WES Faculty and Teachers | Washington Episcopal School

Stacey Bailey
School Nurse

My favorite thing about WES is being part of a caring and supportive community.

Kim Bair
Director of Admission and Financial Aid

The WES community has been my second family from the beginning.

Ivanna Bandura
EC Spanish Teacher

I want to inspire my young students to love and engage in learning a new language, in a fun way!

Ali Bratun
Assistant Director of Development

After volunteering as a parent for years, the Development Office said, “Give her a desk!”

Justin Black
PE Teacher & Basketball Coach

I want to help students meet their fullest potential by providing a safe environment that supports risk-taking.

Barbora Bridle
Grade 5 Teacher

I love Grade 5 because students are developing their opinions and learning how to articulate the "whys."

Tiffney M. Brockway
Registrar

My favorite thing about WES is the sense of community and caring that I share with my colleagues.

Lauren Brooks
Nursery Associate Teacher

I love to see the milestones each child accomplishes over time and the huge smiles on their faces every day.

Courtney Clark
DEI Director & Elementary Art Teacher

I help students understand their potential and identify their level of success.

Kevin Corcy
MS French Teacher

I am passionate about sharing my culture and getting students excited about learning French.

Emma Cowan
Elementary Art Teacher

It makes my heart grow to work with a bunch of fearless artists.

Kristin Cuddihy
Middle School Director

One of the reasons that I am here at WES is our school's focus on kindness, confidence, and preparation.

Dave Dallaire
Facilities Team

The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is “do unto others as you would have them of unto you.”

Amy Davies
Grade 2 Teacher

I nurture lifelong learners by cultivating curiosity, encouraging teamwork, and inspiring joy.

Jeanna DiCarlo
Grade 3 Teacher

My goal is to help every child feel known, valued, respected, heard, and challenged.

Alexis Doyle
Pre-K Associate Teacher

I knew from an early age that I wanted to give back to children just like my teachers did for me.

Caterina Earle
Middle School Science Teacher

I love the challenge of developing methods for explaining concepts clearly and efficiently.

Katya Elkassem
Nursery Teacher

I want my students to feel that they are loved and cared for no less than they are at home.

Mehdi Elkassem
Science Teacher & Soccer Coach

My goal is to make EVERY child feel that they are loved and that they matter.

Diana England
EC Counselor

I want to make students feel confident by helping them develop mastery of their social-emotional and academic skills.

Matt Foster
Instructional Technology Facilitator

I try to create a safe, inclusive environment for students where they can explore what interests them.

Anita Gallagher
Grade 4 Teacher

The small moments of hearing the “A-ha!” and hearing the laughter and joy in a classroom are magical.

Ann Freniere
Assistant to the Head of School

I'm a fourth generation native Washingtonian and a product of local independent schools.

Dawn Harding
Nursery Teacher

I discovered my passion for teaching when I first began volunteering in my son’s preschool class in 1987.

Jacqueline Hassanzadeh
EC and ES French Teacher

I assess my teaching methods and look to improve to ensure the best experience for my students.

Zoë Hillman
Elementary School Director

I profoundly believe schools should be communities full of joy, curiosity, and love.

Katie Hopper
Middle School English Teacher

I became a teacher because I wanted to be surrounded by people eager to learn.

Bill Isola
Athletics Director

Win or lose, there is always something that our students can learn from competition.

Stephanie Jayakanthan
Marketing and Communications Director

I truly appreciate WES's warm and welcoming community.

Ana Karam
Administrative Assistant

I love seeing how our students grow and mature into lovely young people from year to year.

Maureen Kellerman
Middle School Math Teacher

I strive to make every student successful and confident in the material we are covering in their class.

Alicia Knox
EC/ES Music Teacher

My work with students centers around fostering curiosity, musicianship skills, and creativity.

Katherine Kunze
Pre-Kindergarten Associate Teacher

I have always loved working with children and knew teaching was the right choice for me.

Will Layman
Director of Development

Everyone I have known who graduated from WES has been kind, graceful, and comfortable in their own skin.

Kim Lee-Mott
Grade 1 Teacher

Grade 1 is a place of growth, discovery, and learning for students and teachers alike.

Nick Lellenberg
Assoc Dir of Admission & Fin Aid

WES is a second home, not only for the students, but for parents, faculty, and staff as well.

Caitlin Lennon
PE Teacher & After-School Enrichment Program Director

My goal is to "Be curious, not judgmental."

Amnee Lindbloom
Grade 4 Teacher

Teaching is a lifelong process where I am consistently learning new strategies and new ideas.

Kayla Merryman
Classroom Support Personnel

For me, the best piece of advice is to stay true to myself and not care so much about what other people think.

Angie Myler
Early Childhood Learning Specialist

I am fascinated with how the brain learns and how I can help students in their learning journey.

Jessica Nelson
Grade 4 Teacher

If you love and enjoy teaching the lesson, the students are likely to reciprocate that joy for learning.

Mary Lee Nickel
Early Childhood Director

Children learn best through the power of play and exploration. Let them take ownership of their learning.

Moira O’Kon
EC/ES Spanish teacher

Teaching is my life, and I believe communication, learning, and enthusiasm are vital.

Kristina Ottomanelli
Development Associate

I wanted to work at a school where I could contribute to its growth and development.

Katherine Owens
Elementary STEM Innovation Teacher

I have always been fascinated by science, filled with ideas and passion to create useful things.

Patrick Pané
Librarian and Advisor

Every child is a reader. There is a book for every child and a child for every book.

Joel Pizarro
MS Spanish Teacher & Soccer Coach

My role as a teacher is to give children the tools with which to cultivate their own gardens of knowledge.

Sarah Poland
Grade 2 Teacher

I want my students to know they can positively impact their communities-no matter what!

The Rev. Kristen Tossell Pitts
Chaplain

I love when students start to ask more challenging questions about faith and the Bible.

Suba Raghavan
Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

It is a sheer joy to teach and interact with our little ones! What is not to learn from them.

Madisyn Richards
Grade 1 Associate Teacher

My goal is to create a warm, loving environment, so students feel safe to take risks and express themselves.

Trish Rana
Communications Associate

I manage WES's weekly newsletter, social media accounts, and help out with many other projects.

Emily Rice
Kindergarten Assistant Teacher

My favorite part about teaching kindergarten is seeing how much kids grow over the year!

Rachel Rodriguez
Grade 3 Teacher

My goal as a teacher is to reach every child to assist them in becoming avid learners.

Katie Rothwell
Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

My heart belongs in the classroom, and I believe there is no one size fits all in education.

Monica Shelly
EC Music Teacher

I believe that music is a vehicle that drives children to learn social emotional skills.

Wendy Tasin
Business Officer

I am a CPA and received my B.S. in business management from Southeastern Louisiana University.

Tracy Theal
Classroom Support Personnel

I want children to see the excitement behind learning something new every day.

Ron Valenzia
Performing Arts Director

As the director of performing arts, I want to inspire and cultivate a love for the performing arts.

Catherine Voelpel
PE Teacher & Coach

If the students show up to a fun and engaging environment, then they will be more likely to participate.

Danny Vogelman
Head of School

I have a passion for creating optimal environments in which children learn and grow.

Debbie Weinberger
Early Childhood Counselor

I am excited to see and be part of the innovative ideas WES will implement in the future.

Stacy Xu
Senior Accountant

The highlight of my experience at WES is that people are very kind and supportive.

Cameron Yeutter
Grade 3 Teacher

I became a teacher because I have a passion for helping children grow as learners.

LaKisha Yirenkyi
MS Art Teacher; EC Support Art Teacher

I believe art should be both fun and challenging.

Our Faculty

WES Faculty: Combining Credentials, Individual Attention, and Dedication to Ensure Each Child's Success

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