faculty

EMILY MERCHANT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Emily Merchant is a Utah native with a life-long interest in education and child development. She has earned a BS at the University of Utah, studying psychology and elementary education and a Masters in education from Antioch University with a focus on administration and Waldorf teaching.

Emily’s professional career has included work as a technical writer, a congressional Policy Adviser on education in Washington, DC, and experience in various educational contexts, such as teaching children with autism, coaching high school debate, creating service learning programs, and teaching dance and arts for preschoolers and in public schools.

After years of study and involvement in education, it was as a mother of three beautiful and lively girls that Emily discovered Waldorf education. Emily was enlivened and inspired by the use of the arts as a primary teaching modality, the deep spiritual and philosophical basis, the attention to the whole, developing child, and the role of the teacher in Waldorf schools. She immediately began learning more, incorporating aspects of the Waldorf approach into her home, and looking for Waldorf schools in her area.

After attending training at Rudolf Steiner College and aware that there were not any Waldorf schools in Utah (to which she was moving with her family), Emily was inspired to work to bring a Waldorf school to the Salt Lake Valley. Given her personal experiences as a mother and deep commitment to providing the highest quality educational options for students of all demographics and socio-economic statuses, Emily felt strongly that this must be a public charter school, allowing Waldorf education to be a choice for all families.

Over the last few years, Emily has worked with other dedicated individuals throughout the community to apply to the Utah State Office of Education for approval of Utah’s first Waldorf charter school. Emily is thrilled that the Waldorf approach to education will now be available to Utah’s children and families. She feels privileged to be a part of such a valuable work and is in awe daily of the blessing it is in her personal life to have had her interests, experiences, and passions all intersect into this endeavor.

BRITTANY HARRIS
ASSESSMENT & COMPLIANCE COORDINATOR

Brittany graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications with an emphasis in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Utah.

While obtaining her degree, she had a unique opportunity to develop and instruct a Broadcast program as part of an after-school enrichment program. Eager to be involved, Brittany maintained and taught science and assisted with the English as a Second Language program.

These experiences instantly ignited her love for teaching. The spark continued after graduating from the University of Utah as Brittany moved to California and worked at a local elementary school as a Computer Lab Teacher. During this experience, she decided to obtain her Teaching Credential from California State University-San Marcos with an increased understanding of differentiating lesson plans and more importantly addressing various students’ needs and learning styles. While learning classroom management, the program improved her appreciation of creating hands-on lessons. subsequently, she obtained her Instructional Technology Endorsement from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

After having her daughter, Brittany developed a true appreciation and understanding of child development and the need to embrace the individual child as a whole. She further understood that each child progresses at his or her own developmental pace socially, emotionally, and physically while expressing his or herself in many forms.

Brittany’s journey into Waldorf Education started when her daughter was in a public Kindergarten. She watched the spark of childhood slowly dissipate and the stress of academics being brought too early and too fast began to take its toll.

Brittany later obtained her Waldorf Certification from Gradalis in 2018. Brittany continues to feel honored, humbled, and inspired to be a part of the Waldorf movement working side by side with an amazingly talented and kindhearted staff and students. Brittany looks forward to continuing her position as the Assessment Coordinator and Traffic Director. The highlight of each day is watching and monitoring progress of all the students (big or small).

In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, long walks, and going to see any theater productions.

Heather Campbell has been involved in both administration and teaching special education in a multi-campus charter school and prior to this she taught in a Park City charter school and the Grand County School District to children of all grade levels and with disabilities from mild to severe. After receiving her Master’s degree in Education from the University of Utah in 2012, Heather taught distance education classes for the University of Utah to teachers and graduate students in rural areas around the state. Heather currently lives in Park City, Utah with her husband and two boys. She previously resided in Moab, UT where she began her teaching career. Heather and her family spend their free time river rafting, skiing, biking, hiking and traveling. Being involved in volunteer work in both Moab and Park City is important to her and helps her stay connected to the communities. Prior to becoming a teacher Heather was a policy analyst and legislative director in medical associations in Massachusetts and California.

KARA SALISBURY
ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR

Kara Salisbury graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education. Her first teaching experience was in 6th grade in Northern California, working largely with children of migrant farm workers. Returning to Utah, she changed career tracks and became an administrative assistant to a hospital administrator. After five years of assistant experience in increasingly responsible roles in the healthcare, finance, and hospitality industries, she left to stay at home with her two daughters over the next nine years.

With her children in school all day, Kara felt a pull to return to school herself. After assisting in middle school classrooms for a year and a half, she felt incredibly lucky to learn of the founding of a Waldorf school on the Wasatch Front, in need of an administrative assistant. Combining her love of being in a school setting with her strengths in organization and attention to detail, she is thrilled to join the Wasatch Charter School team.

Adam Woods (aka Woody) moved to Utah in 2018 from California. After many years in the corporate world, most recently in publishing, he decided it was time to leave and fulfill his life long desire to be a teacher.
Since he raised all of his children in Waldorf and since his wife is a Waldorf teacher, he knew that he wanted to teach in a Waldorf classroom. He has a bachelors degree in Business, currently working on his Waldorf certificate and has plans on pursuing a Master in Education.

Mrs. Slater has been teaching grades k-5 since 2001 in Utah public schools.  She loves helping each child feel empowered and valued, just as they are.  
Her husband, their dog, and their 3 boys love outdoor activities like camping, hiking, biking, and skiing.
She is honored to be part of the Wasatch Waldorf community and looks forward to this new chapter of her life.

Arthur Morris has a passion for teaching and learning, particularly outdoors. He loves reading, art, water sports, animals, good food, good friends, and generally exploring nature. He does not like lima beans, saying goodbye to friends, or pollution.

He has taught students of all ages in a variety of settings. He received a PhD in Natural Resources (the Ohio State University, 2005), master’s degree in ecology/biology (Utah State University 2002), and bachelor’s degrees in biology and mining engineering (University of Utah 1996). He also earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education (Utah State University 2002) with a middle school math emphasis.

His professional career includes independent consulting, specializing in applying science principles to adaptive management and structured decision-making processes. He worked for 9 years as Conservation Stewardship Director for Utah’s statewide land trust, Utah Open Lands Conservation Association. He has taught as adjunct faculty for Westminster College, Salt Lake Community College (teaching pre-algebra and elementary algebra) and Brigham Young University–Idaho online (teaching environmental stewardship).

He enjoys challenging students with pertinent problems and exploring ideas with them. Currently he lives in Salt Lake City with his beautiful wife and five daughters.

Becca Leaman graduated from Connecticut College with a B.A. in Psychology. While at Connecticut College, she earned her credentials to teach elementary education in the State of Connecticut.

After college, Becca was an Education Fellow for two years at the Goldring/ Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life. During this time she traveled across the South working with Jewish communities and their religious schools; helping to implement an existing curriculum, lead educational programing, and run teacher trainings.

She is eager to take what she learned on the road and bring it back to her passion of working with students in a classroom setting. In her spare time she enjoys cooking, painting, and enjoying the outdoors.

Becca Leaman graduated from Connecticut College with a B.A. in Psychology. While at Connecticut College, she earned her credentials to teach elementary education in the State of Connecticut.

After college, Becca was an Education Fellow for two years at the Goldring/ Woldenberg Institue of Southern Jewish Life. During this time she traveled across the South working with Jewish communities and their religious schools; helping to implement an existing curriculum, lead educational programing, and run teacher trainings.

She is eager to take what she learned on the road and bring it back to her passion of working with students in a classroom setting. In her spare time she enjoys cooking, painting, and enjoying the outdoors.

Candice began working in the early childhood field in 2000.  She was trained in the Reggio Emilia approach to education and taught preschool and kindergarten for many years.  After having her first son, she took a three year break from the classroom to be home with him.  She was introduced to the Waldorf curriculum when she enrolled her son in a non-profit Waldorf school in 2014.  She quickly fell in love and only a few weeks later was enrolled in Waldorf training to begin teaching an early childhood class. Soon thereafter, her passion for nutrition was highlighted and she took on the additional role as Nutritional Consultant for the school. This role allowed her to create, plan, purchase, and supply nutrient dense snack menus for all grades and work directly with small, local farms.  After meeting with the WECAN (Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America) Accreditation Board, she was asked to be the accreditation representative of the school.  In this position, Candice was held responsible for the safety and compliance of the entire school grounds, as well as overseeing the curriculum, and teacher mentoring. Her successful work as the WECAN representative led to her nomination and appointment to the Board of Directors.  

The many roles Candice has held within the Waldorf curriculum and administration have given her a unique and holistic perspective which allows her to confidently guide the rhythm of her classroom, focus appropriately on the energy of each student, and apply her experience to the benefit of both students and parents.

In 2017 her family relocated from Texas to Utah. Upon enrolling her son in a small private school she became the After School Program Director as well as a substitute teacher for 1st -8th grades for the two years leading up to discovering Wasatch Charter School. She was a teaching support to sixth grade last year and is thrilled to be teaching first grade this year! She is excited to continue her training and education in Waldorf teaching and is so grateful to have found such a loving, supportive Waldorf family here.

Along the way I developed a passion for teaching reading. I am trained in the Orton-Gillingham reading approach, and more recently in the LETRS methodology.

Emily has been a part of Wasatch Charter School since it's opening in 2016. She has been teaching students in classrooms and homeschool groups since 2008. Emily studied education, special education and dance at the University of Oregon and graduated from there in 2004. Emily and her family called Salt Lake City home for 10 years and is excited to still be actively engaged in the school community this year from a remote capacity. She loves spending time with her children, running, rock climbing, hiking, gardening, sewing, knitting, and traveling with her family.

Gwen grew up in beautiful Western Washington, where mountains, sea, and forest prevail. As a child she enjoyed playing in the woods, exploring Puget Sound, writing poetry, and horseback riding.
Gwen’s love of traveling started early on. She has been fortunate to visit many wonderful parts of the world and hopes to see more.
She completed her Foundation year for Waldorf Education many years ago at Emerson College in England. She also has a Bachelor of Science Degree with a pre-med concentration from Evergreen State College. In addition, she holds a Waldorf Early Childhood certificate from the Pleiades Initiative in Austin, Texas and a Masters in Education and Grades Waldorf Teaching Certificate from Antioch University in New Hampshire.

Heather Allred has the privilege of spending her days with the Spruce Class.  She grew up in the Salt Lake area and has a passion for cultivating the appreciation of Place as a means for a more healthy, happy life.
She received an Honors Degree from Westminster College, with a BA in Communications, completing requirements for entry into a Naturopathic Doctorate program. Family came first and instead of leaving the state to complete her ND, she put her efforts into the health service and medical device industries locally. She is a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and has an MBA in Healthcare Management/Administration.
Living as a teacher, nuturing children in an environment that cherishes and supports their whole health, is her dream come true.

The Baltic fjords and the flat green marshes between Germany and Denmark are my home. When I was six years old, my older brothers taught me how to sail by simply pushing me off the shore in a little nutshell sailing boat called "Optimist." It made for a somewhat nerve-wracking learning experience and it took me a while before I was able to forgive my brothers. But the optimist remained. The name became my motto, and to this day I enjoy adventures and am a passionate traveller.
When I finished college, I pushed my boat off the shore once more to explore the United States. Since then my family and I have enjoyed both places as part of our lives. Having roots in both, the US and Europe, has allowed for an interesting perspective on both cultures and their respective places in the world.
While straddling a bicultural life, the natural world, especially Utah's outdoors, have become an indispensable part of my life. Here, I find peace and refuge from the fast pace of life, I regroup with my family, and I feel a strong sense of belonging.
I started teaching when I was 23 and have since taught all age levels at various learning institutions. Teaching at a Waldorf school is for me the most creative, sustainable, and therefore rewarding way of teaching, as the child with all her capacities in respect of developmental stages is the center of teaching.

Jessie Huish has been a student of the arts since she was a youth. Jessie attended the Waterford School from Pre K-12th grade. She spent all of her spare time during middle and high school in the darkroom, working with black and white film photography.

After high school, Jessie went on to study photography at Brigham Young University, earning her Bachelor’s of Arts. Throughout her college years, Jessie began creating and selling handbound books, jewelry, paper goods, and other handmade goods. Alongside her husband, Trevor, and a couple of friends, Jessie opened and ran an eclectic shop in downtown Provo, UT.

Almost four years ago, Jessie and her family moved from Provo to Salt Lake City. She has enjoyed spending the last three years being at home with her two kids, Hazel- 6, and Moon-3.

In January 2015, Jessie began teaching Elementary Art at the American International School Of Utah. Jessie found that forging her passion for creativity, with her desire for instilling a sense of wonder into young minds has been immensely rewarding. For Jessie, Waldorf schooling is a fitting extension of her ideals, both at home and in the classroom.
Jessie is looking forward to learning alongside her students as well as continuing on with them year after year.

My name is Julie and I teach 4th grade to the Maple Class. I grew up in Atlanta, Georgia but always knew I wanted to live out West. Shortly after graduating from the University of Georgia I moved to Utah to join the Utah Conservation Corps and work in the canyons of Escalante. From there I continued a path in conservation, outdoor education, and travel throughout the West and internationally. I taught children how to ski in California, guided teenagers on therapeutic quests through the Utah desert, taught English in Peru, and led students in Peru and Southeast Asia on service projects. Two years ago, when I was looking for my next adventure, I came across our school and Waldorf Education. I remember stepping through the doors and feeling like I had found a home. Everything about Waldorf Education fit my values and passions; a whole new world had opened up to me. It has allowed me the wonderful opportunity to incorporate nature, art, and working with children into my daily life.

I am very excited to be continuing my calling to teach at Wasatch Charter School and graduating to the Fifth Grade with our Sequoia Class family. While spending the last four years in the Waldorf community as a parent and teacher, I continue to feel the strong sense of community and values, particularly the school’s dedication to building our children’s capacity to think and strengthening the will to persevere in any environment. I am looking forward to find ways to embed these values in my own teaching practices and continue my professional development. Before joining Wasatch Charter School, I have had the honor of serving our country as a Marine, spending time across the United States and overseas in places like Japan, Tonga, Thailand, Germany, Romania, Spain, Italy, and Iraq. During this time and prior, I have been blessed with positive, kindhearted leadership and love from my parents, teachers, and military leaders. They all focused on my capacity to persevere and think. Hence, I will continue that trajectory for our children while nurturing a collaborative learning environment built on trust and compassion where everyone is treated with dignity and respect regardless of his or her positions, views, interests, and experiences.

I am a fifth generation educator. My father was a college literature professor and the greatest storyteller I’ve known. He took us from Grand Junction, Colorado where I was born, to Idaho, Minnesota, Ohio, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee as he taught and studied. When I entered 6th grade, we moved to Oxford, Mississippi.
I later met my husband while attending college there. In college, my mother created a gourmet deli and gift shop. I spent many, many hours preparing delicious food. I began catering during that time. My husband and I moved to Birmingham, Alabama and then to Memphis, Tennessee before we moved to Taos, New Mexico. We lived in the mountains of Taos, NM for 15 years.
We helped to build an earthship in which we lived for 5 years. We had 11 milk goats and 42 chickens as well as a large garden, full of yummy beets and carrots.

I still love to grow food and prepare it. I love working with my hands, creating art and craft. I love to be in mountains. I love animals. I love to learn .I have been teaching for 25 years, licensed in Tennessee and New Mexico. I have been teaching using Waldorf methods for more than 8 years. I have been married for 33 years and have one amazing child. We share our home with two sweet, small terriers and one large orange cat.My father’s brother lives in Provo with his wife. I have cousins scattered in the West. My sister and her family live in Arizona. My brother lives in Poland and my mother lives in Minnesota.

We are thrilled to be joining Wasatch Waldorf Charter School. We look forward to exploring Utah again and in greater detail than we have before.

My name is Michelle Woods. I teach the Magnolia Tree second grade. I have been a Waldorf parent for 11 years and am going into my second year of teaching.

I love spending time at the beach with my husband and four children.

Misti Moberly has been teaching singing and music for 12 years. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music: Vocal Performance and has a profound love of teaching. She brought music to young families and individual voice students and eventually developed a music program for preschools. While working as a music teacher at Daybreak Academy, she felt the call to be a classroom teacher.

She has since found her true home in Waldorf education and is humbled and honored to be part of such a profound movement and community.
Misti spends much of her free time with her husband, three children and rascally beagle. She enjoys creating, crafting, reading, hiking, camping and singing.

I spent most of my childhood in the rural area of northeast Georgia and earned my Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Georgia. Upon graduating, I worked for the Taiwanese Consulate Office in Atlanta for three years, then headed off for island life in Hawaii. There, I collaborated with general education and special education teachers, therapists, and parents to offer an environment of healthy growth and meaningful education to children who had intensive sensory needs and language difficulties. The children I worked for, and the educators I worked alongside of, taught me so much about compassion and the value of our attentiveness to one another.  

After four and half years on Maui, we moved on to the Boston area, looking to find our forever home. In Boston, I explored my love for animals and the field of science. I became a veterinary technician, a position which I continued through our move to Salt Lake City in 2015. My most recent work in the animal health field was with a local physical rehabilitation and acupuncture clinic for animals. Since being in Salt Lake City, I have also completed a 1,000-hour yoga therapy training course and find joy helping others through breathing, mantra, movement and meditation techniques from yogic traditions.

I found Wasatch Waldorf Charter School and the holistic pedagogy I had been longing for, in 2017. I began teaching Grade 3 with Class Ursa. I graduated from the Gradalis’ Waldorf teacher training program in 2019 and have a level 1 Utah teaching license, working toward a level 2 license. I am dedicated to the holistic and healing education that Waldorf schools bring to their communities and am passionate about healthy growth and development that Waldorf pedagogy provides. I feel blessed to have found a school community full of people who value presence and strive together toward understanding and well-being for themselves and others. I feel I have found my place and am happy to call Salt Lake City, Utah home.

Rachel began her personal study of Waldorf education a decade ago, and feels at home to be teaching at Wasatch Charter School and living again in the shadow of the mountains.

With all the arts related subjects she loves, Rachel could not choose just one to study at BYU, so she settled on a B.A. in the Humanities. She later pursued a Master's in Italian Literature at Indiana University and a Master's in Elementary Education with an Endorsement to teach Elementary Music at Westminster College.

Rachel has taught college level Italian classes, reading classes for all ages, piano lessons, and at a Waldorf inspired preschool.

Along with her husband and son, she enjoys making music, hiking, yoga, meditation, and traveling. The farmer's market is her happy place, and she hopes to grow a big garden soon.

Rhea Howarth grew up in Maine exploring the woods behind her home while searching for fairies and hidden treasure. As a child she was always playing or reading. When she took breaks from her favorite books, she participated in drama, choirs, tennis and swimming.  

Rhea received a Bachelor of Science from BYU-Idaho where she studied creative writing, microbiology and cake decorating.

After graduating, Rhea and her husband moved to Salt Lake City where they had two daughters.

Rhea has worked as a swim instructor, cake decorator and restaurant manager. Rhea enjoys writing children’s stories, reading, crafting and hiking.

In 2018 Rhea came to work at Wasatch Charter School. There she found her home in Early Childhood Education. Rhea has her level 1 teaching license and is currently enrolled in Waldorf teacher training through Gradalis. Rhea is very excited to begin teaching Kindergarten this year.

Previous to his work at Wasatch Charter School, Robert taught for 8 years in college and high school classrooms. He also spent 2 years assisting in a Waldorf preschool in Utah County. He holds a Master’s Degree in Folklore and a Bachelor’s Degree in Literature.

Roel op 't Ende (1989) grew up in Schiedam, a suburb of Rotterdam, the fourth largest city in the Netherlands. There he had the typical childhood of a Dutch boy: he ate a lot of cheese and had chocolate sprinkles for breakfast, went everywhere on a bike, and spent a lot of time outside in the rain. He spent his summers camping in Southern France, played soccer with friends, and enjoyed Sinterklaas every 5th of December. From age 12 to 15, he attended a professional dancing school, but after growing too much switched to boxing, which he still does from time to time.

After the dancing school, Roel had a great time at the Rotterdam Waldorf School (Rudolf Steiner College), where he could combine his love for theater with more intellectual endeavors. His favorite subjects were drama and history.

At Leiden University, he started studying psychology but switched over to history during his bachelor's degree after realizing he preferred fun over job prospects. It was the right choice; he enjoyed history so much that he got his master's degree.

Roel then spent eight years teaching history, social studies, and several other subjects at a Waldorf high school in Rotterdam. During this period, he quickly realized teaching is his biggest passion, and he began his masters in education, which he finished in 2017.
That same year he left for the US to work at Wasatch Charter School. There he met and married the loveliest lower grades teacher, and they now live happily ever after.

My name is Spencer Dirats, and I am the grade 8 teacher of the Aspen Class. I am also the Peer Tutoring coordinator and working on creating leadership opportunities for our middle school students.

Prior to my arrival at WCS, I was a high school foreign languages and leadership teacher in the northeast. I came to Utah for the start of the 2017-2018 school year with the hopes of finding a school community that better aligned with my personal teaching philosophy and to dive deeper into the world of alpine ski racing - my other passion. I am ecstatic to report that I have found both. I cannot imagine any school being a better fit for me than WCS.

I am also a coach on the Brighton Ski Team, and that occupies most of my time outside school. When I'm not working with my students or my athletes, you can find me on the road in the wildest outdoor spaces that the West has to offer gathering fodder for lessons about environmental ethics and outdoor advocacy!

Tesia Brown grew up in a Waldorf community in Central British Columbia, and attended the Kelowna Waldorf School.

Following high school and a year of travel Tesia attended The American Eurythmy School in Northern California, completing her training in 2009. After two years of teaching and travel Tesia returned to school and completed a BA in Theater at Acadia University, as well as her Waldorf Teacher Training at Antioch University, New England. While in school she continued to teach blocks at both the Kelowna Waldorf School and the South Shore Waldorf School.

She became the founding teacher in a small Waldorf middle/high school initiative in rural Nova Scotia where she taught for two years. She and her husband Danny made the great trek across the continent last August to join the Wasatch Charter School community.

Tesia is looking forward to class teaching once more and feels very blessed to have the opportunity to work with such wonderful children.

Music has been a very large part of Bryan’s life from an early age. He began studying piano at age 5, progressing quickly to add violin and voice, and also organ. 

Bryan earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from the University of Utah, with emphasis in Organ Performance. Bryan studied with renowned organist Linda Margetts and has accompanied choirs across Europe. As a vocalist, Bryan has sung with world class choirs, including the University of Utah Singers and the Salt Lake Choral Artists. Bryan’s work as section leader (Baritone) in the University Singers assisted in the choir winning the Grand Prize at the Florilege Vocal de Tour, international choral competition in Tours, France. This qualified the University Singers to participate in the Grand Prix of World Singing held in Tolosa, Spain the following year, where they again took the grand prize. Bryan has taught orchestras in various public schools through Riverton Music, where he regularly composes his own arrangements for his orchestras. 

Bryan also teaches piano, violin, and cello privately. As an outdoor enthusiast, Bryan enjoys a wide range of activities including backpacking, hunting, canoeing, fly fishing, and fly tying. In recognition of his artistic abilities and attention to detail, he has been invited to be a guest fly tier multiple years at both the Wasatch and the East Idaho Fly Tying Expos. 

Bryan is the recipient of the Silver Beaver award through the Boy Scouts of America. Bryan enjoys spending his leisure time with his wife and 4 children.

I completed a full Waldorf teaching loop, taking a class from 1st to 8th grade. This year marks my 14th year of teaching Handwork. In addition to my Waldorf School teaching, I home-schooled my now adult children 1st to 6th grade and later chased my youngest child through the grades at the Waldorf School of Cape Cod.

I grew up on a little farm in a little town called Trout Creek, Utah, population: 50. We did not have electricity or phone lines. I attended a one-room school, grades kindergarten through 4th. We moved into town when I was 10 years old and had to transition from the smallest elementary school west of the Mississippi to the largest elementary school west of the Mississippi. I survived culture shock, made it through middle school, high school, and college with very few scars.

I married the love of my life, a Marine, and we traveled and made the road our home. We had 4 beautiful children and now have 6 beautiful grandchildren.

I taught school in North Carolina, Kansas and Okinawa, Japan before coming back to Utah to teach 3rd grade and then Library Science.

I am honored to be the Librarian at Wasatch and work with so many unique and talented students.

Mr. Keenan studied Physical Education and Kinesiology in college earning a Bachelor in Science degree. Prior to working at Wasatch, he taught Physical Education at a high school. He also has been a snowboard instructor for the last 15 years; coaching freestyle, training instructors, and teaching in different countries.

Playing games and being active is what he's all about! Various hobbies include rock climbing, hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, snowboarding, and soccer. This will be his 4th year at Wasatch. He's also our school's Athletic Director and helps coach the Archery Team.

Jennifer Samuelson has been a knitting and crocheting for over 25 years, she is a book artist and letterpress printer and holds an MFA in theatre. She came to Waldorf education over 15 years ago when her oldest daughter began attending a Waldorf school in Houston, Texas.

After many years as a Waldorf homeschooler, Jennifer moved from Texas to Utah with her family and began volunteering and working at Wasatch. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and five children, reading, crafting and taking long naps!

Jill Bell has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English with a minor in French from Minnesota State University in Mankato, MN. She has co-owned and operated Bell Organic Farm with her husband David since 1998. Her interests include hiking, rock climbing, and cooking. She and her husband have 3 children ages 14, 9, and 3. Jill grew up in a small farm community in South Dakota where she and her family cultivated a large garden every year. She has always enjoyed canning and preserving the harvest with her mother and grandmother. Now she loves passing this tradition on to her children and looks forward to sharing this knowledge with the Wasatch Charter School community.

Raven Garland completed her Master of Music Degree from the University of Massachusetts. She then went on to complete both an artistic and therapeutic training in eurythmy at the Eurythmy School of Spring Valley and the Therapeutic Eurythmy Training of North America, respectively.
Raven has taught eurythmy to people of all ages in Waldorf Schools and public settings. She has also taught as a Waldorf Class teacher and is currently adjunct faculty at the Therapeutic Eurythmy Training of North America.

Senora Susanna has a BA in English and Spanish from BYU and has lived overseas in Venezuela, Ecuador, and Guatemala for a total of 12 years, where she developed a great love and appreciation for Spanish and Latin American culture. She has taught Spanish for over twenty years in public, private, and charter schools, as well as private classes and tutoring. Spanish teaching is her passion - so much so, that students from years ago still remember Spanish they learned through her songs, games and activities.

Mr. Keenan studied Physical Education and Kinesiology in college earning a Bachelor in Science degree. Prior to working at Wasatch, he taught Physical Education at a high school. He also has been a snowboard instructor for the last 15 years; coaching freestyle, training instructors, and teaching in different countries.

Playing games and being active is what he's all about! Various hobbies include rock climbing, hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, snowboarding, and soccer. This will be his 4th year at Wasatch. He's also our school's Athletic Director and helps coach the Archery Team.

Mr. Burke earned a degree from Utah Valley University in Spanish, and minored in Latin American Studies and Global Intercultural Relations. During his time at UVU, he served as the Language Department representative for three years as part of the UVUSA, was a TA for the late Judge Anthony Terry, taught Political Science while under Judge Terry’s supervision, and was an advocate of the LGBTQ community during its inaugural year. Mr. Burke taught PE and Adaptive PE in the Salt Lake District for two years, as well as coached football for Highland and super league football teams. His love for teaching and coaching brought him to Wasatch as a substitute during the 2018-‘19 school year. He came onboard as a full time teacher this year teaching Spanish part time and in Lotus class part time. He now is a full time Lotus class teacher. In addition to teaching, he coaches the boys & girls basketball teams and will soon coach the ultimate frisbee team in the spring. Coach Burke played a wide variety of high school sports and went on to play college and semi-professional football. He worked for the state at JJS, umpired baseball, worked in sales, and ultimately ended up deciding that teaching was his calling. Mr. Burke enjoys the snow and winter sports including snowboarding and skiing. During the summer he spends much of his time at Lake Powell and enjoys hiking and spending time with his wife, family, friends and dog.

Music has been a very large part of Bryan’s life from an early age. He began studying piano at age 5, progressing quickly to add violin and voice, and also organ. Bryan earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from the University of Utah, with emphasis in Organ Performance. Bryan studied with renowned organist Linda Margetts and has accompanied choirs across Europe. As a vocalist, Bryan has sung with world class choirs, including the University of Utah Singers and the Salt Lake Choral Artists. Bryan’s work as section leader (Baritone) in the University Singers assisted in the choir winning the Grand Prize at the Florilege Vocal de Tour, international choral competition in Tours, France. This qualified the University Singers to participate in the Grand Prix of World Singing held in Tolosa, Spain the following year, where they again took the grand prize. Bryan has taught orchestras in various public schools through Riverton Music, where he regularly composes his own arrangements for his orchestras. Bryan also teaches piano, violin, and cello privately. As an outdoor enthusiast, Bryan enjoys a wide range of activities including backpacking, hunting, canoeing, fly fishing, and fly tying. In recognition of his artistic abilities and attention to detail, he has been invited to be a guest fly tier multiple years at both the Wasatch and the East Idaho Fly Tying Expos. Bryan is the recipient of the Silver Beaver award through the Boy Scouts of America. Bryan enjoys spending his leisure time with his wife and 4 children.

Adam Woods (aka Woody) moved to Utah in 2018 from California. After many years in the corporate world, most recently in publishing, he decided it was time to leave and fulfill his life long desire to be a teacher.
Since he raised all of his children in Waldorf and since his wife is a Waldorf teacher, he knew that he wanted to teach in a Waldorf classroom. He has a bachelors degree in Business, currently working on his Waldorf certificate and has plans on pursuing a Master in Education.