505-820-3188

Faculty & Staff

Rosie Williams

Co-Director, Administration & Admissions; Class Meeting

Darya Glass

Co-Director, Programs; History; Eighth-grade Homeroom; Class Meeting

Hillary Thompson

English Language Arts, Seventh-grade Homeroom

Sandy Hill

Mathematics, Sixth-grade Homeroom

Olivia Carril

Science, PRESERVE

Mireya Schumaker

Spanish

Rebx Berdel

Art

Michelle Holland

Michelle Holland

Poetry,
Poet-in-Residence

Miguel Chavez

Miguel Chavez

New Mexican Wood Carving Project

Staff

Jessica Weybright

Office Administrator

Deanna Einspahr

Bookkeeper

Former Faculty & Staff

Lee Lewin

Co-Founder Former Program Director, 1998-2018

Laura Carver

Co-Founder, 1998-2004

Joan Logghe

Former Poet-in-Residence, 2000-2020

Rebecca Wolle

Former English, Geography, Math Teacher, 2003-2010

Janet Graham

Former Administrative Director, 2004-2015

Will Barnes

Former Science and PRESERVE Teacher, 2003-2014

Gretchen (Peck) Hillman

Former English Teacher, 2010-2015

Shelley Robinson

Former Art Teacher, 2014-2022

Catherine Hathaway

Former English Teacher, 2015-2022

Melissa Miller

Former Mathematics, PRESERVE, 2018-2024

Cathy Caruso

Former Spanish and French Teacher, 2022-2024

Melissa Smith

Former Art Teacher, 2022-2024

Girls school logo in white
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Phone: + 1 (505) 820-3188
Email: [email protected]
310 West Zia Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87505

Member of the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools

© 2024 Santa Fe Girls' School is a federally recognized 501(c) 3 educational non-profit organization.

Rosie Williams

Co-Director, Administration & Admissions; Class Meeting

Rosie holds a bachelor’s degree in education. She nearly 20 years of experience in nonprofit program management and administration, and in experiential and outdoor education facilitation. She also spent years integrating emotional intelligence into school curricula and facilitating leadership trainings. Rosie prioritizes travel whenever possible.

Rosie loves witnessing adolescents on the threshold of young adulthood as they discover how much agency they have over their lives, their identities, and their contributions to their world.

Darya Glass

Co-Director, Programs; History; Eighth-grade Homeroom; Class Meeting

Darya holds a double bachelor’s degree in philosophy and the history of mathematics from St. John’s College. Darya has taught at the Girls’ School since 2008. She is also a self-defense instructor at Resolve. Darya loves getting to read a nonfiction history book.

Darya teaches middle school because in sixth grade, her favorite teacher opened her mind with concepts like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, civil disobedience, and the value of diversity. At eleven years old, Darya said to herself, “If I ever teach this age group, I am going to treat them with respect, knowing they are ready for big ideas.”

Hillary Thompson

English Language Arts, Seventh-grade Homeroom

Hillary holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Hendrix College, and a 6-12 Level II teaching license with endorsements in social studies, language arts, and health. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in English literature from Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English. She loves raising her two small boys in an environment in which they are surrounded by strong, empathetic women. 

Sandy Hill

Mathematics, Sixth-grade Homeroom

Mathematics, Sixth-grade Homeroom.  Sandy Hill holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in education. She has spent the last 30 years teaching middle school students in international schools in Egypt, Singapore, Bangladesh, and Nepal.  She is especially passionate to help middle school age children discover their innate strengths and talents, developing the growth mindset to put them on the path of self-discovery and success. When not teaching, Sandy enjoys jewelry making, painting, and tooling around on her motorcycle on the spectacular country roads.

Olivia Carril

Science & PRESERVE

Olivia has a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in chemistry, and a master’s degree in biology, both from Utah State University. She received her PhD in plant biology from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She has studied pollination ecology for over 20 years, authoring several field guides for native solitary bees. Olivia has taught science at elementary, high school and college levels. She enjoys photography, cooking, and reading.

Olivia says she loves teaching science in middle school because, “I am not done being a kid. I get to share the best parts of being a kid with my students – exploring, hiking, frog catching, experimenting with bubbles, and seeing what happens with different amounts of baking soda in your cupcake batter.”

Mireya Schumaker

Spanish

Mireya Schumaker was raised in Santa Fe, NM. Her parents are from Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, where she spent many summers at her grandmother’s house. Mireya earned a degree in German Language and Literature and Portuguese from UNM. During her time at UNM she traveled and studied in Germany and attended the immersive Deutsche Sommerschule von Neu Mexico in Taos Ski Valley. For the past 11 years, Mireya has focused her career on supporting parents and families in New Mexico, through her work as a nanny, home visitor, trainer through the Institute for Innovative Family Programs, and supporting curriculum development for the First Born and More Program. Mireya enjoys spending time with her supportive husband, curious toddler and baby.

Rebx Berdel

Art

Rebx (ruh-Becks) began their creative journey as a crafty young Girl Scout and editor-in-chief of their high school newspaper. They went on to explore cinema and storytelling while studying film at Columbia College Chicago. After working as a motion graphics designer in Chicago and Los Angeles, Rebx moved to Santa Fe in 2015 and found a whole new career and community as a strength training coach. With a passion for both the Arts and fitness, Rebx has taken on a variety of roles at the Girls’ School since 2019.

Michelle Holland

Poetry, Poet-in-Residence

Michelle retired from a 36-year career, teaching English and Humanities in June 2021.  She has authored two books of poetry, and her poems are included in anthologies, and in print and on-line journals. She spends her time on adventures with her 4-year old granddaughter (daughter of a Girls’ School graduate), training for competitive races, writing, gardening, and hiking in the Sangres and Jemez Mountains. 

Michelle says, “The language of poetry offers a gift and a window. The Santa Fe Girls’ School students are eager for the opportunity, and the whole experience nurtures everyone involved.”

Miguel Chavez

New Mexican Wood Carving Project

Miguel Chavez is a master woodcarver, furniture-maker, and native New Mexican. He was selected in 1991 to create furniture that is part of a permanent collection at the state Capitol. He served as a Santa Fe City Counselor from 2000 to 2012 and a County Commissioner from 2013 to 2016. In addition to furniture-building and hand-making adobes, Miguel enjoys gardening, shopping at thrift stores, and keeping chickens.

Miguel enjoys watching the students learn not only fractions and measurement in Carving, but also patience and perseverance.

Jessica Weybright

Office Administrator

Jessica is proud to bring many years’ experience in both non-profit and for-profit business to the Santa Fe Girls’ School.  Jessica has a bachelor’s degree in art with an environmental studies concentration from Kalamazoo College and is an avid traveler, printmaker and urban sketcher.

Deanna Einspahr

Bookkeeper

Deanna has worked in the non-profit sector for more than 25 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an accounting concentration. Deanna is an avid birdwatcher, loves hiking, biking, and camping. She lives with her husband Rick and usually a dog or two.

Lee Lewin

Co-Founder, Former Program Director (1998-2018)

What I loved most about the Girls’ School was being a part of the growth and changes of our students, from the day they arrived as children, to the day they graduated as powerful and effective young women.  And I love learning what they are doing now with their adult lives, as they move into their careers and build families and communities of their own. 

I loved our dialogues and I loved challenging and being challenged by students, as we explored ideas and patterns.

I loved being part of our community culture which prioritized relationship, without which learning and teaching could not flourish.  I loved our small size which allowed us students and teachers to really know one another.

Like many of our students, I made life-long friends at the Girls’ School.  And I developed skills and aptitudes which have served me well, as I make my way on my post-retirement path.  I work as a Studio Teacher/Welfare Worker in the motion picture industry: this means I’m responsible for the education and welfare of any actor under the age of 18, who is working on set.  I really enjoy this work. I am part of a fascinating industry, and my job demands strong skills as educator and administrator, as well as the ability to navigate complex relationships and competing priorities.  I believe my 20+ years at the Girls’ School gave me the tools I needed to move into this new career.

I continue to stay involved with the Girls’ School as a Trustee.  We have a phenomenal team of faculty and administrators who lead the school with vision, excitement and effectiveness.  I am thrilled to watch, and participate in, the growth of the school as it expands programming, flexes with the changing times and establishes itself as a staple of the Santa Fe community – all while keeping intact its vision, its mission and its philosophy.

And I’m a grandmother!!  I love it.  I am truly privileged and grateful to be a daily part of their lives.

Laura Carver

Co-Founder (1998-2004)

It has been my honor to be a co-founder of The Santa Fe Girls’ School.  Since 1999 the growth and achievements of the school’s students, facility and administration, have been remarkable; commencing with a student body of 12 girls to current day enrollment of nearly 40.  I am proud to support The Santa Fe Girls’ School and its proven academic excellence.

Joan Logghe

Poet-in-Residence (2000-2020)

I retired in 2020 after 20 years as the poet-in-residence at SFGS. Of the many schools I’ve worked in, this was my absolute favorite. From the joyful 6th graders to the questioning 8ths, the quality of the students and staff never failed to amaze me. I miss being with you all but have retired to be next door to my grandkids and make artists books with poems and sketches.

Rebecca Wolle

English, geography, math (2003-2010)

I loved that our school gave us choice
and valued each person’s voice.
These days I can wander,
garden, paint, and grow fonder.
Remembering is a way to live twice.

Janet Graham

Former Administrative Director (2004 - 2015)

Janet Graham began work at SFGS with a previous 30-year teaching/administrative career. She added to this experience working as the Administrative Director at SFGS from 2004-2015. Janet was lucky to have the opportunity to substitute and teach conflict resolution classes during this time as well. Since retiring in 2015, she has stayed active hiking, reading, gardening, painting and traveling. Janet remains connected to SFGS as she works to maintain their grounds/gardens.

Will Barnes

Science and PRESERVE (2003-2014)

What I loved about teaching at the Santa Fe Girls School was the Preserve; and I loved my colleagues; and I loved the girls most of all.

Teaching there was magical.

But now I get to do all the things I once got to teach. I’m working at the New Mexico State Land Office on Climate Change and Conservation Policy. I’m writing all the time, as much as I can. And best of all, I get to be a grandpa to my two awesome grandsons! Feeling very blessed and always grateful for my time at SFGS.

Gretchen (Peck) Hillman

English (2010-2015)

What I loved about teaching at Santa Fe Girls’ School was the small class sizes and the sense of intention in the curriculum and learning process. I loved how daily staff meetings were used to collaborate on cross-curricular projects and to wrap around individual students’ situations and needs. Santa Fe Girls’ School really delivers on the promise to foster individual growth in girls– academically, socially, and emotionally. Being a part of that felt huge and intimate at the same time; it felt like a revolution and it also felt like a family.

I left the Girls’ School to go back to school to become a healthcare provider, something I had dreamed of. Having always excelled at English and the humanities, I wanted to challenge myself to learn math and science, and my students’ fearless knowledge-seeking and skill-seeking

Shelley Robinson

Former Art & PRESERVE teacher, 2014-2022

Shelley holds a bachelor’s degree in studio art from Connecticut College and a master’s degree in printmaking from UNM, as well as training from Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, Washington. She has 15 years’ experience as an arts educator at the Museum of International Folk Art. Shelley is the parent of a Girls’ School graduate. Outside of the classroom, you’ll find Shelley on her bike and in the mountains.

Shelley loves the freedom and flexibility she has at the Girls’ School to collaborate with other teachers across curricula. Art gets incorporated into science, math, history, English, and the poetry program. These collaborations make projects more fun and meaningful for Shelley and her students!

Catherine Hathaway

Former English Language Arts, Seventh-grade Homeroom teacher, 2015-2022

Catherine holds a bachelor’s degree from Duke University with a double major in psychology and studio design, and a K-8 Level II teaching license with endorsements in TESOL and gifted education. She loves to bake, garden, read, bird watch, and hang out with her family, three dogs, and fourteen chickens.

Catherine loves teaching at the Girls’ School because her students are eager learners; they think grammar is interesting and find fun it! They find something to enjoy in every subject.

Melissa Miller

Former Mathematics, PRESERVE, Sixth-grade Homeroom Teacher, 2018-2024

Melissa holds a bachelor’s degree in watershed science from Colorado State University and a master’s degree in soil science from Penn State University. Melissa is also a graduate of the Santa Fe Girls’ School! In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, hiking, and sharing math puns.

Melissa loves that the Girls’ School creates a safe space where girls are freed from worrying about how they are perceived. She appreciates being a part of who her students become as a whole person.

Cathy Caruso

Former Spanish and French Teacher, 2022-2024

Cathy holds a bachelor’s degree in North American Studies from McGill University in Montreal and a Master of Arts in Foreign Language Teaching from the University at Albany.  After a 25+ year career of teaching French and Spanish in upstate New York, she relocated to Santa Fe where she is delighted to have found the perfect way to continue as a language educator.  She loves to travel, hike, read, practice yoga, and spend time with her husband, two dogs and adult daughter.

Melissa Smith

Former Art Teacher, 2022-2024

Melissa earned a BFA in art/painting from The Ohio State University and a master’s degree in visual arts administration from Bank Street College of Education in New York. She has taught art for 23 years and holds a K-12 Level III teaching license in visual art. Besides making art, she enjoys reading, gardening, yoga, and spending time with her husband, grown children and dog, Grace.