Arbor School Faculty and Staff 2025-2026
Heads of School
Isaac Enloe
Head of School (2023 to present)
Isaac (he/him/his) made his first of many visits to Arbor School while he was a student teacher at Catlin Gabel in 2001-2002, and subsequently pursued a career as an educator in progressive independent schools–a journey that came full circle when he joined us as our Head of School in 2023. Isaac was a charter faculty member of Blue Oak School, a start-up independent school in Napa, California, the Acting Head of School at Kyoto International School in Kyoto, Japan, and a teacher at Presidio Hill School in San Francisco, California, before returning to Portland and Catlin Gabel in 2011. Isaac has taught every age from preschool through 8th grade and has served in a variety of school leadership and administrative roles. Isaac spent his childhood and several adult years in Japan, and enjoys studying and playing old-time fiddle and banjo music with his wife, Sophie, and daughter, Phoebe.
Lori Pressman
Assistant Head of School (2020 - present), Primary Teacher (1999 - 2020)
rowing up in a family of teachers, Lori has been immersed in the world of education for as long as she can remember. Since beginning her teaching journey in 1999 with our youngest students in the Primaries, she has remained passionate about making mathematics accessible, engaging, and meaningful for all students. Lori believes that every child is a mathematician. She works to create an environment where students feel confident exploring mathematical ideas, developing a sense of comfort and nimbleness with numbers, and embracing the joy that comes with an effortful challenge. In addition to her work in the classroom, Lori has spent over 20 years mentoring future educators through the Arbor Center for Teachers. Her guidance has helped shape the next generation of teachers, passing along her creativity, dedication, and deep love for teaching. In 2019, Lori took on the role of Assistant Head of School, where she continues to support students, teachers, and families across the school.
Faculty & Staff
Andrew Barton
Primary & Junior Science Teacher and Print Studio Manager (2021 - present)
Andrew spent over a decade teaching preschool in Portland before coming to Arbor. He has a particular interest in creating environments where children are encouraged to fully embrace their natural inclinations towards wide eyed-wonder, boundless creativity, and wild joy. Andrew wears many hats at Arbor as well: Primary and Junior Science, Garden, jumping into all things Junior and Primary, Library sometimes, managing our school Print Studio and Postal Service with the help of students. He can also be found every afternoon coordinating Arbor Club, our after-school program. He wears many hats in his life outside of school: as the author of cookbooks and children's books, an ambitious gardener and sometimes-public cook (Secret Restaurant Portland), a small press publisher (Two Plum Press) and a record label curator and packaging designer (Antiquated Future Records). Once-upon-a-time he was a children’s story entertainer (which lives on YouTube as Teacher Andrew Reads In A Canoe).
Mary Bishop
Primary and Junior Design Teacher (2025-present); Substitute and Assistant teacher, and Arbor Club teacher (2024-2025)
As someone who embodies lifting the other end of the board (an Arbor phrase for community mindedness), Mary stepped into the role of Primary and Junior Design teacher this summer. Having always been drawn to creativity and design, her artistic background and training includes drawing, painting, printing-making, fiber arts, multimedia, and digital arts. She believes in guiding students with foundational provocations that gradually lead to more complex themes and skills, instilling confidence in the face of challenges and autonomy in creative processes. Previously, Mary worked as the K-8 Art Teacher at the Cottonwood School and as the Equity and Inclusive Advocate at NWRESD’s Outdoor School. When not at school, she loves collecting beads, shells, and fabrics; exploring new places on her bike; and making stuff.
Nadia Cannon
Primary Teacher (2011-2013, 2021 - present)
Nadia (she,her,hers) teaches in the Nest as the Head K/1 Teacher. She first worked in the Nest as a teacher and Resident coach between 2011 and 2013. Following her time at Arbor, Nadia spent two years as a Head Teacher in the Kindergarten/First Grade at The Marylhurst School before moving into school leadership as the Assistant Head of School. Other stops along the way have included Brooklyn Friends School, Brooklyn, NY, and Catlin Gabel School. Nadia brings her deep commitment to nurturing the growth of young children, her warmth, and her wonderful sense of humor. In her free time, Nadia loves to create pottery, bake, knit, explore new places, and watch British mystery shows. She lives with her family: her wife Sara, children Noah and Goldie, and their golden retriever, River.
Annmarie Chesebro
Arbor Center for Teaching, Director of Teacher Training (2000 to present)
Once a classroom teacher and an adjunct professor in Lewis & Clark College’s MAT program, and the parent of two alums, Annmarie brings a uniquely balanced approach to the ACT program. With particular expertise in math, science, assessment, and the preparation of Teaching Residents for their first teaching jobs, Annmarie leads the ACT program, mentors our Teacher Residents, coaches our teachers, conducts weekly Seminars, and serves as liaison to other teacher-training programs and Oregon’s licensure commission.
Oriana Connolly
Intermediate Teacher (2014-2016, 2020 - present)
Oriana graduated from the Arbor Center for Teaching in 2016 after winding her way through other careers and homes across the world. A native of Colombia, Oriana returned to Arbor having applied her Spanish fluency and cultural knowledge in dual immersion classrooms in the Oregon City and Canby school districts. She has been eager to bring her interdisciplinary background in creative writing, life science, illustration, and theater to the fertile ground at Arbor. Her passion for integrated thematic curriculum and project-based learning fit seamlessly in the ambitious world of Arbor's Intermediate Classroom where she especially loves fostering a love of the written word. When she’s not teaching, you can find her writing poems, jumping into cold water, planning elaborate theme nights, salsa dancing, or playing with her daughter, Luna.
Kayla Cooley
Teacher Resident, Intermediates (2024 - present)
Kayla Cooley was born and raised in Tillamook, Oregon. She studied Dance, Spanish, and Education/Learning at Pacific University. After graduating with her bachelor’s degrees in 2022, she taught English Language Development in Newport and 6th grade in Tillamook, each for one year. She loves watching/performing musical theater, dancing, gaming, and hiking with her dog Morti. She is also an avid reader. Kayla loves it when students feel safe and accepted in the classroom. She is especially grateful when they feel comfortable sharing their perspectives, enthusiasm, and knowledge with others.
Britta Daubersmith
4-8th grade Librarian and Reading Specialist (2021 - present)
After more than 25 years in the classroom, Britta joined the Arbor community in 2021. She has taught third through sixth grades in independent and private schools in Berkeley, Minneapolis, and in the Portland area. Britta now enjoys the opportunity to work with the oldest students in the Arbor community as a leader in Arbor’s reading and literacy program and as a curator of the Library’s 4th - 8th grade collection. Britta’s engagement with faculty and students keeps the Library, and all things literacy, as the heart of the school.
Marc DeHart
Intermediate Teacher (2010-2012; 2014 - present)
Marc falls into the category of the ultimate Arbor student. He attended Arbor School for his elementary and middle school years and, after college and work at the Christie School, returned to join the Arbor Center for Teaching’s apprentice cohort for 2010-2012. Upon graduating from the ACT program, Marc taught in Portland schools and tutored students on the side. Marc has been commended by his colleagues for his empathy, humility, and ability to develop trusting and productive relationships with students. Marc’s long history with Arbor, combined with his inherent understanding of what it means for teachers to remain optimistic about students when things are challenging, makes him a logical and positive fit for the Arbor community.
Louise Desmond
Teacher Resident, Primary Den (2024 - present)
Louise is a lifelong learner with a deep, abiding passion for education and the arts. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, she attended Arbor School from Kindergarten through 8th grade and later graduated from Whitman College in 2022 with a B.A. in Environmental Humanities. After college, Louise spent nearly two years as a lead preschool teacher, where her love for teaching blossomed and flourished. For over 12 years, Louise was a dedicated pre-professional ballet dancer, and believes that creativity is a force that informs and influences every discipline. Dancing remains a cherished pastime, and she hopes to incorporate movement and bodily awareness in her teaching practice. Outside of the classroom, you can expect to find Louise curled up with a warm cup of coffee and a good book, alongside her cat and pet bunny. She also loves baking, hiking, and writing. Inspired by her own Arbor education and driven by her dedication to nurturing a warm and engaging learning environment, Louise looks forward to contributing to the development of individuals who not only thrive academically but also carry the tools and mindset for continuous intellectual exploration throughout their lives.
Madison Dowell
After Care Assistant (2022 - present)
Madison is a recent graduate of Tualatin High School and now attends Portland Community College. During high school, Madison worked as a culinary and theater classroom teaching assistant and she loved it! The kindness and warmth that radiated from her senior year English teacher inspired Madison to want to become a teacher and provide that kind of support to future students. While participating in Tualatin HIgh School’s Diverse Educators Pathways program, Madison was connected with Arbor and taught in our Summer at Arbor program in 2022, after which we were thrilled to bring her aboard to assist daily in Arbor Club, our aftercare program, alongside Andrew and Lauren. When asked about her interests Madison shared that she has a passion for writing, reading, and playing with her cat!
Laurel Glasmire
Junior Teacher (2006-2008, 2016 - present)
Laurel is entering her 19th year of teaching, having spent many of those years here with us at Arbor. After first gaining her Masters in Teaching through the Arbor Center for Teaching program in 2008 she taught for several years at a local charter school, helping to develop the school's vision and curriculum while teaching 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade students. She then returned to Arbor in 2016 as Lead Teacher in Junior Up, teaching the same age group and mentoring new resident teachers much like herself. Laurel loves developing engaging and creative curriculum and helping to build a strong classroom community. Her classroom reflects the joy that she takes in learning and the value she places on developing empathy, flexibility of thinking, and an openness to new relationships and experiences. Laurel's students are delighted to share in her love of history, mathematics, and music in particular.
Robin Gunn
Junior Teacher (2003 - 2010, 2016 - present)
After beginning her career in Boston teaching kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade at the Atrium School, Robin moved to Portland and joined the Arbor School faculty in 2003. She has held the roles of Primary teacher, Junior literacy specialist, and for the past decade has been a Junior teacher and mentor within the ACT program. A skilled observer of children and a developer of lasting curriculum, the children know Robin for her warmth and the delight that she takes in their work. In addition to being a dedicated teacher and learner, Robin enjoys camping and hiking around the Pacific Northwest, swimming in just about any body of water, sailing on the Columbia, and going on adventures with her teenage son.
Kit Abel Hawkins
Founder, Director Emeritus (1989 - present)
Prior to founding Arbor School in 1989, Kit was associated for 18 years with Catlin Gabel School and it was her work there, teaching across the elementary grades and as a children’s librarian, that helped her to formulate and test the ideas that are now daily practice at Arbor. In addition to teaching, mentoring teachers and school leaders, and sharing her wisdom with two generations of fortunate families, Kit has served as the president of two non-profit organizations and as a trustee for Neskowin Valley School and Catlin Gabel School. Kit has trained and advised school founders and leaders through the School Leadership program of the Arbor Center for Teaching, and written a book about Arbor entitled The Idea of Arbor School.
Dez Heath
Senior (6-8) Math (2025-Present)
Dez joins Greg and the Senior Team as our new Senior Math teacher this year. They were drawn to Arbor’s philosophy and are excited by the opportunity to build deep relationships with students, families, and colleagues in a small school setting. Dez earned a BS in Mathematics Education from Utah Valley University and spent the last 6 years teaching Math in rural and urban high schools
Linnea Heichelheim
K-5 Music (2025-Present)
Believing that music has an innate capacity to foster connections and strengthen community, Linnea brings a great deal of experience to Arbor. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Northwestern University and has since taught Music at both elementary and middle school levels during her 10-year career in schools. Linnea has completed Level Three Orff certification, has experience with expeditionary learning, and was responsible for integrating arts and STEAM with Music in her most recent position as a K-5 Music Teacher in the St. Helens school district.
Caroline Hurley
Senior Spanish, Writing, and Seminar Teacher (2004 - present)
Caroline brings a background in Spanish literature, culture, and history as well as linguistics, and is hard pressed to choose just one favorite among these topics. In her three-year Senior Spanish program she strives to bring each of her students as far along as is possible in the language in order to create avenues toward a more bilingual, bicultural society. She enjoys bringing her background in art and her love of singing and playing guitar to the Seniors as well.
Lauren Kristensen
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coordinator and ACT Instructional Coach (2010 - 2012, 2019 - present)
A 2010 graduate of the Arbor Center for Teaching, Lauren returned to Arbor having developed her expertise in social-emotional learning, literacy development, and responsive classroom management in Portland Public Schools and the West Linn/Wilsonville School District. During that time, in addition to honing her considerable skills as a dynamic and inspiring teacher, Lauren developed a deep interest in addressing issues of race and racism in the elementary school setting. As Arbor’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coordinator, Lauren guides faculty in building the skills necessary to lead effective classroom discussions about issues of race and brings to the center of our curricular planning voices that have been too often marginalized. In addition to this critical work, Lauren also serves as an instructional coach and mentor to Arbor’s Teacher Residents. In her spare time, Lauren enjoys spending time with her two boys, Kai and Jax, and feeding the hummingbirds and Steller’s jays delightfully parked outside of her kitchen windows.
Andy Lohmann
Teacher Resident, Junior Up (2024 - present)
Andy grew up in Wall Township, New Jersey, a little shore town about an hour outside New York City. Andy studied art and animation at the Savannah College of Art and Design, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation in 2019. He previously worked at LAIKA studios and is proud to have worked on the upcoming film Wildwood based right here in Portland, Oregon. He also served for three years on LAIKA's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council and is committed to creating a community of belonging. With his background as an artist, Andy is a big believer in the power of creative expression and incorporating art into the classroom. In his free time, you’ll find him hiking a trail to take photos of birds, curled up with his two cats and a good book, or hitting the rink with his ice hockey team.
Andrew Manton
Senior and Intermediate Science (2015 - present)
Andrew came to us from the San Francisco Day School where he served as a middle-grades science teacher, Director of Outdoor Education, and coach. Prior to his years at San Francisco Day, Andrew led outdoor and environmental education groups through Naturalists at Large. Andrew’s enthusiasm for experiential education informs his science teaching at the Senior level, and he is an integral part of the Senior team. Andrew enjoys sharing his passions for the outdoors with the students, and most weekends you can find him climbing rocks, running in the forest, or playing with his young daughters.
Karli Merkens
Senior Science, Library, Intermediate and Senior Substitute (2016 - present)
After graduating from Arbor back in the '90s, Karli (she/her) filled her life with academic and scientific adventures around the globe. Returning to Portland as an adult to be near family and friends and trees, she continues to think broadly about the world and the importance of curiosity and investigation in our daily lives. She currently spends half of her working time at Arbor, as a science teacher to the 6-8th grades, as a substitute for the 4th-8th grades, and as a librarian to the whole school. The other half of her working time is spent as a marine biologist, studying the sounds of whales in the Pacific Ocean as a contractor for NOAA. She brings her life-long love of community and teaching, plus real-world science expertise, to spaces across the Arbor campus.
Anne Moloney
Intermediate & Senior Design (2004 - present)
Annie first became known to us when she served so beautifully as a mentor for an 8th grade Senior Project in jewelry design and fabrication. A long time art instructor at the Multnomah Art Center, Annie was also responsible for K-8 art education at Trinity Lutheran School in NE Portland for two years, and in 2018-19 she taught visual arts and was an academic advisor at Seattle Girls School. Her undergraduate work in English and Fine Arts, combined with her exquisite design sense and technical skills, make her the perfect teacher to bring Humanities and Science curriculum alive through Design, while also bringing new possibilities for artistic exploration and expression to Intermediate and Senior students.
Abigail Morrow
Teacher Resident, Junior Down (2024 - present)
Hailing from the mighty Midwest, Abigail spent her early years sandwiched neatly between the Iowan prairie and the Mississippi River. She holds a BA in English from the University of Iowa and an MA in Museum Studies from Western Illinois University. Abigail loves helping students make deep connections to the exciting world around them and is especially passionate about supporting children impacted by medically restricted diets. Most recently, Abigail developed educational programming for the Clackamas County Historical Society and served as a classroom assistant at Sunstone Montessori School. She is thrilled to join the Arbor community! Outside of school, Abigail enjoys trying new restaurants, attending tap classes, and knitting various sweaters.
Deepa Natarajan
Admissions Director (2021 to present)
Now entering her fifth year as Arbor’s Admissions Director, Deepa brings warmth and a gift for building connections within communities gained from her 15 years of developing and running educational programs at the University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley, role as Co-Director and Lead Teacher at Farm Alley summer camp in West Marin, experience organizing and teaching dance to children K-12 at the Bala Center for South Indian Music and Dance, and work as a K-8 substitute teacher at Park Day School in Oakland. She looks forward to building strong relationships with current and prospective families and to being an ambassador for Arbor in the larger community.
Greg Neps
Senior Teacher & Woodshop (2001 - present)
Greg’s classes focus on building skills in math while developing a love for its workings through hands-on and real-world applications and games. He helps students use math as a tool for understanding and exploring the world. With his previous experiences as a tutor and a K-8 math teacher (with responsibilities for science, P.E., and stagecraft), Greg brings a well-developed repertoire of engaging approaches and experiences to Arbor. In addition to teaching math, he is the Senior Woodshop teacher and leads the Seniors through on-campus community service activities.
Felicity Nunley
K-3 Librarian and Reading Support (1996 - present)
Having taken her elementary training at Shady Hill School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Felicity has a strong background in interdisciplinary curriculum development, arts instruction, and early childhood education. Felicity has taught in the Design Studio and the Primary classroom at Arbor for the last 25 years. Now she has fully embraced the role of librarian for our youngest students providing reading support for students in Kindergarten through third grade. She savors her days in the company of young students, sharing their good humor, pointing them toward satisfying books, and building a community of engaged readers.
Marea Palmer-Loh
Intermediate Teacher (2023 - present)
Marea comes to us most recently from The Miquon School in Pennsylvania, where she taught 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades. In addition to her extensive experience as a classroom teacher at Miquon and beyond, Marea has worked as an elementary school Art teacher, designed and run a ceramics program for students in Kindergarten through 8th grade, taught English as a Second Language to Spanish-speaking students in California, developed a program to teach technology and marketable skills to teenagers in Peru, and coached competitive youth rock climbing. Marea’s diverse skill set and her broad interests are foundational to her passion for well-integrated thematic curriculum.
Lauren Reynolds
Primary Teacher and Junior Science (2016-2018, 2020 - present)
Lauren is a 2018 graduate of the Arbor Center for Teaching program, and has since taught both long and short term as a substitute in 3rd and 4th grade Language Arts, K-8 Special Ed., and Music, to name a few. With a background in early childhood education (ECE), supporting homeless youth, studying farming around the world, and serving as staff at the US base McMurdo Station in Antarctica, Lauren brings diverse experience to Arbor. Lauren grew up in the Washington DC area in a family of folklorists and educators, and loves sharing her passion for art, music, and the natural world while teaching all subjects at Arbor.
Linus Rollman
Senior Humanities Teacher, Seminar Leader, and Senior Team Convener (2000 - present)
The study of anthropology gave Linus a generalist’s tools for thinking about the world. He spent six years in the Intermediate classroom before moving to the Seniors. Having co-authored the Arbor Algebra math series, Linus currently teaches Humanities, Writing and Seminar, and oversees the 8th grade Senior Project. A student of history, music, art, the craft of writing, and the mysteries of mathematics, Linus is an enlivening force at Arbor.
Steph Rooney
Garden Teacher and Intermediate and Senior Design Assistant (2022 - present)
Steph came to Arbor from Sunnyside Environmental School where she served as the School Garden Coordinator for 12 years. Now at Arbor, Steph continues to work with students to design and maintain meaningful garden landscapes while integrating the work effectively with classroom curriculum. Steph loves to cook with her students and to guide them in enriching garden spaces with art as she taps into her fine arts training from the Rhode Island School of Design. Steph also brings experience gained from working as an educator and garden manager at the Portland State University Learning Gardens Lab and as a lead instructor for OMSI at the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. When Steph is not teaching, you can find her playing board games with her husband and two kids, doing yoga-dance moves, or listening to a book on tape.
Tom Seidel
Caretaker of Buildings and Grounds (2018 - present)
Having been besotted with the Arbor environment since the first of his two children began attending in 2006, Tom was happy to abandon other pursuits in fall 2018 and become Caretaker of Buildings and Grounds. In this position Tom uses skills and knowledge mainly honed while owning aged and creaky Portland houses, but also admits to some relevant career experience in his past, having spent a long time acquiring "a novelist's resume, without the novel." Tom enjoys classical music, and poetry, and is especially tiresome vis-a-vis Mahler and Archibald MacLeish.
Kelly Severs
Office Manager (2015 - present)
Kelly drove across the country to join the staff at Arbor in the summer of 2015 after spending many years studying and nannying in Germany. She lives on the school’s campus and enjoys caring for the chickens and goats, as well as spending time in the woods with her corgi Finja on the weekends. In addition to strong technical and organizational skills, Kelly approaches the wide ranging work of the Office Manager with a sense of humor and a wonderful “can do” attitude that makes our school run smoothly and the children in her presence feel cared for and seen for all the variety of reasons they visit her in the Office.
Steve Shone
Buildings & Grounds Caretaker (2022 - present)
Steve has been an essential part of the Arbor landscape for over 20 years, first as an employee of Seagraves Landscaping and most recently as a full-time Arbor employee. Steve does everything from mowing, pruning, and planting, to constructing some of the most iconic aspects of the Arbor landscape: the Rill, Amphitheater, Junior deck, and most recently, Peter’s pond. Steve was born in Laos and came to Oregon in 1979 as an orphan, along with other Southeast Asian refugees of the Vietnam War. He began his career as a nurse, where his love of helping people could be utilized for good, but throughout his childhood he always had a fascination, curiosity, and passion for architecture. His artist’s eye is apparent in all of his handiwork. Steve loves roses and forests, and dreams of building a bamboo grove on campus for quiet contemplation and reading. He wants visitors to Arbor to appreciate the tidiness and beauty of Arbor’s landscapes and for children to explore and let their imaginations run free in our spaces. Steve has also grown three children, now in their late 20s, and spends his free time enjoying solitude in nature, listening to the sounds of squirrels and other animals.
Janell Teach
Business Manager (2024- present)
Before arriving at Arbor, Janell taught special education students at the Lake Oswego School District, served as a full-service bookkeeper for Rochem Technical Services, and both timed and project-managed events for Athletic Timing (including, but not limited to, timing the world records for the 50k Road Race and the 100m Wife Carry). Born and raised in Oregon, Janell has lived in Wales and Finland, traveled widely in Europe and Asia, and would like to eat her way through the Southern Hemisphere next. An avid Portland Timbers fan, as well as an accomplished baker and knitter, she and her husband reside with their enthusiastic German Shorthair Pointer, Willow.
Elizabeth Thompson
Senior Humanities, Senior Seminar, and Senior Literacy (2018 - present)
Elizabeth’s connection to Arbor runs deep. She was a student here, graduating in 2002, and returned years later as a Teacher Resident with the Arbor Center for Teaching program, earning her MAT in 2016. She circled back a final time in 2018, joining the Senior team as a Humanities, Writing, Reading, and Seminar teacher. She is passionate about using reading, writing, and discussion as avenues for students to deepen empathy, develop nuanced critical thinking skills, and find joy in self-expression. She seeks to build a classroom community in which students feel seen and valued and in which open dialogue and productive disagreement can happen. Beyond the classroom Elizabeth can be found singing, swimming, or rambling through the woods of the PNW examining mosses, mushrooms, and plants.
Leigh Wood
Physical Education Teacher and Senior Seminar Leader (2000 - present)
Between experiences cultivated both at school and at summer camp, Leigh came to us with a diverse background in academics and athletics, with a particular focus on fostering teamwork, understanding, cooperation, facilitation, and leadership. In her time here, she has devoted herself to building a P.E. program that relies on those core values as a foundation for both physical and character growth for students across the grades. Viewing P.E. through several lenses simultaneously, Leigh has created a dynamic program at Arbor that engages students actively, positively, and thoughtfully.
Cara VanGorder-Lasof
K-8 School Counselor (2020 - present), Senior Teacher 2010-2024)
After many years in the middle school classroom as a Humanities teacher promoting an interdisciplinary approach to the study of history, literature, geography, and cultural anthropology, Cara began Lewis and Clark’s school counseling program in 2018 and has moved into the role of K-8 counselor since completing her training in the spring of 2020. Always a trusted adult to her students, Cara is passionate about and grateful for the opportunity to support students academically, socially, and emotionally throughout their Arbor years.
Joanna Vincent
Music Teacher (2022- present)
Joanna came to Arbor from the Beaverton School District where she had been teaching K-5 music. Last year she brought her joyful energy, and commitment to creating engaging classrooms to the Arbor Intermediates. Returning to her passion and penchant for music, this year we are thrilled that Joanna will be working with the Seniors where she can continue leading and inspiring our school of singers with her beautiful voice. Beyond the classroom walls, Joanna also looks forward to sharing her love of the garden, and to passing along the skills and work ethic that she developed growing up on a farm in Aurora.
Tori Weatherspoon
Primary Teacher (2022- present)
Prior to assuming the lead role in the Primary Den classroom, Tori taught in the West Linn Wilsonville School District, leading her own first-grade class and also focusing on supporting students with special needs. A graduate of the Arbor Center for Teaching in 2018, Tori has also been a regular in Arbor’s Summer Garden program, creating a welcoming environment for Primaries who will come to Arbor each fall. We are fortunate to have Tori’s joyful presence and commitment to creating an inclusive classroom.
Olivia Weals
Teacher Resident, Primary Nest (2024- present)
Olivia grew up in Bethesda, Maryland. She graduated with a BA in Political Science from Wellesley College in 2019. After working as a political organizer registering young people to vote, she realized that her true passion was education. She moved to the Portland area in the Spring of 2022 and has been working in Early Childhood Education ever since! Olivia loves teaching and learning from her students and is thrilled to join the wonderful Arbor community. Her other interests include film, jazz music (playing and listening!), reading every book at her local public library, and playing Dungeons & Dragons. She hopes to bring her passions for justice, equity, and political involvement to the classroom to foster fun, inclusive classrooms full of excited students.
Melissa Wells
Junior Teacher (1994-1995, 1997–2003); Administrative Assistant (2010 – present)
Melissa taught grades K-3 for a decade, with seven of those years teaching the Juniors at Arbor, before leaving to be home with her own children. When her children were old enough to go to Arbor, Melissa returned to Arbor in a new role as an Administrative Assistant. You can find her in the Office or helping across campus. Melissa is known for always being willing to lend a hand, her organizational talents, and her warm personality and smile welcoming both students and parents to Arbor.