended Program Coordinator before moving to the preschool team later that year. Daisy is bilingual (English & Spanish) and holds a bachelor's degree in child and adolescent development from San Francisco State University. She has nine years of experience in the field of early childhood education working with children and families from diverse backgrounds, both as a lead preschool teacher and as a site supervisor.

Alex Miller, Third Grade Teacher, joined CDS in 2013. He earned a bachelor's degree in communication studies from the University of San Diego and a master's degree in elementary education from the University of Phoenix. Previous to CDS, Alex worked as a 3rd grade intern and a 1st grade intern in the New Teacher Institute at Town School for Boys. Alex has extensive experience in athletics, serving as a head coach for 6th grade baseball and soccer, 8th grade basketball, 5th-8th grade golf, and 1st grade baseball. He also was a 5th grade after school teacher with Growth & Learning Opportunities in San Francisco. Alex is trained in Responsive Classroom, an approach that implements classroom practices that build academic and social-emotional competencies. Away from school, Alex enjoys cooking and exploring new hiking trails with his dog, Bailey.

Robin Ostenfeld Adams, Farm & Garden Manager, joined CDS in 2015 with more than ten years of experience teaching in inquiry-based and materials-driven environments. Previously, Robin has served as a fourth and fifth grade science teacher, service learning coordinator, and an adjunct professor. In addition, Robin was an instructor for several summers in the cloud forest of Monteverde, Costa Rica, working with K-8 teachers from Bank Street College of Education in an immersion program that focused on science education and sustainable communities. An east coast transplant, Robin earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Fordham University and a master's degree in museum education from Bank Street College of Education. Away from school, Robin enjoys gardening, cooking, yoga, surfing, and hiking with her dog, Olivia.

Alicia Perdue, Preschool Teacher, has been teaching at CDS since 1997. Alicia earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education from Grand Canyon University. She has a child development master teacher permit with the State of California, is certified in the Project Approach, trained in the Responsive Classroom, and in 2004 served as the early childhood representative for the California Association of Independent Schools Northern Professional Services Committee.

Sonia Pinto-Scherstuhl, K-4 Spanish Teacher, joined CDS from the Head-Royce School in Oakland and has extensive experience teaching elementary, middle school, and high school Spanish. A native Spanish speaker, she has a master's degree in biology from Boston University and a bachelor's degree in biology from Oberlin College, and she holds a Massachusetts Foreign Language (Spanish) Preliminary License.

Amanda Richard, High School Transition Counselor, originally joined the CDS administration in 1993. Subsequently she worked in the CDS development office before joining the admission team in 2008. She added responsibilities as our High School Transition Coordinator in 2014 and began exclusively focusing on that position in 2019. She received her bachelor's degree in psychology from Boston University and loves to spend the summers in Hawaii, her childhood home. Amanda is the parent of CDS alumnae Marina (’10), Serena (’13) and Ciara (’15) Richard.

Jill Rosenberg joined CDS in 2018 as our Middle School Learning Specialist. She had served in the same position for the previous four years at Chinese American International School, and she has more than ten years of experience working in various roles in the teaching world, including as a classroom teacher, an administrator, and an educational therapist. Jill holds a master’s degree in educational therapy from California State University, Northridge, and a bachelor's degree in family & consumer sciences, early childhood education from San Francisco State University.

Nick Saunders joined CDS in 2018 as our Athletic Director and Middle School PE teacher. He has nearly two decades of experience in PE leadership roles, having served as athletic director at schools in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and California; before coming to CDS, he held that position at Redwood Day School in Oakland. Nick has a bachelor's degree in secondary physical education from Liverpool John Moores University in England.

Anne Sculley joined CDS in 2017 as our 7th/8th Grade Science Teacher. She has previously served as a middle school science teacher and department coordinator at St. Cecilia School, a 7th-12th grade science teacher at Waverley College in Sydney, Australia, and a science teacher and department head at St. Vincent’s College in the same city. Additionally, she has worked as a preschool teacher and fundraising chair at Miraloma Cooperative Public School, a teacher for English language learners at Transworld School, and a production executive in the film and television industry for more than a decade. She holds a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Canberra.

Elsa Townsend joined CDS as our Librarian in 2005. Previously, Elsa was the head librarian at Sherman Elementary School for five years. Elsa volunteers in various organizations, serving on the board of directors of Blind San Franciscans, Inc. and The Welcome Ministry, non-profits providing services for blind and homeless people, respectively. She has a bachelor's degree in French language and literature from Goucher College. Elsa enjoys singing, gardening, reading, and cycling.

Ryan joined CDS in 2016 as our Seventh & Eighth Grade Math Teacher. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Oregon, and prior to joining CDS he taught sixth, seventh, and eighth grade math at the Hillcrest School in the East Bay. In his first year at CDS, Ryan was instrumental in creating math and statistics clubs designed to provide extracurricular challenges to students. He is a former semi-pro soccer player and has played semi-professional soccer in Spain.

Christopher Wachsmith became our Middle School Director in 2021. Prior to joining CDS in 2015 as a Seventh Grade Humanities Teacher, Christopher was a language arts and math teacher at St. John School in San Francisco. He also has teaching experience abroad, having worked as an English as a Second Language Instructor for high school-aged students in Pokhara, Nepal. Christopher earned a master's degree in teaching from the University of San Francisco and also holds bachelor’s degrees from San Francisco State University in psychology (child development) and literature. In 2018, he received the first annual Molly Huffman Award for Teaching Excellence as the teacher whose work best exemplifies the core educational values of CDS: engaging students in critical and creative thinking, inspiring the joy of learning, challenging and inspiring students to do their best work, exhibiting high personal and professional standards, and engaging actively in professional development.

Kay Washington, Second Grade Teacher, joined CDS in 2011. She holds a bachelor's degree in English literature and child development from Mills College, as well as a master's degree in curriculum and instruction and a California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute at the University of the Pacific. Kay also has experience working in the elementary grades in the Oakland Unified School District. She is trained in Responsive Classroom, an approach that implements classroom practices that build academic and social-emotional competencies, and is fluent in Spanish.

Andrei Ferrera, Director of Communication, joined CDS in November 2012. Previously, he was Director of Communications for ten years at Head-Royce School, a K-12 independent school in Oakland. Andrei earned a bachelor's degree in music from Sonoma State University. Away from work, he enjoys playing bluegrass music with friends, cooking, and going to the beach with his wife and their dog, Maggie.

 

Nate Higuera joined the CDS team in 2022 as our Campaign & Stewardship Manager. Nate previously worked as the Development Manager at the local summer education organization, Aim High, where he co-founded and facilitated a weekly Antiracist Book Club. Prior thereto, he worked as a Data & Quality Assurance Associate at the Academy of Art University. He holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from Skidmore College and a Master of Public Administration from Marist College School of Management.

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. 

Linda Greiff joined our Extended Program team in 2021 as a classroom support/substitute teacher and aftercare teacher. She holds a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Queens College and a degree in textile design from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Linda has spent extensive time in the design world, worked as an art instructor at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, the Art Institute of California, and Academy of Art University, and taught art and music at Live Oak School.

Mark Mandapat, who joined the Extended Program team in 2022, was born and raised in the Lakeview/Excelsior neighborhoods of San Francisco. He has previous experience as an After School teacher at an elementary for The Richmond Neighborhood Center, as well as a full-time Community Hub Leader in partnership with DCYF and SF Parks and Recreation during the pandemic in 2020. Mark is currently working on his degree in Early Childhood Education at City College of San Francisco. 

Jose Olmedo joined the after care team in 2018. A bilingual Spanish speaker, he holds an associate degree in psychology from San Francisco State. Before coming to CDS, Jose worked for several years in the after school departments at St. Cecilia School and Mission Preparatory School.

Christopher Ramos joined the extended program team in February 2022. Born and raised in San Francisco, Christopher holds a bachelor's degree in anthropology from San Francisco State University. He has many years of experience working with summer camps and has served as an Outdoor Educator with Naturebridge, along with working with San Francisco Recreation & Parks. 

John Castro joined CDS in July 2015 as our Facilities Director, bringing more than twenty years of experience in facilities direction and management. For the previous eight years, he was the Director of Facilities at Salesian College Preparatory School in Richmond. He also worked for many years as the building manager for KRON TV-4 in San Francisco.

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.

Jen Odom joined CDS in 2021 as our receptionist at the 333 Dolores campus. Jen holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Old Dominion University, a master’s in English from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a Ph.D. in English from Old Dominion. She has held a variety of jobs in the worlds of writing and education, including as a writer for Bay City News Foundation, an editor for Cambridge Proofreading & Editing, and an English professor at John Tyler College. She also holds USATF and RRCA coaching certifications and has been a cross country/track and field coach at Piedmont's elementary and middle schools. Jen is a team member and board member of the Impala Racing Team, and she served on the Impalas' Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee.

Laura Picciarelli, 601 Receptionist, joined CDS in September 2016. Originally from Georgia, Laura graduated from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta. In 2013, she moved to San Francisco with her husband and her dog Teddy. Laura enjoys playing softball, taking her dog on long walks around San Francisco, and traveling whenever she gets the chance.

Lexi Villasana joined CDS in 2018 as our 601 Dolores Afternoon Receptionist. A graduate of California College of the Arts with a bachelor's degree in illustration, she also works as a freelance creator of illustrations, paper goods, and window displays. Before coming to CDS, she worked as a buyer and sales associate at the San Francisco shops Rare Device and Foggy Notion.