Faculty & Staff Updates

Dymphna (Dimpy) Bloodworth, Middle School Individuals & Societies Teacher/Service Coordinator/Chapel Program Director, earned her MEd for Education in Psychology and Spanish and taught a range of ages and subjects in New York City. Most recently, Dymphna worked in Northern VA as a Middle School Learning Specialist.

Judy Buennagel rejoins Annie Wright Schools on the maintenance team. She previously worked at AWS, serving 18 years in the AWS Kemper Theatre and six years in maintenance before moving to Istanbul with her husband Jan Buennagel. Upon returning to Tacoma, she worked at AIDS Housing Association.

Katie Chikwinya, Preschool Assistant Teacher, earned her bachelor's degree from Xavier University where developed a love for teaching, as she worked in education for two years. Katie is excited to be apart of the Annie Wright community and looks forward to supporting students as they learn and grow.

Eireann Corrigan, Director of Upper School for Girls, earned her BA at Sarah Lawrence College and her Master of Fine Arts degree at New York University. She went on to serve as a teacher and administrator at Rutgers Preparatory School for twenty years. A published author of eight novels for young people, Eireann looks forward to encouraging Annie Wright students to share their own unique stories and perspectives.

Susan Flagg, Upper School for Boys Math Teacher, earned her BA in biology from Shepherd College and a professional degree in education from the University of Hawaii. She is returning to the Pacific Northwest after eight years in Washington DC, where she taught math at National Cathedral School.

Alyssa Goldfarb, Upper School for Girls English and Theory of Knowledge Teacher, earned her master's degree in secondary education from the University of Albany in New York. She went on to teach 7th-11th grade English at the International School of Indiana and head the IB Theory of Knowledge department at United World College in Costa Rica.

Patrick Graham, Upper School for Girls Social Studies teacher, earned his BA in Political Science and Middle Eastern/South Asian Studies from the University of California, Davis, and his MA in Social Studies Education from Columbia University. He went on to teach social studies and English at Soledad High School in California.

Betta Hanson, Dorm Parent, has been dedicated to educating and empowering young people from a wide range of international and socio-economic backgrounds. She began as a teacher and coach at international boarding schools, honed her skills while completing her MSW at Boston University, working with young adults as a counselor, and has created and facilitated transformational learning experiences in the outdoors.

Chelen Johnson, Upper School for Girls science teacher, joined Annie Wright Schools in 2020. After earning her BA from St. Olaf College and her MS from the University of North Dakota, Chelen taught a variety of science classes (including biology, astronomy and chemistry) at Breck School in Minneapolis, Minnesota for over three decades.

Amy Knapp, Preschool Teacher, earned a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from the University of Portland a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Prior to joining Annie Wright, Amy spent eight years teaching first grade and serving as the PYP Coordinator at an IB World School.

Katie Nolan, Upper School for Boys English teacher and Inkwell advisor, is an IB graduate who earned her BA in English and History from Fordham University and her PhD at the University of Chicago. Most recently she has taught at the University of Chicago and the University of Chicago Laboratory School.

Barbie Pratt, Marketing Associate, earned her BA in Visual Communications from Illinois State University and has been working as a graphic designer and art director for over 25 years.

Anna Solovyev, Upper School for Girls Science and Math Teacher, earned her BA in chemistry from Harvard University and her MA in international education from Endicott College. She has taught IB math and science at international schools in Cyprus, the Netherlands, and the United States. She is also an IB examiner and textbook writer, as well as an experienced outdoor educator.

Jean Webber, Director of Finance & Operations, has worked for 16 years at Russell Investments, where she was Global Controller, managing and providing oversight of the accounting department, financial reporting, financial systems and treasury functions.

Amanda Williams, Grades 7 & 8 Math Teacher, earned her bachelor's degree in math, with minors in music and history, from the University of Washington. She completed her master's in teaching at Western Governors University. Amanda has spent the last three years teaching math at Cascade Christian Junior High. She is extremely excited to get to know everyone and become part of the Annie Wright team.