Ann Clarke: Head of School

Ann has more than thirty years of experience in teaching and educational administration. Ann's great passion and dedication to girls' education comes from her experience attending a girls' high school and a women's college, her observations of her daughter's education in a women's college, and her six years as Lower School Director at Hamlin School, an all-girl school in San Francisco. Prior to her experience at Hamlin, she was Head at Marin Horizon School in Corte Madera, Assistant Head at St. Paul's Episcopal Day School in Oakland, and Director of the Middle School at Woodmere Academy in New York. As an educator, Ann's primary focus has been on early adolescent issues and Middle School curriculum; she was instrumental in the design of three Middle School programs. Ann's early teaching experience was in Quaker schools, where she learned educational principles that have guided her through her career. As a part of her deep commitment to diversity, Ann has served as Chair of the California Steering Committee of the Multicultural Alliance and also as Co-Chair of Project Discover, an organization that provides academic and personal enrichment for children of limited means. She is a member of the National Coalition of Girls' Schools and has been a member of the National Association of Principals of Schools for Girls.

Corinne Allen: Technology

Corinne has a B.A. in Computer Science. Before completing her degree at Mills College, she also studied disciplines ranging from music and massage therapy to truck driving. She comes to JMSG with five years experience teaching self-defense and empowerment courses to teen girls and women through Impact Bay Area, a local nonprofit organization. She teaches technology, an eighth-grade art elective and a self-defense P.E. elective, provides general tech support, and is the School's web page administrator.

Jenifer Anderson: Art and Art History

Jeni is an avid traveler who marvels at the art and architecture of the world. She received her B.A. from Dartmouth College in French and Women’s Studies, and her M.A. and teaching credential from UC Berkeley’s Developmental Teacher Education Program. She has directed after school arts and recreation programs in Brooklyn, NY and El Cerrito, CA, taught middle school journalism at Windrush School and elementary school in San Leandro. She has spent more than 12 years living overseas, in Europe and Southeast Asia, most recently as a K-5 art teacher at the Singapore American School. Before joining the Julia Morgan faculty, Jeni worked as a lecturer at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Education, supervising student teachers and integrating the arts into the teacher credential program. Her favorite pursuits include photography, triathlons, and creating sculpture from a multiplicity of materials.

Jason Baeten: Assistant Middle School Director

Jason has a B.A. from St. Norbert College in Green Bay, Wisconsin and a Master's Degree from the Bread Loaf School of English. Before coming to JMSG, Jason taught at the high school level for four years at The Prairie School in Milwaukee; he also served there as the Associate Dean. His commitment to diversity led him to coordinate the national video library for S.E.E.D. (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity), a program out of Wellesley College that trains educators and develops curriculum for classrooms.
  

Marcia Bedford: Assistant Head of School/Admission Director

Marcia, a graduate of Simmons College with a Master's Degree in Educational Administration from Wheelock College, brings a wealth of experience to the position. Before coming to JMSG, she was the Director of Admissions at Lick-Wilmerding High School in San Francisco for five years. Prior to this, she was the Director of Admissions and Public Relations at St. Mary's College High School in Berkeley. Earlier in her career, she served as the Director of Admissions and Financial Aid for Simmons College School of Social Work. Marcia also worked in San Francisco at Public Affairs Management, an environmental and public relations consulting firm from 1990 to 1994. Marcia is quite familiar with JMSG, having served on the board since the "founding days." She has been committed to our mission from the beginning and was very helpful in creating admission and financial aid practices for us before the school opened. Her extensive background in admissions and administration are invaluable as we build our community.

Laura Celik: Life Science

Laura teaches seventh grade Life Science and serves as an advisor to seventh graders. She received her B.S.E. in Chemical Engineering and her M.A. in Environmental Engineering from Princeton University. Before coming to JMSG, Laura worked at Blasland, Bouck and Lee as an environmental consultant. She has also worked at Princeton Charter School teaching eighth grade chemistry and leading the After School program.

Monika Chin: Publications Director

Suzanne Christensen: Physical Science and Financial Literacy

Suzanne graduated from UC Davis with a B.S. in Biological Sciences. She completed her single subject biology credential at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga where she was also the Assistant Women’s Rowing Coach. Suzanne grew up in the East Bay and attended Head-Royce School. She has always been very active in sports and especially loves swimming, crew and basketball. During her time at UC Davis, Suzanne served as an undergraduate assistant in the physics department. She taught biology at Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord and 7th and 8th grade science at Albany Middle School. 

Mika Court: Language Arts

Mika holds a B.A. magna cum laude, in Anthropology from Amherst College and an M.A. in Cultural Anthropology from the UC Santa Cruz.  She has also studied French literature at New York University in Paris, France and la Sorbonne in Paris.  Mika taught Humanities at Sonoma Academy, 10th grade English at Holyoke High School in Massachusetts, and French at The Bentley School in Lafayette and at St. Andrew’s School in Delaware.  A woman of many interests and talents, Mika received a National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship. 

Jessica Dang: English

Jessica graduated from an all girls’ school, The Marlborough School in Los Angeles. She received her B.A. degree in English from Brown University where she also completed a teacher education program.  Prior to coming to JMSG, Jessica taught seventh and eighth grade English for two years at Dwight Englewood School in New Jersey.  She also has teaching experience at Nathanael Greene Middle School in Providence, Rhode Island and volunteered there in an arts based after school program for children of parents in ESL classes.  

Chubasco Gaite: Technology Assistant

Chubasco holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Ateneo de Davao University. Recently he was a senior computer operator at  UC Berkeley providing support for the operation of the University’s mainframe computer and its peripherals.  Chubasco has provided tech assistance for a small law firm in San Francisco and was also tester of software. 

Liz Gibbs Campbell: Mathematics

Liz is a graduate of Marlborough School for Girls in Los Angeles where she later taught mathematics for three years. She has her Bachelor’s Degree from the UC Berkeley and her Masters of Education from UCLA. Before coming to JMSG, Liz taught Math 6, Pre Algebra, and Algebra I at the Athenian School in Danville for three years. She was the seventh grade team leader and coordinated the Middle School Community Service Program. In addition, Liz organized the Math and Science Institute for Girls at The Athenian School in Danville. During her career, Liz also taught at the American School of Madrid.

Rachel Halliday: Science and Environmental Science

Rachel graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine with a degree in Geology and Environmental Studies. Before coming to JMSG she taught at the Teton Science School in Jackson, Wyoming where she completed a Professional Residency in Environmental Education. Her interest in working with adolescent girls comes from many years of experience at all-girls summer camps and adventure programs.

Kim Hubner: Development Director

Kim graduated from Bishop's University with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Foreign Language. Before coming to JMSG, Kim was the Development Director at the Burke Mountain Academy in Vermont, and has experience in all aspects of development in an independent school including: Annual Fund Drive, Capital Campaign, alumnae association, special events, fundraisers, and publications. In addition to her work as a Development Director, Kim is an accomplished skier; she represented Canada in alpine skiing at the World University Games in Korea in 1997 and again in 1999 in Slovakia. She also attended an all-girl school and is very articulate about how this experience impacted her life.

Jodi Jusiak: Math

Jodi graduated with honors with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson University.  She holds a Master’s degree in Secondary Education, Mathematics from San Francisco State University. Her academic honors include Pi Tau Sigma (ME Honors Fraternity) and Phi Theta Kappa (Honor Society). Since 2002 Jodi has been teaching 9th-12th grade math at El Camino High School in San Francisco where she co-chaired the mathematics department.  From 1999 to 2002 she taught seventh and eighth grade math at Parkway Height Middle School.  Prior to her teaching profession, Jodi was a design engineer for Pratt Whitney and for Fisher Price. 

Lauren Kahn: Physical Education & Facilities/Events Coordinator

Lauren graduated from the UC Berkeley with a B.A. in psychology and a minor in anthropology.  Before coming to JMSG, Lauren worked as a manager in a cafe in Berkeley.  Her passion is skiing and snowboarding and she was a leader of the Cal Ski and Snowboard Club in college. She also has experience coaching and working in children’s camps.

Sandra Luna: Academic Dean

Sandra was the founding Head of School at the Children’s Day School in San Francisco. She oversaw all aspects of the pre-K through 8th grade school’s development. Her work included establishing a Board of Trustees, hiring and evaluating teachers, curriculum development, and day-to-day operations. Sandra received her B.A. and her Juris Doctorate from the University of San Francisco. JMSG is fortunate to have found an administrator whose educational philosophy is so aligned to that of the School.

Pamela Maycroft: Director of Finance

Pam is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate in International Relations from James Madison College at Michigan State University. She has also earned a Masters Degree in Computer Engineering from UC Santa Cruz. Before coming to JMSG, Pam worked in energy conservation for a non-profit community service agency in the Bay Area. She also spent several years working in the high tech industry as a software engineer and as a project manager at Stanford University.

Esther McLeod: Music

Esther holds a B.A. in Music from Johns Hopkins University and a M.A. in Music from the University of Arkansas. Esther comes to us with nine years of teaching experience. At the Capitol Hill Day School in Washington D.C. she integrated music into the curriculum at all grade levels from pre-school to eighth grade. In addition to classroom experience, Esther plays the oboe in numerous musical groups. She has extensive experience directing vocal music groups and has used the Orff and Kodaly methods in her teaching.

Ana Moreno: Spanish

An East Bay, California native, Ana has 10 years of classroom experience.  She graduated from Pomona College with a degree in sociology and then received her M.A. in Bilingual/Bicultural Education at Teachers College, Columbia University.  She has done extensive travel and lived and taught in Sao Paulo, Brazil for four years.  Ana worked for two years in Rio Grande Valley, Texas at Teach For America and also at the Harlem Educational Activities Fund where she planned academic support services for high school students. Ana is trilingual, with proficiencies in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.  

Rashad Pridgen: Dance

Rashad has worked at the Destiny Arts Youth Center as an instructor and choreographer. He has produced and choreographed numerous works in the Bay Area including the 2001-02 Hip-Hop Dance Fest and the 2002 Momentum Dance Video. Rashad brings his background in West African, modern, and creative dance to his 6th grade dance classes at JMSG.

Nancy Randall: Yoga

Nancy teaches yoga for seniors at the Piedmont Yoga Studio, as well as all the 6th graders, 7th & 8th graders in their PE elective, and the staff at JMSG. She has been practicing yoga for over 40 years, having studied with numerous reputable teachers nationally and twice in India. Nancy is grateful for the opportunity to be introducing yoga to the young women and teachers at JMSG. She brings focus and grounding to the entire school, and her classes are filled with both her sense of calm and lively humor. She is studying Energy Medicine, kinesiology, and Bal-a Vis-X. Nancy volunteers for the Lighthouse for the Blind in San Francisco.

Lorraine Smith: American History and Technology

Lorraine is a 14-year teaching veteran who received her B.A. in History and her M.A. in African Studies from UCLA. She holds a secondary Social Studies credential from the University of Hawai’i at Hilo as well as a single subject California credential. She traveled to France in an intensive language study to perfect her French speaking skills in order to work in archeological and historical research in Togo, West Africa. Lorraine taught U.S. history, world history, geography and psychology at the high school level on the Big Island in Hawai’i for eight years. Most recently she taught at High Tech High Bayshore, and was a co-administrator prior to this at Aurora Charter High School.

Carrie Spring: Spanish

Carrie received her B.A. from Dartmouth College in history and her M.A. in Spanish from Middlebury. Recently, she lived in Madrid perfecting her Spanish. In addition to her travels to Mexico, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Puerto Rico, and Belize, Carrie worked in foreign study programs in Argentina, Ecuador, and Spain. Recently, she developed curriculum and taught Spanish II at Seton Hall Preparatory High School, a private high school for boys in South Orange, New Jersey. She has also coached soccer, a sport she played in high school and for one year the Ivy Conference.

Katie Topper: Director of Technology

Katie received her B.A. from Trinity College and her California teaching credential from Chapman University. She also holds an M.A. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Katie studied economic policy at American University and Italian at the Universita Italiana Per Stranieri in Italy. In addition to her teaching experience, Katie worked at the Associated Press in Rome, was the senior media planner for Western International Media, traded stock, and taught new brokers computer systems at Kidder, Peabody and Co. in Boston and was a founding member of the Media Guaranty software company.

Anne Wenstad: Registrar

Anne joined the Administrative team in 2005. While homeschooling her now three grown daughters, she earned an A.A. in Child Development and Pre-school Administration. For 20 years, she has worked in various capacities in both pre-schools and elementary schools, most recently at Grand Lake Montessori in Oakland. An avid reader and gardener, Anne loves to travel, cook, and spend time with friends and family.

April Word: Assistant to Admission and Business Office

April has a Masters Degree in teaching and a B.A. in Political Science, both from Bard College. She holds a teaching certificate in secondary social studies education. She also attended the American University of Paris and La Sorbonne IV while living in Paris. In 1998 April organized and led a summer program for middle school girls at Castilleja School, a girls school in Palo Alto. Most recently she taught at Poughkeepsie Middle School.

Angela Yokota: Humanities

Angela received her B.A. in Comparative Literature at UC Berkeley and her Master’s Degree from the California Institute of Integral Studies. She also has a Certificate in Counselling from UC Santa Cruz Extension. Prior to coming to JMSG, Angela taught writing and human development at St. Mary's College. As a former dancer and choreographer, Angela brings many talents and perspectives to JMSG. She is a sixth grade advisor and continues the tradition of a spring performance for the sixth graders.

Karly Zimmerman: Assistant to Head of School and to the Development Director