rbalan@kehillah.org

Ronit Balan is a native speaker of Hebrew. Ms. Balan has extensive training in teaching English language to non-native speakers. For the last 20 years, Ms. Balan has applied the principles of ESL to teaching Hebrew as a second language to learners of all ages and levels. Ms. Balan served as an instructor and level coordinator for the EFL department of the Open Unversity, Tel Aviv University and Ministry of Education in Israel before coming to California, where she has taught Hebrew at Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School, De Anza College, Congregation Beth Am, and the Oshman Family JCC. Ms. Balan holds a Teaching Certification in ESL/EFL, B.A. in English Literature, and an M.A. in Second Language Education from Tel Aviv University.

Dr. Tammy Ben-Yaacov has recently moved back to Palo Alto after living in Isreal with her family for the last 10 years where she was a teaching faculty member in Electrical Engineering at the Technion and at Tel Aviv University. Prior to moving to Israel, she worked in industry as a Materials Engineering Manager and taught EE at UC Santa Barbara, after completing her Ph.D. there in Materials and Electrical Engineering.

One of Tammy's highlights throughout her education was working with and leading a team in Engineers Without Borders for over 6 years. She worked on a variety of Engineering projects with a focus on sustainability, improving quality of life, and lending a hand in empowering the community in a remote village in Peru. She grew and learned a great deal, was humbled and inspired, and her experiences contributed to her becoming a passionate and compassionate teacher.

She loves spending time with family and friends, especially out in nature - camping, playing music around a campfire, splashing at the beach. She and her family enjoy cooking and having people over to share some good food, good stories, and good laughs.

jbischoff@kehillah.org

Jordana is thrilled to be a member of the Kehillah community! She has worked in education since graduating with her Bachelor’s degree in Strategic and Corporate Communication and Integrated Educational Studies from Chapman University.

Upon graduating from Chapman, Jordana moved to Boston for an Assistant Director position in the Undergraduate Admissions Office at Northeastern University. As an Assistant Director of Admission, Jordana worked with both first-year and transfer students applying to Northeastern from across the United States and around the world. In three admissions cycles, Jordana read over 5,000 student applications and has continued to stay on their seasonal reading team since leaving her full-time position.

While working as an admissions professional at Northeastern, Jordana completed her Master’s of Science in Leadership and is eager to continue applying the leadership skills from the program within the College Counseling Department. With experience in college counseling and advising, Jordana has worked with students across the Bay Area to help students reach their potential at the school that is the best fit for them, both inside and outside the classroom!

rbrownstone@kehillah.org

Along with teaching English at Kehillah, Richard will be taking on the role of Dean of Academic Operations and New Faculty Advisor. 

Richard holds a B.A. in English Literature and Creative Writing from SUNY Empire State College and an M.A. in the Teaching of English from Columbia University, Teachers College. A native New Yorker, Richard taught high school English at The Packer Collegiate Institute for eleven years while also serving as Upper School Dean, and he then served as Head of Upper School at The Kew-Forest School and Director of Middle School at International School of Brooklyn. Prior to his career in education, Richard was a professional ballet dancer, actor, singer, musician, and database designer/programmer. Richard enjoys being back in Northern California (where he spent his late teen years), enjoying the outdoors with his family, and is finishing his next novel (under the pen name R.B. Woodstone).

kchun@kehillah.org

Kristy is excited to rejoin Kehillah as a Chemistry teacher in the Science Department! She was born in Honolulu, Hawaii surrounded by warm weather and a wonderful family. For her undergraduate, she attended the University of Southern California and majored in Chemistry. Kristy then spent some time at UC Santa Barbara where she got a Masters in Science Education. Although her journey in California started in Los Angeles, Kristy continued to move north until she found her first teaching job in the Bay Area. Kristy feels fortunate to have found a career that she genuinely loves. This will be her 11th year as a high school chemistry teacher. She hopes to help students find their voice in the science classroom and explore the possibilities of learning new ways to interpret the world around them. Kristy enjoys spending time in San Carlos with her life partner (Tony) and their cat (Yuumi), taking daily naps, and trying new vegan food.

ecohen@kehillah.org

Einav Cohen is a native Hebrew speaker who was born in Israel and grew up in Rechovot. She has three kids, two of which made Alia to Israel. Einav is a highly experienced Hebrew language instructor to both native and non-native speaking students, Ms. Cohen taught Hebrew language at Hebrew College in Boston before relocating to the bay area and joining the faculty at Kehillah. While in Israel, she served in the Israeli army as an officer, training cadets. She also graduated from law school at Tel Aviv University and was admitted to the Israeli Bar and the CA Bar as a lawyer. Einav practiced civil law in Israel before relocating to the Bay Area and patent law litigation in CA after joining Kehillah.

Einav is also teaching high-school students at the Israeli after school Beged Kefet. In the summer of 2018 Einav started pursuing MA in teaching a language as a second language in Middlebury College.

rdanovitch@kehillah.org

Dr. Roy (Ro’ee) Danovitch is an experienced educational leader passionate about building school communities where young people can flourish – as learners, leaders, and engaged human beings. Most recently Roy served as a curriculum and professional development consultant at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he coaches principals, instructional coaches, and teachers on integrating culturally responsive teaching practices that meet the needs of diverse learners. Previously, he served as Head of School at Northern Light in Oakland, overseeing initiatives that diversified programming, improved retention, and strengthened commitments to access and equity across all areas of school life.

Born in Beer Sheva, Israel, and raised in Los Angeles, Roy taught English – and later served as Dean of Students and General Studies Principal – at Shalhevet School, a co-educational “Just Community” Jewish high school. In this capacity, Roy worked with faculty to create independently designed, accelerated courses (SAS: Shalhevet Advanced Studies) rooted in cross-disciplinary competencies, a process that diversified pathways for students to demonstrate mastery and opened up more experiential, project-based investigations across the Arts and Sciences. He also developed a new schedule that deepened opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, advisory programming, and professional development across both General and Judaic Studies. These initiatives helped expand the school’s visibility while fostering a culture of innovative and engaged teaching, learning, and leadership practices.

Roy has a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, a graduate degree in literature from the University of California, Irvine, and an M.Ed. in school leadership from the Klingenstein Center at Teachers College, Columbia University. Additionally, Roy completed his doctorate in Philosophy of Education and Organizational Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University, where his research centered on organizational practices which empower student and faculty.

A Scrabble fanatic, Shakespeare nerd, and tea lover, Roy lives in Oakland with his amazing partner Erica (a professor of education and liberal studies at SJSU), and their endlessly inspiring children, Noa and JJ (and their dog, Noamie!)

jdosanjh@kehillah.org

An avid traveler and citizen of the world, Jay has traveled to over 35 countries (and counting). Jay got his education from the School of Hard Knocks (the World), Foothill College (the Bay), and finally Massey University (Aotearoa). Jay is passionate about history and current events, which led him to major in Journalism. He is most excited about working with children and feels very fortunate and eternally grateful to work with our community. The best education he has ever received is his current one: life and the people in his. Jay joined Kehillah in 2021 and looks forward to continuing to grow within our community. Go Rams!

Zoe was born and raised in London, England. She studied Classics at the undergraduate level at Durham University and pursued her Masters degree in Classics and Education at Cambridge University. She has taught Latin and Classics for the past 8 years, with a particular interest in epic poetry, Greek theatre, and the timeless entertainment of Ovid and Cicero. In her previous role, she was a Head of Year (a mixture of Dean of Students and College Counsellor), and as a result has developed a keen interest in mental health in young people, as well as enabling students to pursue Higher Education. In her spare time, Zoe is enjoying exploring California with her partner and their dog and enjoys good food, exercise, and women's soccer.

James is an experienced educator with a passion for global learning.  Having spent the past 14 years working abroad in Austria, Japan, Jordan, and the United Kingdom, he brings a wealth of international experience to the classroom.  He holds a Bachelor's degree in Education from Toccoa Fall College (USA) and a Master's degree in International Relations and Diplomatic Affairs from Staffordshire University (UK).  Most recently James has spent the past 7 years teaching Global Politics at the United World College in Japan and Wales.

Outside of the classroom, James enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter.  His love for travel and learning about different cultures is reflected in his teaching style, which emphasizes global perspectives and encourages students to think critically about the world around them.  James considers himself blessed, as he finds immense joy in teaching and inspiring the next generation of global citizens.

begdorf@kehillah.org

Brian joined Kehillah after teaching at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned his Ph.D. in Slavic Languages and Literatures in 2021. He has taught at the University of Colorado, Boulder and at the Lycée Tristan Corbière in Morlaix, France. His teaching interests include Russian literature, Francophone literature, queer literature, and literature for STEM students.

His current research focuses on the interaction of brain science and literature in the context of the psychological novels of Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. His scholarly work has most recently appeared in Tolstoy Studies Journal and The Dostoevsky Journal. In addition to his studies at Berkeley, he received an M.A. at the European University at St. Petersburg (Russia), an M.A. in Comparative Literature from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a B.A. in French and English from Illinois Wesleyan University. In his spare time, he enjoys riding his bicycle, swimming in the bay, and participating in the Bay Area literary and arts scene.

deisner@kehillah.org

Rabbi Dennis brings a 37-year career to the Kehillah Jewish High School community. Rabbi Dennis has directed several national and local Jewish initiatives and institutions, increasing participation and affiliation and developing innovative educational programs and social justice initiatives. Rabbi Dennis has always been a voice for pluralism, interfaith outreach and communal diversity. He has worked in sacred partnership with lay leadership to raise critical funds, improve and strengthen governance, develop leadership programs and leadership education, and create strategic plans. Now, he is thrilled to join the outstanding team at Kehillah, and looks forward to being part of the school’s amazing community.

Rabbi Dennis’s decades in the Jewish community have afforded him great opportunities for professional and personal development. Whether in the context of involvement in Jewish day schools, national and local educational programs, Jewish summer camps, Israel travel and education, Jewish Community Federations and JCCs, or 20 years as a pulpit rabbi, Rabbi Dennis has been passionately committed to the growth and sustainability of our Jewish communal experience.

Rabbi Dennis is married to Mandy Eisner, who is Director of Development at Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills. They have two children: Max, a student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and Sadie, a student at UC Berkeley. They also have a new puppy named Lucy who is without a doubt their most difficult child.

selman@kehillah.org

Shifra Elman studied at Yeshiva University’s Stern College for Women for her undergraduate degrees in Judaic Studies and English Communications. She then got her masters in Social Work with a concentration in community organizing from Wurzweiler’s School of Social Work. After a year volunteering with Americorps, she moved to the Bay Area to work for Hillel at Stanford as Director of Jewish Life and Learning. Innovations in Jewish life, practice, and thought have been at the forefront of her work and continue to be an essential part of her practice.

Shifra is chiefly interested in studying the things that made it into the Jewish canon along with some apocryphal works through various lenses such as feminism, historical context, literary criticism, poetic narrative. Her work at Kehillah is focused on co-creating a department that offers a well-rounded education in Jewish Studies for all students.

aesplana@kehillah.org

Ané Esplana was born and raised in Woodside, California. She holds a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from Notre Dame de Namur University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and in Art. Ané is in the process of becoming a licensed therapist in California and holds associate licenses as a Marriage and Family Therapist as well as a Professional Clinical Counselor through the Board of Behavioral Sciences. Ané has spent the past 10 years working as a homework coach and private tutor and spent the past 3 years working as a summer school teacher with Lydian Academy, teaching a variety of different classes including AP Psychology. Her passion for working in education initially brought her here to Kehillah in 2021 where she has fulfilled various roles such as a Teacher’s Assistant and currently the Learning Services Assistant.

bfinkelstein@kehillah.org

Bruce (Baruch) Finkelstein is from New York, and lived his adult life in Israel as a rabbi, educator, and writer. He is an ordained rabbi from the Israeli Rabbanut and Chief Rabbi Goren; he has a doctorate in Talmud from Bar Ilan University, exploring the topic of rabbinic discretion in Jewish legal decisions. Dr. Finkelstein has published articles in the most prestigious rabbinic and academic journals and books. He also has co-authored several books on topics relating to pregnancy, childbirth, fertility, postpartum depression, and early childcare, including an international best seller.

tfradejas@kehillah.org

Teresa Fradejas was born in Spain and has always been fascinated by languages and different cultures. She studied English Philology and got her Masters in Linguistics and Literature from the University of Salamanca, Spain. While studying her masters degree she worked as an intern at the English Studies department at said university. Despite initially planning to pursue a career in academia, she quickly realized that teaching was her true passion. After studying to become a teacher in Spain, England, and the US, she went back to Spain to teach English as a Second Language. After a few years, she then decided to move to the US. She holds a California Teaching Credential to teach both English and Spanish. She opted for Spanish this time which brought her to our Kehillah. 

Moshe Goodman has been a Jewish educator teaching at Jewish day schools, summer camps, and synagogues across the Jewish spectrum as well as interfaith groups for over ten years. Moshe completed his B.A in Philosophy from Yeshiva University in 2006, and studied for two years at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School. Moshe then spent six years teaching at the Abraham Joshua Heschel High School in New York, where he created a mindfulness oriented prayer group, various elective courses in Jewish Philosophy, a drama club aimed at empowering teens to create without self-judgment, as well as the Jewish Arts Teen Fellowship which gave students an opportunity to study the Bible through the lens of a creative form of their choice. At Heschel, Moshe also served as faculty mentor for the Human Rights Alliance, The Interfaith Club, and the Gay-Straight Alliance. Additionally, Moshe is a life coach certified in the Jonathan R. Wachtel System For Life Guidance as well as by the Institute for Social and Emotional Intelligence.

Moshe is also a theatre artist and educator, having studied acting and writing under Bruce Ornstein in New York City beginning in 2008. Moshe has since gone on to work with Wednesday Repertory Company, Naked Chicken Productions, Good-Walk Productions, and Love Creek productions. There he has written and brought to the stage over 20 of his own one act plays as well as performing in and directing many other other one act and full length plays. In 2015, Moshe founded an education and production company called “The Love Tank”, which hosts Moshe’s course in acting and playwriting. Through The Love Tank, Moshe has produced two one act collections as well as his own full length play: “The Judah Encounter,” which explores the line between reality and un-reality, our relationships with ourselves as well as Martin Buber’s theology of encounter.

tgrabowski@kehillah.org

Anthony Grabowski worked 20 years as a process engineer in the Semiconductor and Hard Drive Industries. Previous to coming to Kehillah this year Anthony taught Chemistry, Physics and AP Physics in Fairfax County, Northern Virginia as well as Math at Gunn High School in Palo Alto. He holds California Teaching Credentials in Physics, Math and Chemistry.

Anthony particularly enjoys mathematically modeling real work phenomena with his students. It is an interesting experience to look at “common” phenomena around us, and to ask a question like, “Why does a steel ball rolling in a groove travel slower than a identical ball that is not rolling in a groove”? Or, “Are the results of a seven game Baseball World Series statistically significant”? It is a thrilling, illuminating experience to create a mathematical model that gives answers to these questions.

Anthony received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan, an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from San Jose State University.

jholcomb@kehillah.org

 Jeff Holcomb has been teaching math for the past 32 years. His career has taken him from California to China, Israel, and the Netherlands. On each new adventure he had opportunities to learn from a wide range of people and expanded his love of mathematics and teaching. One of the most impactful experiences he had was in The Netherlands when he was able to work with the Freudenthal Institute to develop his understanding of RME, and learn from his Japanese colleagues to better understand lesson study.

He is excited to bring his knowledge, and enthusiasm to Kehillah.
Jeff lives in Santa Cruz with his wife and their two children. When not teaching, Jeff enjoys riding his bike, working in the garden, baking bread, roasting coffee, and working on their house.

Originally from Missouri, Jennifer Idleman has been teaching art and design in California for over 20 years. She holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts in both Illustration and Graphic Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design, a California Teaching Credential in Art, and a Masters Secondary Education.

Jennifer is a working illustrator and designer. You can see her creative work here and her illustrated teaching website can be found here.

hkaplan@kehillah.org

Mr. Howard Kaplan comes to Kehillah with over 25 years’ experience in managing youth and adult sports. Mr. Kaplan worked for the City of Millbrae in their recreation department from 1988 to 2013.

He holds a B.A. in Recreation Administration from California State University at Chico. Mr. Kaplan is passionate about sports and how it can be used to teach many life lessons. He and his wife, Debi, are proud parents of Kehillah graduates Ashley and Max Kaplan (Kehillah Class of 2011).

akasowski@kehillah.org

Aviva Kasowski is a dedicated writer and educator.  She holds a B.A. from Barnard College, an M.F.A. from the University of California, Riverside, and an M.S. in Education from Touro College.  She recently completed her doctoral work in English and Creative Writing at the University of Georgia.  Prior to joining Kehillah, she taught English and writing at the University of Georgia and UC Riverside, and worked as a learning specialist at Rodeph Sholom School, SAR High School, and Success Academy in New York City. 

An accomplished writer, she has published poetry in peer reviewed journals and is currently working on a novel.  In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, aerial arts, and hiking.

ckuszmaul@kehillah.org

Chris Kuszmaul has taught close to two dozen topics from Aikido to Computer Science to Creative writing in contexts from MIT, to Palo Alto High School to Tblisi State University for students ranging from elementary to undergraduates to NASA scientists. He was the first high school teacher of the Stanford Logic Curriculum, invented the data structure known as a  Shadow Heap and holds a 6th degree black belt in Aikido. He retired from his position as a Senior Research Scientist at NASA to join a second (then third and fourth) startup. He re-retired into teaching and public service where he has functioned as the president of: Mountain View Kiwanis, The Slater PTA, and the  Computer Science Teachers Association of Silicon Valley.

Chris lives in Mountain View with his wife, Dr. Tracy King . They have two grown children — Jane is a farmer in Colorado and James is a robotics engineer in Mountain View. In his spare time Chris enjoys walks, tea, and announcing robotics matches at FIRST competitions. 

Chris teaches with the primary goal of knowing his students and adjusting to their needs: He combines project based and group work with the opportunity to work independently or to follow a tightly defined curriculum. Chris believes the best results happen when students grapple with complex challenges. 

slegallet@kehillah.org

Scott Legallet grew up in the peninsula and has since lived all around the bay area and beyond. After an undergraduate degree in Entrepreneurship from Chapman University he began his career in the culinary arts and organic agriculture. He then pivoted to education and led garden/cooking programs. He went back to school for a Master’s in Teaching from Saint Mary’s College of CA and began teaching history in Berkeley and Alameda public schools. He has taught middle and high school social studies courses from ancient civilization, world history and geography to US History, philosophy and psychology.

He is a down to earth teacher who understands the importance of relationship building and connection in the classroom. Scott enjoys outdoor adventures with his wife and 2 dogs. Most weekends you will find him, his wife, and exuberant pups soaking up the sun with a frisbee and tennis ball on a continuous loop. If not, he could be cooking an intricate meal, getting dirty in a garden, engrossed in a book, or playing in a pick-up soccer game.  

kliang@kehillah.org

Kaylin Liang is an experienced college counselor with a passion to support students in navigating the complexity of college admissions. She has worked as a College Counselor and then as Director of College Counseling at top international high schools in China. Prior to joining Kehillah, Kaylin served as Director of Academics, overseeing academic advising programs, at the Quarry Lane School in the Bay Area. 

Kaylin holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley, and an M.A. in Education and Human Development from George Washington University.

In her free time, Kaylin enjoys hiking, camping, traveling, and crocheting. She has generated a small following on Instagram for her crochet account, @LilCrochtedThings. Most of the time, Kaylin hangs out at home with her husband and two cats, Laney and Tofu.

mmiraglia@kehillah.org

 Megan is truly excited to be joining the Kehillah community as the Dean of Students. Megan is bringing a decade of experience in education, most recently at KIPP DC - she has taught both special education and general education, and all grade levels in high school. At KIPP DC, Megan built and led the musical theater program, the only one of its kind at a Title I high school in Washington, DC. For the last few years, she led an in-school, application-based career academy at KIPP DC, which focused on delivering high-quality classroom instruction in finance and information technology as well as coordinating 50+ work-based learning programming events between students and corporate partners. Megan is well-versed in building, supporting, and growing student programming, and developing genuine student leadership opportunities and skills. She was particularly drawn to Kehillah's mission of creating and bolstering community and a sense of belonging for all students, as this is one of her own core beliefs. Megan looks forward to strong collaboration with students, teachers, and families to help amplify student voice, choice, and leadership development at Kehillah. 

Megan is an East Coast native - she was born and raised just outside of Philadelphia, making her (regrettably) an avid Philadelphia sports fan. In her spare time, Megan enjoys cooking, eating, hiking, traveling, and reading. 

Elise Nahum has worked in education for 15 years teaching a wide range of Social Studies courses in high school and middle school, from AP US Government to Ancient Civilizations. She has also worked 8 years producing/directing musical theater and 5 years coaching mock trial. She attended UC San Diego studying political science and has done graduate studies at San Francisco State, San Jose State, and La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia.

She loves to travel to different countries with her husband and their son and daughter. In her free time she enjoys cooking, hiking, and swimming.

sosipov@kehillah.org

Sofya Osipov emigrated from Azerbaijan, former republic of the Soviet Union, with her husband, son, and daughter in 1995. She holds BA degree in Accounting/Business Administration from Finance & Economics Institute, Baku, Azerbaijan. She has 25 years of accounting experience. She has been with Kehillah since 2006. She started as a book-keeper and was promoted to Business Manager in 2010. She is passionate about Kehillah.

Before Kehillah her most recent position was with FCI Construction, Inc. for seven years. (1999-2006).

dpagano@kehillah.org

Dale Pagano teaches English at Kehillah and is serving as the Dean of the English department. He holds a B.S. in Secondary English Education from Bowling Green State University and a Master’s degree in Urban Education from John Carroll University.

Dale comes to Kehillah with twenty years of teaching experience in both public and private settings and a strong passion for school reform, curriculum design, and literary analysis. When he’s not teaching, Dale enjoys reading, dining out, going to the theater, and playing the guitar.

Daisy Pellant is in her fourth year as Head of School at Kehillah. Her 30-year career as an educator and psychologist has taken her across the country and around the world. In addition to Kehillah, she has been fortunate to be part of communities in New Zealand, the American School of Kuwait, the International School of Beijing, the International School of Tbilisi, Saint Paul Academy, Breck School, and Buckingham Browne & Nichols School. 

A lifelong learner, in 2021 Daisy completed the yearlong FORGE Fellowship and in 2022 she was awarded the Klingenstein Heads of Schools Fellowship, both at Columbia University's Teachers College. 

A former “bad student” and parent to four wonderfully unique young adults, Daisy is passionate about harnessing the science of teaching and learning to support everyone to become a confident learner for life. She has presented on this topic in the US, Middle East, Asia, and South Africa.

rmpellant@kehillah.org

A technology integrator, teacher, administrator, educational publisher, and combat vet, RM brings experience working within complex systems, with educators, youth, and technology. He has worked with diverse populations in public and independent schools across the U.S. and international schools in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

RM holds an M.S. in Technology Leadership and Administration & Supervision from Johns Hopkins University, an M.A.T. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of St. Thomas, and a B.A. in English from the University of Minnesota.

When not at Kehillah, you can find him honing his making and tinkering skills on a 40-foot school bus he is converting into a mobile home.

aquartuccio@kehillah.org

Anthony Quartuccio teaches music theory and composition at the introductory, intermediate and AP levels as well as chorale and instrumental groups. Mr. Quartuccio serves as a conductor at Opera San Jose, associate conductor of the San Jose Chamber Orchestra, and music director of the South Valley Symphony. In 2006 he received an honorary doctorate of Arts from Santa Clara University, in addition to awards from the California State Senate, Santa Clara County, and the Italian-American Heritage Foundation for his contributions to the performing arts in the Bay Area. Mr. Quartuccio is an alumnus of the Curtis Institute of Music, and has studied conducting with Otto-Werner Mueller, Gunther Schuller, and Gustav Meier at Tanglewood. On April 26, 2009 Mr. Quartuccio conducted the San Jose Youth Chamber Orchestra in a performance for the 14th Dalai Lama during his visit to the Bay Area. SJYCO member and Shoshana Bocian (Class of 2010) played viola in the performance.

rstewart@kehillah.org

Robert Stewart has over 30 years teaching experience in the Biological Sciences at Community Colleges in the United Kingdom, the United States, and in the International Baccalaureate High Schools in Cairo, Egypt, The French American International High School, and Quarry Lane High School in the Bay Area.

Robert has held management and administrative positions including the roles of Head of School at a college in Oxfordshire, UK, Director of Admissions and Marketing at Community College in Colorado, and as a College Counselor, Director of Careers and Higher Education at the International British School in Cairo, Egypt. Robert has worked for Non-Profit Life Sciences Organization, Washington DC, with the role of promoting Inquiry Based Learning and the use of technology in Science Teaching. He delivered teacher workshops that focused upon Biology and Microbiology and the use of student centered, collaborative project work, and inquiry led laboratory investigations.

Robert Stewart is a Chartered Biologist and Member of the Society for Biology, London. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Salford University, M.Ed. in Education from University of West London, and Postgraduate degrees from the Hull University, and Reading University, UK.

Brianna has taught literature and writing at the university, college, and high school levels. Raised in rural Nevada, land of endless horizons and high desert sagebrush, she's lived in places like Virginia, New York, and Ohio. She's a seamstress and academic, having published on nineteenth-century American women's literature and contemporary authors like Octavia Butler. When she doesn't have her nose in a book, you can find her cooking up a storm, visiting family, hiking Bay area trails with her partner, or making a new outfit. With a Master's degree in English from the University of Virginia and a PhD in Literatures and Languages in English from Cornell University, she's excited to bring her passion for reading, writing, and thinking about literature to the community at Kehillah.

htsai@kehillah.org

Hope Tsai is a passionate Mandarin language educator dedicated to fostering a motivating language learning environment with 5C (Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities) and project-based learning (PBL). She was born in Taiwan and came to the States 16 years ago to pursue her graduate study in second language education in Connecticut. She later earned her Ph.D. in Education from Pennsylvania State University (PSU).

She has taught Mandarin in both school and private settings to students to adult learners in Taiwan, Germany, and the USA for over 10 years. She was also a diversity specialist and an online campus tech support with PSU. In her Mandarin language classes, she always connects lessons with real-life topics to cultivate students’ interest and critical thinking, to be more creative, and to collaborate and communicate with other classmates and teachers. She believes everyone can learn different languages and teaching is a work of the heart! She also advocates classical Chinese philosophy where an educator not only transmits knowledge, provides classes, but also guides students when confused.  Outside of the Mandarin classroom, she is a curriculum designer, career coach, world traveler, hiker, and connoisseur. She also enjoys volunteering, music concerts, sports games, Chinese chess, windsurfing, and cooking.

lvelasco@kehillah.org

Originally from El Salvador, Luis emigrated to the United States in 1987 due to the civil war in his country and now considers the USA his home. Luis has three kids, Valeria, Luis Jr, and Levi who give him all of the strength to continue his journey through life. His American dream is to support and see his children go to college. Luis always tries to do his job with great pride and respect. Luis enjoys fishing and riding his old road bike while feeling the warm wind on his face, especially on a hot summer afternoon.

mvicenty@kehillah.org

Maria Vicenty is from Puerto Rico and has been a science educator for 25 years. Ms. Vicenty taught in California, Puerto Rico, Washington, and Nevada. In 1995, she received the A+ Teacher Award in Las Vegas, NV. Ms. Vicenty received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching in 2015.

Ms. Vicenty likes to share her passion for science with the students by engaging them in inquiry activities, field work and class debates that connect the science concepts to everyday life. Another passion she likes to share with students is gardening. Ms. Vicenty enjoys seeing the students developing ownership, responsibility, and a love of nature.

Ms. Vicenty holds a B.S. in education with a concentration in biology from the University of Puerto Rico and a M.A. in curriculum and instruction from the University of Las Vegas, Nevada. She is endorsed to teach biology, general science and environmental science in PR and has the teaching credential for Biology in California.

dweiner@kehillah.org

 David Weiner is an experienced educational leader, teacher, dean, and college counselor who takes a consensus-building approach to implementing new initiatives and believes deeply in servant leadership. He has over thirteen years of experience working in independent schools in a variety of administrative roles, including Upper School Director, Interim Head of Middle & Upper School, Dean of Studies, Director of College Counseling, and Registrar. At Barrie School, where he worked for eight years, he oversaw the creation of a teacher evaluation system, the transformation of the daily schedule, and an extensive curriculum review using Rubicon Atlas. He also led teams that transformed teaching and learning to become more innovative, whether it was strategically implementing project-based and inquiry-based learning or reimagining the middle and upper school’s educational model to more fully embrace experiential learning. He has also taught history and psychology, coached tennis, basketball, and squash, and served as an advisor at all of the schools at which he has worked. 

Most recently, Dave was the Upper School Director at Khan Lab School (KLS) where he has helped implement a competency-based and blended learning educational model in line with the mission and vision of the school. Also passionate about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), David defended his dissertation in May of 2022 on how two independent schools in the DC area responded to their schools' #BlackAt Instagram pages. As a white, cisgender, Jewish man, David believes in the power of Judaism to foster connection and belonging while also serving as an ally for underrepresented and marginalized communities. 

After college at the University of Rochester where he received his BA in History and Psychology, David fell in love with independent schools as a history teacher and college counselor. He then moved to Washington, DC to be with his now wife and earned a MS in Education with a Certificate in Leadership for Independent Schools from Johns Hopkins University. Most recently, he completed his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania where he worked as a NAIS Independent School Fellow, presented at the NAIS Annual Conference on how the pandemic transformed teaching and learning, and co-authored an article, Crisis Leadership in Independent Schools – Styles and Literacies, that was subsequently published in Flux Leadership: Real-Time Inquiry for Humanizing Educational Change. 

Dave currently lives in Cupertino, California with his wife, Vanessa, and two sons, Ethan (4) and Alexander (1). When not at school, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, exercising, attending Tot Shabbat events, and keeping up on world events.

ewilhelm@kehillah.org

Elaine graduated from Stanford University with a BA in American Studies and Kellogg Graduate School of Management (Northwestern University) with an MBA. She wrote a novel during her 10 years living in Australia.

Elaine enjoys helping students, parents, and teachers reach their goals. She has been at the front desk for two years and finds no two days are the same and appreciates the Kehillah community of growth and learning. 

When she is not at work, Elaine enjoys walking, coloring, time with her cat, and regular trips to Sydney, Australia to see her grown-up kids.