WENDY GITTLEMAN
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR

Wendy began her Waldorf journey in California in 2001 first with the Sierra Waldorf School where she had many roles, including enrollment and teaching. She also worked at Rudolf Steiner College and her most recent position was as Operations Manager at Sacramento Waldorf School. Wendy has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Studies and Organizational Leadership and holds certificates in Foundations Study and Administration and Leadership in Waldorf Schools. She is the current AWSNA Southeast/Atlantic Regional Leader, where she serves as a member of the AWSNA Leadership Council which guides the work of the Waldorf Association regionally on behalf of the entire Association.

JENNIFER SARRIA
BUSINESS MANAGER

Jennifer is the Business Manager at Waldorf School of Palm Beach. She was born in Peru and lived in Virginia for over 20 years before she and her family moved to Florida about 2 years ago. Jennifer has over 20 years of experience in office administration, health-care, customer service, and bookkeeping; she is also a certified medical and legal Spanish interpreter and has had the opportunity to work with people from all walks of life and age. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys reading, going to the beach, cooking, and spending time with her daughter and husband.

Gina Jannetty
Enrollment director

Gina is an FSU graduate of '09. She is originally from Rhode Island but has lived locally now in South Florida since 2003! She has worked in schools and Early Learning Centers from Miami to West Palm Beach working with children speech and language impaired until 2020. Since then she has had the opportunity to gain extensive experience administratively in operations across multiple pediatric settings. Gina has worked growing small schools and practices in the state of Florida and now brings her experience to the Waldorf School as our Enrollment Director. In her free time, Gina enjoys cooking, music, nature, and spending time with her puppy, friends & family.

CHARISSA Routhier
lead Teacher Sunflower

Charissa has a deep appreciation, and life-long love of Waldorf Education.  Charissa attended Waldorf school as a student beginning in Kindergarten at the Denver Waldorf School, and  graduating from high school at the Chicago Waldorf School.  She went on to attend Bennington College in VT where she received her B.A. in Music/Songwriting & Voice in 2001.  Charissa spent the next several years performing and recording music, and began teaching music in the grades school, and working in the Early Childhood program, at The Waldorf School of Palm Beach (formerly Sea Star Waldorf Initiative) in 2009.  In 2012 Charissa graduated from Sunbridge Institute in NY with her degree in Waldorf Early Childhood Education.  Charissa holds her FCCPC and Childcare Director's Credential through the state of FL.

Having been a lead early childhood teacher for over 10 years, Charissa has taught a wide range of early childhood programs including Parent & Child, Nursery, Preschool and Kindergarten.  Charissa currently serves as the lead teacher for WSPB's Sunflower Kindergarten Class .  Charissa has also held multiple  leadership roles at WSPB over the years.

Charissa periodically mentors Early Childhood teachers at other Waldorf Schools on behalf of Sunbridge Institute, and is looking forward to teaching in Sunbridge's Early Childhood teacher training program during the summer of 2023.  Currently, Charissa is enrolled in Nurturing the Roots, an advanced therapeutic training for early childhood teachers.

Charissa has two children, one who graduated from WSPB, and one currently enrolled in the grades program at WSPB.

ANDREA DENcKER
Lead teacher Marigold

Andrea was born and raised in Colombia. She holds a Doctor’s Degree in Dental Medicine from Javeriana University in Bogota, where she practiced for almost 10 years before moving to South Florida. It was after having her first child that she learned about Waldorf Education, and her interest and fascination for it motivated her to change her career path to that of teaching the young child. She joined WSPB as a parent in 2013 and has been a faculty member since 2014. Some of her roles in the school had been Teacher Assistant, Handwork Teacher, Parent and Child Teacher, and Early Childhood Lead Teacher.

After completing the Foundation Studies in Anthroposophy, Andrea continued her dedication to the Waldorf pedagogy by completing her teacher training with the CDA (Centro de Desarrollo Antroposófico) in Cuernavaca, Mexico. She has also trained in Ellersiek Movement in Ann Arbor, Michigan and is currently enrolled in Nurturing the Roots, an advanced therapeutic training for Early Childhood Teachers in Denver, Colorado. Andrea is an active member of WECAN and the Anthroposophical Society in America. Both of her children are Waldorf School of Palm Beach alumni.

Ms. Rogers
1st Grade Teacher

Ms. Rogers has her Bachelor’s degree in writing and rhetoric. She also has her Master’s in Fine Arts in Poetry and Poetics from Naropa University and a Master’s in Humanities from Chicago University!
Ms. Rogers has over 14 years of teaching experience. Prior to getting waldorf certified in Berlin she taught at a community college. She worked at 3 Waldorf schools in Berlin, teaching English as a foreign language in middle school & high school and was a class teacher at a vocational school. In her free time she enjoys camping, hiking & traveling!

James Estarellas
2nd Grade Teacher

James Estarellas has been teaching for 22 years in both Waldorf and Montessori schools, beginning as a class teacher for third and fourth grades in a Waldorf initiative in Boca Raton, before becoming a Montessori classroom director for twenty years and now returning to Waldorf. He has worked with students from ages 6 to 18 and has worked extensively with children in theater, organizing poetry festivals and directing plays. He has taught teacher training courses in Peace Education and The Spiritual Development of the Teacher and Child and has published several articles on holistic education. He is an astrological counselor and a long time student of anthroposophy.

ADRIANA NEVERS
3rd GRADE Teacher

Ms. Nevers was born and raised in Brazil. She holds a BA in Elementary Education from Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ with a Double Major is Spanish and English as a Second Language (ESL) and a Master of Science in Child Life from Bank Street Graduate School of Education in NYC. She completed her Foundations Studies Program at Waldorf School of Princeton, NJ and her Eurythmy training at Spring Valley, NY.

Ms. Nevers worked in Public Education as an instructional assistant in Special Education, substitute teacher, as well as teaching English as a Second Language. Ms. Nevers began her journey in Waldorf as a parent with her two children at Waldorf School of Princeton. Here her love of Waldorf Education grew and she began her own path in this education helping in many areas of the school from Summer Camp and After Care teacher to Assistant and Substitute teaching. She furthered her love of Waldorf Education by enrolling in a Waldorf Foundations program and Eurythmy training.

WENDY GITTLEMAN
4th grade teacher

MICHELE BUMBIER
5th Grade Teacher

Michele Bumbier is a Nature-based Educator & Eco-Awareness Mentor with a focus on planting seeds of curiosity and hope within the hearts of the youth. She began her studies in 2010 with Horticulture at Valencia College in Orlando. She received her Permaculture Design Certification in 2014 from the Green Education Center and completed her Community Herbalist training at the Florida School of Holistic Living in 2016. Michele helped spearhead an urban agriculture initiative in Orlando which empowered residents to grow food on their underutilized lawns. She began weaving these various green threads together and started teaching gardening and herbalism in 2015. She went on to teach grades 1-6 at two homeschool co-ops, which is where she was introduced to and started her journey with the Waldorf pedagogy and Biodynamics.

Jamie Hawk
6th Grade Teacher

Jamie received her Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Florida Atlantic University and has held a state of Florida teaching license since 2007. Jamie is a mother of four children and a trained community herbalist. Inspired by her love for children, education, and nature, she began teaching gardening classes at the Waldorf School of Palm Beach in 2014. From there she also taught practical arts, and other diverse classes in the elementary grades before moving into the classroom as a grades lead teacher. While Jamie has enjoyed her training in Biodynamic beekeeping and grades level teacher training, she is looking forward to completing her full Waldorf teacher training certification.

Brittney Bowes
7th grade teacher

Ms. Bowes was born in Melbourne, Florida and moved to Boca Raton with her husband and dogs in 2014 after they both attended graduate school at the University of Lynchburg (formerly Lynchburg College), in Lynchburg, Virginia. Before that, Brittney studied history and graduated with her Bachelor's degree in History and Anthropology from the University of South Florida in 2009. While in Virginia, Ms. Bowes was fortunate to have studied and worked with both the Historical Restoration team and the Archaeology Department at Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest in Bedford, Virginia. She also worked as a docent, researcher, and historical interpreter at the Civil War battle site and headquarters for the Union forces,  Historic Sandusky. With this work, Ms. Bowes helped organize and facilitate the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Lynchburg wherein her work on her research and restoration of the home's formal parlor was showcased to visitors and the History Channel. 

Brittney has been at the Waldorf School of Palm Beach since 2018, when she started as a Games and Aftercare teacher. She took her first sixth grade class in 2019 and transitioned to teaching second and third grades in the two years after the pandemic. She is currently the sixth grade teacher and AWSNA representative and is excited about bringing this class to their eighth grade graduation!

Joan Hourican
8th GRADE

Joan holds a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education with a Waldorf Elementary Certification from Antioch University in New Hampshire. After serving as Program Coordinator at Pine Jog Environmental Education Center of Florida Atlantic University for 18 years, Joan is pleased to bring her love of nature and experiential learning to our school. She finds that Waldorf education meets and nurtures the souls of her students.

Helen Butkov
Eurythmy Teacher

Helen Butkov holds several diplomas from different schools around the world, including: MA Pedagogical Eurythmy from the Threefold Community Eurythmy School, New York. Music Teaching Diploma in Choir and Piano from Daugavpils Pedagogical Academy, Latvia. Diploma in Philosophy from Kiev University, Ukraine. Over the last 30 years Helen has taught and shared her experience with fellow Eurythmy students attending Sunbridge Institute, Rudolf Steiner School of Manhattan and the Rockland Conservatory of Music in New York. Her daughter, Maria Mischel, went to the Green Meadow Waldorf School from nursery through middle school. Helen immerses herself in nature and classical concerts in her free time.

OLGA DOMOKOS
Cyber Civics

Ms. Domokos brings her passion for learning and genuine interest in finding beauty and wonder in the world. She completed her Waldorf Elementary Teacher Certificate at Sunbridge Institute in Spring Valley, NY. She holds a Master in Education degree from SUNY Empire State University. Not only does she teach wood working, but also math and cyber civics through a anthroposophical lens.

Graziella Veneziani
Handwork

Miss Grazi attended Waldorf School in Brazil from kindergarten-high school. Once having children of her own she moved to Florida specifically to Boca so her kids could attend the Waldorf School of Palm Beach. After graduating with her Bachelor’s degree, Miss Grazi went to Boston University to further her education in Arts. Since then, she has attended many Waldorf workshops & trainings and has been teaching handwork for 3 years. Miss Grazi enjoys working with the students on: knitting, crocheting, sewing, embroidery, needle felting, wet felting, water color, weaving & festival and campus decor.

Eric Berken
Instrumental Composer and Teacher

Eric Berken has been studying the violin since the age of five. His primary teachers are Wei Shu Co, Liane Bliss, Gary Kosloski, and Paul Mackerra. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance and Chemistry from Baldwin Wallace University and a Master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from the Bowling Green State University.
Mr. Berken has been a private violin and viola teacher throughout his lifetime. Many of his students have gone on to professional careers in music and have attended major international festivals and competitions. He is cofounder and past director of the Contemporary Youth Orchestra in Cleveland, Ohio and also Conductor Laureate of the Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra Philharmonia in Oberlin, Ohio. Today he is the founder and director of Camerata di Magdalena which is a small conductor-less group of young musicians (ages 9 through 18) who give seven performances each season to benefit the homeless of Broward county.

Julia Gartner
American Sign Language Teacher

Mrs. Julia Gartner is a certified Teacher of the Deaf who has been working with children and in the teaching field for well over a decade. She holds a master’s degree in Deaf Education and has worked in that field since 2012. Her love for children and passion for American Sign Language (ASL) is a flame that has been forever ignited since she was a little girl. Julia is excited to share the sign language love with the children of Waldorf School Palm Beach! She first became interested in the Waldorf philosophy around 2018 when she met a Waldorf teacher and his son. She was so intrigued by them and just loved their energy! Since then, she has been invested and dedicated to learning all she can about Waldorf Education. Julia believes that all children should be given the opportunity to have a positive and challenging, yet nurturing environment. This will allow each child the ability to learn, grow, and continue to progress to their fullest potential. Needless to say, she is honored to be here!

Aubree Kolas
Middle School Sports Teacher






Bio coming soon!

Brielle carries a deep passion and perspective of compassion for all living beings, and one of her main ways of showing love to the world is through gardening. Brielle gardens to help grow more food and medicine locally, but also to help regenerate soils and feed important pollinators and wildlife, and to help people feel that connection to their natural local ecosystems. She is also a forager, leading foraging walks around Florida- and carries a passion for crafting food and medicine for her community and family straight from the land. Brielle has attained a Bachelors in Sustainability and the Environment and a certificate in Agroecology from Florida International University, as well as Permaculture Design Certification from Punta Mona Center in Costa Rica. She has also taken an online nature education course on child education through Tinkergarten. She has worked for The Education Fund in Miami educating children within the food forests she helped plant and maintain at their elementary schools. for the last two years, she hosted her own outdoor nature education & mindfulness children's classes under her organization Mindful Earth Guardians. Brielle also thoroughly enjoys teaching the children about nature  through music as she is also a professional musician. Being the gardening teacher at The Waldorf School of Palm Beach is truly her dream come true!

Terese Hoibye
Games Teacher

Terese attended Waldorf School 7-12th grade in Norway where she is from. She studied English and basic philosophy at University of Oslo. After that, she switched to Norwegian Ballet College and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Dance Education. Once Terese had children, she rediscovered the Waldorf Community and has been involved ever since. She moved to Boca, so her children could attend the Waldorf School of Palm Beach to continue their Waldorf education. Prior to starting at the Waldorf School of Palm Beach, she assisted in the Early Child Program at Berkeley Rose Waldorf School. Ms. Terese is passionate about movement and all its forms and has been extremely excited to learn about the theory behind Waldorf Games class. She also continues to teach ballet locally.

Fernanda Wolfsohn
Parent & Child program

Fernanda Wolfsohn has worked in schools as a World Language Teacher and has studied Anthroposophy in Brazil and in the United States: Foundations of Anthroposophy and Waldorf Pedagogy (Rudolf Steiner University, Brazil); Building Bridges Program at the Center for Anthroposophy (Center for Anthroposophy, US).

Ron teaches chess & logic games to people of all ages. He has taught children as young as 5 years old and adults as young as 80 since 2020. He has taught many students in private chess lessons, and at several schools. The game of chess often translates to the game of life and brings him a great reward when he sees his students’ eyes light up as they gain a refined understanding of chess and their own capabilities. Chess has always been a constant part of his life from the beginning - in fact his parents are chess teachers in Israel, and have been for all his life. His current chess.com rating is 1828 and he is always working to improve his score. He won many tournaments as a child in Israel, one of them being the Open Chess Championship of Tel-Aviv. The chess & logic games programs that he teaches enhance spatial cognition, planning ahead and learning skills.