Golden Bridges School educates students led by inspired and creative teachers. 
Our teachers share the vision and a passionate commitment to an education that is transformative.
Collectively we strive to harmonize the physical, emotional, and intellectual life of each child as we equip
​our students with the tools to become free-thinking, moral human beings. 

All of our employees are asked to actively pursue and practice anti-racism, personal improvement,
​and service to the school's mission, bringing energy and excitement to serve all students, faculty, and families.

Administration
Golden Bridges School is independently incorporated and self-administered. The Administration is responsible for finance, development, business matters, enrollment, and communication. The Steering Committee, comprised of teachers and administrators, is responsible for all aspects of student life including the hiring and evaluation of teachers, admissions,
academic standards, pedagogy, and curriculum.

Jessie Elliot

Co-Founder, ​
​Director of Development, She/Her

Jessie is a Waldorf-trained teacher and professional administrator who brings a passion for weaving practicality and spirituality into every facet of the school life.  As a founder, Jessie has participated in the development of the administrative and governing bodies of the school.  Jessie has one child at Golden Bridges School and one child at the San Francisco Waldorf High School.  ​

Hebrew / עִברִית

Maria Favata

Director of Business Operations
She/Her

Maria uses her business skills to improve systems and processes, especially within organizations she believes in. She specializes in swooping into new environments, learning the ins and outs, and optimizing and improving processes and systems. Her love of learning, instilled in her by her immigrant parents, who emphasized and prioritized education throughout her upbringing, drives her professional and personal growth. 
As a native New Yorker, she adopted the Bay Area as her home. On weekends, she loves to hike and be outdoors. Maria fosters and rescues dogs in her spare time with local shelters and organizations.

Lyssa Beshears

Pedagogical Director
She/Her

Lyssa brings a lifetime of experience as a student of Waldorf education herself. She attended the East Bay and San Francisco Waldorf schools. She holds a BA in Geology from Occidental College, an MS in Geological Sciences from Ohio University, and her Waldorf teaching credential from Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training. She holds numerous certificates in Social Justice training through RISE Center for Social Justice at San Francisco University.  Lyssa has worked as a Waldorf early childhood and grades teacher, and in death care. She has three teenage children attending high schools around the Bay. Lyssa loves hiking, camping, gardening, crafting, singing in her husband's band, and being a proud Oaklander, where she lives on unceded Ohlone Huichin land with her family and their three cats.
​
German / Deutsch

Andrea Regjo

Enrollment Manager
She/Her

Andrea Regjo is a Golden Bridges School mama and San Francisco native. As Enrollment Manager, Andrea’s superpower is building relationships and expanding the GBS community with prospective families. She’s always willing to lend a hand and problem-solve. She hugs generously, isn’t afraid to cry, and loves to have a night out dancing. 


Spanish / Español

Early Childhood Faculty
Our Early Childhood teachers support our children to feel nurtured, protected, and secure in a rhythm of predictable activities and loving interactions. As Waldorf trained educators, we strive to meet the unique developmental needs, capacities, and cultural backgrounds of each child. We believe play is the “true work” of the young child. Our teachers support active, creative, imaginative, unstructured play as a way of experiencing and understanding the world.

Justine Costerouse

Jess Buslach

Shirene Massarweh

Co-Founder, Preschool Teacher She/They

Justine is a 3rd generation, native San Franciscan. Before becoming a Waldorf teacher, Justine studied philosophy at San Francisco State University and practiced homeopathy.  She is the mother of a 23-year-old, non-binary child, who inspired her discovery of Waldorf education. Justine graduated from Rudolf Steiner College in 2008 with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education. Prior to helping found Golden Bridges, she worked at the SF Waldorf School for ten years. Her passions, include dance, gardening and knitting, and Golden Bridges School, where she gets to do all of the above! ​

Lesley MacDonald

Kindergarten Teacher
She/Her

Lesley grew up near Yosemite National Park and studied theatre at the University of California Santa Cruz. She received her Waldorf Grades training certificate from Rudolf Steiner College and taught at the Davis Waldorf School, taking her class from 1st-4th grade. Life then brought Lesley to San Francisco and Golden Bridges, to teach in both aftercare and Kindergarten since 2017. ​

Pippyn Carney

ECE Assistant
& Grades Substitute

Growing up in the mountains and rivers of Grass Valley, CA, Pippyn found a love for nature at a young age. Now residing in the beautiful city of San Francisco, she attends San Francisco State University, where she is completing her BA in psychology. She plans to earn an MFT and begin her dream career as a Child and Adolescent Therapist with a private practice, and a farm with animals! She has two years of experience working in public schools with special needs programs in Santa Barbara, and is passionate about children's health, happiness and bright futures. ​

Preschool Teacher
​She/Her

Jess was born and raised outside of Seattle. Early in her career she studied cosmetology and worked in salons and spas. After traveling around the U.S. and Central America, Jess gave birth to her daughter Maia, which inspired her Waldorf journey. Jess began working in preschools and started a home daycare inspired by Waldorf and RIE philosophies. When Jess joined GBS aftercare and volunteered at Dandelion Preschool in 2018, she knew she'd found her place in the world. She began Waldorf teacher training and the following year started teaching at Dandelion Preschool. Jess loves going to hot springs, finding new vegan restaurants, and spending time with her daughter Maia, a Golden Bridges student.

Kaori Yamashita

Kindergarten Teacher
They/Them 

Kaori was born in Japan and moved to the U.S. in 1997. They studied creative writing at Bunkyo University and then worked as an astrologer in Tokyo while being involved in organic farming and experimental dance theatre.  Kaori studied Waldorf Early Childhood and World Language Education at Sunbridge Institute. They have taught for twelve years, most recently in New York teaching in Parent-Child Programs, Preschool, and Aftercare, as well as Japanese to Grades 1-5. Kaori is passionate about working with plant dyes and has learned Lakota ceremonies for 20 years. They moved to SF with their son in 2021 with delight!
​
​Japanese / 日本



Fiona Salazar​

Preschool Aftercare Teacher
​She/Her

Fiona was born and raised in Santa Cruz, CA and attended Santa Cruz Waldorf School from kindergarten through high school. She has nurtured children in a variety of settings, including as a nanny, a teacher at a Waldorf Playground, teaching assistant in Waldorf Kindergarten and working as a Special Education Aide. Fiona is passionate about the healing power of foods and connecting with local food sources. She can often be found in her kitchen putting her creative forces to good use! In her spare time, Fiona loves traveling, learning about food and culture and spending time with family and friends.

Preschool Teacher
​She/Her

Shirene grew up in and around San Francisco. She received her BA from the University of Oregon and her Waldorf teacher training certificate in both the early childhood and grades programs from the Bay Area Center of Waldorf Teacher Training. Shirene came to Golden  Bridges in 2016 and has worked in the aftercare, early childhood, and grades. 
​
Arabic/American Sign Language

Jimena Bertschi

Kindergarten Teacher
She/Her

Jimena is a native of Argentina and her greatest love in the world is to observe a child's amazement at discovering something new, especially in nature. As her interest in education deepened, she moved to California in 2015 to pursue Waldorf Teacher Training. Jimena first worked as a Kindergarten assistant and later taught Spanish from 1st to 8th Grade students at the East Bay Waldorf School. In her free time, she enjoys singing, reading, cooking, and hiking.

Spanish / Español

Grades Faculty
​Beginning in First Grade, students have a class teacher who guides their learning for multiple years. Our teachers foster wonder, reverence, attention, curiosity, and confidence to form the solid foundation on which the children build their academic learning. During the daily Main Lesson, teachers provide an in-depth exploration of subjects in blocks of four to six weeks.

Tzila Lowe-Cohen​

Grades Teacher, Class of 2032
​She/Her

Tzila started her Waldorf journey as a student and knew even then that she would find herself back in the classroom as a teacher. A born and raised Oregonian, she loves to be outside and hike, camp and garden anytime she can. She studied Women and Gender Studies at the University of Oregon where she broadened her view and understanding of the complexities and inequalities of the world. Tzila received her Waldorf teaching certificate from Rudolf Steiner College Canada, in Toronto. She loves doing art of many kinds, ranging from embroidery and sewing to ceramics and knitting. She is passionate about the Waldorf philosophy and the way you teach through head, heart and hands, especially through the integration of art and storytelling. 

Christy Bovis

Grades Teacher, Class of 2031
​She/Her​

Christy has passion for fostering language and cultural understanding. She joins GBS after six years in the dynamic world of dual Spanish immersion, teaching grades K-1. Christy holds a BA in Spanish Language and Culture with a minor in Ethnic Studies, and recognizes the importance of embracing diversity and inclusivity in education. She is driven by a profound love of teaching and a sincere desire to make a positive difference in the lives of my students. She strives to create a space where young learners can thrive and develop as compassionate humans. Christy has two girls (Aurora and Nayeli)  and enjoys hiking, camping, cooking, canning, and baking with her family.

​​Spanish / Español

Miel Alegre

​Grades Teacher, Class of 2030 
She/Her ​​

Miel is an avid crafter, chef, and proud collector of folk tales from her homeland, the Philippines. She has a background in educational non-profits and has a graduate degree in Cultural Anthropology from UC Santa Cruz. She is a parent to three children, one of whom is off to college in Iowa. She has worked as a substitute and support teacher in Kindergarten prior to moving into a grades teaching position.   

Tagalog / Filipino​​

Abbie Coburn

Co-Founder, Grades Teacher,
Class of 2029, She/Her

As a school co-founder Ms. Coburn spent her first four years as a teacher in the preschool program and then in the grades.  She then transitioned to support the growing administration as Faculty Chair for four years.  After years of helping advance the GBS vision and mission in all its pieces, Ms. Coburn is thrilled to be back on the grades journey with an incredible class.  She has three children who are part of this community, and a partner whose steadfast support continues to make all this possible. Abbie loves to travel, go for long walks, and burst with laughter.

Jaimee Rungsitiyakorn

Grades Teacher, Class of 2025
​Chair of the College of Teachers 
She/Her

Jaimee was born and raised in San Francisco. She studied Creative Writing at Mills College and completed her Waldorf Grades teacher training at Rudolf Steiner College.  Prior to joining Golden Bridges, she worked in the SF Waldorf School after-school and parenting programs.  Jaimee began teaching at Golden Bridges in 2014 and in that time she has worked with Preschool, Kindergarten, and Grades.  Jaimee has two daughters who attend Urban High School.

Lyssa Beshears

​​Grades Teacher, Class of 2027-28 She/Her

Lyssa brings a lifetime of experience as a student of Waldorf education herself. She attended the East Bay and San Francisco Waldorf schools. She holds a BA in Geology from Occidental College, an MS in Geological Sciences from Ohio University, and her Waldorf teaching credential from Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training. She holds numerous certificates in Social Justice training through RISE Center for Social Justice at San Francisco University.  Lyssa has worked as a Waldorf early childhood and grades teacher, and in death care. She has three teenage children attending high schools around the Bay. Lyssa loves hiking, camping, gardening, crafting, singing in her husband's band, and being a proud Oaklander, where she lives on unceded Ohlone Huichin land with her family and their three cats.
​
German / Deutsch

Niku Bolourchi

Grades Teacher, Class of 2026
She/They

Niku was born and raised in San Francisco, has always loved learning and working with children. She earned her Bachelors in Communicative Disorders at San Francisco State University and began her career as a reading and learning specialist, working for learning centers and schools, and having her own educational center. She recently earned her Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of San Francisco with a focus on Social Justice.  For nearly 20 years, Niku has been working with students from birth through middle school, most recently as a Lead Teacher at My City School.  Niku joined Golden Bridges in 2022 and loves coming to school with her son Teddy every day.

Specialty Teachers
Specialty teachers support the core curriculum taught by class teachers. Subject classes such as Spanish, Music, Farm, and Handwork are taught by specialty teachers with expertise in their subject areas. While Main Lesson provides in-depth exploration of subjects in blocks of four to six weeks, subject classes are taught throughout the year.  

Stephanie Blair

Handwork Teacher
She/Her

Stephanie grew up outside of Philadelphia and Houston, before moving  to San Francisco in 2007 to study Fashion Design at the Art Institute of California. After a few different jobs sewing cases for technology devices, making flower arrangements for a florist, and event planning weddings, she found Golden Bridges in 2017. Starting with aftercare at Dandelion Preschool, then moving to aftercare for the Grades, and then teaching arts and crafts and handwork, she thrives wherever she is needed. Stephanie welcomed her first child in 2021. ​

Beth Powell

Educational Support Teacher
She/Her

Born and raised in the Bay Area, Beth had first her start in the classroom as a teen visiting her mom’s adult ESL class. She holds a BA in Math from San Jose State University and a MA in Transformative Leadership. An early summer job at a tutoring program for students with learning disabilities sparked joy and years later, after exploring other opportunities in the picture framing and semiconductor industries, she returned to education as the director of a company that helped kids learn to read and love math. She has taught in the UC Santa Cruz Extension Educational Therapy program and is now doing what she loves most, working with students directly and helping others support unique learners. In her free time, Beth plays harp and kayaks.
​

Colin Shober

Mathematics, Grades 4-7, Chess Club He/Him

Colin has been coaching and teaching  since 2014. He has been teaching chess since 2017 for The Mechanics Institute and The Berkeley Chess School. He also coaches wrestling at the high school level, giving personal lessons and helping out at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory School. Colin has a B.A. in Psychology from Northwestern University, where he also competed on the wrestling team for four years. He is excited to be sharing his knowledge and insights with the students of Golden Bridges School. 



Natasha Singh

Sexual Literacy & Ethics
She/Her

Natasha has worked in education for 20 years and taught at institutions including Rutgers University and The Collegiate School. She speaks widely on sexual ethics, sexual exploitation, and ending gender-based violence. She works as an educational consultant to schools communities to create curriculum and education that addresses sexual assault prevention, consent, porn literacy, toxic/mindful masculinity and the hyper-sexualization of girls, and healthy relationships.  Natasha co-launched the Consent and Healthy Relationships Assembly, a vital  tool for schools seeking educational dialogue around the prevention of sexual violence. She is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Asha Rising.

Katherine Delafkaran

Music Teacher
She/Her 

​Katherine grew up in Orange County and is a Waldorf graduate herself. After attending San Francisco State University and earning a degree in viola performance, Katherine received her teacher training in Grades at the Rudolf Steiner College in 2015. Katherine graduated her first GBS 8th grade class (Class of 2024) after starting with them in their First Grade year. She now leads the music program.

​

Hawk Creek Farm


​Jenna Frank

Land Steward & Farm Teacher She/Her

Jenna grew up in Massachusetts where she spent time dancing, painting, and exploring coastal tide pools with her brothers and cousins. She received a B.A in Environmental Studies and International Affairs from Skidmore College, where she discovered a passion for outdoor education. Jenna has had the privilege of working with many inspiring farmers in Latin America to support the wellbeing of communities and ecosystems. She is incredibly grateful for spending each day in an urban oasis, building a relationship with the land and sharing meaningful experiences with curious children.
​


​Mel Buslach

Farm & Life Science
They/Them

Born and raised in Seattle, Mel studied publishing arts and photography. They put down roots in California after three years traveling the globe. Mel lived and worked on a farm, where their passion for botany and farm life deepened. Mel moved to Oakland and taught gardening classes and climate change education in several SFUSD schools. As a queer, nonbinary, white person and as an educator, Mel has made it their personal responsibility to unlearn white supremacy, to center People Of Color, to practice anti-racism, and work to dismantle interlocking systems of domination and oppression. ​When they don’t have their hands in the dirt, Mel enjoys spending time in queer community and eating delicious vegan food. 


​Roberta Chavez

Hawk Creek Farm Administrator
​She/Her

Roberta has previously served as Faculty Chair at GBS, co-taught our current 6th grade class last year with Niku Bolourchi, and has been a dedicated parent volunteer at GBS since 2015 (her son Francisco is currently in 7th grade). She is also serving as a School Crisis, Recover4y and Renewal Project Leadership Fellow this 2023-2024 school year. Roberta is excited to bring her previous experiences as an educator and administrator in higher education for 30 years, her work as a dancer and artistic collaborator, and her passion for nature and social justice to this role.

Aftercare

Patti Gelinas

After School Program Director
She/Her

Patti is a dog loving, club juggling mother of two daughters. She has been delivering and administering enrichment and camp programs in SF for over 15 years. In that time she’s coached circus arts classes, managed STEM focused summer camps, and developed new enrichment programming from the ground up. She grew up in Southern Maine where she spent countless hours as a kid exploring the outdoors, peeking under rocks, climbing trees and cruising the neighborhood on her bike (she still loves doing all those activities, btw). She has a degree in Performing Arts from Emerson College and is a Certified Positive Discipline parent educator. She’s excited to continue evolving her understanding of how to support children holistically.

Jenilyn Maglalang

Grades After School Teacher

Hello, my name is Jenilyn, but you can call me Jhen. Jhen is a licensed teacher from the Philippines with a broad teaching experience, ranging from preschool to college. She has also worked as a guidance counselor and supported students with special needs. During the pandemic, Jhen taught English as a Second Language online to other Asian students. She has three daughters and enjoys cooking for her family.

Patrick Smejkal

Substitute After School Teacher

Picture & Bio coming soon...

Wendy Quinteros

Kindergarten After School Teacher 

Carly Pucci

Grades After School Teacher

Having dabbled in many areas of education, Carly has seen a variety of approaches.
Some of her experiences include: teaching English in Mexico and Guatemala; working at her former Waldorf inspired charter school; Working with LandPath’s IOOBY, outdoor education program; and most recently working at WildCare in San Rafael. She understands the value of hands on, experiential learning, project based approaches, and peer led activities.

Carly studied literature, with a concentration in Latin American and Spanish literature, at California University of Santa Cruz, as well as at La Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. She has a love for learning languages and for travel. She has been to 21 countries, and enjoys learning about the endless intricacies of planet earth. In her free time, you can still find her in the waves or in the mountains, surfing, foraging or making art.

Marcel O'Conner

Substitute After School Teacher

Picture & Bio coming soon...

Laura Cohen

Grades After School Teacher 

Laura is a photographer, choreographer, ikebana-ist, educator, musician, performer, and poet, who often incorporates chance operations into a diverse artistic practice. They have been teaching mindfulness and movement to all ages at various YMCA locations since 2015, and working with elementary schoolers through Oakland non-profit, Niroga Institute, since 2018. Last year, Laura collaborated with 4th and 5th graders at Golden Bridges on mandalas and mindfulness techniques and is excited to help create a calm and supportive environment at After Care this year. Their favorite animal is a chicken, but tortoises are quickly becoming a close second. ​