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Faculty & Staff

Administration / Staff

Chris Bastian

Position:Director of Technology
Education: A.A.S. Recording Engineering McNally Smith College of Music, B.S. Computer Science San Francisco State
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 6 / 9

Elyssa Bishop

Position: Assistant Director of Admission
Education: B.A. in Liberal Studies/Education from Notre Dame de Namur
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 8 / 15

Michelle Brewster

Position: Lower School Office Administrator
Education: A.A. De Anza College, B.A. in Environmental Studies from San Jose State
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 1 / 1

Jan Bruzzese

Position: Communication Director
Education: B.A. in English from Notre Dame de Namur
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 12 / 12

Heather Chester

Position: Development Director
Education: B.A. in Spanish and International Business from the University of Kansas
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 3 / 7

Maria de la Paz

Position: Business Assistant
Education: B.A. in Behavioral Science from Notre Dame de Namur
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 2 / 2

Adri Diaz

Position: Development Assistant
Education: B.A. in Communications/Sociology from University of San Diego
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 4 / 4

Kelly Kneebone

Position: Lower School After School Director
Education: B.A. in Elementary Eduction at Cal State University, Monterey Bay
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 1 / 2

Melissa Lee

Position: Head of Lower School
Education: B.A. in Liberal Studies; M.A. in Education from California State University Sacramento
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 2 / 19

Erica Lindley

Position: Middle School Office Administrator
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 6 / 6

Maria A. Lopez

Position: Head of Middle School
Education: B.S. in Elementary Education from Loyola University, New Orleans, M.A. in Educational Leadership from the Teachers College of Columbia University (NY) as a Klingenstein Scholar.
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 1 / 24

Jon Ninnemann

Position: Head of School
Education: B.A. in Elementary Education and History from Concordia College, Moorhead; M.A. in Educational Administration from University of St.Thomas
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 11 / 35

Steve Smith

Position: Business Director
Education: B.A. from American University; M.B.A. from Monterey Institute of International Studies; M.A. from John F. Kennedy University, Orinda
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 2 / 7

Dot Torgerson

Position:Lower School Before School Director
Years at Keys: 22

Jennifer Tyler

Position: Director of Admission
Education: B.A. in Psychology from UCLA, M.Ed. in Education from Pepperdine University and a J.D. from Loyola Law School (CA)
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 1 / 11

Steven Zeigler

Position: Laptop Support Specialist
Education: B.A. in History from Cal State - Sacramento; Apple Certified Hardware and Software Technician
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 1 / 1

Faculty

Khalid Birdsong

Position: Lower School and Middle School Art Teacher
Education: B.F.A. in Graphic Design and Illustration from Howard University
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 4 / 12

Cassie Bowse

Position: First Grade Teacher
Education: B.S. in Anthropology from University of Oregon; California Teaching Credential from San Francisco State University
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 2 / 11

Laura Camodeca

Position: Middle School Technology Curriculum Instructional Specialist
Education: B.S. in Education from Northern Illinois University; M.S. in Recreation Administration from San Francisco State University
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 8 / 21

Susan Deane

Position: Kindergarten Teacher
Education: B.A. from University of Buckinghamshire, England; Education certificate from Brunel University, England
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 2 / 7

Anne Detwiler

Position: Middle School Librarian
Education: B.A. in History from Skidmore College; M.L.S. from Simmons College
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 2 / 3

Sharon Diamond

Position: Lower School Counselor
Education: B.A. in Sociology and Social Services from UC Davis, M.A. in Marriage, Family, and Counseling from the University of Southern California
Years at Keys / Years in Education:1 / 11

Andrew Epstein

Position: Middle School Music and Science Teacher
Education: B.S. UC Berkeley & MAT from Brown University
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 2 / 13

Claude Ferguson

Position: Middle School Art Teacher
Education: (info coming)
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 1 / 7

Louise Fernquest

Position: Middle School Language Arts Teacher
Education: B.A. from Canterbury University, Christchurch, New Zealand
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 14 / 17

Kathy Ford

Position: Lower School and Middle School Learning Specialist
Education: B.M. in Opera from The Catholic University of America; M.A. in Psychology, University of the Rockies
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 2 / 17

Leticia Garcia

Position: Kindergarten Assistant Teacher
Education: B.S. in Human Services, Notre Dame de Namur (Dec. 2011)
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 4 / 4

Tania Gil

Position: Lower School and Middle School Counselor
Education: B.A. in Psychology from Iberoamerican University, Mexico; M.A. in Clinical Pyschology from the Mexican Association of Psychoanalytic Therapy
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 5 / 15

Shermagne Gunn

Position: Lower School and Middle School Physical Education Teacher
Education: B.A. in Physical Education from CSU-Chico; CA Teacher's Credential in Physical Education
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 14 / 24

Angie Higgins

Position: Middle School Dance, Speech and Lower School and Middle School Drama Teacher
Education: B.A. in Creative Art, minor in Drama from San Jose State University; M.A. in Theatre Arts Education from San Jose State University
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 11 / 12

Marisa Hodgett-Chiang

Position: Lower School and Middle School Music Teacher
Education: B.A. in Music Education from Loyola University, New Orleans; Orff Certification - Level I
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 5 / 9

Sara Hughes

Position: Third Grade Teacher
Education: B.A. in Psychology: Neuroscience from Colby College (ME), M.A. in Elementary Education from Fairfield University (CT)
Years at Keys / Years in Education:1 / 5

Gordon Iki

Position: Athletic Director, Middle School Physical Education Teacher
Education: A.A. in Dramatic Arts, Personal Trainer certification (in progress), S.H.R.M.
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 6 / 6

Kathleen Jalalpour

Position: Middle School Math Teacher
Education: M.A. in Economics from the Free University of Berlin; Ca. Multiple Subject Credential
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 17 / 31

Corrinne Khoo-Lieu

Position: Middle School Math Teacher
Education: Diploma in Education from National Institute of Education, Singapore, B.A. in Marketing, Mass Communications from Monash University, Australia
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 8 / 21

Matthew Krause

Position: Middle School Spanish Teacher
Education: B.A. in Spanish Literature from UC Santa Cruz, M.A. in Education from the University of San Francisco
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 1 / 6

Jiin Liang

Position: Lower School and Middle School Mandarin Teacher
Education: B.S. in Physics from National Taiwan University, M.F.A. in Painting from San Francisco Art Institute; Ph.D. in Biophysics from Harvard University
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 2 / 10

Ryan Matyjasik

Position: Lower School Technology Curriculum Integration Specialist
Education: B.S. in Eduction from Cleveland State University
Years at Keys / Years in Education:1 / 11

Sandra Neveu

Position: Lower School and Middle School Spanish Teacher
Education: B.A. in Education from the Metropolitan University of Educational Sciences - Santiago, Chile
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 9 / 17

Toni Ouradnik

Position: Lower School and Middle School Science Teacher
Education: B.A. in International Relations from the University of Minnesota; M.A. in Teaching from the University of San Francisco
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 9 / 13

Emily O'Keeffe

Position: Middle School Social Studies Teacher
Education: B.A. in Anthropology from the University of California, Davis; M.A. in Ethnic Studies from San Francisco State University; Ed.M. from Harvard Graduate School of Education
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 0 / 7

Larry Purcell

Position: Middle School Math and Physical Education Teacher
Education: B.A. in Theatre from UC-San Diego; M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership from University of Illinois-Chicago
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 2 / 11

Emma Samuels

Position: Fourth Grade Teacher
Education: B.A. in Sociology, concentration Education & Spanish from Grinnell College
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 6 / 7

Mary Santore

Position: Kindergarten Teacher
Education: B.S. in Elementary Education from DePaul University; M.P.S. in Special Education from Manhattanville College
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 4 / 6

Jenna Schmidt

Position: Second Grade Teacher
Education: B.A. in American Studies and M.A. in Elementary Education from Stanford University
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 2 / 3

Nicole Shields

Position: Middle School Social Studies Teacher and Study Skills Coordinator
Education: B.A. in English from Emory University; M.Ed. from George Mason University
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 7 / 12

Jennifer Spaeth

Position: Middle School Science Teacher
Education: B.A. in Biology from U.C. Santa Cruz; M.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Policy from the University of London, Wye College
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 4 / 21

Rebecca Stern

Position: Middle School Language Arts and Service Learning Coordinator
Education: B.A. in English from Colorado College; M.S.T. in Elementary Education from Pace University
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 6 / 10

Crystal Trice

Position: Lower School and Middle School Librarian
Education: B.A. in Elementary Education and Psychology from College of William and Mary; M.L.S. from University of South Carolina
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 4 / 4

Kathryn Varda

Position: Lower School Reading Specialist
Education: B.Ed. In Education from Leicester University, England
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 9 / 27

Jackie VonFeldt

Position: First Grade Teacher
Education: B.S. in Elementary Education from Kansas State University, M.A. in Early Childhood Education from San Francisco State University
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 1 / 16

Valerie Welsh

Position: Third Grade Teacher
Education: B.S. in Zoology from UC Berkeley, California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from St. Mary's College
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 2 / 10

Jackie Wyant

Position: Second Grade Teacher
Education: B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Cornell University, M.S. in Elementary Education from Northwestern University
Years at Keys / Years in Education:1 / 4

Katrina Zerga

Position: Middle School Science Teacher, Outdoor Education Coordinator
Education: B.S. in Anthropology and Biology from the University of Oregon
Years at Keys / Years in Education: 17 / 22
Keys School - Lower Campus · 2890 Middlefield Road · Palo Alto, CA · 94306
Keys School - Middle Campus · 3981 El Camino Real · Palo Alto, CA · 94306

Phone: 650-328-1711