NVS Faculty and Staff

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Gina is a passionate, empathetic, and innovative educational leader whose career reflects a lifelong dedication to sparking curiosity in others. With a Master's in Educational Leadership, Research, and Technology, she embraces a holistic teaching philosophy, drawing on her diverse background in Behavioral Psychology, Dietetics, two decades as a certified yoga therapist, and extensive experience in health equity. Gina believes in integrating well-being into every learning experience and is committed to creating equitable and inclusive learning environments.

Beyond the classroom, her diverse skill set as a PK-12 Certified Administrator, academic advisor, project manager, and clinical operations lead informs and inspires all facets of curriculum development, instruction, and evaluation. She's successfully developed and led programs with both national and international reach, demonstrating her capacity for widespread impact. Gina recently made the move from the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, where she lived with her husband, their three children, and two big, lovable canine companions, Lincoln (a Bernese Mountain Dog) and Denali (a Retriever). She is honored to join the NVS family, shepherding the school’s growth while honoring its deep roots.

gina@neskowinvalleyschool.com

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND TEACHER DEVELOPMENT / THEATER TEACHER

Sara is an educator who is thrilled to bring her passion to NVS as a specialized teacher, currently focusing on theater.  She spent 30 years founding three schools, administrating, and teaching, and she is excited to help foster an educational environment in which learners can flourish at NVS.  Sara specializes in overcoming learning gaps, curriculum development, and supporting neurodivergent learners. She holds a degree in elementary education and has extensive training in dyslexia support, autism, authentic academic discourse, reading and writing instruction, inquiry-based history teaching, restorative justice, trauma-informed care, and Love and Logic. Much of her teaching career has been devoted to understanding and advocating for neurodivergent students.

Newly relocated from the Midwest to the West Coast, you can find her walking on the beach, hiking on the beautiful local paths, playing music, or training to be a volunteer firefighter.

sara@neskowinvalleyschool.com

DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR / ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Emily is thrilled to serve as the Development Coordinator and Administrative Assistant at Neskowin Valley School. A firm believer in lifelong learning, she finds great joy in exploring new ideas, skills, and experiences. Originally from upstate New York, Emily relocated to Oregon in 2020, drawn by its natural beauty and creative spirit.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Spanish from the State University of New York at New Paltz and a Master’s in International Relations from Norwich University. Emily brings a diverse background to her role, with professional experience as a paralegal, legislative research assistant, and small business owner. She’s excited to support NVS through a time of growth, innovation, and community building.

Outside of work, you’ll often find Emily hiking and camping with her dog, Penny, or scrapbooking memories from her travels around the world.

emily@neskowinvalleyschool.com

LOWER & MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER / MUSIC TEACHER / RESTORATIVE JUSTICE DIRECTOR

Sam’s experience teaching started in the same place his education began, at his mother’s preschool in Maryland. His grade-school education at The Key School in Annapolis fostered his love of music, humanities, outdoor education, and community-oriented learning. He attended Bard College, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies with a focus on inequality. During his college summers, he worked with youths at Wee Lad and Lassie summer camp, attended classes at NYU’s Clive Davis School of Recorded Music, and volunteered at Annapolis Lighthouse homeless shelter. After undergrad, Sam honed his teaching skills as a music educator at Bach to Rock in Nanuet, New York, working with all ages and students with varying levels of ability. In 2019, he left his music teaching position to obtain his teaching license and Master of Arts in Teaching at Lewis and Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling. Sam secured his degree and teaching license in 2020 amidst the pandemic, and moved to the coast, where he taught Social Studies, English, Health, and PE to Waldport Middle School 7th and 8th graders. Sam feels right at home in the NVS community. He is a new father as of August 2023, and he cannot wait for his daughter to attend NVS!

sam@neskowinvalleyschool.com

PRESCHOOL TEACHER / GARDEN TEACHER

Sammi grew up in Southcentral Alaska and spent many summers visiting family on the Oregon Coast. She attended Southern Oregon University, where she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. Sammi taught Preschool and Kindergarten for six years in Delaware and has a love of play-based, child-led learning. She is committed to providing an engaging, safe space where children can thrive. Sammi spent many years on the East Coast, as well as four years living overseas in Spain, and is excited to be moving back to the Pacific Northwest.

Outside of the classroom, she enjoys playing board games with her family, gardening, tending to her many house plants, reading, and walking with her Mini Schnauzer, Biscuit.

sammi@neskowinvalleyschool.com

AUXILIARY COORDINATOR / LEAD CAMP COUNSELOR / SUBSTITUTE

Claire is an Oregon native, having grown up spending weekends exploring the Pacific Northwest with her dogs. Her passion for the great outdoors led her to Oregon State University, where she graduated with a degree in environmental science. During her free time, she enjoys utilizing positive reinforcement in training dogs, skiing, and watching Formula One. Before coming to NVS, she worked as a substitute teacher for Nestucca Valley School District.

Claire is committed to helping children discover their passions and interests through compassionate care and encouraging inquiry. With a scientific background, she loves to explore the mysteries of coastal ecosystems and hopes to share her joy of learning with the NVS students. You’ll be able to easily spot her by the presence of one of her two Guide Dogs For the Blind puppies in training, black lab Wonton or golden retriever Lawson.

claire@neskowinvalleyschool.com

BOARD CHAIR / DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Kelsey grew up on Vancouver Island, Canada, where she spent all her time outdoors and with her animals. Today, she resides in Neskowin, Oregon, where she is still following the path of an outdoor woman and animal advocate. She is a mother of 2 wild-hearted boys who attend NVS, three horses, three kitties, and a couple of dogs. If she is not at the school sharing her passion for social-emotional development paired with neuroscience and playing in the school garden, you will find her at her farm with her animals or out adventuring with her family. She has joined our team as Board Chair and is volunteering her time to facilitate a period of regrowth and revitalization of our beloved school. With years of experience in management and running her own business, she brings a creative outlook to our new strategic plan and development.

kelsey@neskowinvalleyschool.com

 OUTDOOR EDUCATION & NATURE-BASED ART TEACHER

Sepha’s greatest passion is being in and learning about Nature.  She is always ready to discover something new with anyone who is curious about the natural world around us. 

Sepha grew up playing outdoors whenever she could. At a very young age, she accompanied her mother and her mariner scout troop with their canoes, camping and exploring the high lakes of the Cascades.  In college, she gravitated to Art, which soon led her to botanical illustration and nature journaling through Oregon State University’s Master Naturalist Program. Sepha works summers as a ranger at Cape Lookout State Park, curating the JR Ranger program, sharing art and nature, and teaching environmental education.

As an avid naturalist and artist, she loves to see the spark in someone’s eyes when they observe something they haven’t noticed before. Sepha loves to play using all sorts of things, microscopes and paintbrushes, which might lead us to new things we haven't done before! By discovering nature journaling or creating art, both kids and adults can connect to the outdoors in new ways.

Using imagination and exploration, we can all create memorable moments in nature!  Sepha truly believes that by forging a deeper appreciation, understanding, and knowledge of the natural world around us, we can all become better human beings.