WHO WE ARE
Santa Fe School for the Arts & Sciences is an independent expeditionary learning school in Santa Fe, New Mexico, serving 135 students in Preschool through 8th grade.
Mission
Our mission is to achieve academic excellence in an environment of respect, inclusion and diversity, utilizing expeditionary learning, global perspectives and a multicultural art and science enriched curriculum.
Vision
Each child’s talents are fully developed leading to a lifelong passion for learning and exploration in a caring environment, where each child has opportunities for self-expression and growth. The school exemplifies and encourages the values of compassion, leadership, world citizenship and service.
FACULTY AND STAFF
Adelyn Smith
Adelyn teaches middle school science and is entering her 5th year at our school. She was born and raised in Santa Fe and is really happy to be back home close to mountains and family. She has a Bachelors of Science from Boston College in biochemistry and environmental studies and a teaching license from Santa Fe Community College. She taught math and science to at-risk youth in Santa Fe working towards their GED before teaching and coaching in India for two years at a non-profit girls’ school in rural Jharkhand. Adelyn is really involved in the soccer community in town, coaching for Santa Fe Prep and playing on various teams throughout the year. She also likes to hike, practice Muay Thai, garden, do woodworking projects, travel, snowboard, and ride her bike. adelyn@santafeschool.org
Andrew Lescht
Andrew is entering his 8th year as our 3rd-4th grade teacher. He is dedicated to teaching the whole child and recently began integrating teaching mindfulness in the Centaur class. As a lifelong learner Andrew is dedicated to advancing his practices. He is currently a fellow with Environmental Education New Mexico’s Exploring Equitable Education Outdoors, helping further equal access to outdoor learning opportunities for all New Mexican youth. He has a B.A. in Anthropology from State University of New York Plattsburgh, and for many years he split his seasons between working as an archaeologist, environmental educator and a ski instructor. His passion for teaching led him back to school to obtain an MA in Elementary Education from the University of Northern Colorado. Prior to Arts & Sciences, Andrew’s classroom experience includes third and fourth grades in Colorado, and teaching at an international school in Ecuador. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, reading, hiking, travel, music, skiing, and mountain biking. andrew@santafeschool.org
Annie McLaughlin
This is Annie’s second year at Arts & Sciences as a support teacher for the Grasshopper and Unicorn classes. Annie was born and raised in Northern Virginia and has over 12 years of experience in the early childhood field. She graduated from Boston College with a B.A. in Human Development, and then obtained her Masters of Education and AMI Montessori Teaching Certificate from Loyola University in Maryland. She has an 9 year old son named Colin and a puppy named Sunny. She loves to bring music and creative movement into her teaching. When she’s not at work, she loves to hike, crochet, practice yoga and visit the ocean. annie@santafeschool.org
Sparrow Dineen
Sparrow is in their 11th year teaching at Arts & Sciences and 9th year as our Moving Images teacher. An alum of the very first graduating class of Arts & Sciences (Class of 2005), they graduated from Wesleyan University with a BA in Studio Art in 2013. They also runs many camps & afterschool programs, including helping students put together art portfolios for high school applications. They also run our popular afterschool Dungeons & Dragons clubs, where they have worked with students over the years to develop the ‘Menagerie Fleet’ game universe, which now includes both tabletop and live-action roleplaying games and is designed towards facilitating social & emotional growth and leadership development in teens. sparrow@santafeschool.org
Aurora Hvidsten
This is Aurora’s 14th year at Arts & Sciences. She is the Lead Teacher for the preschool and pre-k students in the Unicorn classroom. She received her BA from the University of California Santa Cruz in 2008 and her MS in Early Childhood Education with an endorsement in Dual Language Learning at the Erikson Institute of Chicago in 2015. Aurora enjoys integrating her love for stories into the classroom and feels passionately about supporting each child to feel comfortable, loved, and seen at school. aurora@santafeschool.org
Chintan Kess
Chintan is the lead teacher in the combined first and second grade Stargazer class. She is committed to bringing best practice to her primary students, offering them a curriculum rich in inquiry, play and the arts. She has been teaching at Arts & Sciences since 2001 and holds an A.A. in Early Childhood Multicultural Education from Santa Fe Community College, a B.A. in Early Childhood Education from New Mexico Highlands University and a M.Ed. in Integrated Teaching through the Arts from Lesley University. She is licensed to teach in New Mexico with a Level Three-A Instructional Leader B-3 Early Childhood License. chintan@santafeschool.org
Cynthia DelBello
Cynthia joined Arts & Sciences in 2018 as our Volunteer Coordinator and Admissions/Office Assistant. She brings over 20 years of Administrative work experience and 6 years of them in Management. She attended Marymount Manhattan College in New York City studying Communications and Media Arts. After a decade in Seattle, she moved to Santa Fe so their children could grow up closer to their Grandparents. She enjoys spending her free time exploring small towns, reliving her childhood playing with her kids and has a passion for cooking and gardening. Her daughters, Mia and Rosie, are students at Arts & Sciences. cynthia@santafeschool.org
Daniel Lockley
Daniel has been studying and performing music since he was 10 years old. Growing up in Santa Fe, and attending the Waldorf School ensured that he was exposed to a lot of musical styles from an early age. His true passion was discovered when he began learning Zimbabwean Marimba in 1997. Since then, he used marimba as a vehicle to perform and teach all over the country and beyond! In 2010, he taught marimba in the Portland Public Schools through an organization called Ethos Music Center. He later taught in Boulder, CO with the Kutandara Center, a non-profit dedicated to teaching Zimbabwean music. Thanks to Kutandara, Daniel was able to work with students of all ages and from all walks of life as well as a number of excellent schools, including CU Boulder, and Regis University. Daniel moved back to Santa Fe in late 2019 and has been teaching at the Santa Fe Waldorf High School, Desert Montessori, and even at our very own after school program! Daniel is very excited for this new chapter and his role at Arts & Sciences as our music teacher. daniel@santafeschool.org
Debbie McFarland
Debbie is our Bookkeeper and has been happily working at Arts & Sciences since 2016. She did her undergraduate and graduate work at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, earning a BA In Psychology and a Masters of Social Work. She also received her BS in Accounting after moving to New Mexico and currently owns Eldorado Bookkeeping, through which she serves many clients in the Santa Fe and Eldorado areas. Debbie teaches payroll and accounting workshops to small business owners throughout the year and is a Quickbooks Proadvisor. She is also a knowledgeable herbalist and owned an herb and natural medicines shop in Eldorado named Rowan’s Leaf Herbal. She has lived in New Mexico for over twenty years and is grateful to call such a magnificent place home. eldobooks1@gmail.com
Eddy Segura
This is Eddy’s 16th year teaching at Arts & Sciences as our K-8 Physical Education teacher and Facilities Director. For the past eight years, Eddy has also been the Lead Coordinator for the 8th grade service trip to Costa Rica. Eddy received his BA in Physical Education at the Universidad Nacional in Costa Rica. He has 14 years of experience teaching P.E. and coaching soccer in schools in Costa Rica and coaches soccer at Academy for Technology and the Classics in Santa Fe, where he previously taught P.E. He is the father of an Arts & Sciences alumna Emily (Class of 2015) and Allison (Class of 2018). eddy@santafeschool.org
Elisa Boyles
Director of Admissions. Elisa was born in Venezuela and grew up in many places, including Santa Fe. She has always enjoyed working with children and got her BA in Early Childhood Education with a teaching license for PreK-3 from Tufts University in 1998. In college, she studied art history and Italian in Florence, Italy and delved into learning about the schools in Reggio Emilia. She jumped right into teaching Art for New York City Public Schools and then a 3rd grade Bilingual teacher. Later, she moved to The Peck School, in New Jersey, as Assistant to the Upper School Head, Spanish teacher, and tutor. She and her husband Patrick, a native Santa Fean, happily returned to Santa Fe to start their family. She taught the 3 and 4 year olds at Dragonfly School, before homeschooling her son. She has fun being in nature, gardening, cooking, supporting local organic farmers, and being creative with life. She is a proud mama of Luca and Valentina, an alumnus and current student at Arts & Sciences.
Elli Hindmarch
Elli (she/her), Finance Coordinator, started at our school in 2010. She has a B.B.A. in Management from New Mexico Highlands University and over two decades of administrative and financial experience. She also enjoys teaching and performing swing, tango & salsa dance and is a bodyworker. Some families may remember Elli’s parents, Willy & Phil, who helped start Arts & Sciences and taught at the school, and her sister Lucia, who was in our first graduating class. Her son Sebastien is an Arts & Sciences alumnus. elli@santafeschool.org
Gina Kinstle
In her 10th year at Arts & Sciences, Gina is our Graphic Designer and Office Manager. In addition to coordinating many details of student and school activities, Gina designs our school yearbook and many of our expedition products, like books and posters. She even designed a board game for the Grasshopper class this past school year. After living in Brooklyn, NY for 8 years, working in the fashion industry as a handbag designer, she reestablished her roots back to Santa Fe. As a creative person with experience in the hospitality industry, Gina happily brings attention to detail in all of our visual messaging, and thoughtfulness to the complex task of keeping the wheels in the office running smoothly. Gina’s daughter is an Arts & Sciences alumna. gina@santafeschool.org
Isaac Hernandez
Isaac is our school’s Information Technology Administrator. He has a B.S. from Liberty University, 13 years of experience as a Communications Officer in the Army National Guard, and 5 years as a Federal Civilian managing the New Mexico National Guard’s financial datacenter. Via the military, Isaac has had an opportunity to travel the globe spending time in Japan, Alaska, Georgia, Washington and New Mexico while working in an airborne infantry unit, State emergency operations, and several comms staff positions. Besides technology, he also enjoys a myriad of hobbies including: cooking, backpacking, making music, teaching his son new things and adventures of any kind. He has a true passion for learning and teaching whenever the opportunity arises. isaac@santafeschool.org
Jessica Patti
Joining Arts & Sciences in 2021, Jessica is the middle school history teacher and co-leads Student Council. She earned her BS in Anthropology and English from Tulane University, her Texas Teaching Credential and a post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education (6-12) from Southern Methodist University, and an Ed.M in School Leadership from Harvard University. Her 20 years of experience in education span every grade, but her passion and expertise lie with middle school. She strives to create an environment where every child feels known and valued. Prior to her move to Santa Fe, Jessica was a head of school of a preschool through eighth grade school in the Bay Area. She has taught middle school humanities, English, math and leadership and high school US history and AP Human Geography. Jessica chose to be an educator to aid students in being curious, engaged, creative, and passionate. She is an avid reader and often can be found exploring the mountains with her rescue dogs or traveling cross-country in her vintage Airstream Trailer. jessica@santafeschool.org
Joseph Smith
Joseph is in his 9th year at Arts & Sciences. He teaches Middle School Creative Writing. Born and raised in Santa Fe, he earned his BA in English from UNM in 2004. He previously taught as a Special Education Teacher, with a focus on Gifted Education, and was the Education Coordinator at Santa Fe YouthWorks. Joseph tutored students in the Santa Fe area for many years, and also coached and continues to promote youth baseball. He is the proud father of alumnus, Cruz, and 8th grader, Lea. joseph@santafeschool.org
Kati Novak
Kati is an Assistant Preschool Teacher and Preschool-Kindergarten Lead Aftercare Teacher at Arts & Sciences. At nearly 19, she left Santa Fe for the Pacific Northwest, and for almost 16 years lived in Washington on the Kitsap Peninsula, working first as a line cook and being a young mother before finding her calling as a teacher. She was part of the Boys & Girls Club of Seattle for eight years in Bainbridge Island, where she worked as the Program Director then taught a toddler program at Building Block Preschool. In 2014, She returned to Santa Fe to teach at Dragonfly School until its closing in 2017. Textile arts, gardening and nannying filled the days until landing at Arts and Sciences. Kati’s strengths include allowing children the space and time to accomplish their own goals, her playful yet calm nature and inspiring inquisitiveness through asking pertinent questions. kati@santafeschool.org
Kim Shakespeare-Jones
This is Kim’s 3rd year as the Designer for Arts & Sciences’ CoLab Initiative. Kim has worked in program development and arts education for more than 20 years, including positions with the Santa Fe Opera as Manager of Strategic Planning & Evaluation for an in-school arts integration program, and Program Founder & Manager for a Reggio-inspired early childhood program. Kim received a BA from UCLA’s film school, and a Master’s degree in Education and Innovation, with certification as a Pedagogical Coordinator in the Reggio Emilia Approach, from Webster University. She enjoys co-developing community-led and equity-centered collaborative learning opportunities that support, inspire and empower teachers and children. colab@santafeschool.org
Lani Ersfeld
In her 11th year at Arts & Sciences, Lani is our Kindergarten-8th Grade Spanish Teacher as well as the Aftercare Coordinator and 5th-8th grade Aftercare Teacher. Lani is from Placitas, NM and attended the Albuquerque Academy for middle and high school. She then attended Lewis & Clark College in Oregon, majoring in Hispanic Studies and English. During her studies, Lani lived in the Dominican Republic and in Chile, where she solidified her love of the Spanish language and various cultures, and her desire to teach it to others. She earned her Master of Arts in Teaching at Lewis & Clark Graduate School with an emphasis in ESOL. She holds licenses in both New Mexico and Oregon for Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education. Lani is instrumental in organizing and planning our 8th grade International Trip to Costa Rica in the Spring. In her off time, Lani enjoys time with her menagerie of animals on her farm in Española. lani@santafeschool.org
Leilani Maloney
Bio coming soon
Lisa Goldman
Lisa is the Middle School Art Teacher at Arts & Sciences. She has been involved in media arts education and gifted education for over 25 years, and has taught college courses for the Santa Fe Community College, The Institute for American Indian Arts, Santa Fe University of Art and Design, and the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. She earned her BFA from University of Wisconsin, and her M.A. in Special Education from University of New Mexico. She acted as Director of Education and Training for Youth Media Project and has taught the joy of creating radio narratives and podcasts. Working with Media Savvy Citizens, she conducts teacher trainings on radio production. Lisa is also an award winning radio producer and musician, currently in the local post-punk outfit, Titmaüs. When not rocking out, Lisa enjoys painting and drawing, writing, reading, hiking, camping, circuit-training, hot springs, traveling, snorkeling, cooking, and sitting around dreaming. lisagoldman@santafeschool.org
Liza Stanton Hitt
This is Liza’s 14th year teaching at Arts & Sciences and her 11th year as lead teacher in the “Grasshopper” Kindergarten class. Liza is a graduate from the College of Santa Fe, with a BA in Elementary Education with a TESOL endorsement. Liza is committed to creating a developmentally appropriate early childhood classroom, which instills a love of learning within our little ones. This is accomplished through an environment that nurtures wonder, discovery, exploration and learning through play. Liza’s has three daughters who have attended Arts and Sciences, one in the Middle School and two Alums. Liza is looking forward to another wonderful year in the Grasshopper class! liza@santafeschool.org
Matt Burke Newsum
This is Matt’s 20th year teaching our 5th-6th grade Badger class. Matt has a BS in Environmental Biology and Resource Management from UC Davis and has teaching certifications in all subjects from San Francisco State University with endorsements in Math and Science. Prior to teaching in Santa Fe, Matt worked for several years in the business world before deciding to become an educator. He then student taught for two years in Mountain View, CA, coached middle school basketball and helped run the Farm and Wilderness camp programs at Hidden Villa. Matt loves spending his free time in the mountains and in the ocean with his family. Matt’s daughter is a Arts & Sciences alumna. matt@santafeschool.org
Nate Moore
This is Nate’s 16th year at Arts & Sciences. Nate is a core teacher in the Middle School and teaches algebra and STEM electives. He is also the Middle School Director, spearheading the organization of activities such as 100 Elk, supporting crew (our advisory program), and coordinating the middle school curriculum and program. Nate is a proud father of two. A fluent Spanish speaker, Nate has also been a lead teacher during the 8th grade service trip to Costa Rica. Nate received a BA from Oberlin College in Environmental Studies, Hispanic Studies, and Latin American Studies and Masters in Science Teaching at New Mexico Tech. He earned a New Mexico Teaching License with a Secondary Science certification. In 2009 he was a fellow in the New Science Teacher Academy; in 2019 he was a Fund for Teachers Fellow; and in 2020 he was a Ramsden Project Fellow. Nate has presented at the EL Education National Conference and the MidSchoolMath Conference. He taught Spanish in Oberlin’s SITES program, worked at the Big Sky Summer Camp, and volunteered at Escola Bosque in Brazil. nate@santafeschool.org
Perli Cunanan
Perli Cunanan is starting her 12th school year as the Arts & Sciences Executive Director. Perli has worked as a volunteer and a development professional in the nonprofit sector for more than 30 years, including positions as Development Officer of Con Alma Health Foundation, Vice President of Development at United Way of Santa Fe County and Development Director at Youth Shelters. Before joining the Arts & Sciences staff, she served on the school’s Board of Directors. She is the Chair of the Grants Committee for The Reading Group, an Opportunity Santa Fe Working Group at the Santa Fe Community Foundation, focused on supporting striving readers in Santa Fe. Perli is proud mom to Arts & Sciences alumni Isa and Tom (Class of 2020 and 2018). perli@santafeschool.org
Reagon Heikes
Reagon is a licensed mental health counselor (LPCC) and the school counselor at Arts & Sciences. She graduated in 2018 from Southewestern College with her masters in clinical counseling, and has since completed extensive post graduate training in working with children and families ages 0 to 18. She is a credentialed Child-Parent Psychotherapy provider, an attachment based psyhodynamic therapy model for working with very young children and their caregivers. She has worked in many elementary and middle schools across northern New Mexico, doing both individual therapy with students and working on system school wide trauma informed intervention plans. Reagon is the mother to four beautiful and rambunctious children that consume all of her spare time. She recently moved back to Santa Fe after five years of living in Los Alamos, and is very happy to be home. reagon@santafeschool.org
Sam Italiano
Sam is entering her 3rd year working at Arts & Sciences as drama teacher for 3rd-8th grade and Community Engagement Administrator. She has a B.A. in Human Services from Elon University in North Carolina. Sam has explored many ways to use this degree, including nonprofit work, university program development, curriculum writing, outdoor education, and most prominently, through dance and dance education. She has danced with companies across the country, choreographed for musicals, and spends most of her time in the classroom sharing her passion with others. She enjoys cooking, snuggling her pup, Dorothy, playing board games, and dancing in the streets. sam@santafeschool.org
Sarah Komalam
Sarah joined Arts and Sciences as the Learning Specialist in 2021. Her passion for education was inspired by her father, a lifelong educator in Northern California. She has worked as an educator in Santa Fe for over 20 years. While she has extensive experience as a general education teacher in grades 1-3 at public and private schools, her specialty is teaching reading. Working at Arts and Sciences has given her the opportunity to integrate all that she has learned over the years to provide sensitive, thoughtful, patient, support for students with all types of learning styles. Students find it easy to connect with Sarah and her playful nature. She graduated with honors from Lewis and Clark College and received her teaching certificate from Santa Fe Community College. She has dual licensure in teaching at the elementary level and special education. Sarah gets great pleasure from rock climbing, gardening, reading, swimming in the ocean, and raising her two teenage daughters. sarah@santafeschool.org
Stephanie Smith
Stephanie has worked with young children for over thirty years, both in California and in northern New Mexico where she has been living for twenty five years. Stephanie is a teacher in our Unicorn classroom during the school year and directs the summer camp program during the summer months.She studied early childhood education at Cabrillo College in Aptos, CA, though she has learned largely through her long experience in education. Co-founder and director of Dragonfly School in Santa Fe for ten years prior to joining Arts & Sciences five years ago, Stephanie holds the National Administrators’ Credential for directors of preschool programs. Her expertise includes facilitating compassionate communication, dynamic curriculum planning, implementing dramatic storytelling in the classroom and teaching early literacy skills. stephanie@santafeschool.org
Suzanne Maheshi Shakespeare Jones
This is Suzanne Maheshi’s 21st year working at Santa Fe School for the Arts & Sciences. As a founding teacher, she brings her knowledge of the school’s core practices, values and culture, as well as her experience as State Licensed Educator, to her new role as the Curator to help lead the newly formed Arts and Sciences’ CoLab Initiative. She has a background in Early Childhood Education, the Reggio Emilia Approach; as well as advertising, design and marketing. Suzanne has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Advertising from the Pasadena Art Center College of Design in CA and studied Early Childhood at Highlands University and the Santa Fe Community College. She loves working in collaboration with community members to co-create enriching learning opportunities driven by collective wisdom, and designed to enhance the lives of educators as well as the children they serve. suzannem@santafeschool.org
Todd Stiewing
In his 19th year at Arts & Sciences, Todd serves as our Principal and Leadership Teacher. For eleven years, Todd taught our 3rd and 4th grade Centaur class and has served in a variety of leadership positions, including Assistant Principal, Elementary Curriculum Coordinator, Staff Liaison to the Board; lead member of the Campus as Curriculum Committee; and Summer Director of Facilities. Todd received a B.S. in Elementary Education and a Master’s in Education from the University of Connecticut. He has over 20 years of teaching experience both in the classroom and working with children, teens and adults in outdoor experiential settings. Before moving to New Mexico in 2004, Todd taught 4th grade and Pre-K through 5th elementary science in Maryland. Todd has many years experience leading wilderness and experiential education courses at schools around the country. He has shared his outdoor experience in his leadership classes and by running several hiking and backpacking camps in the summer. Todd’s daughter is a alumna and his son is in 4th grade at Arts & Sciences. todd@santafeschool.org
Satori Murata
Satori is the middle school Japanese teacher. Born and raised in Nagano Japan, the mountain area in main island she grew up watching her mother who was a chado (way of tea) teacher. She loves poetry and storytelling and studied literature in English (M.A. in English in Tokyo). She came to the USA at the age of 26, lived in Navajo nation and attended Dine college in 1992-1995. While in Navajo nation, she enjoyed listening to their stories. She has been studying way of tea passionately since 1998. She was a president of Santa Fe JIN (Japanese Intercultural Network) 2013-2014. Currently, she enjoys teaching Japanese language and Japanese culture, catering Japanese food and sweets privately organizing the Japanese cultural gatherings & practicing “Way of Tea”. satori@santafeschool.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The dedicated volunteer members of our Board of Directors oversee our school’s policies and are the guardians of our mission and vision. The Board meets regularly, and is happy to provide access to Board Meeting Minutes.
Elege Simons Harwood
Elege Simons Harwood is a 3rd generation New Mexican, born and raised in Santa Fe. She is very grateful to be able to raise her three boys in Santa Fe with her husband Kyle Harwood. Elege received her A.A. in Philosophy from New York University and B.A. in Psychology from the College of Santa Fe. She received her J.D. at the University of New Mexico School of Law. Elege is a lawyer by training, with a practice focused on Mediation and Settlement Facilitation of domestic relations matters including divorce, custody and child support issues.
Lucy Foma
Born in Santa Fe to a family of West African dance and drum artists, Lucy Gent Foma is a mother, dancer, city planner, and writer who has lived in Senegal, Cameroon, and Brazil. She has received merit-based funding to conduct research and implement projects in American and African cities alike. After graduating from Smith College, she was a Fulbright Fellow and a Rotary Scholar in Senegal before attending Cornell University with a Foreign Language and Areas Studies Fellowship for her master’s degree. Her book about finding funding to pursue life’s passions, Funded, came out in 2016. She currently works as a community planner for Santa Fe County, facilitating and writing long-range plans with traditional communities like Galisteo and Tesuque. In her free time, Lucy enjoys studying West African and Haitian dance with her mother and occasionally substitute teaching. After traveling around the world, Lucy and her husband bought a house around the corner from her childhood home so their children could grow up with their grandparents and cousins. Lucy’s daughters attend Arts & Sciences.
David Wharram
David Wharram serves as the Board Treasurer and is a personal financial consultant that specializes in providing strategic investment advice, retirement preparation, and information on life insurance options, as well as administering retirement benefit plans for small businesses. He works as a fiduciary on behalf of his clients to help them build the financial future they deserve and is an Investment Advisory Representative with LPL Financial. Born in the UK, he began his career in construction moving up the ranks as a supervisor with British Airways at Heathrow Airport, and later managed maintenance and construction at the Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall. It was here that David experienced the financial side of the industry, as he oversaw and planned major facilities work at Europe’s largest helicopter base. After living in Germany, South Africa, New York City, and the UK, David & his wife moved to Santa Fe in 2008 and spent four years as an independent contractor for the Los Alamos school district. David currently serves as treasurer at Arts & Sciences, Financial Advisor to Escuela del Sol Montessori Albuquerque, and Finance Committee Member at Council for International Relations. David is the alum father of Luke Wharram, Arts & Sciences Class of 2019.
Michael Coop
Michael Coop founded Coop Consulting, Inc. in 2002, as a small research, planning, facilitation and evaluation firm. Michael has led the firm in major initiatives in substance abuse and mental health prevention, intervention, crisis response and treatment, recovery and harm reduction; and in early childhood services system development and evaluation. Michael leads the state’s implementation of the PAX Good Behavior Game in about two dozen school districts and tribal communities across the state. Michael has also worked extensively in children’s behavioral health services, and aging and long-term services program and system evaluation. Michael received his BA in Fine Arts from the University of the South, and his Masters in Education from Columbia’s Teachers College. He spent nine years as a financial aid officer at Columbia University, Barnard College, and Manhattan School of Music, followed by six years as Manhattan School of Music’s Director of Development, moving to New Mexico in 1993. As a volunteer, Michael led the College of Santa Fe Fine Arts Department Advisory Committee in fundraising initiatives for most of a decade; was a member and board chair of Fine Arts for Children and Teens for eight years, and for the Railyard Stewards/Railyard Park Conservancy for another eight years. Michael has been on the board of Santa Fe School for the Arts and Sciences for a decade, and has been board chair for about half of that time. Michael is a painter, and a jazz and mid-century design fanatic. Michael and his partner, Emily have a daughter Geneva who is a Stargazer at Arts & Sciences.
Allan Oliver
Allan Oliver is the Executive Director of the Thornburg Foundation. He oversees the Foundation’s Strategic Initiatives in early childhood education, good government reforms and food and agriculture, as well as Community Funding grants for human services and civil rights, opportunities for children and youth, environmental protection and public policy. Previously Allan has served as Cabinet Secretary-Designate and Deputy Secretary for the New Mexico Economic Development Department, and Director of Cabinet Affairs, Deputy Communications Director. He also established the Partnership for Responsible Business and the New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce, a business association with over 1100 members supporting renewable energy technology and responsible business practices. He earned a Master’s in Public Administration from the Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and was named a William Hodson Fellow for International Public Service. He also served as an NGO specialist and initiated the municipal development program for the US Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala. His son is in 7th grade at Arts & Sciences.
Joey Jimenez Jr
Joey Jimenez Jr. identifies as he, him, and his. He is of the On Akimel O’Odtham (River People) of the Salt River Pima, Pueblo of Isleta, and Mexicano people. Joey is also married into the Tatanka Nunpa tiwahe (Two Bulls family) of the Oglala Lakota Nation. Along with being a husband, he is a father of three children. Two of whom attend Arts and Sciences. Having a passion of helping others and being of service. Joey holds an Advance Standing/Master of Social Work/Clinical Concentration degree and Bachelor of Social Work degree from New Mexico Highlands University. He has experience in the areas of child welfare and protective services. As well as, working in various nonprofit organizations, community, and family services positions. Leading with cultural humility and the understanding of the whole child perspective. Joey is also a part of the Equity and Inclusivity Committee (EIC) for Arts and Sciences.
Rikki Vieira
Originally born in Cairns Australia, Rikki has spent the majority of her life living in Santa fe. Where her and her husband raise their two young boys. For over 15 years she has worked as an award winning self employed jeweler alongside her husband Bo Lopez. Her long standing dedication to creativity has nurtured a natural inclination to be mindful, to support individuals unique paths in life and to recognize and respect the qualities, gifts and skills we each possess. Through her life experience of observing her parents initiate a successful nonprofit she shares a significant appreciation for all that is involved in running a thriving nonprofit organization, and is honored to contribute her skills and knowledge to Arts & Sciences’ amazing community.
Antoinette Villamil
Since 2004, Antoinette Villamil has worked in nonprofits and educational institutions in New Mexico, including Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council and NewMexicoWomen.Org. With an MFA in poetry from New Mexico State University, Antoinette has also taught secondary and college level writing classes, most recently at IAIA and New Mexico School for the Arts. She has 1000 hours of training as a yoga and meditation instructor, studying with Tias and Surya Little in Santa Fe and at The Yoga Institute in Mumbai, India. From 2018 to 2022, Antoinette served as the Executive Director of the Santa Fe nonprofit Many Mothers and in 2020 was named one of the “Ten Who Made a Difference” by the Santa Fe New Mexican for pivoting the work of Many Mothers to address the needs of families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. She is the Director of Grants and Fund Development at The Sky Center/New Mexico Suicide Intervention Project and a countywide commissioner for Santa Fe County’s Health Policy & Planning Commission. As the proud parent of a lively Centaur, Antoinette enjoys hiking, reading, cooking for her family, collecting pets, and being outside.
Shabd Simran Priel
Simran Priel (she/her) originally trained in both midwifery and cultural anthropology at University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, where she lived and worked for 10 years before moving to New Mexico in 2009. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Health (OHSU) with an emphasis on Maternal & Child Health and Health Disparities. For the past 18 years, her work has focused on a number of community-based health initiatives supporting pregnancy, birth, infant feeding and early parenting in the Pacific Islands, New Zealand and Northern New Mexico. She is the Executive Director of The Birthing Tree, a local non-profit focused on supporting parents through pregnancy through the postpartum period with education, doula services and parent support groups. She is currently the Director of Gender Equity at Project ECHO at UNM, a public health role focused on improving the status of women & girls worldwide. Simran has been a SFSAS parent since 2015, she has three children ranging from unicorn to badgers. She has also been part of the Equity and Inclusivity Committee (EIC) for SFSAS since its inception. Simran loves being part of the SFSAS community!