We are pleased to welcome back to all of our wonderful returning faculty members, with a special welcome to new faculty. Ten enthusiastic and inspired teachers who have joined the faculty this year: Erika Rosendale, Jenne Wood-Taylor, Katrina Leni-Konig, Kristin Gustavson, Michelle Beske, Nicholas Cabassa, Nicole Culbertson, Prema Gammons, Saki Tamao and Sara Sobkoviak will be educating students in the areas of middle school and high school mathematics, science, art, Spanish, dance, history, preschool/kindergarten and fourth grade. 
Alumna Erika Rosendale (’05), an accomplished artist, is teaching middle school art and two high school art classes. Some may know Rosendale from the Ramayana!, as she co-directed the production in 2014. Rosendale graduated from Boston University of Fine Arts in 2009 with a B.F.A. in visual arts, painting. She has several public art displays, both in Boston and Santa Cruz, and has exhibited works at multiple locations in both areas. Her other project is the family plant nursery and sculpture gallery, Sierra Azul Nursery and Gardens, open to the public and specializing in xeriscape designs and outdoor art exhibitions. ‘Creative young people are what the world desperately needs,’ commented Rosendale. ‘Visual art isn’t just about making stuff for a product for purchase or entertainment. It’s about the often challenging process of expressing something and learning to use our eyes to their fullest ability. Whether a student wishes to continue practicing studio art or not, the appreciation for the craft and awareness of perception will carry them through a richer life. Creativity is our nature, to deny its force within us is to deny our own souls.’
Her hobbies include biking, trail running, dancing, plants and landscaping, fire-spinning, ‘dabbling’ with the piano, plus a new meditative undertaking, the Native American flute.
Teaching high school Spanish is Jenne Wood-Taylor. Wood-Taylor graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Ripon College, with two B.A.’s, one in English and one in Spanish, and earned a Master’s of Spanish, magna cum laude, from Middlebury College. Her experience includes two years teaching Spanish in Madison, Wisconsin. ‘Spanish opens up another set of possibilities for understanding, expression, and communication,’ shared Wood-Taylor. ‘It has allowed me to think about and feel the world differently, and I’m so excited to share that with students. I’m also looking forward to learning together about the current Latino immigrant experience in the U.S. and the ever-growing importance of speaking Spanish for understanding and community transformation.’
Wood-Taylor’s other interests include running, Capoeira, travel and engaging in community organizing.
Katrina Leni-Konig is teaching sixth and seventh grade math and science. Leni-Konig earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly). She is currently working on coursework for a master’s degree in sustainability and environmental management through the Harvard Extension School at Harvard University and has completed three modules in Waldorf teacher training and another on biodynamic beekeeping. Leni-Konig was the program coordinator and a teacher of Cal Poly’s summer Mechanical Engineering Energy Institute. She is excited to share her love of science and math with students using the natural environment as a laboratory. ‘I am incredibly excited about the opportunity to teach at MMS because I believe in their mission to support each student’s development by going beyond academic excellence to cultivating the desire and ability to lead fulfilling lives,’ shared Leni-Konig. ‘On campus you can witness the quality relationships and the deep commitment to community and service to society that supports this mission. As a math and science teacher, I couldn’t ask for a more incredible learning environment. We have a unique outdoor environment to explore for developing the naturalist in each student which is so critical to this generation. I look forward to witnessing the wonder in students’ eyes, building their confidence to face challenging problems, and engaging them in meaningful projects to fuel their curiosity and passion.’
When she’s not teaching, Leni-Konig said she enjoys ‘getting my hands dirty’ developing her family homestead with small building projects and caring for the family’s animals, bees, garden, and fruit trees. Her other interests include dance, aerial silks, sculpture and yoga.
Kristin Gustavson is teaching Algebra II and Geometry Honors. Gustavson attended Harvey Mudd College for two years, where she studied applied mathematics (including coursework in calculus, linear algebra, differential and partial differential equations, probability and discrete mathematics). She holds a B.A. with distinction in international relations and an M.A. in Russian and east European studies from Stanford University. Her previous experience includes working as a foreign service officer for the U.S. Department of State; a research assistant at Stanford’s Hoover Insttitution; a tutor, translator, vocal coach and a piano teacher. She is fluent in French and Russian and conversational in Arabic, German and Polish.
“I enjoy teaching because I love to help students grasp new concepts and connect them to other things they already know or are currently learning,’ said Gustavson. “I am honored to be teaching at Mount Madonna because the school emphasizes so many important things beyond academics: critical and creative thinking, the arts, nature and the environment, and service to society. Mount Madonna demonstrates a cross-disciplinary approach to learning, integrating creative self-expression into all facets of academic and experiential learning for positive character development.
‘As a substitute last year, I was delighted to experience the warm, supportive, nurturing environment Mount Madonna provides, not only for students but also for faculty. Several of the early founders are still teaching at Mount Madonna, and the fact that so many alumni have returned to teach here clearly shows that the students value the education they received here and want to make sure future generations will continue to enjoy similar opportunities. I look forward to sharing my math skills as well as my love of music and languages with the Mount Madonna community.”
Michelle Beske is teaching middle school history and sixth grade English. She has a B.A. with a diversified major and English emphasis from the University of La Verne, along with a Cross-cultural Language and Academic Development (CLAD) Certificate, a multiple subjects teaching credential and a supplemental English credential.Beske has more than 15 years teaching experience in public and private schools, and most recently served as a Reading Intervention Teacher at Paradise Valley Elementary School in Morgan Hill. Prior to that she taught fifth grade at Oakwood School in Morgan Hill. Her experience includes teaching middle school language arts, social studies, math, science, creative writing and reading in schools in Palo Alto, South San Francisco and Arcadia, California. Additionally, her experience includes five summers of working with the National Writing Project (NWP) and a year teaching in Helsinki, Finland, through the Fulbright Fellowship teacher exchange program.
‘I feel so much gratitude for every one of my teaching experiences,’ Beske commented. ‘I have been extremely fortunate since my very first teaching job in 1994, having taught in some truly great schools, with inspiring and talented teachers and wonderful students. Mount Madonna School, however, comes very close to the school I would personally create if I could develop ‘the ideal school’.’
When she’s not teaching, Beske enjoys reading (‘I devour books’), immersing herself in nature, visiting the beach, travel, animals (including her many family pets) and spending time with her sons and husband.
Nicholas ‘Nick’ Cabassa is teaching fourth grade. Cabassa has a B.A. in liberal studies with an emphasis in elementary education from San Jose State University and an M.A. in the art of teaching, with a specialization in teaching best practices from National University. He has completed teacher training courses in computer applications, technology and online homework programming, creating online coursework and developmental math and English study skills. Cabassa has eight years teaching experience, including three years teaching in private elementary schools and five years teaching college math and English.‘Fourth grade is a fun grade to teach because the students are old enough to be independent and also have a love and enthusiasm for learning and school,’ commented Cabassa. ‘I am a passionate educator who understands the importance of early childhood education, and I love the idea of being part of raising the next generation of thinkers and leaders.’
In his spare time, Cabassa enjoys music, and plays multiple instruments including guitar, violin (fiddle), mandolin and piano (‘If it has strings, I will try to play it!’) He’s an avid tennis player and has been playing with the United States Tennis Association for many years. He enjoys basketball, football, golf and spending time outdoors.
‘I grew up in Morgan Hill and often hiked in the backwoods of Uvas Canyon County Park as an adolescent,’ he said. ‘I am looking forward to getting to know the trails here at Mount Madonna and exploring the beautiful forest that surrounds us.’
Nicole Silva Culbertson will teach high school biology, oceanography, marine biology and Science with Humanity. Culbertson studied biology at Tulane University and graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz, with a B.A. in biology and psychology and an M.A. in education. She has ten years teaching experience and assisted in the development, organization and leadership of the Monterey Junior Lifeguard Program. “I love teaching science because it allows students to explore the world around them,’ said Culbertson. ‘Science lends itself to asking the big questions: how, why, and what, and I feel fortunate to take that journey with students as they make new discoveries. Mount Madonna is in such a beautiful natural setting and I look forward to teaching students in an environment so conducive to the learning process.”
In her free time, Culbertson enjoys soccer, running, reading, traveling, and playing with her three children and two Labradors.
Returning to her roots: Prema Gammons attended MMS as a preschool and kindergarten student years ago and this year is teaching in the preschool-kindergarten program! From 2001 to 2003 Gammons worked at MMS as a Pre/K teacher’s aide and last year she coordinated the annual Summit for the Planet walk-a-thon and celebration. Gammons has a B.A. in early childhood education from Naropa University. She has taught preschool through the federal Head Start program in Boulder, Colorado and worked in Nicaragua with a UNICEF-affiliated organization to implement a preschool program for local children. She earned a multiple-subject teaching credential from California State University, Monterey Bay and has taught first and third grades in Salinas. Most recently, Gammons coordinated a vocational child development program for high school students in east San Jose.
‘I consider it a privilege to work with young children and witness their new experiences,’ she shared. ‘They are such a cheerful reminder to be in the present and stay kind. I am excited to be teaching in the MMS preschool-kindergarten because this program nurtures the special period of early childhood while supporting each child’s unique developmental path. Spending a day with children is always a joyful experience.”
Gammons also enjoys hiking, reading and baking. She loves to travel whenever the opportunity arises.
Creative performer Saki Tamao will teach middle school dance classes. These classes will be taught separately from the preparation for the middle school winter play and Ramayana!. Tamao has worked previously with MMS in different capacities. She is director of dance for WEST Theatre in Santa Cruz. Tamao is STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) -trained and is interested in the intersection of mathematics and dance. She will serve as an advisor to our STEAM team for the sixth and seventh grade math lab programs. Tamao has a B.F.A. in modern dance and graduated on the Dean’s List from the University of Utah. She is a circus artist, ArtSmart manager, instructor and dancer with Tandy Beal & Company. Her previous experience includes performing with the Pickle Family Circus. She trained for ten years with the Dr. Schaffer and Mr. Stern Dance Ensemble as a math dance teaching artist for all ages, kindergarten through adult.
“Teaching dance, movement and choreography is an opportunity to build a positive community of playful, respectful, art-loving, creative human beings!,’ said Tamao. ‘I have always loved the floating-in-the-clouds feeling of the Mount Madonna campus since I first stepped foot here in 2006 as the middle and high school dance instructor and a top volleyball fan. Performing is still my passion, but when not onstage I can be found backstage, in the Hawaiian and Brazilian waters, knitting, cooking and up-side-down tumbling around in various gymnastics gyms around the coast.”
Sara Sobkoviak is teaching middle school Spanish. Sobkoviak’s experience includes several years at a start-up charter school where she built a Spanish program from scratch, Spanish I through AP Spanish. In the process, her students achieved fluency in the language when she took them on a two-month tour of Costa Rica. She has worked around the world, teaching Spanish in several orphanages. Sobkoviak has a B.S. in mass media communications from Oral Roberts University and a certificate in Spanish Language and Culture through the Costa Rican Language Academy. She is an avid traveler and student of the music, art, celebrations, and food of Spanish-speaking countries. ‘I am so honored and excited to have this opportunity to share my knowledge of the Spanish language and culture,’ commented Sobkoviak. ‘From a very early age I have been interested in the uniqueness and diversity of our world and have challenged myself to continually learn and discover it, whether that be through travel, extended learning and by building relationships. I hope to impart that desire to the students at MMS, developing an interest in not just the Spanish language, but the history, art and most importantly, the people!’
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Contact: Leigh Ann Clifton, Director of Marketing & Communications,
Nestled among the redwoods on 355 mountaintop acres, Mount Madonna is a safe and nurturing college-preparatory school that supports students in becoming caring, self-aware and articulate critical thinkers, who are prepared to meet challenges with perseverance, creativity and integrity. The CAIS and WASC accredited program emphasizes academic excellence, creative self-expression and positive character development. Located on Summit Road between Gilroy and Watsonville.
