All School

We are always excited to bring back one of our own. Alumnus Spencer Ehrman Jr. ’68 is our new major giving and foundation officer. Spencer has served on Catlin Gabel’s alumni board and last year’s What’s Next steering committee. He has extensive experience in the profit and nonprofit sectors working with volunteers, clients, and professional service organizations. Spencer has a BFA in theater management and design from Southern Oregon University.

Darrell Yuen joined the development office this summer as the capital campaign manager. Darrell earned a BA in sociology and environmental studies from the University of San Diego. He recently moved from New York, where he was the director of development at City and Country School in Greenwich Village. Darrell brings additional fundraising experience from Riverdale Country School, the Cathedral School, and Ethical Culture Fieldston School.

Ethan Friend joined the kitchen crew last spring as part-time dishwasher. He received his BA from Marlboro College. Ethan worked at Ovations Food Services in the Rose Garden Arena before coming to Catlin Gabel.

Upper School

Jim Wysocki comes to the Upper School math department from the Chadwick School in California, where he was math department chair. He has a BA in secondary mathematics education from Niagara University and has taken extensive graduate courses in applied mathematics at California State University at Long Beach and mathematics at State University of New York at Buffalo. He has also taught for the Irvine Unified School District and the Long Beach School District.

Lauren Shareshian is a familiar face to many, as she was our long-term substitute statistics teacher last year. We are pleased that Lauren joins us full-time this year. Before moving to Oregon, she taught at Albuquerque Academy. Lauren earned a BA in mathematics from New York University and an MA in mathematics from Duke University and has completed doctoral coursework in the mathematics program at Duke University.

Our new college counselor, Blythe Butler, is really not new at all. She has twice worked at Catlin Gabel: two years ago as college counselor when Kate Grant was on leave, and many years ago in the development office. Blythe, who has a BA in English from Willamette University and an MA in writing from Portland State University, was most recently college counselor at St. Mary’s Academy and was previously associate dean of admissions at Lewis & Clark College.

The Upper School’s new administrative assistant, Mary Yacob, is also a returning employee. She worked in the business office and then returned on temporary assignments, such as coordinating the crisis task force. Mary comes to us from the Hillsboro Fire Department. She received a BS in business administration and management from Pepperdine University.

Middle and Upper School

Sara Dier is the administrative assistant in the Middle and Upper School learning center. She has a BA in English from Oregon State University. She comes to Catlin Gabel from Premier Choice Insurance, where she was an agent. Previously, Sara has served as press assistant at a PR firm in England, publishing intern at B Word magazine, editor at OSU’s Prism literary magazine, and lead writing tutor at OSU’s center for writing and learning.

Middle School

Peter Ritson is the interim 7th grade science teacher while Carol Ponganis teaches 6th grade math this year. He has a PhD in geochemistry from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a BA in chemistry with an earth science specialization from the University of California, San Diego. Peter comes to Catlin Gabel from Clark College, and has previously taught at Washington State University, Portland Community College, Cascadia Montessori Middle School, and Northwest Academy.

Lower School

Janet Chiu joins the Lower School as the Mandarin Chinese teacher. She has taught Mandarin Chinese to all ages ranging from elementary students to working professionals. She has a BA in international business from California State in Fullerton, and master’s degrees in Chinese bilingual teaching from Loyola Marymount University, teaching English as a second language from California State in Los Angeles, and teaching from the College of the Canyons.

Shizuka Morse returns to the 4th grade teaching assistant position she held in 2005-06. She recently returned from Japan, where she taught spoken English to Japanese business people and conducted and assessed verbal English tests. Before 2005 she taught Japanese at the International School and Riverdale High School. She has a BA in linguistics and business administration from the University of Oregon.

Another alumna returns to the fold. Sarah Woodard ’02 joins the first grade team as teaching assistant after two years with Teach for America. She received a BA in history from Washington University in St. Louis, and an MA in education from Arizona State University.

We welcome five interns to the Lower School who are in the master’s program at the School of Education and Counseling at Lewis & Clark College:

Clement Tyler, Grade 1
Colleen Connolly, Grade 2
Ashley Barnes, Grade 3
Erik Salvail, Grade 4
Charlene Voorhees, Grade 5

Beginning School

Our new kindergarten teacher, Sia Haralampus, comes to us from Bennett-Hemenway Elementary in Natick, Massachusetts. She has also taught at Palomar College Child Development Center near San Diego. Sia holds an EdM in learning and teaching from Harvard University and a BA in child development from Tufts University. She has a strong interest in and experience applying elements of the Italian Reggio Emilia teaching philosophy in American schools through emergent curriculum, group work, and documenting student learning.

Lesley Darr, whom you know from the reception desk in Toad Hall and from substituting in the Beginning School, joins the preschool team as teaching assistant. She has a BA in social science from Portland State University and has taken undergraduate education classes.