Staff & Board

	Aaron Stern is the Executive Director and founder of the Academy, serves as President of the Board, and is a member of the Core Faculty. He designed the core curriculum, which is at the heart of all Academy programs, and directs its facilitation team. He is a composer, performer, educator and former dean of the American Conservatory of Music. He consults with educational, arts, spiritual and social-change organizations and communities, worldwide. He is also trained and certified as a transpersonal therapist. aaron[at]aloveoflearning.org
	Marianne Murray is the Academy's Program Director, a member of the core facilitation team, and serves on the Board of Directors. She has a Ph.D. in transformative learning and an MA in transpersonal psychology. She emphasizes transpersonal practices in her work with individuals and groups, and is a breathwork practitioner, body worker, and systemic constellations facilitator. marianne[at]aloveoflearning.org
	Donato Thomas Jaggers Donato Thomas Jaggers is the Academy's Associate Director and Special Assistant to Aaron Stern. He has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Sociology. An experienced teacher, editor and translator, he is also a member of the Academy's facilitation team. donato[at]aloveoflearning.org
	Dan Brannen is the Academy's Finance Manager. He received a BS in accounting from the Pennsylvania State University, and a JD from George Washington University. Prior to joining the Academy, Dan was self-employed as an attorney, writer, and indexer of nonfiction books. Working for the Academy in Santa Fe answers Dan's call to serve others in an environment that inspires. Dan[at]aloveoflearning.org
	Melissa Stevens-Briceño is the Academy’s Program Manager. She joined the Academy’s staff after twelve years of social change work in New York, Chicago, the San Francisco Bay Area and her native Santa Fe. Her work has focused on environmental justice, sustainable education through permaculture, cross-cultural connections and Latin American culture and politics. She has lived, worked and traveled in Latin America and holds a BA in Comparative Literature. melissa[at]aloveoflearning.org
	David Gordon is an artist, Director of Academy Center Development, and a member of the Board of Directors. David was part of the circle that supported the early development of the Academy. As owner of DGTileworks, his clients range from architects, designers, museums and a variety of public institutions, including the New York City Subway System, Coney Island Aquarium and Hyatt Hotels. David is overseeing the Seton Castle restoration project and led the development of the Academy’s Sedona classroom site. david[at]aloveoflearning.org
	Patty Nagle has joined the Academy as the Development Manager. She comes to the Academy with extensive experience in the areas of event production, management and operations within the non-profit sector. Her passion is being in the natural world with her two dogs and staying fit. She received her B.S. in Health, Physical Education and Recreation – Exercise Science from the Pennsylvania State University. patty[at]aloveoflearning.org
	Anna Sanchez is the Academy’s Operations Manager. She brings 20 years of experience to the Academy. An avid student of life, her love of learning was ignited in the 1990s when she began studying esoteric teachings, in particular those of Master DK. She learned about integrating body, mind and spirit when she worked at Kripalu Center in the Berkshires of Western MA. Anna is also a lover of nature and animals, and is trained in Reflexology, Reiki and Consegrity. Joining the Academy is a dream come true for her! anna[at]aloveoflearning.org
	Robin Weeks coordinates the Teacher Renewal Program at the Academy. He has a background in science and science education, and spent many years as an Assistant Professor in Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle. More recently he obtained a masters degree in Religious Studies from Naropa University in Boulder. This experience sparked a passion for contemplative education and issues involved in the meeting of science and spirituality. robin[at]aloveoflearning.org
	Chrissie Orr was born in Scotland, a descendant of the Picts, (the painted ones) She is an artist, animateur and activist who focuses on developing “an aesthetic around community and site with issues relevant to both.” Orr has created innovative community based art projects in diverse areas of the world and is recognized internationally for her innovative work. She presently is working on the El Otro Lado Project in collaboration with the Academy and the Santa Fe Art Institute. chrissie[at]aloveoflearning.org
	Tina Olson currently works in our finance department as the bookkeeper. Tina holds degrees in Art, Music and Industrial Design. Her background and experience are in graphic art, book and product design, production, and project management. She is a mother of two young men, an avid telemark skier and a Certified Bikram’s Yoga teacher. She is active in Yoga in the Schools and shares her love of learning with students of all ages. tina[at]aloveoflearning.org
	Matthew Fox is the Academy’s Scholar in Residence (Read Article: Matthew Fox Joins the Academy). He holds a doctorate degree in the History and Theology of Spirituality from the Institut Catholique de Paris. Matthew is best known for his renewal of the ancient tradition of feminine-centered Creation Spirituality. In 1996 he founded the University of Creation Spirituality in Oakland, California. He is currently lecturing, teaching and writing and is President of the non-profit that he created in 1984, Friends of Creation Spirituality. He is the author of twenty-eight books on philosophy, religion, and spirituality, His most recent book, The A.W.E. Project: Reinventing Education, Reinventing the Human has led him into an increased engagement with issues impacting the education of children. www.matthewfox.org
	Mark Nicolson is part of the team of the Ventana Group. He has been a leadership consultant and coach for 13 years and was formerly a partner in Alexander, the UK firm which pioneered coaching in organizations. He is on the faculty of the Kennedy School Executive Education program at Harvard, of Stanford Continuing Studies and of Esalen Institute. He holds an MA from Oxford and an MBA from Stanford. mark[at]ventanagroup.org
	Toby Herzlich is a member of the Ventana team. She is a skilled facilitator and trainer with a background in leadership development, organizational excellence, conflict resolution, and participatory strategic planning. Her work focuses on developing leadership within progressive nonprofits, supporting values-based exploration in innovative entrepreneurial ventures, and cultivating visionary expression among women. She is also a trainer with the Rockwood Leadership Program, and is a co-designer and trainer of Cultivating Women's Leadership. toby[at]nets.com
	James Bampfield is a member of the core facilitation team and leads the Leading By Being training in Europe. He is the co-director of the Europe-based consulting partnership, Quinx. He works in the fields of organizational consultancy, change agency, and personal growth. A graduate of Cambridge University and the University of Surrey, he has an MS in Change Agent Skills and Strategies. james[at]quinx.org
	David L. Witt, curator, works on exhibition development, collections management, research, publication, and public presentations relating to the life and legacy of artist/naturalist/writer Ernest Thompson Seton. His career has included appointment as art curator at the Harwood Foundation of the University of New Mexico, founding the New Mexico Art History Conference, and publishing three award winning art history books. He holds degrees in Political Science and Liberal Studies/Leadership, and is a lifelong naturalist. davidlwitt[at]cybermesa.com
	Daniela Di Piero is a co-facilitator of Leading by Being for Young Adults. She has a Masters in Teaching from Brown University and is working on her Ph.D. in Psychology. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Movimiento, a youth-driven nonprofit for social change, leadership, and meaningful work. danieladipiero[at]gmail.com
	Vivi Rogers is the Academy’s finance consultant and a member of the Board of Directors. She is a CPA and earned her B.S. from Indiana University. She worked for eleven years in public accounting and for the past several years she has been directing the finance and administrative functions at two educational non-profit organizations. vivi[at]aloveoflearning.org
	Livia Drapkin Vanaver is a Faculty Member with the Academy, working on projects in Rosendale, New York, and in Sedona, Arizona, in the development of our in-depth teacher/artist exploration, "Teaching from the Art-Part of Ourselves". She is co-Artistic Director of The Vanaver Caravan Dancers and Music Company and has toured the world offering concerts and workshops in world and contemporary dance with live music. Ms. Vanaver and her “Caravan” create festivals with students of all ages in public and private schools settings, celebrating the rich traditions of the world. She has worked for Lincoln Center Aesthetic Education Institute and is on the faculty of Columbia University Graduate Theater Department. livdance[at]aol.com
	Eleanor Makris has been staff, friend and advisor for the Academy since its inception. Eleanor was part of the circle that supported the early development of the Academy. She is involved with staff development, research and developing practical applications of Academy philosophy within her own home community of Galena, Illinois. Eleanor holds an MS in Educational Psychology from the University of Chicago and is a Ph.D. candidate in philosophy at the University of Limerick. em[at]galenalink.net
	Ann Stahl is Treasurer and serves as Chair of the Academy’s Board of Directors. Ann was part of the circle that supported the early development of the Academy. Formerly head of advisory services at the Rudolph Steiner Foundation’s New York office, she is now retired and avidly pursuing her interests in family, gardening and travel. She continues to consult with Waldorf organizations, and serves on a number of boards in the field of education and change. annstahlannblvd[at]aol.com
	Reta Lawler is a member of the Academy’s adjunct faculty and was part of the circle that supported the early development of the Academy. Her Coming Full Circle training, exploring a contemplative approach to death and dying, is part of the Academy’s core curriculum. Reta is fully ordained in the Zen Buddhist lineage. She is also a transpersonal therapist and incorporates her study and practice of Peruvian Shamanism in her teaching and healing work across the US. sanchireta[at]earthlink.net
	Carol Cole is a Board member and adjunct faculty of the Academy. Carol was part of the circle that supported the early development of the Academy. She is the founder of Sophia Project that serves homeless and very low-income children and parents in Oakland, CA. She is also the director of Children’s Programs at Raphael House in San Francisco, a family homeless shelter. Carol has worked in educational communities around the world including Waldorf schools and Camphill communities. carol.cole[at]sophiaproject.org