About RMDS
RMDS Faculty and Staff |
Dorie Akka is the teacher in the grade 3 and 4 classroom. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of California at Santa Barbara and holds a multiple subject credential from Sonoma State University. Dorie brings twelve years of professional experience in elementary classrooms to RMDS. Her previous teaching assignment was at Marin Primary and Middle School. Dorie is also a swimming coach for the Scott Valley Swim and Tennis Club, and children’s cooking instructor for “What’s Cooking”.
Suzanne Alpert is our High School Counselor and the Director of Development. She has her B.A. from Bowdoin College in Biology and Environmental Studies, and a M.A. from Stanford University in Educational Policy Analysis and Evaluation. Suzanne has taught at Lick Wilmerding High School and Marin Academy, and at Santa Catalina School and the American School of The Hague. She was a Klingenstein Fellow at Columbia University’s Summer Institute in 1996. Suzanne joined Ring Mountain in 2001.
Daisy Cassidy begins her fifth year at RMDS in Kindergarten. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in English from University of Oregon and her multi-subject credential with an emphasis on Early Childhood from San Francisco State University. Daisy taught Kindergarten at Alvarado Elementary School in San Francisco and co-taught 1st Grade at The Nueva School. While at Nueva, she assisted in the planning and teaching of the Social/Emotional Learning classes for Grades 1, 4, and 7 and assisted in the Kindergarten and 1st Grade admissions process. Daisy attended additional hours in Responsive Classroom training during the summer of 2007.
Cecilia Chan begins her third year as the Preschool Teacher in the Savanna Room. Cecilia has her BA in Liberal Studies from San Francisco State University as well as a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. She obtained her Early Childhood Credentials from City College of San Francisco and holds a Site Supervisor Permit. Cecilia has worked with infants through PreK-aged children at Marin Day Schools and at the Imagination Station in Daly City.
Kristen Trunk Commesso joins RMDS as Library Technology / Media Research Specialist. She earned her Masters degree in Education: Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Illinois. Kristen also holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois. She joins us from Marin Horizon where she worked as Technology Coordinator and chaired the Technology Committee. Kristen taught Biology at Conrady Junior High and second grade at Glen Oaks Elementary School in Chicago.
Amy Copland came to Ring Mountain in 2006. She is beginning her fourth year of teaching in grade 1 and 2. Amy earned a BA in Liberal Studies from Chico State University in 2001 and Early Childhood Credential from San Francisco State University in 2003 and her multi-subject credential in 2004. Amy is trained in both Readers’ and Writers’ Workshop and Responsive Classroom.
Carolyn Corry is the grade 3-8 Spanish Teacher. She comes to us after 3 years of teaching 3rd grade at the American International School in Quito, Ecuador. While in Ecuador, Carolyn was very involved in the local community, playing on several soccer teams and hosting a workshop on second language acquisition for her colleagues. She has a Bachelor of Education from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and a Masters in Elementary Education from the University of Alabama. She also spent a semester abroad in Sevilla, Spain, focusing on Spanish and Arts Studies.
AJ Diamonti joined RMDS in 2002. At Cornell University he majored in Microbiology before moving on to Harvard Medical School where he worked as a researcher in biochemistry until 2001. He published 8 papers stemming from his work on breast cancer before turning his attentions to technology and its uses in education. AJ teaches 7th and 8th Grade English and Writers’ Workshop. He designed and manages the RMDS website and Informational Technology program, and is the school photographer. He has completed both the Shakespeare and Humanities Institutes at Philips Exeter Academy in 2005 and 2007.
Nancy Diamonti has been Head of School since 1999. She has her Ph.D. in Child and Adolescent Psychology and Educational Leadership from Boston College. Nancy has also completed her doctoral coursework in Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Policy Studies from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Her M.A. is also from UW- Madison in Reading and Learning Differences. Her B.A. is from Caldwell College, Caldwell, New Jersey in History and Elementary Education. She has over 40 years in education, 24 in public and private schools as a Principal/Head of School.
Shirley Duong teaches in the grade 1 and 2 classroom. She has just completed her Masters in Developmental Psychology at Columbia University, Teacher's College. She also has a B.A. in English from UC Berkeley and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from San Francisco State. Shirley spent 2 years at Live Oak School in San Francisco in both 2nd and 4th Grade. She has also worked as a tutor at Northfield Mount Herman, in Northfield, MA, and the Berkeley Student Center, a Writing Workshop leader for Summer Bridge, and an Academic Support Instructor for America Reads.
Ara Glenn-Johanson teaches Drama in all grades and directs the school play in May. She has an MFA in acting from UC Davis and a BFA in drama from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. In addition to extensive professional experience as an actor, director, choreographer, and singer, Ara brings many years of experience working with school-aged students in both process-oriented, classroom settings and product oriented, performance settings, most recently at the Davis Arts Center, Theatre of Dreams, and NIA:One World After-School.
Andrea Gough returns to RMDS this year, teaching 5th and 6th Grade Humanities. Andrea has a BS in Conservation and Resource Studies from UC-Berkeley and her multiple subject credentials from San Francisco State University. She brings a background of six years classroom teaching experience in preschool and grades 3, 4 and 5; educational leadership and team work; integrated science experiences; yoga and dance instruction. Andrea completed the Exeter Humanities Institute for both English and History at Phillips Exeter Academy in June, 2008.
Thorsten Gritzan joined RMDS in 2005, teaching Mathematics in the Middle School. He is from Canada, and has a BA in Statistics and a diploma in Honors Standing in History for the University of Western Ontario. He also has a Bachelor of Ed. from Althouse College. Thorsten’s previous experience includes six years in the San Francisco Unified School District, teaching Middle School Honors Math and Algebra.
Sandra Gutierrez is the Lead Teacher in the Savanna Preschool Room. This is her sixth year at Ring Mountain, working with our youngest children. Sandra has completed over 36 units of ECE courses at City College of San Francisco. She has been teaching young children for ten years in various programs throughout the Bay Area. She holds her Child Development Associate Teacher Permit from the State of California.
Iris Heusler teaches Physical Education in grades K-8, and has been a teacher at Ring Mountain since 1990. She was born in Cologne, Germany where she earned her B.A. equivalent and Certification in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Afterschool Programs and Recreation at the College of Education in Cologne. Iris is an active member of CAHPERD (California Association for Health, Physical Education Recreation and Dance). Iris received certification as a Nutrition Educator from Bauman College of Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts in Berkeley in 2004.
Brandy Hudkins is the Lead Teacher in the Jungle PreK Classroom. She has a BS in Communications from the University of Arkansas, along with completing an Early Childhood Education Certification from Northeastern State University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She did her student teaching in a private school PreK program as well as a public school teaching in Kindergarten, First and Second grades. Brandy is beginning her third year at RMDS.
Kimberly Keenon is the Administrative Assistant. She has and administrative background in medicine, chiropractic care, real estate, and research. She received a Medical Assisting certificate from Simi Valley Adult School and completed general education course work at Moorpark College.
Olga Maltez starts her second year as the teaching assistant for the Preschool. She is also our Preschool Spanish teacher and Aftercare Teacher. She has 12 ECE classes completed from the College of Marin. Previously, Olga was a teaching assistant from three years at the Canal Children Center in San Rafael, and for a year at San Dominico School.
Bernadette McCarthy joined RMDS four years ago as a preschool teacher. Two years ago, she became a Pre-K Teacher and is returning to the Rain Forest Room as the Lead Teacher. She has 25 years of experience working with young children in American schools in the Middle East and Africa. She has a Bachelor of Education degree from Manchester University, England.
Pedro Mena joins RMDS as the K-8 Art teacher. Pedro holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the School of Visual Arts in New York and a Diploma from Dreyfoos School of the Arts in Florida. Pedro interned for two years at Town School for Boys in San Francisco where he organized the annual Festival of the Arts. He also is a presenter at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Summer Teacher Institute. Pedro also taught climbing at Hamlin Camps and basketball at Town School for Boys.
Rachel Farah Meirs is the K-2 Spanish teacher. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a BA in Latin American Studies. She has traveled extensively and speaks Spanish and Italian fluently. She has been teaching Spanish for the Piedmont Recreation Department, to preschool-First Grade students. She is also the founder of a nonprofit organization in Mexico that she started while she was doing research for her senior thesis at Berkeley. The project began with English language classes for community members (ages preschool-adult) and is now in the process of expanding.
Bobbi Perez is the Executive Assistant to the Head of School and Development Officer. She has previous administrative support experience in medicine, multiple financial fields and design. She holds a Bachelor’s in Humanities and Religious Studies from California State University Sacramento, associates degrees from Sierra College in both Humanities and Liberal Studies and General Education coursework at San Francisco State University. Bobbi also earned a certificate in Medical Assisting from Bryman College. She joined RMDS in 2007.
Laura Jeanne Ruppert is the K-8 Music teacher. Laura earned her Master’s degree in Music Education from Holy Names University with Kodaly emphasis, as well as a Masters degree in Music from Portland State University in Oregon. She taught as a Prep Chorus Assistant Director for the San Francisco Girl’s Chorus. Laura participated in Education & Outreach with Portland Opera Works where she performed opera in Oregon elementary schools. She also performed in Walt Disney World’s production of Hansel & Gretel. Laura has experience as a performer in liturgical performance, opera and musical theater.
Luciano Sponza is the aftercare teacher and bus driver. He has worked at Ring Mountain for three years while earning his AA degree from College of Marin. Luciano has experience overseeing summer programs for mountain biking for middle school students.
Jennifer Blackburn Thompson joins RMDS teaching Middle School Science. Jennifer holds a Master’s of Arts in Education as well as Teaching Credentials in Biological Sciences, Chemistry & Geosciences from Stanford University. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and Marine Sciences from the University of Miami. Jennifer is a Curriculum Development Specialist & Naturalist Education Lead at the Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco. She also has four years teaching experience as a science teacher at Fremont High School in Sunnyvale where she created the District’s first Biotechnology program and taught Sheltered Chemistry to non-native English speakers.
Rita Voss has been the Business Manager at Ring Mountain since 2003. She earned an MBA from Dominican University after completing a B.S. in Accounting from San Francisco State University. Rita grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and has lived in Marin County for over twenty years. Rita has many years of business experience; she opened her first restaurant when she was just twenty-years-old. Rita has experience in both finance and human resources at for profit businesses and at not-for-profits.
Steve Voss helped to establish the school bus program in 2008. He also drives the bus as well as supervises daily maintenance at the school. A 1976 graduate of UC Davis, Steve has been a professional pilot for twenty eight years, having flown for a major airline and presently as a contract corporate pilot in Falcon jets.
Ramon Williams is the social Studies teacher in grade 7 and 8. He will be the Director of Student Activities. He holds a Master’s degree in Social Science from the University of Chicago, his JD from the University of Connecticut, and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Montclair State University. Ramon comes to us from Beaver Country Day School in Brookline, Massachusetts where he taught History and Economics to grades 9 and 10. Ramon also taught History and Economics for two years at the Holderness School in Plymouth, NH. He worked with the Legislative Commissioners’ office in Connecticut’s General Assembly as a legislative attorney, and also has experience as a soccer coach and ethics teacher.
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