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Waldorf Leadership Development Faculty

Karen Atkinson, M.Ed.
Long-time Waldorf class teacher, AWSNA Leader for the Mid-Atlantic Region, Program Coordinator for Renewal Courses and Administrative Leadership Program at the Center for Anthroposophy. Provides pedagogical leadership support for faculty chairs, pedagogical administrators, professional development coordinators, and school mentors.

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.

Kirsten Christopherson-Clark, M.Ed.
Head of School at Waldorf School of Pittsburgh. In addition, she has served as a class teacher, Faculty Chair, mentor, Interim Administrator, and Expansion Coordinator.

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.

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.

Karine Munk Finser, M.Ed.
Director of Kairos Institute. Director of Transdisciplinary Studies of Healing Education, Antioch University New England. Director of Professional Development at the Center for Anthroposophy, art therapist and painter.
Karine Munk Finser 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)

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.
Director of Building Bridges and Waldorf Leadership Development programs, founding trustee of CfA, Director of Waldorf Programs at Antioch University New England, post doctoral certification in Management Development, Harvard, author of 14 books, including Organizational Integrity and Leadership Development.

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.

Denese Giordano
Seasoned professional in school administration specializing in program development, budget strategies, and long-term planning. She is the Administrative Network Coordinator for AWSNA in the Mid-Atlantic Region and the Business Manager for the New Amsterdam School in NYC.

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.

Lisa Mahar
Long-time Waldorf school administrator, founding member of the Administrators Network for the Association of Waldorf Schools (ANA), Waldorf school advisor, consultant, and facilitator.

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.

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.

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.

Emily Schwerin-Whyte
Co-CEO of W.S. Badger Company and long-time Waldorf school trustee, Board Co-Chair for many years, actively engaging with fundraising, financial management, strategic planning, and accreditation processes.

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.
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