Meet Our Faculty

BWS relies upon an energetic and dynamic team of Waldorf-trained educators. Our teachers come from around the world to share the wonders of Waldorf education with our Brooklyn-based community. Together, we learn from one other’s range of experiences and delight in each of our individual gifts.

Collaboration among teachers, staff, and students is highly encouraged, and BWS faculty work together with enthusiasm to care for the entire community. Maintaining such a mutually-supportive working environment ultimately helps our students develop their own sense of social responsibility.

Who We Are

Early Childhood

  • Gun Blue, Lead Teacher
  • Monica Sibrizzi, Lead Teacher
  • Claire Christerson, Aftercare Lead Teacher
  • Paola Ambrosi de Magistris, Assistant Teacher
  • Marlena Giraldo, Assistant Teacher
  • Debbie Campbell, Assistant Teacher
  • Dawn Warfield, Parent/Caregiver & Child Teacher

Lower School

  • Atalya Sternoff, Grade 1 Class Teacher
  • Elise Pizzonia, Grade 2 Class Teacher
  • Tina ManWarren Roche-Kelly, Grade 3 Class Teacher
  • Hannah Straubel, Grade 4 Class Teacher
  • Liam O’Brien, Grade 5 Class Teacher

Middle School

  • Steven Simonak, Grade 6 Class Teacher
  • Kiana Ward, Grade 7 Class Teacher
  • Casey Griffin, Grade 8 Class Teacher

Specialty Subjects

  • Jayanthi Bunyan, Music & Chorus Teacher
  • Steve Simonak, Middle School Math Teacher
  • Finn Bell, Athletic Director & Movement Teacher
  • Eder Curu Souza, Gr 1-4 Games & Movement Teacher
  • Sibylle Johner, Music Director & Orchestra Teacher
  • Aliya Khan, Spanish Teacher
  • Paul Gamble, Mandarin Teacher
  • Dorke Poelz, Handwork & Craft Teacher
  • Talia Corcoran, Substitute Teacher

Learning Support

  • Naomi Nocera, Director of Learning Support
  • Hana Sterner, Learning Support Associate
  • Angel Suarez, School Mental Health Clinician

Parent Association Chairs

  • Albert Johnson
  • Michael Gac Levin
  • Melina Gac Levin
  • Sarah White-Ayón

Board of Trustees

  • Yoni Binus (ex-officio member)
  • Josh Builder (Treasurer)
  • David-Michel Davies (Chair)
  • Joyce Engebretsen
  • Diwaker Gupta (Secretary)
  • Nathaniel Landau (Chair)
  • Naomi Nocera (Faculty Rep)
  • Liam O’Brien (Faculty Rep)
  • Dr. Linda Ogden-Wolgemuth (ex-officio member)
  • Alex Tryon

Administrative Team

Administration
  • Yoni Binus, Interim Head of School
  • Dr. Linda Ogden-Wolgemuth, Faculty Administrator
  • Deja Williams, Director of Equity
  • Maggie Crawford, Enrollment Director
  • Sheila Shaw, Admissions Manager
  • Edward Holtby, Marketing & Communications Manager
  • Morgan Bissett-Tessier, Advancement & Administrative Support Coordinator
  • Anna Duffy, Director of Operations
  • Carissa Alphonso, Morning Receptionist & Operations Assistant

 

Business Office
  • Corey McBeth, Finance Director
  • Angela Yang, Accounting Manager
  • Lena Lvova, Business Office Associate

 

After School
  • Cayla Berejikian, Auxiliary Program Coordinator
  • Stephen Ira, After School Program Assistant
  • Ally Gartner, After School Program Assistant

 

Facilities
  • Carlos Martin, Facilities Manager
  • Luis Urueta, Custodian

Take a look at the Stories section of our website for articles about our faculty and their vast array of impressive talents and gifts! For instance, Brooklyn Waldorf School hosted in-person Waldorf teacher training for the first time in August 2022; take a look at what our cohort of ‘teachers in training’ learned!