About Us
Who We Are

Faculty & Staff

List of 89 items.

  • Caitlin Ahrens

    General Studies Teacher, Kindergarten
    Caitlin Ahrens is a Kindergarten teacher and holds a BA in Biology from SUNY Albany. She has previously worked as a special education science teacher in Rhode Island, and a science curriculum consultant for SFUSD. 
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  • Ella Amzel

    Resident Teacher, Kindergarten
    Ella Amzel is a Resident Teacher in Kindergarten. She previously taught at The Village School in Eugene, Oregon, and at Temple Beth El Nursery in Berkeley. Ella holds BA in Primary Education with a minor in Psychology from the University of Oregon, and a Multi Subject Teaching Credential from the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute. 
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  • Alvin Animo

    Aftercare Supervisor and Lunch/Recess

  • AJ Ashford

    Security 

  • Divya Bambawale

    General Studies Teacher, 3rd Grade
    Divya Bambawale is a General Studies teacher for 3rd Grade. Divya has taught elementary school in India and in the United States, and completed an MEd degree program at Vanderbilt University. She holds a BA in English and World Literature and French from Pitzer College.
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  • Tony Baxter

    Social Studies Teacher, Middle School
    Tony Baxter is a 7th and 8th Grade Social Studies teacher and 7th Grade advisor. He holds a BA from Georgetown University, and spent several years working for Clorox before earning a master’s degree in Ancient History at King’s College, London.
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  • Jennifer Baumer

    Judaic Studies Teacher, Middle School
    Jennifer Baumer teaches Judaic Studies in our middle school and has been at Brandeis for over 20 years.  She holds a BA in History from UC Davis, and an MA in Humanities from San Francisco State University. In 2018, she completed the Day School Teacher Training program at the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem, and is currently working her way through the Talmud using the seven and a half year Daf Yomi cycle.
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  • Bel Beeson

    Librarian 
    Bel Beeson is our Librarian and Media Resource Specialist. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a BA in Comparative Literature and a minor in Black Studies. After that, she taught creative writing at 826 Valencia for years, then worked at 826 Seattle while attending the University of Washington to earn her Master of Library Science and Information degree. Before coming to Brandeis in 2015, Bel spent worked in New York city, serving coffee on the Lower East Side while working as a librarian at Columbia University.
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  • Sandee Bisson

    Maker Educator 
    Sandee Bisson is our Maker Educator and Lower School STEAM Curriculum Designer at Brandeis. 2026 marks her twenty-ninth year in the classroom and fifteenth at Brandeis. Sandee has a BA in English Education from Plymouth State University, a National Board Certification in Early Adolescent Language Arts, and an MEd in STEAM Integration from the University of San Diego. 
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  • Simona Blonkenfeld

    Aftercare Supervisor

  • Dr. Jody Bloom

    Judaic Studies Teacher, Middle School
    Dr. Jody Bloom teaches 5th and 7th grade Judaic Studies, advises 7th grade students, and manages our nationally recognized Tzedek (Social Justice) Program. Jody has over two decades of teaching experience and has been at Brandeis since 2009. Jody earned her BA from Brandeis University in Near Eastern Judaic Studies, her MEd in Private School Leadership from Teachers College at Columbia University, and her EdD from Drexel University in Educational Leadership and Management. Jody was the recipient of a 2016 Diller Educator Award for Excellence in Jewish Day School Education. 
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  • Serena Bourque

    Science Teacher, Middle School
    Serena Bourque is a middle school science teacher and holds a BA in Environmental Studies from Wellesley College and an MA in Education from Lesley University. She has been working in education since 2016, including a year as an AmeriCorps volunteer with SFUSD.
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  • Khen Brezel

    Resident Teacher, 3rd Grade
    Khen Brezel is a Resident Teacher in 3rd grade. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Technion Israel Institute of Technology. He has experience teaching art and architecture to students of all ages.
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  • Crystal Brown

    General Studies Teacher, 1st Grade
    Crystal Brown is a lead teacher for 1st grade and has been an educator for nearly two decades. She has taught at Brandeis for 12 years, including middle school theater and as an advisor. Crystal led the establishment of our on-site summer day camp, Camp Brandeis. She holds a BA in Music and International Studies from Trinity University and an MA in Music Theatre from the Royal Central School of Drama in London, England.
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  • Cassandra Burger

    Science Teacher, Middle School
    Cassandra Burger is a middle school science teacher. She holds a BS in Biology with an emphasis in Physiology and a minor in Chemistry from San Francisco State University, and earned a California Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential through the DeLeT program at Hebrew Union College. 


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  • Carly Cheng

    General Studies Teacher, 1st Grade
    Carly Cheng is a General Studies teacher for 1st Grade. Carly has been teaching preschool and elementary grades since 2015 and holds a BA in Liberal Studies from California State University at Monterey Bay. She also completed an MA in Teaching and received a California Multi-Subject Teaching Credential through the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute at the University of the Pacific’s School of Education.
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  • Nicholas Cole-Farrell

    Director of Technology & Making
    Nicholas Cole-Farrell is Director of Technology and Making and has worked in K-12 education for nineteen years, including eight at International Baccalaureate schools in Berlin and Brandenburg, Germany and eleven at Brandeis. He earned his BA in anthropology and history and his MA in history at the University of Vermont, and studied European civilization and culture at the Sorbonne in Paris. Nicholas also holds a post-baccalaureate certificate from Drexel University in K12 Education. A native of New England, Nicholas is fluent in French and German.  
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  • Margot Cooke

    General Studies Teacher, 4th Grade
    Margot Cooke is a General Studies teacher for 4th Grade. Before coming to Brandeis she was at Rooftop Elementary, where she was a teacher for over two decades and served on the Anti-Racism Committee, the Art Committee, and the Instructional Leadership Team. She holds an undergraduate degree from UMass Amherst, and her MS in Elementary Education and Teaching from the Bank Street College of Education in New York. 
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  • Alana Cree

    Project Coordinator
    Alana Cree is the Project Coordinator at The Brandeis School of San Francisco, supporting both the Admissions and Development teams.  Alana earned her BA in Sociology with a minor in Jewish Studies and Social Justice from the University of San Francisco. 
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  • Angela Dalfen

    Director of Admissions
    Angela Dalfen is the Director of Admissions. A former attorney and longtime school administrator, she joined the Brandeis leadership team in June 2020. Angela was born and raised in Montreal, Canada, and is fluent in French and semi-fluent in Hebrew. She was selected as a 2018 Wexner Heritage Fellow, and has been active in numerous Jewish, legal, and LGBT organizations in San Francisco since graduating from Northeastern University School of Law. 

     
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  • Irit Daly

    Hebrew Teacher, Middle School
    Irit Daly is the Hebrew teacher for middle school and has been at Brandeis since 2007. Irit holds a BA in Social Work from Haifa University and a California Multiple Subject Credential and MA in Elementary Education from San Francisco State University, and she recently earned a Certificate of Excellence in Teaching Hebrew from Hebrew Union College. She was born and raised on Kibbutz Beit Alfa, Israel.
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  • Maleah Densby

    Resident Teacher, 2nd Grade
    Maleah Densby is a resident teacher in 2nd grade. She has previously worked for SurveyMonkey and the Sheryl Sandberg and Dave Goldberg Family Foundation, and as an academic mentor for Future is Now. She holds a BA in Sociology with a minor in Chemistry from Duke University.
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  • Malika Densby

    Director of Finance and Operations
    Malika Densby, SPHR oversees our school's finances, operations, human resources, and the Tuition Assistance program. Malika has been at Brandeis since 2014, and has over 20 years of experience in HR, including stints at Connectix (creators of the Logitech quickcam) and TeraRecon. 
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  • Lorraine Deschamps

    Art, Middle School

  • Nicole Dickson

    General Studies Teacher, 4th Grade
    Nicole Dickson is a General Studies teacher in 4th Grade. Nicole previously taught 3rd and 5th Grades in international schools in Kazakhstan and the Cayman Islands, and at Katherine Delmar Burke School in San Francisco. She holds a BA from San Francisco State University in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Elementary Education, and an MEd in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of San Diego. 
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  • Whitney Dorman

    Music Teacher
    Whitney Dorman is our Music Teacher, and has previously taught PreK-8th grade music in public, charter and independent schools in New England, California, and Singapore. Whitney earned a B.Mus. degree from Ithaca College and an M.Mus. from The Hartt School. She has also played oboe with the Sunnyside Woodwind Quintet and volunteered at Garden for the Environment.
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  • Mark Dylina

    Accounting Manager
    Mark Dylina is our Accounting Manager. He holds a BA in Legal Studies from UC Berkeley and a MAcc. from Golden Gate University. In addition experience in accounting, Mark is a licensed notary public. 
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  • Lyri Elgrichi

    Shinshinit, Israel Education Intern
    Lyri Elgrichi is our Israeli Shinshinit. She will spend the school year at Brandeis living with different families, working in and outside the classrooms, and creating rich programming related to Jewish life and Israeli culture.
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  • Jonathan Ferris

    Hebrew and Judaic Studies Teacher, Kindergarten
    Jonathan Ferris is the Judaic Studies & Hebrew teacher for Kindergarten and will begin his 28th year of teaching at Brandeis in 2026. Jonathan also serves as the Tefillah Coordinator for all grades. A past recipient of the Diller Award for Excellence in Jewish Day School Teaching, Jonathan earned a Certificate in Day School Teaching from Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles as part of the DeLeT Program. He holds a multiple subject credential and a single subject teaching credential in music, and has been involved musically with both Congregation Emanu-El and Camp Tawonga for thirty years.
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  • Dr. Alison Frank

    Math Teacher and HS Placement, Middle School
    Dr. Alison Frank is a Math teacher for 7th and 8th Grade, an 8th grade advisor, and a high school placement counselor. Ali has been teaching at Brandeis since 2007 and holds a BA from Indiana University, an MA from the University of South Florida, and an EdD from Florida State University. Before coming to Brandeis, Ali worked as a teacher and circus performer. Originally from Sarasota, FL, she also speaks French.
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  • Inbal Frankenstein

    Hebrew Teacher, 1st-2nd Grade
    Inbal teaches 1st and 2nd grade Hebrew. She has also been a Resident Teacher in 2nd grade, and has supported the Hebrew language and Jewish Studies programs across the Lower School. She holds a BA in Humanities from The Open University of Israel and is a graduate of the DeLeT Lehora’at Ivrit Program (teacher certification) at Hebrew Union College.
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  • Dr. Dan Glass

    Head of School
    Dr. Dan Glass, our Head of School since 2015, previously held leadership roles at Wildwood School in Los Angeles and The Girls' Middle School in Palo Alto. He has written extensively on progressive education, Jewish spirituality and ethics, and contemporary poetry. A Bay Area native, Dan holds a PhD in English from UC Davis, and a BA in English from UC Berkeley. He has published four collections of poetry, and has taught children and adults of all ages in subjects ranging from Ethics and Design to Poetics and Rap Music. Dan currently serves as a trustee for The Heads Network, a national organization dedicated to promoting women in educational leadership. 
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  • Kate Glustein

    Spanish Teacher, Middle School
    Kate Glustein is the Middle School Spanish teacher and a 7th grade advisor. She earned her bachelor's degree from Instituto Superior Daguerre in her hometown of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and has been teaching Spanish and English as a Second Language for over a decade. Before moving to the Bay Area, Kate worked for a non-profit literacy program in Dallas, Texas, as well as at a Jewish community school in Buenos Aires. 
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  • Sara Goldrath

    General Studies Teacher, 2nd Grade
    Sara Goldrath is a 2nd Grade teacher and has been at Brandeis since 2013. She received her BA in Theater and Communications from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, and a teaching credential and Master's degree from the DeLet Program at Hebrew Union College. 
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  • Moriah Goldstein

    Learning Specialist, K-2nd Grade
    Moriah Goldstein is the K-2 Learning Specialist. She holds a BA in Integrated Educational Studies and Psychology from Chapman University, an MA in Education and California Multiple Subject Credential from the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute, and an MS in Reading and Literacy from CSU East Bay. She is an Educational Therapist/Professional through the Association of Educational Therapists, and has been a classroom teacher, literacy specialist, and learning specialist in independent schools across the Bay Area. Moriah serves on the boards of Brandeis Marin and of the International Dyslexia Association - Northern California. Born and raised in the Bay Area, Moriah is a proud alumna of Brandeis Marin and the Jewish Community High School. 
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  • Rebekah Goldstein

    Art Teacher
    Rebekah Goldstein has been taught fine art at Brandeis for more than 15 years. Rebekah earned her MFA at California College of the Arts and a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College. Rebekah is also a working artist who has exhibited her work throughout the Bay Area and internationally. 
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  • Linda Greiff

    Aftercare Supervisor
    Linda Greiff is an Aftercare Supervisor and has decades of experience as an art teacher in San Francisco. She has also worked as a Senior Textile Designer for Levi Strauss & Co., The Gap, and Pottery Barn Kids.
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  • Rabbi Genevieve Greinetz

    Director of Jewish Learning
    Rabbi Genevieve Greinetz is the Director of Jewish Learning. She completed her rabbinic ordination at Hebrew College and recently served as Assistant Rabbi and Director of Education at Peninsula Temple Beth El in San Mateo. She has worked as a rabbinic intern at Mayyim Hayyim Community Mikvah and the Jewish Community Day School (both in Boston) and holds an MA in Jewish Studies from the Graduate Theological Union.
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  • Armen Grigoryants

    Security

  • Andréa Guerra

    Afternoon Receptionist

  • Ali Gunsberg

    Counselor, Middle School
    Ali Gunsberg, LCSW is the Middle School Counselor. A Michigan native and certified PADI scuba diver, she holds a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Michigan University and received her LCSW credential at Loyola University Chicago.
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  • Shannon Gutierrez

    Assistant to the Head of School
    Shannon Gutierrez, Assistant to the Head of School, joined the Brandeis community in 2013 after working for an international judicial consulting firm. After graduating from the University of Oregon, she moved to Madrid, Spain, to teach English as a second language. Shannon is a San Francisco native who lives in Half Moon Bay with her family. 
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  • Kylie Hieter

    Humanities Teacher, Middle School
    Kylie Hieter teaches 6th grade Social Studies and Language Arts and serves as a 6th grade advisor. Kylie holds a BA in History and Jewish Studies from San Francisco State University. 
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  • Simi Hoze

    Hebrew Teacher, Middle School
    Simi Hoze is a Middle School Hebrew teacher and dance teacher. Part of the Brandeis community since 2004, Simi was previously a professional ballet dancer with the Bat-Dor Dance Company in Israel. She attended the Florence Melton Adult School for Educators in Chicago, and was the Spertus Museum Artist in Residence at the Jewish Community for Jewish Education. 
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  • Jesse Israel

    Resident Teacher, 4th Grade
    Jesse Israel is a Resident Teacher in 4th grade. She previously worked at the Town School for Boys in the extended care program, as a lead teacher and curriculum writer at Maker Studio Kidz, and as a freelance illustrator and animator. She holds a BA in History from Haverford College.
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  • Nyla Jones

    Aftercare Supervisor 

  • Rachel Klein

    General Studies Teacher, 2nd Grade
    Rachel Klein has been a lead teacher in 2nd grade at Brandeis for 30 years, and serves as the Chair of our Resident Teacher program. A Diller Educator Award winner, Rachel has also been a mentor for teacher credentialing programs including BATTI, DeLeT, and the University of San Diego. She received her undergraduate degree in Speech and Communication Studies and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential at San Francisco State University. 
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  • Eitam Kohen

    STEM Teacher, 5th Grade
    Eitam Kohen is our 5th grade STEM teacher. Eitam earned his BSc. degree in Environmental Science from San Francisco State University, and is also an experienced Jewish educator and former DeLet Fellow. A native of Kibbutz Urim, Israel, he is fluent in Hebrew. 
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  • Mirza Kopelman

    Director of Auxiliary Programs
    Mirza brings over 20 years of experience in K-8 education to his role at Brandeis. He was previously the Afterschool and Summer Camp Director at Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley, a preschool - 8th grade independent school in the East Bay, where he was responsible for  developing vibrant, engaging, and child-centered programs throughout the school year and summer.
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  • Simona Lewis '17

    Resident Teacher, Kindergarten
    Simona Lewis is a Resident Teacher at Brandeis and holds a BA in Sociology from UCLA with a minor in Information and Media Literacy. She has also been a Unit Head at URJ Camp Newman and a media intern at Milton Marks Family Camp.
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  • Marty Lipman

    Facilities and Security Manager
    Marty Lipman is the Facilities and Security Manager. Raised in Petaluma and San Diego, he ran his own real estate and mortgage business for nearly 30 years before coming to Brandeis. Marty holds an undergraduate degree from Sonoma State University and an MBA from Grand Canyon University. 
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  • Nikki Lo

    HR and Administrative Support
    Nikki Lo is an Administrative Assistant at Brandeis. She holds a B.A. in Child and Adolescent Development (with an emphasis on School Age Children and Families) from San Francisco State University. Before coming to Brandeis in January of 2020, she was an Assistant Director at Bright Horizons and an Admissions Associate at Sterne School. 
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  • Denise Lujan

    Physical Education Teacher, Middle School
    Denise Lujan is our Middle School Physical Education teacher and a 7th grade advisor. Coach Denise has been at Brandeis since 2009 and holds a BA in Women’s Studies from San Francisco State University. She has coached volleyball for over 20 years, and was awarded a 2026 Midot medal from the JCC Maccabi Games for her commitment to Jewish values in sports.
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  • Grady Love

    Facilities Specialist

  • Madeleine Mackenzie

    Humanities Teacher, 5th Grade
    Madeleine Mackenzie has been the 5th Grade Humanities teacher at Brandeis since 2019. A San Francisco native, she studied English Literature at the University of Edinburgh for four years before returning to the United States to pursue a teaching credential and MEd from Mills College. She is also responsible for overseeing our 5th - 8th grade advisory program. 
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  • Sandra Menachem

    Judaic Studies Teacher, 1st-2nd Grade
    Sandra Menachem is the Judaic Studies teacher for 1st and 2nd grade. She has worked in education for over 25 years, having earned her BEd in Education and Administration from Ben-Gurion University, and a master’s degree at Bank Street College of Education. Outside of Brandeis, she teaches American Jewish history and Holocaust Studies to teenagers around the Bay Area,  and prepares students for their B’nai Mitzvot. 
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  • Joyce Mendoza

    Staff Accountant
    Joyce Mendoza is the Staff Accountant at Brandeis. Joyce started working at Brandeis in 2014, and has over thirty years of accounting experience in the private and public sector. Joyce has a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Journalism from Centro Escolar University in the Philippines. 
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  • Ari Micich

    Band Teacher
    Ari Micich has been teaching band at Brandeis since 2015 and holds a master's degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. In addition to teaching, Ari is a professional musician, having played trumpet with nearly every orchestra in the Bay Area, including the San Francisco Symphony and SF Ballet. He also performs with his brass quintet, Brass Over Bridges, a community-focused chamber ensemble that provides free clinics and master classes to school music programs where the arts are under-supported.
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  • Emily Milton

    Resident Teacher, 3rd grade
    Emily Milton is a resident teacher in 3rd grade. She holds a BA in Psychology from UC Santa Barbara and has been working with preschool and elementary school students in the Bay Area for the past 10 years.
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  • Corrie Mizusawa

    Athletic Director
    Corrie Mizusawa is the Director of Athletics at Brandeis. A former professional and collegiate basketball player, Coach Corrie joined Brandeis in 2011 after graduating from UC Berkeley with a MS in Education. She has nearly two decades of coaching experience in basketball, volleyball, and cross country, along with six years of physical education teaching experience. She earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Oregon.
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  • Sharon Moore

    General Studies Teacher, 3rd Grade
    Sharon Moore teaches 3rd Grade General Studies. She came to Brandeis in 2021 after fourteen years teaching in international schools, first in Singapore and then in Chicago. Sharon holds a BA in Political Science from Northwestern University and a master's degree in Teaching from Columbia College Chicago. Sharon spent her early adult life dancing with a concert jazz company. 
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  • Alice Moskovitz

    Resident Teacher, Kindergarten
    Alice Moskovitz is a resident teacher in Kindergarten. She has worked at Coastal Community Preschool in Santa Cruz and as a camp counselor and wilderness trip leader at Kieve Wavus Education in Jefferson, ME. Alice holds a BA in Global and Community Health with a minor in Theatre Arts from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
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  • Lee Nissman

    Judaic Studies Teacher, 3rd-4th Grade
    Lee Nissman is the 3rd and 4th grade Judaic Studies teacher. She has experience teaching in Israel and at the Palo Alto JCC, focusing on curriculum development, Hebrew and Jewish History, and working with Russian-speaking students. Lee holds a BA and MA in General and Comparative Literature from Hebrew University, and a teaching certificate from the Kerem Institute for Humanistic Jewish Education.
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  • Natalie Ohanessian

    Learning Specialist, 6th-8th Grade
    Natalie Ohanessian is the 6th to 8th grade Learning Specialist. She previously worked at Convent and Stuart Hall, and has over fifteen years of experience as a teacher and Learning Specialist. Natalie holds a BA in Liberal Studies, an MA in Language and Literacy, and a multi subject teaching credential, all from San Francisco State University.
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  • Mira Peretz

    Hebrew Teacher, 3rd-4th Grade
    Mira has been at Brandeis since 2013, teaching Hebrew in our Middle School. She was previously a 4th grade Hebrew teacher at Tehiyah Day School in El Cerrito, and has taught biology as well. Mira earned her Bachelor of Science degree, cum laude, from Technion - The Israel Institute of Technology, and holds a teaching certification in secondary education. Mira has over 25 years of teaching experience, is fluent in Hebrew with some knowledge of Arabic, and is a yoga instructor.
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  • Brennan Pickman-Thoon

    Theater Teacher and Musical Director
    Brennan Pickman-Thoon is our Musical Director and a theater teacher in the middle school. Brennan brings extensive experience as a professional actor, director, teaching artist, and producer. In addition to past roles and performances with organizations like SFArtsEd and the American Conservatory Theater, he also holds a BFA in Theatre from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.
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  • Doug Pierce

    General Studies Teacher, Kindergarten
    Doug Pierce is a lead general studies teacher in Kindergarten. In addition to holding an MDiv degree from Boston College and a MA in philosophy from Fordham University, Doug completed the DeLeT program at Hebrew Union College, where he earned a California Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and a Certificate in Jewish Day School Teaching. 
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  • Ella Pinco

    Learning Specialist, 3rd-5th Grade
    Ella Pinco is the 3rd - 5th Grade Learning Specialist and has over a decade of experience in similar roles at Tessellations School, Axiom Learning, and the Learning Disability Society in Vancouver, BC. Ella graduated from the University of British Columbia with a BA in Psychology. 


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  • Alexia Ramos

    Aftercare Supervisor

  • Arielle Rauch '14

    Campaign & Development Coordinator
    Arielle Rauch ’14 is the Campaign and Development Coordinator in the Development office. Arielle graduated Summa Cum Laude from Arizona State University with a BA in Justice Studies and a minor in Criminology and Criminal Justice. 
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  • Sarah Rhee

    Interim Director of Lower School
    Sarah Rhee is our Interim Director of Lower School. She has worked with PreK-12th grade students for over 20 years, previously at Sacramento Country Day School and Marin Montessori School before coming to Brandeis in 2020. Sarah earned her BA in Child Development and minored in American Sign Language at CSU Sacramento, attended Mills College for her MA in Education, and received an MS in Organizational Leadership from Northeastern University. Sarah is also a certified yoga instructor and volleyball coach.
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  • Anna Richardson

    Math Teacher, Middle School
    Anna Richardson is a 6th and 7th grade math teacher and a 7th grade advisor. She has previously taught at Stratford School and San Francisco Pacific Academy. She holds a BA in Business Management and Economics from UC Santa Cruz and an MA in Teaching from Northeastern University.
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  • Ariel Rodriguez

    Lead Teacher, 4th Grade
    Ariel Rodriguez teaches 4th grade. She holds a BA in Sociology and a BA in Spanish Language and Literature from UC Berkeley, and will earn an MA in Education and a Multi Subject Teaching Credential from the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute in 2026. Before coming to Brandeis, Ariel worked with students of all ages as an academic tutor and college counselor.
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  • Polly Sapakie

    Assistant Director of Admissions
    Polly Sapakie serves as the Assistant Director of Admissions at Brandeis. A former longtime public school teacher with an MA in English from Northern Arizona University, Polly joined the Brandeis staff in November 2019. 
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  • Michael Scialo

    Language Arts Teacher and HS Placement, Middle School
    Michael Scialo is a middle school Language Arts teacher, 8th grade advisor, and high school placement counselor. Michael came to Brandeis after 10 years at the Trinity School in Manhattan. He holds an MA in English Literature from Trinity College and a BS from SUNY New Paltz.
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  • Damon Sperber '82

    Assistant Director of Development 
    & Community Engagement
    Damon Sperber ’82 is our Assistant Director of Development and Community Engagement. A graduate of UCLA in World Arts and Cultures, he also earned an MFA at the American Conservatory Theater. Outside of his role at Brandeis, Damon works as a professional actor. 
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  • Evan Spiler

    Math and Arts Teacher, Middle School
    Evan Spiler is a 6th and 8th grade math teacher at Brandeis, and also  teaches photography and yearbook. He has many years of experience in visual arts, drama, and technology, holds an MEd from the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute, and has studied film at NYU and worked as a software engineer. He has been at Brandeis since 2019.
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  • Brittany Tackett

    Physical Education Teacher, Lower School
    Brittany Tackett is our Lower School PE teacher. She has been a program coordinator at Legarza Sports, a high school and college-level basketball player and coach, and a 4th Grade teacher at St. Veronica’s School in South San Francisco. Brittany earned a BS in Kinesiology from Lewis-Clark State College, and holds an MEd in Teaching and Elementary Education with a teaching credential from the University of San Francisco.
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  • Dr. Sivan Tarle

    Director of Middle School
    Dr. Sivan Tarle, Director of Middle School, has been at Brandeis since 2016. Dr. Tarle holds a BSc in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology from UC Santa Barbara, an MA in Teaching from American Jewish University in Los Angeles, and an EdD from CSU Northridge. Before joining the Brandeis faculty, she was a biology teacher and administrator at de Toledo High School in Los Angeles.
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  • Kelly Tom

    Front Desk Coordinator
     
    Kelly is the Front Desk Coordinator at Brandeis. A Bay Area native, she graduated from UC Davis with a BA in Psychology.
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  • Anatoliy Tsibulskiy

    Security
    Anatoliy Tsibulskiy is our Security Officer, and has been working at Brandeis for 25 years. Anatoliy graduated from the Military Academy in the USSR with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and Artillery Science. Anatoliy later joined the Ukrainian Army and completed two tours, including assignments at the Chernobyl Nuclear Station, before retiring with the rank of Major. After moving to San Francisco, Anatoliy worked at the JCCSF and was awarded a lifetime membership to their gym for his service. Anatoliy has also been named a “Best Employee” by Jewish Vocational Services.
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  • Janelle Valladolid

    Event and Facilities Specialist

  • Clare Wadbrook

    Humanities Teacher, Middle School
    Clare Wadbrook is the 8th Grade Humanities and English teacher at Brandeis. Born and raised in England, she earned her BA with Honors in Humanities at Sussex University and her post-graduate degree in teaching from the University of Brighton. She worked in East London for several years as an English teacher, then switched to computer network design after completing a master’s degree in Information Systems. Along the way she qualified as a Cisco Engineer, obtained her CCIE from Cisco Systems, and travelled extensively teaching courses and writing books for the company.
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  • Mairin Weiner

    Counselor, Lower School
    Mairin Weiner, LCSW is the Lower School Counselor. She graduated from Kenyon College with a dual degree in Psychology and Spanish before going on to earn a Master of Social Work with an emphasis on mental health and family therapy from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.
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  • Catherine Withrington

    Art Teacher
    Catherine Withrington is the Art Specialist at Brandeis. She grew up in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom but has been living in San Francisco for the last twenty years. She holds a B.A. (Honors) in Interior Architecture from the Edinburgh College of Art and a PGCE in Art and Design Education from the University of Reading. She began her career in Asia working in architecture, but switched paths to focus on a subject about which she is truly passionate! Before joining the Brandeis faculty, she taught art and design in public and private schools in the UK and around the Bay Area.
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  • Tom Yaron Meyerson

    Resident Teacher, 1st Grade
    Tom Yaron Meyerson is a resident teacher in 1st grade. He is an experienced Hebrew, Judaic Studies, and Music teacher, and has also worked at the JCCSF and Congregation Emanu-El. Tom has a BA in Music Performance from Tel Aviv University and a Master's degree in Music from Rice University.
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  • Sasha Yevelev

    Long Term Substitute, 5th Grade
    Sasha Yevelev coaches basketball at Brandeis and also serves as a substitute teacher in the middle school. He is an experienced  photographer and physical education teacher, and holds a BA in Business Administration from UC Berkeley. 
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  • Stacy Youkilis

    Director of Development
    Stacy Youkilis is the Director of Development at Brandeis. A Texas native, Stacy completed a bachelor’s degree in Art History from UT Austin and a master’s degree in Museum Studies from San Francisco State University. Before coming to Brandeis, Stacy held senior development positions at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, San Francisco Symphony, Stanford Lively Arts, and United Way Bay Area. 
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  • Cameron Yuen-Shore

    Director of Special Projects
    Cameron Yuen-Shore, Director of Special Projects, has taught 2nd through 8th grade math, redesigned report cards and schedules, enhanced day-to-day logistics on campus, and been a Middle School advisor. Cam has a BA in Economics from Occidental College and a multiple subject teaching credential from the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute. A San Francisco naive, he previously served on the board at Lick-Wilmerding High School.
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