• Welcome
• Fast Facts
• Our Mission & History
• Charter School FAQ
• Our Charter (pdf)
• Staff
• Employment
• Board of Directors
• Partnerships

Staff

Fernando Aguilar, Assistant Director
Barbara Ashley-Di Grande, Special Education Resource Specialist
Stephanie Boyce, Business/Operations Manager
Ron Buchanan, Kindergarten Teacher
Erin Carder-McCoy, 1st Grade Teacher
Michael Chow, Middle School Science and 8th Grade Language Arts Teacher
Amy Clark, 3rd Grade Teacher
Katie Clay, 3rd Grade Teacher
Tiffany Graham, Arts Coordinator and Visual Arts Teacher
Paul Greenwood, Director
Kat Healy, Dance Teacher
Susan Hillary, Special Education Resource Specialist
Ellen Hintz-Shimabukuro, Lunch Program Coordinator and Afterschool Instructor
Tala Ibabao, Middle School Mathematics and 6th Grade Language Arts Teacher
Maria Jenerik, Middle School Language Arts, Social Studies, and Afterschool Sports Director
Leslie Keir, Visual Arts Teacher
Stephanie McBride, Administrative Assistant
Eileen McKann-Kingston, Afterschool Instructor
Isabelle McDaniel, 2nd Grade Teacher
David Morrison, 4th Grade Teacher
Brooke Nagel, 1st Grade Teacher
Summer Sanders, Learning Support Specialist
Kele Self, Paraprofessional
Kate Sherwood, Afterschool Director
Scott Stone, Music Teacher
Mike Sturgis, Afterschool Instructor and Paraprofessional
Gaby Vovsi, 5th Grade Teacher
Ivy Young, 5th Grade Teacher
Judith Zimberoff, Librarian

 

Fernando Aguilar, Assistant Director
Fernando earned a BA at Humboldt State University and an MA in education at the University of San Francisco. His 10 years of teaching experience include work at the Hawthorne School in Oakland; the River East School in East Harlem, NY; and Ryder Elementary School in Brooklyn, NY. A native of Los Angeles, Fernando is excited to have returned to California with his young family.

Barbara Ashley-Di Grande, Special Education Resource Specialist
Barbara earned her BA in liberal arts with a minor in counseling at San Francisco State University. She began teaching and joined the staff of Creative Arts in 2004. Barbara incorporates her training in Lindamood-Bell® reading instruction into her work with students, and she is committed to helping all children reach their full potential. In her free time, Barbara enjoys reading and spending time with her family.

Stephanie Boyce, Business/Operations Manager
Stephanie has 26 years of administrative experience, including work in the fields of electronics, insurance, hospitality, and law. In 1994 she earned her BA in business after attending night school for several years. Stephanie developed a passion for charter schools after becoming a Creative Arts parent in 1996, and for several years she volunteered in the classroom and on the Board of Directors. Stephanie joined the staff of Creative Arts in 2002 to expand the administrative team. Outside of school she loves cooking, travel, and “a good movie.”

Ron Buchanan, Kindergarten Teacher
Ron earned a BA and MA in English literature and later a teaching credential at San Francisco State University. In 2000 he joined the staff of Creative Arts, where he has taught Kindergarten and 1st grade. Ron is committed to fostering a learning environment that grows the whole child, taking into account social, emotional, and academic needs. Ron and his wife Barbra have two children at Creative Arts. In his spare time, Ron reads The New Yorker, downloads music from iTunes, and plays basketball.

Erin Carder-McCoy, 1st Grade Teacher
Erin earned undergraduate degrees in psychology and communications at Virginia Tech and worked for eight years as a corporate event planner before returning to school to follow her heart and become a teacher. She graduated from the teacher credential program at New College of California in 2006, after completing student teaching positions at Tenderloin Community School, Lawton Elementary, Marshall Elementary, and Creative Arts. She began teaching full time at Creative Arts in 2007. Erin spends her time outside of school hiking, biking, reading, raising orchids, and making stained glass windows.

Michael Chow, Middle School Science and 8th Grade Language Arts Teacher
Mike has a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering and Humanities, with a minor in Chemistry, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He spent 22 years as an engineer, then earned a California teaching credential and has spent the past 7 years as a middle school multiple subject teacher. He enjoys bringing his real world experiences into the classroom through the creation of interdisciplinary project-based curriculum that challenges students to think critically about authentic problems. Mike's interests include robotics, computer programming, genetic engineering, tending to his garden and spending time with his family. Mike is also passionate about architecture, is an avid carpenter, and spends his summers working on historic renovation projects.

Amy Clark, 3rd Grade Teacher
Amy earned her MA in teaching from Mills College and has taught 4th, 5th, and 6th grade since coming to Creative Arts in 2000. She has a special interest in teaching critical thinking, language arts, history, outdoor education, and science. Amy served on the Board of Directors for three years and particularly enjoys the school's collaborative teaching model. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking and singing jazz and funk.

Katie Clay, 3rd Grade Teacher
Katie holds a BA in English and a BFA in dance from the University of Michigan, and she has taught both subjects to a range of students. Currently working on an MA in education at Mills College, Katie served as a student teacher and volunteer at CACS prior to joining the staff. She is passionate about the arts in public schools and educational equity. Outside of school, she makes movies, performs music, and tap dances. Her other interests include reading, cooking, forest walks, and silent film.

Tiffany Graham, Arts Coordinator and Visual Arts Teacher
After graduating from Pomona College, Tiffany studied at the Arts Student League in New York City. A working artist, Tiffany maintains a studio in San Francisco and regularly shows her paintings in galleries across the country. Samples of her work can be viewed on her web site. Tiffany's teaching experience includes serving as an artist in residence at Live Oak School, Grattan Elementary, and Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy. In 2007, she was commissioned to work with 25 male orphans, ages 5 to 15, at Casa Hogar Orphanage in Patzcuaro, Mexico. Together, they created a panoramic mural, Leyenda de Las Garzas, inspired by local history and folklore. Tiffany also received a California Arts Council artist grant and used the opportunity to create three year-long mural projects in collaboration with over 250 students in urban schools.

Paul Greenwood, Director
Paul earned his B.A. in History from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and his Master's in Educational Administration from San Francisco State University. In 2009, Paul was one of one-hundred eighty-five principals nationwide to be selected to participate in Harvard's Graduate School of Education's professional development program in school leadership. Paul began his career as an English instructor and international liaison in Hiroshima, Japan. Since that time, he has worked with students of all grade levels as a teacher and administrator at The Freeman School, Drew School, and Orinda Academy. Paul most recently served as the Middle School Director at The Pegasus School in Huntington Beach. Paul's hobbies include yoga, golf, guitar, and reading.

Kat Healy, Dance Teacher

Susan Hillary, Special Education Resource Specialist
Susan earned her Multiple Subject and Special Education Credential at San Francisco State University in 1994. She also holds a Montessori certificate and has more than 15 years experience with children of all ages. Her hobbies include singing opera and listening to classical music. Susan is happy to be at Creative Arts Charter School as Resource Specialist while Barbara is out on maternity leave.

Ellen Hintz-Shimabukuro, Lunch Program Coordinator and Afterschool Instructor
Ellen received her BA in art from San Francisco State University. Her work with Creative Arts began as a founding parent and office volunteer. Ellen currently serves on the CACS Diversity Committee and acts as volunteer coordinator for the Family Association. She instituted the Food-to-Flowers composting program and coordinates the middle school's participation in the Unity Dance each year. In her spare time, Ellen visits farmers markets, gardens, reads, bikes, and knits.

Tala Ibabao, Middle School Mathematics and 6th Grade Language Arts Teacher
Tala earned a Bachelor of Arts from Lewis and Clark College in Oregon which afforded her the opportunity to study first-hand the Sandinista literacy campaign. Her interest in education piqued, she began to work in migrant education in the Willamette Valley . After moving back to California , she received her Spanish-bilingual teaching credential at New College of California. She taught middle school math at Calvin Simmons, Melrose Leadership Academy , and Roots International Academy . She has also taught trigonometry and pre-calculus at UC Berkeley's Upward Bound program and Spanish at Oakland School for the Arts. Her interests include American history and archeo-astronomy. When she is not working she reads, plays music, and writes.

Maria Jenerik, Middle School Social Studies and 6th Grade Language Arts Teacher
Maria is working on her MA in education at the University of San Francisco, where her thesis focuses on designing an outdoor education program for urban public schools. After 20 years in the radio business, she pursued her dream of becoming a teacher, working first as a paraprofessional and later teaching 3rd, 6th, and 7th/8th grades at Creative Arts. Maria serves as coach of five CACS sports teams, and in her classroom, she employs project-based learning that draws on her passion for theater, social and environmental justice, outdoor education, and service learning. Maria is the parent of two CACS alumni, and in her free time, she enjoys gardening, biking, running, eating out, and reading.

Leslie Keir, Visual Arts Teacher
Leslie earned her BA in art from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1985, with an emphasis on printmaking and painting. She earned an MA in creativity from the Inter-Arts Center at San Francisco State University in 2002 and two years later completed her teaching credential, also at SFSU. Leslie fell in love with teaching through her work for several years as a visiting artist at Bay Area public schools. Along with many other ingredients, her curriculum integrates ideas generated from the classroom as a mode of inquiry into the tools and strategies used by artists. She is committed to social justice and equity in education.

Stephanie McBride, Administrative Assistant
Stephanie has been working as an administrative assistant for the past 18 years, with experience in the sampling, banking, restaurant, and electrician fields. She recently moved to San Francisco after living in Denver for 10 years, and joined the staff of CACS in January, 2010. Stephanie is the parent of a 3rd grader, and is currently attending City College of San Francisco. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her son, traveling, and shopping.

Eileen McKann-Kingston, Afterschool Instructor
Before joining the CACS community, Eileen earned her degree in horticulture and became the owner of the first chemical-free gardening business in San Francisco. She came to CACS with her older son, who graduated in 2007, and spent several years volunteering in classrooms and collaborating with teachers on garden science curriculum. In 2001, Eileen joined the CACS staff, working as a substitute teacher, classroom aide, and as an educator in the Breakfast Club, summer camp, and aftercare. Her hobbies include gardening, jewelry design, hiking, hanging out at the beach with her family, and reading.

Isabelle McDaniel, 2nd Grade Teacher
Isabelle received her MA in education and her teaching credential from Mills College and has taught in several urban charter schools. She is interested in building partnerships with higher education institutions and community organizations focused on supporting the arts in education. In her free time, she enjoys playing soccer with the Golden Gate Women's Soccer League, cycling, swimming, and water color painting.

David Morrison, 4th Grade Teacher
David earned a BS at SUNY Albany and an MBA at the University of California, Berkeley. An active volunteer during his daughters' years at Lakeshore Elementary, David developed a love for the classroom and decided to leave his career as an information technology manager in Silicon Valley to pursue a teaching credential. Since making the jump, he has taught in public elementary and middle schools in Daly City and San Francisco. David is passionate about math, history, and the project-based learning model. His wife, Vicki Symonds, works for Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco, and they live in the city with their two daughters and a dog. When not working, David enjoys hiking, travel, and music.

Brooke Nagel, 1st Grade Teacher
Brooke came to Creative Arts after five years of teaching bilingual students in San Jose. She earned her BA in English and BS in elementary education at Boston University and is currently working on her MA in art and art education at Columbia University Teachers College. She ran an afterschool visual arts program while teaching in San Jose and is committed to advocating for the arts in public education. Brooke also enjoys traveling, visiting museums, and biking.

Summer Sanders, Learning Support Specialist
Summer earned both a BS and MS in counseling from California State University, Fullerton. Her degrees focused on human services and child and adolescent counseling. While working as a support specialist in an alternative high school, Summer earned her pupil personnel services credential and began pursuing a marriage and family therapy license. She served as a high school intervention counselor and academic counselor in Tustin, California. Summer has traveled extensively and enjoys music, reading, yoga, and cycling.

Kele Self, Paraprofessional

Kate Sherwood, Afterschool Director
After earning her BA at Pitzer College, Kate received a Fulbright Fellowship to teach middle and high school English in Northern Thailand. Once back in the U.S., she served as the student advisor at an international school in Berkeley, running outreach programs with local Berkeley elementary schools. Kate next returned to Thailand to teach in a rural women's shelter and provide on-site counseling. In her last job before joining the CACS staff, she worked with the afterschool enrichment program at Jean Parker Elementary School. In her free time, Kate enjoys cycling, gardening, and caring for three backyard chickens.

Scott Stone, Music Teacher
Scott Stone received his BA in music from Claremont Men’s College in 1975 and his teaching credential from San Francisco State University in 1986. Since starting his teaching career in 1978, Scott has been a classroom teacher, music specialist, principal, summer school coordinator, and teacher mentor. After joining the staff of Creative Arts in 2000, he taught 2nd, 3rd, and 7th grade. In 2005 Scott took on the role of music specialist, overseeing the school's music program while teaching daily to the lower grades. He now teaches music to all grades at CACS.

Mike Sturgis, Afterschool Instructor and Paraprofessional
After graduating with a BA in philosophy from Temple University in 2003, Mike drove across the country to begin his life in the Bay Area. Prior to joining the staff at Creative Arts, Mike worked for three years as the aftercare director at the Waldorf School of the Peninsula, an experience that inspired his love of teaching. Mike also cofounded and leads One Wilderness School, offering backpacking and camping trips that help teach children the wisdom of living close to the Earth.

Gaby Vovsi, 5th Grade Teacher
Gaby studied broadcast journalism at Boston University and originally dreamed of anchoring the news in Spanish. Her first job was on Court TV's child-centered show Choices and Consequences. The experience inspired her to pursue a MA in elementary education at Bank Street College of Education. Gaby's professional experience includes teaching 2nd and 6th grade in a two-way Spanish/English immersion program at Enders-Salk Elementary School outside of Chicago and 3rd and 4th grade at a progressive independent school on the East Coast. Gaby views life-learning through a constructivist lens and is passionate about the project-based approach and arts integration.

Ivy Young, 5th Grade Teacher
Ivy's love of teaching began when she was a high school intern at the California Center for the Arts. She earned her BA in art and education through the Friends World Program at Long Island University, and she has taught art in programs at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City and Al-Wasiti, a Palestinian art gallery in Jerusalem. While living in Dharamsala, India, Ivy offered free workshops in her studio. After a brief stint as an organic farmer in upstate New York, she earned her teaching credential at the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute. Prior to joining the staff of Creative Arts in 2008, Ivy taught at the Nueva School and the San Carlos Charter Learning Center, California's first charter school. In the summer she enjoys traveling to see her family in France, hiking, cooking, and photography.

Judith Zimberoff, Librarian
Judith holds a BA in Elementary Education from Roosevelt University and a master's degree in Library and Information Science from San Jose State University. She was one of the five original pioneer librarians to serve San Francisco when Prop H went into effect the 2005-06 school year. Prior to her work at CACS, Judith worked as a teacher, librarian, real estate broker, and entrepreneur in both California and New York, and spent a memorable year in France, studying French and eating amazing food. Her hobbies include millinery, cooking, finding treasures, traveling, and writing.