About Us

Our Team

Behind Every Great Student

At Geffen Academy, our educators are reflective practitioners with deep experience who are committed to supporting students’ ideas, passions, and academic interests.

List of 112 items.

  • Michael Albertson

    Ed.D. - Music Department Chair
    Michael Albertson is the founding Music Department Chair of Geffen Academy at UCLA and a 20+ year music educator.
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  • Nathaly Alverio

    M.A. - Academic Advising and College Guidance Specialist
    Ms. Nathaly Alverio is part of the Office of Academic Advising & College Guidance.
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  • Lindsey Anthony-Bacchione

    M.F.A. - Communications Manager
    Lindsey Anthony-Bacchione holds an M.F.A. in Creative Nonfiction from Antioch University, Los Angeles, and a B.F.A. in Dramatic Writing from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.
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  • Erik Arutyunyan

    M.A. - Mathematics Educator
    Mr. Arutyunan graduated from CSUN in 2019 with a Master's degree in Mathematics with distinction. Originally from Moscow,  Mr. Arutyunan has been in the United States since 2011. Math has been his favorite subject since Middle School. His goal is to inspire future generations of mathematicians.


     
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  • Elizabeth Ashforth

    Ph.D. - Director of Student Research Programs
    Elizabeth was a science instructor at Marlborough School for nine years.
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  • David Banks

    Ph.D., M.S., M.Ed - Science Educator
    Dr. Banks, an Educator in the Science Department, teaches Biology to Sophomores and Advanced Molecular Biology to Juniors and Seniors. 
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  • Chris Barker

    B.A. - Business Operations Manager
    Chris is a founding member of the Business Office team and has been at UCLA since 2010.
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  • Shelby Bartlett

    M.A. - Associate Dean of Middle School & Summer School Director
    Shelby is passionate about student leadership, social-emotional growth, and community engagement.
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  • Elizabeth Bergman

    Ph.D. - History & Humanities Educator
    Dr. Bergman is an award-winning scholar of U.S. history and an experienced educator who served on the faculty at UT-Austin and Princeton before choosing to move into secondary education.
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  • Shlomo Buchan

    Ph.D. - Mathematics Educator
    Shlomo Buchan holds degrees in both philosophy and mathematics, having completed his B.A. in Philosophy and Linguistics and his M.A. in Philosophy and Mathematics. His passion for learning and teaching led him to pursue a Ph.D. in Mathematical Logics at the Institute of Logic Language and Computation at the University of Amsterdam.
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  • Michael Carter

    M.F.A. - Visual Arts Educator
    In addition to being an Educator, Michael is a visual artist working in painting and performance.
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  • Jake Cassman

    M.M. - Music Educator
    Jake loves to share his spirit of creativity with his students at Geffen Academy.
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  • Melissa Castro

    B.A. - Admissions Specialist
    As a member of the Admissions Office, Melissa supports prospective families throughout the application process.
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  • Sibyll Carnochan Catalan

    Ph.D. - Founding Head of School
    Dr. Catalan has been the founding Head of School for Geffen Academy since its inception 9 years ago. Dr. Catalan holds a B.A. from Wesleyan University, an M.Ed. from Harvard University and a Ph.D. from UCLA’s Graduate School of Education and Information Studies.
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  • Jack Caughey

    Ph.D. - English Department Chair
    One of Geffen Academy at UCLA's founding Educators, Jack is chair of the English department and teaches 11th-grade English and 12th Grade Humanities.
     
     
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  • Manoj Choudhary

    M.S. - I-Track Educator
    Manoj Choudhary teaches in the I-Track department and also serves as an advisor.
     
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  • Chloe Chvatal

    M.S. - Mathematics Educator
    Chloe presents mathematics as a dynamic skill developed gradually through consistent practice. 
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  • Aaron Cohen

    Ph.D. – Mathematics Educator
    Aaron received his B.S., M.Eng. and Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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  • David Collicutt

    M.A. - Athletic Director & Head Boys Soccer Coach
    David oversees Geffen Academy's robust competitive athletics program.
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  • Sean Conlin

    B.A. - Theater Arts Educator
    Sean Conlin is a graduate of UC Berkeley.
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  • Judit Csotsits

    M.F.A. - Visual Arts Educator
    An alumna of UCLA, Judit teaches visual arts in the Middle School at Geffen Academy.
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  • Tracy Daniels

    Executive Assistant to the Head of School
    Ms. Daniels is part of the founding, pioneering team that made Geffen Academy a reality in 2016. She has built her career by being dependable, resourceful, anticipating and problem-solving, and communicating with diplomacy. 
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  • Johanna Day

    Ed.D. - English &  Humanities Educator
    Dr. Day earned her doctorate in education from California State University, Los Angeles.
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  • Amber de Seriere-Pataki

    M.A. - Physical Education Chair
    Amber previously headed the women’s soccer program at West Los Angeles College and the girls soccer program at Marlborough School.
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  • Daniel Delgado

    B.A. - Business Operations Assistant
    As a member of the Business Office team, Daniel performs a broad range of administrative support and customer service functions.  Daniel holds a B.S. in Public Policy from the University of Southern California. 


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  • Kara Donnell

    B.A. - Human Resources Coordinator
    Kara assists the Human Resources team and works closely with Educators.
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  • Leslie Dove

    B.A. - Wellness Educator
    With 7 years of instructional experience, Leslie’s background is in physical health education -- having worked previously as a PE educator here at Geffen Academy.
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  • Lauren Ershoff

    M.A. - Associate Director of Development
    While supporting the Geffen Academy Fund, Lauren works closely with the Family Engagement Co-op.
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  • La Keisha Fair

    M.A. & ATC - Athletic Trainer
    As our athletic trainer, La Keisha is responsible for recognizing and treating injuries, identifying general medical conditions, and making the appropriate referrals.
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  • Ashleigh Fata

    Ph.D. - Latin & Humanities Educator
    Ashleigh, or Magistra Fata to her students, is a Latin Educator with a passion for ancient Greek, history, and archaeology.
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  • Sophia Ferrone

    B.A. - Senior Human Resources Generalist
    Sophia joined the Geffen Academy community in 2018.
     

     
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  • Elizabeth "Liz" Franco

    M.S. - Assistant Athletic Director
    Liz oversees the athletics program for middle school students in grades 6-8, as well as supporting the overall athletics operations for the high school athletics. 
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  • Kimberly Gallant

    B.S. - Science Educator
    While teaching 8th grade conceptual physics and chemistry, Kimberly strives to create an 8th grade experience that connects with the Upper School science program.
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  • Leigh-Michil George

    M.F.A. & Ph.D. - English Educator
    A teacher since 2010, Leigh-Michil aims for all her students to leave her classes more confident, equipped with reading and writing knowledge that they can translate into self-knowledge.
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  • Stefan Grunspan

    B.S. - I-Track Educator
    Stefan Grunspan, an I-Track Educator, teaches Engineering, Design, and Robotics to middle and high school students.


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  • Armando Guerrero Jr.

    Ph.D. – Spanish Educator
    Dr. Guerrero is a sociolinguist and dedicated educator with over 10 years of experience teaching Spanish. He earned his Ph.D. in Hispanic Languages & Literature at UCLA, his MA in Spanish at UCLA, and his BA in Spanish and Philosophy with a minor in Educational Studies from UC Santa Barbara. 


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  • John Guzmán Aguilar

    M.A. - Spanish Educator
    John Guzmán Aguilar teaches Middle School Spanish 3 and Upper School Spanish 1 and 3 in the Department of World Languages and Cultures.
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  • Jennifer Haber

    J.D., M.Ed. - English Educator
    Jennifer Haber works in the middle school as a 7th-grade English Educator. She has been working in education for over 25 years and is passionate about instilling a lifelong appreciation for books, reading, and writing in her students. 

     
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  • Aaron (Ari) Hagler

    Ph.D. - History Educator
    The History Department welcomes Dr. Aaron Hagler. Aaron earned his B.A from Brandeis University, his M.A. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and his Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from the University of Pennsylvania.
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  • Emily Harrell

    B.A. - Learning Specialist
    Coach Harrell is a UCLA alumna and has been working in education for more than 10 years.
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  • Sarah Harrell

    Ph.D. - Latin & Research Educator
    Dr. Harrell earned her B.A. in Ancient Greek and Latin from Wellesley College and her Ph.D. in Classics from Princeton University.
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  • Kathryn Hayes

    M.Ed. - Dean of Instruction
    Profesora Hayes has stepped into the new role of Dean of Instruction. In this role, Kat will support coaching, professional development, and collegiality and collaboration among our classroom Educators. She will work closely with our Division Directors, the Dean of Faculty, and the Dean of Students and School Culture.
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  • Allan Hendrickson

    Ph.D. - Mathematics Educator
    Allan is a compassionate educator with a broad teaching experience in math, covering nearly all ages and levels. He believes mathematics is a beautiful and powerful subject that belongs to everyone.
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  • Hillary Higgins

    J.D. - Associate Director of Academic Advising & College Guidance
    Hillary's current role at Geffen Academy builds on a decade of experience in education.
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  • Carol Hoffstedt

    M.S. - Mathematics Educator
    As an educational explorer, Carol Hoffstedt seeks to empower her students to be math-proficient and realize that math is even more beautiful than it is useful.
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  • Spencer Howell

    B.A. - Student Services Coordinator
    Spencer is Geffen Academy’s Student Services Coordinator.  Previously serving as the Facilities and Business Operations Coordinator, Spencer is now part of the Dean Team and Counseling Team in the Student Life Suite. 
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  • Yujia Hua

    M.A. - Mandarin Educator
    Ms. Hua has worked in K-12 schools in New York and Iowa.
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  • Nicholas Hurtt

    M.S. - Mathematics Department Chair
    Mr. Hurtt joined the mathematics department at Geffen Academy in 2018 and began serving as the Mathematics Department Chair in 2023.
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  • Mike Hyatt

    Ph.D. - History Educator
    Dr. Hyatt was a founding Educator, serving as the Department Chair of the History Department for five years. He retired at the end of the 2021-22 school year but soon realized how much he missed teaching. 
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  • Stacey Jasper

    M.Ed. & M.A. - Assistant Middle School Academic Dean
    Ms. Jasper is the Assistant Middle School Academic Dean for Geffen Academy. She oversees processes for welcoming and acclimating new and returning Middle School students to the Geffen Academy academic program.
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  • Morell Jones

    M.Ed. - History Educator
    Morell Jones is an alumnus of UCLA, where he received an undergraduate degree in history. He received his master’s in education from Cal State San Marcos.
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  • Vitali Kaush

    I-Track Educator
    Vitali Kaush is passionate about teaching technology through robotics, fabrication, and design through I-Track concentration courses.
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  • Janessa Kelly

    M.A. - Principal Learning Specialist
    Janessa interfaces with students and families in the areas of counseling and social-emotional support.
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  • Radhika Khandelwal

    Ed.D. - Dean for Students & School Culture
    Dr. Radhika Khandelwal, “Dean Rad,” is Geffen Academy’s founding Dean of Students and School Culture. In her role, she oversees the Student Life Team, comprising of the Division Deans and School Counselors. 
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  • Alan Kim

    M.A. - Science Department Chair 
    Alan Kim has taught courses in chemistry, biology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, biotechnology, nutrition and performance, and genetics for 9th through 12th grade.
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  • Drina Krieger

    Events & Alumni Manager
    Drina has been producing and managing events for ten years.
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  • Chris Kyle

    M.F.A. - English & Humanities Educator
    Chris Kyle joins us as a Middle School English and Humanities Educator. Chris teaches 6th-grade Humanities and 8th-grade Reading Modern Minds. He earned his MFA in screenwriting from UCLA, where he's been teaching for the past decade in the School of Theater, Film & Television.
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  • Lianne Laguitan

    M.S.W. - School Counselor
    In her capacity as a school counselor, Lianne is part of the Student Life Suite and works closely with students and families.
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  • Jason Lee

    B.A. - Business Operations Specialist
    Jason has experience in events, audio/video, facilities management, client relations, procurement, and more.
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  • Ingrid Leventhal

    Ph.D. - French & Humanities Educator
    Dr. Leventhal earned her Ph.D. in French at USC in 2017. After teaching for two years at the Webb Schools of Claremont, she came to Geffen Academy in 2019 to build the French program and teach Humanities. 
     
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  • Crystal Lopez

    M.Ed. - Faculty Services Coordinator
    Crystal Lopez holds a Bachelor's degree in Health Science from California State University, Fullerton, and a Master's in Education from National University, specializing in social-emotional learning.
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  • Luis Miguel Macías

    M.A. - Spanish Educator
    Luis Miguel is originally from El Paso, Texas, and completed his master’s degrees in teaching Spanish as a second language at the University of Alcalá de Henares and Spanish literature at the University of Oklahoma.

     
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  • Miriam Margolis

    B.A. - Director of Admissions
    A founding member of the Admissions team, Miriam has been with Geffen Academy at UCLA since 2016.
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  • Maskit Maymon

    Ph.D. - Science Educator
    Maskit brings experience from UCLA’s Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology.
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  • Jill Mayorga

    Ed.D. - Science Educator
    Jill Mayorga has been a science educator for 19 years, teaching high school physics, chemistry, biology and physical science in Massachusetts, New York, and California. 
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  • Megan McEwen

    Ph.D. - Science Educator
    Dr. Megan teaches Physics and Advanced Astrophysics to 11th and 12th graders at Geffen Academy.
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  • Steve Mejia

    Ed.D. - Assistant Upper School Academic Dean
    Dr. Mejia assists Upper School students in need of academic support and coordinates remediation for A-G/graduation requirements.
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  • teddy menard

    M.S.W. - School Counselor
    As a school counselor, mx. teddy provides individual therapeutic support with students one-to-one, facilitates group sessions, and contributes to school-wide efforts promoting positive social-emotional development in collaboration with the Student Life Suite.
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  • Tori Moebus

    M.A. - Science Educator
    Victoria (Tori) Moebus has been a full-time science educator for four years with experience teaching in both middle and upper school. 
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  • Raquel Ochoa

    M.A. - Assistant Director of Admissions and Outreach
    In her role in the Admissions Office, Raquel advances her passion for all things education and community.
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  • Kasiemba Okeyo

    B.A. - I-Track Educator
    Kasiemba is a passionate filmmaker, songwriter, and composer driven by a deep fascination for the ever-evolving intersection of storytelling and technology. 
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  • Kate Oldre

    M.A. & M.Ed. - Associate Head of School

  • Mari Oropeza

    Ph.D. - Director of Academic Advising & College Guidance
    Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, Mari attended public primary and secondary schools in El Paso’s Lower Valley.
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  • Kate Page-Lippsmeyer

    Ph.D. - English Educator
    Dr. Kate Page-Lippsmeyer joined Geffen Academy in 2020-2021 as an English Educator in the Upper School.
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  • Karla Perez-Mendoza

    Ph.D. - World Languages & Cultures Department Chair 
    Karla is part of the founding, pioneering team that made Geffen Academy a reality in 2014.
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  • Rebeca Puga

    M.F.A. & J.D. - Visual Arts Department Chair
    Born and raised in Santiago, Chile, Rebeca obtained a B.A., as well as a law degree, from Universidad de Chile at the School of Social Economical and Juridical Sciences and became an attorney.
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  • Anna Putsima

    M.S. - Mathematics Educator
    Anna Putsima is passionate about fostering a love for mathematics in the minds of her students.
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  • Mariam Raza

    B.A. & B.S. - Registrar/Scheduler
    Ms. Mariam Raza supports Geffen Academy students in course selection and beyond to ensure their academic needs are met.
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  • Christian Reed

    Ph.D. - English & Humanities Educator
    Christian Reed is a published essayist whose work has examined the writing of Herman Melville and Jorge Luis Borges. He has been an Educator at Geffen Academy’s English Department since 2017. 
     
     
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  • Didier Reiss

    J.D. & M.A. - History Educator
    Didier has taught courses in religious, literary and legal texts at the Los Angeles Hebrew High School in Van Nuys.
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  • Flavio Ribeiro

    Head Swimming Coach
    Originally from Brazil, where he played as a professional soccer and futsal player, Flavio excels in sports and aquatics instruction.
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  • J.R. Rich

    B.A. - I-Track Educator
    J.R. has taught a range of disciplines, including computer programming, video game design, animation, filmmaking, sculpture, and mold making.
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  • Ben Riendeau

    B.A. - Senior Human Resources Manager
    Ben Riendeau brings more than 15 years of experience to his role as Senior Human Resources Manager at Geffen Academy.
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  • Ke'Yuanda Robertson

    M.A. - English Educator
    After earning her B.A. in Broadcast Journalism at the University of Southern California, Ke’Yuanda Robertson worked at ABC News’ Primetime and 20/20.
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  • Nancy Rodriguez

    MSPA - Chief Administrative Officer
    Nancy is the Chief Administrative Officer at Geffen Academy at UCLA. In this role she has worked hand in hand with the Head of School to launch the first independent secondary school in the UC system; creating new policies, procedures, processes, handbooks, negotiating the founding MOU with its Geffen Academy Educators, leading finance, student health program, business office, human resources team, IT/Ed Tech, facilities and other programs and systems. 
     
     

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  • Rebeca Rodriguez

    B.S. - School Nurse
    Rebeca supports student health at Geffen Academy through her role as school nurse.
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  • Tyler Russo

    B.A. - Campus Operations Assistant
    Tyler has been the Campus Operations Assistant since 2022, working closely with the Campus Operations Manager and Educators. 
     
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  • Ollie Savage

    M.A. - English Educator
    Ollie Savage has taught English in Los Angeles for the past 12 years, including positions at Milken and Oakwood Schools.
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  • Kelly Schwartz

    B.A. - Project Specialist
    A member of the Business Office, Kelly supports a variety of projects and programs at Geffen Academy.
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  • Jason Segall

    M.F.A. - Ceramics Educator
    Jason Segall will join the Visual Arts Department as our new Ceramics Educator. Jason received his BFA from Kansas City Art Institute and his MFA from Alfred University.
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  • Matt Sheridan

    M.F.A. - Visual Arts Educator
    A contemporary visual artist who works in abstract painting and animated video, Matt is our Media Arts educator, overseeing animation, video, photography, and production for our students.
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  • Nathan Simoneaux

    M.Ed. - History Department Chair 
    Nathan is our History Department Chair. In his role, Nathan works with History Department Educators to set the curriculum for the department, support and manage department classroom Educators, and play a role with the Department Chair group in leading school curriculum and culture.
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  • Aghavni Simonyan

    Ph.D. - Mathematics Educator
    Aghavni joins us from the University of California, Irvine (UCI).
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  • Courtney Slade

    M.B.A. - Mathematics Educator
    Courtney is dedicated to helping our students develop a robust understanding of mathematics as they become confident and creative problem solvers.
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  • Carla Soria Calvo

    World Languages & Cultures Educator
    Carla Soria Calvo joins us as a World Languages Educator. Carla Soria has been in the field of education for over 15 years. She is originally from Spain.
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  • Joanna Stover

    M.S. & ATC - P.E. Educator
    Ms. Jo supports students’ physical and mental health and well-being as a P.E. Educator.
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  • Mackenzie Stratton

    M.A. - Associate Director of Academic Advising & College Guidance
    Ms. Stratton is a West LA native and has focused her career on helping students find their path. In 2019, she earned her Master's in Guidance & Counseling from Loyola Marymount University.
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  • Michael Strazzeri

    Campus Operations Manager
    Mike is a seasoned operations manager with a career spanning over 16 years at UC Irvine's Student Center & Event Services. He’s had the privilege to lead and mentor thousands of student staff members, streamlining onboarding processes and fostering a productive, efficient work environment. 
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  • Daniel Suarez

    B.S. - Information Systems Lead
    Daniel was formerly an IT analyst for UCLA Health and UCLA campus. Danny earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Information Systems in Business and Technology from California State University, Northridge.
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  • Ross Szabo

    M.A. - Wellness Director & Educator
    Ross is our founding Wellness Director who has developed and incorporated our unique Wellness program into our school curriculum. He has also created a Mental Health Education Institute that is hosted by Geffen Academy to provide schools with a common language for mental health and how educators can use their personal stories to normalize mental health in the classroom.
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  • Jeremy Tan

    M.S. - P.E. Educator; Upper School Strength and Conditioning Coach & Educator
    Jeremy supports our P.E. Department as both Educator and strength and conditioning coach.
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  • Wilson Trang

    B.A. - Science Educator
    Wilson Trang is a science Educator with over 15 years of experience working in the field of education.
     
     
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  • Zeke Trautenberg

    Ph.D. - Spanish Educator
    Zeke Trautenberg teaches Spanish in the Department of World Languages and Cultures.
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  • Matt Vacca

    M.A. - Director, Upper School Division
    In his role at Geffen Academy, Matt facilitates and provides leadership to design, cultivate, implement, and execute the instructional operations for the Upper School.
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  • Millie Vasquez

    B.S. - Science Educator
    Millie teaches 6th grade science and contributes to a student-centered and inquiry-based curriculum.
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  • Tracy Wallace

    M.P.H. - Wellness Educator
    Tracy obtained her Master’s in Public Health degree from Tulane University and completed her subsequent field work with the Peace Corps Health Specialist program in Ecuador.
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  • Kevin Ward

    P.E. Educator
    Prior to joining Geffen Academy, Kevin served as a P.E. Educator at Ocean Charter School in Los Angeles. 
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  • David Watts

    M.Ed. - Associate Dean, Upper School
    A native of Northern California, David brings a depth and breadth of experience as an administrator, teacher, advisor, coach, student advocate, and mentor. 
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  • Brianna Winn

    M.A. - Dean of Faculty
    Brianna has joined Geffen Academy as the new Dean of Faculty. Brianna brings deep experience in working with teachers, students, and families through the many leadership positions she has held. 
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  • Hyunji Alice Yang

    M.S. - Mathematics Educator
    Hyunji Alice Yang is motivated to help Geffen Academy students become more independent and creative mathematical thinkers.
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  • Ryun Yu

    B.S. - I-Track Educator; Computer Science 
    Ryun is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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  • Jenny Zhang

    B.A. - Mandarin Educator
    Jenny is an expert educator, having experience with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency bands, the College Board, the Confucius Institute, and schools all across the country.
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