Directory

Melanie holds a doctorate in School Psychology and a Master of Science in Counseling from the University of Utah. Prior to being the Lower School Head at Waterford, Melanie held several positions at the McGillis School including Associate Head of School and School Psychologist.  Melanie and her husband Michael moved to Salt Lake City 28 years ago to pursue their educational goals. In addition to appreciating the natural beauty of the mountains as a place to feed her passion for the outdoors, she and Michael quickly realized that Utah was the perfect place to raise a family. Melanie and Michael are proud Waterford School parents of Benjamin ’17, Nathaniel, ’19 and Carolina ’21.

Greg Miles has been with Waterford School since 2004. Prior to Waterford, he worked for Deloitte and for a pharmaceutical company. Greg received his Bachelors & Masters degrees from BYU’s Marriott School of Management, his Masters Degree in Business Accounting from BYU, and he is a licensed CPA. He coaches Middle School basketball at Waterford and hopes to someday become a head coach or player in the NBA. Greg was born in Germany in the 70s, lived in South Korea in the 80s, and volunteered for a church mission in Canada in the 90s. He volunteers as a Boy Scout leader and spends his free time with his four children and his sweet wife, Nicole. Greg loves being part of the Waterford community and enjoys getting to know other Waterford parents.

 

Amanda Apple joined Waterford School in early 2018. She hails from New Jersey where she attended Blair Academy. She then moved to the mountains of Vermont to receive her BA from Middlebury College while getting her first real taste for the outdoors. After graduating, she spent over a decade living in Brooklyn, NY marketing for the fashion industry, but continued to feel the pull for the outdoors--particularly once she started a family. When they relocated to Salt Lake City in 2015, she spent 2 years building up the marketing department for a local fashion and furniture company, but with her second son decided to reset one more time. She is thrilled to now be at the same school as her oldest son and back in the liberal arts fold.

Amanda, her husband, two young boys, and a pitbull named Halley live near the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon. They can be found skiing when there is snow, and camping or diving into frigid alpine lakes when there is not. 

Casey O'Malley grew up in Minnesota and moved to New York City to attend Columbia University, where she double majored in English and Russian Language. While an undergrad, she studied abroad in Moscow, Russia, and was the captain of the Columbia University Sailing Team. Casey moved to Utah after graduating and has been at Waterford ever since. She completed her master's degree in school leadership from Vanderbilt University in the summer of 2018. 

Casey loves to backcountry ski in the winter and hike and garden in the summer. 

Sari Rauscher, the Director of College Counseling at the Waterford School, earned her BA at Dartmouth College in Government, where she also competed as a two-time NCAA All-American in Alpine Skiing. She has gained college counseling expertise through the Harvard Summer Admissions Institute, annual professional development conferences, and working with hundreds of talented Waterford students. She has visited over 50 colleges and admission offices in her fifteen years of college counseling at Waterford. Sari has served as a National Delegate for the National College Admissions Association (NACAC) as well as on the Board of the Rocky Mountain Association of College Admissions Counseling. She currently serves as Chair of the Utah RMACAC College Fair. Sari began at Waterford in 1998 as part-time ski coach, while doing post-grad pre-medical coursework, and soon started teaching Senior English electives and Class X Writing Colloquium. She liked it so much she stayed, coaching, teaching PE, English electives and ancient history, and serving as community service advisor and college counselor. She became Director of College Counseling in 2004. She enjoys a good read about U.S. history and explorers, and has recently taken courses in Contemporary China and India. She enjoys hearing from Waterford alumni, and staying up to date on interesting new opportunities in higher education and careers. She enjoys outdoor adventures with students, and makes time for hiking, mountain biking, running, and skiing with her husband and two daughters, current Waterford students. She is a fan of Waterford sports teams, and especially Waterford Ballet, Music and Theater programs.

Ann joined the Waterford School's Office of Advancement in 2019 as the Director of Waterford Fund and Alumni Relations. Prior to Waterford, Ann worked in the Institutional Advancement Office at Westminster College for 13 years where she most recently served as the Director of Research, Strategy and Management. She also received masters degrees in teaching and education from Westminster. Prior to her work at Westminster, Ann worked in the Institutional Advancement Office at Utah State University. 

In her spare time, Ann enjoys volunteering in the community for organizations such as Girl Scouts of Utah, the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement, and the Junior League of Salt Lake City. Originally from the Jersey coast, Ann lives in Salt Lake with her husband, Morgan, two daughters, Abby and Lilly, and their two dogs, Rosie and Teddy.

Kent grew up in Kansas City and Dallas, and attended St. Mark’s School of Texas. He has loved foreign languages and geography all his life and is always scheming to see a new place or learn a new tongue. He earned degrees in French and Linguistics at BYU and a graduate certificate in Educational Leadership from the University of New England. Kent worked at Waterford from 1992 to 2010, teaching French and Spanish and coaching basketball and soccer.. He also worked for twelve of those years at Waterford institute, where he wrote songs to teach math and science. In 2010 he and his fantastic wife, Tracie left Waterford to work seven years at an international boarding school in Switzerland. They then moved to Miami in 2017, where Kent served as Head of School for two years at a wonderful private elementary. After nearly a decade away, he returns now to his beloved Waterford in a new role and is excited to help the school continue to grow and move forward.

Kent and Tracie have four grown children, all of whom attended Waterford. Kent loves to hike, run, cycle, watch sports and play with his grandchildren. He also enjoys the chance study and understand about everything — except shopping, which gives him the shivers.

TJ Smith has been with Waterford for 29 years working in the Business Office as the Accounts Payable and Payroll Clerk.  She studied accounting at Ricks College for 2 years and received her associates degree.  She was then off to a Church service mission in Argentina.  Upon her return she went to BYU and studied accounting for one year and then changed majors to bilingual education. She loves numbers and the Spanish language.  In her spare time she enjoys water aerobics, paint by numbers, reading, music and home projects with her husband.  She is mother to two grown children and is now just waiting for those grand babies.  

Susan Banks, PreK-4 lead teacher, is a graduate of Utah State University where she earned a BS in Early Childhood Education with a minor in music. While doing graduate study at Utah State University in Family Human Development, Susan was a head teacher in the Adele & Dale Young Child Development Lab for three years. Her responsibilities included supervising and working closely with student teachers and practicum students who were majoring in early childhood education, as well as teaching 4-5 year old children and working with their parents. Susan also taught undergraduate early childhood development courses for USU at their Logan campus and at the Salt Lake's Regional campus. Susan began teaching PreK 3's and PreK 4's at The Waterford School in 1994. In 2010 she joined the Kindergarten team and rejoined PreK-4 in 2020. Susan was recognized with the Waterford Educator Prize in 2015. Susan enjoys cooking, photography, and spending time with family, particularly on the family ranch in Idaho.

Michelle Curtis has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Utah with emphases in Psychology and English. Her undergraduate study also included language study in Latin. Michelle is a licensed Social Service Worker (SSW) with significant experience in mental health therapy, social work practice, social welfare policy, and human growth development. Her social service has included crisis and hospital intervention at the Rape Crisis Center in Salt Lake City, and counseling, advocacy, and long-term support for rape victims and their families. In her capacity as a Social Worker, Michelle has helped assess foster care visits, foster hearings, investigations, custody evaluations, home studies, and handicapped visits. On behalf of individuals and families, she has also attended hearings on case reviews and evaluations and has completed home studies for interstate compact custody evaluations. Michelle’s initial experience as a teacher bridged her work in education with her experience in social work.

She began her teaching career as a teacher of Intervention Drug Courses at Jordan School District (for which she also wrote the curriculum). Michelle taught parents and students in courses required as a result of students’ drug use, possession of drug paraphernalia, and/or distribution of drugs. Topics covered included drug education for parents, penalties and the law, self-respect, self-control, personal responsibility, and the physiological effects of drugs on individual perspective and choice.

Since 1996, Michelle has been a teacher at the Waterford School where she initially taught Latin in 4th- 6th grades and American History for 7th grade. Michelle also taught English as Independent Study courses to Middle and Upper School students in need of Special Topics and/or remedial support in that subject. In Waterford’s early years, Michelle served as a long-term substitute counselor in the Counseling Department. She has also been recommended as a math tutor to Middle and Upper School students who have needed support and remediation. For the last 12 years, Michelle has been a Class V Lower School teacher. In that capacity, she has developed advanced curriculum in Writing, English, and Mathematics, as well as curriculum in character education and study skills. Michelle has collaborated on the development of Waterford’s fifth-grade-level grammar units and has worked yearly on the development of standards that enable the smooth transition of Lower School students into Middle School, especially in math. Michelle loves to read fiction and history, and her hobbies include running, hiking, playing the cello, and participating in soccer and kick-ball leagues. She is known for her championship trophies in kick-ball, her Ninja videos, and her fantastic desserts and rolls.

Juli Dalton, PreK-3 teacher, has completed four years of undergraduate study with a focus in early childhood development at the University of Utah. Prior to her arrival at Waterford, Mrs. Dalton enjoyed tutoring math and teaching various children’s classes for Granite School District’s Continuing Education program while starting her family. Mrs. Dalton also taught and designed curriculum for 3 years at WhisperCreek Preschool. In 2005, Juli began assisting in the Kindergarten reading program at Waterford, then added math and reading tutoring to her responsibilities a few years later. In addition to tutoring during summer term, Mrs. Dalton teaches two camps for students at Waterford: ABC camp and Books and Cooks camp. In 2012, Mrs. Dalton was asked to create and teach the enrichment afternoon class for the full-day Pre-K students and continues to do this. Mrs. Dalton involves herself with family, enjoying hiking, skiing and other community activities. Her personal hobbies include gardening and cooking. Mrs. Dalton has and currently serves in church administrative and teaching responsibilities.

Sheri Kovacs wanted to be a teacher from the time she was a young girl. With the help of a scholarship and a part-time job, she entered Brigham Young University, completing her bachelor’s degree in three years, proud to be the first college graduate in her family. She married shortly after graduation, and began her first teaching contract on her twenty-first birthday. Following two years of teaching first grade in Alpine School District, Sheri retired and moved with her husband to California, where their first son was born. Shortly afterward, they returned to Utah, and Sheri to teaching, this time in third grade in Alpine School District. Following the birth of her second son, she co-wrote the proposal for and was a part of the pilot program for job-sharing in second grade in the Alpine District. When the Kovacs family moved to Sandy, Sheri was employed in the Jordan School District, teaching first grade for one year, and then third grade for seven years. Her career at Waterford began in the school year of 1998-1999, and she has enjoyed teaching Class II since that time. She loves Class II students and their parents, the Class II curriculum, and interacting with her colleagues. She has served as a Lead Teacher and was the recipient of the Waterford Educator Prize in 2012. In the course of her career, Sheri has taught more than 800 students. If asked, she will tell you that she plans to teach until she is 94. Sheri has enjoyed attending conferences, with special interest in math, reading and phonics, and learning about the brain. In her out of school hours, she is involved in her church, volunteered in an addiction recovery program, and loves to read, bake, and play with her grandchildren. During the summer, she enjoys going to the neighborhood pool daily and going to the beach as often as the opportunity presents itself. Currently, Sheri resides in South Jordan with her husband. Their family includes their two sons, a daughter-in-law, and two beautiful grandchildren. Sheri considers her family to be her most important accomplishment.

Shannon Lechner is a Maryland native who moved to Utah to continue her love for teaching. She received her B.S. in Rehabilitation and Human Services from The
Pennsylvania State University and played for their Division 1 Women’s lacrosse team. After graduating in 2014, Shannon continued her passion for education and lacrosse overseas at The University of Exeter in Devon, England. She was awarded a full-scholarship to coach and play for the Exeter lacrosse team, while earning her Master’s Degree in Education. Her M.A. studies focused on educational learning through technology, creativity, and thinking strategies. After her time abroad, Shannon began her teaching career at The Landon School, an all-boys school in Bethesda, MD. While at Landon, Shannon served as a third and fourth-grade homeroom teacher, head coach of the fifth-grade soccer and lacrosse teams, and was a mentor for all Lower School boys in and out of the classroom. She also was a member of the Social Emotional Learning (S.E.L.) committee and has attended the Lucy Calkins Writing Institute at Columbia University and Project Zero Conference at The Washington International School. During her free time, Shannon enjoys spending time outdoors. Whether it’s hiking a mountain or relaxing at the beach, you will always find her embracing nature. Being from the east coast, she is most excited about learning how to ski! Shannon is excited about this next chapter, both at Waterford and in enjoying new experiences exploring the beauty of Utah.

Betty grew up in Salt Lake City with 4 sisters.  She enjoyed catching pollywogs, playing kick the can, swinging on the playset, and being outdoors.

She graduated from West High School and attended the University of Utah, majoring in Elementary Education with a minor in Fine Arts. She began her teaching career teaching first grade in Fillmore, UT.  After two years, she moved to Orem, UT, and taught for three years where she met Nancy Hueston.  She was the first teacher hired to teach on the Sandy campus.

She lives in West Jordan where she enjoys gardening, knitting, being outdoors, and reading.

JoAnne Price grew up in West Lafayette, Indiana. She headed west to earn a Bachelor of Science degree from Utah State University in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education, after which she studied for two years at Brigham Young University in the Early Childhood Education Masters Degree program. She was a lead teacher in the Child Development Laboratory School there, where she taught 3-5 year old students and interfaced with parents and other instructors. She was responsible to supervise and instruct undergraduate students who were majoring in early childhood education.

JoAnne taught Kindergarten in public schools in Alpine and Jordan School Districts for a total of 6 years, joining the Kindergarten team at The Waterford School in 2005. In 2014 she took a leave of absence to teach in a one room school house in Amish country of central Ohio, a life-changing experience. 

The mother of four children, JoAnne enjoys volunteering, working out, college football, reading, and traveling. She and her husband Jeff love spending time with their children and grandchildren, preferably out of doors.

Lori Qian holds a BA in Anthropology with a minor in Philosophy, and an MA in Applied Linguistics, both from the University of Illinois. She has completed graduate coursework at Columbia University in Literacy Instruction and has earned her Teaching Certification as well as her Advanced School Leadership certification from The College of New Jersey’s Global Program in Mallorca, Spain. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Educational Leadership & Literacy at Utah State University. 

Lori began her teaching career as an ESL Instructor in Chicago. Since then, she has taught elementary homeroom, as well as middle and upper school Literature, Writing, and ESL. She has also taught writing courses in the English department at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has served in a variety of school leadership positions, particularly in curriculum and instructional strategies, and most recently taught grade 3 at the American International School of Guangzhou, where she also served as a Literacy & Instructional Strategies coach. Lori  enjoys writing and has published several articles, as well as a book. 

Lori and her husband, William, are the very proud parents of three children: Abraham (17), Annabelle (16), and Alex (14). The family spent 10 years living in Guangzhou, China and moved to Alpine, Utah in 2018. Spending time with her family, watching movies, being outside, and seeing her kids participate in things they love are some of her favorite past times. Lori has enjoyed getting to know the Waterford community and loves being a part of the Lower School faculty.

Sam Sather Brogna earned her Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Westminster College. Prior to her graduate studies, she received her undergraduate degrees from the University of Utah and the San Francisco College of Arts and Crafts.

As a lifelong learner, Sam has served in a variety of schools and classrooms. She began her teaching career at Soaring Wings International Montessori School and has spent the last decade dedicating herself to becoming a highly-skilled teacher. Before coming to Waterford, Sam most recently taught Kindergarten at The McGillis School and was the Outdoor Education Supervisor for Rowland Hall Independent School. 

Sam’s heart is with education that fosters independence, creativity, critical thinking and most importantly, a love of learning. She feels deep gratitude for the opportunity to teach Class I at Waterford and to be a part of this phenomenal community. 

Witnessing the ah-ha moments and recognizing that children are natural scientists and artists, she is inspired daily by the joy that curiosity and discovery brings to her student’s lives. When she’s not in the classroom, Sam finds every possible chance to get outdoors and take advantage of this beautiful world! She also enjoys reading, watching films, and sharing a meal with family and friends. 

Brittany Smith, Class IV Teacher, graduated with her B.S. in Elementary Education from Brigham Young University and M.Ed. from Utah State University. She taught grades 1, 2, 4, and 6 in Utah’s public school system then moved to California and taught grade 5 for 7 years in San Jose. She has been teaching Class IV at Waterford since the fall of 2010. Brittany really enjoyed teaching from the “Step Up to Writing” program in San Jose and was able to share this writing structure with Waterford. She attended a “Step Up to Writing” conference in Texas. Upon returning, she trained administrators and Kindergarten through 5th grade teachers in this program. She currently organizes Waterford’s Early Morning Service Program which provides an opportunity for students in Classes IV and V to serve in many areas around the school each morning. Brittany loves to learn, serve, and travel. Some highlights for her were traveling to Honduras, El Salvador, Peru, and China to do humanitarian work. She enjoys American history and has traveled to many significant U.S. sites. Brittany plays the piano and relishes reading historical fiction books. She has loved learning more about the Middle Ages since teaching Class IV and was able to visit Ireland recently, learning more about castles and life on a manor.

Colleen Thompson is currently a Class III teacher and the Lower Schools Outdoor Coordinator. She received her B.A. in Human Development from Colby College in Waterville, ME. Subsequently, she completed a year-long Master's program at Lesley University where she focused her efforts on elementary education. Colleen began her teaching career at Wildwood School in Los Angeles, CA, as a fourth grade teacher. While at Wildwood, she also served as a Division Coordinator and spent two years on the Multicultural Leadership Team. She has training as a Critical Friends Group coach and in VISIONS multicultural work. Colleen also attended Lucy Calkins Reading and Writing Project. After seven years in the busy city, Colleen and her husband relocated to Salt Lake City where she promptly began teaching at Waterford. In addition to her enthusiasm for education, Colleen is thrilled to be living at the base of the Wasatch Mountains and can typically be found on a trail hiking, jogging, or biking with her dog. She is also an avid reader who is always eager to share book titles.

Brenda completed her BFA Modern Dance, University of Utah. She is certified in American Ballet Theatre's National Training Curriculum, Pre-Primary-Level 3. She is also certified in Progressing Ballet Technique an innovative program for students to understand the depth of training muscle memory. Brenda is a certified Pilates, yoga, fitness instructor. Currently she teaches as Assistant Professor, Ballet Department, University of Utah, and for Ballet West Academy, Park City. She performed as a member of Mountain West Ballet company and was a Children’s Rehearsal Assistant  for Ballet West’s Nutcracker for 3 years. Brenda recently completed her ballet MFA at the University of Utah with research interests in dancer wellness and injury prevention.​ 

Kylie Geci will begin her teaching career at Waterford in the Fall of 2019. Kylie graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2013 with a Bachelor Degree in Music Education with an emphasis in voice. She began her teaching career at Otto-Eldred Junior-Senior High School, where she conducted the choirs for grades 5-12. Kylie also developed a number of music elective curriculums, including Guitar, Piano and Modern Band. During her tenure at Otto-Eldred, Kylie organized many choral performances, as well as assisted the band director in other concerts, fundraisers and events. Kylie returned to Indiana University of PA to receive her Masters in Music Education and graduated in 2018.

In her spare time, Kylie built a strong fan base as a local musician in an acoustic group where she played guitar and sang lead vocals. Kylie also recorded a song on a Christmas complication CD, “Christmas Wonder” in 2017. Besides music, Kylie enjoys the outdoors, staying active biking, skiing and hiking. She is excited to begin her journey at Waterford where she hopes grow professionally and personally through collaborative, educational opportunities and threw rapports developed with her students. 

Kyle Haderlie, the Lower School Computer Lab Teacher at Waterford School, is a graduate of Utah State University where he earned his B.S. in Psychology in 2014. He is currently pursing his M.Ed at the University of Utah in Instructional Design and Educational Technology. He is entering his third year at Waterford, two of which have been teaching Lower School Computers. Prior to Waterford, Kyle held a variety of titles while attending Utah State University. He has a love for athletics and worked as the Co-Director of Athletic Marketing for USU. He helped produce scripts and marketing materials for all athletic events hosted at USU. Kyle was also a Director of Student Involvement at USU where he helped students program a variety of student events. Kyle was part of a collaborative research team during his undergraduate thesis, which was recently published in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology Journal. His thesis uncovered the Influence on Parental Involvement in Youth Sport. Alongside Kyle’s teaching responsibilities, he has also been involved with Waterford athletics, coaching the 6th grade boy’s basketball team. Outside of Waterford, Kyle enjoys the outdoors and playing any sport. Kyle grew up outside of Utah in nearby Star Valley, Wyoming but now enjoys beautiful Sandy, Utah with his wife, Cami, and two-year-old son, Bronson.

Emmy teaches Lower School dance Classes III – V and Upper School Dance and Culture. She teaches modern dance for the Waterford Dance Academy. Teaching students dance at the Waterford School is one of her greatest joys in life. Emmy’s dancing and acting career began at the Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) as a child. After graduation from high school, she was hired as faculty by CTC and taught ballet, modern dance and was a house manager and counselor. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts from the Modern Dance Department at the University of Utah where she graduated Magna Cum Laude, was President of Orchesis, on the Dean’s List, and received the Elizabeth Hayes Scholarship and the Dee R. Winterton Award. Emmy danced with the Ririe-WoodburyDance Company for seven years and was Associate Artistic Director for two years. During this time, The Salt Lake City Tribune nominated her as ‘Best addition to the Salt Lake City dance scene’ in 2001 and called her dance, Invocation, ‘best of the year.’ She was the department chair of dance at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota for several years where she directed the Macalester Dance Ensemble. Her choreography was adjudicated into the final gala performance at the Midwest ACDF. She also was head of the dance department at Apple Valley High School and took the dance program from 30 students to 170 students in five years. Her students were adjudicated into the gala performance at the International High School Dance Festival in Miami five years in a row. Emmy’s choreography has been set on professional dance companies, universities, and high schools throughout the US. Her educational film, ‘There is Strength in Diversity,’ funded by Camille Cosby, is used throughout the United States as a teaching tool for compassion, empathy, and equality in the schools. She spent a summer in India teaching dance and English at the Rising Star Academy for 190 children from 10 leprosy colonies in Tamil Nadu. She also travelled with a medical team caring for the leprosy-affected adults in the colonies of Southern India. Emmy volunteers at the state prison, teaching classes about addiction and recovery.

Matthew Douglas is a History Teacher at Waterford. He graduated from Austin College where he earned a BA in History and Classical Civilization in 2008. He then finished his MA at the University of Texas at Arlington with a focus on eighteenth century criminal history in 2010. He is finishing his Ph.D. at Marquette University, while currently revising his dissertation on religious toleration in eighteenth century France. Before coming to Waterford, Matthew taught for three years at Marquette University in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Before pursuing his Ph.D., he taught at the University of Texas at Arlington, as well as tutored at both Irving and Irving Nimitz High Schools in Irving Texas. Matthew looks forward to teaching both the ancient and modern history courses offered at Waterford. Matthew is a published scholar, and continues to remain active in the wider historical community. He recently presented his work at conferences in Chicago and Milwaukee, and has future conferences in Nebraska, Iowa, and Toronto for the upcoming Fall and Spring. In addition to being a historian, Matthew enjoys reading historical fiction, playing pick-up games of basketball, and rooting on the Dallas Cowboys!

Shira Fagan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English from Grinnell College and an Masters of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She teaches Lower School creative dance, Middle School English and Upper School dance, as well as overseeing and teaching Lower School students in the Dance Academy after school. Her past responsibilities at Waterford have included tutoring, care of the garden, planning formal dances, helping during Middle School lunch and attendance monitoring. Before moving to Sandy, she lived in the Riverwest neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 2007, she performed in the Florentine Opera Company’s production of the Merry Widow and with Danceworks Performance Company II. Her master’s thesis piece, collaborating with a fine-art quilter, was presented at Danceworks in their annual show Art to Art. Since arriving in Salt Lake, Shira has participated in two seasons of the collaborative dance company, co.da, based out of SugarSpace and has done two years of the Ririe Woodbury Dance Teacher workshops. Shira enjoys reading, watching terrible movies, roller skating, pretending to organize, baking and funny cat videos. She has two daughters here at Waterford and her husband teaches in the history department. It makes the morning commute very efficient.

Jason LaBau joined the history department at The Waterford School in 2015. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California and a BA from Pomona College. Before arriving at Waterford he taught at three campuses of the California State University system in the Los Angeles area. Dr. LaBau enjoys exploring a wide variety of historical subjects with his students. At Pomona he wrote a thesis on W.E.B. Du Bois and black autobiography, then shifted focus to modern conservative politics for his dissertation at USC. In graduate school he taught about the Holocaust and later offered courses in American Studies and California History. Now, at Waterford, he teaches Ancient History and Human Geography, with an elective on Political Science in Fall 2016. Outside of the classroom, Dr. LaBau is a voracious follower of politics, religion, and race in America. He loves playing board games and is always in the middle of a good book. He lives in Sandy with his wife, a professional pastry chef and recipe developer, and his son, who loves attending Waterford with his dad.

Colby Brewer is an artist and teacher  at the Waterford School where he has taught since 2007. He has been a visiting artist and sculpture teacher at the Király Endre technical school in Budapest, Hungary, at the Beginning with Children Charter School in Brooklyn, NY, and was co-teacher of Design and Architecture courses at the Pratt Liberty Partnership Program, also in Brooklyn. Colby has exhibited his  artwork in galleries and museums in New York City, Budapest, and Salt Lake City. In 2009, Colby was named a Visual Arts Fellow for the Utah Division of Arts and Museums. He holds an MFA from Pratt Institute and a BFA from Brigham Young University. Colby also serves on the Board of Directors at NOW-ID.

Shira Fagan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English from Grinnell College and an Masters of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She teaches Lower School creative dance, Middle School English and Upper School dance, as well as overseeing and teaching Lower School students in the Dance Academy after school. Her past responsibilities at Waterford have included tutoring, care of the garden, planning formal dances, helping during Middle School lunch and attendance monitoring. Before moving to Sandy, she lived in the Riverwest neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 2007, she performed in the Florentine Opera Company’s production of the Merry Widow and with Danceworks Performance Company II. Her master’s thesis piece, collaborating with a fine-art quilter, was presented at Danceworks in their annual show Art to Art. Since arriving in Salt Lake, Shira has participated in two seasons of the collaborative dance company, co.da, based out of SugarSpace and has done two years of the Ririe Woodbury Dance Teacher workshops. Shira enjoys reading, watching terrible movies, roller skating, pretending to organize, baking and funny cat videos. She has two daughters here at Waterford and her husband teaches in the history department. It makes the morning commute very efficient.

Harmony Button, the Academic Dean at The Waterford School, earned a B.A. from Middlebury College and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Utah. Before coming to Waterford, she taught in the English Department at Phillips Exeter Summer School for six years and earned several awards and nominations for excellence in teaching at the University of Utah. Harmony joined the Waterford faculty in 2008, and along with developing new curriculum at many grade levels, she has served as the English Department Chair and launched a school-wide Writing Across the Curriculum initiative, including founding a highly popular Writing Center at Waterford. She is now very happy to work with her dedicated team of Waterford faculty and administrators as the Academic Dean. As well as being an educator dedicated to continual professional growth, Harmony is an active writer and poet. Her work has been included in Best American Notable Essays of 2015, she been nominated for Pushcart and Best of the Web awards, and she was awarded the Larry Levis Prize from the Academy of American Poets. She continues to give regular readings upon invitation from the Salt Lake City Arts and the Salt Lake Poetry Society, and she has traveled to give guest readings for Bayou magazine at AWP and Whitworth College in Spokane Washington. Harmony has presented at the &NOW conference as part of the Lake Forest Literary Festival, and she was a featured artist at TEDx Sandy in 2014. You can find her work in numerous literary journals such as Adirondack Review, Colorado Review, Chicago Quarterly and Rock & Sling. Harmony lives in Salt Lake with her partner, Jason, and their dog, both of whom insist on frequent trips to the mountains and time spent digging in the garden.

Erica was born and raised in Salt Lake City and is the youngest of three siblings. She attended Waterford as an Upper School student and graduated in 2010. After high school, she attended Utah State University. During her time there, she worked in the school library and studied abroad in Logroño, Spain. She graduated with a BA in English Teaching and minors in History Teaching and Spanish. After graduating, Erica received a teaching position at Matheson Junior High School before moving to Murray High where she taught for three years. Aside from teaching, Erica enjoys traveling, reading, doing Crossfit, and spending time with her dog Oliver, a lab border collie mix. 

Kirsten Jorgenson is the Class VI Dean and a homeroom, Humanities, and English teacher at the Waterford School. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Alabama, an MA in British and American Literature from the University of Utah, and a BA in English and Creative Writing from Lake Forest College. She is the author of one full-length collection of experimental poetry, Sediment & Veil (Horse Less Press, 2014). Her poetry and prose has been widely published in both indie and established venues.

Before joining Waterford in 2015, she taught in the Writing and Composition Program at Appalachian State University. During her time at Appalachian State, she served as Co-Director of the University’s Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series, which not only hosted diverse, influential writers from across the country, but also mentored students as they learned how to run and host reading series of their own. Though currently on hiatus, she also co-founded, co-edited, and co-curated Ark Press, a boutique independent poetry press and reading series with her husband.

When she isn’t teaching, Kirsten enjoys cooking, reading, and hiking with her husband, son, and dog.

Casey O'Malley grew up in Minnesota and moved to New York City to attend Columbia University, where she double majored in English and Russian Language. While an undergrad, she studied abroad in Moscow, Russia, and was the captain of the Columbia University Sailing Team. Casey moved to Utah after graduating and has been at Waterford ever since. She completed her master's degree in school leadership from Vanderbilt University in the summer of 2018. 

Casey loves to backcountry ski in the winter and hike and garden in the summer. 

Charles Rosett teaches Middle and Upper School English and Economics at Waterford, and serves as Director of Professional Development. His roles at the school over the past 25 years have included Class Dean, English Department Chair, and interim chair of the Music, Art, and Foreign Language departments; from 2000-2010 he served as the Academic Dean. In 1999 he was selected by his colleagues as a recipient of the Waterford Educator Prize. He holds a B.A. in English from Yale University and an M.B.A. in finance and statistics from The University of Chicago. His academic focus includes Shakespeare, British poetry, and political economy. He is a regular participant at think-tank conferences and round tables on liberty, economics, and the role of markets in a free society. Charles' four children are all graduates of Waterford, and he feels fortunate to have raised them in the school community, where has wife Heather has also taught intermittently over the years. He enjoys hiking and skiing with his family in the Wasatch, and is an avid road cyclist who is a nine-time finisher of the Logan-to-Jackson Race, America's longest single-day bike race. When not teaching at Waterford or playing in the mountains, he can be found reading in a comfortable chair in his living room, just a few blocks from campus.

Nicki Biscupovich has been a distinguished member of our Spanish department at The Waterford School since 2001.  He received his Bachelor’s & Master’s degrees from Brigham Young University and the University of Leon, Spain.  Nicki was born in Punta Arenas, Chile, and, at the age of 24, moved to New York City, where he lived for 12 years.

Through the years, Nicki has been teaching Spanish grammar, culture, cinematography, and art. He also teaches Pre AP, and AP courses.  Nicki serves as one of the School’s summer trip leaders, taking students and teachers to different countries in Europe and Latin American. He also leads service-oriented trips to various Latin American countries. Also, Nicki coaches soccer for students in Classes VI and VII, is an advisor to the Spanish Club, mentors Upper School students, and is an advisor to international students.

Nicki has also been very involved in the community, serving as President of the Chilean Community of Utah for the last 20 years, Vice president of the Brigham Young University Management Society - Spanish Chapter. He has been Assistant to the Cónsul of Chile, a Boy Scout leader, and held many different positions as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints.

Mr. B. (as the students call him) loves to travel and to share his experiences with his students.  His goal is to visit every continent and at least one hundred different countries. (So far, he has already visited fifty!)

His wife, Barbara, who is also a Spanish teacher at Waterford School, is his best friend and colleague.  Together they raised their three children at Waterford and enjoyed the school’s strong sense of community.  Mr. B.  Loves the school, the students, and his classroom, where he has taught for 20 years.

Nathalie Ricci was born in France where she earned a D.E.U.G. in Spanish Language and Literature at the Université Paris-X. She later moved to the United States and lived in several western states. She earned a B.A. with a double major in French and Spanish Literature from the University of Montana and a Master's degree in Spanish Literature and Culture from the University of Oregon. After graduating in 1992, she taught both Spanish and French at the University of Oregon and was a second-year supervisor, leading teaching graduate students in the Foreign Language Department. In 2005, Nathalie started working at the Waterford School as a Spanish teacher. Shortly after joining Waterford, she served as Dean for Class XI and Class XII. Later, she served as the Foreign Language Department Chair. She continues to teach Spanish as well as French and yoga. She has worked as both an Upper School and Middle School advisor as well as a tutor of French and Spanish during the summer terms. In addition to teaching Spanish, Nathalie has spent the last two years developing curriculum in the History Department, where she offers a course titled “Mexico through Film: Mexican American Relations in the Twentieth Century.” In her free time, Nathalie enjoys yoga, camping, traveling, cooking, and watching foreign and indie movies. She is the Executive Director of Inbody Outreach, a local non-profit organization that offers free yoga to at-risk populations in the community. She lives in Salt Lake City with her family.

Matthew Douglas is a History Teacher at Waterford. He graduated from Austin College where he earned a BA in History and Classical Civilization in 2008. He then finished his MA at the University of Texas at Arlington with a focus on eighteenth century criminal history in 2010. He is finishing his Ph.D. at Marquette University, while currently revising his dissertation on religious toleration in eighteenth century France. Before coming to Waterford, Matthew taught for three years at Marquette University in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Before pursuing his Ph.D., he taught at the University of Texas at Arlington, as well as tutored at both Irving and Irving Nimitz High Schools in Irving Texas. Matthew looks forward to teaching both the ancient and modern history courses offered at Waterford. Matthew is a published scholar, and continues to remain active in the wider historical community. He recently presented his work at conferences in Chicago and Milwaukee, and has future conferences in Nebraska, Iowa, and Toronto for the upcoming Fall and Spring. In addition to being a historian, Matthew enjoys reading historical fiction, playing pick-up games of basketball, and rooting on the Dallas Cowboys!

Emily Glende received her B.A. from the University of Utah in History and Political Science. She is currently working on her master's degree in American History and Government from Ashland University. Emily loves social studies education. She spent the past four years designing and teaching social studies and humanities curriculum. She has participated in numerous institutes for social studies teachers and is committed to lifelong learning. Emily grew up in Utah and loves all this state has to offer. Her spare time consists of spending time outside with her family and friends or trying out new, local restaurants.

Jack Matthews joined the History Department at Waterford in 2018 and currently works as the Class VI Dean. He holds a Bachelors degree in History from Rutgers University and a Masters degree in History from the University of Manchester where he wrote his dissertation on the effect of the American Civil War on the cotton workers of Lancashire, England through the lens of contemporary newspapers.  Before arriving at Waterford he worked at the Kinkaid School in Houston, Texas. His first year at Kinkaid he served as the school's first ever Cooney Fellow in the middle school History department. After finishing his yearlong fellowship, he was asked to join the Kinkaid faculty as middle school History teacher where he taught 6th grade Ancient History, served as a 6th grade advisor, and was a member of the Admissions Committee.  During his three years at Kinkaid he also coached middle school soccer and cross country as well as the Varsity Lacrosse team. As a newcomer to Salt Lake City he is looking forward to hiking with his dogs and fiancé, skiing in the winter, and taking in all the incredible sights that Utah has to offer.

Dr. Aaron J. Stockham, a History Faculty Member as well as the Director of Professional Review and the NWAIS Self-Study Coordinator, is a graduate of Grinnell College, where he earned a B.A. in History and Economics, and Marquette University, where he received a M.A. and Ph.D. in American History. His research concentration is on the history of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He served as the Chair of the History Department from 2011 to 2016 and has taught AP US History, Standard European History, Human Geography, US Government, Medieval European History, Medieval Islam, and Medieval Japanese History. Before arriving at The Waterford School in 2008, Aaron taught introductory American history courses at Marquette University. He was a recipient of the 2008 Smith Family Fellowship and was President of the History Graduate Students Organization and the secretary of the Alumni Memorial Union Advisory Committee. He also currently serves on the Grinnell College Class of 2001 Committee and the Waterford School Alumni Council. Aaron continues to publish articles on the history of the FBI, most recently with an article in The Historian in 2014. Besides his research, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two young daughters, going to movies, supporting the local dance scene, and exploring Utah's highways and byways.

A native of the Chicago area, Benjamin Goldstein decided to pursue a career in education when he found that he enjoyed helping his friends with their math homework in high school. He completed a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry at Princeton University and has been teaching ever since. Benjamin has worked at both public and independent schools in Washington, Massachusetts, and now Utah. He earned a master's degree in education at the University of Washington. During his career, Benjamin has taught courses ranging from Algebra to Multivariable Calculus as well as a little bit of computer programming.

Since coming to Utah in 2018, Benjamin has been enjoying the natural beauty this part of the country has to offer. While not outdoorsy by Utah standards, he and his wife enjoy getting in a good day hike or exploring a national park. Benjamin is also cultivating a board-gaming hobby.

Alan Layton first arrived at The Waterford School as a fifth grader in 1986, graduating seven years later in 1994. Alan completed degrees in psychology at Brigham Young University and in mathematics at the University of Utah, followed by a Masters in Mathematical Education from the University of Utah. He taught mathematics at the Stillwater Academy for two years and at Butler Middle School for nine years. He made his return to Waterford in 2015, where he teaches Middle School and Upper School mathematics. Alan and his wife Janette have two young sons, Samuel and Everett. They can often be found at the zoo or Thanksgiving Point, when they aren’t hanging out in the sandbox dueling with Nerf swords.

Lisa Rands graduated Summa Cum Laude from Brigham Young University where she earned a B.A. in Math Education. Lisa also holds a Professional Educator License for the State of Utah with endorsements in Mathematics (Level 4) and Physics. After completing her student teaching at Lone Peak High School in Highland, Utah, Lisa joined the Waterford Math Department in September of 1999. She enjoys teaching math at all levels—from Pre-Algebra to AP Calculus. In addition, she serves as Class VII Dean and has been involved with Middle School Student Government and Community Service for many years. In 2010 she received the Waterford Award for excellence in teaching. Lisa loves baking, biking, traveling, reading and gardening. She is a certified Master Gardener, and she enjoys taking classes during the summer from the Tanner Humanities Center at the University of Utah.

Tyler Waterhouse, a MS/US Math Teacher, US XC coach, and US Outdoor Instructor, began working at Waterford in the fall of 2013. Originally hailing from New Hampshire and having attended St. Paul’s School and Princeton University, Tyler is delighted to work in a community that so values the liberal arts philosophy that framed his own schooling. Tyler’s path to Waterford is unique in that he graduated Princeton in 2003 with a BA in Economics with minors in Finance and German. His senior thesis, a requirement of every Princeton graduate, was entitled: “Super Commercials: An Analysis of Super Bowl Advertisements in an Investor Relations Framework.” Tyler’s first job out of college was working for an option trading group on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange for Goldman Sachs. After Goldman, Tyler worked five years as an equities, commodities, and currency trader at Wexford Capital, a multi-strategy hedge fund in Greenwich, CT. In 2009, with Tyler’s wife, Lu Lu, in her last year of medical school and a move to Utah pending for her pediatrics residency the following year, Tyler chose to leave finance and seek greater fulfillment from his employment through a career in education. Tyler has served as an apprentice teacher at the New Canaan Country School, student teacher at Rowland Hall while enrolled in the Masters of Arts in Teaching program at Westminster College, and lead MS math and science teacher at McGillis prior to finding Waterford. Since arriving at Waterford in 2013, Tyler has enjoyed the variety of teaching both MS and US students and teaching his way through the full Waterford Mathematics Curriculum. In the summer of 2015, Tyler completed a fellowship at the Klingenstein Summer Institute. Tyler has two sons, Bode and Nash, that keep him well occupied when he is away from school, but still finds time to enjoy the variety of Utah’s landscapes through skiing, biking, and trail running.

Craig Morris, Athletic Director and P.E. teacher, is a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University, where he earned a BA and MA in History and Education and played lacrosse. Craig began teaching at Waterford in 1995 and has served as both the Athletic Director and P.E. Department Chair. Under his leadership, the athletic and P.E. programs at Waterford have grown and flourished. Waterford’s athletic teams have won 37 State Championships over the course of his tenure. Prior to coming to Waterford, Craig was Assistant Director of Student Affairs and Residence Life at the Juilliard School in New York City where he met his wife Kathy. After moving to Utah, Craig spent two years working for Video Journal of Education, a professional development company located here in Sandy, Utah. Craig has been Coach of the Year for Region 14/17 Girl’s Basketball in 2015-2016, 2012-2013, 2004-2005, and 2003-2004. He was also Coach of the Year for Utah High School Men’s Lacrosse League Division I in 2000 and Coach of the Year in the RMLC Division 1 Men’s College Lacrosse in 2012 with the University of Utah. Craig was awarded the Waterford’s Educator prize in 2010. In addition to his classroom responsibilities, Craig is an Upper School advisor and participated in the Drug and Alcohol committee and was their keynote speaker. Craig was also Head Coach of the University of Utah Men’s Lacrosse from 2008-2012. Craig currently serves as the Region 14 Chair for the Utah High School Activities Association. He also serves on the UHSAA Executive Committee, Bylaws and Constitution Committee, the Awards Committee, the Music Committee and the Realignment Committee. Craig is also the Chair of the Executive Counsel for the Utah High School Lacrosse League and sits on the Board of Trustees of the Utah Lacrosse Association. Craig is happily married to Kathy Morris and has two children. He enjoys skiing, golfing, cooking, traveling and supporting his New York Teams - The Giants/Yankees/Rangers.

Chris Watkins, the Outdoor Program Director, is a graduate of the University of Utah where he earned a B.S. in the News Editorial sequence of Mass Communications, with a focus on photojournalism and additional studies in literature. Mr. Watkins is currently a MS and US Outdoor Class Instructor, Yearbook Advisor, Upper School Yoga Instructor, Ultimate Frisbee Coach, and the Community Service Advisor. Mr. Watkins has filled numerous roles during his 12 years at The Waterford School. Beginning with Class VIII English and as a middle school basketball coach, Mr. Watkins has been the MS Community Service and Student Government Advisor, Class Dean at both the Middle School and Upper School level, and a consistent trip leader as part of the Summer Term Program. Mr. Watkins has been a leader on trips to Mt. Whitney, the Grand Tetons, Norway, Tanzania and the Waterford Humanitarian trip to Kolkata, India. A native of Carmel, Calif., Mr. Watkins was the Staff Photographer and Photo Editor for a local outdoor publication, Utah Outdoors, then worked for the Salt Lake Tribune during the 2002 Winter Olympics, before working at the Deseret Morning News. A dedicated recreationalist, Mr. Watkins spends as much time as possible outside, with a particular passion for mountain biking, rock climbing, and backcountry snowboarding. Mr. Watkins has competed in Ultimate Frisbee National Championships and the 2002 World Championships. He is also began the Ultimate Frisbee team at the University of Utah in 2005 and coached the team until 2009. Mr. Watkins lives in the Millcreek area with his wife and daughter, Torrey, who is in Class II at Waterford.

Barr Dolan, Physics Teacher at the Waterford School, holds a B.A.in Chemistry and M.S. in Engineering from Cornell University, a B.A. in Engineering and Applied Physics from Harvard University, and an M.B.A. from Stanford University. From 1982 to present, Barr has worked in venture capital in silicon valley as a partner at Charter Venture Capital and currently as a partner at Charter Life Sciences, investing in early stage technology and healthcare start­ups. Successful investments that Barr has helped start and fund include Linear Technology Corporation (LLTC, NYSE), Elli Mae, Inc. (ELLI, NYSE), and EP Technologies, Inc. (cardiac electrophysiology, acquired by Boston Scientific). Barr currently sits on the boards of KFX Medical, Inc. (private, orthopedic devices) and Elli Mae, Inc. (cloud software). Barr also is a mentor to the Waterford robotics team and coaches his daughter’s AYSO soccer team.

Justin Joslin, a MS/US Science Teacher and Robotics Team Mentor, began working at Waterford School in the fall of 2017. Justin's path to Waterford has been an adventurous one. A native of New Hampshire, Justin attended university in central New York at Syracuse where he studied environmental engineering. On the recommendation of his advisor, he matriculated to the University of Colorado for his graduate work and his first stint in the west. Justin earned an MS in Environmental Engineering with a focus on natural hydrologic systems. His research took him all the way to Antarctica, twice, where he met his wife Bekka, who also teaches science at Waterford. Justin moved back east while Bekka finished her graduate work at Dartmouth. They worked for a time as scientists in Vermont, but quickly transitioned into the independent school world because of their passion for learning and teaching. After moving back to New Hampshire, Justin and Bekka worked for 10 years at the New Hampton School, a private boarding high school. Justin taught science and math, but quickly developed a unique program focused on engineering and design. He coached rock climbing and alpine skiing, was the Director of Experiential Learning for 4 years, was the Technology Integration Coordinator for a year, and worked in the school life realm as an advisor, house parent, and administrator. Outside of school, Justin enjoys spending time with his daughters, Kaleigh and Jenna, exploring the natural resources of Utah (mostly through skiing, climbing, and trail running), traveling, and tinkering.

Richard Malatesta holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Tampa and a Ph.D. in Marine Ecology from the University of Connecticut. He served for seven years as a Chief Scientist and Professor of Oceanography for the Sea Education Association in Woods Hole, Massachusetts and for there years as the Academic Dean for the School for Field Studies in Salem, Massachusetts. He joined the Waterford faculty in 2001. 

Dr. MaryAnn Pope is a science teacher at Waterford, specializing in chemistry and molecular biology. She earned both her bachelor’s degree and doctorate degree from the University of Utah in chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry. Her graduate research involved elucidating the mechanism of the DNA repair enzyme MutY and murine MYH. She has published several peer review scientific papers in respected journals such as: Biochemistry, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Chemistry and Biology, and DNA Repair. During her time at the University of Utah, MaryAnn received several prestigious awards. As an undergraduate student she was awarded both the Leon Watters and the Walter D. and Grace G. Bonner Memorial Awards for her outstanding achievement in academics from the University of Utah Chemistry department. As a graduate student she received an NIH Fellowship Grant and was given the William W. Epstein Outstanding Educator Award by the University of Utah department of Chemistry for her work as a teaching assistant. Prior to joining the Waterford faculty in 2014, MaryAnn taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Utah and Salt Lake Community College. The courses that she taught include: introduction to chemistry, general chemistry lab I and II, and elementary bioorganic chemistry. Outside of teaching, MaryAnn enjoys tennis, hiking, running, reading, roller coasters, and watching action movies. She lives in Sandy with her husband and two daughters.

Amy Dolbin, Registrar at the Waterford School, is a graduate of Brigham Young University where she received a BS in Recreation Therapy.

Prior to her employment at Waterford in 2006, Amy worked at IHC in the Rehabilitation unit as a recreation therapist. After taking some time off to raise her five children, Amy began her employment as the Middle and Upper School scheduler when her youngest child began Nursery 3’s. Her role expanded to include School Registrar in 2011.

Amy’s children include four Waterford graduates, who all began attending Waterford’s Preschool program and her family has been very involved in the Waterford community for many years.  In her spare time she enjoys spending time in the outdoors with her family hiking, biking, boating or hanging out at their Midway getaway. She also enjoys gardening and home projects.