Faculty & Staff Updates

Annie Wright Schools' faculty and staff commit themselves to students and their families, providing and supporting our exceptional programs and inspiring a lifelong love of learning.

WELCOME TO THE ANNIE WRIGHT SCHOOLS COMMUNITY!

Tania Adams, Upper Schools Director of Learning Support
Tania joined Annie Wright Schools in 2026. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies, a Master of Social Work from the University of Washington, and a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from SUNY Empire University, she spent nearly two decades supporting children, adolescents, and families across educational and clinical settings. Most recently, she led Upper School student support and wellness initiatives and taught humanities courses at Austin Waldorf School. Tania enjoys partnering with students, families, and educators to help students better understand how they learn, build on their strengths, and grow in confidence. Having grown up in Singapore and Southeast Asia, she values global perspectives and believes learning is enriched through place-based education, curiosity, critical thinking, and meaningful relationships. Outside of school, she is a foodie and enjoys spending time on trails, being in nature, and doing photography.

Kate Antonelli, Grade 1 Assistant Teacher
Kate joined Annie Wright Schools in 2026. After earning a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Saint Joseph's University, she went to Rye Country Day School and was an Associate Teacher in both Kindergarten and Third Grade. While in New York, she earned a Master's degree in Literacy from Teachers College, Columbia University. Kate believes that building strong connections with her students and peers creates the best environment for students to thrive. As a former Division 1 lacrosse player, Kate loves to stay active and involved in the game.

Jim Albers, Grade 5 Teacher

Jim Albers joined Annie Wright Schools in 2026. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Washington State University and a Master’s of Education degree from Pacific Lutheran University. Jim has been a professional educator for twenty-eight years, teaching in public, private, and international schools. His international teaching experience includes teaching at The American Embassy School in New Delhi, India, and The American International School of Muscat, Oman. Jim strives to help students see the world as both deeply connected and full of diverse perspectives. Through literature, writing, and research, he encourages students to explore local and global communities, ask meaningful questions, and make connections between their own experiences and the lives of others, helping them to better see themselves as global citizens.

Kamryn Artale, Grade 3 Teacher

Kamryn Artale joined Annie Wright Schools in the summer ahead of the 2026-2027 school year. After earning her Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and playing collegiate volleyball for West Texas A&M, Kamryn taught in Stuttgart, Germany, and Austin, TX, as a Grade 1 Lead Teacher at international IB schools. She then spent two years in Kansas City, close to her hometown in Springfield, Missouri, where she has also been working toward her Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Kamryn's teaching and learning philosophy strongly aligns with the IB. She loves the process of creating meaningful lessons and memorable units, while working closely with families to help their students shine. Kamryn is looking forward to contributing to the Annie Wright community and getting to know her students this year!

Jeni Brown, US Global Politics Teacher
Jeni Brown joined Annie Wright in 2026. After earning her Bachelor's degree in history and English from Oakland University, she taught English and studied Mandarin in Taiwan for five years. She later completed her Master's in history at the University of Manchester and eventually returned to the United States to work in independent schools as a literature, history, and English language learning teacher. Across subject areas, Jeni takes a student-centered and inquiry-based approach in her classroom as she seeks to guide students in asking meaningful questions, thinking critically, and especially in making connections to the wider world.

Audrey Byrd, Auxiliary Program Registrar and Arts Assistant
Audrey joined Annie Wright Schools in 2026. After earning her Bachelor's Degree in Communications from Hofstra University, she has been coaching girls club lacrosse in Maryland for over 15 years. Audrey believes that students thrive when they are encouraged to be curious, take risks, make mistakes, and step outside their comfort zones while learning to be confident and proud of what they accomplish.

Ian Dexter, Upper Schools Math Teacher

Ian Dexter joined Annie Wright Schools in 2026. After earning his Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from McGill University, he taught math and computer science in the Czech Republic for two years. Ian values project-based learning and is particularly interested in how the field of mathematics has evolved. Ian loves playing and coaching soccer, which he has done at both the youth and adult levels.

Lydia Downs, Upper Schools English Teacher
Lydia Downs joined Annie Wright Schools in 2026. After earning a Master of Arts in Education from Pacific Lutheran University, she served as a Fulbright English Teaching Grantee at a vocational college in Thailand for a year. Lydia believes that some of life's most important lessons transcend language barriers and are discovered through relationships, shared experiences, and a little time spent outside in nature. She is passionate about knowing each student as an individual and creating a classroom rooted in kindness and belonging.

Layne Gonzales, Front Office Administrative Assistant

Layne joined Annie Wright Schools in 2026. She graduated from the University of Washington with her Bachelor's in Communication. After graduation, she worked at the UWT library. She's passionate about making students feel welcome and is excited to be part of the Annie Wright Schools team.

Mar’Shauwn Grays, Upper School for Boys Assistant Director
Mar'Shauwn Grays joined Annie Wright Schools in 2026. After earning a Master's degree in Educational Leadership, he taught and was an assistant principal at Lewisville High School in Dallas, Texas. Mar’Shauwn shines when helping people grow, whether that is students, teachers, or colleagues. He is known for building authentic relationships, leading with empathy, and creating opportunities for others to succeed through collaboration, equity, and continuous improvement.

Mark Kelly, Grade 4 long-term Substitute Teacher
Mark joined Annie Wright Schools in 2026. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education from University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s in Technology Education from University of North Texas. Mark has been a professional educator for 33 years, attending and teaching in public, private, and international schools. He grew up attending international schools in Greece and Saudi Arabia, and graduated from an American boarding school. After university, he started teaching as a novice at Seoul Foreign School in Korea. These early experiences shaped the philosophical foundation of his career, most of which was in service to the public schools of Austin, Texas. Mark enjoys project and problem based learning - teaching students to use the problem solving process, developing resilience, individual responsibility, and social/emotional skills. He’d like to see that every child can confidently face the challenges and expectations at each stage of their academic path to fulfill the promise of their unique talents.

Gloria Lee, Institutional Analytics Coordinator
Gloria joined Annie Wright Schools in 2026. She earned her Associate in Applied Technology from Clover Park Technical College, her Bachelor of Arts in Media and Culture from the University of Washington, and her Master of Science in Business Analytics from the Milgard School of Business at UW Tacoma. During her graduate program, Gloria worked with the University of Washington’s Institutional Research Dept., contributing to projects that examined student pathways, learning outcomes, and educational equity. She enjoys creating data tools that help teachers and administrators see the stories behind the numbers.

Joleen McCauley, Grade 5 Teacher
Joleen joined Annie Wright Schools in 2026. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and, more recently, her Master’s degree in Educational Administration. Joleen has spent the last 10 years teaching Grades 4 and 5 at Harbor School on Vashon Island, where she also served as the IB PYP Coordinator. Known for bringing warmth, energy, creativity, and a strong sense of community to her work, Joleen is passionate about inquiry-driven learning and helping students grow into thoughtful, confident, and compassionate humans. She is excited to become part of Annie Wright’s vibrant and forward-thinking culture and honored to join a community with such a rich history of innovation, excellence, and heart.

Kathleen Milewski, Grade 5 Assistant Teacher
Kathleen joined Annie Wright Schools in 2026. After earning her Bachelors in Secondary Education from Washington State University she spent time in various schools in Washington, two years teaching in Japan and finally returning home to continue her passion of educating young minds. Kathleen loves to play table top games, learn new languages, and travel. She’s always up for trying new things; she’s skydived, eaten a beetle, and learned how to swim.

Claire Mullen, Grade 2 long-term Substitute Teacher
Claire joined Annie Wright Schools in 2026. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and Master's degree in Elementary Education at the University of Puget Sound. Claire student taught at Lake Louise Elementary in Grade 3 during her year long Masters program. After running collegiate cross country and track for four years she started to help coach the Upper Schools running teams at Annie Wright.

Mary Catherine Muñiz, Grade 4 Teacher
Mary Catherine joined Annie Wright Schools in 2026. After earning a BA in Geography from Macalester College, an MA in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of the Pacific, and a graduate-level certificate in Environmental Education from Hamline University, she has been teaching Grades 2 through 5 for twelve years at various schools, including Brightworks and Bayshore Schools in San Francisco. Mary Catherine believes scientific inquiry, the arts, and real-world projects are powerful tools that allow students to create connections between their learning in the classroom and their experiences outside of school. She strives to spark curiosity in her students and make learning meaningful.

Stephanie O'Hara, Lower School Art Teacher
Stephanie joined Annie Wright Schools in 2026. She holds a BA in Elementary Education with a minor in Psychology. She taught an IB-based curriculum to Grade 5 students in Bellevue for four years before moving to Colorado. There, she worked as a K-8 visual arts instructor and fell in love with arts education. Moving back to Washington, she started her Annie Wright journey as a long-term sub in the art studio, which soon became her new happy place. Maintaining her footing in the world of arts, she's committed to guiding students to their fullest potential by curating a space full of creativity, risk-taking, and growth. Alongside teaching, Stephanie has worked as a Youth Soccer Manager and Program Coordinator, facilitating positive athletic experiences for children ages 2-18.

Sarah Ottman, Upper Schools Math Teacher
Sarah joined Annie Wright Schools in 2026. After earning her Bachelor's degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Management from the University of Tennessee and her Master's degree in Biology from Austin Peay State University, she taught introductory biology courses at the University of Washington and served as a middle school science and math teacher, where she taught courses ranging from Algebra I through Algebra II. She also worked as an adjunct biology professor at Austin Peay State University and conducted field research as a bat biologist in New York. Sarah enjoys helping students make connections between disciplines and apply mathematics to real-world problems. She is known for her project-based, inquiry-driven approach to teaching, which encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and meaningful learning.

Jacob Wojcik, Academic Affairs Assistant
Jacob joined Annie Wright Schools in 2026. After earning a Master's of Arts in Secondary Education and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from UW, he worked with many students through various programs that focused on outdoor science education, such as taking Middle School students on a research vessel for a hands-on, inquiry-based exploratory journey and leading environmental education-based hikes. He was also previously a substitute teacher with Annie Wright before taking on a permanent role. Besides loving science, he is very passionate about creating relationships with students to understand their wants and needs in the classroom in order to help support them to be their most successful selves.

Claire Yuckert, Culinary Arts (s)Elective Instructor
Claire is a fourth-generation Tacoman who has always had a love for the culinary arts, starting as a young child making mud pies just blocks from Annie Wright. With more than two decades of experience working in food and beverage as a personal and private chef, caterer, and food processor, and most recently as owner and executive chef at Homesteady Goods and Services (a boutique event production company), she brings a wealth of knowledge and a passion for the gastronomic arts to everything she does. She is thrilled to come aboard at AWS to help ignite a love of haute cuisine and the service industry.