Our Early Childhood Teachers
Lisa has been working with young children for 20 years. This work first led Lisa to be the founding teacher of the New Amsterdam School, a Waldorf School in NYC, where she became the director and taught early childhood for ten years.
After supporting the growth of three Waldorf School initiatives through work with young children, teachers, and families in the greater NYC Metro area, Lisa and her husband moved to Kathmandu, Nepal where they lived for three years.
Lisa is the co-founder of Sano Taraharu (“Little Stars of Nepal”), an organization working in orphanages and children’s homes in Kathmandu. She is also the primary author of the EduCareDo early childhood subject course, Laying Foundations Towards Inner Freedom in the Young Child.
Other current projects Lisa has contributed to include Abiding-Heart Education, and designing for Burning Heart Clothing.
Lisa is very grateful to have been in community with and striving to serve Cedarwood Waldorf School for the last 5 years.
When Lisa is not filled to the brim with the lives of young children, she spends time reading Steiner’s published works, painting, and traveling where the spirit calls, which at times she hopes is to Italy with her family.
Lisa Bono
Rosebud Parent/Caregiver & Child Teacher
lbono@cedarwoodschool.org
Erin Cartwright was born in San Rafael, California, and raised in the small town of Boulder Creek, among the redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains. She has lived in many places across the U.S. before her family settled in Portland. Erin graduated from the University of Oregon with a BS in Psychology in 1989.
Erin knew she wanted to work with children from an early age and was introduced to Waldorf Education and the writings of Rudolph Steiner by her mother. She completed her teacher training at the Rudolph Steiner College, while she apprenticed under Susan Andrews at Cedarwood in its early days. Erin was thrilled to become the lead teacher of the Cherry Blossom kindergarten in 2003.
Erin enjoys traveling adventures, walking with her dog, Teddy and spending time with her family.
Erin Cartwright
Cherry Blossom KindergartenTeacher
ecartwright@cedarwoodschool.org
Julie Sauton was born in Paris, France and has lived in many places across the United States throughout her life. Her mother, a Geechee, Black-American visual artist instilled in her a deep appreciation for bringing beauty and healing gifts into the world. Her father, a passionate French chef, taught her how to bring communities and people together through good food and laughter. Julie’s multicultural and biracial backgrounds have fed her passion for strengthening community and celebrating diversity.
After receiving her BA from Portland State University in Community Development and Organizational Change Julie worked in nonprofit community development organizations, but realized she wanted to work with communities in a deeper way through education. After remembering her time as a young Waldorf student she was inspired to become a teacher and hasn’t looked back! She received her teaching certificate from Rudolf Steiner in 2013 and has enjoyed working with young children and all the joy, excitement and insight they bring to the classroom each day. She also enjoys working with the parents who envision building a world for their children that is meaningful, beautiful, and true.
Julie had co-founded and taught a preschool program in Fremont, CA, taught at the San Francisco Waldorf School, The East Bay Waldorf School, and has landed at home at Cedarwood. She loves swimming in the many rivers around Portland with her family.
Julie Sauton
Thimbleberry Kindergarten Teacher
jsauton@cedarwoodschool.org
Paulette Marchand has been an early childhood educator for over 26 years. She feels very fortunate to have been introduced to Waldorf education early into her teaching career. Wanting to have a deeper understanding of this pedagogy she enrolled in the Micha-el Institute to complete her Waldorf early childhood teacher training. She is committed to creating an environment in her classroom that lets the young child naturally unfold. Besides working in various Waldorf inspired schools in the Portland area, she has also operated her own in home preschool Morning Sun for several years. Most recently Paulette has co-taught and co-directed We Gather Together Waldorf Preschool. She is filled with joy to be returning to Cedarwood Waldorf School, where her own two adult children attended school.When not in the classroom, you might find her gardening with her husband Michael, on a hike with her dog Lucy, or quietly practicing yoga.
Paulette Marchand
Trillium Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
pmarchand@cedarwoodschool.org
Mindylee found Waldorf Education shortly after receiving her BS in Religious Studies from the University of Oregon in 1998. After graduation and the birth of her first child, she returned to her home in Philadelphia. Moving very close to the Waldorf School of Philadelphia, she began working in the Parent-Toddler program as well as the Kindergarten and became an active and involved parent at the school.
This experience further ignited her passion to delve more into exploring Anthroposophy and upon returning to the Pacific Northwest, Mindylee completed her Waldorf Early Childhood Teacher training at The Micha-el Institute.
Mindylee has also worked as a lead kindergarten teacher at the Portland Village School and most recently as a lead teacher and Director of Early Childhood at the Micha-el School. She is overjoyed to be offered the preschool teaching position and delighted to join the Cedarwood community.
In her free time Mindylee appreciates moments spent with her two adult children, taking walks in nature, expanding her culinary repertoire, crafting, dragon boating and swing dancing.
Mindylee Hill
Cedar Rose Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
mhill@cedarwoodschool.org
Miss Miha was born and grew up in Romania where she studied music and dance. She became a professional ballerina and immigrated to Virginia in 1999 where she completed her BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography at Shenandoah University. Miha has over fifteen years of experience in teaching dance to students of all ages.
Cedarwood has been Miha’s family’s second home for the past ten years. She is so grateful for the love and warmth she has felt as part of the Cedarwood community, where she has found purpose and joy as a volunteer, parent council representative, PC Co-chair and Appreciation Chair.
Miha is thrilled to combine her love of children, food sharing, and of the magic of Waldorf education in her new role in the Cedar Rose classroom. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, crafting, arranging flowers, cooking with her husband, and making memories with her family of two children, two dogs, two ducks, and three chickens.
Miha Wadlow
Assistant Teacher
mwadlow@cedarwoodschool.org
Fanding Xu
Assistant Teacher
fxu@cedarwoodschool.org
Thora Kastbauer
Assistant Teacher
tkastbauer@cedarwoodschool.org
Abra Faraon
Assistant Teacher
afaraon@cedarwoodschool.org
Elizabeth DeNiro-Wallace
Assistant Teacher
edenirowallace@cedarwoodschool.org
Miriam Sheehan
Assistant Teacher
msheehan@cedarwoodschool.org
Rachel Hitchcock
Assistant Teacher
rhitchcock@cedarwoodschool.org
Our Grades Teachers
Ms. Mackenzie graduated from Lewis and Clark College in 2017 and immediately pursued her Waldorf training certificate at the Waldorf Institute of Southeastern Michigan in Ann Arbor. She was employed as lead teacher for First and Second grade at the Rudolf Steiner School of Ann Arbor where her experience also includes assisting in Kindergarten and First Grade.
Ms. Mackenzie grew up in Beaverton and is excited to join us at Cedarwood. She welcomes the opportunity to learn and grow within a community of teachers at a school with a very strong reputation within the metropolitan area. Ms. Mackenzie describes herself as hardworking, patient, and adaptable and feels that the Waldorf community has guided and shaped her as an educator. She believes deeply that every child is unique and deserves to be educated in a manner that fits their specific needs.
Mackenzie Peterson
Class of 2032 Class Teacher
mpeterson@cedarwoodschool.org
Perla Marina
Class of 2031 Class Teacher
prodriguez@cedarwoodschool.org
Peter was born into a large family in rural Wisconsin, where he remembers having spent many long and happy days in adventurous play with his nine brothers and sisters (he is a triplet with an identical twin), mostly outdoors in all weather and seasons. His family traveled and camped often, so Peter grew up with a keen interest in nature. As a young man he worked with the Youth Conservation Corps, and while in college, he spent two long seasons as a backcountry ranger in the Eagle Cap Wilderness in Eastern Oregon. Peter received his BS from Evergreen State College, and then traveled to Sussex, England, to study biodynamic agriculture and eurythmy at Emerson College and the London School of Eurythmy. Over the next three years, he completed the Emerson School of Agriculture course, and two years of a four-year Eurythmy degree program. Peter next moved to Germany, where his three children were born, and where he lived and worked for eight years as a landscape gardener while raising his young family.
He eventually decided to pursue his calling as a Waldorf teacher, and he soon enrolled in Waldorf teacher training in Stuttgart, Germany. Upon completion of this course of study, he moved his young family to Washington state, where he began his teaching career at the Whidbey Island Waldorf school. Peter taught and guided a class from first through eighth grade there, and in 2006 he moved to Portland to take up his work at Cedarwood school.
In his work at Cedarwood, he has guided a second class through its eight-year journey and has completed training in spatial dynamics movement. He is currently guiding a large and dynamic group of wonderful students through their eighth grade year.
An avid outdoors enthusiast, Peter also enjoys activities involving music and dance, and gatherings with family and friends when opportunities arise.
Peter Hayes
Class of 2030 Class Teacher
phayes@cedarwoodschool.org
Avery grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, surrounded by the beauty Avery Gerhardtthat Northern California has to offer. She moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2020, amidst the global pandemic, to begin a new adventure.
Born into a family of educators, Avery witnessed the hard, yet rewarding work of the teacher and decided that she too wanted to serve children and their families in this way in the future. Avery began her career working with children as a nanny, caring for young children in a home setting, and spent many years in the field.
She attended San Francisco State University and received her B.A. in Child and Adolescent Development, with a concentration in Early Childhood. As she moved forward to attain her degree, she began working in preschools, and spent last year in California at East Bay Waldorf School, as a lead preschool teacher and the director of the preschool program. There, she renewed her love and devotion to Waldorf Education and began her teacher training journey through Antioch University New England. She is en route to attaining her Master’s Degree in Waldorf Education in 2022.
In her free time, she enjoys painting, hiking, and exploring the Portland area. She especially enjoys days spent along the coast.
Through her experience and education, Avery has committed herself to preserving the sanctity of childhood and strives to do so for the children she meets along her journey as an Early Childhood Educator. Waldorf Education holds a special place in her heart, as it provides the space for children to develop physically, emotionally, and as spiritual beings. She works to create a classroom environment that provides warmth, security, and a sense of belonging for all.
Avery Gerhardt
Class of 2029 Class Teacher
agerhardt@cedarwoodschool.org
Laura Elmore has been teaching in Waldorf education for over 20 years. She holds her Waldorf Teaching Certificate for both Early Childhood and Elementary Grades and has taught at the Micha-el Institute (Waldorf Teacher Training Institute) in Portland for over a decade in both Early Childhood and Grades. In addition to teaching Waldorf curriculum, she has specialties in storytelling, puppetry, child development, and history.
Mrs. Elmore's experience also includes teaching in both public and Montessori settings before discovering Waldorf education for her own daughters.
After living in Bend for the past 18 years, she and her husband are excited to make this transition to the Portland area where two of her children and her grandson now live.
Laura Elmore
Class of 2028 Class Teacher
lelmore@cedarwoodschool.org
Kelly Marquis
Class of 2027 Class Teacher
kmarquis@cedarwoodschool.org
Natalie grew up in Wisconsin, enjoying the fireflies and monarch butterflies that danced about the fields behind her home. She always had a deep appreciation for the natural world and eventually became a naturalist at a wildlife sanctuary in her hometown of Green Bay. She completed her BA in Humanistic Studies and Environmental Education at UWGB and then continued to fulfill her dreams of working with both nature and children in various settings, including a botanical garden and outdoor school program. Her love for outdoor adventures led her to the Pacific Northwest, where she settled new roots in 2000. Natalie guided cross country ski trips, nature camps and kayak outings for several years through Portland Parks & Recreation and then transferred into her classroom teaching career.
Natalie received her Waldorf teaching certificate from the Micha-el Institute in Portland and found the perfect school to share her passions for lifelong learning-Cedarwood! She is now entering her 17th year at Cedarwood, taking on many roles in leadership and committee work over the years. She has continued to expand her educational training by completing the five-year Spatial Dynamics program, and she also leads classes and offers lectures at AWSNA and NWAIS conferences, as well as the Micha-el Institute.
Natalie is thriving as a middle school teacher and is currently guiding the class of 2023 into their adolescent years.
When Natalie isn’t teaching, you can find her at an early morning yoga class; hiking in the gorge with her wife, Sandra; cooking a scrumptious meal or snuggling up with her kitties while reading a good book.
Natalie Norman
Class of 2026 Class Teacher
nnorman@cedarwoodschool.org
A native Oregonian, Ms Goodwyn returns to Portland after living in and being immersed in the Cajun Culture of SW Louisiana where she spent the past 15 years raising her three children, cajun and zydeco dancing with her husband David, and learning to cook. She moved to Louisiana to work as a marine biologist in the Gulf of Mexico and then transitioned to teaching at the Waldorf School of New Orleans. Her wide background includes living abroad in Mexico, cross country road trips with her family, acting, singing, snowboarding, biking, dancing, and reading. She enjoys good conversation and an excellent book more than almost anything.
Ms. Goodwyn holds a Master's Degree in Education from Portland State University and has completed the Waldorf teacher training at the Micha-El Institute. She is thrilled to be returning to Portland with her family, to join the Cedarwood community, and to be hiking as much as possible in the great Pacific NorthWest.
Jessica Goodwyn
Class of 2025 Class Teacher
jgoodwyn@cedarwoodschool.org
Madison Nomura
Grades Assistant Teacher
mnomura@cedarwoodschool.org
Our Subject Teachers
Michelle Jarvis was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. After living and working as a professional ballerina in Mexico and Europe for eight years, she returned home to start a family. Michelle brought her love for and expertise in the spanish language to Cedarwood Waldorf school in 1998 and has been an integral part of the development of the school ever since.
Besides teaching spanish, she has played a role in many aspects of the school over the years, including after-school care, office management, enrollment, personnel management, faculty leadership, board development and teacher development. Both of her daughters are graduates of Cedarwood and Portland Waldorf high school. Michelle is a graduate of the Rudolf Steiner College foreign language teacher training and currently hosts an annual conference for developing world language teachers.
She is an avid reader, knitter and dancer.
Michelle Jarvis
Spanish Teacher
mjarvis@cedarwoodschool.org
Kumiko was born and raised in Tokyo. After graduating from Meisei University with a Bachelor of Education, Kumiko taught elementary school in the Tokyo area for 18 years. She moved to the United States in 2017 with her husband, and by a turn of fate, she has been working at Cedarwood since 2019. She really enjoys teaching Japanese language and sharing various aspects of Japanese culture with children at Cedarwood.
Kumiko has done KENDO (Japanese style fencing) for 20 years, obtaining a level 4 rank. She was invited to a DOJO in San Francisco as a guest teacher. She has a license as a Japanese green tea adviser, and also she is a Japanese green tea ambassador. She demonstrated how to make Japanese green tea at PSU Mochitsuki festival several times. Kumiko also works at Portland Japanese School as a teacher every Saturday. She is still connecting with teachers in Japan and brushing up on the Japanese language.
Kumiko Sammler
Japanese Teacher
ksammler@cedarwoodschool.org
Waldorf education has always been waiting for me…it just took me a long time to find it! Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia with a background in professional dance, fiber art, and theater, Waldorf education fell easily and gracefully into my life. Cedarwood and all the children are now my home and I am as passionate and dedicated to working at Cedarwood today as I was my first day on the job 13 years ago!
Sitting on my front porch in Chicago, Illinois back in 1997, my neighbor came up and asked if I would like to make my daughter a doll. Little did I know, I was living next to a master Waldorf doll maker, Maureen Flannery. She became my mentor and introduced me to the LOVE of teaching handwork. I signed my kids up as babies at the Chicago Waldorf School and in 2003, I enrolled in the Arcturus Waldorf Teacher Training.
In 2008, I moved to Portland and have been teaching in Waldorf schools ever since then. From 2007-2018, I served as a faculty member at the Micha-el Institute Teacher Training and have participated in Teaching Conferences as well.
As an avid competitive billiards player, I spend a lot of free time on the tables. I often participate in local and regional tournaments and am a four-time national qualifier. I am a devoted student of Anthroposophy and truly LOVE working with my colleagues at CWS. I enjoy hiking, traveling and spending time with family, friends, and Bella (sweet angel pup) & Charles (devil cat).
Gia Davis
Practical Arts Teacher
gdavis@cedarwoodschool.org
Eric Zimmerman
Movement Teacher
ezimmerman@cedarwoodschool.org
Jacob Wooton was born and raised in Seattle and has been working in education for two decades almost half of which has been here in the enchanted halls of Cedarwood. His hope is to foster sense of inner strength and independence in his middle school students. His motto is " work hard, be kind. " He is sometimes called a math teacher, but really he coaches creative problem solving with applied math skills. He graduated from Evergreen State college and completed his Masters of Arts in Teaching at Lewis and Clark, and has committed himself to hundreds of hours of Waldorf specific teacher training's in science, math, and child development. He has two awesome kids of his own, who make him very proud everyday. When not teaching algebra, he paints, a lot, and makes comic books a little.
Jacob Wooton
Middle School Math Teacher
jwooton@cedarwoodschool.org
Diana has found solace in music her entire life. Born in Portland, Oregon, she feels fortunate to have a family that loves the arts and music. She has taught and played violin in many genres, danced ballet, jazz, modern, tribal bellydance and flamenco, performed in musical theater, worked in interior design, performed in a pop band, managed a recording studio, opened a vocal academy, and is now the Music Director at Cedarwood.
Diana is fueled by her love for teaching music to children and promoting their health for their future. Music, like love, is a universal language that will carry our children through the most difficult of times and she is grateful to help them be more than a passive witness of its power.
Diana Bright
Music Teacher
dbright@cedarwoodschool.org
Amanda Lawrence
Music Assistant Teacher
alawrence@cedarwoodschool.org
Kevin Jackson
Music Assistant Teacher
kjackson@cedarwoodschool.org
Jasmine discovered the joy of teaching children while working for a music summer camp at Florida Atlantic University. Since then, she has been teaching piano to children of all ages. Before moving to Portland, Jasmine discovered Waldorf education and felt a connection to its philosophy. She joined the Cedarwood community in Fall 2021 as an assistant teacher for Star Lily Pre-kindergarten. Jasmine’s time with early childhood was beautiful, inspiring, and provided much room for growth. She’s excited to be back as the handwork assistant. She is looking forward to getting to know students in the grades and developing her handwork skills.
Things that are dear to Jasmine include Zen/Buddhist philosophy, social, environmental and animal justice, hummingbirds, sweets, dancing, art and music.
Jasmine Ugarte
Practical Arts Assistant
jugarte@cedarwoodschool.org
Claire Harrison is what you might call a Waldorf lifer. She attended the Portland Waldorf School for fifteen years, and though her daydreaming nine-year-old self would be shocked to hear it, she graduated high school determined not to be a teacher. During high school, there were few school-related activities/teams/events she didn’t enjoy/join/plan, yet she found solace in the handwork and art studios. A pursuit of all things art- and museum-related led her to major in Art History & Visual Culture Studies at Whitman College, to study abroad in Florence, Italy, and to intern at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA.
While museums and cathedrals will always cause her heart rate to quicken, Mrs. Harrison came to realize that she wanted to bring a love of art and history to young students. She committed to pursuing a career in Waldorf teaching right after completing undergrad, accepting the position of First Grade Assistant to the Class of 2016 (who would later be her 8th graders!) the day before her senior exams (she passed!). She has worn many hats at both Cedarwood and PWS since 2008, and received her MEd in Elementary Education with Waldorf Certificate from Antioch University NE while teaching full time. Now serving as the Educational Support Specialist, she greatly enjoys working with students in every grade, helping them find true success in their time here at Cedarwood and beyond.
When not in the classroom or researching for a future lesson plan, Mrs. Harrison can be found singing or reading with her daughters, breathing deep and building strength in a barre or yoga class, or reading late into the night. As early as second grade, she remembers stuffing a towel under her bedroom door so she could read well past bedtime without her parents seeing the glow of the flashlight. A love for the written word knows no bounds; it even inspired her graduate thesis on language arts! Educating her students has taught Mrs. Harrison more about life and learning than she ever anticipated, and she looks forward to this continuing for years to come.
Claire Harrison
Educational Support Specialist & Cyber Civics Teacher
charrison@cedarwoodschool.org
Our Administrative Team
Joseph joined the Cedarwood community as Head of School in 2024. His career in education began as a high school science and math teacher at the Eugene Waldorf School in 1993. Joseph later taught two cohorts of students from Grades 1 through 8 at Whatcom Hills Waldorf School in Bellingham, WA, where he also served as school administrator, college chair and trustee during a span of 18 years. Joseph was the Pacific Northwest representative on the Leadership Council for the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America from 2006-11, being responsible for regional professional development, collaboration, and school accreditation and membership for Waldorf schools in AK, WA, OR, ID, MT and British Columbia.
In 2014, Joseph ventured into the public school system where over 10 years, he served as principal for an innovative K-12 alternative school, assistant principal at a traditional comprehensive high school, and principal of an International Baccalaureate elementary school. Joseph has a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Ecology from SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry, a Master of Education degree in Educational Administration from Western Washington University, and a Doctor of Education degree in Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership from Northeastern University. Joseph received his Waldorf Teacher Certificate in 1994 from the Eugene Waldorf Teacher Institute, and holds a WA Teacher Certificate in middle level science and WA Administrator Credential.
Joseph and his wife, Adrienne, herself a career Waldorf Early Childhood educator, have two Waldorf alumni sons, a daughter-in-law and a sweet dog, Queso. Joseph and his family enjoy being in nature whether walking a quiet path in the forest or skiing from the summit of a local volcano. The only outdoor activity Joseph tries to avoid, without much success, is searching for his errant golf ball in the shrubbery. Joseph and his wife are delighted to be living in Portland and being part of the Cedarwood family!
Joseph Doucette, Ed.D.
Head of School
jdoucette@cedarwoodschool.org
Marcee was born in Michigan, raised in Indiana, and spent most of her childhood in the Midwest. She recalls trips to Iowa to see both sets of grandparents and is grateful for the influence, guidance, and insight that she received from the elders in her life.
Born into a family of educators, Marcee knew at a young age that she wanted to be a teacher. She graduated from Ball State University with a degree in elementary education. She took advantage of a variety of opportunities throughout her college years to teach and travel. A particularly inspirational experience was working in a school in Negril, Jamaica as part of an anthropology field study.
Marcee taught in both the public and private school settings over the past 25 years. From Zuni, New Mexico to a middle school in Fresno, CA to finding a home at City of Lakes Waldorf School in Minneapolis, MN, Marcee enjoyed the unique aspects of each teaching opportunity. She found Waldorf education to be a perfect fit for her young family and immersed herself in teacher training and the Waldorf community. During her sixteen years at CLWS, Marcee taught as a lead class teacher and also held the position of the Faculty Chair.
Moving to Portland and working at Cedarwood is a dream come true for Marcee. She moved to Portland in the summer of 2022 with her husband and youngest son. Her family enjoys hiking, biking, sailing, camping, and time at the coast.
Marcee Hansen
Pedagogical Director
mhansen@cedarwoodschool.org
Lisa has been working with young children for 20 years. This work first led Lisa to be the founding teacher of the New Amsterdam School, a Waldorf School in NYC, where she became the director and taught early childhood for ten years.
After supporting the growth of three Waldorf School initiatives through work with young children, teachers, and families in the greater NYC Metro area, Lisa and her husband moved to Kathmandu, Nepal where they lived for three years.
Lisa is the co-founder of Sano Taraharu (“Little Stars of Nepal”), an organization working in orphanages and children’s homes in Kathmandu. She is also the primary author of the EduCareDo early childhood subject course, Laying Foundations Towards Inner Freedom in the Young Child.
Other current projects Lisa has contributed to include Abiding-Heart Education, and designing for Burning Heart Clothing.
Lisa is very grateful to have been in community with and striving to serve Cedarwood Waldorf School for the last 5 years.
When Lisa is not filled to the brim with the lives of young children, she spends time reading Steiner’s published works, painting, and traveling where the spirit calls, which at times she hopes is to Italy with her family.
Lisa Bono
Interim Early Childhood Director
lbono@cedarwoodschool.org
Rebecca Schwieger
Director of Finance
rschwieger@cedarwoodschool.org
Born and raised in the Catskill Mountains region of upstate New York, Antonella received a full scholarship to Eugene Lang College at The New School in New York City, New York. During this time she also worked with children and adults with physical and cognitive challenges. She discovered the importance of meeting and engaging people as individuals and her interest in curative education was ignited. She encountered the Camphill Community model, Anthroposophy, and Waldorf Education. She moved to Portland, OR in 2008 where she earned the Early Childhood and Grades Comprehensive Teaching Certificate for Waldorf Educators from the Micha-el Institute. From that time, she worked in Early Childhood in Portland area Waldorf Schools before taking a class at Cedarwood. After teaching at Cedarwood, Antonella shifted into the administrative realm, first supporting the early childhood program and now as enrollment director. She has tremendous gratitude for the gifts her two children, both Waldorf alums, have received from Waldorf Education. In her free time, Antonella enjoys hiking, playing tennis, and working on music projects, and spending time with family and friends.
Antonella Focarino
Interim Enrollment Director
afocarino@cedarwoodschool.org
The salty, sea-sprayed bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean outside Los Angeles were the setting of Meredith’s childhood home. She came of age in an idyllic little household where she, her younger sister, and single-parent mother shared responsibilities and finished each other’s sentences. Meredith was the oldest child among family and friends, and it was long predicted that she would one day become a teacher. Despite her occasional desire to rebel against an unchosen path, it wasn’t long before she, too, realized she had a knack for teaching.
Meredith was a long-time Cedarwood class teacher before jumping into the administrative realm as Cedarwood’s Marketing and Communications Director. She’s a passionate communicator who recently earned a Masters in Strategic Communication from the University of Oregon. She’s managed communications for nonprofits and values-driven organizations, but Waldorf Education is where her heart is.
She loves telling stories about the magic that happens in Waldorf classrooms and reflects fondly on her experiences telling stories to first graders, folk dancing with third graders, and hoisting sails with seventh graders. Meredith has been promoting Waldorf Education since starting her blog, A Waldorf Journey, in 2010.
Meredith is the proud parent of three incredible Waldorf alums, and in her free time, she loves to knit, watch football (Go Ducks!), and throw the ball for her canine bestie, Walter.
Meredith Floyd-Preston
Marketing & Communications Director
mfloydpreston@cedarwoodschool.org
Brandon Bednarek
Events Coordinator
bbednarek@cedarwoodschool.org
Nanni Richardson
Extended Day, After School Programs, and Camps Coordinator
nrichardson@cedarwoodschool.org
Meghan grew up surrounded by the beautiful forests and neighborhoods of Portland. In their spare time they love to travel, read science fiction novels and spend time with their dog as well as paint traditional watercolor pieces, digital portraiture and create textile sculptures. They aspire to be as good at singing as our Early Childhood students.
Recently hailing from work in hospitality and volunteer coordination Meghan is someone who values integrity, compassion, creativity, personal honesty, and high investment in people. They are excited to join and help grow the Cedarwood Waldorf community!
Meghan Keener
Office Manager
mkeener@cedarwoodschool.org
Maria José Cordera
Office Assistant
mjcordero@cedarwoodschool.org
Since 2006, Jeremy Smith has been the caretaker at Cedarwood. Transplanted from his native Iowa, where he illustrated graphic novels for years, he settled in Portland with his husband and two cats and immediately began steadily maintaining and improving the school’s beautiful, historic building, earning a BA in Graphic Design from Portland State along the way. In 2014, he transitioned into the role of Facilities Manager.
Jeremy knows every square inch of the building, most of its history, and where everything is stored. If you need him, you may find him anywhere in the building but he hangs his hat in the Blue House. History of all stripes, camping not too far from civilization, observing the odd-in-the-everyday, visiting small quirky museums, and engaging in artful wordplay are among his interests.
Jeremy Smith
Facilities Manager
jsmith@cedarwoodschool.org