Connie Mohandesi is the Lower School Language Arts Curriculum Director and Learning Specialist at Chandler School. She has also previously served as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director and as a classroom teacher for over 20 years. Connie has two teenagers and her parenting journey provides humbling real life lessons that inform her professional practices. Facilitating faculty professional development and mentoring teachers to elevate the classroom experience for all students brings her joy. She is excited about connecting, growing, and learning in community with other womxn through Leadership Circle.
Rebecca Russell is the Director of Teaching and Learning at Saint Mark’s School. Before wading into the world of education, Rebecca worked as an advertising account executive specializing in Broadway musicals, which led to her passion for presentation and systems thinking. Her non-traditional path to teaching and diversity of experience grounds her practice in empathy, perspective, and belonging, and allows her to view education through a variety of lenses. Rebecca is also an instructional and leadership coach with the California Teacher Development Collaborative (CATDC). With over fifteen years of classroom teaching and leadership experience in both public and independent schools, Rebecca is well-versed in integrated curricular design and team facilitation. When not singing alto in her early music group, you can find Rebecca drinking tea and rehearsing at her home in Eagle Rock with her family band (featuring her husband and two children).
Emily Singer is the Director of Teaching & Learning at Sequoyah School in Pasadena. In her role, she gets to teach teachers, parents, and sometimes students, on a broad range of topics including, growth-mindset, study strategies, responding to bias and culturally sensitive communication, Visual Thinking Strategies and circle practice. She has also co-facilitated the Parent Voices workshop hosted by SoCalPOCIS. Emily is thrilled to participate in the Womxn in Leadership Circle in a new way and is excited to create opportunities for folks to authentically share, make connections and deepen understandings.
Dr. Sarah Colmaire is the Head of School at Berkeley Hall School. She is a native Angleno and attended independent schools while growing up in LA. After college, she taught in public schools in New York City until her return to Los Angeles a few years ago. In New York, Sarah did leadership work with Lucy Calkins and the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP) and her classroom was used as lab site for much of the work pioneered by the program. In her spare time, which is not much, Sarah fulfills her creative side through improvising. Sarah is honored to be part of this amazing group of independent school leaders.
Connie Mohandesi is the Lower School Language Arts Curriculum Director and Learning Specialist at Chandler School. She has also previously served as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director and as a classroom teacher for over 20 years. Connie has two teenagers and her parenting journey provides humbling real life lessons that inform her professional practices. Facilitating faculty professional development and mentoring teachers to elevate the classroom experience for all students brings her joy. She is excited about connecting, growing, and learning in community with other womxn through Leadership Circle.
Rebecca Russell is the Director of Teaching and Learning at Saint Mark’s School. Before wading into the world of education, Rebecca worked as an advertising account executive specializing in Broadway musicals, which led to her passion for presentation and systems thinking. Her non-traditional path to teaching and diversity of experience grounds her practice in empathy, perspective, and belonging, and allows her to view education through a variety of lenses. Rebecca is also an instructional and leadership coach with the California Teacher Development Collaborative (CATDC). With over fifteen years of classroom teaching and leadership experience in both public and independent schools, Rebecca is well-versed in integrated curricular design and team facilitation. When not singing alto in her early music group, you can find Rebecca drinking tea and rehearsing at her home in Eagle Rock with her family band (featuring her husband and two children).
Emily Singer is the Director of Teaching & Learning at Sequoyah School in Pasadena. In her role, she gets to teach teachers, parents, and sometimes students, on a broad range of topics including, growth-mindset, study strategies, responding to bias and culturally sensitive communication, Visual Thinking Strategies and circle practice. She has also co-facilitated the Parent Voices workshop hosted by SoCalPOCIS. Emily is thrilled to participate in the Womxn in Leadership Circle in a new way and is excited to create opportunities for folks to authentically share, make connections and deepen understandings.
Jennie Willens is the Director of Lower Elementary at Echo Horizon School in Culver City, California. She is passionate about making connections between community members, building healthy relationships, and developing vibrant learning experiences. Jennie has led professional development workshops on topics such as “Critical Friends Protocol,” “Improvisation for Communication,” and “Growing Relationships in the Schoolhouse.” She recently organized a Deans Summit for student support professionals who are adjusting to distance learning and school closures.
LaToya Franklyn is the Director of Achievement at Pilgrim School in Koreatown, Los Angeles. In her role, she oversees the academic progress and college process for all grades 9-12 students. Additionally she is the founding faculty advisor of the B.L.A.C.K. Alliance, founding member and co-facilitator of the Pilgrim School Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and teaches Criminal Law & Mock Trial. LaToya is extremely passionate about diversity and inclusion work. She has organized over a half a dozen diversity panels at Pilgrim, hosts a monthly Black Alliance family Breakfast, and established a weekly virtual learning series on equity for students. She looks forward to contributing to the Womxn in Leadership Circle.
Emily Singer is the Director of Curriculum and Student Support at Sequoyah School in Pasadena. In her role, she gets to teach teachers, parents, and sometimes students, on a broad range of topics including, growth-mindset, study strategies, responding to bias and culturally sensitive communication, Visual Thinking Strategies and circle practice. She has also co-facilitated the Parent Voices workshop hosted by SoCalPOCIS. Emily is thrilled to participate in the Womxn in Leadership Circle in a new way and is excited to create opportunities for folks to authentically share, make connections and deepen understandings.
Jennie Willens is the Director of Student Support PK-3 and Director of Academic, Student and Community Affairs at Echo Horizon School in Culver City, California. She is passionate about making connections between community members, building healthy relationships, and developing vibrant learning experiences. Jennie has led professional development workshops on topics such as “Critical Friends Protocol,” “Improvisation for Communication,” and “Growing Relationships in the Schoolhouse.” She recently organized a Deans Summit for student support professionals who are adjusting to distance learning and school closures.
Gage Loveless is a Science and Technology Teacher for seventh and eighth grade students at Windward School in Los Angeles. They also teach a seminar class on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and previously served as the school’s Director of Diversity and Inclusivity. Gage advocates for empowerment of underrepresented voices within their school and other communities. They are excited to help facilitate the Womxn in Leadership Circle as it continues to meet our needs for fostering connection and leadership capacity, while broadening the circle to improve accessibility and include even more voices.
Azizi Williams is the Head of School at The Children's Community School. She has two daughters and spends her free time working to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in independent schools in Southern California.
Regan Galvan is the Director of Teaching & Learning at Vistamar School, a mom of three, who enjoys thinking about student centered learning and student support @regangalvan, www.musingmrsg.blogspot.com