Tim de la Torre has been an educator and filmmaker for over 15 years. He taught in two rural elementary schools in the Philippines during a gap year in college, then returned after graduating to be the assistant administrator of 4 elementary schools and a new high school for 2 additional years. Shortly after returning to the states and marrying his partner, Jaymie, they started a filmmaking business that took them all over the world. In 2013, Tim joined the faculty at Pacific Union College and co-managed the Film Program in the Visual Arts Department there where he taught classes, advised students and managed lab spaces and facilities. While Tim is new to Waldorf, the ideas and philosophies have been taking root in him ever since his daughter was born in 2018. He was quite relieved and excited to find an educational model that fit his own evolving views of how to support a child’s intrinsic motivation to learn. Tim enjoys connecting people together, helping solve problems and learning new things. His hobbies include basketball, auto mechanics, computers and electronics, and good stories in a large variety of mediums.

Brittany Segal loved her most recent job as Attendance Secretary at Clear Lake High School as it combined two of her favorite things: kids and activity planning. She only left because she became a first-time mother. Since then, Miss Birdie has spent the past six years at home raising her three children with her husband, John. Now she is thrilled to once again be around children and planning as the Chief Operations Officer of Shade Canyon School. The strong, loving and trusting relationship between a Waldorf teacher and a child is the component of Waldorf education that drew Miss Birdie and her husband, John to enroll their children in Shade Canyon. In addition, artistic activities and time spent outdoors in nature allow children to learn at a relaxed pace appropriate to each child’s level of development, an aspect she has observed while parenting her own three children. Miss Birdie has lived in Lake County for eleven years. She likes living here for the quiet, the dark night sky, the small communities, and the farms. In fact, the family of five (plus three cats and one dog) just moved to a nine-acre property on Cobb that they hope to turn into a small family farm of their own! Miss Birdie enjoys needle felting, crafting, and gardening.

Kristin is a Waldorf graduate who has dedicated her life to supporting children, families, and community. She holds a B.A. in Movement Education from Goddard College and completed Waldorf and Lifeways Early Childhood training at Rudolf Steiner College. With over 20 years of experience in early childhood education, family advocacy, and community service, she continues to direct Golden Oak Daycare, a Waldorf-inspired program for young children. She also founded Gold Hat Theater Company for kids, blending creativity, collaboration, and joy through the arts. Her community work has included co-facilitating a Waldorf outreach program for homeless women and serving as a resident manager and parent educator in affordable housing communities, where she supported diverse families through advocacy, education, and trauma-informed care. In addition, Kristin brings extensive experience in end-of-life care, always meeting others with compassion and presence. At Shade Canyon, Kristin is excited to lead the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program, creating enriching after-school experiences that nurture the whole child. In her free time, she enjoys being in nature and spending time with her 15-year-old son.

Vanessa is passionate about preserving the magic and wonder of childhood, and strives to bring love, warmth, beauty and joy to the children and the Kindergarten program. Vanessa has been an educator for over 25 years with experience in private, public and charter schools. Her journey in education began with roles as a volunteer and aide, evolving through positions as a substitute teacher and ultimately a full-time classroom teacher in K-12 settings. She holds a BA in Anthropology from California State University Chico, a multiple subject teaching credential from California State University Northridge, and a Masters in Teaching from Pepperdine University. Originally from Malibu, a move to Chico, CA allowed her to work in various school settings including rural farm towns and mountain communities, STEM schools, and an Open Structured Progressive Schoolhouse. It was there she fell in love with the Waldorf philosophy and practices. Vanessa believes that Shade Canyon’s humanistic approach to education truly allows for children to develop and blossom into the unique individuals that they are - she loves the simple but beautiful rhythms of a Waldorf education! A new resident of Lake County, Vanessa is enjoying getting to know all that our beautiful county has to offer. She loves painting, hiking, swimming, yoga, and exploring local farmer’s markets and hidden secrets. Vanessa’s daughter, Lilah, recently graduated from UC Berkeley and is living in NYC. Vanessa is looking forward to visiting the Big Apple during Spring Break!

Rachel Anderson taught Kindergarten in public school for five years before staying home for another five years to raise her children. She loves that Waldorf education allows children to learn through play and exploration at their own pace. She is excited to lead Shade Canyon School’s first kindergarten using this method of developmentally appropriate learning. Miss Rachel has a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies with a Concentration in Music from California State University, Stanislaus, and a Cleared Multiple Subject Credential from the State of California. Her husband, Mark, is an elementary teacher and a pastor of a church on the north shore. They both enjoy the natural beauty of Lake County where they have lived for nine years. They are outside often with their energetic and playful, young sons. In her spare time, Miss Rachel likes to play piano, knit, crochet, cross-stitch, garden, bake, and cook.

Like a seed waiting for the right season, Jessie Beck's journey to Shade Canyon has been one of patient growth. Five years ago, she helped cultivate the soil for our school—leading preschool playgroups and speaking at board meetings—but the timing wasn't quite right. Now, as our 1st/2nd grade and lead pedagogical teacher, Ms. Beck is ready to plant deep and grow alongside our budding community. With sixteen years of classroom teaching experience, ten years as a credentialed California teacher, and four years with her Waldorf certificate from the Center for Educational Renewal, she brings a rich foundation of knowledge. She holds a Master's in Education from the University of the Pacific, a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, and a BA in Art Education and Dance from Humboldt State University. Ms. Beck weaves movement, art, and genuine connection into her classroom. Her background in dance and visual arts allows her to respond intuitively to the rhythms of the classroom, creating spaces where children feel empowered to reach their fullest potential. She has taught in progressive charter schools in Oakland and Arcata, spent four years at Cobb Mountain Elementary School, and taught abroad in West Africa. For the past four years at River Oak Waldorf Charter School, she guided her first Waldorf loop from 1st through 4th grade, cultivating a close-knit class community grounded in connection, growth mindset, and social-emotional learning. Beyond the classroom, Jessie has taught adults dance, yoga, and fitness for over a decade, with three trips to Guinea, West Africa, to study dance. When she's not teaching, you'll find her hiking, kayaking, working on their property with her husband, and playing with her cats and dogs. She brings this love of the natural world into her teaching, creating classrooms that—like a canyon—shelter, nurture, and help every child reach toward the sun.

My name is John Vaughan, Originally from New Jersey, I recently moved back to Lake County with my wife and children. I grew up wanting to be in law enforcement but as I got older I decided to take a different path. I have worked with teens and children over the course of the past 12 years in various positions such as group homes, trauma treatment facilities, substance abuse treatment, teaching high school and more. I have been trained in Restorative Practices, Trauma informed Care, Psychological First Aid and Counseling to name a few. These experiences have given me the attitude and skills necessary in order to be a compassionate and understanding teacher with clear, firm boundaries. As a first year Waldorf teacher, I am eager to continue learning and growing in my new position as the first grade teacher at Shade Canyon School. I am passionate about working with young people and helping them learn and develop a healthy and constructive disposition. I believe that exercise, developmentally appropriate academic activities and unstructured play are some of the keys to helping our kids become balanced individuals. I look forward to serving our students, school and community in the coming years.

My name is Zsuzsa Beinhauer, and I have lived in Lakeport with my husband and our 2 children since 2018. I grew up in Hungary and moved to the United States in 2004. My K–12 education there deeply enriched my life through music—singing, recorder, and violin—as well as art and foreign languages, including Spanish and English. This background helped me realize I wanted a non-traditional education for my daughter when she was 4 years old. During my search, I discovered Waldorf education and immediately fell in love with its curriculum and teaching philosophy. In 2019, I started my journey to become a teacher and have spent the past six years working in both Waldorf and public school settings. These past 4 years in a traditional public school have helped me realize how deeply I value, and miss the curriculum and teaching methods of Waldorf education. I have been following Shade Canyon’s journey since the beginning, and I am truly excited for the opportunity to join the school and become part of this wonderful community.

Hello! My name is Jules Stout. I live on Cobb Mountain with my husband, daughter and our French Bulldog, Stripey Ivy Rose, near Boggs Forest. I have been a supporter of Shade Canyon since the early days of fund raising, board meetings and festive celebrations. My personal mission is to find ways to use my unique interests in neuroscience and human development to make our world a happier and healthier place. I explored academic fields at Junior College while assisting and teaching in Early Childhood Education programs, including Haleakala Waldorf School’s Kindergarten. When I decided I wanted my Master’s Degree in Child/Human Development, I completed my Bachelor and Master’s coursework in Child Development at CSU Sacramento. Throughout college, I studied American Sign Language and Deaf Culture, as well as Ceramics. I later received my MA in Education, with an emphasis in Special Education, from National University, Fairfield and earned my California Education Specialist credential through the Sonoma County office of Education’s Teacher Intern program. I love listening to audiobooks and podcasts about leadership and science. I practice yoga, meditation and journaling to support me being the calm and patient parent, educator and team member I strive to be. I recharge my body, mind and spirit by hiking, paddle boarding, mountain biking, backpacking, making pottery, and firing wood kilns. I am excited to play a role in the educational opportunity and community that Shade Canyon is creating in Lake County and am honored to serve as our first in-person Education Specialist.

Miss Angela lives a Waldorf lifestyle in relationship with the universe as a basis for her own lifelong learning. She believes that understanding the four senses in early childhood development is foundational to helping children mature through body, mind, and spirit. She is currently finishing her bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education with an advanced degree in Waldorf pedagogy. Miss Angela is a graduate of Bauman College in Nutritional Sciences and is a Nutrition Educator with more than ten years of experience teaching nutrition to all grades. She specializes in bread making and the history and cultural significance of bread which she also brings to the Shade Canyon students. In addition to baking bread, Miss Angela is an heirloom rose gardener and after homesteading for thirty years, is a master at preserving foods and baking. She moved to Lake County in 2021 from Tomales Bay, is the mother of three grown sons, and has two dogs, Ruby and Swami. She has a prayerful heart, a meditative mind. Little-known fact: she has translated 1st and 2nd century Tibetan Buddhist scriptures!

Kacey Holsworth’s first experience of Waldorf education was through her daughter’s pre-school. She fell in love with the idea of outdoor learning and learning through play. She believes storytelling, singing songs, exploring nature, and making art should be a part of every child’s day, just as it is in Waldorf schools. She is excited to be the Morning Kindergarten Assistant for Shade Canyon School. After growing up visiting generations of Lake County relatives, Miss Kacey fulfilled a childhood dream and moved here in 2019. She lives in Hidden Valley Lake with her husband, Michael, three children, and a chocolate Labrador retriever. The whole family loves to be outdoors in the rain, snow, or sunshine enjoying Lake County’s beautiful mountains, trees, and fresh air! Miss Kacey loves to read, go on hikes, and visit the ocean.

Ms. Melinda recently came to Lake County all the way from the Fingerlakes region in Central NY. While she is still learning about the Waldorf philosophy, it seems that she has been unknowingly living it her whole life. Growing up in the country, her mom taught her gardening, animal husbandry, food preservation, sewing, cooking, and body awareness; and her dad taught her about building a house, economics, living a sustainable life, and how to care for our earth. In fact, her family put a large geothermal heating and cooling system on their property in the early 90s! Ms. Melinda has been caring for children since she was old enough to babysit, and always found her way back to the childcare field while raising and homeschooling her own 4 children and working in the Holistic Health field. She is a lifelong learner and has an abundance of certifications and degrees: BS in Business Administration, MS in Human Services, ND/PhD in Holistic Nutrition (dual degree), and certifications in: Yoga, Personal Training, Herbology, Pet Health, Iridology, Reiki, Homeopathy and she is currently working on her Yoga Therapy certification. Melinda finds the pursuit and sharing of knowledge to be one of the greatest joys of being a human, and is often found excitedly talking about the many ways that humans can and have shaped the evolution of this beautiful planet. Before settling in Lake County, she traveled around the country for 3 years in an RV, visiting approximately 500 parks, museums, beaches, cities, waterfalls, friends, and campgrounds; her favorite place is Jamaca (One Love). It was a happy accident that she stumbled across “Lake County: California’s best kept secret,” and is simply overjoyed with the purchase of her house on one of the local channels. She is often found lounging on or near the water, cooking, making herbal tinctures, playing her crystal singing bowls, doing group yoga therapy with her neighbors, and planning what to do with her 1 acre of rich earth!

Halito! My name is Trinity Fox. I'm a Lake County native and this is going to be my 6th year working in education! I'm a musician and I am currently working on my music education degree. Chi pisa la chike!

Mia McMullen brings a rich, interdisciplinary background in education, culture, and clinical support to her work as a Speech-Language Pathologist. Raised in the Pacific Northwest, Mia began her educational journey studying biodynamic farming at Rudolf Steiner College in Sacramento, where she first discovered Waldorf education and its deeply supportive, community-centered philosophy. Her passion for holistic education led her to Eugene, Oregon, where she earned both her Waldorf teaching credential through the Waldorf Teacher Education Program and a Master’s in Folklore Studies from the University of Oregon. Mia later completed an additional Master’s degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences to become a Speech-Language Pathologist. Her diverse clinical experience spans pediatrics, geriatrics, schools, hospitals, and residential care settings for individuals with severe disabilities—with a strong clinical emphasis on empowering caregivers and expanding non-verbal and functional communication strategies. Outside of her professional practice, Mia enjoys riding motorcycles, hiking, exploring, and spending time with friends and family.

I will be teaching our garden class and as a lead for our after school bridge program. My mother is a big inspiration in education for me and teaches Nursing in southern California at my alma mater, Cal State Fullerton. We firmly believe in invoking critical thinking from our students and empowering them through education. I am extremely fortunate to be a part of Shade Canyon and a Waldorf system that really empowers educators to be their best selves. I graduated from CSUF in 2019 with a Bachelor's in Health Sciences. Through internship work at St Joseph's hospital, I became the leader of an after school garden program for elementary students and have been hooked ever since.