Faculty
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Mary Stewart Adams
Mary Stuart Adams is the General Secretary of the Anthroposophical Society in America.
Mary is a Star Lore Historian and host of the weekly public radio program and podcast The Storyteller’s Night Sky. She published her first book The Star Tales of Mother Goose ~ For Those Who Seek the Secret Language in the Stars, in 2021. As a member of the School for Spiritual Science, Mary combines her extensive knowledge of ancient mythologies with the research and ideas of contemporary astronomy to offer unique perspectives concerning the astrosophy, or star wisdom, of our era. As a global advocate for starry skies, Mary led the team that established the 9th International Dark Sky Park in the world in 2011, which later led to the State of Michigan protecting 35,000 acres of state land for its natural darkness. She is the mother of four, with three grandchildren.
Monica Armstutz
Monica Talaya Amstutz completed the Dorion School of Anthroposophical Music Therapy (AMT) in 2005, after her training as a Certified Music Practitioner. Since then, she has worked as an AMT with different populations, age groups and in varied settings, most consistently in the Camphill Communities. She also teaches the lyre to children (from 5 years old onward) and adults in groups and individually.
Monica has given presentations about AMT and has lead courses and workshops for early childhood teachers and parents of young children about the importance of the ‘mood of the fifth’, providing an in-depth experience and understanding of the different stages of a child’s musical development and needs. She wishes to inspire parents for and teaches the singing of lullabies.
Earlier in her life she trained to be a kindergarten- and later a special education teacher and raised her own five children.
Karen Atkinson, M.Ed.
Director of Renewal Courses
Director of Mentor Training Program
Coordinator for Waldorf Leadership Development Program
Karen is a dedicated educator and leader in Waldorf Education, with over 30 years of experience as an early childhood educator, grade school class teacher, pedagogical leader, and adult educator. A graduate of Antioch University New England, Karen holds a Master’s in Education and Waldorf Teacher Education Certification in both early childhood and elementary education.
Karen’s commitment to Waldorf education extends beyond the classroom. She has served as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Leader on the Leadership Council of the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America (AWSNA) and as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Leader and Representative for the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN). Her work in these roles has focused on fostering collaboration, supporting educators, and promoting the growth of Waldorf education.
Passionate about inspiring and supporting educators and school leaders, Karen is the Program Director of the Mentor Training Program and Renewal Courses, as well as the Coordinator for the Waldorf Leadership Development Program. Through these programs, she provides pedagogical leadership and professional development opportunities designed to meet the unique needs of Waldorf educators and leaders.
Outside of her professional work, Karen is an avid naturalist, hiker, watercolor artist, and natural foods cook. She finds joy in exploring the outdoors and preparing wholesome, health-giving meals for family and friends.
David Barham, M.Ed.
Director of the Waldorf Teacher Education Program (WHiSTEP) at Center for Anthroposophy (CfA)
Director of CfA’s Waldorf High School Teacher Education Program (WHiSTEP) as of 2022, David has worked in four North American Waldorf schools, including one in Mexico, both as class and high school teacher. Before joining CfA, he taught humanities at the Maine Coast Waldorf School in Freeport, ME, for more than a decade. In the fall of 2021, he was appointed to AWSNA’s Leadership Council as Leader for the Northeast/Quebec region.
A graduate with a master’s degree in Waldorf education from Antioch University New England, David recently completed a CfA certificate program in Waldorf Leadership Development. His undergraduate degree at Tufts University was in English and Religion.
An ardent folk singer and guitar player, David came to anthroposophy first as a biodynamic farmer, then as a worker at a Camphill village before signing on as a class teacher.
Adam Blanning, M.D.
Adam Blanning, M.D., practices integrative and anthroposophic family medicine in Denver, Colorado. He is President of the Anthroposophic Health Association (AHA), an umbrella organization for therapeutic associations working to bring anthroposophic insights into the realms of medicine, nursing, naturopathy, body therapies, artistic therapies, movement therapies, and counselling. As the director of the postgraduate physician training programs for anthroposophic medicine in the U.S. (AnthroposophicMedicine.org), Dr. Blanning sits on the international accreditation panel for anthroposophic physician’s training programs. Dr. Blanning lectures and teaches nationally and internationally on topics relating to holistic medicine and the dynamics of human development, with a special interest in supporting children. He is the author of “Understanding Deeper Developmental Needs: Holistic Approaches for Challenging Behaviors in Children.” He has served on the faculty of New York Medical College and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He is a past recipient of the Larry Green M.D. Award for Leadership, Scholarship and Vision in Family Medicine from the University of Colorado’s Department of Family Medicine.
Beverly Boyer, M.Ed.
Director of Explorations at the Center for Anthroposophy
A graduate of the AUNE Waldorf Teacher Education program, Bev has divided her 25-year teaching career between the Waldorf School of Princeton, where she was a class teacher, and High Mowing School, where she taught a variety of subjects, ranging from Health and Human Sexuality to English for international students. Currently, she is enjoying her work in adult education as Director of CfA’s online Explorations program. She is also a certified therapeutic musician and plays harp for the ill and dying.
Robyn Brown
Robyn, a Waldorf Teacher for 33 years and counting, first led a class from Kindergarten through to eighth grade, then began working with Sunny Baldwin at Somerset School, a school based on Rudolf Steiner’s Curative Education work. Thereafter she started her own program, Mulberry Classroom. Curative Education has been her focus for the last 23 years. She offers a Curative Education Training Program as well as a newer course, “Practical Applications of Anthroposophical Education. In addition, Robyn leads workshops, mentors schools, and helps teachers and parents around the world. She is the author of A Practical Guide to Curative Education.
Caleb Buckley, Ed.D.
Executive Director of Golden Valley Charter Schools in Northern California. Doctor of Education degree from UC Davis and Waldorf Teaching Certificate in HS History from the Center for Anthroposophy.
Carsten Callesen, B.A.
Over the course of the last 30 years, Carsten has lived and worked with children, youth, and adults with developmental disabilities in Camphill communities in Scotland, England, and the United States. In true Camphill style, he has tried his hand at almost everything. He has carried responsibilities as a houseparent, workshop leader, teacher, administrator, counselor and therapist. Carsten holds a Bachelor of Arts in the Art of Eurythmy and holds a diploma in Eurythmy Therapy.
He currently lives at Camphill Special School where his overall responsibility and focus over the past ten years has become more directed towards the medical and therapeutic field. He serves the community as Director of Medical and Therapeutic Services, is a licensed EMT and are currently pursuing a nursing degree.
Carsten is a faculty member in the Camphill Academy (Curative Education) and adjunct faculty member of Transdisciplinary Healing Education Program, Antioch University. A motto he lives by is that in life we find a true path of learning and he continues to be a therapist at heart, where the listening ear is at the core.
Jason Child, M.Ed
Jason has been teaching in schools ever since he completed his Master’s in Music Education in 1994. He was appointed as Music Director at the Emerson Waldorf School in Chapel Hill, NC in 2005, where he has taught 1st – 12th grade music, choruses, and bands. He has also served as the school’s College and Faculty Chair, as well as coordinator of multiple accreditations.
Jason, who served for ten years on the Leadership Council of the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA), is now mentor, evaluator, and consultant to Waldorf schools throughout North America. He began teaching in the AWSNA teacher training program in Cuernavaca, Mexico in 2017, was the keynote speaker for AWSNA’s Mexican schools seminar 2015-2017, and has presented numerous workshops within and outside of Waldorf circles. The father of four Waldorf students, Jason loves exploring Waldorf pedagogy with seasoned experts and newcomers alike.
Valerie Colis
Valerie brings a keen understanding of the responsibilities of trustees and the very important role effective boards can play in the success of an organization.
As an independent consultant she works with many Waldorf school boards to bring about a more effective leadership circle. She led a monthly webinar series for AWSNA on a wide range of board topics including the board’s response to COVID. She has spoken at various conferences on strategic planning, good governance and collaboration in Waldorf schools.
Valerie served as a trustee and Chair of the Board for the Chicago Waldorf School (2011- 2017). She currently serves as a trustee and Chair of the Board for the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA).
She has an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a BA in International Studies from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She and her husband have 3 children, and when not in Chicago, she spends as much time as possible in Vermont biking, hiking and skiing in the Green Mountains.
Carla Beebe Comey, M.Ed.
Antioch University faculty. Served as a Waldorf teacher, pedagogical eurythmist, mentor, and pedagogical administrator for twenty-six years prior to joining the Waldorf Teacher Education Program at Antioch.
Milan Daler
Administrator, Center for Anthroposophy, community activist and former Waldorf parent.
Deborah Dornemann, M.Ed.
Deborah was first introduced to the works of Rudolf Steiner as a teenager. Since then, Anthroposophy has been an important part of her spiritual path. She has been in Waldorf Education for over three decades. She has taught Early Childhood through High School in Waldorf schools in Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Carolina and online. Deborah also has many years of experience in school leadership as a consultant, mentor, facilitator, administrator, pedagogical director and faculty chair.
Deborah holds a master’s degree in Waldorf Education from Antioch New England Graduate School. Her undergraduate major was Art and Anthropology. She has completed the curative education course with the Association for Healing Education and the leadership program through Center for Anthroposophy.
Deborah enjoys homemaking, puppetry, kayaking, bicycling, travel and being a House Mother in a life-sharing community.
Maria Ver Eecke
Maria is presently the therapeutic eurythmist for the School of Eurythmy, Spring Valley, NY. She taught eurythmy for forty years in Waldorf schools, a charter school, and a home-school program. Maria met anthroposophy in Maseru, Lesotho, when she was a class teacher in an English-medium preparatory school. Currently she is the editor of the newsletters for the Eurythmy Association of North America and the Association of Therapeutic Eurythmy in North America.
Lynne Espy
Development Director of the Maine Coast Waldorf School, has extensive experience with capital campaigns, fundraising, annual giving and event planning, and a deep appreciation for the power of philanthropy.
Nettie Fabrie
Nettie Fabrie’s teaching career spans four decades, beginning with several years in the public schools of the Netherlands. As a Waldorf class teacher, she took two classes from first through eighth grade in Holland. In addition, she has been a remedial teacher for many years. More recently, Nettie has served as the pedagogical director of the Seattle Waldorf School.Over the years she has traveled the world mentoring Waldorf teachers, founding a Waldorf teacher training program in the Czech Republic, and serving on the faculty of Sound Circle Center in Washington State. At present Nettie is one of the sub-regional representatives for AWSNA’s Northwest Region. In her spare time, Nettie enjoys working in the garden and frequenting the theater, concerts, and art museums. She is co-author of the Making Math Meaningful resource book for grades 1-5.
Karine Munk Finser, M.Ed.
Director of Renewal Courses, Kairos Institute at the Center for Anthroposophy. She is Teaching Faculty at Antioch University New England, and has a Diploma in Art Therapy from the Goetheanum, Switzerland. She has published chapters in several books and is presently writing her own book on Color and the Soul.
Karine Munk Finser, M.Ed., was born on the Baltic island of Bornholm, Denmark, and later lived in Belgium, France, Switzerland and England before finding her home in the United States. Karine is an art therapist with a diploma from the Medical Section, Goetheanum. She ran the Center for Anthroposophy’s Renewal Courses for 21 years while being employed as a faculty member at Antioch University New England. In 2014, she began the Transdisciplinary Studies in Healing Education program (TSHE). She is the founder and director of Kairos Institute, providing professional trainings for Artistic Therapies, Speech and Drama, and Emergency Pedagogy. Kairos Institute is a Cooperative member of the iARTE, dedicated to bringing a new, unique program that reflects the needs of North America and those of our time.
Mark Finser
Board Director of Amalgamated Bank, founder of RSF Social Finance, an organization focused on developing and implementing innovative social finance, serving humanity for a just and equitable future. Founding member of New Resource Bank. An active member of several boards, Mark is also an independent investment trustee for several families around the U.S. and abroad.
Torin Finser, Ph.D.
Torin M Finser, PhD, has served Waldorf education for over four decades, as class teacher and faculty chair at the Berkshire Waldorf School, director of teacher education at Antioch University, General Secretary of the Anthroposophical Society and a founder of the Center for Anthroposophy. His innovative efforts led to many new programs, including most recently Building Bridges and Waldorf Leadership Development.
He is the author of 15 books, the most recent: Listening to our Teachers - Advocacy through Research (2024). Some of his other books have been translated into Portugese, Mandarin, Korean, Arabic, Spanish, and next year School as a Journey will appear in Greek. Torin and Karine are now enjoying nine grandchildren.
Cathie Foote, M.A., M.S.W.
Long-time (now retired) school administrator and board executive at the Calgary Waldorf School; active in administrative mentoring for many years; now in third 3-year term as AWSNA Leader for the Texas-Mexico-Canadian-Southwest-Rockies Region; previous long-term professional career as social worker and researcher in pediatric hospitals, grief counseling, and family mediation, as well as university teaching in social work and grief counseling.
Jennifer Fox
Jennifer is a lifelong seeker, elder, grandmother of five, and great-grandmother of three. She was born into a family of doctors and funeral directors and has carried her passion for the mysteries of living and dying through her life journey by learning, studying and practicing many streams of health, wellness and hospice care and holds certification in variety of healing modalities. She has a B.S. in Communication Science and an M.A. in Audiology and Education of the Hearing Impaired from Northwestern University and worked in these fields both clinically and in research. Upon meeting the being of Anthroposophia forty years ago, Jennifer has devoted her life path to a deepening understanding of the “great mysteries of comings and goings” - diving into them anew through studying, practicing and teaching Biography and Social Art (BSA) and The Social Art of Natural Death Care locally and nationally for the past 30 years. She was a founding mother of City of Lakes Waldorf School in Minneapolis, serving as administrator, board chair and college member for several years. She also served in the pioneering work of several other Anthroposophic initiatives in MN. Along with Linda Bergh, she developed and taught the BSA courses for Foundation Studies through Novalis Institute in MN for a number of years. After moving to Tucson she has continued to teach in Foundation Studies programs locally in AZ, at Renewal and in the TSHE program through Antioch. Through the "Awakening Connections-Creating Community" Program of the Center for Biography and Social Art, she has brought BSA to Waldorf communities as a process for strengthening and developing community. As a part of her passion for understanding our earthly life path, she continues to also share and teach about the blessing and gifts of consciously and reverently accompanying those who are crossing the threshold. It is these beings who have been and remain her greatest teachers. Jennifer founded The Tucson Natural Death Care Circle several years ago and supports this growing movement locally and nationally.
Noris Friedman
B.A. in psychology and teaching certification, Vassar College; Anthroposophical Foundation Year, Emerson College, England; Artistic Eurythmy Diploma, Eurythmeum, Stuttgart Germany; Eurythmy Teacher Training Certificate, Emerson College, England.
Teaching and performing Eurythmy at the Waldorf School of Baltimore (WSB) from 1983-2018 (retired as eurythmy teacher).
Took yearly Eurythmy workshops and conferences in Spring Valley, NY; Dornach, Switzerland; Sacramento, CA; Kimberton, PA; Ann Arbor, MI; Garden City, NY. Taught Adult Eurythmy courses and did Eurythmy regularly with the Faculty and Staff, the Board of Trustees, Parents’ Association, Lazure workshop participants, Building Committee members.
Taught Eurythmy in Foundation Year Course in Autumn, 2001.
Taught Eurythmy in the Pedagogical Teacher Training Course.
Ongoing pedagogical courses for students in eurythmy training at Eurythmy Spring Valley (ESV)
Regularly attended AWSNA Teacher Conferences and Eastern Regional Conferences. Served on the Council of the Eurythmy Association of North America (EANA) as President, Corresponding Secretary, and Member-at-large. Current member of EANA, Recording Secretary and member of Pedagogical Eurythmy Workgroup.
Leading an ongoing Book Club at WSB.
Teaching adult eurythmy courses.
Ongoing – evaluating eurythmy teachers at Waldorf schools; mentoring eurythmy teachers at Waldorf schools.
Volunteer as an usher at Chesapeake Shakespeare Theater and work at the local Cylburn Arboretum.
Married and have one daughter. Other interests are sewing, knitting and crocheting, canoeing, camping, travel, swimming, photography, commercial fishing in Alaska, piano, recorder, singing, reading, gardening, family, friends.
Member of the Anthroposophical Society in America. Member of the First Class, Pedagogical Section, and Performing Arts Section.
MIchael Gannon
has been teaching and learning from classes at Spring Garden Waldorf School for the past 19 years. Now on his third cycle through the grades, he is inspired by connecting ancient wisdom with imagination for the future. He received an undergraduate degree in psychology from Hiram College before completing a Master’s degree through Antioch University New England. In addition to guiding his current class through the grades, he works as a remote mentor and consultant with other Waldorf schools.
Patricia Gans, MD
Patricia Gans, MD, graduated from UC Davis with the highest honors and the department's special honors for research in cell biology. She then graduated with honors from UC San Francisco School of Medicine and continued her residency in the Bay Area, where she trained in Anthroposophic medicine in Switzerland. During a sabbatical, Dr Gans completed Psychosynthesis Counseling Certification, including courses in guided imagery. She then co-created The Pleiades Center, an Anthroposophic Medical Clinic in Sebastopol, CA, which also offers therapeutic eurythmy, speech, music, and rhythmical massage.
Dr Gans worked full-time for one year as a Waldorf Preschool assistant and later as a kindergarten assistant giving her invaluable experience with the Waldorf approach to early childhood education and development. She completed the Waldorf Teacher Training Foundation year. She acted as an ASL interpreter for Deaf teachers in the Waldorf teacher training, Nurturing Arts training, and participating in the first Kolisko conference. She worked as a School Doctor for Summerfield Waldorf School and, more recently, Waldorf School of the Roaring Fork in Carbondale, CO. She taught Anthroposophic medicine courses for the Center for Renewal of Education teacher training and has given many lectures for various faculty, charter schools and parent education groups.
Dr Gans has a special interest in children with special needs, especially deafness. She is fluent in American Sign Language. She is a founder and board member of the Trillium Deaf Program and has been involved with many initiatives attempting to bring Waldorf pedagogical ideology to the Deaf community and access Waldorf education, pedagogy, and biodynamic farming for Deaf children.
Dr Gans also has the American Board of Integrated and Holistic Medicine (ABIHM) and Advanced Wilderness Expedition Provider (AWEP) Certifications. She enjoyed practicing Wilderness emergency medicine as needed while sailing remote islands of the South Pacific for ten years and as a remote Lighthouse Keeper in Alaska. She is now located high in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and continues to offer anthroposophic medicine consultations.
Douglas Gerwin, Ph.D.
Executive Director of the Center for Anthroposophy (CfA)
Himself a Waldorf graduate, Douglas Gerwin, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the Center for Anthroposophy (CfA). He has taught history, literature, German, music, and life science at the university and Waldorf high school levels for over 40 years and helped prepare high school educators to teach these subjects for over a quarter-century. He is also an adjunct faculty member of the Waldorf Teacher Education Program at Antioch University New England.
In 1996, he founded CfA’s Waldorf High School Teacher Education Program (WHiSTEP), a graduate-level training specifically for high school teachers, which he chaired for 27 years. During that time, he also served as advisor or mentor to well over three-quarters of the Waldorf high schools in North America and helped train Waldorf teachers on four continents.
Editor of ten books and author of numerous articles on Waldorf education and anthroposophy, Dr. Gerwin is also Executive Director of the Research Institute for Waldorf Education (RIWE). A founding member of the Leadership Council in the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA), he now sits on the Pedagogical Section Council of the Anthroposophical Society in America. In addition, for the past decade he was a member of the Hague Circle, an international leadership group of some 45 Waldorf teachers from around the world.
Paul Gierlach, M.A.
Involved in Waldorf education for nearly forty years, first as a class teacher in Detroit; a high school teacher on the east coast, mid-west, and west coast of United States; lead teacher in Honolulu high school. Taught in teacher training programs and worked with faculties in the Mexico, Argentina and, currently, the United States and China. Created Dynamic Drawing for use in high school classrooms. Special interest lies in creating classroom environments that supports teacher’s work with students with different learning styles.
Denese Giordano
A seasoned professional in school administration, Denese Giordano has been in the workforce for over four decades. Her experience stems from a hands-on working knowledge of business operations within a variety of small organizations. After graduating from Kenyon College, Denese's early experience was in the for-profit arena, where she focused on operations, facilities and volunteer management for over ten years. The following 35+ years have been spent working with mission-based organizations in the non-profit independent school realm, where she has honed her skills in program development, budget strategies, and long-term planning. Denese balances her knowledge and experience from both worlds to establish structure, support entrepreneurial efforts, and nurture creative solutions. She specializes in establishing healthy systems in finance, human resources, administrative operations, outreach and development efforts. In semi-retirement, Denese is currently consulting with a number of schools across the nation, in both the independent and charter worlds, and participates in many volunteer efforts in support of Waldorf Education.
Anne Clair Goodman, M.Ed.
Anne Claire, a grades faculty member at the Waldorf School of Pittsburgh (WSP) since 2000, finds great joy and satisfaction working with students, colleagues, and parents to bring Waldorf education into the 21st Century. A graduate of Acorn Hill, Washington Waldorf School, Oberlin College (B.A. in History), and Antioch New England Graduate University (M.Ed. and Waldorf Teacher Certificate), Anne Clair is currently the class teacher for the Class of 2022 at WSP and the Grades Faculty Chair, a role she has held since 2014.
Luke Goodwin, Ed.D.
The Lead Administrator at the Gathering Waters Chartered Public School in Keene, NH. He has been involved with Waldorf education for over 40 years. After graduating with a Masters of Education from Antioch University, New England, he served as a class teacher at the Ashwood Waldorf School in Rockport, Maine and the Cape Ann Waldorf School in Beverly, MA. After class teaching for 10 years he moved into Administration and has had the privilege to serve as the Administrative Director at the Chicago Waldorf School for the last 13 years. In addition to his school leadership work, Luke has served as a school mentor for the Waldorf Schools of the Great Lakes & Ontario region and taught administration and governance courses at the Waldorf Teachers Institute in Chicago. Luke lives with his wife Kate and three daughters, Josie, Willa and Lulu. In his free time, he enjoys coaching a Varsity baseball team and listening to his beloved Red Sox on WEEI.
Wim Gottenbos
Wim taught in Dutch public schools for 12 years before training to become a Waldorf teacher in Holland, where he took two classes through the elementary grades. He then carried three classes at the Seattle Waldorf School, including one complete cycle from grades 1-8. In 2017, he retired from class teaching and started mentoring and evaluating teachers in various schools of the Pacific Northwest. He was also part of Sound Circle Center’s Advanced Seminar. Wim’s passions include beekeeping, gardening, and reading. He is also a co-author of the Making Math Meaningful resource for grades 1-5.
Connie Helms, M.Ed.
Connie is a consultant to Waldorf schools in the eastern U.S., conducting workshops, observations, and classwide screenings. For several years she has been a co-director of the Educational Support Program offered by the Association for a Healing Education and she mentors Learning Support teachers. Connie holds a Waldorf teacher certification from Antioch University New England, a Waldorf Remedial certification from AHE, a Masters in Special Education from Lesley University and a B.A. in psychology from Connecticut College.
Connie formerly worked as the Educational Support teacher at the Lake Champlain Waldorf School in Shelburne,Vermont; before that she was a Resource teacher in public schools. In addition to her current work teaching and mentoring, she has a private practice doing Extra Lesson with children and adolescents in Vermont. Her three children attended Waldorf schools in Vermont from Kindergarten through eighth grade.
Alison Henry, M.Ed.
Alison Henry is a faculty member in the School of Education at Antioch University New England, teaching primarily in Antioch’s Waldorf Teacher Education program. Alison is also a doctoral student in Antioch University’s Graduate School of Leadership and Change. Her research interests include humility in leadership, collaborative decision making, child-centered and developmentally appropriate education, and understanding the narratives that reinforce, disrupt, or heal patterns of coloniality.
Alison has recently relocated to Gig Harbor, WA to be closer to her children and grandchildren. She is deeply grateful for the privilege of traveling where her work calls her.
Michael Holdrege, M.S., M.A., M.B.A.
Michael was a founding member of the Chicago Waldorf High School where he taught Life and Earth Sciences, Economics and German. Prior to that he taught life sciences at the Rudolf Steiner School in Vienna, Austria and was a founding member of the Institute for Goethean Studies in Vienna. He has also taught at the Waldorf Teacher Training Program in Xi’an, China. Michael is currently a faculty member at the Waldorf Teacher Institute of Chicago and has authored three books: From Creative Ideas to Innovative Practices—Change-adept Organizations for a Changing World; From Mechanism to Organism—Enlivening the Study of Human Biology; and Embryology, Genetics, Ecology—Windows into the Dynamic Nature of Living Organisms.
Jen Kershaw
Jen earned a B.A. in Acting/Theater Performance from the University of South Florida, a M.S. in Education from Wheelock College, and a Waldorf Teaching Certificate from Antioch University New England. In the theater world, she performed with Metro Theater Company from St. Louis, Missouri, performing and teaching workshops across the U.S. Jen has been teaching in classrooms for over twenty years, first as an artist educator, then as a middle school math and history teacher, and finally as a Waldorf class teacher. For the past three years, Jen has been a member of the adjunct faculty at Antioch University New England, where she has taught the Math Methods course for the Integrated Learning Program. Along with teaching, she has written and published middle school math curriculum both online and in print.
A class teacher at heart, Jen joined High Mowing School in 2011 as an elementary school teacher; with her special education degree, she has also served as Educational Support Coordinator for the past four years. In 2018, Jen completed the eight-year journey as a class teacher and is now headed into fifth grade with her second class.
Lori Kran, Ph.D.
In addition to her Ph.D. in U.S. History, Lori has earned Waldorf certification from WTDA, Ann Arbor, MI. Lori was a class teacher for 20+ years at the Cincinnati Waldorf School. She is currently the Pedagogical Director at the Shining Mountain Waldorf School.
Angela Lindstrom, M.Ed.
Angela Lindstrom is currently the Grades Pedagogical Director at the Whidbey Island Waldorf School where she has taught for 20 years, graduating three classes. Before discovering her passion for Waldorf education, Angela taught Native American Studies for seven years at the University of Cincinnati.
Angela is a citizen of the Ojibwe and Cherokee Nations who grew up in the woods of Ohio, while also spending summers on the Cherokee Reservation in North Carolina.
Angela earned her B.A. at Brigham Young University. She then became certified as an EC and Therapeutic Waldorf teacher, and completed her M.Ed. at Antioch University-New England. She has organized and hosted the "Pacific Northwest Regional Waldorf Schools Gathering of First Nations", an annual event for 4th graders, for over a decade. Angela is an advocate for the Rights of First Nation Peoples, as well as environmental and adoption issues, and has been a national presenter on Native culture and spirituality, and a representative for Multicultural Women in the World.
Jan Lyndes, M.Ed.
Jan holds a Master of Education/ Waldorf Teaching Certification from Antioch University New England and a Level III Spacial Dynamics Trainer certification. Jan fell in love with Waldorf Education while living off the grid in Alaska, where she built a home and raised her family off the land. Prior to becoming a Waldorf Teacher, fluent in American Sign Language, Jan taught in Deaf Education. Here in New Hampshire she has taught at Antioch University, Center for Anthroposophy, Monadnock Waldorf School, Kroka Expeditions, Austine School for the Deaf, and is currently teaching at Gathering Waters Charter School.
Lisa Mahar
Lisa Mahar served as School Administrator at Monadnock Waldorf School in Keene, New Hampshire from 1991 to 2018. She is a founding member of the Administrators Network of the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (ANA), is a trained meeting facilitator, and now advises and consults with Waldorf schools in the areas of governance, community building, administrative review, meeting facilitation, mentoring, visioning, and administrative planning.
Karin Meadows
Business Manager at Yuba River Public Waldorf Charter School, Grass Valley, CA. Her lifelong commitment to the study of humankind has led her from religion to philosophy to education – specifically, how educational institutions may serve the public good based on a developmental model of education.
Tomasa Mendoza
Tomasa Mendoza has been working with children and their families in a public Waldorf setting for over a decade. She has a Waldorf Teaching Certificate from the Rudolf Steiner Teacher Training Program and has looped through four classes, teaching grades fourth through eight. In addition to her class teacher role, Tomasa also works as a mentor teacher, guiding new teachers through their first years in public Waldorf education. In her free time, Tomasa enjoys being outdoors and spending time with her family.
Sarah Nelson
Sarah graduated from the Center for Anthroposophy and Antioch New England Graduate School twenty years ago. Since then she has taught at Haleakala Waldorf School in Maui, Hawaii, where she worked with students from pre-K to Grade 8. For the last five years, in addition to class teaching, she has served as leader for the Southern California and Hawaii region on AWSNA’s Leadership Council. In 2021, after completing an eight-year journey with her class in Maui, She returned to British Columbia for a sabbatical and to see what the future will bring.
Michal Noer
Four Year Certificate, Sculpture, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
BFA, University of Pennsylvania
Waldorf High School Teacher Training Certificate, Center for Anthroposophy
Michal currently teaches a wide variety of different fine and practical arts at High Mowing School in Wilton NH, where she has worked in the High School since 2006. She holds a 4 Year Certificate in Sculpture from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and a BFA from the University of Pennsylvania. She completed the Waldorf High School Teacher Training through the Center For Anthroposophy in 2014. Michal is an alum of Kimberton Waldorf School and spent 8 amazing years of her childhood as a staff child at Camphill Village Kimberton Hills in Pennsylvania.
Meg O'Dell, M.Ed.
Meg, who grew up in a family of musicians and singers, has been teaching in Waldorf schools for over a decade. One of her greatest joys is bringing people together in harmony, which she does every week with her 60-member inter-generational community choir. She also teaches Singing and Spanish to grades 1-8 at The Bay School, a small Waldorf school in Northern Maine, as well as choral groups at Antioch University New England, Center for Anthroposophy, Life Ways North America, and the Essential Online Conferences. She received her M.Ed. and Waldorf Certification from Antioch University in 2008. Meg recently produced a well-received songbook/CD entitled At Home in Harmony: Bringing Families and Communities Together in Song. She and her fellow Waldorf teacher husband are raising their two children on a hand-built homestead between the salt water and white pine forests of coastal Maine.
Dick “Cedar” Oliver
A science, math, technology, digital arts and design teacher in Waldorf high schools and middle schools for over 20 years, Cedar is also the author and co-author of numerous books and software titles and has worked with scientists, mathematicians, engineers and artists around the world. He attended the University of Maine and the University of Michigan in addition to the HiStep Waldorf Teacher Education program and 5-year Spacial Dynamics training. In addition to his work on the CFA faculty, he currently serves as a visiting science teacher and faculty mentor at several U.S. Waldorf schools.
Kim John Payne, M.Ed.
Independent and public school consultant, author, researcher, private and public school counselor for individuals and families. Founder of Simplicity Parenting.
Marisha Plotnik, M.A.
A graduate of the Toronto Waldorf School, Marisha earned her Honours B.Sc. (Physics) and B. Ed. (Physics and Mathematics) degrees in Canada, then her M.A. (Private School Leadership) while a Klingenstein fellow at Teachers College, Columbia University. Marisha graduated with the lead cohort of WHiSTEP (Mathematics) at CfA and taught at New York City’s Rudolf Steiner School for nearly 30 years. Marisha now joins the staff of the Nature Institute located in Ghent, New York, expanding her research and teaching of phenomena-based, human-centered natural sciences.
Lakshmi Prasanna, M.D.
Dr. Lakshmi Prasanna trained as a pediatrician with neonatology as her specialty. She started her career with newborn babies in intensive care and had a successful private neonatal intensive unit for more than 15 years. During this period, she discovered Anthroposophy through Waldorf education and later became the co-founder and president of the Anthroposophical Medical Society in India. She developed an interest in helping children with autism from a metabolic and sensory perspective based on Rudolf Steiner’s indications and runs a curative center for special needs children in Hyderabad, South India. She was one of the pioneer parents and founder member for the Abhaya Waldorf School in Hyderabad. Lakshmi has worked for many years as a school physician as well as traveling the length and breadth of India regularly teaching and inspiring new centers, clinics and schools working out of Anthroposophy. Since 2007 she has worked extensively in Australia as a lecturer and health educator, particularly within school communities. Well regarded across multiple geographies for her integrated approach, her presentations are engaging and heart-warming.
Laura Radefeld
Diploma, Eurythmy Spring Valley; Pedagogical Eurythmy Diploma, Emerson College, U.K.
Teaches eurythmy at Green Meadow Waldorf School in Chestnut Ridge, NY. Adjunct faculty at Antioch University New England and teacher at School of Eurythmy in Spring Valley, NY. Regularly performs within the USA, including the Making Music Visible Tour and the Midwest Eurythmy Group.
CfA teaching: Eurythmy in all three levels of the Waldorf High School Teacher Education Program.
Kris Ritz
Kris joined the Emerson Waldorf School community in 2008. Before returning to North Carolina, she was a class teacher at the Austin Waldorf School and spent a year at Plowshare Farm, an anthroposophical life-sharing community. Born in Upstate New York, Kris graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. While pursuing a career in advertising, she discovered Waldorf education, returned to school, and earned a Waldorf certificate and Master’s degree from Antioch New England Graduate School.
Bernd Ruf
Presenter, Founder of Parzival School & Emergency Pedagogy
Author of Educating Traumatized Children, Bernd Ruf is the founder of the worldwide Emergency Pedagogy crisis intervention center, based in Karlsruhe, Germany. Skilled teams are sent out to help traumatized children in places of the strife of war, or ecological disasters.
Leonore Russell, M.A.
Founding Director of Crossroads Farm, a project of Nassau Land Trust, Director of the Winkler Center for Adult Learning, a consultant for Antioch University New England and for schools and businesses using eurythmy as a vehicle for self-awareness and transformation of both personal and organizational life. She brings a wealth of experience as a long-time faculty member and administrator for the Waldorf School of Garden City, NY.
Anna Scalera, M.Ed.
Anna teaches Drawing as part of the Antioch University New England (AUNE) Waldorf teacher education program. Anna is a 2009 AUNE graduate. During the academic school year Anna works as a Waldorf class teacher in a homeschool group in Massachusetts. From 2009-2014 she taught fourth through eighth graders at the Waldorf School at Moraine Farm in Beverly, MA. In addition to her interest and background in the visual arts, Anna advocates for bicycling and environmental protection. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Conservation from the University of New Hampshire. Anna resides in Marblehead, MA with her husband and two sons.
Heather Scott, M.A.
Currently a high school Humanities teacher at The Waldorf School of San Diego (WSSD). Her interest in African-American culture and literature has been decades-long, especially attuned to Black women writers. She is passionate about supporting anti-racism through a grounding in history and biography. Heather was raised in New Hampshire and earned her Waldorf Teaching Certificate from Antioch University in 2009. Her BA is from Sarah Lawrence College; she earned an MA from The University of New Hampshire, Durham.
Last year she taught at The Community School for Creative Education (CSCE), a public, Waldorf-inspired charter in Oakland, CA.
Nikki Moon Shoneman
Nikki Moon Shoneman holds a Master’s degree in Education and a Waldorf teaching certificate in 1-8th grade from Antioch University, a Lifeways graduate in early childhood, a BA in Fine Arts from UCSC, and is a Wilderness First Responder. Nikki has completed Waldorf Leadership Development, Explorations, and is currently in Kairos Institute.
Nikki teaches Fine Arts in person/online for Antioch University, Building Bridges, Explorations, and Waldorf Mentorship Training. During the school year, she teaches Fine Arts 5th-12th grade, offers personal/group Art Journeys, and runs a Forest School.
Peter Selg
Peter Selg studied medicine in Witten-Herdecke, Zurich, and Berlin and, until 2000, worked as the head physician of the juvenile psychiatry department of Herdecke Hospital in Germany.
Dr. Selg is director of the Ita Wegman Institute for Basic Research into Anthroposophy (Arlesheim, Switzerland), professor of medicine at the Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences (Germany), and co-leader of the General Anthroposophical Section at the Goetheanum. He is the author of numerous books on Rudolf Steiner, anthroposophy, medical ethics, and the development of culture and consciousness.
David Sloan, M.F.A.
Now semi-retired and living in Brunswick, Maine, David Sloan still teaches humanities courses through the Jamie York Academy. A founding teacher of the Shining Mt. Waldorf High School in Boulder CO and Maine Coast Waldorf School in Freeport, ME, David still consults with a range of Waldorf schools. He is the author of three pedagogical books— Stages of Imagination: Working Dramatically With Adolescents; Life Lessons: Reaching Teenagers through Literature; and The Community Speaks: a Survey of Current Waldorf Parents, as well as three poetry collections: The Irresistible In-Between, A Rising and Other Poems, and Earth School.
Jeff Spade
Jeff, a member of the music and drama faculty at the Rudolf Steiner School in New York City, has been teaching music in Waldorf schools for over three decades. Prior to joining RSS, he was music director at Chicago Waldorf School and Kimberton Waldorf School. He has also worked as a guest teacher, mentor, and consultant with the Waldorf schools across the U.S. In addition to working in the classroom and conducting choirs and ensembles, Jeff is a composer (Eureka! The Life and Times of Archimedes: A Musical Play in One Act for grades 5-12) and a teacher of teachers, having led music classes at several Waldorf teacher training programs.
Debra Spitulnik, M.Ed.
Debra Spitulnik is an adjunct professor of Creative Speech at Antioch University New England, and faculty member for the Center for Anthroposophy. As a core faculty member of Kairos Institute she leads the training in artistic and healing Speech and Drama. Debra has led the development of pedagogical speech and believes that Creative Speech brings healing and nourishment to the soul and empowers the voice. She infuses all her classes with three decades of her unique experiences as a class teacher, subject teacher and speech teacher. She teaches speech, drama, storytelling, and curriculum to teachers nationwide.
Goetheanum Diploma in the arts of Speech and Drama., PerformInternational; M.Ed., Waldorf Education, Antioch University New England; B.S. Elementary and Special Education, Syracuse University.
Devona Stalnaker-Shofner, Ed. D.
An Associate Professor at Antioch University New England, and Associate Chair of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Department. She received her Doctor of Education in Counselor Education and Supervision from Argosy University-Atlanta. Her dissertation research focused on wellness in graduate students as they transition to counselors-in-training and during clinical practicum. She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the State of Georgia, as well as a National Certified Counselor (NCC) through the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). Dr. Stalnaker-Shofner has been in professional practice as a counselor for twenty years, and her experience includes providing individual, group, and marriage and family counseling to clients presenting with treatment concerns such as depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, sexual abuse, domestic violence, and self-mutilation/injury, as well as substance use, addiction, and recovery.
Tonya Stoddard
Tonya Stoddard, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Master’s in Social Work and completed the Anthroposophic Psychology program. Tonya has over 20 years of experience working in the San Francisco Bay Area and Sonoma County. She has worked psychotherapeutically with diverse populations and issues, including children and adolescents in both nonprofit and private practice settings. Currently, Tonya works as an Education Support Specialist at The Waldorf School of Tampa Bay in Tampa, FL. Tonya continues to work in private practice and collaboratively with the healing arts community. She is an adjunct faculty member of the Healing through Art program in California, a faculty member of the Association for Anthroposophic Psychology, and serving on the Leadership Team of the Anthroposophic Health Association.
Patrick Stolfo, M.A.
Patrick has taught and mentored in numerous Waldorf schools and adult education centers across North America since 1981. As a long time faculty member at Hawthorne Valley School in New York, he has taught in grades 5 through 12, primarily in the sculptural arts and the History of Art and Architecture. He has filled various school leadership positions, including high school faculty chair. Since 2004 Patrick has been a co-director and instructor at the Alkion Center for Waldorf Teacher Education at Hawthorne Valley. As a freelance sculptor and graphic artist, his artwork has been commissioned and/or shown in NY, MA, CA, England, and Sweden.
CfA teaching: Waldorf high school teacher education (sculpture, high school arts and art history seminars, mentoring).
Teresa Thorman M.A.
Teresa Thorman-B.S., Political Science, LMU, CA; California Teaching Credential, CSUDH; Waldorf Teacher Training, Steiner College; MA Human Development, Saint Mary’s, MN. Teresa has been a public school teacher, Waldorf class teacher, high school veil painting teacher and currently is a fine arts teacher for Waldorf grades 1-8. Sharing color relationships in painting and drawing to students of all ages is a true joy and Teresa also enjoys nature walks and photography to further explore her passion for color relationships.
Chiaki Uchiyama, M.Ed.
Born and raised in Yokohama, Japan. She taught Japanese language at Cedarwood Waldorf School for over 20 years. She has conducted annual Waldorf teacher conferences for Japanese teachers and anthroposophical as well as Waldorf pedagogical workshops over the past 11 years. She has served in various leadership roles at Cedarwood Waldorf School, prior to her current position as Pedagogical Director at the Portland Waldorf School. She graduated from Otsuma Women’s University in Tokyo, and earned a MEd. degree in Waldorf Education, Transdisciplinary Focus on Healing Education at Antioch University, NH. Although she misses the fun of teaching Japanese language to the children, she finds joyous satisfaction and fulfillment in supporting students, teachers, administration, parents and the whole school community.
Christof Wiechert
Christof Wiechert, a popular lecturer, author, and seminar leader the world over, spent 30 years teaching at the Waldorf School in The Hague, where he himself was a pupil. During this time, he co-founded the Dutch Waldorf Teacher Training Seminar. For many years, Christof was a council member in the Anthroposophical Society in the Netherlands. Together with Ate Koopmans, he developed the “Art of the Child Study” course. A number of his books are available in English translation. In 1999, he began to work for the Pedagogical Section of the Anthroposophical Society and, from 2001 to 2011, served as Leader of the Pedagogical Section of the School for Spiritual Science at the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland. He is married with five children.
Linda Williams, Ph.D.
A class teacher for over 25 years, is currently in the 8th grade with her students at the Detroit Waldorf School. Dr. Williams received her Waldorf training at the Waldorf Institute of Mercy College and her doctorate in literacy education in 2006 from Michigan State University. Besides teaching at Detroit Waldorf, Dr. Williams also taught for 3 years at the Urban Waldorf School in Milwaukee, the first public Waldorf school in the United States. After serving for 8 years as an Associate Professor of Literacy in the Department of Teacher Education at Eastern Michigan University, Dr. Williams returned to the classroom at Detroit Waldorf, where she serves on the College, DEI and Pedagogical committees.
Jamie York, M.S.
Taught high school mathematics at Shining Mountain Waldorf School in Boulder, Colorado as well as at a Waldorf school in Holland and in math workshops for teachers across North America. Author of a series of books entitled Making Math Meaningful, which includes a math curriculum guide and math workbooks for each of the upper elementary and high school grades.
WHiSTEP Courses: High school math subject seminars.
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