Rowland Hall is thrilled to welcome students and families to campus for the 2021–2022 school year.

As you spend time on our campuses in the following weeks, you’ll get to know the newest additions to our faculty and staff, as well as see some of our returning team members in new, adjusted, or expanded roles. For your convenience, we’ve listed these staffing changes below. (Please refer to Fond Farewells 2021 for a list of those who will not be returning for this school year.) Be sure to check back, as this list will continue to be updated during the school year.

Administration and Staff

New or Returning Administration and Staff

• Jij de Jesus returns to Rowland Hall as director of capital giving. He previously worked as the Lower School principal for six years.
• Chris Felt ’06 joins Rowland Hall as accounts payable and accounting associate.
• CJ Garcia joins Rowland Hall as a bus driver.
• Shuja Khan (pictured top) joins Rowland Hall as director of enrollment management.

• Josh Leger returns to Rowland Hall as technology systems administrator. He previously worked at the school for 12 years, most recently as safety and security manager.

• Laurien Martinez joins Rowland Hall as accounts receivable manager.
• Dr. Chandani Patel joins Rowland Hall as director of equity and inclusion.

• Brett Pehrson joins Rowland Hall as Middle School administrative assistant. 
• Barbro Rakos joins Rowland Hall as a bus driver.
• Beth Singleton joins Rowland Hall as director of SummerWorks.

Staff Role Changes

• Alec Baden, previously director of auxiliary programs, is now director of transportation.

• Andrea Hoffman ’05, all-school nurse, has also taken on the role of McCarthey Campus nurse. She will continue to support the Lincoln Street Campus.

• Ashley Meddaugh, previously database specialist, is now Technology Support Center manager for the McCarthey Campus. She will also continue to serve as calendar coordinator.

• Mark Millard, Technology Support Center manager, will now support the Lincoln Street Campus.
• Robert Prestgard-Duke, who has been working as an Extended Day staff member, lunch monitor, and SummerWorks lead counselor, is now director of Extended Day and Winter Sports.

Beginning School

New and Returning Beginning School Faculty and Staff

• Lauren Augusta joins Rowland Hall as 4PreK lead teacher, working with Ella Slaker.

• Mary Grace Ellison joins Rowland Hall as kindergarten assistant teacher, working alongside Melanie Robbins.

• Emily Khan joins Rowland Hall as director of learning services (PreK–5).

• Rebecca Mueller-Jones joins Rowland Hall as the Beginning School administrative assistant.
• Emma Shear joins Rowland Hall as Beginning School associate teacher.
• Claire Shepley joins Rowland Hall as 4PreK lead teacher, working with Beth Ott.
• Mary Swaminathan returns to Rowland Hall as 4PreK assistant teacher, working alongside Isabelle Buhler, after taking a year off to care for a family member. Mary previously worked as an assistant teacher in 2PreK and 3PreK for six years.

• Danielle Thomas joins Rowland Hall as the McCarthey Campus emotional support counselor.

• Chelsea Zussman joins Rowland Hall as the McCarthey Campus assistant nurse.

Beginning School Role Changes

• Brittney Hansen, previously a 4PreK lead teacher, is now Beginning School assistant principal.

• Quincy Jackson ’16, previously a teacher aide, is now kindergarten assistant teacher, working alongside Bethany Stephensen.

• Kelley Journey, previously a kindergarten lead teacher, is now experiential learning specialist.

• Kathryn Pickford, previously administrative assistant to the Beginning School, is now executive assistant to the head of school and board liaison.

• Emma Wellman, previously Beginning School principal, has taken on the expanded role of Beginning School and Lower School principal.


Lower School

New and Returning Lower School Faculty and Staff

• Cheryl Chen joins Rowland Hall as a fourth-grade teacher.

• Tiya Karaus joins Rowland Hall as a second-grade teacher.

• Emily Khan joins Rowland Hall as director of learning services (PreK–5).

• Shawna Love returns to Rowland Hall as McCarthey Campus receptionist after taking time away. Shawna previously worked in this role, and as a substitute teacher, for more than six years.

• Stuart McCandless returns to Rowland Hall as a fifth-grade teacher after taking an early retirement. Stuart has 19 years of previous teaching experience at Rowland Hall.

• Torry Montes joins Rowland Hall as a fifth-grade teacher.

• Marcus Riley joins Rowland Hall as Lower School associate teacher.
• Danielle Thomas joins Rowland Hall as the McCarthey Campus emotional support counselor.

• Colleen Thompson joins Rowland Hall as a fifth-grade teacher.

• Chelsea Zussman joins Rowland Hall as the McCarthey Campus assistant nurse.

Lower School Role Changes

• Abby Bacon, Spanish teacher, will teach second- through fifth-grade Spanish in 2021–2022.

• Paulino Beach, Lower School lunch and playground monitor and Upper School assistant boys basketball coach, has added physical education teaching assistant to his roles at the school.

• Coreen Gililland, Spanish teacher, will teach first-grade Spanish in 2021–2022.

• Eric Schmitz, who previously taught fourth grade, will teach second grade.

• Katie Schwab, who previously taught second grade, will teach third grade.

• Liz Sorensen, who previously taught first grade, will teach second grade.

• Emma Wellman, previously Beginning School principal, has taken on the expanded role of Beginning School and Lower School principal.

Middle School

New Middle School Faculty and Staff

• Shauna Brand joins Rowland Hall as middle and upper school theatre teacher.

• Sam Duffy joins Rowland Hall as a physical education teacher.

• Caitlin Kennedy joins Rowland Hall as registrar and administrative assistant for the middle and upper schools.
• Josh Scheuerman joins Rowland Hall as visual art teacher.
• 
Brina Serassio joins Rowland Hall as dance ensemble teacher.
• Jane Singleton joins Rowland Hall as a learning specialist.


Middle School Role Changes

• Zack Alvidrez, fitness specialist and Middle School basketball and Upper School boys basketball coach, will also take on the role of interim Middle School athletic director.

• Chad Obermark, previously a fifth-grade teacher in the Lower School, will teach sixth-grade math in the Middle School.


Upper School

New Upper School Faculty and Staff

• Effy Bentley joins Rowland Hall as French teacher.

• Shauna Brand joins Rowland Hall as middle and upper school theatre teacher.

• Carlos Eyzaguirre joins Rowland Hall as debate coaching assistant.

• Caitlin Kennedy joins Rowland Hall as registrar and administrative assistant for the middle and upper schools.

• Tascha Knowlton joins Rowland Hall as an Upper School science teacher and ninth-grade advisor.

• Rob Lingstuyl joins Rowland Hall as robotics coach.
• Anthony Pinto joins Rowland Hall as an Upper School math teacher.

• Padmashree Rida joins Rowland Hall as an Upper School science teacher.
• Irina Slaughter joins Rowland Hall as an Upper School math teacher.

• Lauren Stivers ’01 joins Rowland Hall as the Upper School social-emotional support counselor.

Upper School Role Changes

• Samara Bean, previously a member of the Extended Day staff, is now Upper School administrative assistant and receptionist.

• Ryan Hoglund, director of ethical education, will take on new roles in the Upper School: ninth-grade advisor, Project Action teacher, and Student Council coordinator in partnership with Upper School Principal Ingrid Gustavson.


Rowmark Ski Academy

New and Returning Rowmark Staff

• Jeremy Jakob joins Rowmark as an FIS coach and academic liaison.
• Skip Puckett returns to Rowmark as a U16 coach and academic liaison. He previously worked as a Rowmark coach for nine years.

Rowmark Role Changes

• Brian Morgan, previously men's FIS coach and equipment manager, is now head men's FIS coach and equipment manager.
• Foreste Peterson, previously women's FIS coach, is now head women's FIS coach and head conditioning coach.
• Lyndsay Strange, previously U16 coach and academic liaison, is now FIS coach and academic liaison.

People